Unfortunately the 8600 also costs a bit more, and has a wide screen, which I don't want.
I suppose I'll consider an 8600, but I really wanted to avoid a wide screen...
EDIT: I'd really rather not go with the 8600, I guess it all depends on how bad the 5150 overheating problems are. I've seen people who don't have overheating issues with it, and usually the number of people who complain on forums are just vocal minority with problems...
You've got me, the 600m has won me over. That and the 549$ discount for this weekend.
But, the next question begs, should I buy now, or wait until just before the next semester starts, when the Inspiron 700m (mentioned in Dell's newest BIOS) might be out?
Yes, but the thing is, I don't actually NEED a laptop until the semester starts in august. So, it becomes a tug of war against, buy now and get a bunch of deals (549$ discount, free printer/scanner, and free HDD upgrade, though they always seem to offer the free HDD upgrade), or buy in august, possibly for a better price or an entirely new model, the 700m.
If you have been following the deals and notice this one to be better than the others (which occasionally they are) then go for it. However, generally Dell offers the same value in freebies every week, they just come in different forms (sometimes HD upgrade,sometimes memory, sometimes cash back, some time a cheap digital camera, etc.). If you can utilize the Printer and had planned on upgrading the HD which comes free this week, go for it! I'd expect the price on the 600m to drop probably 50 in the next 3 months. Thats a pretty standard rate. However, if you are like me and want a better graphics option for a 600m type machine, then I'd wait. I'm praying the 700m is a similar size with a more advanced graphics solution. To me, the 600m is a great machine if only it had a better video card. I can't justify a ~1500 dollar investment that comes with an already outdate video card.
Regardless, if this machine is what you want, and the freebies would all be useful to you, go for it
I don't believe either of those ships to Canada; NewEgg didn't last I checked.
There are indeed plenty of places to get a Hitachi drive, but then you're paying for TWO drives, I'd rather have it as an upgrade. Judging from my conversation with a sales rep on the phone about the 5150, I think a sales rep could be convinced to put a Hitachi drive in a 600m.
I think I'm going to wait until august and then re-examine my options. Besides, for the price of the 600m I was looking at (2200$ canadian), which was a fairly basic model (1.5ghz P-M), I can get a Sager 4080 (or a Canadian clone from Futureshop (Owned by BestBuy)). That Sager 4080 as I configured it had a P4 2.8 with hyperthreading, and a Radeon 9600 with 128MB memory, and 512MB system memory. It was a pretty decently laptop, though quite a bit larger.
So, I'm hoping that come august, Dell will have a 600m or 700m with a better videocard and processor for ~2000-2200$ CDN.
You know what irks me the most of all this? I'd be perfectly happy with an Inspiron 1150, if only it had a decent 3D chipset, instead of Intel Extreme crud!
Guspaz
16 Posts
0
June 11th, 2004 19:00
I suppose I'll consider an 8600, but I really wanted to avoid a wide screen...
EDIT: I'd really rather not go with the 8600, I guess it all depends on how bad the 5150 overheating problems are. I've seen people who don't have overheating issues with it, and usually the number of people who complain on forums are just vocal minority with problems...
Message Edited by Guspaz on 06-11-2004 04:26 PM
ejn63
9 Legend
•
87.5K Posts
0
June 11th, 2004 19:00
Before you buy, search the forums/Google for "Inspiron 5100" and "overheating".
The 8600 is a better system.
mattcowger
2.6K Posts
0
June 11th, 2004 21:00
Guspaz
16 Posts
0
June 11th, 2004 21:00
Guspaz
16 Posts
0
June 12th, 2004 01:00
But, the next question begs, should I buy now, or wait until just before the next semester starts, when the Inspiron 700m (mentioned in Dell's newest BIOS) might be out?
Guspaz
16 Posts
0
June 12th, 2004 02:00
mattcowger
2.6K Posts
0
June 12th, 2004 02:00
kwest2
123 Posts
0
June 12th, 2004 04:00
Grab one at newegg.com or zipzoomfly.com.
I believe that they are user installable.
kwest2
123 Posts
0
June 12th, 2004 04:00
If you have been following the deals and notice this one to be better than the others (which occasionally they are) then go for it. However, generally Dell offers the same value in freebies every week, they just come in different forms (sometimes HD upgrade,sometimes memory, sometimes cash back, some time a cheap digital camera, etc.). If you can utilize the Printer and had planned on upgrading the HD which comes free this week, go for it! I'd expect the price on the 600m to drop probably 50 in the next 3 months. Thats a pretty standard rate. However, if you are like me and want a better graphics option for a 600m type machine, then I'd wait. I'm praying the 700m is a similar size with a more advanced graphics solution. To me, the 600m is a great machine if only it had a better video card. I can't justify a ~1500 dollar investment that comes with an already outdate video card.
Regardless, if this machine is what you want, and the freebies would all be useful to you, go for it
Guspaz
16 Posts
0
June 12th, 2004 21:00
There are indeed plenty of places to get a Hitachi drive, but then you're paying for TWO drives, I'd rather have it as an upgrade. Judging from my conversation with a sales rep on the phone about the 5150, I think a sales rep could be convinced to put a Hitachi drive in a 600m.
I think I'm going to wait until august and then re-examine my options. Besides, for the price of the 600m I was looking at (2200$ canadian), which was a fairly basic model (1.5ghz P-M), I can get a Sager 4080 (or a Canadian clone from Futureshop (Owned by BestBuy)). That Sager 4080 as I configured it had a P4 2.8 with hyperthreading, and a Radeon 9600 with 128MB memory, and 512MB system memory. It was a pretty decently laptop, though quite a bit larger.
So, I'm hoping that come august, Dell will have a 600m or 700m with a better videocard and processor for ~2000-2200$ CDN.
You know what irks me the most of all this? I'd be perfectly happy with an Inspiron 1150, if only it had a decent 3D chipset, instead of Intel Extreme crud!