I dont use one, but I use my laptop on a low table in front of the couch, not my lap. As long as you are using it on a hard, flat surface, you dont need a pad.
Like
mattcowger I also put my 8600 on a small table. This is a case that depends on you. They don't call them laptops much, just notebooks. That's because they are too hot to keep on your lap a long time. So if you plan to keep in on there, then buy one for your own comfort.
I use a cooling pad on mine only when i play Counter-Strike. The 1/2" rubber feet on the cooling fan allows for better circulation and the aluminum plate design absorbs the heat. It uses 2 fans to draw the air from the bottom of the laptop. It also makes a great stand for hand position.
The b in 8600b refers to the second version of the inspiron 8600. As far as I know, there has been 8600a, 8600b and 8600c to date. The 8600c uses the new 21watt Pentium M with 2MB cache. The 8600b used the 25 watt Pentium M with 1MB cache. Also sometime around July 2004 they removed the pencil stick pointer on the keyboard, now on the 8600c it just has the touch pad. There are probably other differences, I don't know them all. Dell doesn't say much about it but if you call support with your express tag they can tell you which one you have.
I thought Dell would have anounced a new model when the new Dothan Pentium M was released, but they didn't, they kept the 8600 model number.
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The b in 8600b refers to the second version of the inspiron 8600. As far as I know, there has been 8600a, 8600b and 8600c to date. The 8600c uses the new 21watt Pentium M with 2MB cache. The 8600b used the 25 watt Pentium M with 1MB cache. Also sometime around July 2004 they removed the pencil stick pointer on the keyboard, now on the 8600c it just has the touch pad. There are probably other differences, I don't know them all. Dell doesn't say much about it but if you call support with your express tag they can tell you which one you have.
I thought Dell would have anounced a new model when the new Dothan Pentium M was released, but they didn't, they kept the 8600 model number.
mattcowger
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November 17th, 2004 20:00
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