Here's a pretty detailed spec, now tell me what you think my best options would be!

myownslave

I'm looking to buy a laptop and have the following specifications:
Use: the main thing I'd be using it for would be surfing the web, playing Football Manager (no mean graphics needed!), and typing up projects etc.
Price: willing to pay anything up to around 1300 Euro
Processor: Intel Core Duo (am I correct in thinking that's the best processor on offer for laptops?). Basically, I'm looking for the fastest machine I can get for the money I'm willing to pay. So a 2MB Cache would be nice too.
Storage: 50GB or more should suffice, but it looks like most of them have 100GB anyway.
RAM: at least 1GB DDR2, which would seem to be the highest available for the price I'm willing to pay
Display: I suppose around 15", but the main thing would be how good the screen is at dealing with the surrounding light - any way of telling this from the different specs? What brands/models would be best for this, or would they all be pretty much the same?
Sound: Would be planning on using it for playing a lotta music, so would like a good sound card, but would there really be much difference between the sound cards on the different laptops? I'm not too bothered about the built-in speakers on the laptop itself, cos I'll hook my own speakers up to it.
Portability & durability: Not really an issue - I'd be bringing it from room to room and between two different houses (in the car, wouldn't be actually using it during travel). I'd still like it to be pretty durable though.
Other: at least 3 USB ports

The best on offer in PC World with this spec was a Compaq Presario V515EA. Looking on the Dell website, I see a Dell XPS M1210 with a pretty similar spec for a similar price. Have had a Dell desktop for 4 years and no problems with it, but just wondering what the general consensus would be on the different brands - which ones to stay away from and which ones to look towards. I've heard Compaq Presario would be a good bet. Any ideas as to what brands to go for or even what models?

majiktripp

myownslave wrote:

I've heard Compaq Presario would be a good bet.

Compaq Presario are no more , they are now for a while owned by HP and I have to say having repaired both brands of laptop I bloody hate them as they were crap built and shoddy at best. Not blowing on the Dell trumpet but have another look at their site and see if theres any other models that might suit you better than the M1210 as its fairly new and its reliability is yet to be proven.The 640M is a trusty model at 14.1" its pretty damn good. Also always keep an eye on their outlet store for those laptops that you thought might be out of your price range as they sometimes have good deals.

myownslave

What's the story with the Dell Outlet Store actually?! Why is everything so cheap there? Is there some sorta catch?

Anti

not really, they are just returned and repaired systems, it could range from the pc was fitted with a dead hdd. was returned and the owner wanted the money back. so they have to sell it cheap ( after it has been fixed ). or it could be that the case has a scratch or a dent. They are still covered by the dell warrenty and are fine to buy.

myownslave

majiktripp wrote:

Compaq Presario are no more , they are now for a while owned by HP and I have to say having repaired both brands of laptop I bloody hate them as they were crap built and shoddy at best. Not blowing on the Dell trumpet but have another look at their site and see if theres any other models that might suit you better than the M1210 as its fairly new and its reliability is yet to be proven.The 640M is a trusty model at 14.1" its pretty damn good. Also always keep an eye on their outlet store for those laptops that you thought might be out of your price range as they sometimes have good deals.

Wotcha mean Compaq Presario are no more? Since when? Plenty of em in PC World last week! I thought HP were holding onto the brand cos they've been one of the best laptops going for a while now?

majiktripp

lol@they've been one of the best laptops going for a while now?
Sorry but there a pile of Sh*t IMO. There might be plenty of compaq presario laptops in PC World but there all manufactued HP laptops as they now own the brand name.There is no support site for compaq anymore...unless you goto the hp website to get drivers/support etc...

Obelisk29

XPS M1210 is a sweet machine but for €1,300 you're only getting the basic spec. It's a 1.66ghz processor and you only get 512MB RAM.

Plus it's a 12" screen.

Why not go for this 6400, for €1,289 you're getting a 2Ghz processor, 2048MB RAM and a 128MB graphics card.

Take off the 2 Year service option and upgrade the screen to the TrueLife to arrive at the price.

On the site, the RAM is 533Mhz, but I'm pretty sure if you give them a ring (can supply contact) you should be able to get a price to upgrade it the 667Mhz. Although with 2 gig of ram it should be fairly nifty as is.

myownslave

Obelisk29 wrote:

XPS M1210 is a sweet machine but for €1,300 you're only getting the basic spec. It's a 1.66ghz processor and you only get 512MB RAM.

Plus it's a 12" screen.

Why not go for this 6400, for €1,289 you're getting a 2Ghz processor, 2048MB RAM and a 128MB graphics card.

Take off the 2 Year service option and upgrade the screen to the TrueLife to arrive at the price.

On the site, the RAM is 533Mhz, but I'm pretty sure if you give them a ring (can supply contact) you should be able to get a price to upgrade it the 667Mhz. Although with 2 gig of ram it should be fairly nifty as is.

Hafta say Obelisk29, that looks pretty sweet alright! On the site, the RAM is 667Mhz FSB. Is this as high as I could go for the price I'm after (round 1300). Another thing - what constitutes a good and a bad graphics card and a good/bad sound card, and how would this machine hold up on that? Chances are the only game I'll be playing is Football Manager, so no mean graphics needed, but while I'm buying, I might as well buy the best I can get for the money I have. Would like a good sound card alright cos will be playing a lotta music on it.

TerrorFirmer

myownslave wrote:

Hafta say Obelisk29, that looks pretty sweet alright! On the site, the RAM is 667Mhz FSB. Is this as high as I could go for the price I'm after (round 1300). Another thing - what constitutes a good and a bad graphics card and a good/bad sound card, and how would this machine hold up on that? Chances are the only game I'll be playing is Football Manager, so no mean graphics needed, but while I'm buying, I might as well buy the best I can get for the money I have. Would like a good sound card alright cos will be playing a lotta music on it.

That ram is good ram, you don't need to worry about that aspect of the system. The graphics card is also fine - its a real budget card though and while it runs new games, it only runs them on low - however the likes of Football manager or any other sort of undemanding games and any game from 2004 downwards will run great on it, so it should be perfect for your needs.

Sound will be onboard - I've found with DELL laptops they are actually quite decent - I have an Advent, I had a Sony Vaio and my friend has a Dell and his is much louder then both of them.

myownslave

HavoK wrote:

The graphics card is also fine - its a real budget card though and while it runs new games, it only runs them on low - however the likes of Football manager or any other sort of undemanding games and any game from 2004 downwards will run great on it, so it should be perfect for your needs.QUOTE]

Don't get what ya mean when you say it only runs them on low - is that not a bad thing?! And if so, then why would the new games (>2004) run great on it?

Cheers for all the info so far lads btw.

myownslave

Obelisk29 wrote:

XPS M1210 is a sweet machine but for €1,300 you're only getting the basic spec. It's a 1.66ghz processor and you only get 512MB RAM.

Plus it's a 12" screen.

Why not go for this 6400, for €1,289 you're getting a 2Ghz processor, 2048MB RAM and a 128MB graphics card.

Take off the 2 Year service option and upgrade the screen to the TrueLife to arrive at the price.

On the site, the RAM is 533Mhz, but I'm pretty sure if you give them a ring (can supply contact) you should be able to get a price to upgrade it the 667Mhz. Although with 2 gig of ram it should be fairly nifty as is.

I really like the look of that one actually! Thing is, I was gonna hold out for another 10 days or fortnight in the hope that I might be able to pick up a laptop with one o those new Core 2 Duo processors. That said though - the above Dell has a 2GHz Core Duo with 2MB RAM. Surely that would nearly be as good as a Core 2 Duo with 1GB RAM?

Cos I'd say to get a new laptop with Core 2 Duo and 2GB RAM, you'd prob be paying a lot more than 1300 Euro?! Chances are the Core 2 Duo will only be in the high spec, high price laptops for the next month or two anyway yeah?

Basically, I'm lookin for advice on whether I should take this Dell offer, or if it might be worth my while holding on another 10 days (fortnight max) for the Core 2 Duo?