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Getting a bit more life from a laptop

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  • 28-05-2009 8:52am
    #1
    jeff lebowski
    Registered Users Posts: 350 ✭✭


    Hi,

    I currently have a Dell Inspiron 9300 laptop. Decent GFX card, Pentium M 1.83Ghz CPU, 1 gig ram, **** 80 gig HD and good 17" screen. Where would be the best place to upgrade the RAM, CPU and HD to get some more mileage from this?

    I'm buying/building a new desktop but still want to have a half decent laptop to lug around.

    Thanks


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    #2
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    Bit tired now really. Is that the Go6800 model? The CPU isn't upgradable - many Dells have their CPUs soldered into the socket :eek: Even if you were able to swap it out, what for? 1.83GHz Dothan was close to the top for Socket 479... Core only appeared on Socket M (and switched to Socket P soon after) :(


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    #3
    jeff lebowski
    Registered Users Posts: 350 ✭✭jeff lebowski


    Yeah think its the go 6800 model. Would it be worth adding the max RAM and a bigger HD even, leave the CPU as is? If so, would this be inexpensive and easy enought to do? Dont really want to buy a new high-end laptop as I am getting a desktop and laptops seem to be difficult to upgrade, unlike a desktop machine.


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    #4
    Antar Bolaeisk
    Registered Users Posts: 3,091 ✭✭✭Antar Bolaeisk


    Definitely get some RAM if you want to see a performance boost but be wary of getting anything over 3GB if you're using a 32-bit OS as you won't be able to utilise it all. Hard drives for laptops can be a costly upgrade (IDE drives more so than SATA drives) and if you're going to be building a system shortly I wouldn't worry too much about it.

    Another recomendation I'll make is to possible look into the use of a light weight Linux install such as puppy linux which boots you into a no-nonsense environment which would allow you to perform basic tasks such as websurfing and word processing. As a result of this you can get a bit more life batterywise from the laptop and the OS can be run from a small pendrive removing the need to even have a hard-drive if everything you need is already on the pen drive.


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    #5
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    Upgrade the RAM and HDD - check whether you need IDE or SATA first. 2GB RAM and a larger (as required) HDD will update the laptop a little, but without a stronger pin-compatible CPU to drop in you're performance is largely limited to what you already have :(

    After that your best bet is backup-and-reinstall and see if you can get just a bit more juice out of your old laptop with a clean new OS installation.

    If you need any more performance its new-enthusisast-grade-laptop time again. Hope you have €1400+ to spare :(


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