The Furious Angels

FA Discussion => Off Topic => Topic started by: Tbone on October 07, 2006, 03:15:25 am

Title: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Tbone on October 07, 2006, 03:15:25 am
Well, seeing as how I'm not going to be in any one place for more than 5 months at a time, I figured it was time to try to condense my blue monster desktop with two monitors down to a laptop with equal or greater specs. The catch, of course, is money, and laptops are pricey. I think I may have found a Dell that matches my computer and is relatively cheap (just resisting the temptation to look at the XPS versions), but could use your feedback on possible tweaks or if this system is even good enough for someone like me. Here's the link - basically it is the build on the left. An Inspiron E1705:

http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/entnb_e1705?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

My current computer has these specs:

Intel Pentium 4 CPU 3.20 GHz
1 gig RAM
150GB HD
RADEON 9800 XT 256Mb
Creative Audigy Audio Processor (WDM)
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Pirus on October 07, 2006, 04:31:30 am
seems real good and im sure you know this but dont be concerned as much with the ghz on the core duo's they are more like amd now.  Able to achieve great speed at lower clock speeds.  But, yeah looks like a good computer not sure if you want the x1400 or the 7800 gs video cards but the lower of the 2 (1400) should be close to the specs of your 9800
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Lithium on October 07, 2006, 12:33:45 pm
Right now I've only been using a Dell XPS M1210 for everything.

It was only around $1400 on ebay with a lot of extra goodies (Built in webcam, extra cell battery, best video card, upgraded processor.) I get 4+ hours on battery and it weights a whole 4lb.

Granted you can't play Matrix Online in full everything but it still comes pretty damned close, I have everything turned up at least past half.
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Tbone on October 07, 2006, 05:22:10 pm
I also found this on eBay. Hmm, 6 hours left: http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-XPS-M1710-DUAL-CORE-T2700-2GB-LOADED_W0QQitemZ320035832395QQihZ011QQcategoryZ140080QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Lithium on October 07, 2006, 07:19:37 pm
I had the older version of that (M170) for a few months. Bigger screen and a little bit faster GPU but it was too fucking heavy to lug around everywhere at almost 9lbs. and I would be lucky to get 2hr on the battery. The thing was a brick! But if your not lugging it from class to class to class, it may not be a bad choice.
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Tbone on October 08, 2006, 02:34:31 am
Lost the auction. Keep your eyes peeled for more M1710s
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Bellthazor on October 08, 2006, 09:43:45 am
What was winning bid?
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Subb on October 08, 2006, 10:55:45 am
okay, I'm thinking ahead, should I buy a laptop for uni or just take my own PC that I have now? :P
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Tbone on October 08, 2006, 11:27:44 am
$2300, but if I would have gone toe to toe with him, I think I would have had to have put more than $2500.
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Anonymous on October 08, 2006, 12:38:51 pm
That's a shame T, don't you use any auto-bidding tools so you can win at $2317.52? ;)
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Tbone on October 08, 2006, 12:50:43 pm
Yeah, but I think his max bid was already at $2500, so it didn't matter when I bet, I still had to put more than $2500. I'm watching another one that's at $2025 right now: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200034510914&fromMakeTrack=true
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Anonymous on October 08, 2006, 03:17:02 pm
I hope you find you a good one Tbone, Laptops are really expensive and its hard to beat out someone when they are worth twice as much as their current bid price.  GOOD LUCK in gettin one, hope you do.
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Tbone on October 08, 2006, 06:13:03 pm
Since I was the second highest bidder of the auction I lost, I've had THREE different users message me PRETENDING to be the seller offering me a "Second Chance" because the "original winner backed out". eBay should be renamed to eScam, cuz that's all it seems to be anymore. Each user said "don't reply to this email. contact me at this email address." Ridiculous...
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Bellthazor on October 08, 2006, 06:31:35 pm
how goes the bid on the other one?
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Anonymous on October 08, 2006, 06:32:36 pm
heh i just looked at the auction again...some idiot noob just put up another bid
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Tbone on October 08, 2006, 10:32:26 pm
Damn, it sold for over $3000. You might as well buy it from Dell if you pay that much. lol. It makes me feel like buying 10 of em for $900 and selling them on eBay for $3000. Heh.
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Pirus on October 09, 2006, 05:03:27 am
well tbone last night i saw a m1710 brand new go for $1700 the only difference between the one you were looking at and this one was that it had no warranty other than a 30 day one and didn't have all the software.  Same video card 2gig of mem and same processor though.
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Tbone on October 09, 2006, 01:49:56 pm
It must have been one of the ones that was a scam, because I've been watching it pretty closely, and the only ones I saw for that cheap were like in China and you had to send money orders. lol
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Pirus on October 09, 2006, 02:00:18 pm
lol could have been i just glanced at it .... would have looked at it more closely if you were on ... but I actually thought about bidding on it for you but then again wasn't sure if you would have wanted it without the warranties
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Tbone on October 09, 2006, 03:08:29 pm
Yeah, there are a LOT of scams out there, like this guy: http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Dell-XPS-M1710-2-16-GHz-Dual-Core-100G-Hard-Drive_W0QQitemZ160038712537QQihZ006QQcategoryZ140080QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Notice he refuses to accept PayPal. Why? So he can rip you off.
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Pirus on October 09, 2006, 04:06:30 pm
yeah the paypal would worry me too but also look at the feedback of the people youre dealing with thats a good hint as to whats going on.
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Tbone on October 09, 2006, 07:52:43 pm
What do you guys think of this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-XPS-M1710-Excellent-Condition_W0QQitemZ250036260510QQihZ015QQcategoryZ140080QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Scammer or just newb seller?
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Anonymous on October 09, 2006, 08:17:15 pm
First item they are selling...and most everything they've bought has been used clothes.  I'd ask why they are selling it 'cause I wouldn't rule out the idea that it was stolen or something lol
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Tbone on October 09, 2006, 08:27:49 pm
Yeah, but I was thinking if I wanted to sell my computer on eBay, it'd be the first thing I'd sell and I bet I'd look like a newb too. This is top of the line, though, so why sell so soon? No pictures, either...
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Lithium on October 09, 2006, 10:54:52 pm
Or you could exploit me and use my account with 107.
Title: Re: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Jeyk on October 10, 2006, 12:23:17 am
I've got 296 positive feedback :D
Title: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Tbone on October 12, 2006, 05:58:54 pm
Well, I found one whose Buy It Now was $1900 and bought it before anyone else could get to it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-XPS-M1710-T2500-Core-Duo-Media-Center-Notebook-PC_W0QQitemZ300037756123QQihZ020QQcategoryZ140080QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Only catch is that it only comes with 1 gig of RAM, but it has everything else I wanted. Think I made a good choice? Anyway, now I'm gonna purchase 2 gig RAM sticks on newegg. Which one should I get?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Page=1&Nty=1&N=0&Submit=ENE&Description=PC2%2D5300%2F667+200%2Dpin&Ntk=all
Title: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Pirus on October 12, 2006, 08:07:52 pm
well kingston and crucial are very well known brands I would stick with one of those. but mushkin isn't too bad either
Title: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Tbone on October 12, 2006, 09:56:59 pm
Turns out the actual system specs are the correct specs and it reads the memory as "2048MB"! Bonus!!

Now I'm repaying for it cuz I screwed up my shipping address on PayPal. Doh! I don't want my ex-roommate to get his hands on my computer!! lol
Title: Laptop Shopping
Post by: Jeyk on October 12, 2006, 11:30:55 pm
Nice laptop!  You selling your old system part by part?  If part by part, let me know!
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