Spend my money: new laptop

[butch81385]

OK, as some of you know I am looking at getting a new laptop.

I currently have a Dell E1705, core duo (not core 2 duo), 1 gig of ram, GeForce Go 7800.

I am looking to get something alot more portable but still useful for every day surfing.
I am currently thinking that a 13" would be nice (at around 4lbs).

I want light, small, long battery life, and after that as much power as I can get (which is why I am staying away from the Atom netbooks). I know I can't have it all, so mobility is the higher priority.

Primary uses will be web surfing and IM, Office products, and maybe some photo downloading. I can do my photo editing on the 17" laptop if it is better suited than the 13"

Budget is ~$700, but of course the cheaper the better.

Help me spend my money! Oh, I will probably be purchasing in about 1-2 weeks

[EXreaction]

You sure that isn't a Core 2 Duo? I've got an E1505, which I am pretty sure was sold same time as yours and it has a C2D.

A quick look on Dell gave me this:
The Dell Online Store: Build Your System

If you look around for coupons you should be able to get it for quite a bit less also.

It has the option for a 9 or 6 cell battery as well, I would guess that those (at least the 9) stick out a bit from the laptop. I'd call in and find out since nothing is mentioned on the battery section.

Actually, from the specs that 13" should be quite a bit faster than your E1705, except for the graphics card.

[butch81385]

Yes, mine is not the Core 2. Those were released around the next week which is how I got this one for about half price with coupons and deals.

I've been looking at t Insiron 13 and the vostro, The xps was too expensive, as was the sony. I did some browsing for HP, and I think it was too expensive, but I have to go back and look again.

[butch81385]

I am surprised that no one wants to help me spend my money... Usually you guys jump all over the opportunity to "browser-window shop" for others...

[KarmaKiller]

Hehe.. $700 and portable eh?
Let me have a look.
Honestly, in your budget, and with that small of screen, I'm really having problems finding suitable suggestions.
So can you budge on the screen size, or are you sold on 13"?

[butch81385]

12" starts to get too small, and 14" starts to get to be a pain to lug around places, so 13" seems to be a good fit.. if there are good deals at other sizes i will entertain them..

I keep ending back up looking at that Vostro, but every time I try to save the configuration it saves a blank one so I cant post it... maybe I will try again later.

[butch81385]

Ugh... getting upset... I doubt this link will work but it is the link it gives me:
The Dell Online Store: Build Your System

Vostro 13", went one higher on the CPU, the better screen (included), the better graphics, the 9-cell battery, and it comes up to $774. Decent?

[KarmaKiller]

Your right, the link doesn't work. But from the specs you are describing, that is probably gonna be your best bet IMO.
Like I said above, just with the 13", most were in the $800+ price range. So if your getting a pretty loaded lappy with the screen size you like, I'd go for it.

[EXreaction]

If you plan on using this outdoors at all or anywhere with some rear lighting don't get the glossy screen. It's pretty much impossible to see in those cases with the glossy screen.

[butch81385]

Dell currently has this deal going on:

My Components
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6400 (2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1
Pacific Blue
No Productivity software pre-installed
1Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis
Glossy, widescreen 13.3" LCD (1280x800) w/ 2.0M pixel Camera
128MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ 8400M GS
4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 (2 Dimms)
Size: 250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
8X Slot Load CD / DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-RW Drive)
Dell Wireless 1395 802.11g Mini-Card
85Whr Lithium Ion Battery (9 cell)

$789 with free shipping

What do you think?