Sorry to hijack this thread....but I'm in the same shoes as the OP. I allocated a $600 - $700 budget for a new laptop.
I currently have a '06 Dell Inspiron 640m (14.1" screen). This was my first laptop. Although the laptop works fine, it's time for an upgrade. The battery is completely dead. The power supply acts up once in a while (the cable seems to act up and no power gets to the power supply) and the hinge that holds the screen in place is loose (common on Dells....I think).
My budget for this new notebook is around $600. $700 would be the absolute maximum I'm willing to spend. Seems like laptops aren't made to last???
I've been doing some research and it looks like the technology today has been greatly improved. Because I don't have experience with other brands, I'm thinking of sticking with Dell.
Here are two notebooks (both 14") that caught my eye (and is within my budget). I don't know much about their Studio line....which is why I'm here. Both these machines cost the same. They go for $649. They seem similarly spec'd as well.
Which is the better machine? As you can see from the comparison below:
The Inspiron has more RAM (4GB vs 3GB)
The Inspiron has a slower spinning HDD (5,400rpm vs 7,200rpm)
The Inspiron has a lower quality camera (1.3pixel vs 2.0pixel)
The Inspiron has a longer Antivirus software (15 months vs 30 days)
The Inspiron has a better warranty (1 yr basic service vs 1 yr mail-in service).
My main use for this laptop will be mostly for web browsing, Excel files, word docs, music, pictures, online banking, youtube watching, home video editing, and the occasional game (very very little).
In terms of weight, durability, keyboard comfort, etc., do you know which machine would be better?
I'm mainly concerned about durability. I want this next computer to last more than 3 years!
Thanks in advance for any opinions or advice. If you don't like Dell and would like to recommend a different machine, I'm open to anything. Hopefully, with your help through personal experience, I'll be able to pick a good budget notebook.
Thanks again.
Again, both these notebooks are $650 on Dell's website.
Here's an HP I found. It's $50 more expensive ($700)...but has 4GB of RAM and 500GB @ 7,200.
http://www.amazon.com/Pavilion-DV4-...f=sr_1_34?ie=UTF8&s=pc&qid=1265611169&sr=1-34
Do you guys have any opinion of HP notebooks in general? How do they compare to Dells?