UMG League

Cadaver · Last edited by Cadaver on Sun Jun 22, 2008 7:35 am; edited 1 time in total

What's more important when buying a laptop for heavy work? (such as handling satellite images and working with them), the processor or getting as much RAM memory as possible?
Do you get downgrade rights from Windows Vista to Windows XP (whether a desktop system or a laptop) from any system you buy from Dell?
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AvroArrow · Joined: 09 Mar 2008 Posts: 45

Cold_Comfort · Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 399

A dual core processor and 2 gigs of ram shouldn't set you back too much.

I'd stick with Vista -- just don't go crazy installing security software -- don't install anything that comes with the system.

Stick with something like AVG, Windows Defender, and the built-in firewall and you should have plenty of power left.

Give it a few days to take care of business such as indexing and go easy on new installs for the first week or two.

About the 'downgrade' option >> http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/19/dell-keeps-promise-invokes-fees-for-downgrading-to-windows-xp/

Disable UAC, it's just a PITA.
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Cadaver · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 5:16 am Post subject:

Actually I want to go with XP because the system will be doing some heavy processing, working with satellite images, and using software like Erdas and Arc gis, I know first hand from a friend's experience that Vista doesn't get along with these programs too well.
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Cold_Comfort · Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 399

Might want to read this:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/19/dell-keeps-promise-invokes-fees-for-downgrading-to-windows-xp/

I wonder if it's possible to set up a dual boot with that "downgrade" ?
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Code_of_Life · Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Posts: 2151 Location: Irving, TX

Get the fastest CPU in your budget. DDR2 RAM is cheap outside.
Laptop drives are very slow. You may want to get a fast external drive (USB2/Firewire) to load big data files. Some Laptops come with 7200 RPM drives but they're expensive.

edit: the T8XXX series is out which uses newer 45nm fabrication. (3MB/6MB cache). Not sure if they are the same as Wolfdales...

Cadaver · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 7:04 am Post subject:

Budget is $1000 dollars, so I was thinking on acquiring the Inspiron 1525 from Dell with an Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 (2.0 GHz/800MHz FSB /2MB cache and 3GB DDR2 RAM memory
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Code_of_Life · Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Posts: 2151 Location: Irving, TX

here are two current coupons, they change every week or so.
$350 off $1299 Inspiron Laptops N6DT1G$64M79BW
$225 off $999 Inspiron Laptops 67HLP4BL8WV6TD

HP offers better value IMO and look better than dells. There was a $500 off coupon recently.

Cadaver · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 7:15 am Post subject:

Krusnik02 · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 6:25 pm Post subject:

Please......... no Dell. Just don't. Their laptops look good on paper but they... aren't exactly well-built, and support is horrendous. My dad got an Inspiron E1505 thinking it was the cat's pajamas because everyone at work said it was, and what did he get out of the box? A screen that displayed rainbow-y static when brought out of sleep on battery, a buggy touch-pad, and corrupt optical drive drivers. The latter was fixed later on, but the first two weren't fixed after 3 round-trips to and from support (in fact after the second trip, the screen came back with a few deep scratches on the back). Lenovo is the absolute best choice for your budget, you can't go wrong with any of their sub-1000 units and they have the best tech support next down from Apple.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834146392

This is the best option from Newegg; there is a 900-something dollar one, but the only advantage is its screen is an inch larger. Other than that, its HD is smaller, CPU slower, and it has half the RAM. So go with what I've linked to.
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Cadaver · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 6:35 pm Post subject:

what do you guys think of this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220285

anyone has any personal feedback on asus laptops?
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Krusnik02 · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 6:36 pm Post subject:

Asus is quite good, they're the next one I'd recommend after Lenovo, actually. That one would be excellent aside from including Vista (I recall you wanting XP instead).
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Time is an illusion. The only reason we accept it is to keep everything organized. The only real time is party time.

A notice: my XFire is the same as my Yahoo Messenger ID.

Cadaver · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 6:44 pm Post subject:

Do you guys know how many actual business days is the equivalent to newegg's "3 business day" policy? usually the busines day policy from a vendor applies from the time they ship it to the time it arrives to your home, I'd just like to know how many business days does it take for newegg to ship an item, because I need to get the system within a week and I'm not sure if newegg will actually be able to deliver it in time.
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Cold_Comfort · Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 399

Depends on where they are shipping from. They are damn fast out here. This order was placed on a Saturday and shipped on a monday.>>

http://www.newegg.com/Info/TrackOrder.aspx?TrackingNumber=1ZW098R40321426117&cm_mmc=TEMC-49-Shipping-UPSTracking-_-content-_-text-_-UPSTrackingNumber

A class act too; They fully paid and RMA'd for replacement a faulty Acer desktop that Acer was giving me a run around on. You have 30 days on something like that.
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The time has come, To talk of many things: Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax, Of cabbages--and kings-- And why the sea is boiling hot-- And whether pigs have wings.

CWO · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Posts: 301 Location: Chicago, IL

If you order it in the early morning, Newegg ships it same day. If you order it later in the day, Newegg ships it next day. This of course depends on if the item is in stock. As for the shipping, it depends where they send it from, where you live, and what carrier you're using. If its UPS, my experience with it is it will always be on the predicted day. If its FedEx and you're close to the location where they shipped from... well.. I got one of my items the very next day at my doorstep when ordering it at 7am. (I live in Chicago and they shipped from Nashville). I believe their 3 warehouses are in New Jersey, Tennessee, and California but the 3 warehouses have different parts and stock levels.
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