Which laptop? There's so many! dv2000? or 6400?

M_D_S · 5th October 2006, 5:59 PM

Hello guys, I am on a hunt to find the right laptop for me as I will be going to live overseas very soon. I'll appreciate any help that you'll give me.

My budget is somewhere around au$2000, no more than au$2200 i guess? So I was looking at the new HP dv2000 Pavillion and DELL Inspiron 6400.

DELL 6400 The 6400 is actually cheaper and more powerful. I did the customised thingo on the dell website, I went with the 1.83GHz, 1gb ram, 120gb, 256mb ATI X1400. and it totals to $1970.10

HP dv2000 The HP just looks awesome, and its got a lot of features.. i think. and they cost at $1999. But at 1.60GHZ. It's lighter and smaller than the DELL, the screen is 14.1 while the dell is 15.4.

I guess size doesnt really worry me too much though. I do also like the 15.4 screen rather than 14.1.

So what do you guys think?

cyrax83 · 5th October 2006, 6:35 PM

go to harvey norman and have a look at the dv2000.

one thing i really dont like about hp laptops is the touchpad, its made of a different surface material to most other laptops. Kind of hard to describe but its sort of plasticky and sticky so your finger doesnt glide over it, more like it gets stuck to it.

SLATYE · 5th October 2006, 7:01 PM

Personally, I'd get the Inspiron 6400 or maybe the Asus F3JP (smaller HDD and only a C2D 5500, but it's got an X1700 instead of the X1400).

If size/weight doesn't matter too much to you, more power is always good. Also, you can often bargain with Dell to get discounts.

M_D_S · 5th October 2006, 7:31 PM

the touchpad isnt so much of an issue, i like using the mouse. is the dell really that big compared to the hp? what about the screen quality? The graphics card i really don't mind as long as it has it's own ram 128mb at least. And I do need at least 120gb. I am kind of leaning more towards to the dell since the power difference is so much. But the HP just looks so dam good. What about feature wise between the two? The speakers on the HP should be better than the integrated on the DELL right?

Protagonist · 5th October 2006, 7:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M_D_S

the touchpad isnt so much of an issue, i like using the mouse. is the dell really that big compared to the hp?

You have to actually compare them side by side and see for yourself if the Dell is that bigger than the HP. Personally, when I started looking around for laptops, I thought 15.4 would be the perfect size, until I saw a 14 next to a 15.4 inch laptop. From that day onwards, I decided to never look at 15.4 inchers again...its just to big!

Quote:

Originally Posted by M_D_S

The graphics card i really don't mind as long as it has it's own ram 128mb at least.

The HP Pavilion series come with 32/64MB dedicated only so far. Maybe in the future HP will release ones with 128MB.

M_D_S · 5th October 2006, 8:01 PM

according to this

it uses "NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200 With 128MB TurboCache video memory"

cyrax83 · 5th October 2006, 8:48 PM

turbocache doesnt equal dedicated i dont think

Quote:

By allowing the graphics processing unit (GPU) to share the capacity and bandwidth of dedicated video memory and dynamically available system memory

Protagonist · 5th October 2006, 8:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M_D_S

according to this

it uses "NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200 With 128MB TurboCache video memory"

TurboCache = Dedicated Memory + System Memory, so it could be:

32 (VRAM) + 96 (SYS RAM)
64 (VRAM) + 64 (SYS RAM)

M_D_S · 5th October 2006, 8:53 PM

ah i see, thanks for that.

I still can't decide lol. About the DELL discount thing, how much discount could i get? I've read couple of threads about haggling them through email/phone?

cyrax83 · 5th October 2006, 9:10 PM

i'll put it in short for you.

If your planning on doing some decent gaming go with the dell, if not, you might not need the extra grunt, so go with the HP as its thinner and lighter i think, and looks alot nicer.

M_D_S · 5th October 2006, 9:12 PM

wat about for multimedia designs? I mostly use photoshop/flash nothing 3d though.

Calais_S2 · 6th October 2006, 9:44 AM

For photohop and things like that.. You would be looking at Processing power and ram, I would go for the dell as it had a 1400 Radeon. But if you prefer lightweight and battery power i'd go with the HP.

M_D_S · 6th October 2006, 9:48 AM

wait, i thought dell has a better battery? plus, I've changed it to the 90cell battery with the package I chose. I might as well go with the DELL, it seems to be the more logical solution... more bang for your buck.

Calais_S2 · 6th October 2006, 9:57 AM

It would be more viable, as IF the Hp has a 6 cell as standard and you cant change it, if that price for the dell is correct and includes the addition of a 9cell battery, I would buy it.

M_D_S · 6th October 2006, 10:27 AM

thanks, I am pretty sure of what to get now. DELL it is.

EDIT: I just checked the DELL website again and they've slashed $150 off the price WOOHOO!

BTW, does DELL last long? Like. do they have a lot of problems? Part from the battery recall.

5th October 2006, 5:59 PM	#1
M_D_S Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southside Brisbane Posts: 353	Which laptop? There's so many! dv2000? or 6400? Hello guys, I am on a hunt to find the right laptop for me as I will be going to live overseas very soon. I'll appreciate any help that you'll give me. My budget is somewhere around au$2000, no more than au$2200 i guess? So I was looking at the new HP dv2000 Pavillion and DELL Inspiron 6400. DELL 6400 The 6400 is actually cheaper and more powerful. I did the customised thingo on the dell website, I went with the 1.83GHz, 1gb ram, 120gb, 256mb ATI X1400. and it totals to $1970.10 HP dv2000 The HP just looks awesome, and its got a lot of features.. i think. and they cost at $1999. But at 1.60GHZ. It's lighter and smaller than the DELL, the screen is 14.1 while the dell is 15.4. I guess size doesnt really worry me too much though. I do also like the 15.4 screen rather than 14.1. So what do you guys think? __________________ @ DeviantArt MikeyFocus @ flickr msuprana http://blog.suprana.com Last edited by M_D_S; 5th October 2006 at 6:19 PM.

5th October 2006, 7:01 PM	#3
SLATYE SLATYE, not SLAYTE Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Canberra Posts: 21,040	Personally, I'd get the Inspiron 6400 or maybe the Asus F3JP (smaller HDD and only a C2D 5500, but it's got an X1700 instead of the X1400). If size/weight doesn't matter too much to you, more power is always good. Also, you can often bargain with Dell to get discounts. __________________ Main system: Pentium-D 805 \| 1GB (2x 512MB) PQI DDR400 \| Gigabyte 8I865GMK-775 \| Xtreama Radeon 9800Pro with Zalman ZM-80HP-D \| 320GB WD SATA HDD \| Antec SmartPower 2.0 500w Laptop: Compal EL80 \| C2D T7200 \| 320GB Fujistu HDD \| 2GB DDR2-667 \| GF Go 7600

5th October 2006, 7:31 PM	#4
M_D_S Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southside Brisbane Posts: 353	the touchpad isnt so much of an issue, i like using the mouse. is the dell really that big compared to the hp? what about the screen quality? The graphics card i really don't mind as long as it has it's own ram 128mb at least. And I do need at least 120gb. I am kind of leaning more towards to the dell since the power difference is so much. But the HP just looks so dam good. What about feature wise between the two? The speakers on the HP should be better than the integrated on the DELL right? __________________ @ DeviantArt MikeyFocus @ flickr msuprana http://blog.suprana.com

5th October 2006, 8:01 PM	#6
M_D_S Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southside Brisbane Posts: 353	according to this it uses "NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200 With 128MB TurboCache video memory" __________________ @ DeviantArt MikeyFocus @ flickr msuprana http://blog.suprana.com

5th October 2006, 8:53 PM	#9
M_D_S Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southside Brisbane Posts: 353	ah i see, thanks for that. I still can't decide lol. About the DELL discount thing, how much discount could i get? I've read couple of threads about haggling them through email/phone? __________________ @ DeviantArt MikeyFocus @ flickr msuprana http://blog.suprana.com

5th October 2006, 9:12 PM	#11
M_D_S Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southside Brisbane Posts: 353	wat about for multimedia designs? I mostly use photoshop/flash nothing 3d though. __________________ @ DeviantArt MikeyFocus @ flickr msuprana http://blog.suprana.com

6th October 2006, 9:44 AM	#12
Calais_S2 Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portable and SFF Forum Posts: 100	For photohop and things like that.. You would be looking at Processing power and ram, I would go for the dell as it had a 1400 Radeon. But if you prefer lightweight and battery power i'd go with the HP. __________________ Ask me about Folding only free computer parts. SSJX: 256pc133 Ram Terrabyte: P4 system and varous bits. Traded 7900GS's , Donations to special education schools around sydney.

6th October 2006, 9:48 AM	#13
M_D_S Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southside Brisbane Posts: 353	wait, i thought dell has a better battery? plus, I've changed it to the 90cell battery with the package I chose. I might as well go with the DELL, it seems to be the more logical solution... more bang for your buck. __________________ @ DeviantArt MikeyFocus @ flickr msuprana http://blog.suprana.com

6th October 2006, 9:57 AM	#14
Calais_S2 Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portable and SFF Forum Posts: 100	It would be more viable, as IF the Hp has a 6 cell as standard and you cant change it, if that price for the dell is correct and includes the addition of a 9cell battery, I would buy it. __________________ Ask me about Folding only free computer parts. SSJX: 256pc133 Ram Terrabyte: P4 system and varous bits. Traded 7900GS's , Donations to special education schools around sydney.

6th October 2006, 10:27 AM	#15
M_D_S Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southside Brisbane Posts: 353	thanks, I am pretty sure of what to get now. DELL it is. EDIT: I just checked the DELL website again and they've slashed $150 off the price WOOHOO! BTW, does DELL last long? Like. do they have a lot of problems? Part from the battery recall. __________________ @ DeviantArt MikeyFocus @ flickr msuprana http://blog.suprana.com Last edited by M_D_S; 6th October 2006 at 10:50 AM.