Are Dell 9400 too big?

kuruptz · 24th October 2006, 5:24 PM

Hey guys

Anyone who has the Dell 9400 or has seen it, is it too big to even comfortably be used on your lap?

Like for example would it be too big to use on a plane? (like a virgin blue plane with some random next to you) to be used comfortabl that is.

Any photos guys, i would like to see the different colours too, the pictures on DELL AU site arnt enough for me.

Opinions on this lappy too please!

Thanks alot

ZaK1 · 24th October 2006, 5:31 PM

It's big but fits on the lap fine and I have no issues with it. Speed is amazing if configured correctly. Very good value

hobo-jo · 24th October 2006, 6:20 PM

Had a 9400 for around 6 (?) months now. Love it. In my opinion it isn't too big to fit on a lap, but on a plane with some fat guy next to you...might be pushing it for space. I would suggest for long flights, etc you would probably use the drop down table in the plane.

Some Negatives:
Express card slot and no PCMCIA slot (Express card devices are practically impossible to find in Australia)
I have had some pixel problems (but have managed to use the 'rub' method to be rid of them).

Positives:
17" on Screeny goodness
Seem like a good build
Cheap

PogiPinoy · 24th October 2006, 7:19 PM

My first laptop was around a 10", second was a 15.4", then the last two I've had were 14.1" in size. This is a great size.

My sister recently bought a 17" laptop. It is sooooo big and soooo heavy. No mobility at all.

If you're after a laptop for a desktop replacement where size doesn't matter. Go for it.

If you actually plan to lug a laptop around with you almost every day, opt for something smaller.

I even bitched about having a 15.4" lappy. Way too big.

skinz · 24th October 2006, 8:01 PM

17" laptops aren't small, but in my opinion, I don't think they are that bad. I have the 9300 (the predecessor to the 9400), and I love it. If you don't need a lappy for gaming, however, just grab something with a lot of ram, a nice cpu, and a fast hdd. IMO the main point of the 9400 is to have something that kicks arse in gaming, and can still be used for mobility when needed. The main thing I find lacking is not the size or weight, it is the battery life. It's not bad, but you can get more from smaller lappys. The size is fine for me, easy to carry, fits in a bag etc not that heavy [and I am pretty scrawny] but then again it is my first laptop so I haven't been spoilt by a 15" or smaller).

SSJX · 24th October 2006, 9:17 PM

the 9400 is heavy to lug around, and it is quite large.
on a plane, i think it would take up the whole drop down table + i dont think it can take the weight either.

personally i wouldn't use it on your lap either unless you liked smoked balls

isaaus · 24th October 2006, 9:44 PM

9400 is no way a LAPTOP or NOTEBOOK, Its a DESKTOP REPLACEMENT.

Its HHHHUUUUGGGGEEEE

If you need to game on the plane then get it, but then check out whether the plane has poweroutlets or not.

Personal experience where i have used 17" >> 15.4" >> 14.1 >> 10.3" >> 7.x" lappy`s. I will try to put it as simple as possible.

17" -->>> Very heavy and hard to lug around, more chances of broken lcd as more area to break it. BLOODY AWESOME for GAMING on the go, nothing can beat it in gaming. Very poor battery life.

15.4" -->>> Very good all rounder, Awesome for Games and Movies and texting and everything else. Moderate to very good battery life. Pretty cheap as more companies compete for the same segement or market.

14.1" -->>> Perfect all rounder, Altough expensive than 15.4" varities its still acceptable in terms of performance vs price. Battery life is generally good but can vary hugely.

10.3" - 13.3" -->>> Bloody Awesome for portability factor. Awesome battery life. But gets killed when its gaming time. Very few come with discrete GPU and cost an arm and a leg. Battery life is generally very good.

7" -->>> Piece of shit, nothing more than expensive DVD player unless you need to view excel and pdf files for your business purposes. Those places the price can be justified otherwise its waste of time and money. Perfect example Toshiba Liberetto. Harvey Norman at Bell St Preston ordered 5 of them, one used for display and rest 4 are still in the warehouse for last 18 months. The starting price was $3999 and not it is $2599. Don`t know if they will ever sell them.

That all being said. 9400 is a very good piece of equipment, got 3 of them at work for the trainers who arrange safety and other management classes and need something to put a presentation without the use of projectors and stuff. The main reason for 9400 given to them was that the whole class of 15-20 trainees can watch it all at once.

Just my 2 cents.

cheers

Kelvin · 24th October 2006, 11:26 PM

I'll have to diagree with the battery life issue.. 2.5-3 hours is easy with the 9 cell battery on the 9400.. Battery life is nearly exactly the same as my old HP 15.4 notebook..

Weightwise is only a fraction heavier than my old 15.4widescreen... porbably is that is definitately bulkier and more difficult to pickup with one hand...

I don't thinkt he LCD breakage issue is a problems.. Del has a good warranty screen for accidental LCD breakages... to issues there...

THe main negative against the 9400 is the Builkiness without a doubt..

Using it on the plane in economy class was just painful (my old 9300) very very uncomfortable. and screen to close to you... carrying daily around would also be painful... If you are a frequent traveller.. don't bother with this machine... I wouldn't try to use it on my lap...

Moving it around the house.. as a desktop repalcment is basically a dream...

P.S. Strated off with a 9300 and recently moved to a 9400...

I've gone from, Compaq aero light weight -- > Thinkpad 760 --> Toshiba 430CDS -- > 10.4 light sony SR9 --> 14.1 Te2000 --> HP Nx7010 15.4 widescreen --> 17" 9300 and now a 17" 9400

Lightweight subnotebooks are a pain in the but in terms of accessorieses, barries and screen size.. if you are loking for soemthing portable and cheap.. have a look at the Dell 640M, recently purchased one for my sisters and was impressed by its price and form factor (but integrated video only)...

Just look at the reviews and user comment about the 9300/9400 series.. other than issues with the screen backlighting.. most people are very very happy with their purchase and end up upgrading to a another 17" notebook..

Very few people appear to regret their purchase...

Most 9300/9400 are being sold by people upgrading to a higher spec / newer 9400.. (like myself)...

Quote:

Originally Posted by it_inspector

9400 is no way a LAPTOP or NOTEBOOK, Its a DESKTOP REPLACEMENT.

Its HHHHUUUUGGGGEEEE

If you need to game on the plane then get it, but then check out whether the plane has poweroutlets or not.

17" -->>> Very heavy and hard to lug around, more chances of broken lcd as more area to break it. BLOODY AWESOME for GAMING on the go, nothing can beat it in gaming. Very poor battery life.

isaaus · 25th October 2006, 1:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelvin

I'll have to diagree with the battery life issue.. 2.5-3 hours is easy with the 9 cell battery on the 9400..

And is that under heavy gaming ????

Coz that`s what it is intended to be for.

We receive compalints from the trainers all the time that there comp won`t do this or that, while actually its kinda there own stupidity. I received a rather big complaint from a lady regarding her 9400 not performing good under heavy load at battery. She reckoned it won`t even run presentation files properly.

She Gave me an excuse to use the lappy for 2days and play games on it with full loads. I played Need for Speed most wanted at full settings and the max frame rates i got were fluctuating between, 35-50. The 9400 lasted around 45minutes. I didn`t timed it and that`s the rough time i got out of it. I don`t say its bad, but under full load i have gotten around 2hrs+ out of D620 and that is running Virtualisation.

Just my 2 cents.

Cheers

SSJX · 25th October 2006, 2:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelvin

Just look at the reviews and user comment about the 9300/9400 series.. other than issues with the screen backlighting.. most people are very very happy with their purchase and end up upgrading to a another 17" notebook..

hear hear!

seamer · 25th October 2006, 2:35 AM

The backlight issues can be escaped by upgrading the LCD itself, either customise it at purchase time or have a technician come out and do it. I just had mine done yesterday, the time is well worth it! My screen res is now 1920x1200 (originally ordered it with the ATI 256 mobility card rather than the intel chipset).

hugofirst · 25th October 2006, 3:05 PM

Im on the wagon for saying a 17" is too big for a 'laptop' too..

I've got a 17" Toshy Qosmio G30 and bought it as a Desktop Replacement.
I've used it as an actual 'laptop' a few times and hate it! WAY to big! Almost cuts off circulation!

As for battery life, I don't think I can comment compaired to the 9400 the threads about - But I can tell you that whatever battery I have - Battery life is pretty poor.. Im guessing well under 2 hours - with watching a movie..

Also, one thing i've always been confused about is how quick everyone says these laptops are! (Core2Duo etc...)

When people comment on how 'speedy' they are, are they talking about the speed as far as Laptops go? Or PC's in general??

I guess im just compairing my Qosmio (2.0Mhz Core2Duo) with my older desktop (see sig) and thought the Qosmio would be fairly close, but didn't expect it to fall behind as much as it does!..

Anyways - On your next flight, chuck 3 bricks on your lap for the flight and see how you go!

kuruptz · 25th October 2006, 7:05 PM

Woah nice response.

Well i plan to not have a normal pc at home and have a Laptop, so it would be hooked up to power at home.

I dont travel alot but if i was going to say Tasmania to visit friends i would ofcorse take the ol lappy with me and want to use it on the plane.

What about on an airplane international i gather they have more room then a virgin blue domestic flight (only plane ive been on)

What is this backlight issue, i am not aware of it.

I wouldnt be lugging it around everyday, just move it around the house as i will be setting up wireless internt in my house.

So basically for someone who travels rarely, wouldnt be taking it on the train everyday to work, and looking for a desktop replacement would this be the pc for me.

I do want some sort of mobility but it wont be with me everyday and dont fly much and wouldnt take it on the train too dangerous.

What is the battery like just listening to music or for movies? International flights have powerpoints dont they? even on the lowest class?

fad · 25th October 2006, 8:41 PM

I think the 17" is a bit to big to be used on anything except a night big desk.

I have a 12" for more portable uses.

24th October 2006, 5:24 PM	#1
kuruptz Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Glenfield, NSW Posts: 1,504	Are Dell 9400 too big? Hey guys Anyone who has the Dell 9400 or has seen it, is it too big to even comfortably be used on your lap? Like for example would it be too big to use on a plane? (like a virgin blue plane with some random next to you) to be used comfortabl that is. Any photos guys, i would like to see the different colours too, the pictures on DELL AU site arnt enough for me. Opinions on this lappy too please! Thanks alot

24th October 2006, 6:20 PM	#3
hobo-jo Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 7,057	Had a 9400 for around 6 (?) months now. Love it. In my opinion it isn't too big to fit on a lap, but on a plane with some fat guy next to you...might be pushing it for space. I would suggest for long flights, etc you would probably use the drop down table in the plane. Some Negatives: Express card slot and no PCMCIA slot (Express card devices are practically impossible to find in Australia) I have had some pixel problems (but have managed to use the 'rub' method to be rid of them). Positives: 17" on Screeny goodness Seem like a good build Cheap __________________ Follow me on Twitter - Bullion Baron (Gold, Silver, Property Blog) - Gold & Silver Buyer Guide (Aust) - Silver Lunar (Coin Blog)

24th October 2006, 7:19 PM	#4
PogiPinoy Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Sydney (No Cable) :( Posts: 1,382	My first laptop was around a 10", second was a 15.4", then the last two I've had were 14.1" in size. This is a great size. My sister recently bought a 17" laptop. It is sooooo big and soooo heavy. No mobility at all. If you're after a laptop for a desktop replacement where size doesn't matter. Go for it. If you actually plan to lug a laptop around with you almost every day, opt for something smaller. I even bitched about having a 15.4" lappy. Way too big. __________________ BLAQUE - Believing in Life and Achieving a Quest of Unity in Everything OCAU Club PDA Member #6 Nintendo Club Member #4 OCAU iPod Owner #65 ASUS Owners Club \|\|Dr. Pepper Club Member #21\|\| Motorola V-Club Member - V3i DELL Laptop Owners Club

24th October 2006, 8:01 PM	#5
skinz Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Sydney - Minto Posts: 1,154	17" laptops aren't small, but in my opinion, I don't think they are that bad. I have the 9300 (the predecessor to the 9400), and I love it. If you don't need a lappy for gaming, however, just grab something with a lot of ram, a nice cpu, and a fast hdd. IMO the main point of the 9400 is to have something that kicks arse in gaming, and can still be used for mobility when needed. The main thing I find lacking is not the size or weight, it is the battery life. It's not bad, but you can get more from smaller lappys. The size is fine for me, easy to carry, fits in a bag etc not that heavy [and I am pretty scrawny] but then again it is my first laptop so I haven't been spoilt by a 15" or smaller). __________________ Successful Ocau Trades Folding@Home 280000 Points Milestone Folding@Home 15000 Club Matthew 20:28

25th October 2006, 2:35 AM	#11
seamer Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: san jose, california Posts: 1,828	The backlight issues can be escaped by upgrading the LCD itself, either customise it at purchase time or have a technician come out and do it. I just had mine done yesterday, the time is well worth it! My screen res is now 1920x1200 (originally ordered it with the ATI 256 mobility card rather than the intel chipset). __________________ OCAU iPod Owner #14-=*=-Folding@Home stats

24th October 2006, 5:31 PM	#2
ZaK1 Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Melbourne Posts: 268	It's big but fits on the lap fine and I have no issues with it. Speed is amazing if configured correctly. Very good value

24th October 2006, 9:17 PM	#6
SSJX Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Sydney Posts: 2,882	the 9400 is heavy to lug around, and it is quite large. on a plane, i think it would take up the whole drop down table + i dont think it can take the weight either. personally i wouldn't use it on your lap either unless you liked smoked balls

24th October 2006, 9:44 PM	#7
isaaus Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,092	9400 is no way a LAPTOP or NOTEBOOK, Its a DESKTOP REPLACEMENT. Its HHHHUUUUGGGGEEEE If you need to game on the plane then get it, but then check out whether the plane has poweroutlets or not. Personal experience where i have used 17" >> 15.4" >> 14.1 >> 10.3" >> 7.x" lappy`s. I will try to put it as simple as possible. 17" -->>> Very heavy and hard to lug around, more chances of broken lcd as more area to break it. BLOODY AWESOME for GAMING on the go, nothing can beat it in gaming. Very poor battery life. 15.4" -->>> Very good all rounder, Awesome for Games and Movies and texting and everything else. Moderate to very good battery life. Pretty cheap as more companies compete for the same segement or market. 14.1" -->>> Perfect all rounder, Altough expensive than 15.4" varities its still acceptable in terms of performance vs price. Battery life is generally good but can vary hugely. 10.3" - 13.3" -->>> Bloody Awesome for portability factor. Awesome battery life. But gets killed when its gaming time. Very few come with discrete GPU and cost an arm and a leg. Battery life is generally very good. 7" -->>> Piece of shit, nothing more than expensive DVD player unless you need to view excel and pdf files for your business purposes. Those places the price can be justified otherwise its waste of time and money. Perfect example Toshiba Liberetto. Harvey Norman at Bell St Preston ordered 5 of them, one used for display and rest 4 are still in the warehouse for last 18 months. The starting price was $3999 and not it is $2599. Don`t know if they will ever sell them. That all being said. 9400 is a very good piece of equipment, got 3 of them at work for the trainers who arrange safety and other management classes and need something to put a presentation without the use of projectors and stuff. The main reason for 9400 given to them was that the whole class of 15-20 trainees can watch it all at once. Just my 2 cents. cheers

25th October 2006, 3:05 PM	#12
hugofirst Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: ACT Posts: 323	Im on the wagon for saying a 17" is too big for a 'laptop' too.. I've got a 17" Toshy Qosmio G30 and bought it as a Desktop Replacement. I've used it as an actual 'laptop' a few times and hate it! WAY to big! Almost cuts off circulation! As for battery life, I don't think I can comment compaired to the 9400 the threads about - But I can tell you that whatever battery I have - Battery life is pretty poor.. Im guessing well under 2 hours - with watching a movie.. Also, one thing i've always been confused about is how quick everyone says these laptops are! (Core2Duo etc...) When people comment on how 'speedy' they are, are they talking about the speed as far as Laptops go? Or PC's in general?? I guess im just compairing my Qosmio (2.0Mhz Core2Duo) with my older desktop (see sig) and thought the Qosmio would be fairly close, but didn't expect it to fall behind as much as it does!.. Anyways - On your next flight, chuck 3 bricks on your lap for the flight and see how you go! __________________ System: eVGA 780i\| Intel Q9450 w/ TRUE \| Mushkin Redline 5-5-5-12 PC2-8000 4GB \| MSI 8800GTX \| HDD1: WD 74GB Raptor \| HDD2: Seagate 320GB \|Asus SATA 18x DVDRW \| Corsair HX-620 \| Cooler Master CM690 \| Viewsonic VX2025WM \| OS: Vista HP 64-bit\| Last edited by hugofirst; 25th October 2006 at 3:18 PM.

25th October 2006, 7:05 PM	#13
kuruptz Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Glenfield, NSW Posts: 1,504	Woah nice response. Well i plan to not have a normal pc at home and have a Laptop, so it would be hooked up to power at home. I dont travel alot but if i was going to say Tasmania to visit friends i would ofcorse take the ol lappy with me and want to use it on the plane. What about on an airplane international i gather they have more room then a virgin blue domestic flight (only plane ive been on) What is this backlight issue, i am not aware of it. I wouldnt be lugging it around everyday, just move it around the house as i will be setting up wireless internt in my house. So basically for someone who travels rarely, wouldnt be taking it on the train everyday to work, and looking for a desktop replacement would this be the pc for me. I do want some sort of mobility but it wont be with me everyday and dont fly much and wouldnt take it on the train too dangerous. What is the battery like just listening to music or for movies? International flights have powerpoints dont they? even on the lowest class?

25th October 2006, 8:41 PM	#14
fad Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: City, Canberra, Australia Posts: 1,692	I think the 17" is a bit to big to be used on anything except a night big desk. I have a 12" for more portable uses. __________________ FS: Samsung slate 7 256gb ssd 11.6" touch tablet $800 email astral (at) avatar.org.au.