ARCHIVED: Dell Vostro 1520 – A Very Nice Deal.

Occasionally I surf over to Dell just to admire the machines. I’ve had my current laptop for going on two years now…and one way to delay the itch to buy a new machine is to shop. Yes, I know that is the opposite of the way it works for many – but for me…shopping oftentimes results in less purchases.

I stopped over at Dell today and was quite impressed by some of the deals they have available. I’m frequently asked to give recommendations on systems by friends, relatives, and strangers…so I’m being a bit proactive and letting everyone know what I would recommend if you are looking for a new machine. I’ll also take the time to explain why I consider specific items important.

So, my choice for the average computer user (internet, word processing, movies/video, music, some gaming) would be a Dell Vostro 1520. I’d go with the Advanced Package. Let’s take a look at what is included:

• Intel Core 2 Duo P7570 w/VT (2.26 GHz, 3 MB L2, 1066 MHz FSB)- This is your processor (CPU). It does all the mad calculations that are involved in everything you do on a computer.
  • I’m personally a fan of Intel over AMD. I do insist on a Core 2 Duo or other multi-core processor.
  • The Core 2 Duo indicates that this CPU has two cores on it – essentially doubling the processing capability.
  • Yes, the GHz is lower than what you’ll find in some machines, but the race for higher clock speeds ended a long time ago. They peaked out at around 3-4 GHz and since then have slid back down as CPU manufacturers have focused on alternative methods for increasing speed. That said, I personally find anything under 2 GHz too weak for my needs.
• Windows 7 Professional with Media 64-bit - Windows 7 is awesome – forget XP or Vista. You’ll want to change from 32-bit to 64-bit for the OS. There is no reason to run a 32-bit OS. 32-bit OS’s provide some backwards compatibility for older applications, but unless you have some really old app. you can’t live without – go with 64-bit. If you later find you need 32-bit you can always run a virtual machine inside of your Windows 7 instance with a 32-bit OS.
• 4 GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800Mhz , 2 DIMM - 4 GB is plenty for most folks. I’ve never needed more. Used to be 1 GB, then 2 GB was the standard. I’ve been running 4 GB for a few years and wouldn’t go back….but I don’t see much use in additional RAM for most users.
• 320 GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive with Free Fall Sensor – The hard drive is the slowest component on your computer. Don’t ever buy a computer with a 5400 RPM hard drive. They are miserably slow. Faster is better, but 10000 RPM and solid state drives (SSD) come at far too high a premium in cost. 7200 RPM is enough for most…that said, SSD is the way I’ll be going when the price finally gets low enough.
• 15.4″ WXGA Anti-Glare LED Display – I don’t know a lot about displays, but in general find they all work fairly well. I am a bit spoiled and personally always get a 17″ display – but that is also because I’m a minor gamer, need a lot of real estate for the numerous programs I run simultaneously, and watch most movies/tv on the laptop rather than a tv.
• 8X DVD+/-RW (blahh blahh) – For almost everyone the default Dell DVD drive is going to do everything you will ever need and then some. This drive can both read and write DVD’s.
• No Productivity Software Included – I don’t generally purchase Microsoft Office with my Dell. Why? Because OpenOffice.org is a full-featured free alternative that can create/edit/open Microsoft Office documents. There are also some excellent web office suites like Google Docs and Zoho.
• Security Software – I always change this to none. I dislike both Norton/Symantec and McAfee. Instead, I prefer Avast and Malwarebytes. You can get both for free for personal use.
• Warranty & Service- I always change the warranty to the Basic 3 Year NBD. Its an extra $100 but it gets you two huge benefits:
  • Free Replacements – I’ve never experienced a laptop that doesn’t break. I’ve had Toshiba, HP, and Dell and they all break. This Dell I’ve had for around two years has burnt out around four or five ac adapters. Furthermore, it needed a motherboard replacement due to overheating (sucking in garbage from the air and clogging the fans).  This is hundreds of dollars in parts if you don’t have a warranty.
  • On-Site Technician – I don’t buy Dell because their hardware is so amazing (on the consumer side that is – on the server/storage side I love it) but because of the warranty support. With other manufacturers the support process is long and painful. I’ve handed in my computers to local authorized repair depots and mailed them in for repairs to Toshiba and HP and it can take days or weeks….and sometimes the problem isn’t even fixed. Dell sends out a technician the next business day to your house (or business) and they bring the parts with them and fix it on the spot. Sweet!
• 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery – I don’t care about battery life. I’ve gotten used to just always plugging the laptop in and living with the fact that if I’m going on a flight or a long trip the laptop isn’t going to make it….my Droid will have to do (previously iPhone…handed that off to the wife ).
• Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 4500 MHD – I’m not a huge fan of integrated graphics cards. They generally share RAM with the computer rather than having their own dedicated memory – which is a nuisance and sometimes means you can’t play some of the latest and greatest games. That said, for the average user its more than adequate. If you have the opportunity though, I’d upgrade to a 256 MB dedicated video card – 512 MB is overkill.
• Dell Wireless 1510 802.11a/g/n Draft Mini Card – Not sure why they are still shipping Draft N cards when the final N protocol has been released, that is kind of annoying – and I’d move to a non-draft model if it was an option…but all said, wireless cards pretty much just work.
• Integrated 1.3 Webcam and Digital Mic - This is pretty cool. The webcam isn’t very high quality but you can use it to make YouTube videos, chat on Skype with the family…and the integrated mike is a must.

This entire system including the 3 year warranty is currently only $679. Sign up for an account with eBates and you’ll trim an extra percentage off the price (and I get some money for the referral ). That is a pretty sick deal.