Dell XPS 17 (High-End):

• 17.3″ HD+ WLED Display with 2.0 MP webcam^[1]
• Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit.^[2]
• Intel Core i5-560M (2.66 GHz, 4 threads).^[3]
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 435M 1GB Graphics Card with Optimus and TV Tuner.^[4]
• 56 WHr 6-Cell Lithium Ion Battery.^[5]
• 6 GB RAM.^[6]
• 500 GB SATA 7200 RPM HD.^[7]
• 3 Yr NBD Warranty.^[8]
• What isn’t included:
  • Microsoft Office. Yes, I can upgrade to it – but it is too expensive! Guess I’ll stick with OpenOffice and Google Docs.
  • Solid State Hard Drive. No, I don’t want a huge SSD drive, but what if you gave me say a 20-30 GB one and then a normal SATA drive. The SSD would only be for the OS!
  • Option for a Second AC Adapter. I always purchase two AC adapters – b/c they go dead all the time, and I don’t want to wait a day or two until the replacement arrives.
• Total Cost: $1500.

Not a bad price for a really sweet machine…so if you are looking for a new machine, here is my “high-end” recommendation. Maybe in the next few days I’ll post a mid-level and low-end machine spec as well.

1. ^[1] This is the standard display for this unit. Any unit I buy must include a webcam – which also means microphone…I won’t look at a unit without it. ↩
2. ^[2] Windows 7 is a must! Yeah, yeah, I probably don’t need ultimate and could stick with Home Premium if it came down to it. ↩
3. ^[3] This isn’t the fastest CPU out there, but going up another level really jacks up the price. In spite of the fact that I’d like an eight thread…I’ll cut the costs here. ↩
4. ^[4] Honestly, this is way overkill for me. For the longest time I stopped caring about any video card with over 128 MB RAM, then 256 MB, then 512 MB. And in each of these cases I’ve only ever found them necessary for gaming – which I don’t do much of (but the Total War series does have some hefty requirements). I could drop the TV tuner without batting an eye – don’t watch tv now and the future is web-based anyways. ↩
5. ^[5] I never run my laptop off batteries (okay, very rarely) and I don’t like to travel, so no need for an upgrade here…but perhaps once cars drive themselves or wireless becomes ubiquitous on air flights. ↩
6. ^[6] You can (almost) never have too much RAM…though I have to question the efficacy of 6 GB for anyone other than developers, designers, and gamers. ↩
7. ^[7] I won’t consider a machine with a hard drive slower than 7200 RPM. I don’t care too much about the size of the hard drive – I rarely use more than 100 GB. A lot of computer manufacturers sell you 5400 RPM drives with all the rest of the specs ramped up – intentionally or otherwise this means your machine has a much shorter lifespan. To me, the hard drive is one of the most important components for speed. ↩
8. ^[8] I get this with every Dell I purchase – and it is always worth it. Perhaps not for the casual user, but I have parts sent to me all the time and even have tech.’s sent out on occasion. For the number of AC adapters that go dead and are replaced for free alone, the cost of the warranty is worth it. ↩

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.