[HitAnyKey]

I'm going to be buying a new laptop from Dell (yes, I know people have opinions about Dell, but that's not what I'm looking for right now ) and I'm trying to decide to get it with Windows XP Pro or Windows Media Center 2005.

I know very little about Windows Media Center, so I'm looking for reviews and/or comparison between the two. What does Media Center have that XP Pro doesn't? And what does XP Pro have that Media Center doesn't?

This machine will definately need to work on a network at my house that has multiple Win XP Pro, Win ME, & Win 98se machines. So if it has any trouble with any of those, then I'll definately have to go with XP Pro.

[Lurker1]

This link should explain it all. You probably dont want it on a laptop.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/m...r/default.mspx

[gotrootdude]

I'd go with just XP pro on the laptop.. If you want to add media center capabilities to it later, you can get a USB tuner and install media portal:

http://mediaportal.sourceforge.net/

Media Center is nice, but it's nice on a big screen, also the internet stuff, like the EPG used to set record times would be practically worthless on a mobile PC.. In fact, I don't think there's any other way to set record times in MCE except by using the EPG...

[JasonTurner]

Your getting a Dell pc?

Think on it carefully!!!!!!!!!!

Couple issues:-

Everything is fine until you have a problem. I had problems with my machine hibernating due to Dell putting their own software for power policies on the laptop. All that they say is to re-install the software, and lets see if that sorts the problem. They are not interested in attempting to provide any other solution!!

Thats a simple problem compared with the latest, a machine not even a year old, and the power supply doesn't work.

I've been told by Dell that the no longer stock or make the power adaptor for my laptop.

I have a next business-day support contract with Dell and now despite sending multiple emails on daily basis and telephoning them they are REFUSING to reply.

NEXT BUSINESS DAY SUPPORT IS NEXT BUSINESS DAY you would think? But to have not just my whole laptop out of action due to Dell.

They promise to keep you informed and send you a reply within a few hours of contacting them, amongst other things - BUT THEY DON'T.

DELL PCs are overpriced anyway, and underperform against other laptops on the market. Thats been my experience.

There customer support is ****. Happy to take your money for it, but give you nothing in return.

On the positive side though my machine did develop a severe screen problem a couple months earlier, that meant the screen would just go blank and no power would be fed to it. Further, just touching the lid sometimes was enough to have the same effect.

Too many problems, too soon. Not impressed at all!