Dell vs HP

[Tehgame]

Which of these two is better to buy in terms of support/features/graphics/etc...
I'm not a heavy gamer and rarely play any games except for maybe WoW.

Thank you


Dell: $999 (plus you get a $150 gift certificate to dell back)

My Components
Jet Black
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T5750 (2.00GHz/667Mhz FSB/2MB cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1
Hi Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch display (1920x1200)
3GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2
Size: 320GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
256MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3450
8X Slot Load CD / DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
Dell 1510 Wireless-N Card
Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam
56 Whr Lithium Ion Battery (6 cell)
High Definition Audio 2.0
Back-lit Keyboard
Integrated Finger Print Reader
My Software & Accessories
McAfee SecurityCenter with anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, 30-Days
Microsoft Works
My Service
1Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis
Dell Online Backup 2GB for 1 year
Earthlink Internet Access
Also Includes
Sennheiser CX300-B Headphones
Hi Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 LCD (1920x1200) w/ 2.0M pixel Camera
Windows Vista™ Premium
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 9.0

HP: $714

Components
* • Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (32-bit)
* • AMD Turion(TM) X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor RM-70 (2.0GHz)
* • 15.4" diagonal WSXGA+ High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1680 x 1050)
* • 3GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
* • 256MB ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3450 Graphics
* • FREE Upgrade to 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
* • Webcam Only
* • HP Color Matching Keyboard
* • Wireless-N Card
* • No Modem
* • SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support
* • No TV Tuner w/remote control
* • 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
* • Microsoft(R) Works 9.0

 

[masterjim]

HP is the more reliable of the two. With Dell,their laptops are not as reliable as their desktops. You should get a 3-yr warranty at the very least if you go with a Dell laptop. Personally, I would take a look at Fujitsu, Acer or Lenovo. Fujitsu for instance has a spill-proof keyboard and an anti-shock hard drive in addition to a finger print reader and a webcam like the Dell,but with the lowest failure and return rate in the industry. Made in Japan and number one there. Dell is made in Malaysia,and other brands are made in China. Fujitsu start at $599 and you can get XP Pro on most models or Vista or both on some models.Fujitsu, Acer and Lenovo have tech support in USA, while Dell and HP outsources their tech support to India. That's something you should consider. Another brand is Asus, which is more for gamers but they start at around $1000 but come with a 2-yr warranty.

 

[Tehgame]

I've had trouble with Acer laptops in the past, the support is lacking, the features are too.
and Lenovo is a business laptop, not for entertainment/photography/music. Fujitsu is plain expensive. These are the two that have deals right now, which is why I'm considering one or the other...

So far HP - 1, Dell - 0

 

[alwrmc]

I have 3 HP machines. The newest is a dv6929nr. Zero problems with the HP units. I also had 5 older Dells. One of the Dells is still in service with a cousin. Two of the Dells CD drives failed within 15 minutes of each other just two weeks ago. Amazing coincidence, but true!. Two others were donated and I have no info on their current operation.
JFI...the reason for all the laptops is because the company I worked for disposed of the salemens old/damaged units every couple of years (after tax related accountability) by giving them to employees. I would routinely take 20-30, check, clean up, trade parts etc to get a few back into good working order. I then donated to people/organizations based on need.

 

[arknorth]

Normally there was a phrase that used to run through the shop when it came to Dells... "Oh hell, it's a Dell..." But, that differred between types. Your list above shows all the goodies inside the machines, but needs one other thing on both - MODEL NUMBERS - and here's why...

Having sold both (HPs as new and Dells and referbished), there are some things to take into note - in the case of Dell, is it a Latitude, an Inspiron or a XPS? This matters because of the case that the unit will be installed in. If you want one that is best for long-term heavy-duty service that can take a bounce or two, this had better be a Latitude (from your description of 'Jet Black' body, I'm surmising that it is not).

As for the HP, I would want to know the model for the sake of knowing if it is a tried and true body, as I can tell you about problems we had with some of our floor models when they were new 'first run' designs - it usually takes Compaq/HP a model or two into a series to get all the bugs out, put vent holes in the right place, and just get the beastie running 100%.

Now I'm an HP feind - have always loved their computers and printers. Personally, of all the HP equipment I've had, only one has given me any real heartache. But then again, I never thought I would own a Dell, and now I have two. I'm typing this message on the one (my converted Optiplex) and the Mrs has a D600 Latitude. Both work fine, though the Latitude does have some age-quirks.

If I am looking at the two, the best ON-LINE support seems to be with (Gawd) Dell. As for service in general. both companies have plenty of good and bad stories to banter about, but both will service here in the States. And yes, the tech is out THERE somewhere, which is why it sometimes pays to get those store 'Extended Service Warranties' and/or 'Protection Plans' - in most cases, their techs will be here in the States, and they read from the same manuals those in Timbucktoo do (plus the fact that neither Dell's or HP's basic warranties cover the LCD part of the screen).

So my take is the (Gack) Dell if its a Latitude, take the HP if it's a model that had its body in use for a while.

A-N

 

[Tehgame]

Sorry!

HP dv5z

Dell Studio 15

 

[Rich-M]

Forgetting the brand name which means nothing to me, I would rather have the Intel any day of the week to Amd as the Core 2 Duo blows away the Amd dual core.

 

[masterjim]

There are actually some deals on Fujitsu in the price range of the HP and Dell you are considering. Go to notebookshop.com and check out the different models. Also have you seen the Acer Aspire Blue Gemstone series? C2D, 16-inch screen,cinema touch pad,etc. This is a true entertainment notebook. Circuit City has the best prices on this model,starting around $699. I have an Acer Aspire 5102WLMi,about 2-yrs old and have no problems. My first laptop was an HP. Excellent hardware but runs on the hot side along with Dell,Sony and Apple- the popular brands,which is why there is a market for laptop cooling pads. Acer and Fujitsu do run cooler than most other brands due to a magnesium alloy chassis and more air ducts in the design. As for AMD vs Intel,unless you are an avid gamer or do heavy video editing or encoding,the average person won't see much of a difference in speed in normal everyday applications like wordpad,spreadsheets,e-mail,digital photos,web surfing,etc. AMD does the same job as Intel for a lot less money. More bang for your buck. The RAM and graphics card will make more of a difference. For Vista, 2GB RAM is minimum,3GB even better. Both ATI and NVidea graphics cards are better than Intel's GPU. Get a dedicated graphics card for the best in gaming performance.

 

[arknorth]

Maybe so (and I agree with Rich-M when he says go Intel in this case), but Fujitsu's aren't prevelent over here on the right coast. Yes, you can get them on Tiger and such, but service over here lacks.

A-N

 

[Tehgame]

All I see for Fujitsu is over 1000$.

1) Acer = bad customer service, 2) They come with integrated graphics cards which are terrible.

Acer Aspire Gemstone = more then 15.4 inches. I just want a 15 inch screen with a good resolution. Anything more then 1280x800. which the 2 laptops i linked satisfy that requirement.

Temperature isn't a problem because I have a laptop cooling pad.

 

[arknorth]

Well, if you're looking inexpencive, there is always referbished... try these three for example...

Referbished Dell Inspiron 1501

Operating System Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
Processor AMD® Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Technology
Processor Speed 1.8GHz
Hard Drive 80GB 5,400RPM Serial ATA Hard Drive
Multimedia Drive Combo DVD-ROM/CD-RW Drive
Display Type 15.4" Widescreen XGA Display
Video Card ATi Radeon® Xpress 1150
Video Card Memory 256MB Total Available Graphics Memory
Internal Max Resolution 1280 x 800
Sound Card High Definintion Audio Chipset
Ports and Connectors (1) VGA 15-pin Port; (4) USB 2.0 "A" Ports; (1) RJ-11 Modem Port; (1) RJ-45 Network Port; (1) Microphone; (1) Audio Out
Dimensions (WxDxH) 14.0" x 10.45" x 1.44"
Weight 6.19 lbs.
Manufacturer Warranty 90 Day Limited Warranty

Referbished IBM ThinkPad T41

Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition
Processor Intel® Pentium M Processor
Processor Speed 1.60GHz
Level 2 Cache 1MB Level 2 Cache
Data Bus Speed 400MHz Frontside Bus
RAM Installed / Max RAM Supported 512MB DDR-333 RAM (Expandable to 2GB)
Memory Configuration (1) 512MB SO-DIMM Memory Module
Memory Slots Available (1) Available 200-pin SO-DIMM Slot
Hard Drive 40GB Hard Drive
Multimedia Drive Combo DVD-ROM/CD-RW Drive
Display Type 14.1" XGA Display
Video Card ATi Mobility Radeon 7500 Video Chipset
Internal Max Resolution 1024 x 768
Modem/Communications Device 56Kbps Modem
Network Features 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Network
Wireless Network Features 802.11b Wireless Network
Ports and Connectors (1) Parallel 25-pin Port; (1) VGA 15-pin Port; (1) S-Video Out Port; (2)USB 2.0 Ports (1) RJ-45 Network Port; (1) RJ-11 Modem Port; (1) Audio Out; (1) Microphone; (1) Port Replicator Connector
Expansion Slots (1) Cardbus PCMCIA Type II Slot
Input Devices Keyboard, Touchpad
Included Battery 6 Cell Rechargable Lithium-Ion Battery
Dimensions (WxDxH) 12.2" x 10.0" x 1.0"
Weight 4.9 lbs.
Manufacturer Warranty 90 Day Limited Warranty

Referbished Compaq (HP) Presario F750US

Operating System Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
Processor AMD® Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor TK-57
Processor Speed 1.90 GHz
Level 2 Cache 512KB Level 2 Cache
Data Bus Speed 1600MHz Frontside Bus
RAM Installed / Max RAM Supported 1GB DDR2-533 RAM (Expandable to 3GB)
Memory Configuration (2) 512MB SO-DIMM Memory Modules
Memory Slots Available (0) Available 200-pin SO-DIMM Slots
Hard Drive 120GB 5,400RPM Serial ATA Hard Drive
Multimedia Drive SuperMulti 8x DVD±RW Drive with Double Layer Support
Display Type 15.4" Widescreen XGA High-Definition BrightView Display
Video Card NVIDIA GeForce 7000M Video Chipset
Video Card Memory Up to 287MB Total Available Graphics Memory
Internal Max Resolution 1280 x 800
Modem/Communications Device High Speed 56K Modem
Network Features 10/100 Fast Ethernet Network
Wireless Network Features IEEE-802.11b/g Wireless Network
Ports and Connectors (1) VGA 15-pin Port; (1) S-Video Out Port; (3) USB 2.0 "A" Ports; (1) RJ-11 Modem Port; (1) RJ-45 Network Port; (1) Microphone Port; (1) Headphone Out Port
Memory Card Reader 5-in-1 Digital Media Reader
Supported Flash Media Secure Digital, MultiMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, xD Picture
Input Devices Keyboard, Touchpad
Notebook Security Kensington MicroSaver Lock Slot
Included Power Supply 65 Watt AC Adapter
Included Battery 6 Cell Rechargable Lithium-Ion Battery
Dimensions (WxDxH) 10.12" x 14.06" x 1.55"
Weight 5.68 lbs.
Manufacturer Warranty 90 Day Limited Warranty

The trick with these three is - A - they all range from $275 to $499 in price, and - B - are available 'down the road' from your location in Silicon Valley at the Micro Center there (http://www.microcenter.com/search/s...gory=ED1J&manufacturer_title=&sortby=pricelow )

That T41 looks interesting...

A-N