Dell versus Gateway?

mathey · Aug 17, 2005

( look good then when you get to the shipping, $99 turns me off )

Dell almost always has a free shipping deal going on it seems...however they recently added a $20 handling fee, which is all I've ever paid on the 2 systems i've bought from them. (1st was free, 2nd was $20)

kenmac · Aug 17, 2005

I just purchased a dell 9300 lap top. Should be in sometime next week.$1700.00 with a few xtras.I also was looking at gateway but, chose dell. Hope it was right decision.

AndyM · Aug 17, 2005

I've been building Gateway and Dell systems the past couple of nights, and I've noticed one thing that has me pretty honked off at Dell right now...

When building a system and adding accessories, they cost more on the lower priced computers and less on the higher priced computers. For example, Microsoft Office Professional is $329 when added to some of their models and $399 when adding it to other Dell models. I've run across several like that.

Nasty135 · Aug 17, 2005

Soundguy, ( I notice a couple people have mentioned benchmarks. Anyone know of a url where you can download some decent reliable benchmark software? I'm on dialup here at work.. so no 17 meg downloads.. etc.
) 

You can use the futremark stuff which is very good, they have 3Dmark tests for complete computer performance tests for gamers or you can get there PCmark test for performance of all components working together...
There is also another much smaller download called sisoft sandra that is quite good for comparison tests against known parameters...

Andy, I have a Dell latitude C840 that was provided by the company I work for and its 2yrs old now P4 1.6 512mb dvd-cdrw 30gig, and the 30gig drive just went BAD and they sent me the new drive next day, installed it and reloaded OS and back in business. It is plenty fast but also runs warm ..
But I am wondering, Do you really need 3.2ghz speed?

Soundguy · Aug 18, 2005

( PCmark test for performance of all components working together...
There is also another much smaller download called sisoft sandra that is quite good for comparison tests against known parameters )

I ended up going with the pcmark software.. it was only an 8 meg download.. that was tolerable.. i Just read some mail in the foreground for the few minutes it needed.

Soundguy

AndyM · Aug 20, 2005

Next question...

What's the difference in speed between the Pentium 4 and the Pentium M ?

For roughly the same price, you can get a 3.2 gHz Pentium 4 or a 1.6 gHz Pentium M. Does this mean one is twice as fast, or are they roughly comparable?

Nasty135 · Aug 20, 2005

Andy, The P4 seems to have the extra processing power for things like video editing and multi-tasking ,with many windows open at once.... While having lots of power consumption causing plenty of heat (which is a little harder on the electronic components) It is always at the ready, and doesn't reduce its own power consumption as is one of the features of the M and it will still do everything thing the other will do just micro seconds slower .It seems it is designed to run longer ,cooler with what appears to be more of a self monitoring chipset for the "enhanced useage experience"

One of the things that can slow down any computer is when loading software ,you are asked if you want your programs to load faster, If you select yes it will load an icon in the system tray which actually will let that program use processing power to "run in the background" so if you have a full systray it will help to slow down your system.... I always keep mine to a minimum.

For most users anything much over a GHZ will not be totally utilized....unless your a GAMER or other high consumption processing programs where the extra horsepower will definately be used...
Now I'm not trying to talk anybody in or out of what they may want ,This is just what I understand the new M vs. P4 features to be.... Good Luck in your decesion!! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

So depending on your use ,The extra speed of the hotter processor may not even be noticed..

beagdog · Aug 21, 2005

Nasty is right on the money. As I stated earlier, I have both a P4 and a Centrino M in laptops, the only difference being the P4 has the 17" widescreen, the M is a 15.4. The P4 is a Dell, the M is a Compaq/HP. The power consumption of the P4 is twice that of the M and the heat output is also much higher, the cooling fan runs almost continually (a reason the battery usage is more too I'm sure). As far as multi tasking, the P4 and the M are set up with identical software and when running multiple applications the M will "freeze" sometimes for just a millisecond when you open additional windows or switch between applications.

Both are excellent machines, but if you plan to carry the machine around and/or use battery power alot, the M is the way to go.

Devildog · Aug 21, 2005

We have nothing but dells at work and at our home. Thursday a motherboard went out on one at work and they said a person would be there in 4 hours to fix it. My thinking was yeah right. Well in 3 hours a box comes ups courier and about 45 minutes later the repair guy shows up and had it fixed in a few minutes. I couldnt believe it. I have the same type of coverage on our home computers. Its good to know that we got that good of service /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

rockyridgefarm · Aug 22, 2005

( Both are excellent machines, but if you plan to carry the machine around and/or use battery power alot, the M is the way to go.
)

But I have to add that the P4 never was intended to be in this configuratiion in the first place. I have had several COOK themselves sitting on desks. I think the manufacturers are using them to lure customers to 'increased' power at an attractive price, without concern to the longterm stability of the product...