Down to 3 choices: Dell M1330, D630 or HPtx1000

[jimnms]

I have been racking my brain for months deciding on a notebook. I originally was going to go with a Dell M1210, but held off when news of new santa-rosa based notebooks were coming. I looked at the Dell M1330, but I really can't justify spending that much. When configured to my needs, the price comes to just over $2100. Because of weird design of the 9-cell battery on the M1330, I would get both a 6 and 9 cell (one for portability, the other for longer run time).

Then I priced out a similarly equipped Dell D630 and it came out to around $1600. Dell currently has a deal going on the Latitude line where you get a $500 discount on Latitude notebooks over $1999, so I actually added on some options to bring it to $2000 even, which brings the total to $1500 after the discount. I also will get the 6-cell media bay battery for when I need extended run time. With my configuration I should get 8-10 hours running both batteries.

Even though it's a bigger and heavier notebook than I wanted, I had practically made up my mind to go with the D630. It seems just too good of a deal to pass up. It comes standard with a 3 year warranty, vs. 1 year on the M1330. One of the options I added to get it up to $2000 to apply the discount was 3 year accidental damage service. From the reviews I've read, the D630 is built pretty solid, and with that warranty and accidental damage service, I'm set for 3 years anyway. All of the above and the better battery life, I was about to buy it...

Then the HP tx1000z has caught my eye. I configured one last night to my liking and it comes to just under $1500. There is currently a $150 instant discount, but I have found a coupon code for $300 off. The review here stats the 6 cell battery gets 4-5 hours and the 4 cell battery gets 3 hours run time, but some owners report only getting 3 hours out of the 6 cell battery. That's less battery life than I want, but they're also running a special %20 off to get both 4 and 6 cell batteries, which I selected in my configuration.

I'm really having a tough time deciding now. Do I go with the D630 and get the battery life I want but give up the portability, go with the HP xt1000z for portability and give up battery life or spend way too much money on the M1330 that seems to have a little of both?


I filled out the questionnaire from the sticky thread if it helps:

1) What is your budget?

I have $1500 saved in my "notebook" account. I can go higher, but I'd rather not spend more than $2000.

2) What size notebook would you prefer?

a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less
or
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen

3) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in.

USA

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?

I really don't care much for Sony, other than that it doesn't really matter.

5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?

My current notebook is going on 5 years. I bought it on impulse at the last minute before going out of town. I needed it to dump pictures from my digital camera, light image editing and checking email. It serves it's purpose, but it's too heavy and has poor battery (~3hrs) so it usually stays in the hotel room.

I want something lighter and with better battery life. I think if I had something more portable that I might actually use it more often.

6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?

I hope to find something that I can take with me.

7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?

If I do, probably Civ IV to pass time.

8) How many hours of battery life do you need?

I would like 5-6 hours or more.

9) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?

I would rather buy online where I can configure the notebook to my needs rather than buy what is available at a store.

10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc.

I might as well go with Vista, but I also will probably set up a dual boot with Linux.

11) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?

Widescreen

12) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?

Widescreen
d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.

13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?

I don't care much for the glossy/reflective screens, but you usually don't have a the option to chose one or another.

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?

No, but it should be durable.

15) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?

As soon as I make up my mind. I hope it will last me 3-4 years.

16) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 200GB?

At least 100GB.

17) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?

DVD-RW preferred, but at least a DVD/CD-RW combo drive.

[sesshomaru]

Hmmm. Have you looked at the D430? Or the Asus W7S? They seem to fit your budget and requirements well..

[Dreamer]

Check out the HP 2510p if you want portability and great battery life. However, it will be more expensive.

[Duckk]

Out of the laptops listed, I'd go with the d630. You likely won't need the features found on the m1330 unless you need things like the card reader or remote. The swappable media bay is handy on the d630, and the support for the Latitude line is pretty good.

[jimnms]

I'm starting to have 2nd thoughts about the D630 now. I've been re-reading all of the reviews I can find. Dell states the weight is 4.37 lbs., but most of the reviews I see put it closer to 6 lbs. My current notebook is a 14", but I don't know the weight, I just know I want something lighter than it. I don't have a scale to weight my it on, but comparing it with a 5lb. weight, I'm guessing it's between 6 and 7 lbs. I pulled out a measuring tape and compared the specs to my current notebook. The D630 will be about .3 inches wider, 1.5 inches shorter in depth and a little bit thinner.

Originally Posted by sesshomaru

Hmmm. Have you looked at the D430? Or the Asus W7S? They seem to fit your budget and requirements well..

I did look at the D430. After considering my needs, I don't think I will be happy with it's slower CPU. For just checking email, web browsing and dumping pictures to, it would be perfect. The fact that it doesn't have a built in optical drive is a small concern as well.

I also looked at the ASUS W7S. I liked what I saw up until I got to the battery life. The only battery options are a 4 and 6 cell, and the 6 cell only seems to get about 2.5hrs of run time.

Originally Posted by Dreamer

Check out the HP 2510p if you want portability and great battery life. However, it will be more expensive.

Thanks, I just checked it out and it seems to be the same class of notebook as the Dell D430, except this one has a built in optical drive. HP doesn't let you customize this one, you have to pick from a few pre-configured models.

[swarmer]

Originally Posted by jimnms

I'm starting to have 2nd thoughts about the D630 now. I've been re-reading all of the reviews I can find. Dell states the weight is 4.37 lbs., but most of the reviews I see put it closer to 6 lbs. My current notebook is a 14", but I don't know the weight, I just know I want something lighter than it. I don't have a scale to weight my it on, but comparing it with a 5lb. weight, I'm guessing it's between 6 and 7 lbs. I pulled out a measuring tape and compared the specs to my current notebook. The D630 will be about .3 inches wider, 1.5 inches shorter in depth and a little bit thinner.

If you look at the D630 spec sheet (pdf link off the product page), Dell tells you that the 4.37 pounds is with 4-cell battery and traveler's drawer, and in a more normal configuration with 6-cell battery and optical drive, it's about 5 or 5.1 pounds. If you get the 9-cell battery, that'll add additional weight.

[jmhchan]

My girlfriend recently received her tx1000 and it's a great little laptop for her. Nice and light- very cheap (she got the base model, no tablet) for under 1 grand Canadian. Build quality is good and battery life is around 4 hours. Downgraded to XP without any problems (to save battery and reduce heat).

[jimnms]

Which CPU did she get. I have a tx1000z speced out, in my cart, ready for me to buy just as soon as I'm absolutely sure this is the right notebook for me. The one thing holding me back is that it doesn't have dedicated graphics. The 3 main things I want in a new notebook are, light, battery, dedicated graphics.

After looking and comparing, I think a 12" is the right size for me. I'm now looking at getting the HP tx1000 or a Dell M1210 from the Dell outlet. The old M1210 seems to be the only 12" notebook that has a dedicated GPU that is light and gets good battery life. The only problem with the M1210 is that I can't customize it, I'm limited to what's available in the outlet.

[jmhchan]

i've heard to avoid the m1210 at the dell outlet because most often people return the ones with screen/cpu whine problems that simply can't be fixed.

she got the TL-52 processor which is more than enough for what she does (web, productivity apps, photoshop, dreamweaver). you're right the gpu would be the weakest part of the laptop but that is a personal choice you'll have to make.

[ZaZ]

Given your needs, I think the D630 seems like the best choice. Though it is a bit heavier, the D630 is more durable. Notebooks that travel often tend to take a beating which makes quality more important. With the modular battery you should get very good battery life.