Help me put a laptop together

[akiwi]

I am buying a new laptop to replace my aged desktop.
I don't have a big budget so max 1300 Euro.

I will basically use it for photo work, raw conversions and Photoshop work

I don't want a mac as they are expensive & I need new software for it.

I will probably get a Dell Inspiron.

I will stick with the Intel Core 2 Duo 1.66 GHz processor as I think the upgrade to 1.8 or 2.0 GHz is too expensive.

1 GB Ram (as 2GB costs 278 Euro more!)

First decision. 15.4 or 17 inch monitor. Is there a difference in the quality?

Next big decision Both monitor sizes offer an upgrade
The 15.4 standard is 1280 X 800 pixels. Upgrade is a UltraSharp 1680 X 1050 Display

The 17 inch standard monitor is 1440 x 900 pixels. Upgrade is an UltraSharp 1920 x 1200 Display

Is it worth doing this upgrade, or do the icons and text become so small it is difficult to work with?

I think I will stay with 120 GB and not upgrade to 160 GB as this is another 93 Euro. For 93 Euro I can get a 250 GB external hard drive.


What is the difference between the Wireless 1500 Draft 802.11n Dual Band or the 3945 802.11a/b/g Wireless lan cards? = 17 Euro difference.

Can anyone think of a compelling reason why I should include the bluetooth?

Thanks for any help and Tips.

Peter

[ejwebb]

I don't know about the 1500 Draft but I bought an Inspiron E1505 with the 1390 Mini wireless and wish that I would have gone with the upgraded wireless option. This card has problems with my Linksys router and it looks like a lot of other users have issues with it as well. My older Thinkpad and a friend's E1505 with the upgraded wireless both work fine. I'd go with the wireless upgrade based on this experience - there has to be a reason for the price differential ...

Also, my friend got the upgraded screen on his and it is significantly better resolution - essential upgrade for photo work. Monitor size shouldn't affect quality - just the amount of real estate you have for photos and tools...

The Dell website has some great forums with lots of information...

[Morgandy]

What is the difference between the Wireless 1500 Draft 802.11n Dual Band or the 3945 802.11a/b/g Wireless lan cards?

802.11a/b/g is the current technology and 802.11n is the next technology for wi-fi. 802.11n is tentatively scheduled to be ratified early 2007, thus everyone is selling "pre-n" or "draft n" stuff right now that they hope will be compatible or upgradeable to the real n when it's made final.

Basically, n will give you much more throughput (when connected to another n-capable unit) and more range.

[akiwi]

802.11a/b/g is the current technology and 802.11n is the next technology for wi-fi. 802.11n is tentatively scheduled to be ratified early 2007, thus everyone is selling "pre-n" or "draft n" stuff right now that they hope will be compatible or upgradeable to the real n when it's made final.

Basically, n will give you much more throughput (when connected to another n-capable unit) and more range.

Is it worth the 17 Euro upgrade or should I stick with the tested.

[Morgandy]

Is it worth the 17 Euro upgrade or should I stick with the tested.

It depends on what kind of performance you think you are getting now with a/b/g. If you don't use wi-fi yet, obviously trying to make a choice is more difficult. If you think you're going to use wi-fi a lot, then go with n. But remember that most of the public wi-fi hot spots currently in use are probably a/b/g for now.

Disclaimer: I used to work for a company that has wi-fi products, and the difference between a/b/g and n is highly noticeable. But remember that the unit you are connected to has to be n-capable or there will be no difference at all. If you are connected to a wi-fi router that is connected to slow DSL or slow cable Internet, there might not be any improvement.

[akiwi]

Ok, makes sense. I have applied for a 6000 DSL connection, but suspect I will only get a 1000 due to where I live. I will probably use the Wifi internally as a network for printing or getting images to the laptop over the network, so I will get the n & make sure I have an n capeable router.

Has anyoun got any comments about the screen??