Please Help me Build Dell Inspiron E1705. Thanks!!!!

[DavidCabrero]

I will be using this Labtop for work (home Office) and personal use.
I don't play games on it and I only travel a couple of times a year.
I will have my work database running on it at all times, it is about 400 MB. I surf the internet a lot and will have outlook express open at all times. I plan on using it with my Wireless Router.

Most Important things to me are: Reliability, Speed, Cost, and no crashes/freezing up.

The upgrades I am not sure about are:

1) Processor. Duo Proc T2250,
2 Duo processor T5600 ($150 more)
Core™ 2 Duo processor T7200 ($225 more)
Is there much of a difference in speed and performance from
Duo Processor to 2 Duo Processor? T5600 to T7200?

2) Video Card- Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950
vs. 256MB ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON® X1400 HyperMemory ($95 more)

3) Operating System-
Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005 vs.
Windows® XP Professional ($99 more)
Are the security features worth it? Any other advantages of XP proffessional?

4) Screen- Is the 17 inch UltraSharp™ Wide Screen UXGA Display with TrueLife worth the $175?
I don't watch movies on it, just work and surf the net.

Are there Any Accessories or upgrades you would recommend that I left out?

Are there any competing products you would recomend over the Inspiron E1705?

The Model I have built comes out to $1610 with $300 savings

2 Duo Processor T7200
1 GB Memory
120 hard Drive
8x CD/DVD Burner
256 ATI Mobility Radeon x1400 HyperMemory
80 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Hi Speed Wireless Card
Microsoft Office Basic
Large Black Carrying Case



Thanks!

 

[dtemple]

I personally have had an Inspiron E1505 for about 3-4 months now:
Intel Core Duo T2400
2GB DDR2-667 memory (not purchased through Dell - upgraded myself through Newegg)
60GB Serial ATA
DVD burner
ATi Mobility Radeon X1400
15.4-inch WSXGA+ 1680x1050

I work at Circuit City, and I've seen one or two customers bring the same machines in to have software stuff done to them (like virus removal) and I can tell visually that the high res Truelife screen is definitely worth it. Much easier to read in sunlight, and overall just looks better. Very clear display in comparison to the regular.

As for the OS, Media Center has everything Professional has, except for volume licensing (which doesn't apply to end users) so just go with Media Center, but make sure to get the reinstall discs. It's only a few dollars more, and well worth it.

Processor-wise, the T5600 is 1.83GHz and 2MB of L2 cache. In all respects, it's the same chip as the T2400, except for its 64-bit support. The T7200 goes up to 2.00GHz, but more importantly goes up to 4MB of L2 cache. L2 cache typically increases performance quite a bit on efficient processor cores. The T7200 upgrade is well worth it if you can afford it.

The Mobility X1400 card is a good choice if you aren't playing games - or even if you are, at lower resolutions. The Intel 950 graphics are decent, but not if you're doing anything but 2D. If you were playing games extensively, you'd want the 7900GS. A friend of mine has a Toshiba with a 7900GS, he's playing all his games maxed with no lag.

One thing to make sure to get is the high-capacity battery. My E1505 lasts only 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours on its 6-cell. Sometimes 2 1/2 if I turn down the screen brightness and don't use the DVD drive at all.

Go with the Intel 3495 card for wireless, it works perfectly in my E1505.

The only recommendation I would give is to seriously consider "just" the E1505. You'll wind up with a more easily movable laptop - you won't have to lug an 8 pound machine around with you around the house, only a 6 pound machine. It also winds up being a lot less expensive.