Dell Inspiron 6000

[wabmester]

Dell intro'd some interesting new products today at CES.   Over-the-top monsters, like a desktop with 4 graphics cards, 30" LCD, and a laptop with a 20" LCD.   Sort of the equivalent of Ford selling monster trucks.

Anyway, they also intro'd some new mainstream models (I like the E1705, which replaces the 9300), and they have a so-so sale on the Inspiron 1300 (aka B130 -- Dell has gone crazy with naming and branding), which is essentially equivalent to a low-spec Inspiron 6000.

$499 for 15.4" widescreen model

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

Anyway, they also intro'd some new mainstream models (I like the E1705, which replaces the 9300), and they have a so-so sale on the Inspiron 1300 (aka B130 -- Dell has gone crazy with naming and branding), which is essentially equivalent to a low-spec Inspiron 6000.

$499 for 15.4" widescreen model

Talk about a tiny hard drive (40 gigs) and RAM (256 MB).

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Jay...have you bought one of those lenovo built thinkpads? Loved the thinkpads when my work gave them to me for free, but i've noticed the prices have dropped drastically since lenovo bought the brand. I'm presuming the quality of construction and components may have gone down with the price.

30" lcd. They make them that tiny?

 

[wabmester]

30" lcd.  They make them that tiny?

Yeah, I know.    Anybody can hook their computer up to their big-screen TV, but this puppy has 2560x1600 pixels and requires a 7800GTX to drive it.

Did you see the Renegade?   Dell has an in-house airbrush artist now to paint flames on the case.   Going for the NASCAR market, I guess.

Talk about a tiny hard drive (40 gigs) and RAM (256 MB).

The 1300/B130 a low-end system, but those things are easy to upgrade.   I think another stick of RAM would set you back all of $20 these days.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Yeah, I know. Anybody can hook their computer up to their big-screen TV, but this puppy has 2560x1600 pixels and requires a 7800GTX to drive it.

Who cares? Mines bigger.

 

[wabmester]

Who cares?  Mines bigger.

I didn't want to say this in front of the ladies, but my front projector has a VGA connector. 100-inch diagonal, baby! (And, yeah, I'll ask the doctor if I can get that diagonal thing fixed.)

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Mine too. I get 110" but I have to keep the room fairly dim to get a good bright picture. Unfortunately I had to put away since the baby became mobile...he loves wires. Thought about mounting it up on the ceiling (dont go there) a couple of times but we've been getting by with the 55" LCoS set.

Also thought about fiddling around with mounting the projector inside the 50" big screen that just blew up two weeks ago. I already gutted the big screen. Not sure if the one-gun little dlp will throw a big enough picture off the mirror to light up the whole screen like the 3 gun crt did though. Got an old tiny dolby digital receiver and a couple of decent speakers I could mount into the case, hook the whole thing up to an x-10 on/off button, few tweaks to the universal remote control...

What DO you do all day?!?

 

[WanderALot]

The 1300/B130 a low-end system, but those things are easy to upgrade. I think another stick of RAM would set you back all of $20 these days.

Speaking of which, how easy is it to upgrade laptops in general? Do any of them still use proprietary memory/HDs? How hard is it to get the case open and perform upgrades?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Not too tough. Most have standardized RAM these days and the memory and hard drive are usually a screw and access panel from removal. Some slim lappies need a slim hard drive. You'll see the drive height on laptop drives generally well advertised, make sure they one you buy is the same height or slimmer than the one you're replacing.

Processor upgrades can SOMETIMES be done with substantial disassembly/reassembly. Every time I've torn down a laptop that far I've usually ended up with some small plastic part or other that doesnt seem to go anywhere.

 

[wabmester]

Mine too.  I get 110" but I have to keep the room fairly dim to get a good bright picture.  Unfortunately I had to put away since the baby became mobile...he loves wires.  Thought about mounting it up on the ceiling (dont go there) a couple of times but we've been getting by with the 55" LCoS set.

My ceiling is tongue-in-groove (don't go there either), so cutting holes wasn't really an option.   I got one of those floor-to-ceiling pole mount things instead.

the 50" big screen that just blew up two weeks ago.

You too, eh?   Last week, I just discovered what happens when you overdrive a Toshiba Cinema series.   Smoke happens.

Speaking of which, how easy is it to upgrade laptops in general?   Do any of them still use proprietary memory/HDs?  How hard is it to get the case open and perform upgrades?

Very easy for most Dells.   A door on the bottom for RAM access, and screw or two holds in the HD caddy.   Parts available from places like newegg.com.

 

[lazyday]

this puppy has 2560x1600 pixels

(drool)

Love the 1920x1200 on my girlfriend's 9300 laptop, but that would be 78% more pixely goodness.

A 20" laptop sounds interesting too. But, back to reality, I'm not likely to buy anything anytime soon. Maybe when can get a big WUXGA 60P TV that can also be hooked up to PC, doesn't have disabling "protection" built in, and doesn't hurt my eyes, for about $500 or so.
Or when can get a bigscreen laptop with WQXGA (or better) for under $1000.
Like I said, not anytime soon.

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

I got one of those floor-to-ceiling pole mount things instead.

You didn't say not to go there on that one...

 

[Danny]

My ceiling is tongue-in-groove...I got one of those floor-to-ceiling pole mount things....Smoke happens... A door on the bottom for RAM access, and screw or two...

Wab - I am really intrigued with your hobby. I want that you should make a video of a typical Sat night at home for the forum. Please!

 

[Martha]

I would like a super light, small, durable lap top for traveling. Any recommendations?

 

[wabmester]

I would like a super light, small, durable lap top for traveling.  Any recommendations?

If money is no object, the IBM X-series (I think X41 is the latest) is great.

Dell makes a superlight (2.5lbs) called the Latitude X1, but it's just about to be EOL'd. Very nice, but not very fast and small battery doesn't last very long.

I used to love superlights, but these days I prefer a 4lb lappy with an integrated optical drive and *beautiful* glossy 12" widescreen -- the Inspiron 700m (might be called the 710m now). Fast, rugged, full-featured, cheap, and wonderful LCD. Only downside is a couple of undersized keys that take a while to get used to.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

My ceiling is tongue-in-groove (don't go there either), so cutting holes wasn't really an option.

whassamatter? Out of duct tape? I was just going to tack the X1 up there with a few pieces of plumbers tape, painted to match the ceiling. Run a wire into the A/C box for the ceiling fan that'd be a few inches away. Hell, its just until he's old enough to understand and comply with "NO!". He understands it now, but just looks at me over his shoulder in a concerned manner for a few seconds, then gives me a smile and goes back to what he was doing.

You too, eh? Last week, I just discovered what happens when you overdrive a Toshiba Cinema series. Smoke happens.

I think the wife hit desperation on what to get me for christmas, so she stuck a screwdriver in the old big screen and called me on the cell and told me to drop by a store and buy a new high def one on the way home. Picked up a JVC 55" LCoS set for $2000. Very, very pleased with it. As long as it doesnt start eating bulbs.

 

[Nords]

Hell, its just until he's old enough to understand and comply with "NO!".

You haven't been reading ahead in your parenting books & magazines, have you? Good luck with that.

We tried to avoid "No" in favor of "Danger!" and "Owie!!" Usually she understood what we were talking about pretty quickly.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

He doesnt understand the words yet, just the tone of voice. When he gets down off the thing he's climbing on (the usual source of angst) he gets the better tone.