Quote:
Originally posted by PresterJohn
between those two...i would go with the dell. laptops aren't very user-serviceable if you develop problems and service/support is a key consideration here.
edit: btw, are you sure about the dell specs...price seems a bit high for a sub 2ghz cpu. |
The cpu on the Dell is a P4m, which only recently began to exceed 2 Ghz, so they're still pretty expensive even at sub 2 levels.
Word of warning - Dell's reputation for service after sale is steadliy sliding. They also have at least one example in their history of bad product design (Inspiron 7000 and active memory problems - since I own one I could tell you a lot). That said, they still overall enjoy an excellent reputation...
What I find missing from these comparisons are things like the speed of the HDD on the Dell system (probably slower than 5400); whether or not the optical drive on the Dell is a combo or DVD only; and what is upgradable on both systems. Actually, I do know what is supposed to be upgradable on the A51m. According to their website, the A51m is upgradable in regards to the CPU, HDD, active mem, and optical drives. I don't know how important such an issue is to anyone else, but I like the idea that the CPU is upgradable, anyway (again, ask me about my Inspiron 7000... I dare you...
)
Just so no one gets the wrong idea: For the most part, I have had good experiences with my Dell, but I'm not sure I can recommend them based on my experiences. Of course, I have
no experience with the Clevo 56N (the other comp in this comparison) or with Alienware. Still, my advice would be the Alienware, but do check around for better prices. Look under the buying advice area of this board...
EDIT
Also, is the Dell system USB 2.0 compatible? The Alienware is...