Just a warning about buying from Dell, depending how you access their site you could pay any number of different prices for the same computer configured the same way. It is generally best to buy from "small business" , anyone can just put your name in when it asks for business name.
I recommend checking out "deal" websites like gotapex.com , they seam to find a great deal everyday from Dell on laptops, desktops and accesories. Sometimes the deal is on cheapo stuff sometimes the deals on high end stuff, or check the hot deals forum section at fatwallet.com

we've just ordered a dell inspiron 8600 on tina's (approved) credit. roughly it came to $1700 with $50 payments. it has a p m processor and i upgraded the video card to 128mb radeon thanks to above suggestions. altough i am a plan,section,elevation kind a guy, i'd like to learn cad programs such as 3d max.
hd is 80 gb and it has all the wireless features which i have to figure out. screen is 15.4 but we dont mind it.
i just went with dell because i got my desktop from them and one time they replaced my monitor overnight. oh, i am having "blue tooth" installed just because it sounded good.. we are not really computer experts and our use is limited to internet and drawing programs. i'd like to paid off in one year without paying interest.

intels updated centrino:



http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050117/ap_on_hi_te/intel_centrino

mason,

i would've though you took a little bit with you after all that time we spent together ;) . the battery life on that HP is only 1:45. that's not even the trip between ithaca and the city. i recommended the thinkpad to anne, which is a good machine. if i can't talk you into a powerbook, then go with the thinkpad. and you should consider the politics of dell.

poon

just an update, but you can get 20% off Inspirons through www.techbargains.com (I think I posted it above somewhere). Just copy and paste the coupon. Simple as that. Look at the site Robert mention's above, too.

The deals on those sites are really amazing. Belken has 50% off EVERYTHING till the end of the month, with the coupon. I'll be getting me some power backups!

Oh, I am now skeptical of Dell's 17". Hate to say it, as I love Dell and have had nothing but good experiences (although the home tech support SUCKS). I saw one in the airport and the screen just didn't look as great as I thought it would. Could be dull from the lighting, sitting there for so long, etc. I'll probably still end up getting it, though. It's nice to take care of multiple computers on one phone call.
Sony's screen does look fantastic. Too bad their graphics cards suck.

spoon - hey buddy. good one, but you know im a slow learner ...
i will consider the thinkpad, though this is more a desktop replacement than one for globetrotting. stay warm.

Hey Mason,

Great thread. I'm curious now. Did you ever get one and did it work well?

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orange?

orange you glad you didn't buy a banana?

no banana computer for me...

http://www.bananacomputer.com/