New laptop purchase questions, possibly Alienware

[Mokele]

I'm considering buying a laptop, and I was specifically considering one from Alienware. They seem very good and high end, and while I don't need too much high-end stuff, I figure if I get a good machine, it'll be longer before I have to replace it.

 

So, a few questions:

1) What has everyone heard about Alienware in general? Good? Bad? I've heard generally good things, but a few problems due to high heat and weight (though the model I'm looking at, the 15" Area 51, is apparently only 6 lbs or so).

 

2) Is bluetooth worth the extra $30 or so?

 

3) They come with either 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM hard drives. I know the latter will be faster, but by how much? How important is RPM, especially in a machine with lots of processing power and RAM?

 

4) Does anyone know how upgradable laptops are? Can the manufacturer upgrade them for me, if it's not too old?

 

Thanks!

 

Mokele

[JesuBungle]

What I've heard about alienware, is that you're actually paying extra for the paint. I would say for the price of one, get a dell with a 3 year warranty. The XPS1710 is a great machine with a lot of upgrade potential.

 

Not too much is upgradable on a laptop. Pretty much you can add more RAM or possibly a better video card(not often). Sometimes you can switch out the processor for a better one. Other than that, you're kinda stuck with what you buy.

[5614]

1) Good things, but consider Dell as well.

 

2) Depends if you're going to use it! I mean when I get a laptop I probably would, because then I can connect it to my phone via bluetooth. I don't have a cable for my phone to connect to the computer, so this would be something useful. Like once every one hundred years. But $30, or £15, when you're spending like, well, how much? >$1500?

 

3) Didn't know they still made 5400rpm hard drives! They're not that bad and I've never run a comparison to know, but 7200rpm is what everybody who has purchased a computer in the last 5 years has. Except some people, who have 10,000rpm. But that's expensive!

 

4) Not very upgradable. Sometimes a bit more RAM. You can pull out the current CD drive to replace it with a DVD drive.

[Rakdos]

this article describes where large company's laptops come from. They get theirs from the same place and sell them to you reasonably cheaper. so if money would be a problem the i suggest that you get one from xoticpc. a friend of mine bougt one over the summer and paid 4,000$US for the same laptop that Alienware charges about 6,000$us for.

[-Demosthenes-]

When I get one I'm either getting a Dell Latitude (maybe Inspiron) or a Thinkpad R60.

 

Alienware, $6000 laptop... what do you need the power for?

[Klaynos]

I'd seriously recommend the evil that is apple...

 

But about AW I've heard good things but come at a price hit...

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

2) Is bluetooth worth the extra $30 or so?

Do you have any Bluetooth-enabled devices to use it with?

 

3) They come with either 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM hard drives. I know the latter will be faster, but by how much? How important is RPM, especially in a machine with lots of processing power and RAM?

It's not all that important.

 

4) Does anyone know how upgradable laptops are? Can the manufacturer upgrade them for me, if it's not too old?

If you know the specs and know what you're doing, it's not that difficult to put in new components (like a new hard drive or a stick of RAM) in to a laptop. I wouldn't try sticking in a new motherboard though.

[EvoN1020v]

I have a DELL XPS M1710, and it's a really good laptop. Very reliable and fast. A lot of potential for upgrades and it's Windows Vista Capable. I would recommend you that one because I got 3 years warranty with it. It includes McAfee Security which is a really good virus protection program. I bought the laptop for approximately 3,000 bucks. (taxes included)

[Dave]

3) Didn't know they still made 5400rpm hard drives! They're not that bad and I've never run a comparison to know, but 7200rpm is what everybody who has purchased a computer in the last 5 years has. Except some people, who have 10,000rpm. But that's expensive!

 

This is true for regular 3.5" hard-drives, but the vast, vast majority of 2.5" drives made are still 5400rpm. I've only really seen the 7200rpm drives for notebooks appear within a sensible price range in the past year or so.

 

You're obviously going to gain in both seek time and data transfer rate, so if you're going to be transferring lots of files or doing some very intensive I/O, your best bet is the 7200. Otherwise, just a bog standard 5400rpm will do; my laptop does fine with it.

[-Demosthenes-]

This is true for regular 3.5" hard-drives, but the vast, vast majority of 2.5" drives made are still 5400rpm. I've only really seen the 7200rpm drives for notebooks appear within a sensible price range in the past year or so.

 

You're obviously going to gain in both seek time and data transfer rate, so if you're going to be transferring lots of files or doing some very intensive I/O, your best bet is the 7200. Otherwise, just a bog standard 5400rpm will do; my laptop does fine with it.

 

Does a lower rpm help battery life?

[Dave]

It might help a little, but to be honest, they draw so little anyway in comparison to something like the monitor and backlight, it's not going to be noticeable.

[5614]

Ah, dave, good point. It's points like that I need to pick up before I go laptop shopping in a few months time!

[Mokele]

Thanks for all the input, guys!

 

After a bit of shopping around, I found that JesuBungle is right about paying for the case; I can get a Dell (who apparently own Alienware anyway) laptop with the same specs for about $400 less.

 

As for the hard drive, I'm torn; It's not really a work machine, so I'm not sure I'll be doing much large-scale data movement on it, but on the other hand, I'd rather not box myself in with old performance if future software for some reason needs higher performance.

 

Mokele