Dell 17" Notebooks
May 17, 2007 | 5:08 pm
#1
Original Poster
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: The shape-shifting urban sprawl that is El Lay. FT member #71.
Programs: UA Gold & MM; DL & AA credit card dirt status; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Fool's Gold
Posts: 4,839
Dell 17" Notebooks
I need a monster sized notebook for a big project coming up at work. Gotta have a 17", and its unlikely the company will buy anything other than Dell.
Anyone have experience with these large Dells? Specifically we're looking at an M90, but there are a number of models that are similar. Any kind of feedback would be appreciated.
Specifically curious as to battery life. There could be circumstances where I would need to use it for close to three hours straight, with a Sprint cellular card. Is it doable?
Anyone have experience with these large Dells? Specifically we're looking at an M90, but there are a number of models that are similar. Any kind of feedback would be appreciated.
Specifically curious as to battery life. There could be circumstances where I would need to use it for close to three hours straight, with a Sprint cellular card. Is it doable?
May 18, 2007 | 1:48 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: SYD
Programs: DJ, QF, SPG, Hilton
Posts: 2,984
I've an Insipron 9300 (which is now the 9400). It works fine and I love the 1900x1200 resolution.
Battery wise I got 3+ hours when it was new. With another device hooked up, you should still be able to get 3+ hours, of course, that'll be depend on your cellular card. Regardless, don't expect the battery to last 3+ hours for very long. I'd say after 3 months of constant use, it'll become less than 3 hours.
I use my laptop pretty much every day. Some of the battery cells have officially died. It's just under 2 years old.
Battery wise I got 3+ hours when it was new. With another device hooked up, you should still be able to get 3+ hours, of course, that'll be depend on your cellular card. Regardless, don't expect the battery to last 3+ hours for very long. I'd say after 3 months of constant use, it'll become less than 3 hours.
I use my laptop pretty much every day. Some of the battery cells have officially died. It's just under 2 years old.
May 18, 2007 | 8:40 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: A Southern locale that ain't the South.
Programs: Bah, HUMBUG!
Posts: 8,014
3 hours? That's iffy. I have an XPS2 and it will make 2.5 hours using wifi. If battery life is more important than performance, get the Inspiron 9400/e1704 and the Intel Integrated Graphics. The discrete graphics cards draw subtantial power. To be sure, invest in another battery or get something like the Valence N-Charge to supplement the internal battery just in case. Datacards are power-hungry.