what is the average lifetime for a dell notebook?

It should last you as long as you tell yourself you don't NEED to upgrade =P

If you want something that will still seem to have some speed to it through 4 years of college, I suggest waiting a couple years. Chances are you won't want to bring your notebook to high school, so just build yourself a cheap-ish desktop, and just save for your notebook in a couple years.

Just wait until you get to college. Then you can get something up to date at that time. I think that's better than using an older system and since you don't really need a laptop now it makes sense.

I agree.

How about the screen? I heard somewhere that if you like leave a laptop on all the time and the screen stays on, its life shortens. I'm planning on using this notebook for the next 5 or more years, and i know that all the hardware isnt something that im gonna replace just b/c the next best thing is out. All im worried about is the natural life of the hardware (especially the screen)

if you wait until you are ready for college, you'll have a better idea what configuration you'll need in a laptop. the school that you go to and/or your major might dictate a certain hardware/software config that you would not be aware of now. once you are admitted to a college you might be able to get a better deal on a laptop through your college with a student discount. if you buy one just before starting college it will more than likely last you through your 4 years. just my opinion. hope this helps!

If you need a system for the next two years of high school, take a look at a cheap desktop. I recommend the Dell 5100. It can be had for fairly cheap, and it will last a long time, so even if you don't need it anymore, your parents might, or you could always give it to someone.

Anyway, I don't recommend getting a laptop now, as it will be outdated by the time you get to college. Also, the average lifetime is around 3-4 years, but it could last a lot longer than that. I'm assuming you need to get through all 4 years of college with it, or maybe even more if you're going into a field that requires more college classes. You don't want to have a laptop in college that you know will be at least 6 years old by the time you get out, and that's if you only take 4 years. Let's say you want to go into medicine. That's about 8 years before you get paid, so unless your parents are willing to buy you another laptop every 3 years, you don't want to have a system that's already 2 years old. Also, dual core in laptops will come out next year, which will delay the inevitible arrival of that time when your computer is outdated.

Screens, just like any component in a laptop (and any equipment of any kind ever) obviously break down over time. With sensitive equipment like screens, you usually want them off whenever you're not using them, which isn't that big of a deal. Laptop screens typically won't die in 6 months unless there's an underlying problem with them.

And with Dells, the primary concern will not be the life of the laptop, but the durability. They're not very well made due to pricing concerns (look at how cheap you can get them), and this translates into potentially beaten up laptops. You'll also have to worry about graphics performance; Dells equip nearly all their laptops with an X300, which (although it may be acceptable now) won't be in a year or so. They don't even bother putting the X600 in there, which will probably last the 4 years, so the next jump up is to their high end DTR.

Everything else is standard fair: processor, components, drives, etc.. They're not even made by Dell, so obviously, they'll last. 5 Years is a long time for any equipment though, and even many desktops except for a few insanely powerful ones will find themselves puttering along in 5 years. Even 4 years is pushing it... most people will be sputtering along at the end of it, provided they're running more than a web browser and email...

i say buy it now if you have the money, a desktop isnt such a good idea if you have a smaller room and i could sense it that you do! look at the bright side, you could bring it to school and show off your new laptop and make everyone jealous, especially the nerds who think some day they will succeed but what they dont know is that they will be working at McDonald or burger king for a very LONG time muahhahah.

Thats always a prob for me

I take my laptop to school daily (specs in sig), as I use it for Word and VB6. It is soooo much better for development than the XGA screens at school. VB6 is awesome on 1680x1050



Its also good to have so that I have all my work with me. I can take it to school, work on my assignments, and then bring it home, without having to make sure I emailed it to myself or put it on my USB drive

Yeah, maybe check eBay too.

Dell notebooks last approximately 1 day after the warranty expires.

dont go to college

"Dell notebooks last approximately 1 day after the warranty expires."
That's funny, one of my cousins has an Inspiron 8200, which actually runs stronger than a lot of people's newer desktops. He has had no problems with it at all. My other cousin has a Latitude Csomething, and it still runs, too. It's sort of slow, but it's an old system, and that's expected. Both systems are out of warranty. Also, I know it's not a notebook, but my desktop has been out of warranty for 2 years, and there's not a single problem with it. My friend just bought a 600m with a 90 day warranty. Get back to me in about a week and 92 days, and I'll give you another instance that proves you wrong.

I would think that the lifetime of a PC is as long as you want it to be, that of course varying on several factors. If you need a more powerful machine though, you'll know it.

M.

My dad has a Dimension 8200, and it has been out of warranty for ~3years, and it still running strong!

My dad has had one since like 98'. That lappy is still running; though, she grinds and is obviously slow it still works for word processing. Also, we never had a single call to Dell about that lappy, has run like a charm.

hmm...i guess those myths of DELL's having an automatic timer set to destruct the laptop on a specific day are true then...

"hmm...i guess those myths of DELL's having an automatic timer set to destruct the laptop on a specific day are true then..."
Yup, just like those myths about Dell 600ms having a built-in keylogger that either Dell or the government keeps track of.