NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Dell Forums › Dell Notebooks - General › Laptops - Help me decide: GW 505X / HP ZT3K / Dell 8600
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Laptops - Help me decide: GW 505X / HP ZT3K / Dell 8600

post #1 of 27
2/9/04 at 6:51am
Thread Starter 
I've spent countless hours on the fence, but I've narrowed it down to three laptops.

Dell Inspiron 8600:
- Lots and lots of praise over at notebookforums.com.
- Great package for cheap.
- Questionable build quality ("creaking").
- Horrid user feedback on C|Net.
- Largest and heaviest of the 3 I'm considering.

HP ZT3000:
- Sexy.
- Lightest and smallest of the 3.
- Terrific user feedback on C|Net.
- Lots of praise and no complaints on x1000forums.com. There are a few things, but nothing near the innumerable complaints about the Dell's screens, keyboards, etc.

Gateway M505X:
- Slot-loading CD is cool
- Decent specs, lots of good online discounts.
- Very quiet.
- Interesting A/V control panel.
- Lots of praise at notebookforums.com.

My current ordering is HP, GW, Dell, but as soon as I decide on one, I keep thinking about the other! They're all priced withing $100 of each other in the configuration I want.

Decisions, decisions...

Rob
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 27
2/9/04 at 10:58am
I'm in the same boat. My order is the Gateway 505x, followed by the Toshiba M35, and then the Dell 8600. I'm going to look at the ZT 3000 today at lunch. If the ZT doesn't beat out the Dell, I'm going to probably order the Gateway by Wednesday. The free shipping ends Thursday.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 27
2/9/04 at 11:25am

Same Boat

I'm in a similar situation, but i've narrowed it down to either the HP ZD3000 or the Gateway M675XL. I discounted the Dell's comparable 17 inch model after reading so much negative feedback about the build qualiity and the fan noise from the AC adaptor. Personally, i had an Dell Inspiron 8600 last year, and i sold it a few months after i bought it. I can attest to the cheap build quality. The case feels like the kind of plastic that is used on toys, and it looks cheap, to boot. Also, it creaked when you grabbed ahold of it, and scratched very easily. It certainly didnt look like a 2500 dollar piece of hardware. For me, a Dell is not even in the running. I like the HP and the Gateway, in that order. I'm waiting for one more month to see if the new ATI chip is put in either notebook.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 27
2/9/04 at 1:32pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lgriffin
I'm in a similar situation, but i've narrowed it down to either the HP ZD3000 or the Gateway M675XL. I discounted the Dell's comparable 17 inch model after reading so much negative feedback about the build qualiity and the fan noise from the AC adaptor. Personally, i had an Dell Inspiron 8600 last year, and i sold it a few months after i bought it. I can attest to the cheap build quality. The case feels like the kind of plastic that is used on toys, and it looks cheap, to boot. Also, it creaked when you grabbed ahold of it, and scratched very easily. It certainly didnt look like a 2500 dollar piece of hardware. For me, a Dell is not even in the running. I like the HP and the Gateway, in that order. I'm waiting for one more month to see if the new ATI chip is put in either notebook.
Well, this seals the deal for me - the Dell is out. I bought an iPod for use on a Windows machine, but no one ever quesitoned the iPod itself, only the crappy software (at the time) for Windows.

Thanks!

Rob
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 27
2/9/04 at 2:24pm
i thot the zt3000 only has a 9000/9200 card. is that correct? Also rslifka, how do u plan to use the ipod with a laptop? The firewire cord i have does fit the smaller firewire port on the laptops..
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 27
2/9/04 at 2:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Clonedancient
i thot the zt3000 only has a 9000/9200 card. is that correct? Also rslifka, how do u plan to use the ipod with a laptop? The firewire cord i have does fit the smaller firewire port on the laptops..
To use with an Ipod either get a 6 pin to 4 pin firewire adaptor or go and get the usb 2.0 cable for the Ipod from Apple.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 27
2/9/04 at 3:02pm
Dell has a deal for an 8600 for ~$1300 right now over at Dell Home. Is that a good deal for something of such a reportedly low quality?
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 27
2/9/04 at 3:23pm
Thread Starter 
Oops, looks like I need to clarify things =)

The iPod thing was only an anecdote. I bought an iPod about 6-7 months ago for use with my desktop. There were lllots of complaints about compatibility but zero complaints about the iPod itself, whereas with the Dell 8600, there are lots of complaints about the build quality. The 1394 cable that comes with the iPod is the big one, but I believe it comes with an adapter. I could be mistaken.

So to try and get this topic back on track are there any thoughts on which of these two machines is "better" ?

Rob
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 27
2/9/04 at 3:25pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by SavageEmbrace
Dell has a deal for an 8600 for ~$1300 right now over at Dell Home. Is that a good deal for something of such a reportedly low quality?
This is something I was considering as well. You get one hell of a machine for $1300, but the monitor issues, keyboard issues, and overall build quality issues are just becoming too much for me. If I'm going to spend $1300+ (add on the extras and it will be a bit more than that), then I may as well spend $1500 and get a machine with great all-around reviews like the HP ZT3000 or the Gateway M505X.

The biggest weakness of the M505X line is that the resolution is max 10x8 - you can't upgrade the LCD.

Rob
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 27
2/9/04 at 3:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SavageEmbrace
Dell has a deal for an 8600 for ~$1300 right now over at Dell Home. Is that a good deal for something of such a reportedly low quality?
For $50 more (AAA discount) you can get the 505x, which has far fewer complaints than the 8600. I kind of like the 8600 but I've read of way too many problems from way too many people.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 27
2/9/04 at 3:42pm
I had the same misgivings about Dell as you and others have expressed here. But, after trying an 8600 for myself, I couldn't be more pleased. I'm having my LCD replaced, by choice not necessity, and it's no big deal whatsoever. Dell is sending a technician to my house to install the new LCD. Remember also that Dell has a great 30-day, no restocking fee return policy, so you're covered.
Good luck with your decision!
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 27
2/9/04 at 3:47pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jswriter
I had the same misgivings about Dell as you and others have expressed here. But, after trying an 8600 for myself, I couldn't be more pleased. I'm having my LCD replaced, by choice not necessity, and it's no big deal whatsoever. Dell is sending a technician to my house to install the new LCD. Remember also that Dell has a great 30-day, no restocking fee return policy, so you're covered.
Good luck with your decision!
JS, your excellent posts in particular are what prompted me to strongly consider the 8600. AAMOF, I have one completely spec'd out and sitting in my shopping cart!

[sigh]

I guess having all of these choices is good! O/w we'd probably all be paying a lot more

Rob
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 27
2/9/04 at 3:51pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkY
For $50 more (AAA discount) you can get the 505x, which has far fewer complaints than the 8600. I kind of like the 8600 but I've read of way too many problems from way too many people.
Is this a coupon code? How do you claim this?

Rob
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 27
2/9/04 at 4:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rslifka
Is this a coupon code? How do you claim this?
Rob
The only way to get this discount is to call and speak with a Gateway rep. Just tell the person you're a member of AAA. I've also gone into a couple of Gateway Country stores and one store said they would only give me a 5% discount and another said thay could only give 7% (why the discrepency, I don't know). I was told that 10% is only for mailorder.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 27
2/9/04 at 9:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rslifka
This is something I was considering as well. You get one hell of a machine for $1300, but the monitor issues, keyboard issues, and overall build quality issues are just becoming too much for me. If I'm going to spend $1300+ (add on the extras and it will be a bit more than that), then I may as well spend $1500 and get a machine with great all-around reviews like the HP ZT3000 or the Gateway M505X.

The biggest weakness of the M505X line is that the resolution is max 10x8 - you can't upgrade the LCD.

Rob
in this case i think your option comes down to the Aopen 1337G or the aopen M6N. Each has some good reviews from some of the owners but it is a bit more expensive. I think the trade off between these and the Dell 8600 is the money-quality issue. As for performance, i won't see that much of a difference between the two.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 27
2/10/04 at 7:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Clonedancient
in this case i think your option comes down to the Aopen 1337G or the aopen M6N. Each has some good reviews from some of the owners but it is a bit more expensive. I think the trade off between these and the Dell 8600 is the money-quality issue. As for performance, i won't see that much of a difference between the two.
you mean the Asus M6000N right?
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 27
2/10/04 at 8:18am
Just one thing to consider (I wanted to throw something in this discussion): I don't have exact figures or anything but considering the size of Dell, I'd say that the 8600 has sold waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than either of the other notebooks. Based on this, I would expect a greater number of people to complain about their laptops.

I'm not a Dell fanboy or anything but I think the real question about this greater number of complaints about the 8600s is the proportion of users who are dissatisfied with their notebooks, not how loud their voices are.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 27
2/10/04 at 5:17pm
of course, Dell is the #1 pc seller because of its marketing strategy. But that doesn't make it the best manufacturer, it only tells us that Dell is good at doing business.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 27
2/10/04 at 7:20pm
Thread Starter 
Well, I ended up with the HP ZT3000. The *single* reason I chose it over the Gateway was that the Gateway M505X can't go higher than 12x8

Rob
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 27
2/11/04 at 3:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wutwjd
Just one thing to consider (I wanted to throw something in this discussion): I don't have exact figures or anything but considering the size of Dell, I'd say that the 8600 has sold waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than either of the other notebooks. Based on this, I would expect a greater number of people to complain about their laptops.
Another thing to consider.... McDonalds has served over 2 billion hamburgers. That doesn't make them good.

Your expectation of a greater number of people complaining due to the sales volume is valid. However, the complaints for the 8600 are in much greater proportions than for other Dell systems. And while I'm sure Dell has sold more 8600s than Gateway has sold 505s, or Sager, or Toshiba, the number of people receiving problem 8600s is far greater than I believe it should be. This is concerning.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Dell Notebooks - General
NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Dell Forums › Dell Notebooks - General › Laptops - Help me decide: GW 505X / HP ZT3K / Dell 8600