dell machina : code -> T1423
(Quick) Review
order date : 4th
recieved : 12th
Comparison made between M60 and Gateway SOLO 9300
M60 $3800 aud 4th march 2004
PM 1.6
512 mb
15.4" 1900x1200 (wuxga)
128 Quadro FX 1000
svideo
mic / head phones
60gb Hitachi 7200
Truemobile 1300 b/g
DVD+RW
touch pad/nipple (trackpoint)
3xUSB 2.0
1x1394
Gateway solo 9300 $3k aud in mid 2000
PIII 500
288mb
15" 1024x768 (xga)
8bm Ati mobility M1
video in / out / s/pdif
mic / line in / headphones
20gb IBM HD
DVD-ROM
touch pad
2xUSB 1.0
1x1394
pre-order :
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deciding between the M60 + fx700, leaning towards the I8600
but then the fx1000 came out...
since reviews were fx700 Vs ati9600 and 5700go Vs M11
no direct fx1000 vs 9600
took the plunge
contenders :
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inspiron 8600 + ati 9600
M60 + Quadro 1000
Toshiba S1 + 32mb ati 9000 <-- not widescreen, not customisable
IBM + FireGL 2 <-- to expensive
Sony Z1 + 16mb ati 7500 <-- beautiful BUT crappy video card
Apple 17" <-- what for? beautiful machine but i cant use it =(
i'm windows/intel based
Would have gotten another Gateway, however they unfortunately
moved back to the US =(
It was down to M60 or I8600
M60
+++ 3 year warranty
+ looks alot better
+ 3 usb
+ its aimed at professional market, so i gather they would (supposedly)
have many of the bug fixes under control
+ 90 watt """""ExpressCharge"""""
and things i would not really care much about
+ gigabit lan
+ smart card reader
+ """"tri-metal""""
+ windows xp pro
+ quadro fx1000 + cad applications
I8600
- heat problems with 9600 (dodgy batch)
- dvd problems (resolved now)
- screen issues
- windows xp home
- 60 watt charger (stock)
+ ati 9600 need i say more?
+ cheaper then M60
at the time of order the M60 was a better deal/offer
first impression :
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wow.. this is a huge laptop... looks bigger then what is
percieved on the website...
everything is soo fast... well comparing it to my solo 9300 =)
i've only seen the Inspirion 8600 once,
and i have to say, the M60 looks ALOT BETTER
no gayarse blue accents, the m60 looks really professional
Screen :
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
screen is beautiful, it too a bit for the eyes to adjust to the
high res nothing a usb light can't fix @ nitetime =)
so far cant see any dead pixels
solo -> colours washed if not directly infront of screen...
1 dead pixel (in start bar) =(
HD :
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WOW, so fast
20gb - dead silent when idle...
the 7200 has a slight humming/disc rotating noise (at night)
Keyboard :
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The gateway seems more firmer then the dell,
The M60 does flex if you push and hold down the keys
with a little pressure
but i'm a light typer so it doesnt bother me...
gateway has a different layout which i'm use to, now have to re-adjust
Gateway keyboard only got warm evenly
M60, hotter on the left had side after prolong usage
Touchpad/trackpoint :
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For work i use the mouse because its more quicker
however the touch pad is good when say web browsing @ night
dont use the track point at all... note the trackpoint buttons have
to be pressed all the way down to work =(
gateway definitely better then the dell
gateway more responsive,
dell had a slight delay whenever using it - annoying
speakers :
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haven't really had a chance to have a good listen
but from what i heard, amazing -> doesnt sound cheap
but then again.. i'm not too phased with sound... just put on
head phones.. done =)
the gateway had more of a treble
fan:
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M60 fan hardly ever goes on, but when it does its really quiet
annoyancees :
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M60
- no quick access buttons
- repeat volume controls buttons
fn+end/page dn/page up & dedicated volume buttons
- battery is abit loose on the underside of the right hand side
only notice this when your using it on your lap...
maybe chuck a bit of paper or something in it
- alittle whiteness @ the top and bottom of screen
ie during windows xp booting up
but maybe this is normal....???
i saw someone post a pic of it somewhere..
battery
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M60 4-5 hours-ish
gateway - dead battery
overall
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really happy with this lappy since its compared to the gateway
maybe i'll compare it with a friends 8600+ati9600 next week
some time?
only problem now..
- is to find a decent bag for it...
- using the dvd+rw to its full potential
parting shots
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Gateway machine is really nice, i love it - but it was time
to update
its very robust
dropped it off my bed twice, fell asleep with it on my lap..
turn to one side in the morning and forgot about it =(
the only thing that i broke was the one of the usb ports
cos the mouse was in there at the time
=)
can anyone explain this to me?
using partition magic to split the hd, and look what i find..
Hahahaha! The universe has spoken! It's time for you to get a new computer.
