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how loud is that 8600 in the window? - Page 2

post #21 of 51
8/24/04 at 11:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gmnstrunr37
Vroom sound -- that could be the fan starting up? Or there's something else.
Yeah, I didn't mean to imply it was a constant 'vroom.' It's a soft 'vroom' and then the fan gets slightly louder, usually when I've opened up a program or two, or something like that. When my computer is doing nothing, then it pretty much *is* deathly silent.
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post #22 of 51
8/25/04 at 6:35am
When I go to study to my local library, I can open my 8600c and people can not say I am making noice. It is less louder than the local air conditioner, even more than people passing pages of their books or notes. ;.p
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post #23 of 51
8/25/04 at 9:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnJSal
But now, sometimes mine does make a kind of 'vroom' sound (though it's still a soft sound), and you can hear the fan a little. This is normal, right? Or should it be deathly silent even when you are working on the computer?
Yes as posters mentioned in reply, this is normal. The loudest the fans tend to be are when they are first spun up (save for when they are on high), hence the vroom sound off the bat. And being able to hear them is a given, but compared to other systems Pentium M systems run a lot quieter than others. This is because they do not run as hot, so they don't have to dissipate as much heat, which means the fans don't need to work as hard.

Keep in mind that hearing is subjective and peoples concepts about what is loud and what isn't vary. As long as the fans are making their regular noise (ie moving air) and are running the speeds they should be don't worry, you are fine.
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post #24 of 51
8/25/04 at 9:26am
For most tasks (web surfing, email, word, im) the fans either come on very low or not at all. The computer makes to CPU run slower when the demand is light, therefore less heat and less fan. My 8600 has never gotten to the high setting, only when I put it on there (using fangui) so that I can have the computer cool off very quickly. The 8600 is great if you want a silent but fast machine.
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post #25 of 51
8/25/04 at 12:09pm
Thread Starter 
mitchello, i just read your sig, and youve pretty much got the setup i think ill get. (maybe a 7200rpm hd though, depending if thats loud).. even haev the ipaq 2210.

how do you like the 8600 screen?
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post #26 of 51
8/25/04 at 1:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AxiomofIllusion
Keep in mind that hearing is subjective and peoples concepts about what is loud and what isn't vary.
You're definitely right about that. I think I just tend to hear everything, whereas when people say they don't hear something, they just aren't paying as much attention (because they aren't as anal as me!)
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post #27 of 51
8/25/04 at 1:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by nodlive2
mitchello, i just read your sig, and youve pretty much got the setup i think ill get. (maybe a 7200rpm hd though, depending if thats loud).. even haev the ipaq 2210.

how do you like the 8600 screen?
I know you aren't asking me, but I thought I'd try to help. You can see from my sig what I have. I just want to say, don't let the threat of noise deter you from the 7200rpm HD. As far as I can tell, it isn't loud in the least, and the performance increase is definitely worth it anyway. You'll probably regret not getting it.

As for the screen, personally I think the WSXGA+ is the way to go. It doesn't take long at all to adjust yourself to the smaller fonts, and I suppose you could adjust to the UXGA as well, but that one seems just way too small, and only really useful if you need a lot of screen space to use multiple programs all the time. The XGA I think is becoming outdated, and does not offer advanced resolutions for games, if that matters to you. The SXGA is the perfect compromise, I think.
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post #28 of 51
8/25/04 at 2:58pm
there is a fan in the 8600?



it soo quite...
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post #29 of 51
8/25/04 at 3:07pm
Thread Starter 
yeah i think wsxga+ is what i would go for as well.. as long as it meets or beats a .20 dot pitch im happy...

do you think its best to buy the 7200rpm hd from dell or buy a new one from a store?

im gonna try to talk them down by calling on the phone..

whats the realistic weight for an 8600?
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post #30 of 51
8/25/04 at 3:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by nodlive2
do you think its best to buy the 7200rpm hd from dell or buy a new one from a store?
You mean from the Dell store separate or with the laptop? I would just buy it with the laptop as you really won't find it for cheap anywhere else. It's a 200USD+ part anywhere you find it.
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post #31 of 51
8/25/04 at 5:14pm
Here is the Hitachi 7K60 hard drive from NewEgg. You would only save about $8 if you bought it from NewEgg instead of getting it with your laptop, but you would also have an extra 30GB hard drive.
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post #32 of 51
8/25/04 at 5:29pm
Most of the time I never here the fans in my 8600. The optical drive makes a little noise. My Compaq is fairly silent also.

A bout the only time I remember hearing the fans is when gaming, but then most games the volume is turned up on so it you still don't hear the fans.

Noise is not a flaw with the 8600.

John
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post #33 of 51
8/25/04 at 5:47pm
yeah my 8600 is super quiet. about the only time i hear it is when im playing games. so noise is nothing to worry about with my 8600.

cheese
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post #34 of 51
8/25/04 at 7:05pm
Thread Starter 
well, i am sold on the noise issue.. sounds acceptable to me.

i think i can get a 60gb 7200 rpm hard drive that i can take back to a store that is within walking distance from my house if it breaks for only a couple more $ than it would cost to get the dell HD AND as wooster pointed out I would also have a 30gb drive, which has to be ebay able for a little bit of cash (and then im happy, and some dude will have got a 30gb drive for cheap, so he/she is happy as well - thats good happiness karma)

so whats next, what are the 5 biggest flaws with the 8600?

bluetooth work well?

dell wireless or intel?
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post #35 of 51
8/25/04 at 9:47pm
Your first question:

in my opinion, for my laptop:
1) Only 2 USB ports
2) Build quality
3) No legacy ports
4) Gets warm after an hour and a half of internet use
5) It was too expensive

The third, fourth, and fifth don't even bother me too much. I don't need legacy ports, the warmth makes me feel all warm inside (like cuddling up with my lappy), and too expensive, yeah, but that is because I didn't apply coupons.

Oh, forgot the second and third questions...

Bluetooth? Dunno. Don't have it.

Intel vs. Dell -- Intel offers the PRO feature that increases the super performance of abra-processor (only) by a margin of anywhere between 15 and 27.453% (depending on location and proximity to the nearest halfy access points). For this, it, along with the right proc and chipset, offers the Centrino badge, which adds on another 6.755% performance increase.




(If you couldn't tell, I was joking. There should be zero difference between the Dell and Intel.)
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post #36 of 51
8/26/04 at 4:45am
The only flaws I found with my 8600c are (in order of importance):

1. Only 2 USB - 3 or 4 would have been good
2. Only a Type II PC Card slot - should have been able to put in a Type III
3. No Infrared - the original had the infrared, and they should have kept it. Several devices I have use infrared. the most important things I have use bluetooth so no problem.
4. Legacy Ports - have a Handheld PC that I sync with my laptop, and only has Serial. I know I can buy a Serial->USB converter, but they cost a fair bit here in Australia. Not to much of a worry though.

All but the PC Card I can get around, but it still would have been nice to have them built in. I highly recommend the 8600 though. It is a fantastic machine!
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post #37 of 51
8/26/04 at 7:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by nodlive2
mitchello, i just read your sig, and youve pretty much got the setup i think ill get. (maybe a 7200rpm hd though, depending if thats loud).. even haev the ipaq 2210.

how do you like the 8600 screen?
Whats the chance of that? I love the WSXGA screen on my 8600. It is bright, has good contrast, and I got very little light leakage. It is the best screen for a computer I have seen. Better than my mums LCD for her desktop.

My system is really fast, and I find I can get 4hrs with WiFi and some games quite comforably. Make sure you get the Bluetooth module for your 8600. It is great for syncing the iPAQ 2210 and the NGage I have. The bluetooth is cheap too, so get it when you order. Good Luck. Post what system you get.
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post #38 of 51
8/26/04 at 12:07pm
Thread Starter 
why is there no 725 processor for the 8600? (i am in canada)? there are 715s, but no 725s..
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post #39 of 51
8/26/04 at 12:30pm
I haven't chimed in on this thread yet, but I believe my laptop to be pretty quiet. There's an initial "whrrrrr" when the fans start up, but that only lasts for a moment and even then it's not that loud. I think the loudest it'll get is during the spin up of the CD drive.

I agree with what most people consider problems with the I8600:

1) Only 2 USB ports
2) Legacy ports removed
3) No PCMCIA-III port
4) Outer casing seems a bit on the cheap side
5) I perfer a volume dial over the volume up/down buttons

That being said, I'm very happy with the laptop!
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post #40 of 51
8/26/04 at 12:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by nodlive2
why is there no 725 processor for the 8600? (i am in canada)? there are 715s, but no 725s..
well, in norway its no 745 (1.8)

just 1.5 1.7 and then a huge price jump to 2.0

too bad, since many would buy the 1.8
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