Hi guys!
Just to update, i finally put in the order for the 9300, not an hour ago. For those who don't know the story, here's basically what happened, you'll realise why the final system specs aren't what they should have been...
I ended up cancelling the 9200 in my sig with the intention of getting a 9300. I was given a budget of 2500-3000 ex GST initially and went over with the 9200 (3170 ex GST, with 1000 buck off!) and then after cancelling and configuring the 9300 with the same specs, the price went WAAAAY up! The final system price on the fully specced 9300 was 3589 ex GST! 2.0Ghz, 1Gb 533MHz RAM, everything, 100Gb drive, top wireless, bluetooth, two chargers, 256mb key, c/f quicksnap, the works! Identical in every way to the 9200 except with the newer parts, and that 6800Go, wow!!!
Dell has a 15% off the 9300 at the moment but it's still bloody expensive. Because I'm going through the uni and paying through a Purchase Order they give us a little leeway on the price, but that original 9300 I got quoted was something else altogether, fu@#en hell... Even I was shocked when he said he would do it. I busted his balls hard for that one though, that was a good 3 days of solid negotiation, he went to his superiors and asked if he could do it for me. I buy everything like this though. Especially when someone else is paying for it... Makes me feel bad if I don't get a good price for them. My boss is a good guy and our dep't needs the money.
However the bill payer here (our boss) was unhappy as a colleague's computer died and now he had to buy two of them, so we had to revise the order, with a new budget of 2600 ex GST. I just finished the last revision with my rep and the order is just going through. To be honest I'm just happy to get rid of this nuisance, I have been back and forth for days on end trying to get it through.
The final system specs are:
-1.6Ghz Sonoma - I know, 1.6... JEEZ...
-17" TrueLife screen 1920x1200 (YIPPEE!!!)
-at least the screen is nice, even though the processor is a bit slower than I hoped)
-1024Mb (2x512) 533Mhz DDR2 RAM
-128Mb X300 video (as fast as a 9600, 9200 was a 9700)
-3Years CAR warranty
-wireless 2915
-Bluetooth 350
-80Gb Drive
-XP Pro
-8X DVD+-RW
-9 cell battery
-Deluxe case
-single adapter (not the two as I had in my 9200 order)
Total 2889 ex GST, (3171 inc GST)
All in all it's still an awesome price, it just configured at 3700 inc GST with a 15% discount on the website. Really the only things lacking are the processor, the video card and little extras like the 256mb key and extra adapter etc. The rest is all top stuff. And yes, I realise the irony of what I just said, the two bits it's missing are the two most important bits...
Ah well, if it was up to me (and I won Tattslotto!) I would have gotten the original 9300 I got specced. My salesman went all out on that quote, especially as I reminded him how I was pissed for having to wait for the 9200 and then to have to cancel.
In terms of raw performance, I probably should have just shut my mouth and not cancelled the 9200. What a deal! But these things happen! Originally I was hoping to spec the computer as highly as possible so I could keep it after the three years was up... Now I will give it back to the uni after I've finished. I'm sure in three years that technology will move on and my 9300 will be a bargain basement crapbox!
I can't wait to get my hands on it though, even if I have to turn down the graphics options a bit on it to play some games or wait an extra second to open Word! Maybe I'll upgrade the chip when they get cheap. Who cares... Dude, I'm getting a Dell!!!
I known what everyone here is going through with the price. These 9300s are really expensive. If you are looking at cheaper alternatives, I went in to Clive Peeters in Thomastown, Melb VIC and talked down a $6000 Toshiba Qosmio to $4900. A $3999 Toshiba w/ 17" screen went to $3400 then $3270. Just bust their balls. With Dell, I find emails are ineffective, call up on the phone, run through some people and see who gives you the best deal. Chicks don't give as good prices as guys. They can talk their way out of things. Use my story if you like, you're pissed at having to cancel, you're without a laptop, one of their colleagues said to cancel the order, blah blah blah. Money is money, better in my pocket than in theirs.
Just glad I'm finally getting a laptop, WOOHOO!!!
Good luck guys!
Petar.
The best I have been quoted on the 9300 with the following specs is just over $5000, so I could use a little leverage here... PM me if you're keen.
I highly doubt it considering the XPS2 has the same motherboard and no significant technological advances have been made. (eg. PCI-e, DDRII, Sonoma).
