First post, by nforce4max
- Rank
- l33t
I am mainly starting this thread so that people in the future have something to go by when researching about this subject. The rules are simple you post about one or more laptops that you have either owned, serviced, or had researched about by listing a few basic details of the machine and your opinion about the machine.
Dell Inspiron 9300
These old laptops are beasts and amazingly well built with performance to match. The overall performance for early 2000s on through to the late 2000s (with in reason) for most games provided they are not too cpu dependent or need more than 256mb vram. The ram maxes out at 2GB (915 chipset) and one can use up to a PM780 is they choose to upgrade but most came with a 1.7ghz pm which is ok but not great. Dell made a mistake with this model by using a sata to ide bridge for the hard drive thus limiting storage options which is a real inconvenience but one can upgrade by using an msata to ide adapter. Graphics options are good but using the stock x300 that came with most is not going to cut it, upgrading to a 6800 Go Ultra or a 7800 Go Ultra requires a modded bios and that one upgrades to a 9 cell battery along with at least a 130w charger. There is a weaker 6800 that uses slower vram but I strongly recommend just going with the 7800 Go Ultra. The 9300 is not compatible with cards from newer models so you were warned.
Performance in most games is good but slow in newer dx9 titles where either the cpu is just too slow or gpu isn't modern enough.
Battery life with a good pack is around an hour to an hour and a half but honestly most retro users will be on a plug anyway.
Build quality is far better than most laptops to where it will survive most falls and will handle there being weight (a lot) applied when the lid is closed.
Great screens but not in direct sun light, screens do eventually fail by showing lines but replacement panels are cheap and easy to install.
Audio performance is amazing compared to modern laptops by far.
Thermal performance is amazing except for the graphic card where temps into the 80s are normal 🙁
Not for the type of user that can't handle anything that has some weight to it!
Dell Precision M6300
Has all of the same pros of the 9300 but it much newer and is the end of the line that uses the same body style, is newer and a bit faster than the XPS M1720 graphics wise as it gets to use Geforce 8 era Quadros. Ram tops out at 8GB (not cheap) and gets to use a few 45nm C2Ds like the T9300 ect. Battery life is very similar while the thermals are the same, audio quality is slightly worse as it does not have the sub woofer.
9300: cheap but after upgrades it is a bit expensive (all ide)
9400/E1705: is a better option than the 9300 as it gets to use the first gen C2D on the 945 chipset and Geforce 7 era cards
XPS M1720: is a more expensive E1705 with lights (nice to have)
Precesion M6300: is best performing machine for the body type
XPS M1730
Must have for serous collectors and laptop enthusiasts as it is the last true XPS from dell in the old dell style where this model is the last time dell went all out. For some you get SLI (dual G84 or dual G92), a ageia physx card, and overclocking if you have an extreme edition cpu. The cooling on the cpu side is amazingly good while the gpu side going into the 80s and sadly the 90s happens in some games. Audio quality is one more amazing compared to modern laptops, modern laptops may as well be two cans and a piece of string! Build quality minus the keyboard is as good as it gets, almost everything is magnesium! Performance in modern games is roughly the same as a 775 system from around 2008 with a 2.4 to 2.8ghz c2d with two 8800 gt in sli (actual performance will be slower). Has lights 🤣 and they can be changed to different colors like Alienware, the acrylic panels on the back of the screen can be changed with some effort if one wants to spice things up.
Prices start between $200 to $300 (starting) depending on condition and specs on up to $1300 or so for the World of Warcraft edition that often has all the best options and upgrades. Can be used as a mobile media center and even has the option of using a remote! Can be upgraded with a blue ray drive 😎
Now your turn 😀
On a far away planet reading your posts in the year 10,191.