So we all know IBM is better quality, but dell is more bang for the buck. Look at the specs on these two systems, and say which one you would rather have. Try not to gutshot IBM it, really check out the specs.


Brand New Dell Insprion E1505 Dual Core

Intel® Core™ Duo processor T2300 (2MB Cache/1.66GHz/667MHz FSB)
15.4 inch UltraSharp™ Wide Screen SXGA+ Display with TrueLife™
1GB Dual Channel DDR2 Memory at 553MHz
40GB Hard Drive
Dual Layer DVD Burner
Integrated Video
1 Year warranty


Used (2 year old) IBM T41

Pentium M 1.6GHz
14.1 XGA Screen
1GB DDR (PC2700 I think)
40GB Hard Drive
Integrated Video
CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo
1 Year warranty left


I currently have both, and I can sell the IBM for the same price I paid for the Dell so I have a choice. Which one would you rather have, and why?

3/24/2006 3:32:38 PM

i'd like an ibm thinkpad circa 2001 if you got one of them

3/24/2006 3:34:29 PM

do you need the upgrades the dell offers? if not then the thinkpad

3/24/2006 3:34:50 PM

I would take the Dell...


















And THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW!!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHHAHAHAHAHHAAH

No seriously. I like both. The Dell has newer stuff, so I would sell the IBM, and use the money from it to upgrade the dell a little more. I would add more harddrive space if possible.

3/24/2006 3:35:14 PM

Quote :

"sell the IBM for the same price I paid for the Dell "

3/24/2006 3:38:12 PM

Quote :

"do you need the upgrades the dell offers? "

need? absolutely not, this machine is mainly used for web surfing etc I just use this machine when I go on campus mostly. but the dual core would be nice for when i'm doing some multi-tasking. But mainly that15.4 SXGA+ sure would be nice.

Quote :

"I would add more harddrive space if possible."

Yeah I think I have a 60GB 7200rpm drive I would throw in it, if not I would order one cause i like some rpms.


[Edited on March 24, 2006 at 3:52 PM. Reason : v---yeah i got that]

3/24/2006 3:41:23 PM

I think he was suggesting you sell the IBM....

3/24/2006 3:49:40 PM

how much do they each weigh?

3/24/2006 4:12:14 PM

Dell: 6.2 lbs
IBM: 5 lbs

and I think the Dell is .4" thicker (IBM is 1" thick, Dell is 1.4"), and the IBM is obviously wider to accomodate the 15.4 vs the IBM's 14.1

3/24/2006 4:17:32 PM

The IBM will be better designed, but the Dell has better features.

They both are decently fast (the 1.6Ghz Pentium M is about as fast as the Core Duo 1.6 when you're not using stuff that uses the second core, the core duo will multitask better overall).

They both will be somewhat lame for games.

So, it depends on what you use it for. If you just word process/internet/email/watch movies, then it doesn't matter, you'll be happy with the IBM. If you ever re-encode DVDs, do any kind of 3D work or video editing, or routinely compile large projects, the Core Duo would make you happier.

3/24/2006 4:38:02 PM

both look like good machines, so I'd go with whichever one has the longest remaining warranty

3/24/2006 5:15:10 PM

IS THEM PENNIES?

AND YOU JUST GIVING EM AWAY?

3/24/2006 5:23:02 PM

size matters, a lighter one is nice if it comes with a big screen

3/24/2006 6:05:43 PM

Dell only cause of the screen. But if your eyes won't hurt with the IBM, then unload the Dell since it's heavier.

3/24/2006 6:25:35 PM

yeah the screen is a huge reason for me to switch...the other specs are nice too tho

they both have the same warranty left

i won't play games on either outside of the occasional game of pinball

and yeah, i dont plan on doing much encoding etc on that machine but i may start, it could help with the netflix turn around time

3/24/2006 10:30:18 PM

I just got the E1505 in the mail today. Mine appears to be identical to yours, with the exception that I got the T2400 vice T2300 processor. Right now, I'm reinstalling Windows so that I don't have all that pre-installed BS on it. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Edited on March 24, 2006 at 10:38 PM. Reason : the screen is nice]

3/24/2006 10:37:39 PM

^ did you get the SXGA+? Yeah, please keep me updated on how it works after reinstall. Whats the build quality feel like on it?

[Edited on March 24, 2006 at 10:50 PM. Reason : ]

3/24/2006 10:50:07 PM

Yes, the Dell would be a nicer picture, and faster, and a bigger screen. But it's going to be bulkier to, and harder to live with as a truly mobile machine. And those 1.5 lbs. will matter when you're carrying it around all day. I would trust the IBM to last well beyond its warranty expiration, with the Dell not so much.

It comes down to this: Do you want a machine that is:
-faster, easier on the eyes, and more feature-rich?
or
-lighter, more reliable, and better built?

3/24/2006 11:44:33 PM

^ true, but theres one more factor at work here...

I had to send in my IBM before for sevice because:

1) the 10/100 port never worked, which i lived with for a while
2) the display took a shit

so i know tha facts about IBM being better machines, but mine has had its problems

3/25/2006 12:00:16 AM

I like it

It feels reasonably solid, though I certainly wouldn't go tossing it around to find out just how solid it really is. Yes, I do have the SXGA+ and it's well worth the screen real estate.

If you re-install Windows, make sure that you download all of the drivers--including the modem driver. Windows won't recognize the sound card (and Dell's sound drivers won't install) until the modem driver is installed.

I haven't bogged down the duo-core yet, though I haven't tried. The Task Manager's CPU Usage Graph shows usage statistics for the individual cores. Pretty neat.

3/25/2006 12:46:06 PM