The showstopper? (XPS M2010)

[Python49]

Came across this.... i'm not as computer savvy as others in this forum but is this overkill for a laptop? What are the downsides to this laptop other than price?

http://www.dell.com/content/products/pro...;l=en&s=dhs

Am in the market for buying a new laptop and the main things of importance to me is being able to have sufficient space for multi tabling online... preferrably 1600x1200 resolution at least. Other main thing is that I want it to be powerful enough that I can do other things on it without getting laggy like the computer is being over worked. Also would like a laptop with no known bugs/annoyances/problems. A nice battery life when unplugged would be nice but not too necessary. Asked in another thread but no feedback, any recommendations?

[a nonymous]

1680 x 1050

One of the 17"s with 1920x1200 would be much better for poker.

I'd personally recommend the 17" MacBook Pro. I have the XPS M1710, it's pretty nice but not a very good value compared to the cheaper Dell 17", and I'd def prefer the MBP (MBP didn't have 1920x1200 when I bought the XPS).

[Josem]

if you're going to get a laptop of that size, why not save yourself $1k and get yourself a desktop?

[Python49]

[ QUOTE ]
if you're going to get a laptop of that size, why not save yourself $1k and get yourself a desktop?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well the main reason was because I can't just easily pack up a desktop with a 20" monitor and carry it with me on the road as easily as I can a laptop. Even if that laptop takes up alot of space it probably doesnt require loads of plugs and set up time and takes up less space than a desktop + monitor. I wouldn't be able to play in a car or tight space or anything but I could easily transport it with me while traveling to a hotel or something and set it up.

[Python49]

[ QUOTE ]
1680 x 1050

One of the 17"s with 1920x1200 would be much better for poker.

I'd personally recommend the 17" MacBook Pro. I have the XPS M1710, it's pretty nice but not a very good value compared to the cheaper Dell 17", and I'd def prefer the MBP (MBP didn't have 1920x1200 when I bought the XPS).

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmmm weird, so one of the 17" ones has a bigger resolution/more space than this one thats 20.1"? Guess i'll look into those some...

K well I found the one you got: http://www.dell.com/content/products/pro...s=dhs&cs=19
Looks pretty good.. why is the Macbook Pro better?

[a nonymous]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
1680 x 1050

One of the 17"s with 1920x1200 would be much better for poker.

I'd personally recommend the 17" MacBook Pro. I have the XPS M1710, it's pretty nice but not a very good value compared to the cheaper Dell 17", and I'd def prefer the MBP (MBP didn't have 1920x1200 when I bought the XPS).

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmmm weird, so one of the 17" ones has a bigger resolution/more space than this one thats 20.1"? Guess i'll look into those some...

K well I found the one you got: http://www.dell.com/content/products/pro...s=dhs&cs=19
Looks pretty good.. why is the Macbook Pro better?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yea, the "showstopper" isn't really a good poker laptop.

As for why the MacBook Pro is better: Apple instead of Dell (read hardware reviews for more info), thinner, lighter, looks better (which probably isn't a big deal to you, and not to me either, but my XPS is pretty ugly IMO and the MBP is the nicest looking laptop on the market IMO), can't think of anything else off the top of my head, check product specs for additional differences. They're pretty similar in terms of speed/performance.

Also, if you're interested in hooking it up to a 30" display, you can get a MacBook Pro that can do that (not sure if it's standard or not but I know you can get one that supports it). The XPS doesn't support 30" displays.

[Beavis68]

that thing is more of a mobile workstation than a laptop. I can't see someone sitting on an airplane or a bus with that in their lap and it would take up a lot of table space in a cafe.

[Python49]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
1680 x 1050

One of the 17"s with 1920x1200 would be much better for poker.

I'd personally recommend the 17" MacBook Pro. I have the XPS M1710, it's pretty nice but not a very good value compared to the cheaper Dell 17", and I'd def prefer the MBP (MBP didn't have 1920x1200 when I bought the XPS).

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmmm weird, so one of the 17" ones has a bigger resolution/more space than this one thats 20.1"? Guess i'll look into those some...

K well I found the one you got: http://www.dell.com/content/products/pro...s=dhs&cs=19
Looks pretty good.. why is the Macbook Pro better?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yea, the "showstopper" isn't really a good poker laptop.

As for why the MacBook Pro is better: Apple instead of Dell (read hardware reviews for more info), thinner, lighter, looks better (which probably isn't a big deal to you, and not to me either, but my XPS is pretty ugly IMO and the MBP is the nicest looking laptop on the market IMO), can't think of anything else off the top of my head, check product specs for additional differences. They're pretty similar in terms of speed/performance.

Also, if you're interested in hooking it up to a 30" display, you can get a MacBook Pro that can do that (not sure if it's standard or not but I know you can get one that supports it). The XPS doesn't support 30" displays.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can your XPS get set up with an external monitor? I wouldn't necessarily need a 30" external but even two 20"'s external would be great. The main thing that turns me off about the macbook pro is that when people were talking in other threads about all these different programs required just to run windows it sounded like a pain in the ass.... I like the fact that windows can run all programs i've ever wanted fine and would be annoyed if having a Mac became a problem.

Also, if I got a laptop that could have external monitors set up to it I would be able to use that instead of my desktop when i'm at home as well.... would keeping it on for like a month straight over heat it? I leave my desktop on sometimes for a month straight and it's never been a problem over the last 5 years or so... can the macbook pro deal with that? Seems like a laptop is more prone to die if you try something like that

[a nonymous]

[ QUOTE ]
Can your XPS get set up with an external monitor? I wouldn't necessarily need a 30" external but even two 20"'s external would be great.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, I use it with 2 24"s (1920x1200).

[ QUOTE ]
The main thing that turns me off about the macbook pro is that when people were talking in other threads about all these different programs required just to run windows it sounded like a pain in the ass.... I like the fact that windows can run all programs i've ever wanted fine and would be annoyed if having a Mac became a problem.

[/ QUOTE ]
You only need one program, and it's free/built into the Mac OS (Boot Camp - you can use Vmware or Parallels if you want to run the Mac OS at the same time but Boot Camp allows you to boot directly into Windows). It's very easy to set up. Once you install Windows, you won't have any problems that you wouldn't also have on a Dell. If you choose a Dell over a Mac because you think Windows will work better on the Dell, you have no idea what you're talking about. You should do some more research.

[ QUOTE ]
Also, if I got a laptop that could have external monitors set up to it I would be able to use that instead of my desktop when i'm at home as well.... would keeping it on for like a month straight over heat it? I leave my desktop on sometimes for a month straight and it's never been a problem over the last 5 years or so... can the macbook pro deal with that? Seems like a laptop is more prone to die if you try something like that

[/ QUOTE ]
I never turn my XPS off, it's been on for several months straight and it's still working. I also have a MacBook and I never turn it off either, still working. I know people with MacBook Pros that never turn them off, still working.

[Python49]

Ok well i've been talking with some people and reading around online and stuff... can someone point out any reason to get a Macbook pro for $2800 over this Sager laptop for $2350? Sager seems to have better specs and similar (better?) hardware:
http://www.discountlaptops.com/index.php...p;model_id=1441

I upgraded some of the specs on the Sager to get it to come to $2350 and for that you'd get:

17" WUXGA Gossy Display (1920x1200)
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 2.66 Ghz Processor
nVIDIA GeForce 8700 GT 512MB GDDR3
2048 DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz 2 x 1024MB
160GB HDD (5400 RPM) SATA 150
8x Multi Drive

vs.

MacBook Pro:

17" (1680x1050)
2.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT 256MB of GDDR3 SDRAM
2GB (two SO-DIMMs) of PC2-5300 (667MHz) DDR2 memory
160GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive
8x multi drive

Can someone more familiar with laptops point out something I might be over looking here besides look/weight/feel?