Re: Dell Laptops

On 8/10/07, Jones, John (US) <John.Jones@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I will likely order Vista Ultimate and build an XP VirtualPC within it.
Which is the main thing that makes me lean towards the 4GB RAM.

You may be better off sticking with Corporate standard here. While you
likely do your own troubleshooting, you are on the company dime (or
your own overtime) while you do it.

When the time comes I'll probably ask my manager for another exception:
Order the laptop with 512MB RAM (minimum amount) and buy a 4GB kit from
someone like Crucial. It would save about $480 v. getting 4GB
factory-installed but is an 'exception' they may choose to not accept.

I am "them" at my company, and this one I wouldn't accept. The upgrade
to 4GB, probably, but the 3rd party kit installed after the fact, no.
Every difference inside the box is another support hassle waiting to
happen.

A couple of years ago we had all kinds of trouble with a laptop --
blue screens, unexplained slowness, etc. Finally the tech noticed
that the system had 1GB of RAM when our records showed 512MB. The
user, who knew enough to be dangerous, sheepishly told us that he had
bought an upgrade at Fry's, expensed it, and installed it himself. We
took out the upgrade, and the problems disappeared.

I'm also opting for a 120GB 7200RPM drive, the better graphics & WUXGA,
and an outboard 20" LCD. Hmm. Makes me think. The money saved on RAM
would more than cover the bump from the 2007FP to the 2407WFP. I'm a
resolution junkie.

If I were "them", I would ask why the big drive and the big graphics
before I questioned the outboard monitor, although I would also
question the big monitor. Once you have the big one, how can "they"
justify not giving a big one to every other "special" person?

All said and done around $3500 before the corp. discount.

It's amazing how this stuff adds up.