[impactX]

Planning to get a Dell Vostro 1220 for my fiancee as she wants something bigger than a netbook without making our wallet too much lighter.

Anyway, it comes with a Intel Celeron 900 2.20Ghz single-core processor, is this CPU good enough for running Youtube, MS Office, and MSN (with webcam) at the same time?

I figure that that's all she uses anyway. It comes with 2GB of RAM, webcam, 160GB HDD, etc... Price tag is around CDN$600 or $4.3-4.4k HKD before I opt for the extra warranty option.

[Razor Ramon HG]

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=776856

August 18 Update: Dell.ca has dropped 7% off <$699 and 12% off $700+ coupons for Vostro systems! That means you can grab the Vostro 1220 for $659.12! Use coupon code P2TXWW3SS80FD7. $659 as an awesome base price... getting another $50 back with PayPal knocks this one out of the park!

--------------------

Dell.ca has good deal for you this morning! The Vostro 1220 with a P8600 processor, 3GB RAM, and a 250GB 7200RPM hard drive with free fall sensor is $749.00. If you checkout with PayPal, you can get $50 cash back, too.

* Windows Vista Home Basic
* Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (2.4GHz, 3MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB) 25w
* Obsidian Black
* 12.1" WXGA LCD Display with TrueLife
* Integrated 1.3MP Webcam and Digital Mic with webcam and video chat software
* 3GB DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz, 2 DIMM
* 250GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive with Free Fall Sensor
* Obsidian Black with 12.1" WXGA LCD Display with TrueLife
* 8X DVD+/-RW DVD+/-R Roxio and Cyberlink PowerDVD DX 8.2
* Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g Mini Card
* 4-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery


The P8600, 3GB RAM, and hard drive are nice to see on the hardware side. Upgrade wise, you might want to consider Vista Home Premium ($30) to qualify for Windows 7 down the road, and a 6-cell battery ($60).

If nothing else, $699 (give or take, since you do pay the tax on $749 before getting the PayPal cash back) is a very impressive price for a P8600 equipped 12" notebook. Heck, the same a nearly identical configuration was $799 two weeks ago (it had Wireless N) and that was considered pretty hot.

[impactX]

Frigging hell, now dell.com.hk seems like such a rip...

[SkinnyPupp]

All laptops in HK are a rip

BTW you might want to check out the brand new Inspiron 11z instead. It has an 11.6" screen, so it's not as small as a netbook. It also has a single core Celeron, so don't expect to do too much with it (still faster than Atom though) and is a much better deal than the Vostro, IMO

[asian_XL]

check out MSI VR400...$3500hkd comes with T4200...2gb and 160gb and 14", it's light too

[SkinnyPupp]

Also check out the Samsung NC20.

[impactX]

Thanks guys!!

Probably going to go to Golden Mall to take a look when I am back to HK this weekend.

Asian_XL: Did you have to haggle/negotiate with them to get that price or was it "listed" at the store? Also, did you see a VR220 at where you bought the VR440?

[asian_XL]

You can't really bargain anymore. You are dealing with their salaried sales, so the price
is quite firm. Unless it's $4020, then you can ask them to round it off to $4000.

It's easier if you ask them to give out some freebies, like laptop carrying case, screen
protector, usb drive, laptop cooler etc.

btw, VR200 is at $5000, you sure that's within your budget?

[impactX]

One guy quoted 4.6k for the VR220 on price.com.hk, not sure how accurate it is, but I don't mind spending a thousand more for something a bit more stylish and smaller for her.

How do you like the VR440? I haven't seen one in real life yet; it looks a bit like a brick in the pictures online.

[asian_XL]

N280 should be good enough for her if you tweak your winxp properly.

VR400 comes in 16:9 and 16:10, both at 2kg (with battery), anyway.
You should go check VR220 and CR440 in person....Here's the place I bought the VR440

科藝電腦系統有限公司
高登電腦中心1樓40號鋪

[SkinnyPupp]

So how DO you like the VR400?

[asian_XL]

it's just an entry level 14" laptop...I am actually quite happy with it, at least it will run
Sims 3 smoothly, that's the only thing she needs.

so far I have no complaint, cause winxp and everything was installed by me. The only
thing I don't like about this laptop is it doesn't have express card slot and hdmi out.

[Dragon-88]

Let me know if you have any specifics, I should be able to throw you a deal..

[ienhz]

try one of the new CULV laptops. there are the 13" - 15" acer timeline laptops and i think asus is also coming out with a 13" one.