I was going to purchase a Dell inspiron 1100 or 1150, but then I
started reading about the celeron processor and thought maybe the
inspiron wasn't such a good idea. Here's my problem: I am not very
computer savvy, so I want to purchase a computer with good technical
support. But from what I've been reading, the only good technical
support is from Apple. Being that I have to buy a pc clone, what do I
do? (I'm only going to use the laptop for word processing, simple
spreadsheets, lots of web surfing, and burning some CDs.) Any advice
would be appreciated!

ralgam wrote:

> I was going to purchase a Dell inspiron 1100 or 1150, but then I
> started reading about the celeron processor and thought maybe the
> inspiron wasn't such a good idea. Here's my problem: I am not very
> computer savvy, so I want to purchase a computer with good technical
> support. But from what I've been reading, the only good technical
> support is from Apple. Being that I have to buy a pc clone, what do I
> do? (I'm only going to use the laptop for word processing, simple
> spreadsheets, lots of web surfing, and burning some CDs.) Any advice
> would be appreciated!

Get one with an Athlon XP processor. You will get much better performance than a
comparably priced notebook with a Celeron processor. Apple is selling many
notebooks, however the prices on those aren't so low, and there is much more
software available for a pc than for a Mac.

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, JK <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
>ralgam wrote:
>
>> I was going to purchase a Dell inspiron 1100 or 1150, but then I
>> started reading about the celeron processor and thought maybe the
>> inspiron wasn't such a good idea. Here's my problem: I am not very
>> computer savvy, so I want to purchase a computer with good technical
>> support. But from what I've been reading, the only good technical
>> support is from Apple. Being that I have to buy a pc clone, what do I
>> do? (I'm only going to use the laptop for word processing, simple
>> spreadsheets, lots of web surfing, and burning some CDs.) Any advice
>> would be appreciated!
>
>Get one with an Athlon XP processor. You will get much better performance
>than a comparably priced notebook with a Celeron processor. Apple is
>selling many notebooks, however the prices on those aren't so low, and
>there is much more software available for a pc than for a Mac.
>
>

To say "purchase a laptop with an athlon" is not much help to the OP
since the quality and support have everything to do with brand, not
the CPU. The OP's hot button is support, and Dell generally does that
better than most. Dell is on everyone's short list of good x86
laptops, along with Toshiba and IBM.

Apple got top marks on the recent PC Magazine support satisfaction
survey. You can bring $1200 to the Apple store and come out with a
very nice laptop. There are not many $1200 x86 laptops I'd want.
An Apple will save the OP save $40/year by avoiding the expense
of AV software.

To say there is "lots more software for the PC" is questionable, and
irrelevant unless the OP wants to do something that MAC can't do,
which these means business applications and some games.

Celeron is fine in a laptop, if it's a good laptop, and you are going
to do word processing, internet browsing, and email.



--
Al Dykes
-----------
adykes at p a n i x . c o m

ralgam <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> I was going to purchase a Dell inspiron 1100 or 1150,
> but then I started reading about the celeron processor
> and thought maybe the inspiron wasn't such a good idea.

Entirely reasonable. I believe Intel has significantly
improved the Celeron with their 300 series. The earlier
ones were truly crippled. If you want a Dell, then
consider a Pentium M. AFAIK, Dell doesn't sell AMD.

> Here's my problem: I am not very computer savvy, so I
> want to purchase a computer with good technical support.

Is HPaq that much worse than Dell? Their AMD Athlon XPs
are very cost effective.

> But from what I've been reading, the only good technical
> support is from Apple.

Naturally! You pay more, and they have a _much_ better
operating system. But beware, they still also have highly
biased fans around.

-- Robert

ralgam wrote:

> I was going to purchase a Dell inspiron 1100 or 1150, but then I
> started reading about the celeron processor and thought maybe the
> inspiron wasn't such a good idea. Here's my problem: I am not very
> computer savvy, so I want to purchase a computer with good technical
> support. But from what I've been reading, the only good technical
> support is from Apple. Being that I have to buy a pc clone, what do I
> do? (I'm only going to use the laptop for word processing, simple
> spreadsheets, lots of web surfing, and burning some CDs.) Any advice
> would be appreciated!

The "Help Me Choose" for on the Dell4Me page says that the Celeron on
the 1150 has 128K cache (as opposed to 512K cache in the offered mobile
P4). I wouldn't; the NetBurst (P4) architecture is really crippled with
such a small cache.

Whether _you_ can get by with the Celeron is more a matter of your own
style than of the machine. If the applications really are as
undemanding as you imply, and if you really can't spare the extra $150
for the P4, you'll get by with the Celeron. Neither machine would be my
choice, but you probably don't want to spend the money for a Pentium-M.

Technical support? Make friends with somebody who knows what they're doing.

RM

Robert Redelmeier <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>> But from what I've been reading, the only good technical
>> support is from Apple.
>
>Naturally! You pay more, and they have a _much_ better
>operating system. But beware, they still also have highly
>biased fans around.

c/biased/rabid/

8)

Al Dykes wrote:

> In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, JK <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >
> >
> >ralgam wrote:
> >
> >> I was going to purchase a Dell inspiron 1100 or 1150, but then I
> >> started reading about the celeron processor and thought maybe the
> >> inspiron wasn't such a good idea. Here's my problem: I am not very
> >> computer savvy, so I want to purchase a computer with good technical
> >> support. But from what I've been reading, the only good technical
> >> support is from Apple. Being that I have to buy a pc clone, what do I
> >> do? (I'm only going to use the laptop for word processing, simple
> >> spreadsheets, lots of web surfing, and burning some CDs.) Any advice
> >> would be appreciated!
> >
> >Get one with an Athlon XP processor. You will get much better performance
> >than a comparably priced notebook with a Celeron processor. Apple is
> >selling many notebooks, however the prices on those aren't so low, and
> >there is much more software available for a pc than for a Mac.
> >
> >
>
> To say "purchase a laptop with an athlon" is not much help to the OP
> since the quality and support have everything to do with brand, not
> the CPU. The OP's hot button is support, and Dell generally does that
> better than most.

Others would disagree with that.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets...spx?i=2149&p=7

> Dell is on everyone's short list of good x86
> laptops, along with Toshiba and IBM.
>
> Apple got top marks on the recent PC Magazine support satisfaction
> survey. You can bring $1200 to the Apple store and come out with a
> very nice laptop.

Or one can spend $699(after rebates) for an Athlon XP notebook
with a 15" screen, or $599 at Walmart for one with a smaller
screen and slower cpu. $699 vs $1200 is a huge price difference.

> There are not many $1200 x86 laptops I'd want.
> An Apple will save the OP save $40/year by avoiding the expense
> of AV software.
>
> To say there is "lots more software for the PC" is questionable

Questionable? Why are you in doubt?

> , and
> irrelevant unless the OP wants to do something that MAC can't do,
> which these means business applications and some games.

Those are extremely popular software categories.

>
>
> Celeron is fine in a laptop

Fine? Why? Why settle for less performance in that price range than
you can get with an Athlon XP notebook?

> , if it's a good laptop, and you are going
> to do word processing, internet browsing, and email.

With that logic, someone should buy a $300 4 year old used notebook.

>
>
> --
> Al Dykes
> -----------
> adykes at p a n i x . c o m

Oops. I posted the wrong link in my previous post.

http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1867.html

JK wrote:

> Al Dykes wrote:
>
> > In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, JK <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >ralgam wrote:
> > >
> > >> I was going to purchase a Dell inspiron 1100 or 1150, but then I
> > >> started reading about the celeron processor and thought maybe the
> > >> inspiron wasn't such a good idea. Here's my problem: I am not very
> > >> computer savvy, so I want to purchase a computer with good technical
> > >> support. But from what I've been reading, the only good technical
> > >> support is from Apple. Being that I have to buy a pc clone, what do I
> > >> do? (I'm only going to use the laptop for word processing, simple
> > >> spreadsheets, lots of web surfing, and burning some CDs.) Any advice
> > >> would be appreciated!
> > >
> > >Get one with an Athlon XP processor. You will get much better performance
> > >than a comparably priced notebook with a Celeron processor. Apple is
> > >selling many notebooks, however the prices on those aren't so low, and
> > >there is much more software available for a pc than for a Mac.
> > >
> > >
> >
> > To say "purchase a laptop with an athlon" is not much help to the OP
> > since the quality and support have everything to do with brand, not
> > the CPU. The OP's hot button is support, and Dell generally does that
> > better than most.
>
> Others would disagree with that.
>
> http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets...spx?i=2149&p=7
>
> > Dell is on everyone's short list of good x86
> > laptops, along with Toshiba and IBM.
> >
> > Apple got top marks on the recent PC Magazine support satisfaction
> > survey. You can bring $1200 to the Apple store and come out with a
> > very nice laptop.
>
> Or one can spend $699(after rebates) for an Athlon XP notebook
> with a 15" screen, or $599 at Walmart for one with a smaller
> screen and slower cpu. $699 vs $1200 is a huge price difference.
>
> > There are not many $1200 x86 laptops I'd want.
> > An Apple will save the OP save $40/year by avoiding the expense
> > of AV software.
> >
> > To say there is "lots more software for the PC" is questionable
>
> Questionable? Why are you in doubt?
>
> > , and
> > irrelevant unless the OP wants to do something that MAC can't do,
> > which these means business applications and some games.
>
> Those are extremely popular software categories.
>
> >
> >
> > Celeron is fine in a laptop
>
> Fine? Why? Why settle for less performance in that price range than
> you can get with an Athlon XP notebook?
>
> > , if it's a good laptop, and you are going
> > to do word processing, internet browsing, and email.
>
> With that logic, someone should buy a $300 4 year old used notebook.
>
> >
> >
> > --
> > Al Dykes
> > -----------
> > adykes at p a n i x . c o m

JK <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed)>...
> Get one with an Athlon XP processor. You will get much better performance than a comparably priced notebook with a Celeron processor.

What manufacturer would you recommend, considering I may need to use
the technical support?

On 9 Sep 2004 11:40:16 -0400, (E-Mail Removed) (Al Dykes) wrote:

>In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, JK <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>>
>>ralgam wrote:
>>
>>> I was going to purchase a Dell inspiron 1100 or 1150, but then I
>>> started reading about the celeron processor and thought maybe the
>>> inspiron wasn't such a good idea. Here's my problem: I am not very
>>> computer savvy, so I want to purchase a computer with good technical
>>> support. But from what I've been reading, the only good technical
>>> support is from Apple. Being that I have to buy a pc clone, what do I
>>> do? (I'm only going to use the laptop for word processing, simple
>>> spreadsheets, lots of web surfing, and burning some CDs.) Any advice
>>> would be appreciated!
>>
>>Get one with an Athlon XP processor. You will get much better performance
>>than a comparably priced notebook with a Celeron processor. Apple is
>>selling many notebooks, however the prices on those aren't so low, and
>>there is much more software available for a pc than for a Mac.
>>
>>
>
>To say "purchase a laptop with an athlon" is not much help to the OP
>since the quality and support have everything to do with brand, not
>the CPU. The OP's hot button is support, and Dell generally does that
>better than most. Dell is on everyone's short list of good x86
>laptops, along with Toshiba and IBM.

Dell got crossed off our list a while back - too many probs which, given
inability to correct (e.g. drifting cursor etc.), seemed to indicate
endemic faults.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??