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Re: Addendum to last comment (Reply to this comment)
by samdavidowicz
Just letting you know, Mtech just released another desktop P4 notebook, the 5600 (http://www.mtechlaptops.com/specifications/mtech5600.htm)
It solves the problems of the 928, including: the ablility to add an internal battery (or a 2nd CD drive), and the graphics is provided by the super ATI Mobility Radeon 7500, with 64 MB dedicated memory, and the screen is now SXGA+, with a UXGA screen coming soon. Price is between $1700 minimun w/XP home to $3500 loaded
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Mar 07 '02
9:23 am PST
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Addendum to last comment (Reply to this comment)
by yusakugo
The M-Tech 928 has no internal battery... just an external one plus after some configuration of the options at M-Tech's site... the notebook is quite pricey after you add things like the OS (you have to buy Windows for the notebook!) and you're purchasing any additional software out of your own pocket... considering that MS Works is an additional $100 and MS Office XP SBE is $150. On top of that, the screen is only XGA... while not bad, there is better. And the video card is somewhat worrisome... the SiS AGP video card isn't that great and utilizes the main RAM for video memory... which can cause potential problems.
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Feb 27 '02
2:45 pm PST
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Re: Why don't you check this out? (Reply to this comment)
by yusakugo
Mtech.com certainly puts up good specs but...
there's more to laptop than just how powerful it is... it really depends on what you want to use your laptop for. The M-Tech certainly has good specs... better than any laptop I've seen to date. That's mostly due to the components of the M-Tech laptop, which are almost all desktop parts. While this gives blistering performance, several problems come into play. Battery life has got to be miserable since desktop components have no regard for power use (as compared to laptop components) and the heat that this laptop will generate will be enormous. The last thing I need to do is fry myself and the computer because of the heat. If you wonder how much heat it will generate, take a desktop with similar components and remove the fans from it... the heat will be like a mini-space heater!
The M-Tech is certainly not an on-the-road laptop... and I do not know the customer support and quality of M-Tech laptops. If you wanted more for your money, the same argument also applies to laptops from Toshiba... like the Satellite 5005-S507 model. Less than $2000, and you get a ton of features! More so than the Dell Inspiron 8100, but battery life and heat production are major cons of that notebook!
It only proves an important point on purchasing a notebook... know what you want to do with that notebook you're buying... you have to ask yourself if you want portability... if you want power... if you want to play big time games on it... if you want something that fits into a large pocket... and so on. The Inspiron 8100 is a solid notebook but it depends on what you really want from it!
Rich
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Feb 27 '02
2:23 pm PST
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Question.. (Reply to this comment)
by kimster
I'm considering purchasing the Dell 8100 notebook and wonder about the second battery. If a second battery is installed, would it automatically get recharged when the laptop is plugged into an AC outlet? Are there GUI's indicating the charge state of both batteries at any given time? Is there a particular order in which the Inspiron 8100 charges two battery packs? (i.e. factory installed first, then the modular battery)
Thanks for your time. I've very truly enjoyed reading your review and now I'm a more informed consumer. Excellent job!
~Kim
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Feb 21 '02
3:01 am PST
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Why don't you check this out? (Reply to this comment)
by samdavidowicz
Yusakugo, why don't you check out www.mtechlaptops.com? Mtech's top model, the 928, cost the same or less than Dell's 8100 and gives you a modified Intel desktop Pentium 4 CPU, 15" screen, 10-40 GB hard drive, up to 1 GB DDR-SDRAM (DDR266 or DDR333) mounted on a full-sized DIMM (unusual for a laptop), plus more (full specs at www.mtechlaptops.com/specifications/mtech928.htm)
About the only drawback is that there's no speedstep, and the battery's external. But who cares, when you can get more for less?
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Feb 20 '02
8:22 pm PST
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Thanks (Reply to this comment)
by kgray00
I've been looking for a review that offers the specs and specific shortfalls with this machine. I'm glad to see someone who knows how to recommend a product while still including it's faults. You've made me an even more educated consumer and I thank you for it...
-kgray00
P.S. No I'm not just sucking up to you. I really do appreciate good reviews.
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Jan 16 '02
10:02 pm PST
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Re: Excellent review (Reply to this comment)
by yusakugo
The Inspiron 8100 is still on my short list despite some of its shortcomings. It is a very good notebook with desktop like power! I do rank the Inspiron 4100 (you can look at my Inspiron 4000/4100 review from my profile page) higher than the 8100 because the 4100 is more portable and takes care of some of those shortcomings.
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Jan 03 '02
8:13 pm PST
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whoa!!!! (Reply to this comment)
by kith_kannan
nice writing dude, i mean, u really know your computers, and i commend you on your writing ability.
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Dec 20 '01
12:44 pm PST
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Re: Thanks for the Specs (not) (Reply to this comment)
by yusakugo
If you don't like my rating of your review, then take it up with me. My reviews aren't lists of specs but a mix of specs, my impressions, usefulness, and comfortability of the item.
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Oct 29 '01
12:03 pm PST
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Re: Only Dell? (Reply to this comment)
by yusakugo
Well, the majority of my recommendations are for Dell... especially for those who like a fairly easy dealing with customer service.
But performance wise, I have also recommended Toshiba's and value lines like the KDS and ProSigma have stood up well. I have not played with every single notebook out there... but I have played with a fair share of them and as nice as it would be to write many of them up, I prefer to do so on notebooks that I have played with for over 150 hours... preferably 250 hours or more.
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Oct 18 '01
6:38 pm PDT
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Only Dell? (Reply to this comment)
by albertas
I bought my last to Computers at the Dell Online-Store. The quality of the second one was not as good as I expected it. Now I am the owner of a Siemens PC - and happy. cu albertas
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Oct 18 '01
10:07 am PDT
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Re: Better+than+a+desktop+system? (Reply to this comment)
by yusakugo
More as desktop power equivalent...
Power notebooks are frequently advertised as desktop replacements based on the computing power of the laptop/notebook.
You would be surprised how close some laptops come in the comfortability department.
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Oct 16 '01
2:50 pm PDT
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Better than a desktop system? (Reply to this comment)
by grimjack2
Excellent review, but I have a question. When you say that this could replace a desktop, are you implying that the keyboard, mouse, monitor size and speakers are near equal with the average desktop systems out there? Or are you just saying that it is close enough for people who aren't too picky. I don't think I could ever replace an average desktop system with the best notebook, unless portability was a major factor for me.
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Oct 16 '01
1:32 pm PDT
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