Considering the E6400

I've been lurking around this forum for a while and finally decided to throw this out there.

So, we get pretty good deals on Dell stuff through our university's bookstore. I configured one of the new Latitude E6400 notebooks:

System Options

* Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T9400 (2.53GHz, 6M L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)

* Genuine Windows Vista® Business SP1, With media

* 14.1" UltraSharp™ WXGA+ (1440x900) LED Display

* NVIDIA Quadro NVS 160M With Express Card

* 2.0GB, DDR2-800 SDRAM, 2 DIMMS

* Internal English Backlit Keyboard

* Integrated Webcam with digital microphone

Storage & Media

* 250GB Hard Drive, 7200RPM with Free Fall Sensor

* 8X DVD+/-RW w/Roxio and Cyberlink PowerDVD™


MISC

* 9 Cell Battery

* Intel® WiFi Link 5300 802.11a/g/n Draft Mini Card

* Dell Wireless® 370 Bluetooth Module

Warranty

* 3 Year ProSupport for IT and 3 Year NBD Onsite Service Plus Complete Care

Total: $1,289.15 I would be purchasing 4GB RAM for the thing through newegg at some point. Upping the RAM to 4GB on Dell's site is ridiculously overpriced.

I am seriously considering getting one. I have about $1500 from a car I just sold, and not having a laptop is just becoming too inconvenient.

I am mainly interested in how well you guys think this thing will handle the occasional light gaming session. I play all the Source games, COD4, and will be playing Left 4 Dead very heavily. It will predominantly be a work machine, but where is the fun in working all the time? I have no issue with turning the settings down on the games.

If it could handle it, it might go to the occasional LAN when I don't feel like lugging my desktop around.

The processor should be fine for handling things like Source, COD4, etc. It is the GPU that I am worried about. I can't seem to find much info on the Quadro NVS 160 anywhere.

It comes standard with 3 years of Complete Care from Dell. Pretty much a necessity on a college student's laptop. Battery life is supposed to be respectable if not darn good.

Your input is greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!

 

wow for $1300, thats a great deal, but as far as gaming, it could probably handle light gaming but i can't say its impressive

 

Yeah. We get pretty ridiculous discounts on them.

As for the gaming:

I don't expect a whole lot. Just to handle some light Counter Strike: Source, maybe CoD4 at really low settings. Dunno...

I really don't need it to be able to perform ridiculously well with games (I have a high-end desktop machine).

I'm anxious to see somebody successfully running the Geforce drivers on the NVS 160 as opposed to the professional drivers. I've heard that it can make quite a difference.

 

look at this

 

Thanks for the link. It seems that it would be able to do everything that I want it to for the most part.