If you didn't order a backlit keyboard, can you get one later on?

Can you buy one later on?

 

If you are comfortable with some disassembly, you should be able to get a backlit keyboard from Dell's spare parts or from eBay and install it.

Greg

 

hi can u point to the dell site or any other site that sells the backlit keyboard

i want it badly for the laptop im about to order but its only available from the dell large business site

the same spec machine is hugely expensive compared to the one i chose from small to medium business will i be safe to go ahead and order knowing i can swap out the keyboard as soon as i find a backlit one?

im not new to riopping apart my laptops so no worrys there

 

That's why you should call Dell and order the laptop you want (they can put together any choices) and ask for a price near the small/medium business. Their prices on the homepages are not even close to ok for the moment (My opinion, based on the the difference between different specs and small/medium / large business offers).

I did that, because of the same reason you are bringing up Gordyboyuk. And after negotiation I was satisfied.

 

cool thats that settled then i just need to find out whether im buying a latitude or precision now .... :s the latitude has the better fingerprint reader tho and i think the latitude takes the old d series module bays or so im led to beleive while the precision doesnt and cant take 2.5 drives in its module bay

 

The new E series has a slimmer modular bay and is not compatible with the D series. Dell could fit a 2.5" HDD in there provided they give it a cradle without a top and bottom cover (the bay height is the same 9.5mm as the HDD thickness).

John

 

**** thats a killer i have several 2.5 drives already and a couple of modular batterys

think i will just have to sell them then and do as you suggest and get the tools out and start chopping some of the new style bays up

 

There's also the eSATA port available if you invest in external enclosures with eSATA connectors. These enclosures normally also have USB so you can also connect to any computer with a USB port. For me, this is less baggage than trying to squeeze a 2.5" into the media bay and then needing to carry the optical drive separately.

John

 

Not many of the E-series stuff on eBay yet. Actually, almost none. I suspect you'll have to wait till the E7400/E7500 series comes out (2nd gen, E-series), to see any meanginful stuff up there.

With the IT sales collapsing right now and probably weak for the next year, there may not be that many of these laptops sold... So parts may very well be quite hard to find for quite a long time.

Bottom line: order what you want when you get the laptop.

 

$30 for a backlight keyboard upgrade. If you plan to work in the dark its worth it.

Don't bother to go cheap and not get it in hopes that you'll find one later, Dell isn't that friendly. The time it takes for other people to sell it will be so long, you'll regret not putting in the $30. In fact, I spend more than $30 on food over the course of 2 days.

lol