Buy now or wait a couple of months?

Hi everyone!

I've been browsing these forums recently and have only just now joined.. it looks like a great source of information anyway, I have a simple question today. I am looking to buy a laptop (probably Dell) in July or August and I'm wondering if there are some new models expected to come out in the next month or two from Dell.. new Intel chips perhaps, better displays? I really like the 1425/1525 but would rather get the latest and greatest as this will have to last me a good couple of years.

Thanks in advance!

dt_

 

Montevina's coming up, that that should introduce better FSB speeds and newer video cards. Dell been doing some weird things with their laptops, it used to just be Inspiron or XPS, and you're usually safe customizing an Inspiron system but now Dell's crippled their Inspiron systems (Take the 1525 for example, almost no room for upgrades and only integrated graphics available). I would go for the XPS systems, not the XPS Gaming, but just XPS because they have the best balance of price vs performance.

 

New Latitude E Series hitting in the shelves in June and September. Mainstream models in June, ultra-portables and the like in September. I think they're all gonna be Centrino 2, so new chips, new chipsets, maybe even new graphics options.

Ultimately it's nothing revolutionary; Intel has the same sort of update every year, making any laptop obsolete within a couple years.

Don't have any word on Inspiron or XPs updates if you're only looking into the consumer lines.

 

what's the difference between "consumer" models and the other models anyway? the webcam, buttons above the keyboard, and included software, is that it? the only one of those i really care about is the webcam the others.. i don't really need.

i was looking at the XPS M1530 but it's rather pricey and i won't need a powerhouse machine. if i had to buy a laptop today i'd go for the inspiron 1525

 

They are built more solidly.

But i would totally wait. This summer is brining a lot of new technology. I am most excited for the new latitudes.

 

Business notebooks - made for the business professional, more reliable because they usually use proven hardware (i.e. no latest and greatest on released date, etc.), build for travelling, and since they are not geared towards home users, they lack a lot of the frills like built-in-webcam, etc.

Regarding the wait - montevina should be coming out in June, with new notebooks released in end of June, early July. If you can wait, I would always recommend waiting because you will get better technology for the same price. If you need the system now, buy it now.

 

General rule of thumb i think. If your debating whether or not to buy now or buy later, the answer is to always buy later. It looks as if you dont need the laptop right now and since it isnt a dire need the way the computer industry moves every 3-4 weeks there is a new feature or update or gizmo that comes out that you will want. Even if you dont want it, that new thing will drive the price down for everything else. So my advice, if you dont NEED it right now than dont get it, right now. Just wait til you NEED it. Than wait a week and look for the sweetest deal you can find.

 

all right thank you for the advice folks!

 

Then wait another week or 2 and it will come down in price w/ more/better options--as always

 

Yea, just wait until you need it. The longer you wait, the better and cheaper it will be.