Dell 6400 2.33 Ghz or 9400 2 Ghz with Nvidia

Bought a Dell Inspiron 6400/e1505 model on 27th Nov. 2006 , received on 14th Dec. 2006

There was a stuck pixel and a major light leakage problem. Called up Dell and told them the problem. They told me that as a goodwill gesture they are providing something. They given me 3 options 1) Memory Key - 512 MB 2) Color Kit 3) Battery 9 Cell.

I asked for other things and they said no other things available. So i asked to upgrade the processor to 2.33 Ghz and they agreed.

By the way here is the configuration which i ordered.

Dell Inspiron 6400/e1505
Core2Duo Processor T7200 2.0 Ghz
2GB Ram 667 Mhz
60 GB 7200 RPM
ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 256 MB

Previously i was considering a Dell 9400 model but because it was a little costly i didnt considered it. But because they are providing a upgrade to 2.33 Ghz on a 6400 , i thot i can get a 9400 with 2.0 Ghz. So i called up Dell and asked whether its possible to get it and they said its possible.

So heres my question

Should i get Dell 6400 with 2.33 Ghz Processor or
Should i get Dell 9400 with 2.0 Ghz and NVIDIA GeForce 7900

Don't ask me about the pricing asking what price i got the 6400 as because i live in India, here most notebooks are costly, and because Dell is the only company here provides customisation, its the lowest price notebook available here. I got Dell 6400 at around 2350 USD and Dell 9400 is available at 2950 USD.

One thing i want to tell u that i am not going to play much games, i wanted a future proof notebook. I am not having problems with either 15.4 inch screen or a 17 inch screen. Only thing i am concerned is the weight, you have to tell me comparing the weight of 6400 with 9400 , how do u feel. Is 9400 very heavy. I won't be carrying it with me other places, but i will be taking it to some shopping malls weekly and use the Wi-fi over there.

I wont be using Windows XP Home edition which was compulsory given by Dell. Is it possible to give the XP back and get the corresponding amount refund.

Thanx in advance.

After the above questions there are some other small questions, which came after using 6400.

1) I connect my notebook internet via bluetooth, using my cell phone as a modem, i am using this on my desktop from the last 3 years and its working smoothly. But in this notebook bluetooth stops working after usage of 1 hour or so. I can't communicate with any bluetooth devices. I have to shut the bluetooth off or shut down the notebook for another half to get the notebook working.

2) Which carrying case is suitable, i got a nylon carrying case. But i find it very heavy. Is backpack heavy too.

3) Should i get a Bluetooth Keyboard mouse from Dell. Will it work smoothly even if having above bluetooth problem.

I am a Web Designer and Software Developer. I have been doing my work on my Desktop. Is this notebook good enough to work for this kind of work. Because most websites are made in 800 * 600 resolution and if i select that resolution it gets stretched.

Please help

 

If you are thinking about playing latest / future games then 9600 is the way to go, however X1400 is not bad for occasional non graphics intensive gaming (it can handle most current games). Since you have already told that you are not interested in gaming I recommend 6400 because of its portability (in comparison to a 17”).

I’m not exactly sure how much 9400 weighs over 6400, but few extra pounds is not the problem when comparing 15” and a 17”; it is the size that matters. 17” is more like desktop replacement than a notebook.

However if portability is not a primary factor and you prefer larger screen for your web designing n stuff, also considering the fact that you don’t like the light leaking 6400 screen, then 9400 may be a good alternative.

Both 9400 and 6400 are widescreen notebooks therefore if you use 800x600 on either one of them it will be out of proportion (stretched). Why do you want to work at such a low resolution ? I mean you can always do your web designing at higher resolutions.

 

I would be playing games but not much. Please answer my whole post.

 

For your requirements the higher processor might be better for you assuming they are both core 2 duos. 2.33 to 2.0 is not a huge deal but if you do any compiling it may help. Also look at ram, you should have 1gb. A 7900 is not required for webpage design, if you are doing heavy flash it may help. I like an all around system which would be the 9400, balance is important for me.

For weight that is more person preference. A backpack will help carry the weight but not make it any lighter.

The blue tooth issue could be a number of things. If you want to play it safe get a wireless one instead.

 

1. As far as the bluetooth problems your experiencing this could have something to do with the bluetooth drivers you are using. Is it bluetooth integrated from dell or USB device? I'm assuming you have the Dell but I would suggest updating the Drivers from the Stock Drivers and see what happens.

2. I have what they call the Large Nylon Backpack, which I have to say is a very nice bag. It has lots of compartments for just about everything I need. And the straps and the backing has lots and lots of padding it is quite comfortable.

3. I do website development as well and you are correct since most sites are done in 800x600. I think the screen is just fine allows me to keep two Dreamweaver pages open at once, one to code the CSS and the other to do layout.

Think of it this way if there is no out of pocket expense and Dell is willing to sort of swap with minimal cost then I would go with the 9400. The 2.0 Ghz is in what most people call the sweet position because it has the extra cache which will come in handy. But 2.0Ghz to 2.33Ghz not much of a difference but from X1400 to 7900GS pretty big difference in performance.

 

PhoenixFx
Most of the website are designed in 800*600 resolution so that resolution matters a lot. I know that i can connect to an external monitor but than i find what is the use of the screen, as for 6400 i am taking an 1680 * 1050 resolution screen and if i go for 9400 i am taking an 1920 * 1200 resolution screen. I have payed for the screen and if i am not using it than it makes no sense.

Sleepy Guy
I would be doing flash, creating a loading. Working with Actionscript.

Dylan255
There is no problem with the bluetooth driver as if i am attaching a USB bluetooth dongle, its working perfectly alright.

Thanx guys for the replies. I am still really very much confused which notebook to go for 6400 or 9400.

 

Mumbaifans, you need to weigh the advantages and disadvantages and make a choice based off that. Everyone has opinions that the laptop they are using is the best, but that may not be the best fit for you.

15.4 vs. 17 inch - is the extra screen real estate worth it?
ATI x1400 (128mb dedicated + rest shared depending on which version) vs. Nvidia 7900GS 256 MB Dedicated (very fast card maybe not as fast as the 7950GTX.

I think those are pretty much what it goes down to for you, which you feel works best for you. But if you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask.

 

I am mostly interested in future proofing the notebook. As this is a one time investment (investment means i will buy a notebook and keep it for 3 to 5 years). And after paying such an amount i want something which is working even after 2 or 3 years. If after 2 years there is something new released is not working i would be disappointed. I know that within a year data will be the most important thing in computers. After release of Blu-ray disc and HD-DVD disc, i think there will be more qualitative videos and those videos should show the exact effect on the screen as it is made. I mean the shadowing, i dont know how to explain this but only thing i wanna say is that i want a future proof notebook

I have to tell the dell executive about my decision tommorrow.

 

I would go for the 9400/1705.
2.3 vs 2.0 doesn't make a significant difference in performance.
The Nvidia card is much better and you would also benefit from having a bigger screen.

 

There is no "true" future proof machine. And to at least make you comfortable about your investment then the 9400 2.0Ghz w/7900GS is the answer to your solution. Processor can be updated in the future but since there is not much gain between 2.0 vs. 2.33 then go with the 2.0. And you will most likely not be able to go from a x1400 to a 7900GS probably from a sheer size point of view. All signs point to the 9400 so stop fretting over it and call Dell and get it done before the deal closes.

 

Future proofing is also based on what applications you plan on running. I have a P3 650MHz machine at home. All I use it for is surfing and Excel. I don't need anything more than that for those applications. If that is all I plan on using it for, I am sure I have a few more years out of it yet. I have had it since 2001.

I have just recently purchased a notebook (see signature) that I am using for pictures and graphics. My notebook handles these applications much much easier compared to my P3.

If you are concerned about weight however, I would almost say stick with the 1505. The 1505 is going to be much more portable than the 1705.