Dell Latitude D630 vs. Inspiron 1420

Help me decide between these two 14" laptops for home and school use. These are my criteria:

1) A decent screen (no glossy screen!)

Inspiron 1420 is 1280 x 800, while Latitude D630 is 1440 x 900. Will I notice the difference? Is the Inspiron adequate?

2) Docking options - I want easy in-and-out connection to my desktop peripherals (external monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, ethernet, etc.)

Inspiron 1420 doesn't have one, Latitude D630 does. I have looked into some third-party port replicators--seems that they don't do video reliably nor power. So I would have to hook up three connections--video, power, and USB connection.

3) Multimedia functionality for home use

Inspiron 1420 seems to have everything I need here--Vista Home Premium with media center, pop-out media remote?, integrated webcam, integrated microphone?, anything else?

Latitude 630 seems to be lacking here--Home Premium not offered as an option (officially), no webcam or microphone option, anything else?

Other secondary concerns are weight, build quality, battery life, etc. Willl the Latitude give me a more stable, reliable system? Will it crash less? Is tech support significantly better?

The bottom line is this: Will the Latitude, being designed for the business user, be adequate for the average home user / student?

 

The latitude will be more than adequate. I have used both machines here, the Latitude will be a bit smaller, perhaps lighter and I think sturdier.

The Latitude comes with the Quadro GPU while the Inspiron comes with the 8400/9x00GS card.

I have used the docks with a D630 and they are awesome...plug in/plug out is pretty sweet if you're taking the lappy with you a lot.

I don't know if you're missing much with have Vista Business vs home Premium, you can check out the camparisons...but my guess is it's not that big of a deal.

The D630 will be a bit more expensive, but it will probably have better customer support, and it will probably be built with a bit higher standard than the Inspiron, as it is tailored for the business user who demands reliability and resilience.

FWIW, there's me 2 cents...nothing conclusive one way or the other. Seems like it's a tradeoff b/t money/quality docking/media options.

Ciao!

P.S. The D630 does have a microphone integrated, it's right by the "Home key" on the Keyboard dash-panel.

 

Hey DG. I have experience with both systems. I will address you point to point.

Screen: Toss up, the added resolution DOES make a difference, albeit a slight one really. If you are planning to dock the PC and use a secondary screen, this obviously can be a moot point. May have some issues with graininess / sparkling on EITHER screen. Trust me, even the latitude with a 1440X900 Matte screen can be less than perfect. We have one with the LG-Philips at work. Looks great, definitely a little grainy. Though the user has not been complaining.

Docking - Latitude. You have 4 USB ports with the Inspiron, but they are on the sides of the puter'. You can get everything connected, however it will likely make a mess. The Dell docks for Business PCs are simple to use and have lots of good features. Pricey though.

Multimedia - This is a toss up and related to how you will configure / use the computer. Unless you are all about Windows Media Player, there are plenty of free / easy to use alternatives out there that do all the same things. The Vista Aero eye candy is available on any version besides basic. The latitude does give you the ability to have win XP right now, which to some is considered an upgrade. Personally, I wouldn't care either way as I am having fun learning the new Vista OS. Either PC can be had with discrete graphics, though the Inspiron is more appropriate if you want to do any 3d gaming.

Lets review:

Screen (whatever) Docking (definitely latitude) Multimedia (whatever). I recommend the latitude as I get the feeling this most matches what you are looking for. Dell customer service is a hot topic, however I have had better experiences with them on the business side rather than the consumer. If you pay for the extended warranty, you will likely have no issues dealing with them. Personally, I don't feel that the several hundreds of dollars is worth it. If a 300 dollar motherboard burns up and its covered under warranty, well, I basically bought one in advance anyway. Build quality and battery life should be similar, again this is effected by how you choose to configure the PC.
I think that you should go with the Latitude. Let us know what you decide and we can help you with configuration options / budgeting / whatever.

 

Meetloaf,

Let me respond to your points one by one with more questions.

1. How do the dedicated graphics cards differ in terms of performance for multimedia apps?

2. When using the dock for the D630, how long does it take for all your peripherals to be "online" (esp. video, external mouse/keyboard)?

3. Do you think I can "persuade" Dell to install Vista Home Premium instead of Vista Business so I can get the media center features? (Of course, I could go with Ultimate, but that seems overkill).

4. If the Latitude is slightly more expensive, that's OK. Cost is not a huge factor.

5. That's nice to know that the Latitude has a built-in microphone. Is it decent enough for skype calls on the go? BTW, how do the external speakers measure up?

6. One more thing which you didn't bring up--how will the lack of a media card reader on the Latitude affect me (I use a digital camera frequently)?

Thanks,
David

 

Mgh,

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I've got some more questions:

1. Screen - Is there any place I can view these screens in person? Aside from resolution, how will they compare in terms of color, brightness, etc?

2. Docking - Are you familiar with aftermarket port replicator solutions for the Inspiron? It seems like the consumer line is hugely missing on out on this functionality. Disconnecting 7-8 wires just to move your laptop from your study desk to your living room seems unnecessarily painful.

3. Multimedia - What is the Latitude missing that I might really need? What will the Inspiron offer here that might tip the scales in its favor?

 

1. How do the dedicated graphics cards differ in terms of performance for multimedia apps?
I don't know enough to give you an "educated" answer, but my gut tells me the Inspiron.

2. When using the dock for the D630, how long does it take for all your peripherals to be "online" (esp. video, external mouse/keyboard)?
From what I recall, maybe a few seconds at most...experience may vary, but I would doubt it's too big of an issue

3. Do you think I can "persuade" Dell to install Vista Home Premium instead of Vista Business so I can get the media center features? (Of course, I could go with Ultimate, but that seems overkill).
Good luck, you may be able to, if you're nice about it =D

4. If the Latitude is slightly more expensive, that's OK. Cost is not a huge factor.
See comment at bottom

5. That's nice to know that the Latitude has a built-in microphone. Is it decent enough for skype calls on the go? BTW, how do the external speakers measure up?
The mic works just fine, I used to to correspond with classmates often. As to the external speakers, they are miserable on the D630...there's one little speaker on the top left part of the keyboard tray...if you look closely at a picture of the D630 it looks like a little air vent

6. One more thing which you didn't bring up--how will the lack of a media card reader on the Latitude affect me (I use a digital camera frequently)?
Not if you're willing to use a USB to plug your camera in...or you could easily get a little usb reader that is always hooked up to your dock (dock has at least 4USB ports if I remember correctly, maybe 5

Are you going to be doing ANY type of gaming? And are you sold on getting a 14" lappy? Just curious.

P.S. You should be able to get a 1440 res on the Inspiron.

 

1. If you truck over to Bestbuy, you will be able to view the 'stock' screens (glossy Inspiron). Last time I checked, they weren't carrying latitudes. All I can say is that they screens should have comparable levels of brightness / color accuracy / uniformity. This is because I do not think that there are actually different parts in use between the lines. Consider this a fair warning: I recently sent an Inspiron back from a grainy screen and received a replacement. The screens were different in character and overall quality. I would argue that differences are small, but also that Dell sources different manufacturers so it is pretty impossible to prepare you for EXACTLY what you will see if when you choose to buy one or the other. However, at Bestbuy I did not notice any big variances among the screens, so it is also is possible that I was just unlucky and got a 'lower quality' screen than I expected. I have a post on this topic if you want to search for it.
2. I am familiar with aftermarket docks, however I would strongly recommend Dell's solution for compatibility / idiot proofing reasons. They are a snap to use and not totally unsightly. The are also fairly robust.
3. Again, that is a question really more easily explained if I knew what kind of 'multimedia' functions you were hoping for. Either machine has got plenty of USB ports to handle your camera, MP3 player or external hard drive. They can read a memory card or play a movie. There are so many peripheral and software options out there as it is, any one thing one might be lacking can be worked-around. For example, It is possible to hook one up to your TV or Projector with a VGA cable, so you do not necessarily HAVE to have an HDMI output.
The inspiron does come with Dells inhouse media manager which (sorry fans) I think sucks and I really don't need. It hass play / stop / ff / rev buttons near the keyboard which can be handy. Nice to have I guess however I do not currently use them for anything. Now maybe if my 1420 came with a remote I might have something . . .

I get the feeling that you are someone without a whole lot of computer experience. It might benefit you to know that while there are SOME differences between these two machines, many of those are just marketing differences. If you want docking, you really HAVE to stick with the business line, its just so easy that way. You will still be able to 'play' on it. Can you tell us what kind of multimedia abilities you wanted to have?

 

1. No, I don't plan on doing any gaming (well, OK maybe a little)--any other benefits from a dedicated graphics card besides gaming?

2. I'm sold on getting a 14" machine only b/c of size and weight considerations. It seems like the best compromise, though I could be wrong.

3. Yes, the Inspiron comes with a 1440 resolution, but only in glossy (sigh...). One thing here, though--could there be a DISADVANTAGE to a higher resolution screen? I mean, while giving you more screen workspace, could the text and icons end up looking smaller than I'd like them to be? Can this be corrected by converting to larger view or downgrading the resolution under desktop settings?

 

Well, I guess I'm not sure myself what I want in terms of multimedia capacity. Let's just say I am an average home user that wants to "play" now and then. I don't watch TV, so I don't need outputs for that. I will be primarily using the laptop for MS Word (typing papers) and browsing the internet, but I also like to listen to music, talk on skype, download/create video, burn CD's/DVD's, and have some kind of editing hardware/software available to make basic slideshows/videos. I don't want to be unnecessarily cramped as a multimedia user (i.e., I need a bit of room to grow). The media buttons on the Inspiron which allow you to play music without turning on Windows sounds attractive, but do I really need them? Probably not. I noticed that the Latitude does come with volume and mute buttons, just not start/stop/next, right? BTW, I thought the Inspiron came with a pop-out remote for playing media. Am I wrong?

Again, the bottom line is...Can the Latitude function well enough for the average home user (i.e., me) who wants to "play" now and then? Am I losing quite of a bit of functionality by opting out of the Inspiron line? It seems you are saying "no," but I guess I'm trying to nail down more specifics behind this answer.

Keep the comments coming!

 

Atleast on my Vostro (which incidentally is pretty much an inspiron) the buttons don't work for iTunes unless the iTunes window is selected...which is a bummer. I can't vouch for Windows Media Player though.

Personally, when I'm working in say "Excel" I go bonkers when I have to use smaller resolutions...there is a point at which hi-resolution becomes too much, but I do not think it is 1440. I don't know what your preferences are, but I would personally go crazy working on anything less than 1440...and I miss my 1680x1050 on my laptop at home pretty much all day long while I'm at work =D

 

I'd say go for the D630. They're really well built and the dock station would be really useful if you are on the go a lot. I don't know how the battery life of the Inspiron is but my friend's D630 get pretty good battery life. When you're in college and on the go a lot, a docking station is really useful. I had a Latitude X300 with the Complete Care warranty and customer service was absolutely amazing. I just said I dropped my laptop and there are scratches on the laptop lid and they came and replaced it with a new one. I think the Small Business customer service might be better than the regular Home customer service.

 

About the screen, there's no disadvantage to a higher resolution screen besides the text being smaller. 1440x900 is still pretty low resolution in my opinion...it's the one thing I hate the most about my D620.

I say go for the Latitude if you have the money. I've seen an 1420, and it's thicker than the D620/D630. The front of it is the same, but it slopes up in the back. It's also really cheap...100% plastic case. The D620/D630 have a magnesium alloy base and LCD cover, and nothing flexes, even when you lift it on a corner.

 

You may want to look at Lenovo Thinkpad T61/R61... I think they offer an optional webcam on some of those models, as well as a memory card reader. And Vista Home Premium.

LOL... I have 1280x800 on my D630, and the resolution is just perfect for me. Wouldn't want it any higher on a 14".

Different people, different preferences. The best thing you can do is try to see different screen sizes/resolution combos and see what would be right for you.

 

Just to mention: the D630 DOES have an integrated microphone
And I've used my D630 all year as student use (in and out, etc.) and I've been really happy with it. Things like the dock station, the Airbay filler, the Media Bay battery and the build quality do make the difference.

If the webcam is something important for you, you might want to wait for the Latitude E6400, which will have that as an option.

 

I spent several hours yesterday playing around with some of the laptops available at Best Buy, in particular the Inspiron 1420 and the Inspiron 1525. While I was previously determined not to buy a glossy (true-life) screen, the incredible colors and sharpness was quite tempting when viewing photos. I tried out the webcam, too, it was pretty cool. Now none of these Inspirons were available in a high-resolution screen, so I was looking at the standard 1280 x 800 resolution. I wonder if the glossiness improves the clarity of the resolution? Of course, all this was indoors without any direct sunlight, so I'm not sure how these screens would fare under more realistic situations. The sales people claimed that the solution to glare is to turn up the brightness of the screen, but of course the screen brightness can only go so far, right?

After this, I went over to my dad's house and spent some time with his Latitude D310. While his high resolution screen (1400 x 950, I think) was slightly better (particularly with text), overall it looked rather dull and lifeless, a bit faded too when it came to colors. I don't know if this is due to the machine being 3+ years old. Maybe the current Latitude D630 has improved their screen over the older models? I tried out the speakers on his Latitude and they were pretty bad. I even tried using headphones and the sound wasn't very good at all. I don't know what sound card he had (this is his company laptop), but maybe the D630 can be configured to sound good on external speakers? Another problem is that he cannot get an external webcam or microphone work on his computer for Skype purposes, and after spending 5 hours on the phone with tech support he was told his computer wasn't compatible with these. Hopefully the current Latitude has all these issues worked out.

I'm interested in hearing about the Vostro--I think I briefly looked at this on Dell's website, but it seemed to be more cheaply made and quite a bit heavier. How would the Vostro compare to the Inspiron and Latitude? Also, about the new Latitude with webcam, when is that slated to hit the market?

thanks again
David

 

The glossy screen looks even worse in sunlight. It's extremely reflective as you would expect.

D310? Do you mean D610? I had one before my current D620, and the resolution on mine was 1400x1050. Awesome screen, but the colors are kind of faded as you say. It's a true antiglare screen. The screen in my D620 is kind of semi-glossy, and the colors don't look faded at all. Granted the colors don't look as vivid as a TrueLife screen, but antiglare is more suitable for prolonged use.

And, yes, the D610 doesn't have a built-in mic. The D600 has one, the D620 and D630 have one, just not the D610.

The first-gen Vostro laptops (1X00) are basically all-black Inspirons. The second-gen Vostro laptops (1X10) are a little bit better, but the quality definately isn't as good as a Latitude.

The new Latitude E-series are supposed to come out soon and start shipping in mid-Sept. When that comes out, the D630 is bound to be discounted, so you could go either way.

 

Yeah, I mean the D610. That's good to hear that the D630 has an improved screen over the D610 when it comes to colors--at least as good as the anti-glare on the Inspiron 1420, hopefully?

One screen that really stood out at Best Buy is the MacBook Pro anti-glare--despite the matte finish, the colors looked pretty vivid (not as vivid as the glossy screen, but close). I think this one has LED backlighting.

Back to the higher screen resolution (1440 x 900) on the D630...If I make the fonts/icons larger, will it reduce their resolution AND reduce the amount of desktop space available?

One more question on multimedia functionality--if I get Vista Premium on the D630, will it come bundled with all the multimedia applications you would find on the Inspiron 1420 (e.g., DVD maker, webcam software, etc.). I did read on CNET that the D630 does have a smart card reader but not multi-format card reader--what's the difference?

The E-series has my interest--will this replace the Dell D-series completely? Do you know how much the difference would be in cost? The D630 and Inspiron 1420 fit my budget nicely--they are both around $1400-1500 when I configured them.

 

The screens are probably the same, so I would say yes.

That might be the case, I don't know.

I doubt you'll need to make the fonts and icons bigger. They're pretty big on a 1440x900 screen. If you make the fonts bigger by increasing DPI, it will look horrible.

You can't get Home Premium on a D630. Vista Business comes with Movie Maker and WMP, but if you want things like Media Center, you'll want to get Vista Ultimate. There will be no webcam software as there's no webcam on the D630. The smart card reader is used for security, not for multimedia. A multi-format card reader reads multimedia cards, like SD, MS, MMC, CF, etc.

As for the E-series (E6400, which is D630 replacement), take a look here:

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=BLCWEFP

It's starting price is $1,139, but that's with Vista Home Basic, 1280x800 screen, integrated graphics, 1GB memory, 80GB HDD, etc. But like I said, the D630's price is bound to drop when it comes out.

 

I have a D-630 at work and an inspiron 1420 at home. The 1420 has a built in mic, at least the one with the webcam. I personally prefer the glossy screen but it does have reflection problems. If you need a docking station i would go with the D-630 plus its lighter as well. My only real gripe is that the D-630 does not come with a media card reader so if you want to trasnfer photos from your camera you will have to use the usb cord instead of just sticking in the sd card. For me thats a deal breaker but your needs may be different. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

Robin24K,

How did you get this link? I couldn't find the E6400 available on Dell's website for pre-sales online. I did use the link to configure a system that would be suit my needs. It totaled around $2000-2100 including the high-resolution LED screen (a huge plus in my opinion), a little much for my budget, but do you think this is retail, not the real price with Dell's usual discounts? How much do you think I should expect to pay when it is released for sale in September?

 

Since you have both laptops, maybe you can do some side-by-side comparisons:

1. How do the screens compare in terms of color, sharpness, etc.? Do you have the glossy version of the 1420? Normal resolution or high resolution (1440 x 900) on these machines?

2. How does the sound compare? External speakers on D630 as good as the 1420? What kind of sound card options are available on the D630 (couldn't find any customizable options when I configured it)?

Do you feel that D630, aside from the lack of media card reader, would suffice for general home use?

 

Take a look in the forums for the Latitude E-Series Anticipation Thread. That's where I got the link from.

Anywhere between $1500 to $2000 would be reasonable.

 

A friend of mine recently bought a 1420 and had me reinstall Windows for him, so I'll give these questions a shot.

1. His had a 1280x800 anti-glare screen, and it was no different from my D620 (just not as high resolution).

2. The sound in the 1420 is better, but not so much to make the D630 a deal-breaker. The D620/D630 only have one speaker (1420 has two above the keyboard), so I would use a pair of speakers or headphones if you want better quality sound. Music playing through the single speaker isn't OK though.

The D630 would be more than enough for home use. If you bring the laptop with you a lot and want it to be more durable (and thinner), get the D630. Otherwise, getting the Inspiron will save you quite a bit of money. The one my friend got was like $799.99 before tax.

 

Sorry it took so long but i wanted to have both laptops side by side. Initially i thought i liked my screen (1420) better (Glossy 1440x900) but my work one is more brighter and colors seem better even though it is non glossy and matte.

Both seem to have the same sound card (sigmatel). The 1420 speakers are more richer and fuller sounding and provide true stereo sound. The D-630 only has one speaker and the quality (range) does not seem as good. I did not try external speakers on the D-630 but i imagine them to be the same sine the hardware is similar. A point to note is that the 1420 has three audio out ports which can be configured to provide true 5.1 audio if you are not using the mic. The D-630 has only two ports and they are not user configurable.

The D-630 is a little bit lighter (5.4 lbs) on my scale compared to the 1420's 6 lbs on the same scale (NOTE: my 1420 has the 9 cell battery that sticks out, with my friends 6 cell it weighs 5.6 lbs on same scale) For general home use if you do not consider the media card omission and can live with a single speaker and lower volume, it can be serve as a good home use laptop. The non glossy matte screen is definitely brighter and better than my 1420's glossy screen. Both are 1440 x 900.

The newly released Latitude models do have media card readers and i believe should provide stereo sound but will be pricey for a while.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

Thanks for the comparison. That's surprising that the D630 has a more color-rich screen than the Inspiron 1420. I've read many reviews that indicate that the D630 screen is horrible. Did you calibrate the colors to achieve the effect?

One question on docking--when you dock to an external monitor, do you always have to use a quick-command (Fn-F8) to toggle over to the monitor, or is there a way to have it automatically transfer the video signal to the external monitor (and away from the laptop screen). Also, can you take the Latitude in and out of the docking station while it is on, and how quickly can it read all the peripherals when you do this?

I've also been looking hard at the Latitude E6400, but it is rather expensive, around $2200 with all the goodies that I want alas.

David

PS--I thought the D630 weighed 5.1 lb with the 6-cell battery...That's what the reviews I read indicated.

 

About the docking, it only automatically goes to the monitor if the laptop is turned on while docked and the lid closed. If the laptop is on, you'll need to press Fn+F8.

It takes less than 5 seconds for all the peripherals on my D/Port to be recognized. Don't know about the larger D/Dock though.

About the weight, perhaps it's becuse 5.1 lbs does not include an optical drive.

 

You mean, if the machine is turned off completely and docked, turning it on will send the video signal to the external monitor so it doesn't show up on the laptop screen? What about in standby mode?

When you undock the laptop and it is running, do you have to go to "start" and then choose "undock" or do you just pull the thing off. Will the video signal automatically jump back to the laptop screen when you undock while running?

 

Yup. I don't know about standby, what do you mean?

You can either do that or press the undock button on the dock. If you don't undock properly, you run the risk of getting a bluescreen. No, you will need to press Fn+F8 again.

 

I'm still looking at these two models. The new E-series has my eye, but is rather costly.

Another question--the Latitude offers Office 2007 Basic while the Inspiron offers Office 2007 Home and Student if I remember correctly. What's the difference between these two versions of Microsoft Office?

Also, regarding the operating system--if I go with Latitude and they only offer Vista Home Basic, will it be a lot of work (and cost) to install Vista Home Premium on my own? Will Dell support an operating system not installed by them?

 

Take a look here:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/FX101635841033.aspx

You should get Vista Business. I think it's like only $99 more than basic and will save you a lot of troubles.

 

Me again.

Should point out a couple things:

1. You can live with higher resolutions in vista fairly easiliy. For one, you can scale the DPI to make text more eye friendly. You can also ctrl+mouse wheel anytime to blow up / shrink icons to make them more legible. Generally speaking, the additional density and 'work space' is a lot cooler than a resolution that looks good at a glance. Another factor being that, you can always turn resolution down, but you cannot go past the maximum. I recommend higher resolutions when available. Otherwise, buy a large, decent desktop monitor and plan on favoring that when you are not taking the computer out of the house.
It is simply to set up multiple displays in windows, and either use one or the other, or both at the same time. So long as it stays plugged in, it will function fine. You will not necessarily have to do a whole lot to keep it working once windows has 'met' the monitor.

2. Glossy vs. Matte gets a lot of comparison though I find it all really funny. Unless you are taking a glossy screen to the beach (wrong for so many reasons), I have never found the reflections to be all that bad of a compromise. Matte OR glossy will get washed out in daylight or bright light as neither will really be bright enough to use in direct sunlight. By comparison, can you read your cell phone everywhere? Do you think that you would need to? Most people are working indoors so I say, choose what you think looks best. The glossy screen is a lot more fun for pictures / movies, and I always have my trusty CRT for the times when I need to seriously get typing / photo shopping or whatever.

3. Reflections aside, uniformity and viewing angle are sometimes a lot more important than 'reflections vs. so-so color and contrast'. Most laptops, in my opinion, are currently failing miserable at this. They cannot be trust for color accuracy at this time either. One reason to get a dedicated graphics card at this time is purely for the driver tools that they come with. You able to 'tweak' your color and brightness somewhat, hopefully delivering a better image overall.

4. Speaker quality is going to disappoint either way. Either bring some headphones, or have an external speaker set. These computers are made ultimately for portability, not performance benchmarks (though they are getting a little better every generation). You want the whole multimedia she-bang, you probably should be looking at desktops.

5. Construction quality IS usually better on the business line, however if you are planning on carrying yours around in a well padded, protective bag, you might consider this a moot point. I say this because the Inspiron 1420 is a solid little guy, and a lot stiffer and stronger than my old latitude, or, for example, the Toshiba that I played with the other day. A magnesium chassis may protect the chassis better, but that does not mean that the HDD, LCD, or usb stick you had plugged in will. Take care of the notebook and it will take care of you! A lot of manufacturers do not protect ALL of the vulnerable pieces of the computer with that precious metal anyhow, so you may still find yourself pretty sad when it falls from the counter to the tile floor.

Either way, the computer is probably going to handle what you throw at it. If you wanted a business like build with an inspiron like 'media handling image' I would probably be buying a lenovo ideapad anyway. At least as soon as the custom configs come back.

 

1. Regarding different versions of Microsoft Office, the comparison chart you linked doesn't show Office Home Basic. It shows Office Home and Student and Office Standard. Any idea how Office Home Basic compares to these two?

2. Regarding operating system, again Vista Business is missing a few apps that I might like for home use, and it has extra stuff I don't need (e.g., networking options). I really want Vista Home Premium. I guess I can choose the $149 option for Vista Ultimate but I'm worried that Ultimate will have too much excess baggage and I also don't want/need the XP downgrade that comes bundled with the Ultimate option.

 

I've never heard of Office Home Basic. Did you confuse it with Vista? I'm guessing that if it exists, it probably just has the 3 core apps: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.