I just ordered myself a new toy – a [[http://www.laptopmag.com/Review/Dell-Inspiron-1520.htm Dell Inspiron 1520]]. The specs are:
- 15” LCD (1440×900)
- Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 processor (2.2Ghz, 4MB L2-cache)
- 2GB RAM (667Mhz)
- nVidia 8600M GT with 256MB
- 250GB hdd
- Intel 3945 802.11a/b/g card
- 9 cell battery (adds a little bulk but I’ll appreciate it when traveling)
- Black matte finish with integrated webcam
- And best of all¹: Windows Vista!!!
My current laptop (Compal PowerNote CL50) has served me well for 4 years now, and I hope that this new laptop will serve me just as well. Choosing a new laptop is a tough decision and unfortunately having to make compromises is par for the course. I think I’ve made a good choice… not too small, not too big, and powerful enough to last me for a few years. It’s hard to find similarly spec’d laptops here with the same resolution.
For a case I ordered the [[http://reviews.cnet.com/notebook-accessories/kensington-contour-cargo-messenger/4505–6459_7–31898142.html Kensington Contour Cargo Notebook Messenger]]
For your information, the other main contender was: the Acer Aspire 5920G ([[http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/notebooks/0,39050489,40634980p-2,00.htm mixed review]] – a few differences in the EU market though)
So.. I bet you’re all wondering what I plan to do with a spankin’ new laptop, and what I couldn’t do on my current beloved laptop. Here’s what:
- Virtualisation – My current laptop’s not up to the task, and being an IT guy, having suitable hardware to play with in my free time is vital to keeping my skills up.
- Similarly, having a second laptop means that I can experiment with one while still maintaining my primary working system. It can also serve as a nice quiet server.
- Games – I hardly play them, but every couple of months I get the urge and it would be nice to have a laptop capable of playing most modern games.
¹ That’s a joke, folks. I’ll be installing Linux ASAP. :-)
### Update – 9 Nov 2007
Still in preproduction. :-( Why, oh why, must I wait so long? Newsflash Dell – it’s not Just In Time if you have to wait days or weeks for parts. I’m a child of the Internet age – I want instant satisfaction. Hop Hop.