Dell Laptops

[Paul S]

Pete Holsberg said the following on 06/20/2007 08:20 PM:
> FYI....
> 
> I just priced two essentially identical Dell E1505 laptops, one with 
> Vista Home Premium and one with Ubuntu.
> 
> The Vista had an ATI RADEON video while the U had an Intel Graphics 
> Accelerator.
> The Vista had an Ethernet/modem combo card plus a Dell Wireless 1390b/g, 
> while the U had the Intel Pro wireless 3945a/g ($29 more on the Vista) - 
> no Ethernet.
> 
> Vista cost $1,088. U cost $939. Taxes and shipping extra.
> 

If you want equivalence, you need to add the nvidia card for the ubuntu 
version to be able to play scorched3d, et.al.  It adds $79.

Also, buying the vista version is a problem because the ATI X1400 has a 
bad driver for linux, but the ubuntu version's nvidia 7300 is not so 
good for vista.  I suppose that's why they require you to return the 
hardware, if you change your mind and want windows on the ubuntu 
purchased laptop (which you have 21 days or so to do).

Maybe in a year or so, Dell will have a good laptop for dual booting .. 
that's what I'd really prefer.  There will always be some apps not 
available in linux.  I just had to use my windows to scan some text to 
create a word doc .. no problem with the hp scanner in windows, but 
linux just doesn't cut it.