Forums | MacLife

vaeaglesfan · 2005-10-09 9:42 pm

I have to have a PC for college ( cry ), I chose a Dell for reasons we don't really have to discuss now. I value your opinions because most of you are affluent in the tech world, so...

What do you think about getting a dock for my Dell notebook?

Have any of you used docking stations? Are they worth the money?

Phydeaux · 2005-10-09 9:50 pm

How many peripherals do you plan on using daily. Now weekly.

In addition, in your class and other activities schedule, how often inbetween things do you go back to your room?

vaeaglesfan · 2005-10-09 11:13 pm

The only peripherals I plan on using are a keyboard, mouse, speakers and a printer.

Four out of seven days in a week, I'm out of my room with my notebook from 8:00am to about 1:00pm. I don't really go back to my room in that time interval.

When I do go back to my room I'm on my computer most of the rest of the day doing homework and other things.

Phydeaux · 2005-10-09 11:47 pm

vaeaglesfan wrote:
The only peripherals I plan on using are a keyboard, mouse, speakers and a printer.

Four out of seven days in a week, I'm out of my room with my notebook from 8:00am to about 1:00pm. I don't really go back to my room in that time interval.

When I do go back to my room I'm on my computer most of the rest of the day doing homework and other things.

Are the printer, keyboard and mouse all USB or are the latter two PS/2?

Because if they're all USB, I'd just get a usb dock that I can rip one cord out instead of three when I want to get moving.

Otherwise, without many, many peripherals, or an external monitor et al, I don't see the point in it.

resedit · 2005-10-10 6:15 am

Get the dock.

1) Plugged into my dock - Powered USB hub for: full size wireless mouse, USB cable for my external hard drive (usually not plugged in), my USB key, USB card reader.

2) Serial sync cable for my calculator

3) Power Adapter

(my printer is reached via wireless network)

Thus - in my laptop bag, small hub, small wired mouse, usb sync cable for calculator, 2nd power adapter.

The dock lets me leave all tha other stuff in my laptop bag when I get home - all I have to is put the laptop on the dock, and the other peripherals can just stay in the bag.

Last edited by resedit (2005-10-10 6:18 am)

vaeaglesfan · 2005-10-10 11:51 am

Hmmm....

So maybe I should just get the port adaptor, not the stand. I don't really need my lap top propped up to view the screen. If I got just a hub or port adaptor, I wouldn't use a keyboard, maybe a mouse, though.

The Dell dock (dock, port adaptor, keyboard and mouse) is $242, which I think is pricey, but I haven't shopped around and looked at other prices.

Decisions to make...

spike · 2005-10-10 12:03 pm

my sisters hard drive just "fell out" of her dell lap top. I didn't even know that could happen. Beware.

mr.exlax · 2005-10-10 7:29 pm

When Plaz and I get to the Whitehouse in 2024 this is the kind of smurf we're going to ban.

Last edited by mr.exlax (2005-10-10 7:30 pm)

resedit · 2005-10-11 11:25 am

spike wrote:
my sisters hard drive just "fell out" of her dell lap top. I didn't even know that could happen. Beware.

I don't know how Dell does it - but on my IBM, the only way that could happen is if some screws came loose on the bottom that hold the cover over the drive bay. Then the screws that hold the drive in would also have to come loose.

I suspect in your sisters case, it was a goofup on the production line - and either all the screws weren't put in, or they were put in loosely.

vaeaglesfan · 2005-10-11 6:48 pm

It's the same with my Dell. While it's not as sturdy as my iBook was, I definitely think it's worth the cost. The same specifications plus warranty would have cost me over $2000 if I had gotten a ThinkPad, which in my opinion is supreme in the PC notebook world.

Moses · 2005-10-11 10:43 pm

All I know is that I cannot lift my mom's Dell laptop with one hand. it is like 8 lbs.

vaeaglesfan · 2005-10-12 9:48 pm

I think Dell's get a bad rap. My Latitude is light enough to life with three fingers.

TheUltimateMacUser · 2005-10-13 9:33 am

spike wrote:
my sisters hard drive just "fell out" of her dell lap top. I didn't even know that could happen. Beware.

Some Dells (Inspiron 7500 is one that comes to mind) just have the HD in a bay in the bottom of the laptop, the bay is held smurf by some plastic clips, these clips have a tendency to get brittle with age...

Forums | MacLife

#1 2005-10-09 9:42 pm

Dock for my notebook

#2 2005-10-09 9:50 pm

Re: Dock for my notebook

#3 2005-10-09 11:13 pm

Re: Dock for my notebook

#4 2005-10-09 11:47 pm

Re: Dock for my notebook

vaeaglesfan wrote:

#5 2005-10-10 6:15 am

Re: Dock for my notebook

#6 2005-10-10 11:51 am

Re: Dock for my notebook

#7 2005-10-10 12:03 pm

Re: Dock for my notebook

#8 2005-10-10 7:29 pm

Re: Dock for my notebook

#9 2005-10-11 11:25 am

Re: Dock for my notebook

spike wrote:

#10 2005-10-11 6:48 pm

Re: Dock for my notebook

#11 2005-10-11 10:43 pm

Re: Dock for my notebook

#12 2005-10-12 9:48 pm

Re: Dock for my notebook

#13 2005-10-13 9:33 am

Re: Dock for my notebook

spike wrote:

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