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[Spike Spiegel]

Checking out NOW...

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/category.aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=19&category_id=4058

I need help deciding. They're both free upgrades with my Dimension 5100 order. Both flat panel LCDs. One's 19", and the other's 17". One's an analog, and the other's digital. One has USB ports, the other's got bupkus. One's worth $379, the other's worth $349. Other than that, they look pretty much the same to me.

Am I better off with the bigger screen, or the [buzzword]digital[/buzzword] one?

First 5-10 serious posts will make my decision for me. I'll save my cart for now.

 

[Matlock]

I'd go with the 2005FPW--it's going to be around $450 with the package (I think), but the fact it's a really nice 20.1 inch widesecreen LCD helps it out quite a bit.

edit (not mine) for a pic

 

[Spike Spiegel]

Option A or B, please, not C thru Z.


I'm already spending more money on this new PC than I wanted to, I'm not going beyond the "free" boundaries on this monitor.

 

[Matlock]

Blast! Then I'd go with the 17", then. It's pretty big in its own right, and the ultrasharp is nice.

 

[Mashing]

I'd just like to say Dell makes some nice flat panels.... when their power supplys aren't crapping out that is.

Nice sharp image though, I love mine at work.

But I love my Samsung SyncMaster 193P... what a sexy bitch it is

 

[Matlock]

I'd just like to say Dell makes some nice flat panels....

Spoiler

Samsung is one of Dell's suppliers for flat panel monitors

 

[itschris]

I have the 17" one, and it's great. I haven't seen the 19" to compare, but the image quality is excellent. Since the other one is analog only, I recommend the 17", unless the larger screen size is really important to you.

 

[Mashing]

Oh, I didn't know that.

 

[Spike Spiegel]

Done! Meet my new PC (well, not now... 2 weeks from now I guess).

DIMENSION 5100 SERIES

- Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 521 w/HT Technology (2.80GHz,800FSB)
- Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition
- Memory: 256MB DDR2 SDRAM at 400MHz (1x256M)
- Keyboard: Dell USB Keyboard
- Monitors: FREE UPGRADE! 17 inch Ultrasharp™ 1704FPT Digital Flat Panel
- Video Cards: 128MB PCI Express™ x16 (DVI/VGA/TV-out) ATI Radeon X300 SE HyperMemory
- Hard Drives: 80GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM)
- Floppy Drive and Media Reader: No Floppy Drive Included
- Mouse: Dell Optical USB Mouse
- Network Interface: Integrated Intel® PRO 10/100 Ethernet
- Modem: 56K PCI Data Fax Modem
- Adobe Software: Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 6.0
- CD or DVD Drive: Single Drive: 48x CD-RW / DVD-ROM Combo Drive
- Sound Card: Integrated Audio with Dolby Digital 7.1 capability
- Speakers: Dell A215 Speakers
- Office Productivity Software: No Productivity Suite - Corel WordPerfect® word processor only
- Security Software: No Security Subscription
- Digitial Music: Musicmatch® Jukebox Basic
- Digital Photography: Photo Album™ SE Basic
- Limited Warranty, Services and Support Options: No Extended Service, Support or Ltd Warranty
- Internet Access Service: 6 Months of America Online Membership Included
- Miscellaneous: Award Winning Service and Support
- Financial Software: No QuickBooks package selected- Includes limited use trial

Unit Price $969.00
Dell Home Customers: Save $150 instantly off the Dell Dimension 5100! - $150.00

TOTAL:$819.00

I need to give my Alumni Association a phonecall early tomorrow morning; the code they gave me for my 10% discount didn't work, and the extension I'm supposed to call at Dell doesn't work either. Hopefully, I can get another $80 knocked off that sticker price for my troubles.

 

[ChennehCis]

I'm too late, but I have an older Samsung SyncMaster 175v and because of it's 25ms response time, I see some ghosting especially when playing my XB on my monitor through my TV Tuner card.

Make sure you AT LEAST get 16 ms response time with your new monitor, 12 preferably. Anything lower than 12 is good (Samsung 915N, 8ms, wtf)

[edit] just googled your monitor, you have 12 ms, good for you

 

[Hooker]

Should have gotten more RAM

 

[Wraith]

Aren't the ultrasharps 20-25ms refreshes? That's why I had a tough time deciding between the E193FP and the 1905FP. Supposedly, the 1905FP shows pretty noticeable ghosting. I'm not sure if the 17" does also.

 

[CaptainABAB]

You know about this sale, right....?

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050815-5209.html

30% off a $999+ Dimension desktop. Expires 8/18/05 at 5:59AM Central or after 7000 redemptions. Use code: QRZ9BG7$6CDB0S DIMENSION DESKTOP DEALS

 

[Shogmaster]

Should have gotten more RAM

From OEM? Are you nuts? Even Nintendo and Mac fanboys can install more DIMMs. I'd even go as far as taking the RAM config all the way down, and putting in the RAM from newegg myself.

Edit: It seems like that's exactly what he is doing. Smart man.

 

[Spike Spiegel]

Pretty much, yeah. The RAM is something I can always get somewhere else and install later myself, if I find that I need it. I tried not to add anything that I can pick up elsewhere when I need it; the only things I added to the base package were the mouse, the CDR/DVD combo drive, and the speakers (speakers? why are speakers not part of the base package?!?).

I tried to get them to downgrade the HDD to 40GB (I have an 80GB already) too, but they told me they can't do that with this model. Could've saved me more money; now I'm stuck paying for an extra 40GB I don't need.

 

[marsomega]

Pretty much, yeah. The RAM is something I can always get somewhere else and install later myself, if I find that I need it. I tried not to add anything that I can pick up elsewhere when I need it; the only things I added to the base package were the mouse, the CDR/DVD combo drive, and the speakers (speakers? why are speakers not part of the base package?!?).

I tried to get them to downgrade the HDD to 40GB (I have an 80GB already) too, but they told me they can't do that with this model. Could've saved me more money; now I'm stuck paying for an extra 40GB I don't need.

You will find that you will need the extra ram. No if's, and's, or but's about it. Start searching around crucial or new egg right now.

DIMENSION 5100 SERIES

- Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 521 w/HT Technology (2.80GHz,800FSB)
- Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition
- Memory: 256MB DDR2 SDRAM at 400MHz (1x256M)
- Keyboard: Dell USB Keyboard
- Monitors: FREE UPGRADE! 17 inch Ultrasharp™ 1704FPT Digital Flat Panel
- Video Cards: 128MB PCI Express™ x16 (DVI/VGA/TV-out) ATI Radeon X300 SE HyperMemory

There is the reason why. The 128MB X300 SE HyperMemory card only comes with 32MB of real local frame buffer memory. Looking at the amount of ram on the machine, you're really just going to have 128MB all to yourself. Can you really manage with just 128MMB of ram? Have you any idea how much Windows XP Home Edition is going to eat up itself?

 

[Hooker]

That was the reason why I mentioned it.



And, assuming your MB supports it, you can't run it in dual channel as it's impossible to get matched pairs now.