Here's the configuration I might go with:
$1,829.52 after $150 off with free shipping and 1%.
1) Intel Celeron 600MHz CPU
2) 14.1" XGA TFT Display
3) Tahoe Blue QuickSnap? Color Insert
4) 64MB, SDRAM, 1 DIMM
5) 10GB Ultra ATA Hard Drive
6) 26.5 WHr Lithium-Ion Battery with ExpressCharge
7) No additional battery
8) 8X Max Variable DVD-ROM Drive
9) No zip drive
10) Internal 56K Capable V.90 + 10/100 Mini-PCI Combo
11) 1 Yr. Next Business Day On-Site Parts&Labor
12) No network adapter
13) Microsoft® Windows® 98 Second Edition
14) Norton Antivirus® 2000
15) Microsoft® Works Suite 2000 with Money 2000 Standard
16) No internet access service
17) No carrying case
18) No recommended product bundle
19) No external speakers/keyboard/mouse/monitor
Specific points of interest:
1) Considering this will not be my primary PC I don't need a superfast machine and I am not into gaming. Plus the Pentium III 600 uses more battery power, creates more heat and oh yeah costs more. So going with the Celeron 600 I think is a no brainer.
2) This is also a no brainer I have heard that the 14.1" XGA TFT Display is crisp, clear and beautiful. This is better than the 12.1 display on cheaper models, right? Let's just hope I don't experience the space bar rubbing against the display problem.
3) I'm confused there are two options. Do I have to pay an extra $19 for a color insert or is it free? I checked the second option making my color insert free I think. I read some posts that the blue is kinda purple-like so I would have preferred green which is not an option. How blue is the blue? Should I just keep the standard midnight grey? Style is not a major concern of mine but I don't want to ashamed of the color of my laptop's insert.
4) Will 128MB PC100 RAM work in this laptop? I picked some up from OfficeMax.com a few weeks ago for $64.99 after coupon/rebate with free shipping. If I don't add RAM for a while will I be able to run Windows 98: SE, IE 5.5, ICQ, AIM, and Outlook 2000 at the same time on 64MB RAM?
5) I chose 10GB because 6GB seems just way to small. I heard that a full install of Windows 98: SE with all of Dell's extra goodies takes up about 600MB? Who would need a 10GB and why would you get one? I'm not really into MP3s but I might download some web pages to my laptop for offline viewing but that's only a few hundred MB. If I were to get the 6GB hard drive instead of the 10GB how would you spend that $100 savings considering my configuration?
6) I fly about once every two years so battery life isn't terribly important to me. I would like to have at least 2.5-3 hours of battery life per full charge. How much time does the 26.5 WHr Lithium-Ion Battery give you? What about with DVD playback?
8) Is the DVD playback decent on the Inspiron 4000 considering my CPU, the graphics card and display? I'm looking foward to seeing DVD movies on this crisp beautiful display.
10) Is this the right option if I want both an internal 56k modem and 10/100 Ethernet card to hookup to my home's DSL local area network? There is a more expensive option but I was hoping this cheaper solution is just as good and doesn't have any compatibility conflicts with Windows 98: SE, 56k dial up, and DSL. Which combo should I get and why?
11) PCWorld loves everything Dell and so do I. Considering laptops are a lot more vulnerable and exposed to possible hazards, would it be wise to upgrade to a warranty? Or would it just be throwing away money? Which warranty should I get and why? I live in Portland, Oregon USA if that matters.
12) I shouldn't need a network adapter since I already have that covered (see #10).
13) Microsoft® Windows® 98 Second Edition is the operating system I have selected.
14) Norton Antivirus® 2000 - You can never be to paranoid.
15) Microsoft® Works Suite 2000 with Money 2000 Standard - it would be nice to have Office 2000 but it isn't worth the added cost since this isn't going to be my primary machine and I already have MS Office 2000 Pro on my home machine.
16) No thanks to AOL plus you need Windows ME, and no thanks to Dell Net. DSL beats them both hands down.
17) Remember those free Kensington carrying cases? I'll probably use that.
18) Is this worth it? Travel Bundle includes: Deluxe Nylon case, Kensington SonicLock Motion-Detecting Notebook Alarm and Kensington SmartSockets Portable Surge Protector. [$99]
19) Don't need any of these since they're all on my home machine. I just hope that the keyboard/touch pad are easy to use.