Dell has a fever, prescribes Core 2 Duo updates to XPS and E1705 laptops

As expected, Dell is throwing a whole bunch of Core 2 Duo "Merom" processors into their existing laptop models: the XPS M2010, M1710 and M1210, along with the Inspiron E1705. All three XPS lapsters now offer your choice between a T7200, T7400 and T7600 Core 2 Duo processor, while the E1505 loses the T7600 option but holds onto a pair of Core Duo choices. The XPS units will be starting at $3,500, $2,300 and $1,200 respectively, while the E1705 bottoms out the collection at $1,124. Dell is promising Core 2 Duo updates for the Inspiron E1515 and E1405 later this week, with the Latitude D820, D620 and D520 to follow next week.

[Thanks, Devin and Zach]

Read - XPS M2010
Read - XPS M1710
Read - XPS M1210
Read - Inspiron E1705

[kaindragoon @ Aug 28th 2006 12:03PM]

I think you made a few mistakes.

"...while the E1505 loses the T7600 option but holds onto a pair of Core Duo choices." It's the E1705.

"Dell is promising Core 2 Duo updates for the Inspiron E1515 and E1405 later this week, with the Latitude D820, D620 and D520 to follow next week." It's the E1505 not the E1515.

Not sure abot anything else...

[Adam A @ Aug 28th 2006 12:17PM]

... and the only cure is more cowbell.

[unimog @ Aug 28th 2006 12:38PM]

Dell is charging a $270 premium on the E1705 for the core 2

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T7200 (4MB Cache/2.00GHz/667MHz FSB) [add $270 or $8/month1]

COUGH.

I thought these were going to be the same price a the yonah chips?

Though dell has a history of overpriced 'options'. They charge $149 for an XP pro upgrade from xp home when most other vendors charge $60.

[M. Rod Von Hugenstein @ Aug 28th 2006 1:03PM]

I think you'll find that "upgrades" are where Dell makes up for selling $499 laptops, and $299 desktops. While you can buy machines at that price, they are nearly unusable, and with a few minor upgrades, end up costing about the same, as a comparable machine from another vendor.

I'm not a huge fan of Dell, but if I had a choice of building my own PC, or buying one from Dell for a reasonable amount, I'd choose the Dell since it will probably work out of the box.

[kaindragoon @ Aug 28th 2006 1:04PM]

The price difference when upgrading from a Core Duo E2400 (1.83GHz):

Core Duo E2500 (2.00GHz) $80
Core 2 Duo T7200 (2.00GHz) $135

Core Duo E2600 (2.16GHz) $260
Core 2 Duo T77400 (2.16GHz) $405

Remember that:

1. Intel is charging the same for Core Duos and Core 2 Duos of the same clock speed.

2. The first wave of Core 2 Duos are compatible with existing Core Duo architectures.

Dell is forcing it's customers to pay a premium to upgrade to a Core 2 Duo rather than a Core Duo of the same speed even when there is no additional cost to them.

[garbuckle @ Aug 28th 2006 1:38PM]

Yes... if you look at the upgrade options for the M90 (note the M90 and M65 also get Core 2 Duo's), you'll see that the Core Duo and Core 2 Duo are the same price:

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=04&kc=6W300&l=en&oc=m90min&s=bsd

[kaindragoon @ Aug 28th 2006 2:09PM]

I stand corrected. I got the numbers for the Core Duo from a Latitude but apparently each model has different upgrade costs. In fact, they have different cost for each build of the same model. Consider the Inspiron E1505, to upgrade from the T2050 to the T2400 cost $135 for the Base System and Music and Photos models but costs $150 for the Ultimate Entertainment.

The Precision's numbers only apply to the Precision (though it appears Dell really rips you off if you are getting a Precision with a CPU upgrade) and the Latitude's numbers only apply to the Latitude. There are no good examples but in general for Non-XPS Inspirons, the upgrade from T2400 to T2500 is anywhere from $80-$100, which is still less than the cost from T2400 to T7200.

[Alex @ Aug 28th 2006 5:08PM]

Wow, nice. Those lying, kniving feinds -- I chatted with their XPS reps yesterday and they said Core 2 Duo laptops WOULDN'T be released today. Looks like they are, though.

[nb @ Aug 28th 2006 5:14PM]

i got a core duo from them CHEAP, but what's up w/all the mistakes in this article?

[Sushi Boi @ Aug 28th 2006 9:55PM]

does anyone know when these chips are comin to australia.. coz dell.com.au hasnt been updated to 'sell' core 2 duo's

[Gene @ Aug 29th 2006 4:32AM]

Amazing!!!

[nephster @ Aug 29th 2006 6:02AM]

Anyone any idea when Europe will be getting these? Dell Ireland just told me "September - we think"

[Kevin @ Sep 3rd 2006 10:12AM]

Should i buy an e1705 or the hp 9000t with core 2 duo? both machines will be maxed out. thanks

[wil_hunt2007 @ Jan 27th 2009 4:44AM]

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