T60p 14" vs Dell M1210 12" Pro's and Cons?

[cybyte]

I'm debating between these 2 laptops. both of them can have a 256MB graphics card and the same amount of ram and processor speed. I am looking for something small and light I can bring with and type.

Which one is more powerful for gaming and which has better battery life?

I'm not sure about quality between the two. I don't see IBM's in stores nor do I see Dell's much.

I would be using the laptop for some older games such as command and conquer generals and maybe some newer games.

Portability and battery life are #1.

Edited to add. I see IBM has a 12.1" model as well, but only integrated video.
I also would like a nice crisp screen for typing and movies.

[pianowizard]

Welcome to the forum! First of all, I should warn you that most people here are biased against Dell laptops, so I strongly recommend you to ask this question on a more neutral forum, such as the one on NotebookReview.

I have never used the M1210 so I can't answer your questions from personal experience. But I am looking at this review of the M1210 and can give you my opinions based on that:

1) It says it's a successor to the Inspiron 710m. I owned an Inspiron 700m (almost identical to the 710m) for almost two years and it's one of my all-time favorite laptops. It was a very sturdy and reliable little machine. The T60 that I currently own is equally solid and reliable.

2) The M1210 is 4.4 lbs with the standard (i.e. smallest) battery, making it more portable than the T60p (5.2 to 5.5 lb with standard battery). Even with the 9-cell battery, the M1210 is still only 4.8 lbs, lighter than the T60p.

3) The M1210 has a smaller screen with fewer pixels (WXGA) than the T60p's SXGA+ screen, so the T60p offers a bigger working area for typing. But as far as watching movies, the two laptops give you comparable physical widths.

4) According to all the recent surveys, Lenovo offers better customer support than Dell. The difference is usually found to be not huge, but nonetheless statistically significant.

[cybyte]

The t60p with the 256meg video card says it comes with a 14.1 or 15" screen. But in the tech specs it only lists the 14" and 15.4" (wide screen I think?)

In real world what is the size difference between the dell 12.1" screen and the 14 or 15" standard screen of the T60p?

I don't need a wide screen, it makes them larger.

Does a larger screen use more battery power?

Do they both come with the slot to later put a card in for mobile broadband (whatever the current standard is?) My friend has a laptop and uses one of the cards. I don't want it internal, because I may or may not use it, and the technology changes for them I'm told.

[pianowizard]

In real world what is the size difference between the dell 12.1" screen and the 14 or 15" standard screen of the T60p?

12.1" widescreen: 6.41" x 10.26"
14.1" standard: 8.46" x 11.28"

I don't need a wide screen, it makes them larger.

This is a very common misconception about widescreens. It really depends on what you are comparing. Look at the above dimensions; a 12.1" widescreen is smaller than a 14.1" standard screen.

Does a larger screen use more battery power?

In general, yes.

Do they both come with the slot to later put a card in for mobile broadband (whatever the current standard is?)

If you're referring to the PCMCIA slot, yes.