I am planning to buy another Dell come October (when Windows 7 launches).

I do these with my notebook:

1. use it at the office – Microsoft Office applications, python programming, Oracle programming

2. use it at home – processing raw digital photographs

I will be looking for these not too common features:

1. 7200rpm (or faster) hard disks

There are too many times on my Inspiron 640m when nothing happens for a while after I click on something. Instead I see the 5400rpm hard disk light blinking rapidly. A 5400rpm hard disk is a time-waster.

2. 500GB hard disk

I am outgrowing my 160GB hard disk already. My photos will only continue to grow and so will my work files. An external hard disk is an option but I prefer it all in one compact notebook.

3. 2 partitions

I currently have 2 partitions on my 160GB hard disk:

80GB for the operating system and work files

80GB for downloads, photographs and back up

Having 2 partitions is essential for disk management – I can defragment them, run check disk, make disk image copy separately.

With a bigger capacity hard disk, partitioning is even more important. Sadly, Dell does not offer many partitioning choices in the past and seem to have stopped offering them at all lately.