Looking for Advice - X3i or h4150??

[shawnc]

I'm hoping for a pro's / con's (without the flame war) opinion on the Dell wireless entry (X3i?) vs the HP 4150. I currently own a Dell X5 and love it except I have tired of the form factor (it's simply to heavy) and lack of wireless. I have previously owned an ipaq 3650. Here's what I have come up with:

Point 1:
4150 form factor. Slightly less weight and does not have that unattractive "stub" antenna protruding from the top of the device. My concern is that the stub provides a better wireless experience. Any truth to that? Also, I really like the way my X5 looks (other than the size) but I think Dell took a step backwards on the x3. Even if the weight were equal (and they virtually are), I just think the 4150 looks better.

Point 2:
I have NEVER used BT and have little appreciation for the advantages it provides. I'm a Sprint customer and they don't have ANY BT phones, so connectivity in that way is not an option for me. However, when I brought my X5 I didn't think wireless was important to me. Now I'm sorry I didn't spend the extra bucks and invest in wireless. Any thoughts on whether I'll regret not making BT a requirement 6 months from now?

Point 3:
The 4150 seems to have a MUCH better suite of installed software. Maybe the reviews I've read have been faulty because I didn't think there was much difference between manufacturers in what they included. If I've read the reveiws correctly, the extra software negates the Dell price advantage (IMO).

Point 4:
This is not a really big deal, more of an annoyance. I'm pretty pissed that my $100 dell keyboard is worthless if I go with the x3i. I'm in grad school and the 1st accessory that I'll buy is a keyboard. It's a must-have for me.

Point 5:
In reading through various posts, I get the impression that 128mb is what I should be looking for. I don't profess to understand the significance of ram/rom. I have a couple of sd cards for mp3 files. The number of contacts I have likely pales in comparision to most of the readers of this site and I usually store my ebooks on sd as well. I think 64md is PLENTY for me, but again, I don't want to be in a position of regret in 6 months.

If it sounds like I'm leaning toward the 4150, it's beacuse I am. But this is a big decision for me and I would really appreciate any thoughts or suggestions on which direction I should go in. Especially from current 4150 or x3i (assuming it has been released) owners.

Thanx,

[Jason Dunn]

I have both and while the X3i is a very nice device, the form-factor of the 4150 just can't be beat. I get excellent WiFi reception with it, so don't believe that rumour.

[Palmguy]

Wifi reception and battery life are great on the 4150.

[bgate]

I have the 4150 and agree, it is the best! I waited until the vaulted next gen Dell was anounced and was very disappointed-no BT. I know you say that you don't have much interest in it-but BT will be the defacto of the future (IMHO). The unit will have staying power and resale value (ebay awaits).

[shawnc]

I know you say that you don't have much interest in it-but BT will be the defacto of the future (IMHO). The unit will have staying power and resale value (ebay awaits).

bgate - thats exactly what I'm concerned about. I didn't have much interest in wifi either and quickly realized my mistake. I don't want to make the same mistake twice with regards to BT.

Thanx to all for the advice. Based on the your feedback, it looks like it's the 4150.

[shawnc]

I have both and while the X3i is a very nice device, the form-factor of the 4150 just can't be beat. I get excellent WiFi reception with it, so don't believe that rumour.

JD,

Thanx for the information. I was going to post and ask if anyone from PPCT had done a review on the 4150. I thought it was odd that my search did not come up with anything. Then I found out something rather astonishing. You are more likely to get a hit with the search feature if you use if correctly :oops: . After changing my criteria, I found all the information that I needed.

I've been on the fence about subscribing to the site for a couple of months now since I find myself using my Axim less and less these days. Then I decided to wait and see if I pick up a new PPC. But after thinking about it more, the bottom line is that you and your team do a helluva job with this site. And whether I decide to upgrade to the 4150 or not, I will be subscribing over the next few days.

Just wanted to say again, keep up the good work.