Running SL on a Dell E6400

I got a new computer today - Dell latitude 6400. the graphics card is a Mobile intel GMA X4500 and now SL runs at slower than snail pace.. can't type, can't move, can't load my inventory. Is there any hope for me? Can I get it to run?

That's an onboard graphics chip, not an actual card. Upgrading that might help, but it might not. It all depends on the rest of the specs of your new laptop, really. More matters than just the graphics chip.

Other specs, please?

2GB RAM
150GB HD
Intel (R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU P8600 @2.4Ghz

Send it back to Dell. You need a machine with a real graphics card in it, or SL will always run badly.

From the specs you listed, it looks like you got the $949 model? Just so you know, Dell does not offer the best bang for the buck these days, far from it in fact. They haven't had many good deals, comparatively speaking, for several years now.

My two favorite laptop makers are ASUS and Malibal. Malibal's probably out of your price range, as they start around $1500. But ASUS, as the only laptop maker in the world who designs and manufactures their own motherboards and their own graphics cards, is able to offer a feature per dollar ratio that blows just about everyone else out of the water. They make really fantastic laptops.

For roughly that same amount as that Dell, you could get an ASUS with way better specs, across the board. Check out this one, for example, for $999:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220489

Specs compare with the Dell as follows:

* Discrete 1GB GeForce 9650 instead of that silly integrated Intel GMA
* Same resolution screen, but 1" larger (15.4" instead of 14.1" Plus, ASUS tends to use significantly nicer panels than Dell.
* Same CPU, but clocked slightly faster (2.4GHz instead of 2.24GHz)
* Double the RAM (4GB instead of 2GB)
* About double the RAM speed, since it's dual channel. Dell's only giving you one stick, which is bizarre.
* Double the hard drive size (320GB instead of 160GB)
* 33% faster hard drive (7200RPM instead of 5400RPM)
* HDMI port (It gives you one less USB port in order to have room for the HDMI port, but you can always plug in a USB hub if you need more ports.)
* 8-in-1 card reader instead of 5-in-1
* Bluetooth, fingerprint reader, integrated webcam, carrying case, and USB mouse, all included (Dell charges extra for each and every one of these.)
* Accidental damage warranty included (Dell charges $150 extra for this.)
* Zero dead pixel guarantee (Dell does not offer this at all.)

As you can see, in every single category, ASUS is giving you much better specs than Dell, in the same price range. The only reason to keep the Dell would be if you really, really, really want the machine to be slightly physically smaller. If you feel that's worth getting stuck with that crappy Intel GMA and all those other worse components than what you'd get with the ASUS, by all means keep the Dell. Otherwise, return the thing, and get the ASUS.

My girlfriend actually has almost the same ASUS machine, just a slightly older model (N50Vn-X1), and it runs SL very, very well.

I got my XPS 1530 red for 900USD tax/shipping and all with an Nvidia 8600M NEW not re furbished , they still have deals

ASUS are nice yep...

but I have all the finger print etc as well only difference is the accident warranty yep its 150 and I did not get it.... knock on wood!

and the HDMI port into the 42" plasma ROCKS!!!! SL never looked so real!

No too much you can do, SL is graphics hungry these days. One thing you can try if you do not want to swap your laptop for a model with better graphics is to try running a pre-windlight viewer that is less graphics hungry. It will still be slow but you should be able to at least use it. I use Cool Viewer on my Netbook that has Intel GMA950 graphics and it runs just about, so it should work for you too. You can get the pre-windlight version of Cool Viewer here : http://my.opera.com/boylane/blog/