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Dell Inspiron 545 Desktop Review

Monday, January 18th 2010

The Dell Inspiron 545 desktop is a simple and practical desktop computer. According to Dell it has everything you need and nothing you don’t. The Dell Inspiron 545 fits snugly in to the mid-to-low price range and includes a variety of design and performance features that make it a serious competitor when looking for a desktop that’s reasonably priced. The range of hard-drive options and the usual customizable features, along with the excellent support services offered by Dell make it a worthy contender for the title of best value-for-money desktop in its price range.

Build and Design

Dell offers a set of stunning choices in terms of customizing the design of your Dell Inspiron 545 desktop. You can choose from a selection of 8 vibrant, high-gloss colours that enable you to deck out your desktop and fully personalise your Dell Inspiron 545. This is Dell’s first desktop with a customizable chassis and really makes the product more aesthetically appealing if looking for an eye-catching desktop computer. The sleek and stylish design of the machine is modern and tidy, with all the messy bits fully enclosed in a hard, glossy and personalised casing. The Dell Inspiron 545 desktop is also light in weight, with clean lines and smooth surfaces making it appealing to those looking to save on space and minimise clutter in the home or office.

Performance

As far as performance goes the Dell Inspiron 545 desktop is about what you would expect for the price range. One big plus is the storage capacity of the Dell Inspiron 545, which outstrips its competitors and allows you to store more music, photos and videos using a single hard drive.  Get the most power out of your Dell Inspiron 545 desktop with the optional Intel Core 2 Quad processors and up to 8GB of RAM. The Dell Inspiron 545 is not the most powerful desktop computer on the market but it is certainly a respectable choice for those looking for a reliable, practical computer at an attractive price.

The Dell Inspiron 545 desktop has several entertainment and media features that will appeal to those looking for a general-use laptop with the power to process day-to-day media applications.  For example, transferring digital photos and music from your digital camera is even faster and easier on this desktop with a 19-in-1 media card reader. This is just one of the little added extras included in the Dell Inspiron 545 desktop that put it that little bit ahead of the competition.

The quality of graphics you experience with the Dell Inspiron 545 is only as good as your video card. The Dell Inspiron 545 desktop offers integrated Intel GMA 3100 graphics with the choice to upgrade to ATI Radeon HD 3650 256MB graphics which includes a useful HDMI output to allow you to connect your system to a television or LCD that is HDMI equipped.

Conclusion

The Dell Inspiron 545 desktop is a smart choice for a reasonably priced, reliable desktop. The main advantage the Dell Inspiron 545 has over its competitors is its performance and media capabilities, design customisability and the support services offered by Dell. By no means is the Dell Inspiron 545 the most powerful, performance-focused desktop computer on the market, but it is everything you would expect to get for its reasonable price. Basically, the Dell Inspiron is simple, attractive and practical. If you are looking for a home desktop computer equipped to handle your day-to-day media and computing needs, the Dell Inspiron 545 desktop will get it done: no fuss and minus the expensive price tag.

Written by Jessica Delaney.

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Dell XPS Desktops

Monday, January 18th 2010

Are you ready to take desktop gaming to the next level? The Dell XPS desktop range will allow you to create your own ultimate entertainment empire and ensure that you are always at the centre of the latest gaming action. Dell XPS desktops add that little bit of extra pleasure to your Dell desktop computer experience. With state-of-the-art features and the latest in graphics and computer technology you will be excited by the stunning image quality and the sturdy durability of these XPS desktops.

The sleek and sophisticated Studio XPS 8100 desktop is a great choice when shopping for a Dell XPS desktop. With optional Intel Turbo boosting technology and Hyper-threading you can really get serious about gaming. This XPS desktop isn’t just about style; every contour of its design is engineered for increased convenience and durability.

With mind-blowing gaming and entertainment the Dell Studio XPS 8100 offers a chance to immerse yourself in the world of 3D with a stereoscopic 3D gaming experience with NVIDIA® 3D VisionTM Active Shutter glasses, the Samsung SyncMaster 2233R2 22″ flat panel display, Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-Bit and NVIDIA GeForce GTS240 and GTX260 graphics. You have never experienced desktop gaming like this. This Dell XPS desktop truly goes above and beyond its competitors.

For those looking to up the ante even further, get your hands on a Dell XPS One 24 desktop computer. This awe-inspiring desktop computer from Dell is an all-in-one computer. Featuring PC, HDTV and DVD player with remote control, optional Intel Core 2 Quad processors, 24” HD screen and a single cord design, the Dell XPS One 24 desktop is a stunning, space saving, powerful gaming XPS desktop.

The Dell XPS One 24 does come with a heftier price tag than the Studio XPS 8100 but if you’re serious about getting the most out of your Dell desktop it’s definitely worth considering. The Intel processors on the Dell XPS One 24 are optimised for processor-intensive multimedia applications, making your system and the digital entertainment experience go further and faster than ever before.

Also included in this Dell XPS desktop is a fully customised wireless keyboard and mouse, integrated Wi-Fi networking and upgraded JBL speakers with an internal subwoofer. This XPS desktop will make your gaming fantasies come to life with intense sound and realistic graphics that literally leap from the screen.

In terms of support Dell offers excellent services on all notebooks and desktop computers. The Dell XPS desktops are no different. Dell XPS technicians all pass tough XPS product-specific training and support calls are usually answered within two minutes. Enjoy first-class service and support for your first-class gaming machine.

The Dell XPS desktop computers all feature cutting-edge technology and the latest in graphics and media applications. To experience the rush of genuine gaming, get your hands on a Dell XPS desktop. Once you’ve tried a Dell XPS desktop you’ll be left gagging for more, nothing compares to its sheer style and sturdy durability combined with amazing customisability and brutally powerful processors. Regular desktop computers just don’t compare to Dell XPS desktops.

Written by Jessica Delaney.

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Dell Adamo XPS – The World’s Thinnest Laptop

Wednesday, November 25th 2009

Dell has introduced the thinner version of the luxury laptop in its Adamo range, a 9.9mm Adamo XPS which is even thinner than a regular CD case. It is also thinner than its main competitor – Macbook Air. Design and portability of this laptop provide unique experience. As for the price, Dell has managed to bring the price of the Adamo XPS down but keeping the most of the luxury features inside.

Design

The profile of Dell Adamo XPS measures 9.9mm at its thinnest point and 330mm at its widest. It’s a bit heavier than its main competitor – 1.44 kg versus the MacBook Air’s 1.36 kg.

The unique feature of its design is that the Adamo XPS laptop can be opened only by rubbing the touch strip at the front edge of its lid. This distinguishes the Adamo XPS from others in the luxury ultraportable category. When opened, the body of the Adamo XPS is raised so the keyboard is angled.

There is a new font system for letters and numbers. The keyboard has full-sized keys, which feel very rich and provide excellent typing experience.

Features

The Dell Adamo XPS features a WLED screen which measures 13.4 inches (diagonal) and has 1366×768 resolution with 16:9 aspect ratio. DisplayPort connector is on the left side and a headphone jack is on the right side. Compare to its predecessor, there are only 2 USB 2.0 ports as opposed to 3 on the previous model.

The standard battery is a 4-cell, 20-WHr lithium-ion battery which is user-removable. According to Dell it runs for up to 2 hours 36 minutes with the standard battery and 5 hours 17 minutes with the optional ultraportable battery. In a standard configuration Dell Adamo XPS comes with 802.11a/g/n Wi-Fi, but there is an option for a Dell Bluethooth 2.1 adapter. Compare to the original Adamo, Adamo XPS laptop does not come with mobile broadband option and Ethernet port. The Adamo XPS has 4GB memory versus 2GB memory if compared to its main competitor – MacBook Air.

Components

The Adamo XPS laptop has an Ultra Low Voltage 1.4-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400 CPU and 4 Gbytes of DDR3 memory. The Adamo XPS comes with a 128-GB solid state drive. There is a possibility to upgrade for external 250-GB and 500-GB drives. There is no built-in optical drive available, however as an option you can get external DVD and Blu-ray burners. The Adamo XPS laptop comes with Windows 7 operating system.

Conclusion

The Adamo XPS can be considered as the hottest of the Windows 7 launch laptops with its exclusive design and portability. With the equivalent US price tag of £1000, this can be considered as good price for this luxury machine. As Dell claims, this machine will ‘inspire an emotional connection’ with anyone who sees it.

To find out more and explore the beauty of this machine click here: Dell Adamo XPS.

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Alienware M15x Laptop

Tuesday, November 24th 2009

Alienware M15x is an entirely new design and high performance gaming laptop from Alienware. The machine packs elements typically found solely in the largest of desktop replacements into a 15.4inch notebook that still manages to be practical on the road.

Build and Design:
Alienware M15x laptop is outstanding and ultra modern. The front of the M15x has the angular looks of the redesigned Chevy Camaro. The system has a nebula red finish, but it is also available in lunar shadow – silver and cosmic black. The red coloring only extends as far as the outer lid, sides and chassis, so the inside and front of the system is black.

The laptop is covered in gob of silky plastic with the entire unit being shiny and reflective. The majority of the surface is metallic silver, while only the area surrounding the lid bucks the trend with deep glossy black trim. Most of the bottom is made of an all-black metal alloy. The physical shape of the notebook is rather plain and has no radical curves. All the corners however are rounded off.

There are not any visible screws on Alienware M15x but on the customized aluminum nameplate that is placed on the underbelly of the beast. AlienFX lighting system is by far the most standout visual feature of the M15x laptop. Alienware managed to cram customizable color lights in several places, including the Alienware logo below the 15-inch (1920 x 1080-pixel resolution) display, along the touchpad, under the keyboard, on the Alienware head-shaped power button and even on the back of the lid (alien head). Each color zone is individual and can be changed to a rainbow of different colors. Alternatively, AlienFX can be turned off. There is no way to regulate the brightness of the lights. The consequence is that Alienware M15x laptop makes a very strong impression even before firing up a single game.

Keyboard and Touchpad:
M15x’s keyboard is both comfortable to type on and capable of withstanding the pounding delivered by avid gamers plus, it lights up! The backlighting not only looks cool, it is also ideal for those late night gaming sessions. Alienware M15x is one of the few notebooks available with a backlit keyboard. The keys all feel individual and have good travel – not too much and not too little. Unlike the larger M17x however, there is no number pad, so gamers will need to use other keys to store all macros in games such as World of Warcraft.

Touchpad on Alienware M15x laptop is large and flush with the wrist rest, except for a small glowing border; its honeycomb texture allows for swift finger glides across the surface. Touchpad buttons work ok but if you are playing a first-person shooter you might want to use a gaming mouse for quicker button presses.

Display and Audio:
Alienware M15x comes with a 15.6-inch with a WXGA+ (1440×900 pixels) clear view glossy display as standard and a matte WUXGA (1920×1200 pixels) as an upgrade. The screen offers pleasing picture quality for games, movies and general usage. The backlighting is generally even; there is slight leakage at the bottom but it is not noticeable when looking at anything but a pure black screen. Viewing angles are impressive. Side-to-side is near perfect as the picture does not distort and from above the picture is more than acceptable. From below there is some darkening and distortion but it is much better than average for an LCD.

The clarity of the display is good though a matte display typically does not match a glossy display in this area. Contrast levels are balanced and not overly flooded. Again, not quite as good as a glossy display but, unlike the glossy displays that are on the majority of notebooks, matte displays have no reflections and are much easier to clean.

Resolution is by far the most impressive aspect on the display as WUXGA is the highest available resolution on notebooks. The amount of screen real estate that this resolution offers is amazing and can greatly help productivity. The high resolution can also give gamers the edge in games where long distance viewing is important.

Alienware M15x comes with two tiny speakers located at the left and right corners of the notebook, below the display. Audio from the speakers is quite loud but there is no bass. However, sound separation between the two speakers is enough as to hear and anticipate enemies coming from either side when playing games.

Processor and Performance:
Following the redesign of its 17inch gaming notebook flagship, Alienware gave the same extreme makeover to the M15x gaming laptop. Not only does this monster has the same intimidating looks as the M17x but it is also outfitted with one of Intel’s lightning quick Core i7-720QM processors budding up with 4GB of DDR3 memory, a 64-bit copy of Windows 7 Ultimate and Nvidia’s, not quite top of the range GTX 260M. In fact the only let down is the 250GB hard disk, but even this makes up for its stingy capacity with its speed.

Alienware M15x is one seriously fast laptop. The Core i7-720QM’s default clockspeed of just 1.6GHz might not sound that quick on paper, but Intel’s Turbo Boost technology saves the day. Depending on how many of its four processing cores are in use, the machine is capable of ramping up the processor as far as 2.8GHz. The GTX 260M is not the fastest graphics chipset on the block but with a Core i7 behind it, it is still plenty fast enough for all but the most obsessive of gamers.

Operating System and Software:
Alienware M15x comes standard with Windows Vista Home Premium but is also comes with Vista Ultimate and XP Professional.

Ports and Webcam:
While Alienware M15x laptop has a good number of ports. On the left side of the unit are, a display port for digital video, VGA, Ethernet, a USB port, FireWire, HDMI, as well as a 4 in 1 memory card reader. On the right is an expresscard/ 54 slot, two headphone, microphone port, USB, and a USB/ eSATA combo port, which can recharge devices even when the M15x is turned off.

Unlike the M17x, the charging port is located on the left side of the M15x. To end with, the 2-megapixel webcam on the Alienware M15x turns a good choice.

Conclusion:
Alienware M15x laptop is one of the best gaming machines around. The machine is constituted of ultra high-performance components that typically, can only be found in the largest of desktop replacements. Battery life is good for a high performance gaming laptop.

Looks do not appeal to everyone of course, but anyone can admit the M15x laptop is like nothing else. Alienware put a lot of time and effort into this design and it shows. There are downsides to the machine: keyboard flexes some on the right side, screen is a bit wobbly, fans are louder than a typical notebook at full load, speakers are unimpressive and, it costs a lot. Unless price is a barrier, I do not view any of the cons as deal breakers.

In short, Alienware M15x laptop is ideal to anyone looking for a near perfect blend of reasonable portability and powerful performance. This machine is in a class of its own. Alienware unquestionably has a winner on their hands with the M15x.

Pros:
•    Fabulous gaming performance: packs power typically only found in large 17inch desktop replacements into a slim 15.4inch form factor
•    Great battery life for a gaming notebook: two graphics cards give the best of both worlds – integrated for battery life, and dedicated for performance. Standard battery life is about 2.5 hours and with the Smart Bay battery, 4 to 5 hours are possible
•    Stealth mode keeps the M15x notebook silent
•    Ability to transform from a high-performance gaming laptop to a practical on the go companion
•    Sleek, striking design and AlienFX customizable lighting
•    Smart Bay functionality: can be used for an optical drive, extra battery or another hard drive
•    Beautiful display: high-resolution WUXGA screen is a gem
•    Nice keyboard: it is backlit, plus it feels great
•    Wide variety of ports
•    Available with Blu-ray and Windows XP

Cons:
•    The price: adding options brings up the price quickly
•    Keyboard flexes on the bottom right side around the arrow keys
•    Touchpad is not the best – too slippery and scroll zones are visually undefined
•    The screen wobbles – it should have stiffer hinges
•    The speakers are unimpressive – more volume and bass would be nice
•    Fans at full load are louder than expected
•    Touch controls are subpar: volume slider is not responsive and others require too much pressure

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Dell Studio Hybrid Desktop

Wednesday, November 18th 2009

Dell Studio Hybrid desktop computer is worthy of serious consideration, particularly if you are looking for a tiny media centre computer PC. Dell’s latest endeavour, the Dell Studio Hybrid desktop is part of the Studio range, which ships in standard ATX, slimline and small form factor appearance. The PC is perhaps the most interesting of the trio, thanks to its unusual styling, attractive price tag (price from £349) as well as its strong, according to Dell, eco credentials.

Build and Design

The Studio Hybrid is a small and attractive desktop computer. It approximately has the size of a hardcover novel, a good bit thicker and heavier though. Dell Studio Hybrid would not look out of place in a living room, media room, bedroom, or even in the kitchen.  In fact, the only place it would seem out of place is an office, simply because it looks great.

Dell’s Studio Hybrid’s exterior can be customised according to your style and needs. It is available in emerald green, quartz pink, ruby red, topaz orange, sapphire blue, black leather, brown leather and a bamboo finish. Each one comes with a removable perspex sleeve that is tinted slightly to match the colour of the chassis. Budding designers can experiment with different colour schemes by buying additional sleeves for £29.

Dell managed to pack all the technology into the petite enclosure by using mostly notebook components.  This is certainly not new (HP TouchSmart line or even Dell’s own all in one, the XPS One come in mind), but it means that the system is less powerful than traditional desktops. Dell’s Studio Hybrid is not a computer designed to play the newest PC games. However, this is not a problem as Studio Hybrid is a desktop computer that manages to be capable enough while maintaining an attractive footprint.

According to Dell, Studio Hybrid Desktop is the producer’s greenest consumer desktop PC. The packaging itself is composed of 95 percent recyclable materials and contains 5 percent less printed documentation by weight when compared to typical tower desktops. Dell also claims that the machine consumes about 70 percent less power than a typical desktop and meets energy star 4.0 standards thanks to its 87 percent efficient power supply.

Inputs and Expansion

Studio Hybrid desktop has a startling number of ports for a compact system. At the front and across the optical disc slot is the SD card reader. Under that there are two USB2.0 ports and a headphone jack. At the back there are three more USB2.0 ports, a FireWire port as well as a jack for the gigabit network card. Additionally, there are audio line in and line out ports, digital S/P DIF out, DVI-I out and HDMI out. The last three are predictable additions, given Dell’s marketing efforts to present the product as a potential media centre/ HTPC. In the same vein, the FireWire and USB ports could be useful for attaching additional storage space, since there is not enough room in the case for a second drive.

When it comes to upgrades, there are not a lot of supported upgrades you could make to the Studio Hybrid Desktop. RAM and hard drive are easy ones while you could possibly upgrade the CPU with another notebook processor if you had a steady hand.  Besides, the Studio Hybrid comes with the option to add a Blu-Ray drive. This is an expected addition when it comes to the entertainment centre.

Performance

Despite its size, Dell’s Studio Hybrid is a good performance PC. Its Core 2 Duo T3200 CPU achieves a solid 3,657 in PCMark 2005, pointing out that it is notably quicker than the Eee Box (1,407), the Advent Eco PC (3,310) and the Shuttle x27D (2,035). Graphics are not particularly impressive, however. It turns in a 3DMark 2006 score of 539, so if you are a gamer, you should probably look for Dell’s gaming laptops or desktops computers.

If you are considering of using Dell’s Studio Hybrid as a Media Centre, there are some good news for you; Studio Hybrid desktop stays cool and runs quietly. The last thing anyone wants is a loud, obnoxious desktop PC drowning out the dialogue while watching a favourite movie.

Conclusion

Studio Hybrid’s unique design holds plenty of appeal. It is a very stylish machine that would look great almost anywhere. Compared to other desktop computers in its small-scale legion, Dell’s entry is actually one of the best equipped. If aesthetic is your chief concern, Dell Studio Hybrid will reward you with its great design and respectable computing power.

Comparatively to standard desktop computers Studio Hybrid is not a very powerful machine. However, Studio Hybrid is not a standard desktop computer and comparing it thusly does not do the system justice. The machine manages to be capable enough to let you get work done while enjoying high definition content. On the other hand, Studio Hybrid has some annoying shortcomings that, had Dell changed the way it was designed, would make it absolutely stellar.  In later revisions of the Hybrid line, it would be great if Dell was to offer a model with both discrete and integrated graphics, and the ability to switch between the two.  That way it could still be energy efficient and maintain the ability to be a graphical powerhouse.

Despite its small issues, Dell Studio Hybrid is a very attractive machine, ideal for style-conscious consumers looking for a media centre PC or energy efficient desktop system. It is more expensive than nettops suck as Eee Box or Eee Top and it is difficult to upgrade yourself but, the fact that you can customize it to your specific needs makes it a worthwhile proposition.

Explore the choice at: Dell Studio Hybrid Desktop

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Desire or Admire? Discover Adamo by Dell

Tuesday, November 10th 2009

Dell Adamo notebooks fall into the luxury range of Dell’s laptops and netbooks and represent the high-end, ultra-thin laptops that will impress you with design and quality. This range of laptops is aimed at luxury-conscious consumers. The design and features of this laptop will make you fall in love with this machine at first sight. It is elegant in its thin profile and the ultra-thin screen with a 13.4-inche diagonal, is impressive due to its reduced edges and its glass surface. It comes in two different designs, silver or black – The Adamo Pearl and Onyx – with its slim design and 1.8 kg weight.

Design

The Dell Adamo has ultra-slim elegant design. Its glass screen 13.4-inche diagonal WLED display with a native resolution of 1366 x 768 offers bright colours and sharp detail. It is great for work or play.

Dell’s Adamo notebook features a chassis made of aluminum that has got no screws.

Dell Adamo laptop has got illuminated keyboard that offers excellent typing experience and is great to work when it’s dark. The full-size keys are comfortable and having them illuminated gives the luxury experience. The backlit keyboard is a big change from the typical Dell laptop keyboard, the keys are similar to Sony Vaio or MacBook but they are slightly scalloped.

As for the touchpad, this one goes one up on regular notebooks as it boasts multitouch capability. You can use the following gestures such as pinching, rotating and scrolling. For those who don’t like to use the multitouch function, it is possible to disable it. The touchpad is smaller than the one of the MacBook Air. It has got the left- and right-click mouse buttons that are not typical for Apple laptop.

Dell Adamo
Dell Adamo

Performance

The Dell Adamo is famous not only for its design but also for its performance. It works well for web surfing, editing documents and watching multimedia. However, if you are looking for a gaming notebook, the Adamo laptop is not the right choice. The Adamo comes with dual-core Intel ultra-low-voltage processor. This gives plenty of power for office work and other everyday tasks.

The Dell Adamo laptop comes in two different configurations – Desire and Admire. The Adamo Desire features a 13.4-inch 720p White LED display and powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo SL9600 2.1GHz processor, integrated graphics, a 256GB SSD for storage and up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM. It includes a 1.3 Megapixel webcam, an eSATA/USB combo port, Bluetooth and WiFi 802.11n support.

The Adamo Admire features 1.4 GHz processor, integrated graphics, a 128GB SSD for storage and up to 2GB of DDR3 RAM.

The Dell Adamo’s battery lasted around 3.5 hours when a number of office programmes are running, Wi-Fi is turned on and YouTube videos are being streamed constantly.

Conclusion

In general, the Dell Adamo attracts by its remarkable design. It is extremely thin with gorgeous aluminum and glass screen. The Dell Adamo offers excellent typing experience provided by illuminated keyboard. It can be considered as a luxury purchase for wealthy technology lovers. On the other hand,  the Dell Adamo laptops are a bit expensive, there is no optical drive provided and battery is not replaceable by user. Being a luxury ultraportable, it is a bit heavy.

The price for Dell Adamo Admire starts from £1,099 and Adamo Desire from £1,649.

Explore the features of this luxury machine at: Adamo by Dell.

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Dell Inspiron mini 10 vs Inspiron 11z Laptop

Thursday, November 5th 2009

Dell Inspiron Mini 10

Design:

The Mini 10 has a black lid by default, but you can personalize it choosing from a variety of colors including red, green, pink, blue or white version. Alternatively, you can get a model with a design from graphic artist Tristan Eaton.

When it comes to the screen, mini 10 laptop comes with a higher resolution that other 10-inch netbooks displays. Instead of the usual 10-inch screen resolution of 1,024×600 pixels, Mini 10 netbook displays a significantly higher resolution of 1,366×768 pixels. Additionally, the screen is very bright and has good color fidelity, so that photos and videos look brilliant. The machine comes with a small 1.3-megpaixel webcam above the display, which is handy for video calling on services such as Skype.

The keyboard, due to its relatively big keys feels much more like one you would find on a standard laptop.

Performance:

Mini 10’s brains are courtesy supplied of an Intel Atom Z530 processor that ticks over at 1.6GHzand is supported by 1GB of RAM, which is enough to run the netbook’s Windows XP operating system.

Dell Inspiron 11z

Design:

Inspiron 11z notebook is sort of a cross between a mini 10 and mini 12 in design. It comes with a plain black glossy screen cover, matte black chassis and silver painted palmrest. Inspiron 11z is a very thin and very light notebook as it only comes with the 3 cell that makes its weight to just about 3 lbs.

Keyboard is full-size and very comfortable to type on. It only shows very few signs of flex under strong pressure, which is a must for a good typing experience. Display is very impressive and bright. The 11.6 screen seems to be an excellent change from the common 1024×600 netbook screen. With a resolution of 1366×768 there is as much screen space as on full size notebooks, meaning that items, which need more vertical space, are no longer a problem. Panel looks great, with good color reproduction and very even lighting thanks to the LED backlighting.

Performance:

Inspiron 11z’s low power Celeron 1.2 GB and Intel 4500 graphics set it apart from the current Atoms and Intel 950 graphics in speed and playing HD. Battery life is pretty equivalent; Similarly to mini 10, 3 cell gets 2.5 hours. Heat isn’t too bad either with the new Celeron, which is very unlike past Celerons. It comes with both Windows Vista and Windows 7 and price starts from just £349.

Conclusion

Inspiron 11z notebooks sport almost the same form factor and build as the Inspiron mini 10. While mini 10 is smaller to carry, 11z is very thin. The screen on the 11z is amazing. The 10v, even with the 1024×600, is small. The 11z notebook has a larger footprint, at least an inch in height and width plus some killer speakers and rocks as a little portable media center, which can also be used for office work. Mini 10’s annoying trackpad and awkwardly designed battery pack are big letdowns, however. On the other hand, mini 10 can easily fit in a purse. The 11z can fit ok but not as well as the mini 10.

Click on the link below to find out more: Dell Mini and Inspiron Laptops

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Discover Dell’s Studio 15 Laptop

Wednesday, November 4th 2009

Dell’s first release from its studio line, the Studio 15 sits between the Inspiron and XPS lines and offers a good mix of features for the price. Although the design of the notebook gives it the appearance that looks rather thick, this is actually close to the same thickness or even thinner comparatively to other 15-inch laptops.

Design:

Dell’s Studio 15 does offer solid design and construction. It does take several design elements from the latest XPS notebooks including the wedge-shaped profile, slot-loading optical drive, drop hinge and touch-sensitive media buttons. Additionally, there are a few extras in the design of the Studio 15 offered ahead of what is available to Dell’s laptops. Those comprise graphic imprints along with personalization options including lots o different colours: plum purple, tangerine orange, flamingo pink, midnight blue, ruby red, spring green and standard jet black.

Pre-configured unit comes with the ‘ruby red’ paint job and looks absolutely perfect. The matte paint has an almost rubber-like texture alike to the paint used for both, Inspiron and XPS notebooks. An additional nice touch that makes Studio 15 laptop stands out of the rest of Dell’s laptops is the use of an imprinted design on the palmrest area. The design looks like a close-up view of a topographical map and is yet another way of differentiating this notebook.

Continuing, rather than having the typical RAM cover, hard drive cover and main panel at the bottom of the notebook, Studio 15 uses a single, massive panel that provides access to the notebook at once. This is extremely helpful for people who want to make multiple modifications or service their laptop. However, removing seven screws and exposing the entire bottom of the notebook might be a little intimidating for those who just want to upgrade their RAM.

Features:

Studio 15 follows Dell’s new and current trend of putting HDMI outputs and touch sensitive control buttons on just about every single machine. Similarly to the XPS M1530, Studio 15 notebook comes with a slot-loading optical drive as well as with an express card slot that doubles as a holder of a credit-card-style media remote.

Moreover, the notebook comes with a 15.4-inch LED-backlit display with a native resolution of 1,440×900 pixels, standard for higher-end mid-size laptop computers. Dell’s cheapest Inspiron 1525 has a 1,280×800-pixel display. However, the extra screen real estate at the higher resolution in the Studio 15 makes for a much less cluttered desktop. Those newer LED displays are liked better over older LCD models lit by a fluorescent lamp because of their brighter whites, lighter weight as well as lower power consumption.

Performance:

The most important parts of a laptop are the internal components that do all the work. Studio 15 notebook comes equipped with the Intel Core 2 Duo T5750 processor, which offers reasonable performance in terms of number crunching and video encoding. The 3GB of system RAM is enough for gratify Vista and still provide enough RAM for most needs. The 250GB western digital scorpio blue hard disk drive (HDD) is a 5400rpm drive with good performance.

Conclusion:

To sum up, Studio 15 constitutes a solid offering in the 15-inch laptop computers category. The combination of build quality, range of customizable options, expandability, style and price make it an excellent option. It is perfect for using the Internet, making documents, listening to music, make videos and edit pictures. Backlit keyboard is a very good choice. In general, the laptop is fast with very good graphics, efficient to use and provides excellent comfort.

Issues such as lack of VGA cable screw posts and lack of a simple RAM expansion cover are of minor consideration, while experienced users may find the all-in-one access panel at the bottom of the notebook extremely helpful.

Bottom line, if you are looking for your next 15-inch notebook with nice multi-media and personalization options then the Dell Studio 15 deserves serious consideration.

To find out more click on the link below: Dell Studio 15

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Dell Inspiron 17 Laptop – What You Need To Know

Wednesday, November 4th 2009

If you are looking for a powerful laptop with a widescreen display and desktop-level performance at a reasonably low price, then Dell offers you its 17.3-inch Inspiron 17 Laptop that is popular among business and home users.

Design

Dell Inspiron 17 is a reasonably attractive laptop with 17.3 inch widescreen display with a high resolution of 1,600×900. This laptop comes in different colour options including silver, blue, green, black and various configurations. It can be customised according to your tastes and needs. The Dell Inspiron 17 featuring a good screen size with customisable power can be a perfect replacement of your desktop computer.

Dell Inspiron 17

Dell Inspiron 17

As for portability, the weight of the machine with its six-cell battery pack is 3.1 kg that is reasonable to carry with you. However, some people may find it not appropriate for travel because of its size.

Different Configurations

For the price of £349, the basic model of Dell Inspiron 17 includes 1.8GHz Intel Celeron processor, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard disk, Windows Vista Home Basic and Intel GMA 4500 MHD graphics card. For extra £100 you can get a far more attractive Dell Inspiron 17 that comes with faster processor, bigger hard drive and memory. This configuration includes Windows 7 Home Premium, a 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and far more suitable 3GB of RAM.

Dell Inspiron 17 offers plenty of features, so you can easily personalise this laptop according to your requirements. It provides customisable power and performance all in one machine.

Features

Dell Inspiron 17 with its outstanding widescreen and ATI Mobility Radeon graphics will allow you to enjoy watching movies, playing games at home or you will appreciate the quality it offers at work when preparing PowerPoint presentations, playing videos or editing images.

Dell Inspiron 17 offers you the latest 3D Sound Blaster Pro that synchronises with the built in Altec Lansing speakers and produce high quality sounds. The integrated subwoofer supports the speakers creating an impact of a HiFi speaker system to boost your video and audio experience. There is an integrated webcam you can use for video messaging and conferencing as well as a digital microphone for recording audio clips or performing video chatting. Wi-Fi and USB ports are available for internet connectivity and data sharing.

Click on the link below to explore the features of Dell Inspiron 17, the basic model starts at £349:
Dell Inspiron 17 – Basic Configuration

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Dell’s new Latitude XT2 XFR – tested on video

Wednesday, October 28th 2009

Dell has officially released the Latitude XT2 XFR rugged tablet laptop. As one can deduce, this is pretty much a brawnier version of the current Laititude XT2. The video below shows the true ruggedness of the new Latitude XT2 XFR:

The Latitude XT2 XFR packs a 1.6GHz Intel Core Duo ULV SU9600 processor, upto 5GB DDR3 RAM, a standard or SSD hard drive and a 12.1-inch multi-touch display under its armour. It even manages to include space to add optional hot-swappable modules such as GPS or a camera. Despite its many features, the pure ruggedness and durability of the Latitude XT2 XFR is its main attraction.

For more computer news and reviews visit www.Laptops-Computers-Review.co.uk.

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