Dell Inspiron 1520- First Impressions/Review (With Pictures)

First Impressions:

Dell Inspiron 1520 Specs-

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 (2.0 GHz/4MB L2 Cache)
OS: Microsoft Vista Home Premium
Hard Drive: Hitachi 160 GB SATA @ 7200RPM
Screen: SEC3350 15.4" WSXGA Widescreen (1680 x 1050)
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT 256MB
RAM: 2.0GB DDR2 SDRAM @667 MHz (2 x 1GB)
Optical Drive: 8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/Double Layer Support
Battery: 9-cell lithium ion
Wireless: Intel 4965AGN
Weight: 6.8 lbs
Dimensions: 1.47-1.65” (H) x 14.12 “ (W) x 10.59" (D)
Ports/Slots: 1 IEEE 1394 (FireWire); 4 Universal Serial Bus (USB 2.0); 8-in-1 Memory Card Reader; VGA Out; S-Video; RJ-45 Ethernet LAN; RJ-11 Modem; ExpressCard 54mm; stereo in, headphone/speaker out and dual digital mics


Design-

Although the Dell Inspiron 1520 isn’t as beautiful or stylish as some HP and Sony notebooks, it is still a huge improvement over the last-generation of Dell Inspirons. One of Dell’s main marketing points is the eight different color lids. The Micro-Satin material of the lid is not prone to scratching, although it is a fingerprint magnet. The silver interior of the notebook is very plain and boxy. With a 9-cell battery, the laptop weighs in at 6.8 pounds, a monster of a laptop. While still portable, you wouldn’t want to carry this computer around all day. One thing to note is that the Vostro laptops for sale at Dell Small Business are the exact same as the Inspiron laptops except:
1. The Vostro laptops are all black, while the Inspiron have a silver inside.
2. The Vostros offer Windows XP as a operating system choice
3. In some countries, Vostros are cheaper than their Inspiron counterparts.


Build Quality-

The Inspiron 1520 is a very solid laptop. I was unable to find any flex or weakness in the case. However, the latch that holds the notebook shut is flimsy and has some play. The chassis of the notebook seems to be made out of a Magnesium-Alloy material.


Screen-

After opening the computer and starting it up, I noticed that my screen (SEC3350) was noticeably grainy, especially with a white background. Although this didn't bother me much, it was imperfect. Other than that, the WSXGA+ screen was beautiful, with just enough brightness and contrast. I have yet to find any dead or stuck pixels. There is, however, a half-inch of light leakage. There are no ripples on the screen when I twisted the cover.


Keyboard & Touchpad-

The keyboard of the Inspiron 1520 is superior to all other laptop keyboards (except for Thinkpads). It has a soft feel and good key placement and travel. The only con about it is the key placement of the Home, Page Up, Page DN, and the End keys. The touchpad is a little on the small side. I usually just use my Logitech V200 mouse (At CompUSA for $10), so I don't really have a lot of experience with it.


Speakers-

Compared to other notebook speakers, the ones on the Inspiron 1520 are actually quite good. With no subwoofer, they lack the bass and volume of desktop speakers. They go up to maximum volume with little distortion. The speakers are concealed under the multimedia buttons. When using headphones, there is a lot of static and noise. It sounds similar to Morse code. Listening to music, I cannot hear the static.


Performance-
Soon to Come!

Please Rep+ !

Leon

 

Maybe I missed something, but I don't see any pictures...

 

no offense, but whats so special about your review that you deserve rep? its nothing different i have read but a dozen times on this site.

 

Sorry, the links to the pictures are screwed up... I'll try to fix it soon...

Leon