Though not for the frequent flier, the Inspiron 7500 makes good use of it's large size
Written: Jan 10 '00
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Pros: Huge display, 1400 x 1050 resolution, MegaBay, MediaBay
Cons: Not for the everyday traveler
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| pyunker's Full Review: Dell Inspiron 7500 R500VT |
Dell advertised the Inspiron 7500 Series as a powerful notebook that could actually replace your desktop PC. I'd surely agree with this statement after studying some speed, benchmark, capacity, and option information. But just as you wouldn't want to carry your desktop PC around with you everywhere you go, neither will you want to haul this behemoth on every trip.
The 7500 weighs in at a hefty 9.5-10.3 pounds, including the battery. It's also a hefty 10" x 8" x 1.5" thick! Dell should have George Foreman be the 7500's celebrity spokesman. George was big, put he could pack a punch, too. And so does the Inspiron. With fabulous processor, RAM, hard drive, storage, and display choices, this monster is fast, big, and dependable. But the first thing you'll notice is the enormous display.
One of the main reasons I chose the Inspiron was for this magnificent screen. You have a choice of:
15" SXGA+ TFT active matrix display with 1400 x 1050 resolution
15" XGA TFT active matrix display with 1024 x 768 resolution
15.4" SXGA TFT active matrix display with 1280 x 1024 resolution
with a video card choice of:
ATI Rage Mobility-P 3D video controller with Open GL support and dual
display capability. Choose either 4 or 8 MB of SGRAM.
I chose the 15" with 1400 x 1050 resolution, which Dell calls SXGA+. This display is incredible - PCMAG noted that it has 87% more pixels than a 1024 x 768 display. With the dual display capability, you can also have two desktops going at once. I hooked mine up to the TV. TV resolutions isn't so great, obviously, but it's nice to watch some DVD's on.
The large size of the Inspiron's case gives it the most flexibility of any laptop. It has two options bays, both located on the front of the machine. The first is the MegaBay. It can hold a battery, a second hard disk, or a Zip Drive. Second is the MediaBay. It can hold a combo
6X DVD/floppy disk , a combo 24X CD-ROM/floppy disk, a third hard disk, a second battery, or a CD-RW drive. Note that a SuperDisk drive is available in place of the floppy drives. This is incredible flexibility. If you run on AC power, you can have 25 GB hard drives for a total of 75 GB!! Note: you must shut the machine down to change drive modules.
I haven't had any problems at all with my Inspiron 7500. I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't take their computer with them everyday. I do actually use mine as a desktop replacement. And I take it with me about twice a week. It's fabulous. And Dell's service has been top rate.
For more info, check out the PC Magazine article I read, and also Dell's specs on the machine at:
http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/stories/reviews/0,6755,2379812,00.html
http://www.dell.com/us/en/dhs/products/series_inspn_notebooks.htm
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 3365
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
Processor speed: 401-500
Screen Size: 15"
RAM: 128
Internal Storage: DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 9-12
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Epinions.com ID:
pyunker
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Member: Pete Yunker
Location: Ohio
Reviews written: 6
Trusted by: 2 members
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