alanbweaver's Full Review: Dell Inspiron™ E1505 PC Notebook
For the price, this is an excellent deal. I got it for about $750. When shopping online, you may wish to search the site a bit to see if there are coupons or deals. Also, as the browsers use “cookies” make sure you delete them as if they know you’ve been on the site a lot, they MAY hike the price. This is a good shopping tip for nearly any type of product! When I purchased the unit, I did use this code which saved me a few bucks: E1505PC
This computer is practically ready to use out of the box. This slightly heavy (5.4 pounds) (but nonetheless comfortable) laptop comes with the following:
1. Driver CD & OS re-install CD (option), and software CDs (DVD player, DVD burner etc.)
2. Power adapter & cables
3. User manual
4. S-video cable (to connect to a TV)
A lot of the laptops come in this silvery finish to look like a MAC. It can show finger prints but is attractive. To me a computer is something functional; it is not decoration. The keyboard is full sized so it is fairly easy to use. Personally I don’t care for touch pads and tell people to get a mouse as the clicking and dragging will be much faster and accurate.
Also, note that not everything is “modular” on this computer. However, you should be happy and not have to worry about upgrading and changing everything (do people have to replace every module on a refrigerator?)
Purchase Considerations
1. Getting a coupon (go to Google and search Dell Coupon if the one I mentioned doesn’t work)
2. Buy what you need; not what you want. Sure the fancy sound card and special features are great but do you really need them?
3. Memory is cheap, get as much storage as you can afford. If you can afford the extra cash, get the 1000 RAM. That is critical for using photo editing software. You can go up to 2 gig RAM which does add $240.
4. Extended warranty is a good thing on a laptop. You don’t need it on a refrigerator! Decide whether you want mail-in or on site service, there is a cost difference.
5. Skip the McAfee protection. You can install it much cheaper on your own. Skip the add-ons such as MS Office, cases, printers. You may wish to opt to spend more money on an upgraded monitor but the base one I got is perfectly acceptable.
6. Depending on how long you plan to keep it (I tend to upgrade every 3-4 years), you may wish to opt for a few extra features. (my previous laptop had 4 gig storage and was more than sufficient as we all use memory sticks to store large files)
Ports
1 x mini Firewire
4 x USB 2.0 (4 pin connectors)
RJ45 (Ethernet) and RJ11 (modem port)
Video – 15 pin and S-video – 7 pin connectors
5-in-1 removable memory card reader
Audio jacks for speakers and microphone mini-connectors.
Battery
Battery lasts about 3 hours if you’re lucky. I tend to keep it plugged in and only use it on battery when it really is inconvenient to use a plug (like an airport). Sure you can watch a movie on it, but I have better things to do. Replacing the batteries can be expensive, $103 for an additional unit.
LCD Screen/Audio
The LCD screen is a good sized unit that compares with a good home office unit. About 15”, it provides good resolution and appearance. The audio is fine. You can get special speakers and advanced sound. As I use the computer for email, software applications and PhotoShop, sound is not a critical issue to me. I have a good stereo system in the house; not on the computer. (it’s good to set priorities when purchasing a computer, it is NOT a home entertainment system unless you want it to be your television and sound system when I would recommend additional upgrades.)
Hard disk, DVD/CD, RAM
There are many options. You can get a hard drive ranging from 60-100 gigabytes. Unless you plan on downloading feature films, the 60 is more than sufficient. All units come with the DVD/CD burner, player. The RAM starts at 512 and goes up to 1000. If you plan on using photo editing software, get the 1000 as the program will be faster and more responsive.
Service
This is the bad news. The computer is fine. However, if you have a technical issue, forget about it! I was on hold with them for over an hour once over a problem which I solved on my own. The person I got on the phone was difficult to understand with a very thick accent. Dell is attempting to clean up this problem. I am NOT satisfied with the incredibly long hold time. However, when calling in to place an order, you do get courteous personnel. The prices can change from one day to the next. Yikes! This is NOT good for the entry level buyer and they will get frustrated and never buy another Dell.
Usage
As mentioned, it is a bit heavy but compared to what I had 15 years ago, it is comfortable. The larger screen is great and easy to see. Boot up time is fast. The keyboard is comfortable but I still prefer using a full sized desktop at home as it is quicker. It is fast, especially with the dual core processor. It comes with some of junk software installed. Ports are very convenient, they are on the side of the computer. The firewire is a useful feature although I don’t have a need for it.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 750 Operating System: Windows Processor: Other Processor speed: 501-600 Screen Size: 15 inches RAM: More than 256 Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD Hard Drive (GB): Over 50
Intel Core 2 Duo T5300 (2x1.73GHz), 15.4 inch wide screen LCD, 1GB DDR2 SDRAM, 120GB SATA Hardrive, 256MB ATI Video Card X1400, 8X DVD+/-RW double-lay...More at Amazon Marketplace
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