Dell Studio 15 First Thoughts Review

The Dell Studio 15 is a fittingly named 15.4" screen multimedia notebook targeted at those who want a nicely designed system that can dual as a very capable computer for work needs and as an entertainment system during those times you want to unwind and enjoy something like a movie. The Studio 15 has a large enough screen to make watching movies on it comfortable, yet it's not so big that you couldn't take this around campus. Since the Studio 15 can be had for around $1,000 nicely configured or under $1,000 for a more budget model it can fit either a tight budget or one with a bit of room to spend.

The Studio 15 has multiple lid color selections available. If you choose a painted lid such as red, blue, orange, black, green or purple the paint job is very durable and will not scratch. An optional glossy finish lid with varying designs is also available if you prefer the shiny look (although beware of the fingerprints the lid will attract with such a design).

The Studio 15 we obtained has a Ruby Red colored lid. It was purchased from Staples where they offer set configurations of the Studio 15, our budget configuration cost $799. If you want to completely customize a Studio 15 then the best route to go is via Dell.com. In our full review we'll also be featuring a Dell.com custom ordered Studio 15 machine with an orange colored lid - we'll give feedback on the order and shipping that occurs with that process. The specs of this particular Studio 15, the S1535-113P from Staples, are as follows:

• Screen: glossy 15.4" WXGA 1280 x 800 display
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T5750 (2.00GHz, 667MHz FSB, 2MB Cache)
• Memory: 3.00 GB RAM
• Storage: 250GB HD
• Optical Drive: Slot loading DVD+/-RW
• Wireless: 802.11b/g
• Graphics: Integrated Intel X3100
• Built-in 2.0MP web camera
• Ruby Red color lid
• Ports: 4 USB 2.0, HDMI connector, 15-pin VGA video connector, Ethernet 10/100/1000 LAN (RJ45), AC adapter connector, Audio jacks (1 line-in, 1-line out, 1 Mic-in), 4-pin IEEE 1394 port, 54 mm ExpressCard slot, Consumer IR
• Dimensions: Width: 14.0" (355.6mm), Height: 1.0" (25.3mm) front / 1.3" (33mm) back, Depth: 10.3" (261.5mm)
• Weight: Starting weight of 6.11 lbs

Staples only had a couple of different color options for the lid, either Ruby Red or Midnight Blue, and only two different set spec configurations were available in the store. However, if you prefer to purchase in a retail store for the ability to more easily return a product and not deal with any shipping waits, then Staples is available for that. So far our custom ordered Studio 15 from Dell.com has taken 20-days to move into "production" and shows no signs of shipping soon. We think that's a little bit long. It's definitely worth comparing the price of retail models to those on Dell.com as there can be quite a variation and you might find that going to a bricks and mortar store can be a better deal, even if you have to sacrifice on a couple of upgrades you might have liked.

As we mentioned before, the Studio 15 comes with varying color options so you can make the notebook "Yours". But the design features don't end there. Dell has followed in the footsteps of HP by having an inlaid design pattern on the casing. Around the keyboard and palm rest area you'll find a sort of topographical map design, Dell calls this "Graphite Gray". This design feature is ok, it's not as subtle or well integrated as the type of designs HP is using, but given the choice between just a plain old grey color case like we've seen on recent Inspirons versus this design we do prefer what's in place. The brushed aluminum look you get with the XPS series is still better, but that's why you pay more for an XPS laptop.

Speaking of XPS design, the Studio 15 actually borrows quite a few design elements from the equivalent sized XPS M1530. The drop hinge design is almost exactly like that of the XPS M1530. The lid paint job finish is also the same as that you'll get on the XPS series. The touch sensitive media buttons are very similar to the XPS, though their backlit with white instead of the blue on the XPS. The slot loading optical drive is yet another feature that has been borrowed.

Overall the Studio design is very nice, you can even get a backlit keyboard that makes it look better than the XPS, so in some ways the slightly cheaper Studio 15 looks nicer than the XPS M1530. Unfortunately, with the Staples configuration the keyboard backlight option is not there.

Build Quality

The build quality of the Studio 15 is good. It does have more plastic to it than the XPS design does, but it is in no way flimsy. There aren't any glaring weak spots; the feel is quite firm all over. With that said, this doesn't feel quite as rock solid as the old Inspiron 1520 - but that notebook was way too chunky and we prefer the lighter weight of the Studio 15 even if it means it's not quite as durable.

Processor and Performance

The Dell Studio 15 line right now only offers the "old" Intel Core 2 Duo inside, not the new Montevina everybody is talking about. Dell launched this laptop a month before Intel updated their processor family, so for the moment the Studios are shipping with the Santa Rosa processor platform. This is of little concern though, the T5750 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo that this budget priced Studio 15 came with is more than adequate enough for any normal work related tasks and can handle most any multimedia work thrown at it as well. The newer Intel processors might get 5 - 10% better processor performance, but you won't notice this change for anything but the most demanding of applications, such as gaming. And since the Studio 15 was not intended as a gaming machine (that's where the XPS comes in), there's not much benefit the new Montevina platform can really provide, though it's always nice to have the latest technology of course.

To give an idea of processor performance we ran wPrime, a program that forces the processor to do recursive mathematical calculations, the advantage of this program is that it is multi-threaded and can use both processor cores at once. Below is an example of how this budget T5750 processor holds up relative to other processors (lower scores mean better performance.)

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Asus G1S - Best budget gaming laptop.

You can spend twice as much on a gaming laptop like the 17-inch Dell XPS M1730 or 20.1-inch HP Pavilion HDX, but reviewers say the 15.4-inch Asus G1S is a good value. The Asus two-year limited warranty is a rarity for a nonbusiness computer. The glossy widescreen display is praised by reviewers, but it is small for a gaming rig. Reviewers see the G1S as an entry-level gaming laptop that is great for multimedia and is still portable enough for general use. Battery life is merely average, but all reviewers are impressed with how much you get for the dollar

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Lenovo ThinkPad T61 - Best business laptop.

Multiple reviewers select the solid Lenovo ThinkPad T61 as the best option for business users looking for a balance of light weight and a usable screen size. You can choose between a 14.1-inch conventional or widescreen display and a 15.4-inch widescreen display. The 14.1-inch widescreen version weighs about 5 pounds. Lenovo supports this durable laptop with a three-year limited warranty, and the company has the highest reliability and customer support ratings by a wide margin in large surveys of laptop owners. Performance is superb in tests, and the laptop runs cool. It includes Intel's Santa Rosa or Penryn capabilities, which reviewers note is especially a boon to battery life.

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HP Pavilion HDX Entertainment Notebook PC - Entertainment laptop and the largest screen

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With a 20.1-inch display and a 15.3-pound system weight, the HP Pavilion HDX can barely be called portable. Still, if you're looking for an entertainment laptop that can competently replace an HDTV and DVD player, reviewers say you might be able to justify the cost of this top-performing HP laptop. Price (around $4,000 as typically reviewed) and marginal portability are the obvious drawbacks, and battery life is under two hours. The base model ships with an HDTV tuner, remote control and standard DVD drive/burner. A Blu-ray player is optional

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Dell XPS M1730 - Best desktop replacement and gaming laptop.

Reviews say the Dell XPS M1730 is a fantastic laptop for 3D gaming. What's good for games is also good for office multitasking and video editing: an Intel Core Duo processor up to 2.8GHz, a top-of-the-line graphics card, up to 4GB RAM and a beautiful 1920 x 1200-pixel 17-inch widescreen display. The Dell M1730 gaming laptop includes a physics game accelerator, and dual SLI video cards are a high-priced option -- both add smoothness and fast response times to gaming. The Dell laptop's screen has a glossy coating that boosts brightness and could glare under office lighting. This laptop is powerful, but not very portable, since it weighs nearly 11 pounds. It comes in four colors.

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How To Take Care Your Laptop Computer

As the proud owner of a laptop computer, you'll want to keep your machine in the best possible condition.

Aside from cleaning your screen and dusting the keyboard, however, you'll need to take a few extra steps to maintain your laptop's health:

-- Play it cool

A laptop computer generates a lot of heat, especially when running the latest high-powered software. Too much heat and you risk damaging the internal circuitry.

Always try to keep your laptop in a well-ventilated, cool environment. And ensure you don't block the fan grills on the sides, back, or bottom of the machine at any time.

-- Handle the screen carefully

Avoid touching or playing with your LCD screen.

Yes, it might be fun to watch the waves generated by your finger against the screen, but LCD displays are fragile devices that must be cared for.

Take care when cleaning the screen too, and use only approved cleaning materials.

You won't want to pay the money for screen repairs or, even worse - a new machine entirely.

-- Don't drop it

Whatever you do, don't drop your laptop computer! Keep it safe inside of a carrying case when moving around or traveling.

Don't leave it on the edge of a table or on an unstable support of some kind. One ill fated drop to the floor could spell death for your mobile office.

Try to make sure the rubber feet underneath are in good condition and are still attached. This will prevent the device from sliding around accidentally.

-- Be careful with those drinks...

If you need to have a drink while working or playing, be careful not to spill it.

Your laptop computer could suffer the consequences from just a few drops of liquid poured in the right places.

While you probably do eat and drink around it regardless, you will want to occasionally wipe down the edges, the keyboard, the touchpad, and maybe even wipe down the screen to keep any dirt from accumulating.

-- Just say no to viruses

Security wise, make sure you obtain an anti-virus program.

Secondly, keep it updated!

Buying an anti-virus one month and not updating it for the next six really negates it purpose. Your laptop computer could be exposed to hundreds and thousands of new viruses every month if you don't update your virus definitions.

Most anti-virus programs have automatic update methods, eliminating the need for you to have to remember to do it manually.

-- Avoid Popups

Pop-ups are particularly annoying on a laptop computer. Trying to close a bunch of windows without a regular mouse can be a nuisance.

You'll want a pop-up blocker, such as the Google Tool bar (located at http://tools.google.com), to prevent these pop- up ads.

Many intrusive forms of advertising, and even some viruses, can install software on your machine by using various forms of pop-ups. It's best to get yourself a blocker and avoid the situation entirely.

-- Use a firewall

Always utilize a firewall on your Internet or network- enabled laptop computer. Even if you use Windows XP's built- in firewall (or purchase one from such companies as Norton), your security will greatly benefit from it.

Blocking out all the unnecessary ports and closing all the loopholes will prevent a hacker or virus from freely entering your hard drive.

So there you go. Combine all of the above tactics and help your laptop enjoy a happier and healthier lifestyle!

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What is Laptop Computer Insurance?

Laptop Computer Insurance is a special type of insurance that is meant to protect your laptop and associated peripherals should something happen. This includes printers and depending on your insurance could include other external components as well software applications. The majority of insurance companies have very strict policies about what is and is not covered under their laptop insurance.

For instance, the insurance company will pay for total loss due to accidental damages. If your laptop was stolen from your locked car this means your laptop insurance should cover it. However, if your car was unlocked at the time of the theft it would not be covered. Accidental damage means that you did what you could to protect your laptop, but it was still damaged.

Other things that are not covered by laptop insurance include viruses, gradual breakdown of your laptop, damage that you inflict upon your laptop, or the loss of your laptop due to it being left in a particular place. If you purchase laptop insurance, it is generally assumed that you are a responsible laptop user and are hoping to be protected yourself from the unknown.

If laptop insurance sounds like something you need you should be hesitant before jumping right in and choosing a company to insure your laptop. There are many things you need to consider, to make sure you are getting what you pay for. First, as with any insurance, you need to determine the deductible. If your laptop was inexpensive and your deductible for your laptop insurance is large, it may not be worth getting the insurance at all.

Next you should determine what the insurance agency considers to be peripherals. Is your laptop insurance going to cover anything that you use on your laptop or are only certain items covered? If you travel you need to find out if there is a particular coverage area for your laptop insurance to be active. Is your insurance active at home and at school or if you take it on a trip? Even if you have worldwide coverage, you should inquire about where theft of your laptop is covered. If it is covered from a locked car but not one that is unlocked, what are the limitations in homes and other areas?

Each insurance company is different so you have to check into their policies before choosing the right one for you. Pay special attention to the information dealing with claims. What do you have to show proof of to receive a payment from your laptop insurance? Do you need a receipt alone or is a serial number required? If the laptop suffered damages and needs repair, do they have a list of acceptable service centers or do you have the option of choosing your own? Furthermore, will you receive a replacement laptop until yours is fixed?

Some of these questions may seem unnecessary before purchasing your laptop insurance, but when it comes time to cash in you will be glad you asked and chose the perfect insurance to suit your needs.

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Some Points For You To Choose Your Laptop Computer

When you are thinking of buying a laptop computer there are undoubtedly some great deals to be found, but what should you be looking for when you're in the market for a updated or even your first laptop computer.

Well, it's always worth sitting down with a pen and paper and thinking about exactly what you need your new laptop computer to do. If you're simply going to use it for word processing and the odd email here and there you don't need the super fast processor and hard drive that can hold thousands of files, so don't let a slick salesman tell you otherwise that’s just going to hurt your pocket.

If it's a family laptop computer you're in the market for you'll want a good all rounder. kids have a great knack of loading games and other large applications onto a PC without you knowing. which can really effect performance for when you need it for more important things like business or your own games. So make sure you get a good-sized hard drive and a good amount of ram.

Regardless of the type of laptop computer you're in the market for make sure you explain to the salesman exactly what you need it for ( example is it for the home or on the road). More often than not they'll be able to show you in the right direction, but make sure you only spend an amount you're happy with.

If you're an online shopper then there are some great deals to be found, so just make sure you conduct proper research before jumping in to make that purchase. You'll probably see a lot of adverts for the newest laptop computer on the market , Buying a laptop computer , its just like anything else , make sure you do a good amount of research, be clear about the amount you want to spend and weight up your options.

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How to choose the best laptop ?

Keys to choosing the best laptop computer :

Who is the portable computer user?
When choosing a laptop computer, it is important to understand who will be using it.., school student, college student, professional businessman ,office worker, etc.

Where will the laptop be used?
For big mobile users such as college students and professionals, size, weight and battery life are very important. So when looking over the reviews and relevant specs, keep those factors in mind. The average high school student uses a laptop from room to room in their house, and have loads of access to AC power most of the time. So for these users, the factors listed above may not be as critical.

How will the laptop be used?
The more mobile the user, the more durability is needed. Heavy users is sales reps spend a great deal of time start and shutting down their laptops every day. an average large user will open and shut their laptop computer 6 times a day. Although that may not seem a lot of wear and tear, there is also the issue of general handling. Heavy users will be traveling from location to location, in and out of cars,on and off planes etc on a constant basis. This increases the likelihood of damage to the laptop computer, via dropping, bumping and banging, drink spills on the keyboard, etc....

Should I buy a service contract for my laptop?
The answer is YES. When you think about carrying around a fragile piece of electronics costing $1000 or more, the price of a typical service contract is a bargain. for a relatively small price £50 per notebook computer, its worth it to for you peace of mind.

How much should I expect to pay for a laptop?
It used to be hard to find a quality laptop under £600; however, this is no longer true. There are several companies with great offers, starting around £300. The options / upgrades you select have a large impact in what you can expect to pay. Having a list of what you want in a computer, such as memory, speed, hard drive size, burners, etc..will help when you go shopping. Although online notebook computer manufacturers allow a great deal of customization, the general public are easily serviced with a “off the shelf” standard notebook computer.

What Laptop Brand Should I Select?
The worlds your oyster in this respect with the amount of notebook computer manufactures out there,with different colors and sizes its everyones personal choice.

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What is Laptop?

A laptop computer is not that big as desktop computer. A laptop computer is a computer that we can bring a long with us because its weight around 2-18 pounds or around 1 to 8 kilograms only depending on size, materials and etc.

Laptops usually run on a single main battery or from an external AC/DC adapter that charges the battery while also supplying power to the computer itself. Many computers also have a 3 volt cell to run the clock and other processes in the event of a power failure.

Laptops contain components that are similar to their desktop counterparts and perform the same functions, but are miniaturized and optimized for mobile use and efficient power consumption, although typically less powerful for the same price. Laptops usually have liquid crystal displays and most of them use different memory modules for their random access memory (RAM), for instance, SO-DIMM in lieu of the larger DIMMs. In addition to a built-in keyboard, they may utilize a touchpad (also known as a trackpad) or a pointing stick for input, though an external keyboard or mouse can usually be attached.

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