Member Reviews: Dell Inspiron 1520

First Impressions I just received the 1520, quite a bit earlier than Dell predicted, which is always nice, and also my usual experience with Dell, though not usually this much earlier. The box is quite a bit bigger than I've ever gotten with a laptop. (I've been buying at least 1 every 9 months in the last few years from various places. I think I bought like 4 last year. I sell them on Ebay or to friends when I want a new one.) Not surprisingly, when I opened the box I found it was only about 1/4 full, but with a bunch of cardboard space filler. For such a large box, it was so light and so empty, I thought at first they'd forgot to put the laptop in. Also, all the documentation was...

I didn't spend too much time with the Inspiron 1520 because I was afraid I'd get lead poisoning (I also heard that chewing on a Dell produces an effect similar to a date-rape drug). I may be exaggerating a little, but I'm being serious when I say that the new Dell laptops have to be the cheapest-feeling computer my hands have ever hovered over. I don't know about you, but I consider my notebook computers (less so, my desktops) a core possession like a watch or a car. Just like I'd spend a little more on those items, I'd gladly shell out a few extra bucks to type on a computer that gives me that little rush of pleasure when I open it up. The Dell 1520 elicits "ughs."...

The build quality is amazing! The 1520 is a lot more heavy and a little bigger than the HP dv4000. The 1440x900 LCD has a very good vision angle. A lot better than dv4000's LCD. I haven't really tested battery life, but I think it should give you at least 2 hours. The 1520 remains cool, and when playing games like COD2 or GRAW2 it does not get that hot. The HP dv4000 gets really hot even when just surfing the net, it also turns itself off with some games because it overheats too much. What I hate: Half of the time it makes a noise that I can't describe (english is not my first language). I can tell you that it can irritate you pretty easy. Intel Processors seem to be the...