Today we’re taking a quick look at the Dell Inspiron 15 i15-N5040 notebook, for which unfortunately we’re unable to find any decent reviews. However the laptop is currently the bestselling laptop at Amazon so that must say something about it. The i15-N5040 sports a 15.6 inch display and is powered by an Intel i3 Core processor. The base model comes with 3 GB of memory and a 320 GB spinny drive and all for $460 which is not a lot more than a 12 inch netbook and it packs a lot more into its case.
* 2.53 GHz Intel Core i3-380M
* 3GB DIMM Memory (up to 8GB)
* 320 GB 5400 rpm Hard Drive
* 15.6-Inch Screen 720p
* Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
* 19.9 x 13.9 x 4.2 inches
* 7 pounds
* 802.11bgn Wi-Fi
* 3 x USB 2.0 ports
* HDMI port
* VGA video output
* 3-in-1 Media Card Reader (supports SD, MS, MMC)
* 48 watt_hours 6 cell Lithium Ion Battery
* Intel HD Graphics for casual and mainstream gaming (supports Microsoft DirectX 10).
* 8x multi-format CD/DVD drive
* 0.3-megapixel webcam
* Built-in stereo speakers
* Fast Ethernet (10/100)
* Microphone and headphone jacks
Unfortunately there’s little in the way of reviews out there including Amazon customer reviews which seems a bit strange and on the video front we only managed to find this uncommented video presumably taken in a store.
So we can’t really give the Dell Inspiron 15 i15-N5040 a thumbs up or down but of course if you have one of these suckers feel free to let us know what you think of it in the comment box below.
Today we’re going to take a quick look at Dell’s small form factor desktop range, the Inspiron 580. As well as a starting price tag of $529, the Inspiron 580 sports a 4.4 out of 5 average customer rating on the Dell website. All this gets you a i3 processor with 7.1 integrated audio. For all the bells and whistles on the minimal Inspiron 580 read on
* Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit
* Microsoft® Works 9
* Intel® Core™ i3-530 processor(4MB Cache, 2.93GHz)
* 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz – 4 DIMMs
* Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator HD
* 320GB – 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 16MB Cache
* Dell 19 in 1 Media Card Reader
* 16X DVD+/-RW Drive
* Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
* Integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
Intriguingly there’s no Wi-Fi connectivity in the base unit, but an extra $44 gets you a Linksys Wireless G Compact USB Adapter. As mentioned the base unit will set you back a mere $529 which seems like a decent price for a small desktop. We managed to track down a four star review of the Inspiron 580 over at DesktopReview. Their only downside is that the 580 is a bit on the large size for a small form factor unit, something that could be easily ignored if desired. So all in all we reckon that the Dell Inpsiron 580 is pretty good value for a SMFF desktop.
Dell have just added a new 24 inch WLED-backlit monitor to its range. The G2410H sports a 24 inch 16:9 1920 x 1080 res display along with a host of green features including an Ambient Light Sensor which adjusts brightness to help minimize power use, 3 Energy Modes for a perfect blend of energy efficiency, display brightness and viewing comfort and it uses recycled plastic in its chassis and packaging. For those of us who are more numerically inclined here are the specifications on the G2410H monitor from Dell.
* 24 inch display
* Aspect Ratio – Widescreen, 16:9
* WLED Backlight Technology
* 1920 x 1080 res at 60 Hz
* 1000:1 standard contrast ratio
* 250 cd/m2 brightness
* Max Viewing Angle 160° (vertical), 170° (horizontal)
* VGA and DVI-D inputs
* 570.75 x 184.12 x 463.81~363.81 mm
* 4.02 kg
The Dell G2410H is available over at Amazon for $329 which is not bad for an eco-friendly widescreen monitor. It also sports 4.5 stars out of 5 from customer reviews although there are only four reviews. Overall it doesn’t sound like a bad monitor option.
Aimed at the business user with space consideration a top priority, Dell have launched the Optiplex 780 USFF (Ultra Small Form Factor). The base on this unit measures a mere 9.4 x 9.4 inches yet the box contains the usual bits and pieces you’d associate with a ‘normal’ sized desktop. The Optiplex 780 USFF also has a neat $624 price tag with customisations and for that you get the following bells and whistles
* Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic SP1
* Intel® Celeron® 450 (2.2GHz, 512K, 800MHz FSB)
* 1GB DDR3 Non-ECC SDRAM, 1066MHz, (1 DIMM)
* 160GB 2.5 inch SATA 3.0Gb/s
* Integrated Video, Intel® GMA 4500
* Dell USB 2-Button Entry Mouse with Scroll, Black
* Dell USB Entry Keyboard
Of course there’s no optical drive or monitor, but with most workplace installs done over a network and monitors chip as chips, well almost, the 19 inch Dell E190S will set you back $169, for a touch over $800 you get yourself a corporate desktop. As usual with Dell PCs you can ramp the base Optiplex 780 up a touch with a Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 (2.93GHz) powered unit with 2 GB memory, 320 GB HDD and 8X DVD+/-RW SATA optical drive costing $902. Not bad if you’re looking for something compact for your office workstations.
Nicely priced at $450, Dell have just unleashed the super thin Vostro V13 laptop. The unit measures 19.7mm at its highest point but despite this minimal dimension it still boasts a good set of ports and slots. Here are the rest of specifications for the Vostro V13 laptop
* Intel® Celeron® M Processor ULV 743 (1M Cache, 1.30 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
* Ubuntu Linux version 9.04
* 2.0GB, DDR3-1066MHz SDRAM, 1 DIMM
* 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
* Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
* 1.3MP Webcam with Digital Microphone
* Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g
* 6-cell 30WHr Internal Battery
* 13.3-inch diagonal LED-backlit HD (1366 x 768) Anti-glare
* Bluetooth 2.1
* Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 NIC)
* Network connector (RJ45), USB 2.0 (1), USB 2.0/eSATA combo (1), Microphone jack, Headphone/speaker out, 5-in-1 card reader, 34 mm ExpressCard
* 13 x 0.78 x 9.06 inches
* 3.5lbs
In case you’re a Windows fan, an extra $150 will get you Windows 7 Home Premium rather than Ubuntu plus a faster processor and slightly larger HDD. We do like the look of the Vostro V13 and the price tag seems rather reasonable for all the bits and pieces. We managed to find a couple of ‘Hands On’ reviews which whilst they were concerned over some aspects of the Vostro V13 such as actual battery life and a bit of sub-standard keyboard came out in favour of the slimline laptop. Check them out at enGadget and PC Mag.
Having appeared in Japan last month the Dell Vostro All In One desktop has finally landed Stateside. It’s base price is US$600 and rises according to the amount of add-ons you require. Here’s a list of what you get for $600
* Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core E5300 (2.60GHz,2MB L2 Cache, 800FSB)
* Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic, Service Pack 1
* LCD Integrated 19″ Widescreen Flat Panel Display
* 8X (DVD+/-RW) Burner Drive
* 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz
* 160GB 7200RPM SATA HDD
* Intel® GMA X4500, Integrated Graphics Card
* 1.3Meg Pix Camera with Digital Microphone
Whilst the specs don’t exactly leap out and grab you, the Vostro AIO is not designed for the top end of the market, aimed squarely at those of us, who want a desktop but not for it to take up large amounts of real estate. Consequently the Vostro AIO user won’t be a high PC user and thus generally won’t need top end specs. We like the unit and think it’ll sell well, if you fancy one swing over to Dell and take a look see.
The 1220 is Dell’s latest and smallest addition to its Vostro laptop range. The Vostro 1220 has a mere 12.1 inch display and measures 294 x 37.6 x 228.7 mm and weighs in at 1.52 kg with the four cell battery option. Not bad considering the similarly-sized HP TouchSmart rocks in at over 2 kg. As usual with Dell you can configure up the unit as desired, here are the minimum specs with the minimum price tag for the Vostro 1220.
* Intel® Celeron™ 900 (2.2GHz, 1M L2 Cache, 800Mhz FSB)
* Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic
* 12.1 inch WXGA display with TrueLife (Wide View)
* 8X DVD+/-RW DVD+/-R Roxio and Cyberlink PowerDVD™ DX 8.2
* 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz, 2 DIMM
* 160GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
* Integrated 1.3MP Webcam and Digital Mic with webcam
* Dell Wireless™ 1397 802.11b/g Mini Card
All this adds up to a mere US$800, which compares nicely to the HP TouchSmart. There are some differences in the specs between the two units with obviously touchscreen functionality standing out a mile, but if you don’t like smudgy screens then the Vostro 1220 could be your winner.
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(17 customer reviews)
which is not bad for an eco-friendly widescreen monitor. It also sports 4.5 stars out of 5 from customer reviews although there are only four reviews. Overall it doesn’t sound like a bad monitor option.
