The Inspiron 15 is the back-to-basics mainstream 15" notebook from Dell, offering good performance at a value price. Consumers can configure this notebook with basic lid configurations, or go all out with the customized lids from the Dell Design Studio for an additional cost. If you are just looking for a basic system to meet your needs at school or home, read our full review of the Dell Inspiron 15.
Limited 1-year standard parts and labor warranty with in-home service
Dimensions: 14.7 x 9.6" x 1.02"
Weight: 5.8lbs
Price as configured: $549
Build and Design The design of the of the Inspiron 15 is pretty good for a value notebook, offering a smooth rounded profile and clean lines. While our model doesn't offer one of the most expensive custom lid designs, it gives you an idea of what you would get if you chose the current "FastTrack" shipping option on this model. The only design element of the notebook that doesn't blend well with the stock matte lid finish is the fully glossy interior. The screen, screen bezel, keyboard trim, and palmrest are all glossy black inside the notebook, which doesn't always play well with reflections or smudges. If you keep it clean it looks great, but at times it did get annoying if you were sitting with your back to bright windows where the entire notebook turned into a mirror. Overall, if you don't mind the glossy surface the design of the Inspiron 15 is pretty nice compared to other budget models on the market.
The Dell Inspiron 15 has average build quality compared to other value-oriented models we have reviewed. The plastics used held up well in our tests, but did show signs of flexing and creaking in spots. The screen lid and palmrest were the two main areas which exhibited flex, with the palmrest giving off creaking sounds if you squeezed it in the right spot. The screen lid on the Inspiron 15 uses a latch-less hinge design which keeps it held down using friction and gravity. You need two hands to open it up with it placed horizontally on your desk, but if you were carrying it around under your arm it did have a tendency to open up about a centimeter or so. In most latch-less designs we like to see a secondary holding method, such as a magnet or spring loaded hinge to keep it shut when held in any direction. The plastics used in the construction of the chassis feel pretty durable and should hold up well over time, but the glossy finish around the keyboard and palmrest did have a tendency to show fine scratches.
Dell gives you easy access to all internal components of the notebook. This includes the system memory, hard drive, and wireless card, as well as the processor if you are so inclined. Underneath the main access panel (which includes handy circlips around each screw so they don't go flying) is the RAM, wireless card, and processor with heatsink. The hard drive and optical drive are removable through individual sections with their own retaining screws. Oddly enough Dell doesn't have any "warranty void if removed" stickers anywhere, including the screws around the processor.
Screen and Speakers The glossy 1366x768 display on the Inspiron 15 is average compared to other panels we have seen. Colors and contrast are excellent thanks to the glossy surface, which tends to scatter less light than the equivalent matte surface. Backlight levels could be better on the high-end of the spectrum, but we found it adequate for most conditions, including a bright off setting, underneath shop lighting, and or just sitting on your couch enjoying a show. Viewing angles could have been better, with color distortion found in both the vertical and horizontal extremes. Colors started to shift when titling the screen 20 degrees forward or back. Horizontal viewing angles were better, only showing color shifting past 45 degrees.
The included speakers were good compared to other budget models, with clear high-range audio, but little low or midrange coming through. Peak volume levels were enough to fill a small room, but if you plan on sharing a movie inside a dorm room, it might be wise to connect the laptop to a set of external surround speakers. For enjoying music or movies by yourself, headphones are still a must-have accessory.
Keyboard and Touchpad The Inspiron 15 keyboard is very comfortable to type on, offering excellent support and a very good layout. The keys are of normal size with a light matte finish for excellent traction. Spacing is spot on compared to my ThinkPad keyboard, so no adjusting was necessary. Support underneath the keyboard is excellent, with no flex anywhere, even under very strong pressure. Individual key action is smooth with a very quiet "click" emitted when a key is fully pressed. It might not be the quietest keyboard I have used, but it still ranks up there. The function key layout is interesting compared to other notebook models, with use of the function keys backwards. Normally to adjust the brightness or volume, or toggle the WiFi settings you press the FN-key, then the appropriate function key. Dell went with a setup where the secondary command is now primary. To put it another way, if you want to hit F5 to refresh a webpage, you now need to press FN+ the brightness up key. For normal uses this might be more intuitive, but for advanced users who love using commands like window close, page refresh, full screen, and other function key commands, it is more confusing and complex.
The touchpad is a large Dell-specific model, with a nicely textured matte finish that gives excellent traction. Speed and accuracy were pretty good, with barely any lag noticed in our tests. We did encounter one situation where a quick tap and select movement wouldn't release the selection box, but that situation didn't come up frequently. The touchpad might not have been as nice to use as a Synaptics model, but for the notebook's intended market it should be fine. The touchpad buttons were a big surprise to see on a budget model. They provide excellent feedback and have a deep throw, instead of standard "clicky" touchpad buttons.
Ports and Features Port selection on the Dell Inspiron 15 is lacking compared to notebooks of the same size, including only three USB ports, VGA, LAN, and an ExpressCard/34 slot. HDMI would have been greatly appreciated, since it would allow a user to hook the notebook up to a home theater to play movies, whereas now you would need to have a TV that supports VGA in, and still be limited to analog audio out. For quickly copying images off a memory card, there is a spring loaded SDHC-compatible memory slot on the front of the notebook. eSATA would have been another nice touch, but it is hard enough to find it on some high-end notebooks.
Performance and Benchmarks System performance was below average when compared to other consumer notebooks, but that was heaviliy dependant on the low-end T4200 Intel Dual-Core Pentium our configuration included. While it might not be able to play the latest games, users will not have any problems typing documents, watching HD movies, ripping music through iTunes, or editing photos. Boot times were still quick, only taking about 35 seconds to get to a ready desktop screen from a full shutdown. The included 320GB hard drive offered plenty of storage space for movies, music, and photos, and even though it is only 5400RPM, it is still quick for daily use. Overall this system falls toward the bottom of our list in terms of performance, but if you were to upgrade the processor, speeds across the board would get a nice boost.
wPrime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance):
Dell Studio 15 (1555) (Core 2 Duo P8600 @ 2.4GHz)
32.995 seconds
Toshiba Satellite A355 (Core 2 Duo P7450 @ 2.16GHz)
Dell Studio 15 (1535) (2.0GHz Intel T5750, Intel X3100)
493 3DMarks
All of the 3DMark06 scores for all of the systems listed above were run at 1280 x 800 (for screens with a 16:10 ratio) or 1280 x 768 resolution (for screens with 16:9).
HDTune storage drive performance results:
Heat and Noise System temperatures stayed well within our "lap-friendly" range, with only one hot spot being the touchpad. On battery power with nothing significant running in the background the system barely climbed above room temp. Noise levels remained low during our tests, with only a few blips of higher fan speeds, before the fan resumed its silent/off fan state. After the notebook had been running for the good part of a day plugged in and being stressed moments earlier, the system still showed no signs of running abnormally hot in our temperature readings shown below in degrees Fahrenheit.
Battery Battery life was below average compared to other notebooks, and we had expected slightly better results from the 48Wh battery Dell included with it. In our tests with screen brightness set to 70%, wireless active, and Vista set to the Balanced profile the Inspiron stayed on for 2 hours and 38 minutes. Power consumption varied between 12 and 16 watts during our battery test. A more efficient processor and power management system could have yielded much better results. To put this in perspective, the ThinkPad T400 with an Intel Core 2 Duo T9600 processor and X4500 graphics consumed as little as 8.5 watts of power.
Conclusion The Dell Inspiron 15 is a decent mid-size budget notebook with good looks and average build quality. The keyboard is very comfortable to type on with excellent support, but has a weird function key layout that may annoy more advanced users. The touchpad offers an excellent surface texture with buttons that have great feedback and throw distance. Basic configurations start as low as $379, making it a reasonable choice if you are working on a budget. Overall it might not be the best notebook on the market, but it still offers great value and a reasonably attractive design.
Pros:
Good looks
Easy to upgrade all components
Good cooling system
Great touchpad buttons
Cons:
Screen lid doesn't stay closed with the notebook held vertically
Lenovo offers three lines of notebooks; the ThinkPad, IdeaPad, and the not-so-frequently-mentioned "Value line" series. The Value line currently only includes the G530, a 15.4” notebook offering either an Intel Pentium dual-core or Core 2 Duo processor and Intel integrated graphics. With a starting price of $429, is the Lenovo G530 value notebook worth considering? Read our full review to find out.
Microsoft Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (w/ SP1)
15.4-inch glossy 16:10 display (1280x800)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
3GB DDR2 667MHz RAM
250GB 5400RPM HDD
SuperMulti DVD+/-RW Optical Drive
Broadcom WiFi (802.11b/g), 10/100 Ethernet, Modem
6-Cell 11.1V 53WHr Battery
Limited 1-year standard parts and labor warranty
Dimensions: 14.1 x 10.1 x 1.45
Weight: 5lbs 13.9oz
Price as configured: $499
Build and Design The design of the Lenovo G530 is simple yet stylish, having a black MacBook-ish appearance when the notebook is closed. The edges are rounded off and the lid has a matte black finish that is smooth to the touch. The interior of the notebook shares the same color as the lid, but is textured with a rougher matte finish similar to what you would find on unpainted sections of a ThinkPad. Lenovo took the back-to-basics route with the color scheme on this notebook, making it entirely black inside and out.
The chassis is constructed entirely of plastic, but where most budget notebooks might feel flexible or flimsy, the G530 feels like a solid block of sturdy material. When talking about the palm rest on most notebooks, including ThinkPads, notebooks with good support still show some flex under a very strong grip. Somehow squeezing the palm rests on the G530 feels like you are trying to squeeze a rock. Other areas of the notebook share the same toughness, including the keyboard and surrounding trim.
To upgrade components the G530 has easy access panels to the memory and CPU, wireless card, and hard drive on the bottom of the notebook. No components, including the processor, had “warranty void if removed” stickers, making it very easy to handle upgrades or repairs in the future.
Display The 15.4” LCD is above average compared to most 15.4-16” notebooks, with bright and vibrant colors and decent viewing angles. The panel used is an older 16:10 1280x800 panel, instead of the newer 16:9 1366x768 versions we see in most notebooks today. The screen offers a glossy surface, which helps improve colors and contrast at the cost of added reflections and glare. Compared to “frameless” displays the reflections were tolerable as long as you were not outside under direct sunlight. Screen brightness was adequate for viewing in bright office conditions, but might not cut it outside unless it is an overcast day. Vertical viewing angles were adequate with a broad viewing sweet spot measuring 30 degrees forward or back before colors started to wash out or invert. Horizontal view angles were much better, showing no color distortion at steep angles.
Keyboard and Touchpad The keyboard is easy to type on, sharing the same comfortable and durable feel as my ThinkPad T60 keyboard and only differing in layout. Individual key action is smooth with no audible click when pressed. The keys are textured with a smooth matte finish, giving decent traction for typing ... unlike the glossy keyboards we are seeing on a greater number of notebooks these days. Keyboard support is excellent, with no hint of flex under strong typing pressure. Media-related keys are limited to touch-sensitive mute and volume up/down buttons located above the keyboard.
The G530 uses a Synaptics touchpad that has good sensitivity and no discernable lag during use. The surface texture is a smooth matte finish that is easy to slide a finger across even when moist. The touchpad buttons are large and positioned directly under the touchpad. I found them easy to trigger, needing only light pressure to activate. Feedback from the buttons was minimal, giving off only a sharp click when pressed. If you prefer to disable the touchpad, the keyboard has a function key that will disable it and light a blue LED in-between the touchpad buttons.
Ports and Features Port selection is limited compared to other full-size notebooks, offering only four USB ports, VGA-out, and audio jacks. eSATA and HDMI would have been greatly appreciated, but we understand that sometimes in order to cut costs some things have to be sacrificed.
Speakers and Audio The onboard speakers are fine for occasionally playing music or watching video, but they were fairly unimpressive as far as notebook speakers go. Bass and midrange were lacking, but given the low-cost nature of this notebook it was expected. Peak volume levels were fine for a small room, but for the best possible audio quality a pair of headphones connected through the audio jack is the best option.
Performance and Benchmarks System performance of the G530 was good considering it was equipped with an Intel Pentium T3400 dual-core processor instead of a Core 2 Duo like most of the budget models we review. Graphics are limited to integrated only, with the Intel X4500 chipset used in this notebook. While it can’t handle the latest games, it easily copes with standard applications such as Microsoft Word, Firefox, iTunes, and other media applications. It can also handle playing HD movies, but with only VGA out, external video connections are limited. Overall for basic small business or student use this notebook would work just fine.
wPrime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance):
Heat and Noise Thermal performance of the G530 is very good thanks to the large chassis, slower processor, and integrated graphics. Under stress the system controlled temperatures very well, and under normal loads the bottom of the notebook and palmrests stayed cool to the touch. Fan noise was minimal, with it staying off under light system loads, and going just above a whisper under intensive use. The one hotspot that stood out on the G530 was the panel beneath the hard drive that warmed up considerably if you were stressing the disk.
Battery The Lenovo G530 uses a moderately sized 6-cell battery that gives modest performance when not plugged into the wall. In our tests with screen brightness at 70%, wireless active, and Vista set to the "balanced" profile the system stayed on for 3 hours and 29 minutes. Average power consumption during the test was between 14 and 15 watts. A better processor with enhanced low-power modes might give increased battery time, possibly extending battery life beyond 4 hours.
Conclusion Lenovo really made a great budget notebook with the G530. It feels solid and well built, something that isn’t usually the case when it comes to low-cost notebooks. Styling is very basic, similar to the Dell Vostro or HP ProBook line, and just like the ThinkPad comes in an all-black color scheme. System performance was fine for normal use, and could even handle HD content. Gaming is out of the question, but given its intended market that is hardly a concern. Compared to a Vostro or ProBook I think the G530 feels sturdier and given the price and configuration, the G530 is a better deal. Overall I think Lenovo should be pushing this notebook to small and medium businesses instead of the ThinkPad SL500, since the G530 feels like a much better machine.
The Getac B300 ruggedized notebook is aimed towards a more demanding consumer, like the police, military, remote research companies, or anyone that might destroy a normal notebook throughout the course of daily business. The B300 offers an Intel Core 2 Duo L7500 processor, optional 500 NIT touch screen, and optional integrated GPS and 3G WWAN housed inside a super rugged chassis with built-in carrying handle. How well does this notebook hold up in our extra-ordinary daily activities? Read our full review to find out!
External Connections: AC Input, 2 USB, Firewire, 2 Serial, Docking Connection, 2 PC-Card, VGA, LAN, Modem, Parallel, IR, and Headphone/Mic
11.1v 7800mAh Battery (12 hours estimated)
Dimensions:11.9” x 10.35” x 2.36”
Weight:8lbs 7.3oz
90W AC adapter
Price starting at: $3,249
Build and Design The design of the Getac B300 is industrial, with massive rubber bumpers, deep grooved alloy lid, rugged port covers, and its own carrying handle. I love this type of design that looks as if nothing could harm the notebook short of a semi trailer truck running over it. The panels are lined with stainless steel screws holding every edge of the body together. I can count 23 screws on the display cover alone. The only splash of color to break up the grey and black panels is the Intel Centrino sticker and indicator lights.
Build quality is fantastic, exactly what you would expect from a notebook designed for military and law enforcement environments. Every single feature down to the touchpad buttons has been designed to withstand impacts or water infiltration without skipping a beat. All ports are covered and sealed through the use of rubber caps or hinged panels to keep out dust and water. The battery and hard drive are accessible without the use of a screwdriver, having only a locking quick release panel covering them for swapping in the field.
The onboard carrying handle attached to the palmrest section of the B300 is one of my favorite parts. It pops out when you need to transport the notebook, and is every bit as rugged as the notebook itself. When you are finished you pop it back into place and it becomes an extension to the palmrest. Using the B300 as my primary computer I became more worried about damaging other stuff carrying this around than the notebook itself. Accidentally swing a backpack into a wall and it might just bounce off without causing harm. Accidentally swing this into a wall and you are likely to leave a huge dent in your wall.
The GETAC B300 is rated for the following test specifications:
Temperature According to IEC 68-2-1,2,14 / MIL-STD-810F, Method 501.4, 502.4
Operating: 0˚C (32˚F) to 55˚C (131˚F)
-20˚C (4˚F) to 55˚C (low temperature option)
Non-operating: -40˚C (-40˚F) to 70˚C (158˚F)
Humidity According to IEC 68-2-30 / MIL-STD-810F, Method 507
45% to 95% RH, non-condensing
Altitude According to IEC 68-2-13/ MIL-STD-810F, Method 500.4
Operating: 15,000ft
Non-operating: 40,000ft
Altitude change rate: 2,000ft/min
Shock According to IEC 68-2-27/ MIL-STD-810F, Method 516.5
Drop According to IEC 68-2-32 / MIL-STD-810F, Method 516.5
Vibration According to IEC 68-2-6 / MIL-STD-810F, Method 514.5
ESD According toIEC1000-4-2
Enclosure According to IEC 529, NEMA, MIL-STD-810F, Method 506.4, 510.4 IP 54 compliance
Other MIL-STD 461E (option), MIL-STD-3009 "Night Vision" (option)
What most of these ratings mean for the average user is the notebook won’t break when you drop it, won’t care if you spill something on it, doesn’t care if it shakes around in a car under daily use, and really doesn’t mind if you say mean spirited things to it.
Display The 13.3” XGA panel is quite bright, tipping the scale against most of the other notebooks we have reviewed. It is rated at 500nit, which works in a sunlight mode from the push of a button. No matter what your previous setting was it goes into its super bright mode that feels like a laser pointer shining in your eyes if the room is dark enough. The display rates average in terms of color saturation and contrast. I feel the screen would have looked better if the panel was completely exposed like on a normal notebook, but since it is recessed with a digitizer and protective panel some quality was lost. Horizontal viewing angles were good with little or no distortion at steep angles. Vertical viewing angles were mode limited with colors quickly inverting as you move to lower angles and colors washing out as you go to higher angles.
If a 500nit screen is not bright enough for you, Getac also offers this notebook with a 1200nit screen ... for viewing your laptop on the surface of the sun. Our B300 review unit was supplied with a resistive touch display, which worked very well for mild input. Getac includes a mini telescoping stylus which is located above the keyboard for precise input, but I usually just used my fingertip. Compared to most panels you had to push harder to get the surface to detect your input, but this was only a problem with my fingertip, not the stylus.
Screen protection was excellent with a protective layer that can handle flying fists without showing more than a smudge on the surface. The Getac ruggedized notebooks are the only notebooks we have seen in house that have this level of protection to the display panel.
Keyboard and Touchpad The keyboard was easy to type on, much nicer than the rubber membrane keyboard on the Getac M230 we reviewed last year. The keyboard feels similar to the one on my ThinkPad, with the only difference being the perfectly smooth surface instead of the light matte finish Lenovo uses. Most of the keys were full-size except those found on the right side, which were narrowed slightly to make room for dedicated page navigation keys. The keyboard also features a red backlight, in 3 levels of brightness for easy nighttime viewing.
The Synaptics keyboard required a heavier touch than I was used to, which was probably related to some coating on top of it to make it more durable than the common touchpad. Increasing the sensitivity helped a bit, but I think still felt weird. The touchpad buttons are rubber coated and require more pressure to activate than most buttons. The rubber cover made them soft to touch, but they still only gave shallow feedback when pressed.
Performance The Getac B300 was equipped with a low voltage L7500 Core 2 Duo processor for lower power consumption and low thermal output. Designed without a cooling fan which would allow dust and water infiltration the system had to be designed with a slower processor. For most daily activities you don’t notice any slowdowns or lag. Decoding movies would be limited to very light 720p video or standard definition movies. Gaming is out of the question, but this computer is designed for a completely different consumer group. Boot times with Windows XP were more than acceptable, with few preinstalled applications to slow the system down.
Before running any benchmarks we updated the system with the latest Windows updates and patches, including SP3.
wPrime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance):
*All 3DMark06 benchmark tests are set at 1280 x 800 screen resolution.
HDTune storage drive performance results:
Speakers and Audio Speaker sound quality wasn’t the best, but Getac was interested in making them durable and waterproof instead of packing the B300 with the latest surround sound system. They were located on the front edge of the notebook, protected by the carrying handle as well as durable speaker grills. For headphone or headset use there are jacks on the side for both headphones and a mic.
Ports and Features Port selection for modern and not-so-modern devices is excellent, with three USB, FireWire, two serial connections, two PCMCIA slots, LAN/Modem, VGA, and a docking connector. All ports are fully sealed with rubber or metal covers to keep dust, water, and sand out.
Our B300 also included a GPS receiver which worked well indoors, getting a lock on 10 or more satellites on my desk. Getac included a fingerprint reader on the palmrest located under a sliding panel to keep out water and debris. This was one of the coolest implementations of a fingerprint reader we have seen on a notebook.
Battery Life With the system set to the laptop/portable power profile, system brightness to 70%, and wireless active the system managed 8 hours and 55 minutes before it shutdown. With the system locked into a low power state and screen brightness reduced the estimated battery life increased to 12 hours and 30 minutes. With wireless disabled the time jumped by another 30 minutes. Using the sunlight mode adds roughly 15 watts of power consumption to any mode you are in, bringing your battery life down to a measly 4 hours.
Heat and Noise System noise was non-existent since Getac uses a passive cooling system on the B300, with no fans. The thick metal chassis becomes the heatsink for the processor, which in the case of the B300 means one massive heatsink. Heat output was minimal through the case with it feeling mildly warm after hours of use. There were no real hot spots on the bottom and the top half was always cool. The external temperatures shown below are listed in degrees Fahrenheit:
Conclusion The Getac B300 is designed to handle any situation short of a direct mortar attack. It is fully sealed against water, dust, and sand when all the ports are covered. The B300 is everything we expect when we hear the term “rugged notebook” with its thick metal chassis, attached carrying handle, impact resistant display, and passive cooling system. Battery life is phenomenal thanks to the low-voltage Intel L7500 processor, reaching almost 9 hours in our tests and able to reach an estimated 13 hours with more options scaled back. If the price was $2,000 less I would be all over it to make the B300 my next work notebook.
Pros:
Solid chassis with built-in carrying handle
Impact resistant screen
Great battery life
Things don’t damage this notebook, this notebook damages other things
