Review of Dell Inspiron 1525

Review of Dell Inspiron 1525

Introduction

Dell Inspiron 1525 Dell Inspiron 1525 Pictures

Dell Inspiron 1525 has sleek design, strong dual-core performance, long battery life, and top-notch multimedia components set it apart from the pack. The Inspiron’s glossy black lid sports a silver Dell logo badge in the middle and a silver racing stripe pattern off to the left, giving it an elegant, yet sporty look called “Street.” (Two other designs are available as well, including “Chill,” a cool blue-and-white swirl pattern, and “Blossom,” a fuchsia floral design).

The main features of this are given below.According to Dell, the Inspiron 1525 is about 25 percent smaller than its predecessor, the Inspiron 1520. Interestingly enough, the Inspiron 1420 and the 1720 keep their designs, for now. At 9.8 by 13.9 by 1.4 inches, the 1525 is even smaller than the Dell XPS M1530. Its thickness depends on where you take the measurements. At the back, it's 1.4 inches deep, then tapers down to an inch thick at the front bezel.

It includes the following specifications

  • Operating system: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
  • Processor:Intel Core 2 duo T7250
  • RAM: 2 GB
  • Hard Disk:120 GB
  • Graphic Card:Intel GMA X3100
  • Network Interface:802.11a/g
  • Screen size:15.4"
  • Weight: 6 lbs
  • Primary optical drive: DVD+R DL
  • Processer speed:2 GHz
  • Video Card:Intel Graphics Media Acceleratur X3100
  • Battery:56Whr Lithium ion (6 cell)
  • Warranty:1 yr warranty & mail-in service
  • Input and Output Ports: 4 USB 2.0, HDMI, VGA, IEEE 1394a, RJ11, RJ45, 2 headphone, 1 microphone, 1 ExpressCard 54mm slot, 3 mini-card slots, consumer IR, S-Video
  • No webcam (optional Integrated 2.0 megapixel webcam available)
  • Dimensions: 1.00" - 1.48" (height) x 14.05" (width) x 10.08" (depth)
  • Base configuration price: $499
  • Price as tested: $1,024 ($874 after instant savings)


Sceen:

The 15.4-inch widescreen is a boom for videos and photographers with their first D-SLR camera. The 1,280-by-800 resolution is standard and higher resolution increase the contrast. The keyboard does not have smoothness which makes wrist a little fatique.The basic addition has to be an HDMI port. Hooking up a laptop to a bigger display is a neat feature, and the 1525 is the first Inspiron laptop to get such a port.

Processor Performance

The processor options are aplenty.the Dell 1525 came with a 2-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7250. Just make sure you don't go with less than the 2GB of RAM my review unit had, so you're able to offset the demands of Windows Vista Home Premium. SYSmark 2007 Preview Overall scores were identical to those of the XPS M1530, and it beat out the HP dv6500t thanks to a faster processor. The Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (LED) is the overall winner because it loads the fastest parts and was tested under Windows XP Professional.

Battery Life

Battery life with just the standard 56-Wh battery (six-cell) was an impressive 3 hours 45 minutes on MobileMark 2007 tests.

Design

With a new look and a slimmer design, the Dell Inspiron 1525 is poised to provide a seamless computing experience for mobile consumers and deskbound home-theater enthusiasts. It inherits many of the cool features from the Inspiron 1520 while adding one more, the HDMI port. Unfortunately, the slimmer design also means that it had to forgo an option for dedicated graphics.

The various ports available

There is a 2.0-megapixel webcam right above the screen. The four USB ports and a FireWire port are enough to handle all your peripherals. The HDMI port, S-Video and VGA-out ports also come standard with the system. The 1525 will be available in all three WWAN flavors, including Verizon's and Sprint's EV-DO Rev A and AT&T's HSDPA modems.

Conclusions

The bottom line:
A thinner and lighter Inspiron 1525 is guaranteed to boost mobile productivity, but gamers will be disappointed by the lack of graphics options.

Pros:

  • Slimmer design than its predecessor. Much thinner and lighter than the Inspiron 1520
  • HDMI port added.
  • Great battery life with a standard battery.
  • WWAN options available.
  • Awesome typing experience.
  • Affordable.
  • Solid performance and features

Cons:

  • Dedicated graphics cards will not be offered.
  • Inconsistent wireless performance
  • Glossy LCD lid is a magnet for fingerprints