Behold II Smartphone with Android
Entered CNET Catalog: 06/14/2007
SKU: DNCWKA1_10
Manufacturer: Dell, Inc.
Manufacturer description
The versatile new 15.4" Inspiron represents the perfect blend of high-end multimedia and mobility. Designed with a choice of powerful dual-core processors and a widescreen display, this notebook is ideal for media, entertainment and more.User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 User Rating: 
7/10
Solid computer with a few glitches
Pros: Fast and solid built design
Excellent Range on WiFi (5300 card)
Excellent value
Good for small business
Dell customer support through CHAT
Cons: DVD player does NOT play commercially bought DVDs
No IR port/No serial port (pretty much standard today)
Keyboard a bit mushy
Review: My 1520 came with 4 G of memeory, 320 GB Hard driver (7200 rpm) and the 9 cell battery, and Windows 7. I chose the 5300 WiFi option only because the 5100 would delay shipment.
The first thing I noticed was the footprint is a bit larger than my older Vostro 1400. Not so large to be a bother but noticeably bigger. It also has no IR port if you want to beam anything to the computer.
But, if you want a computer for basic MS Office and Internet activity this is a good choice. Reasonably fast and the 7200 rpm hard drive in my mind is essential. Having come from a machine that had USB 1.0, the 2.0 standard is blazingly fast although old hat to most every computer today.
Windows 7 will take some time to learn all the nuances - it is just different enough from XP to make it an annoyance in some cases although I suspect this will ease with time. Windows, Dell Software, and the drivers suck up about 16 GB of Hard drive space, about 5% of the 320 GB.
Now for the negatives.
I've read reviews that the left plam rest area gets extrememly hot - not on the one I purchased. I don't think the temperature ever exceeds about 85 deg. F.
The first thing I noticed was the footprint is a bit larger than my older Vostro 1400. Not so large to be a bother but noticeably bigger. It also has no IR port if you want to beam anything to the computer.
But, if you want a computer for basic MS Office and Internet activity this is a good choice. Reasonably fast and the 7200 rpm hard drive in my mind is essential. Having come from a machine that had USB 1.0, the 2.0 standard is blazingly fast although old hat to most every computer today.
Windows 7 will take some time to learn all the nuances - it is just different enough from XP to make it an annoyance in some cases although I suspect this will ease with time. Windows, Dell Software, and the drivers suck up about 16 GB of Hard drive space, about 5% of the 320 GB.
Now for the negatives.
I've read reviews that the left plam rest area gets extrememly hot - not on the one I purchased. I don't think the temperature ever exceeds about 85 deg. F.
User Rating: 
10/10
LOVE IT!!!
Pros: It never fails, very dependable
Cons: A little slow, battery life is not great
Review: I have had my Inspiron 1520 for almost a couple of years and I LOVE IT!!! I have spent COUNTLESS hours online doing homework for my online courses (writing 30+ page research reports, writing discussion postings, creating PowerPoint presentations, etc.) and it never has failed, not once. I have never had to deal with Dell tech support (thank Goodness because I hear they're pretty crummy). My laptop stays on around 20 hours a day and it's still running strong! I did upgrade the HD memory and RAM (for my own happy thoughts I guess lol). Highly Recommended!!!
User Rating: 
5/10
okay laptop
Pros: it is pretty ... i found dell to be helpful when my screen died and it was replaced quickly ...
Cons: can not be unplugged or the display is so dim it is impossible to use ... system has been unstable (blue screens) and i never had that with my other laptop ... i find the touchpad is too close to the keyboard and always inadvertently touching it ...
Review: i would not buy a dell again ... i need a store where if there are problems i can go and talk to someone about it ... the inability to move around with my laptop is the biggest drawback of all ... no more going to the coffee shop with my laptop or watching movies in the park ... i also find it to be slow compared to my older laptop even though this dell laptop has a faster processor, more ram and a bigger hard drive than my older laptop ...
User Rating: 
1/10
Worst Choice Ever
Pros: It's good at first.
Cons: Drive crashes easily,video hardware crashes, slows down fast, worst wireless connection ever, Easily overheats & battery-useless
Review: I've had this laptop for almost 2 years- I'm the only one who uses it. In total I only download 10-15 programs that aren't even big. It crashes more than 7 times since I got it, display screen- error twice, documents lost, lighting bad, keyboard disconnected 2 twice, and dell support?-couldn't even understand them. And compared to my work HP laptop? I'm a ******* for even buying from dell.
User Rating: 5/10
Not bad but definitely not the best.
Pros: nothing really, it's an alright computer but the cons outweigh the pros
Cons: Having to get an all new hard drive after only 1 year of use.
then now everything won't even load, it won't even let me download an anti-virus.
Sound Drivers delete themselves randomly sometimes
The keyboard gets stuck, and keys fall off.
Review: I've had this laptop for the past 2 and a half years, and overall I was happy with it while it was still new. But a year after I got it, the hard drive crapped out and all I kept getting was a blue screen whenever I turned it on. I had to call India to fix it, and nothing worked so they had to send me a new hard drive.
Now that I put the hard drive back in, it deleted everything I previously had on it. now nothing will work with my laptop, I can't even download Itunes or an anti-virus.
Although it still does it's job as a laptop fairly well, even though nothing works.
Now that I put the hard drive back in, it deleted everything I previously had on it. now nothing will work with my laptop, I can't even download Itunes or an anti-virus.
Although it still does it's job as a laptop fairly well, even though nothing works.
User Rating: 
2/10
Antagonostic, Horrible Customer Support
Pros: Decent product
Cons: Customer service was extremely unhelpful and is useless.
Review:
User Rating: 10/10
This Is One Excellent Laptop!!!!
Pros: Where do I begin? Let me just save a lot of time right here and say Everything as far as the Pros go.
Cons: Only thing is the AC cord keeps falling out of the back all on its on. Still a very small Con though, as compared to some unworthy systems I have seen and owned.
Review: The Bottom Line? This Laptop PC Rocks!!!! When configured right (graphics, RAM, etc...), this laptop could very well be the only one that you would ever own minus the no touch-screen. But this laptop has an excellent keyboard and mouse, a second-to-none top-o'-tha-line dedicated graphics card option. It also has an excellent webcam, dual array microphone, awesome Bluetooth settings, DVD burner. You name it and I have it on my Dell 1520. Plus mine is i sleek and sexy Matte Finish Solid Black cover. My use of this laptop has also really drawed a number of females to me as well. Just by using this laptop alone, I have acquired 10 dates with some of the sexiest emales I have ever saw. Man even Megan Fox had her agent contact me and pleaded with me for a date. LOL OK OK, the female part of this review is way too farfetched to believe. But seriously folks, if you plan to purchase a Dell 1520, then you are making a very wise choice and an excellent purchase; and if you already Have purchased a cool sleek Dell Inspiron 1520, the Congrats!! Well-done Grasshopper!!! You are wise beyong your wildest dreams!!! Bo go, spread your wiseness, and convinve everyone you see to get a Dell Inspiron 1520 some way!! LOL Thanks for reading my review!!
Updated on Sep 28, 2009Guys I tell you; My Dell Inspiron 1520 is still, to this day with already having it for two whole years, the very best laptop that I have ever owned. You just can't take anything away from this gem machine of computers and computing. The 1520 rarely ever gets hot on the bottom; and if it does get heated, it just gets slight luke-warm. I don't even think you can call it heated. My 1520 works even better than it did when I first got it. It is the quietest and smoothest perofrming laptop ever. Nothing can match or top its speed. It's like a click, and you are there on your webpage; no waiting, no freezing up. It almost has an Instant on connection. matter of fact, it does. Yeah, I still love my beloved Dell Inspiron 1520. I think that this laptop will keep going strong for at least the next 10 years. Thanks!!
Updated on Sep 28, 2009Guys I tell you; My Dell Inspiron 1520 is still, to this day with already having it for two whole years, the very best laptop that I have ever owned. You just can't take anything away from this gem machine of computers and computing. The 1520 rarely ever gets hot on the bottom; and if it does get heated, it just gets slight luke-warm. I don't even think you can call it heated. My 1520 works even better than it did when I first got it. It is the quietest and smoothest perofrming laptop ever. Nothing can match or top its speed. It's like a click, and you are there on your webpage; no waiting, no freezing up. It almost has an Instant on connection. matter of fact, it does. Yeah, I still love my beloved Dell Inspiron 1520. I think that this laptop will keep going strong for at least the next 10 years. Thanks!!
User Rating: 10/10
Totally Outstanding Laptop PC
Pros: Display, Build Quality, Battery Life, Graphics card, design, connection, speed, durability, battery life, keyboard, bluetooth, built-in webcam and mic, internal card for mobile connection. Everything else but (Please See Cons Section)....
Cons: AC adapter cord keeps falling out of the laptop jack. This is very annoying, but still doesn't take away my perfect outlook on the 1520 laptop itself.
Review: I bought this laptop in the summer of 2007. I originally built a brand new one on Dell's site, but by the time I was finished, the laptop was going to cost me around $2500.00, and I didn't want to pay that price. So at first I thought that I was just going to have to pass buying a 1520 up. But then I went to the Dell Outlet Store site, and except for one very minor issue, they had the 1520 that i had configured listed. It had everything that I had wanted in it. And so then I looked at the price, and I couldn't believe my eyes, as I saw the price was $1150.00. I called the Dell Outlet Store, and the rep there told me that Dell has just built the one I was looking at for a customer, who backed out of the purchase of it right after they had finished the build. He said that it was in fact a brand new laptop. So I decided to buy it, andI am sure glad that I did. Now for a brief review:
The Inspiron 1520 is an awesome laptop that, if configured right, can be used as not only a mainstream laptop, but also as a very powerful gaming system. The 1520 is built to last, durable. The keyboard is a breeze and quite fun to use. The screen display and graphics card is quite far the vewry best I have saw. It is crystal clear and super bright. The built-in webcam and mic are both just amazing in their own right. The battery life is more than average. To sum up quick, this is one fine piece of computer and I very highly recommend it to anyone. Even though Dell doesn't build the 1520's any longer, if you have the fortunate option to get your hands on one of these fine powerful laptops, I suggest that you do. Thanks!!
The Inspiron 1520 is an awesome laptop that, if configured right, can be used as not only a mainstream laptop, but also as a very powerful gaming system. The 1520 is built to last, durable. The keyboard is a breeze and quite fun to use. The screen display and graphics card is quite far the vewry best I have saw. It is crystal clear and super bright. The built-in webcam and mic are both just amazing in their own right. The battery life is more than average. To sum up quick, this is one fine piece of computer and I very highly recommend it to anyone. Even though Dell doesn't build the 1520's any longer, if you have the fortunate option to get your hands on one of these fine powerful laptops, I suggest that you do. Thanks!!
User Rating: 
6/10
My first laptop
Pros: Easy to use and carry.
Cons: frequent restarts, some newer programs incompatible as well as the older ones.
Review: I think my main problem with this computer is the operating system Vista. I own an HP desk top I just bought a few weeks ago and have some of the same issues with it . It has to be the operating system I wish they would get it right. The updates obviously are not working. I heard there is a new windows coming out the end of this year. I've had this laptop about 3 years and aside from a few crashes and some software issues, it has held up well.
User Rating: 1/10
Inspiron 1520 and Dell an Extreme Disappointment
Pros: First 3 months were excellent, fast, and Everything I Could ask for from a notebook, the Inspiron 1520 was a dream, one I was about to wake up from.
Cons: Everything from Hardware, Software, To Customer support is simply a buyer's nightmare.
Review: The Dell Inspiron 1520, a laptop I took pride in purchasing after much research. I wanted the best, I upgraded near everything, and it arrived to my delight a few weeks early. Games? No Problem, The overall speed was wonderful, and I felt I had spent my $1,400 dollars it once was well. But this was definitely not to be the laptop I had paid for. Dell was my friend, but it was about to betray me. First, after about 4 months, the hinge on the left side that opened and closed the laptop cracked and eventually broke. I am careful with my electronics believe me, but perhaps I did not see the "Strain" I was putting on it by opening and closing it once or twice a day. It hardly ever left my desk, and I was not terribly worried about this problem. I contacted Dell, and after 15 inconvenient emails they agreed to fix this minor problem. They had someone come locally, and while it was free under warranty, I felt the problem never should have occured. 5 more strong months, and the whole OS slowed to an arduous pace. Slower than usable, I opted to fix it again, after all it wasnt that difficult in the first place. This time Dell was not as eager, as it would actually cost them some money. Still under warranty, I emailed dell, this time it took over, 60, SIXTY, emails, a chat session, and five phone calls until they finally took it back. Dell was horrible in supporting my issue, giving me the same advice to fix it every 3 emails, and then after 3 months of contact, arguing that my warranty had expired over the time I had spent speaking to them. This disgusted me as I attempted to talk with pregenerated responses and people who could not even communicate on a basic level. Have some dignity dell. After this nightmare was fixed, Dell returned to me a further broken computer, The screen blacked out, and the Processor died every time it was on for more than five minutes, and eventually would not boot at all. I argued that Dell had never fixed my computer in returning it, but no, now my warranty was up and the computer was gone for good. To this day it remains a hunk of junk in my house, with no use other than a 1,400 dollar paperweight that will be a constant reminder of how dell spat in my face. Please, DO NOT BUY THIS LAPTOP or ANY OTHER DELL PRODUCT. They do not deserve support which would otherwise be described as robbery and fraud. I am still appalled at the issue, and after this 2,400 character review I hope you can rethink the laptop you are about to buy. Save your money.
User Rating: 
9/10
Gr8 Laptop!!!
Pros: 1.Solid Construction, Durable.
2. Gr8 specs.
3. Beautiful Design.
4.Good Performance.
5. Value for Money.
Cons: Not much really.
1. Loose Latch.
2. Heaphone & Microphone jacks should have been in the front.
3. Customer Service is sometimes inconsistent.
Review: This is the ideal laptop for anyone looking for a desktop replacement laptop with truly All-Round performance at an affordable price. The ability to customize the laptop configuration is plus & the options are varied. However while buying dell products always be on the look-out for special promotions that may not be listed on the website, but are available on talking directly with the customer reps. But unfortunately the customer service is inconsistent & the reps are often confused & contradict each other which may cause some headaches. Otherwise a gr8 laptop that I can whole-heartedly recommend.
User Rating: 9/10
Good, solid, well thought-out unit.
Pros: Keyboard feel, interchangeability of standardized components, along with a much better than average screen.
Cons: Dell's customer service continues to rank low, and can be extremely frustrating! They're absolutely worthless, and can't solve the simplest problems. Fortunately, I'm computer literate. India has a long way to go before they're service proficient.
Review: Again, I like the unique blend of useable features. The unit combines features not normally found in mid-priced laptops. The computer just "feels good". There's also a much appreciated lack of spam software pre-loaded from the factory. That's nice and a refreshing change! Their Dell help center software is below avearage, and could use improvement. It actually causes shut-down problems, and can't be uninstalled easily. Dell has not come up with a solution for this (minor) problem. Do not waste your money on the extra Dell support. The standard stuff is terrible, and paying extra money would only prolong the agony. -But then again, the unit inself is excellent!
User Rating: 2/10
Bluye screens within the first week.
Pros: nice, simple style. i liked the wifi catcher. and it started out as a sturdy laptop.
Cons: gradually begins to degrade little by little after each use. blue screens from adobe within the first week. crashes. start up problems, eventually you end up with an $800 chunk of plastic with a pretty blue screen. and terrible customer service.
Review: i got this for a christmas gift. and i was greatful for it. i always wanted my own laptop. but knowing dell, i was just waiting for catastrophic failure to ensue. i had not gotten any trojans or viruses said my norton anti virus. and i got nothing but blue screens for months and months. im wrtinh this now because it just completely crashed on me. its only about 10 months old, and virus free. it seems to get slower every time i use it. which is somewhat understandable because i have about 100 gigs out of the 120 gig hard drive filled. which is another reason this is an unreliable peice of garbage. and im partially blaming vista for this. all i can say is, should have bought a mac!
DON'T BUY A DELL!
DON'T BUY A DELL!
User Rating: 
8/10
Excellent for most needs
Pros: Fast, handles Windows Vista Home Premium very well.
Cons: No built-in webcam, integrated graphics are only 'OK'.
Review: I actually have an upgraded one than the model used in the official review; 2gb DDR800 RAM, Core 2 Duo T7250, 120gb hard drive. For most purposes, this laptop suits me fine. I do most of my school work, running Office 2007 products, and editing, using Adobe Premiere CS3, Photoshop CS3, and After Effect CS2, on this machine. It handles all of those tasks well. This can handle some PC games, but anything graphics intensive, which basically means anything made after 2006, will run quite slow or not at all.
Older games like World of Warcraft, Guild Wars, and Knights of the Old Republic, run fine. I've even installed the Spore Creature Creator, and to my surprise, it runs. Not well, mind you, since there's considerable delay when rendering the color of a creature or their environments, but considering that the Creature Creator is about 'creating' and not 'playing', it's passable.
Overall, a good machine if you can find it for sub-$800 online. Dell's newer line of 1500's are better, and slightly lighter, but for the right price, this one should be considered.
Updated on Jan 6, 2009At the time of this post, this laptop is roughly a year and a half old, and approaching a mid-life crisis. If you can find one of these for cheap on eBay, it's a pretty solid buy. I'm running one with stock everything: haven't changed the RAM, upgraded the disk space, or anything like that. I use this primarily for my school work: video editing and some photo editing. Occasionally, I use this for various Microsoft Office products.
When the laptop is running off of battery power, it's a little slower. Start up time takes nearly a minute longer, and web browsing is a tad slower. Battery life, when toning down the screen brightness and overall speed, is a decent 3 or so hours. If you set the battery to run at full power without being plugged in, then you get less than 2 hours.
Overall, it's a fine laptop for average users. Don't expect to run high-end games or anything, but for most users, it's solid.
Older games like World of Warcraft, Guild Wars, and Knights of the Old Republic, run fine. I've even installed the Spore Creature Creator, and to my surprise, it runs. Not well, mind you, since there's considerable delay when rendering the color of a creature or their environments, but considering that the Creature Creator is about 'creating' and not 'playing', it's passable.
Overall, a good machine if you can find it for sub-$800 online. Dell's newer line of 1500's are better, and slightly lighter, but for the right price, this one should be considered.
Updated on Jan 6, 2009At the time of this post, this laptop is roughly a year and a half old, and approaching a mid-life crisis. If you can find one of these for cheap on eBay, it's a pretty solid buy. I'm running one with stock everything: haven't changed the RAM, upgraded the disk space, or anything like that. I use this primarily for my school work: video editing and some photo editing. Occasionally, I use this for various Microsoft Office products.
When the laptop is running off of battery power, it's a little slower. Start up time takes nearly a minute longer, and web browsing is a tad slower. Battery life, when toning down the screen brightness and overall speed, is a decent 3 or so hours. If you set the battery to run at full power without being plugged in, then you get less than 2 hours.
Overall, it's a fine laptop for average users. Don't expect to run high-end games or anything, but for most users, it's solid.
User Rating: 1/10
piece of junk Dell Inspiron 1520
Pros: nothing, called 12 times today, no anwer to questions. POORRRRR customer service, I want my money back
Cons: crashes all the time, back screen, says no harddrive found DUHHH Just a piece of junk, never againn buy a dell
Review: Crashes all the time everyday, black screen, says no hard drive found, call customer service, no help there at all, 12 times today I was transfered to one and then another that said they would help me NO HELP, want money back Sent puter in over 2 weeks ago for repair, cant get an answer from anyone and no computer. Dont buy Dell, I never will again, they dont stand up to what they say and give you the go around to try to satisfiy you. BADDDDDD Company
User Rating: 10/10
Another Excellent Laptop From Dell
Pros: Everything man, everything, right down to the screws that hold it together!!
Cons: Nothing unless me not being able to buy two or three of these top babies can be a con (lol).
Review: I absolutely love my Dell Inspiron 1520 laptop. It is sleek in design, durable, great graphics, excellent connectivity, very fast, and did I mention sexy?? I just love this laptop. It is just awesome, dude, awesome!! This is my fourth Dell computer, and my third Dell laptop. To those people that are giving poor ratings. You are supposed to rate the computer itself, not the poor customer service support that Dell gives. If I icluded that in my review, this laptop would probably have had to be given to me for free before I would buy it. But I am not including the very bad Dell Customr Support, so I give it the high ratings that it deserves.
User Rating: 8/10
good tool!
Pros: solid, work long time on battery (normal job), good camera
Cons: HEAVY
after intensive use, some keys remains with illegible signs (wiped letters)
quick worming
Review: I had no problems in 1 year, working well in xp and linux, and I'm using all features
User Rating: 10/10
Love it! Love It! Love It!
Pros: Everything but the battery life!!
Cons: the battery life!
Review: I just love my Dell Inspiron 1520. I have had not one problem at all with it. I have nevre lost the wireless connection; the graphics display is awesome, as I opted for the NVIDIA 8600 graphics card as well. My Dell inspiron 1520 is loaded, and it may not have the fancy drawings or designs on it like the other Dells are coming out with now, but I am extremely happy with my Inspiron 1520. I also own a Dell Inspiron E-1505, and I am just as equally happy with that one as well. I love Dell laptops and desktops. I think the next Dell that I want to get is either the Studio 15 one, or the newest lattitude one. I am not an avid gamer, but my Dell Inspiron 1520 And E-1505 is so loaded and tweaked out with graphics and RAM and 7200 rpm hard drive, that they both play the highest end games with ease and smoothness. I bet even when World of Warcraft version 666 comes out, my Dell laptops and desktops will still pay it with ease.
User Rating: 7/10
Good functionality and performance
Pros: Color, performance, multi-media features
Cons: Confusing side buttons
Review: Overall great value. Recommend configuring with Windows XP....Vista is a mess and slows down performance.
User Rating: 9/10
very nice notebook
Pros: almost everything was built right
Cons: some small sleep issues
Review: I LOVE this notebook It'S PERfect for multitasking everything is great about it except it takes a long time to get into sleep 8 sec.
User Rating: 1/10
Horrible laptop! Buyer Beware!
Pros: Looks attractive.
Cons: Poor hard drive function, cheap keyboard
Review: Bought this computer in March 08, by May 08, hard drive crashed. Computer was riddled with blue screen-errors, crash dumps..etc. Keys started just falling off the keyboard-defective clips. I took my computer back to the store and was given a loaner-the same model, the loaner also had frequent blue screen-errors, crash-dumps and one of the keys is just hanging by a thread waiting to fall off at any given time. This was my first laptop ever bought, will not buy Dell again!
User Rating: 2/10
moment of weakness impulse buy
Pros: keyboard is comfy
Cons: it's a dell
Review: i have lapses in judgement. i.e., i've dealt with dell 3 too many times...
User Rating: 6/10
The Dell Inspiron is once a ultimate entertainment powerhouse but now has limited options.
Pros: Great sizing and processors but....
Cons: Lacks choices, stuck with XP, two colors, no graphics, limited options.
Review: Although it once had impressed me a lot but currently it has limited choices so it is now average and does not gain a lot of satisfication... No more to say but just go with the Dell XPS M1530 or Inspiron 1420 if you consider portability but for home-office users you can go with the Dell Inspiron 1720...
User Rating: 2/10
Horrible service and support
Pros: Great looking machine
Cons: Not worth the effort dealing with support
Review: I am submitting this case to the New York State Attorney General office which has set up a special site just for Dell users. This is obviously not a good sign but it is truly indicative of the problems that Dell is experiencing as of late.
I have used Dell's products and support for many years now having purchased for myself and family and business many of their machines. I have never experienced anything close to the level of disrespect, dishonesty and lack of follow through or support from any company I have ever worked with. If this seems strong, it is not even close to the level of frustration I have experienced over the last 9 weeks of trying to get a replacement of my Inspiron 1520 which experienced a critical hardware error only 30 days after I had it installed. And yes, because I wanted it done correctly, I paid the extra $250 for a factory rep to install the machine. In fact, I ordered every warranty they offered, just for insurance. The machine was ordered with a port replicator which was supposed to be compatible with the machine and it wasn't, This was just the first indication that stuff was going to hit the fan.
Over the next 9 weeks I had been promised a replacement for the machine. Each time they would say I would receive the machine in 3 to 5 business days. After 5 days I would call and share that no one has sent me an email or phone message as to the status of the machine. Each time their would be another excuse as to why the machine wasn't sent. After the third time and the third excuse. I said, I didn't care what color it was, I didn't care what graphics card they had, I didn't care what additional memory it had. I simply wanted a machine with similar or better performance and please to ship it as soon as possible. I've called over a dozen times since and have spoken to supervisors and even had the case elevated to what they called Senior Supervisory Team. It truly didn't matter, none of these people were capable of handling the matter and each time I was told to be patient and the machine would come in now 5 to 8 days. I waited the 8 days and on the 9th day again I called. Each and every time there was no email or phone response from Dell. Finally I got a call from Pralluf (sp?) who was on the Senior Supervisory Team and I said I just want my money back. He couldn't do it but asked me to be patient again for another 2 days. Then another day, then another 3 days. Just yesterday the machine arrived... I got a call from the supervisor. He asked if everything was okay... I said no... I want my money back... He said he couldn't do that. He shared he would get back to me next week as he has to speak to finance department again. I've recorded my notes for each call, got everyone?s names and numbers, but it really doesn't matter. Buy the Dell if you want, but I truly hope you don't require their service.
I have used Dell's products and support for many years now having purchased for myself and family and business many of their machines. I have never experienced anything close to the level of disrespect, dishonesty and lack of follow through or support from any company I have ever worked with. If this seems strong, it is not even close to the level of frustration I have experienced over the last 9 weeks of trying to get a replacement of my Inspiron 1520 which experienced a critical hardware error only 30 days after I had it installed. And yes, because I wanted it done correctly, I paid the extra $250 for a factory rep to install the machine. In fact, I ordered every warranty they offered, just for insurance. The machine was ordered with a port replicator which was supposed to be compatible with the machine and it wasn't, This was just the first indication that stuff was going to hit the fan.
Over the next 9 weeks I had been promised a replacement for the machine. Each time they would say I would receive the machine in 3 to 5 business days. After 5 days I would call and share that no one has sent me an email or phone message as to the status of the machine. Each time their would be another excuse as to why the machine wasn't sent. After the third time and the third excuse. I said, I didn't care what color it was, I didn't care what graphics card they had, I didn't care what additional memory it had. I simply wanted a machine with similar or better performance and please to ship it as soon as possible. I've called over a dozen times since and have spoken to supervisors and even had the case elevated to what they called Senior Supervisory Team. It truly didn't matter, none of these people were capable of handling the matter and each time I was told to be patient and the machine would come in now 5 to 8 days. I waited the 8 days and on the 9th day again I called. Each and every time there was no email or phone response from Dell. Finally I got a call from Pralluf (sp?) who was on the Senior Supervisory Team and I said I just want my money back. He couldn't do it but asked me to be patient again for another 2 days. Then another day, then another 3 days. Just yesterday the machine arrived... I got a call from the supervisor. He asked if everything was okay... I said no... I want my money back... He said he couldn't do that. He shared he would get back to me next week as he has to speak to finance department again. I've recorded my notes for each call, got everyone?s names and numbers, but it really doesn't matter. Buy the Dell if you want, but I truly hope you don't require their service.
User Rating: 2/10
not worth the money at all!!! >(
Pros: looks nice
Cons: i've had for 2 months now and its crashing already! the webcam is not workin anymore and i have to hit the keys hard for them 2 work
Review: crap laptop - thank god i got insurance for it!!!
User Rating: 9/10
great laptop!
Pros: excellent performance and reliable under XP
Cons: onboard soundcard hisses
Review: I got this laptop with 2.2 GHz Core duo, Windows XP-pro, 2GB ram and Gforce 8600 M GT in Feb. 2008 (2 month ago) and it performs great. I used it for work (I am a physicist, and I run simulations, use it for presentations etc.) and also for the occasional gaming. It handles games like Oblivion at max setting (without AA) at 30-60 fps and even Crysis is playable at medium to high settings 
I chose the 1280*800 matte display, because I use it in the office: the screen is sharp and bright, without annoying reflections. I also prefer the lower resolution, so that fonts are not too small.
Only problem: the onboard soundcard has a loud hissing when used with headphones of low impedance (a common design problem of dell laptops that I knew in advance); I solved the problem by getting a creative soundcard ($60), which has much better sound quality.
I got discounts through my university with 4 years of at home support (I did not need it so far), and I got a very good deal all in all. The delivery was very fast too (2 days).
All in all I am very happy with my purchase. Word of advice: get XP and not Vista; your laptop will run faster, while being able to user any hardware/windows software you through at it without hassle.
I chose the 1280*800 matte display, because I use it in the office: the screen is sharp and bright, without annoying reflections. I also prefer the lower resolution, so that fonts are not too small.
Only problem: the onboard soundcard has a loud hissing when used with headphones of low impedance (a common design problem of dell laptops that I knew in advance); I solved the problem by getting a creative soundcard ($60), which has much better sound quality.
I got discounts through my university with 4 years of at home support (I did not need it so far), and I got a very good deal all in all. The delivery was very fast too (2 days).
All in all I am very happy with my purchase. Word of advice: get XP and not Vista; your laptop will run faster, while being able to user any hardware/windows software you through at it without hassle.
User Rating: 
3/10
graphic driver problem
Pros: Great design
Cons: graphic driver problem, "nvlddmkm losing connection and reconnecting"
Review:
User Rating: 10/10
Great performance
Pros: The home usage capability
Cons: the keyboard
Review: Definately recommended!
User Rating: 9/10
Awesome Notebook !!!!!!!!!!!!
Pros: Gforce 8600M GT
Cons: Everything is fine
Review: This is one of the best deals I ever made in my life. This notebook is just perfect. Nice graphics, great sound and everything is just fine. I don't know why some of you who use this notebook didn't like it because it is simply a great notebook. I use it a lot for gaming and it never crashes or something, it just runs the games smoothly with high graphics. If some of you who are reading this review and other reviews don't just see the average rating of the notebook, afterall, it's just an average. Because if you are searching a notebook that fulfills everything you like, than this is just the notebook you are looking for. I simply LOVE IT !!!!!!
User Rating: 9/10
Great laptop for first time buying one.
Pros: Fast, Good price.
Cons: When ordered did not offer DVD-R/RW Drive.
Review: I purchased my laptop in late October. Received it quickly with no problems even before the expected delivery date. Customized with 2.2 Ghz core 2 Duo with 4mb L2 cache, 2gb ram, 8600M GT video card, and Windows XP. Only draw back did not offer DVD burner at time of purchase.
Ordered as replacement for 4 year old Dell desktop. Use it for mainly minor gaming and general use. Works great have had no problems or errors installing or running applications. CD-RW burns at good rate and have had no coasters so far.
Only problem is minor clicking noise when loading a CD but no problems reading.
Installed Linux Ubuntu as dual boot with no problems minus having small problem setting up sound. Runs great.
All in all a very nice laptop. Runs games great. Played Half Life 2 and Call of Duty 4 at max settings with no slow downs.
Ordered as replacement for 4 year old Dell desktop. Use it for mainly minor gaming and general use. Works great have had no problems or errors installing or running applications. CD-RW burns at good rate and have had no coasters so far.
Only problem is minor clicking noise when loading a CD but no problems reading.
Installed Linux Ubuntu as dual boot with no problems minus having small problem setting up sound. Runs great.
All in all a very nice laptop. Runs games great. Played Half Life 2 and Call of Duty 4 at max settings with no slow downs.
User Rating: 9/10
A must-buy laptop!
Pros: speed, performance, processor, RAM, webcam, keyboard, touchpad, colors
Cons: thickness, weight, battery life
Review: I have the "Fully loaded" Inspiron 1520. I was pretty upset when Dell came up with the 1525. Everything works great and unlike many other users, I love Vista (home premium)!
The 1525 is a "slimmer and lighter" version!
The 9 cell battery
The reason why the battery life is bad is because I h3ave the 6 cell.
The 1525 is a "slimmer and lighter" version!
The 9 cell battery
The reason why the battery life is bad is because I h3ave the 6 cell.
User Rating: 6/10
Inspiron 1520 hard drive failed in 2 months!
Pros: Kids love it
Cons: Not sure I can rely on the hardware
Review: I purchased the Inspiron 1520 for Christmas in 2007. Less than 2 months in use, and the hard drive (160 GB SATA) has died. Blue screen of death with error code "Unmountable boot drive". Error code 2000-0142 - Driver self test failed. Status byte=70. Dell customer service (I'm guessing not local in North America) offered to replace it, not with a new one, but a "re-furbished" one, which is "better than new"! Huh? Should be here in 2-3 business days. I have been running DJ gigs off this thing, but this has caused me to seriously re-think my strategy. I think a MacBook might be in my future...
User Rating: 2/10
Dell - never again
Pros: Good for price
Cons: Initial computer defective, cust service a NIGHTMARE
Review: While the computer performs OK for the price, the whole experience has been a nightmare. The first computer arrived with a defective keyboard. After spending one hour on the phone, I was offered an identical replacement. That one arrived, it was not identical! ANOTHER HR ON THE PHONE a third was sent, this time we were advised that we could not have an identical replacement, there was none in stock. The nightmare continued: Dell uses DHL, they did not receive the returned computers a month later, now coming after us with nasty notices. STAY AWAY.....
User Rating: 8/10
Great laptop that dual boots Ubuntu Linux and Windows XP without a hiccup.
Pros: When loaded with the right options, it's equal to a Macbook.
Cons: Bluetooth should be standard, not a $20 option. Also, HDMI or DVI out should be available with the Nvidia GeForce cards, but it isn't.
Review: I admit, most people probably don't care about dual booting Windows and Linux, but I do.Some laptops are loaded with extra partitions on the hard drive for Maintainence or to back-up the primary partition, that make dual booting difficult or impossible, without reformatting/partitioning the hard drive to get rid of those extra partitions. The 1520 when ordered with XP, has no problem dual booting. Performance is great, video is good, but the speakers are average for a laptop. The keyboard feels great, but the touchpad is a bit too sensitive. Fortunately, the touchpad can be adjusted. Wifi pick-up is very good.Overall, and excellent laptop in my opinion.
User Rating: 9/10
Great Laptop!
Pros: monitor is crisp, windows XP option, great video card options, built-in camera and mic!
Cons: really heavy, LAN hookup in awkward location, no volumn control wheel (must wait for bootup to adjust volumn)
Review: I upgraded my Inspiron to 3GB of RAM, Nvidia GeForce 8600T, 250GB hard drive, and a 9-cell battery. It's terrific! I'm very happy that there was the option to upgrade my components and yet still get to have Windows XP has my Operating System.
User Rating: 9/10
I love it!!
Pros: great laptop
Cons: problem at first
Review: This is a great laptop and i would reccomend it to anyone who would want a reliable and quick home laptop. It is great for all your basic needs and it has helped me greatly in my schoolwork. When i first got the laptop, it started at first, but after turning it off, it would not start again. Finally after many trys, it turned on and i received very helpful constomer service from Dell. I downloaded a driver and my laptop has been working great ever since. We still dont know the cause of what happened when I first received my laptop. Besides that, i greatly recommend this computer.
User Rating: 
4/10
mediocre computer, terrible customer service
Pros: design is all I can think of
Cons: DELL cutomer service above all, also total unreliability; frequent unexpected system crashes
Review: I have owned Inspiron 1520 for about two months now. For me, these months have been a true nightmare.
While not being totally IT ignorant, I am far away from being a pro. So when it comes to computers, most of all I value reliability, which is why I ordered my laptop with XP rather than Vista. I was too afraid of getting caught in fixing operating issues without the necessary knowledge.
Nevertheless, I had problems with the machine from day one. To start with I had no wireless connection for about 2-3 weeks (this is the minimum time it takes Dell to make up for their faults). To make a long story short, I ended up with a Dell technician fixing the issue at home after:
2-3 hours on the phone with Dell;
OPENING MY OWN LAPTOP under the directions of Dell to check the condition of the wireless card;
countless hours reading forums and trying to self-fix;
about 6-7 e-mails;
first tech call arrangement messed up by Dell so I ended up waiting for the technician the entire day at home (good thing I had that day off anyway);
It would all have been avoided if Dell had tested the machine prior to shipping it to me.
Second time around - two weeks ago. Started with occasional blue screens of death. Then they became more frequent. I e-mailed Dell again and they suggested RAM problems and that I should open the laptop MYSELF AGAIN, take out the two memory modules, swap them, and test the system. I was appalled. The very idea of opening my expensive laptop and fiddling with its parts every now and then scares me. Also, since I have paid for a 2 year hardware support (incl. evenings and saturdays - but don't expect to get that) I demanded, this time more firmly, that the machine is properly serviced by a technician. They also made me reinstall Windows but I guess they gave me a faulty disk because I have made about 9-10 attempts each ending with a message that some files cannot be copied from the disk. Every time I turn it on I get this message and I can't even access my old windows settings/data/files anymore. After I told them about it, they said they would pick-up the laptop and service it but I should BACK-UP MY DATA FIRST?!? And how was I supposed to do that?
Finally, after some 10 other e-mails/calls Dell set up a pick-up service for me which again they messed up. I waited for the courier the whole day yesterday in vain. Now it has been rescheduled for next week...
So, if you are presently unemployed, and opening laptops and playing with their hardware is your hobby, a Dell laptop is not a bad decision at all.
While not being totally IT ignorant, I am far away from being a pro. So when it comes to computers, most of all I value reliability, which is why I ordered my laptop with XP rather than Vista. I was too afraid of getting caught in fixing operating issues without the necessary knowledge.
Nevertheless, I had problems with the machine from day one. To start with I had no wireless connection for about 2-3 weeks (this is the minimum time it takes Dell to make up for their faults). To make a long story short, I ended up with a Dell technician fixing the issue at home after:
2-3 hours on the phone with Dell;
OPENING MY OWN LAPTOP under the directions of Dell to check the condition of the wireless card;
countless hours reading forums and trying to self-fix;
about 6-7 e-mails;
first tech call arrangement messed up by Dell so I ended up waiting for the technician the entire day at home (good thing I had that day off anyway);
It would all have been avoided if Dell had tested the machine prior to shipping it to me.
Second time around - two weeks ago. Started with occasional blue screens of death. Then they became more frequent. I e-mailed Dell again and they suggested RAM problems and that I should open the laptop MYSELF AGAIN, take out the two memory modules, swap them, and test the system. I was appalled. The very idea of opening my expensive laptop and fiddling with its parts every now and then scares me. Also, since I have paid for a 2 year hardware support (incl. evenings and saturdays - but don't expect to get that) I demanded, this time more firmly, that the machine is properly serviced by a technician. They also made me reinstall Windows but I guess they gave me a faulty disk because I have made about 9-10 attempts each ending with a message that some files cannot be copied from the disk. Every time I turn it on I get this message and I can't even access my old windows settings/data/files anymore. After I told them about it, they said they would pick-up the laptop and service it but I should BACK-UP MY DATA FIRST?!? And how was I supposed to do that?
Finally, after some 10 other e-mails/calls Dell set up a pick-up service for me which again they messed up. I waited for the courier the whole day yesterday in vain. Now it has been rescheduled for next week...
So, if you are presently unemployed, and opening laptops and playing with their hardware is your hobby, a Dell laptop is not a bad decision at all.
User Rating: 3/10
Annoying creaking sound is a dealbreaker for me
Pros: Sexy colors; nice and fast
Cons: NOISY; loose latch
Review: We got our new Inspiron 1520 in November 07. From the first moment we turned it on, it made this annoying creaking sound (NOT a normal computer processing sound, and NOT the sound of the fan), and it was coming from the top left of the computer. The sound increased in volume whenever we opened a new program. After talking to tech support, we decided to send it back for a new one. It took 3 calls for Dell to actually order the new one, which we didn't receive until the end of December. Guess what- the new one makes that sound too! I find it hard to believe that someone would pay $1300 for a new laptop that makes that kind of noise - it is really irritating. I can't fathom that all Inspiron 1520s make this noise, but I also don't think the chances of us getting 2 bum computers when most are fine is all that high. Regardless, we are in the process of returning the second computer for a full refund. In addition, I have to say I was also pretty disappointed with the Dell customer service, as they couldn't explain why, after telling us twice that they had ordered us a replacement computer and that our order was being expedited, the order had never been processed.
User Rating: 7/10
pretty good
Pros: Nice looking, bright screen, quite fans, compatible with everything i need.
Cons: the hard drive sounds a little noisier than most
Review: I bought this PC mostly because it was one of the few computers at a reasonable price that still had windows XP. It took a long time for them to ship it to my house, but overall im happy i chose this PC. The only computers that i have found to be better than dell, are HP, Alienware, and Mac.
User Rating: 8/10
very good product overall
Pros: everything worked out of the box, easy to set up and get going
Cons: having problems with sound when i try to edit home videos
Review: The computer is working well though Vista is annoying with it's continuous pop ups warning you if you really want to do something or not. Also having problems with the sound, when Itunes plays the sound skips sometimes and when I attempted to use Windows movie maker the sound skipped so bad you couldn't use it. Haven't found a fix for the problem.
User Rating: 8/10
Let's review the actual machine!
Pros: Design, case material, operation
Cons: Maybe on key placement and mousepad sensitivity
Review: First thing I did after receiving this as a Christmas present was try it out. This is my first, personal laptop, though I have used several in the past (IBM Thinkpad, Sony VAIO).
Wonderful machine! A little slow on all the setup crap, but other than that? Fast processing, smooth operation, great screen resolutions, and multi-tasks with the best.
Then I came to Cnet to get some reviews for possible problems I may encounter with this machine. WOW! Know what I saw? A bunch of BAD reviews and poor recommendations which, if you READ the FULL review, only complains about the customer service, but NEVER THE MACHINE!
Most ALL machine reviews I have read were quite good, with most all of them recommending it to others.
Here is my only real complaint: I don't like the keyboard layout, with what I call navigation keys to the RIGHT of the enter/shift keys. I prefer the IBM Thinkpad design, with those navigation keys bundled at the top. Also, the mousepad (which is quite large) is a little sensitive and can cause some navigation problems, but that is an adjustment issue that can be made quite easily to suit your taste.
Other than that? No complaints whatsoever.
Looking at this machine? Then when you see all those bad reviews - read the full blown review. You'll see that all they complain about is the customer service, and rarely EVER about the machine itself.
This is a nice combination of accessories and productivity. You won't be disappointed.
Wonderful machine! A little slow on all the setup crap, but other than that? Fast processing, smooth operation, great screen resolutions, and multi-tasks with the best.
Then I came to Cnet to get some reviews for possible problems I may encounter with this machine. WOW! Know what I saw? A bunch of BAD reviews and poor recommendations which, if you READ the FULL review, only complains about the customer service, but NEVER THE MACHINE!
Most ALL machine reviews I have read were quite good, with most all of them recommending it to others.
Here is my only real complaint: I don't like the keyboard layout, with what I call navigation keys to the RIGHT of the enter/shift keys. I prefer the IBM Thinkpad design, with those navigation keys bundled at the top. Also, the mousepad (which is quite large) is a little sensitive and can cause some navigation problems, but that is an adjustment issue that can be made quite easily to suit your taste.
Other than that? No complaints whatsoever.
Looking at this machine? Then when you see all those bad reviews - read the full blown review. You'll see that all they complain about is the customer service, and rarely EVER about the machine itself.
This is a nice combination of accessories and productivity. You won't be disappointed.
User Rating: 9/10
GREAT, would buy again
Pros: Cheap, fast
Cons: heavy, kinda slow
Review: love it, great for the money. great starter computer.
User Rating: 9/10
Great all around laptop
Pros: BluRay option, Quiet, decent battery life
Cons: Vista only for Blu-Ray
Review: I recently bought the 1520 laptop with the Blu-ray player. Yes it requires many upgrades for the player to work. I have the 2.2 ghz with 3gb of ram. Came to $2500 shipped. I don't know about anybody else but the first thing I do when I get a new dell is put the OS cd/dvd in and format the drive. Dell installs so much junk with the computer that you are just begging for problems. Somebody actually came up with a program to uninstall all the freebie or trialware junk that comes pre-installed on a Dell. I didn't use the Sonic or Roxio that came with the system for Blu-Ray playback, Instead I went with Cyberlink.The people who configure these have a hard time following instructions, they installed Corel on my machine even when I didn?t ask for it. AOL was on there too. I also installed Nero, Symantec and Diskeeper. After killing 5-6 hours rebuilding the system, installing what I want on the system and nothing else I have yet to run into a problem. Now for the Tech Support aspect of the purchase. If you purchase the bare bones minimum for support you will get transferred to the Philippians or India and will spend most of your time on hold. Once you get off hold you will go back and for trying to understand the support agent on the other end. Spend a little extra money on the expert help or pay for the 4yrs support and get it bundled in. I did this with the last PC I bought and have never spent more than 30 minutes on the phone with support. Also with the tiered support they discount the cost of components. Pick 1yr and the processor upgrade is $175 whereas with 4yrs it only costs $154. The final cost negates most of the money spent if you are interested in really upgrading the machine like I did. Another neat option for the more tech savvy, Dell has a Chat system for tech support. If you know what is wrong with your computer or have already troubleshot it. Go online and submit a trouble ticket online. No phone calls, no extended hold times, no translator needed.
User Rating: 9/10
Flawless Laptop
Pros: Just about everything. Finish, speed, runs cool even after hours of use, battery life exceeds what I expected. just a beautiful laptop.
Cons: The Trend anti virus program always wants to reboot the system for updates even after rebooting.
Review: Service has been great, build time was less than expected (less than a week) and delivery only took 3 days from the date shipped notice. Looks and feels great well laid out and easy to use. Vista is not a problem and runs all my software flawlessly. The Intel 2 Duo 2.0 ghz processor is fast and a great fit. The 256MB Nividia 8600GS provides exceptional graphics and the 250GB Hard Drive provides more than enough space for video editing.
The Trend Anti-virus software is an issue as it always wants to reboot the system even after a reboot. I will most likely replace it with another product.
The Trend Anti-virus software is an issue as it always wants to reboot the system even after a reboot. I will most likely replace it with another product.
User Rating: 7/10
Great Computer, Terrible Customer Service
Pros: lots of customization options, fast and great deal for the money
Cons: screen is a bit grainy, latch doesn't feel extremely secure
Review: Inconsistencies in and flat out lies from customer service completely ruined this computer for me. My Dell Inspiron 1520 has an Intel Core Duo 2Ghz, 2 GB RAM, 80 gig hard drive, Vista (which in itself is a problem, I recommend getting XP if you do order from Dell), and an Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 3100 card.
Warning to the reader: until the last paragraph, the rest of this review is why I will never buy from Dell again.
Problems arose with Dell from day one. I had told the sales rep that I needed the computer before my finals began. I was promised overnight shipping for no additional charge. When my order was posted online, the shipping was listed as standard. I called and told customer service this, and my order was bumped to next day, but not overnight.
The next problem, (and unless Dell radically changes how they do business, the reason that I will never buy from them again), was the graphics card. I stated earlier that it was an Intel card, but that wasn't what I ordered. I ordered an NVIDIA graphics card, but that's not what I got. After over an hour of being on the phone with customer service, I was given three options- keep the computer as is, have them send me the graphics card I want but have to install it myself, or return the entire computer and purchase another one. They refused to install the correct graphics card for me even though it was their fault that the computer doesn't have the right part.
Now, I have to ship the computer before my finals even begin in order to be within the 21 day return policy. I am beyond frustrated and disappointed with Dell. This computer really is great, but Dell should be more concerned with correcting THEIR mistake.
I'd like to add that most, though not all, of the customer service reps that I talked to were either flat out rude or bordered on being complete snobs. Also, I've shortened this story quite a bit- I omitted the days and multitude of e-mails back and forth from Dell that got me no where. I'm planning to return the computer and buy from someone else. I've lost too many hours of my life to this ordeal over one single part.
If you eliminate the problems with Dell customer service, then this computer really is a great buy. Finding the right options that fit your price range is simple, and the computer runs fast, smooth, and quietly. The keyboard is comfortable and the computer as a whole feels very sturdy, minus the latch which isn't flimsy but doesn't feel as secure as previous laptops I have owned. If you're willing to take the risk with Dell, then I highly recommend this computer.
Warning to the reader: until the last paragraph, the rest of this review is why I will never buy from Dell again.
Problems arose with Dell from day one. I had told the sales rep that I needed the computer before my finals began. I was promised overnight shipping for no additional charge. When my order was posted online, the shipping was listed as standard. I called and told customer service this, and my order was bumped to next day, but not overnight.
The next problem, (and unless Dell radically changes how they do business, the reason that I will never buy from them again), was the graphics card. I stated earlier that it was an Intel card, but that wasn't what I ordered. I ordered an NVIDIA graphics card, but that's not what I got. After over an hour of being on the phone with customer service, I was given three options- keep the computer as is, have them send me the graphics card I want but have to install it myself, or return the entire computer and purchase another one. They refused to install the correct graphics card for me even though it was their fault that the computer doesn't have the right part.
Now, I have to ship the computer before my finals even begin in order to be within the 21 day return policy. I am beyond frustrated and disappointed with Dell. This computer really is great, but Dell should be more concerned with correcting THEIR mistake.
I'd like to add that most, though not all, of the customer service reps that I talked to were either flat out rude or bordered on being complete snobs. Also, I've shortened this story quite a bit- I omitted the days and multitude of e-mails back and forth from Dell that got me no where. I'm planning to return the computer and buy from someone else. I've lost too many hours of my life to this ordeal over one single part.
If you eliminate the problems with Dell customer service, then this computer really is a great buy. Finding the right options that fit your price range is simple, and the computer runs fast, smooth, and quietly. The keyboard is comfortable and the computer as a whole feels very sturdy, minus the latch which isn't flimsy but doesn't feel as secure as previous laptops I have owned. If you're willing to take the risk with Dell, then I highly recommend this computer.
User Rating: 10/10
Sexual Design
Pros: batterylife, screen, power, speed QUIET!
Cons: screen latch a littel loose, not bad though
Review: does everything perfect. i got 2.2ghz dual core, and 1440x900 250nit screen (Beautiful, as bright as my dell 2407 ultrasharp 24" monitor)
and 250gb HD 4gb of ram (bough after market) and 2 batteries (6 and 9 cell) and geforce 8600 GT 256mb. for $900.
Plays UT3 full setting on native res. The fan barely turns on too. this thing is so quiet its amazing. the fan never turns on unless im playing a game. virus scans or adware scans never turn on the fan. blazing fast.
and 250gb HD 4gb of ram (bough after market) and 2 batteries (6 and 9 cell) and geforce 8600 GT 256mb. for $900.
Plays UT3 full setting on native res. The fan barely turns on too. this thing is so quiet its amazing. the fan never turns on unless im playing a game. virus scans or adware scans never turn on the fan. blazing fast.
User Rating: 9/10
I love my Inspiron 1520
Pros: Plenty of fun and handy extras
Cons: Maybe an dvi out,not only vga
Review: Affordable....Well I have one with Core 2 Duo 7300 Intel processor,2GB RAm and nVidia 8600M GT with 256 DDR2(3d Mark06 score 3411 in Vista 32)Well there were no problems at all with installing XP or Vista(ofcorse with added SATA drivers during install process)....It is quiet and not to hot laptop and YES there are better laptops but I must say that I am very nicely surprised with all points of view with this laptop,and I believe
You will be to
You will be to
User Rating: 10/10
A Masterpiece
Pros: Great Display, Great Gaming Performance
Cons: Heavy, Doesnt have Windows XP option
Review:
User Rating: 7/10
I'm a DELL fan. Have a Dimension 9100 as my at-home PC!!
Pros: Ordered it with 2Gs of RAM and also without Vista.
Cons: Heavier than I would like.
Review: Went for the 2GB Memory upgrade. It's the only DELL laptop that still has Windows XP as a special order option!!!! This is a big plus!! As well, with this XP option it did not come loaded with the junky software that DELL usually loads on a new computer. It's VISTA ready however, so if Microsoft ever gets all the bugs out then one can install VISTA. I plan to wait....
The service at DELL is much improved!
The service at DELL is much improved!
User Rating: 2/10
PESIMO SERVICIO TECNICO
Pros: Barato, performante
Cons: Pesimo servicio tecnico
Review: Falló el micófono, se llevaron el equipo para repararlo... y "DESAPARECIO" la camara WEB
De reembolso, ni hablar
de hacerse cargo de una falla detectada el primer dÃa... 1 MES
De reembolso, ni hablar
de hacerse cargo de una falla detectada el primer dÃa... 1 MES
User Rating: 9/10
One of the best in its class.
Pros: Options, design-durability, speed, battery life!
Cons: Weight, Screen angle a bit odd for viewing.
Review: I purchased this with the following options:
Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.0 Ghz/2M L2 Cache
3GB RAM, 256MB Dedicated Video, 250GB HDD, High Res. LCD, 9 Cell Extended Life Battery, Bluetooth, Intel Centrino Wireless, Cam, Vista Home Premium.
I have to say, I've used many new systems and laptops with Vista, and this one performs the best with the above configuration. The dedicated video ram and high memory really make vista run well. I had a lot of problems with a different model (HP dv6000 series) and gaming in vista. This one works like a charm.
The notebook is a bit heavy, but since this is largely a desktop replacement for me, not an issue...and it's not substantially heavier than other notebooks i've had. The battery life is incredible (3-4 hours average with balanced settings). It charges incredibly fast when plugged back in.
Last, but not least...the design. I have not always been happy with Dell's laptop design. Like so many other PC notebook manufacturers, the design is usually flimsy, plastic, too much give. This is a very very solid design. You can just feel it while you use it.
The price tag was a bit higher than i wanted, but a good deal ($ 1350 after $ 425 coupon. Also got a 200 gift card for dell).
If you're in the market for a fast, and nice higher end laptop, this one is good. BUT do not sell yourself short. If you get the base model, don't even bother putting vista on it unless you have 2-3 gb of ram. Might as well order it with XP.
Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.0 Ghz/2M L2 Cache
3GB RAM, 256MB Dedicated Video, 250GB HDD, High Res. LCD, 9 Cell Extended Life Battery, Bluetooth, Intel Centrino Wireless, Cam, Vista Home Premium.
I have to say, I've used many new systems and laptops with Vista, and this one performs the best with the above configuration. The dedicated video ram and high memory really make vista run well. I had a lot of problems with a different model (HP dv6000 series) and gaming in vista. This one works like a charm.
The notebook is a bit heavy, but since this is largely a desktop replacement for me, not an issue...and it's not substantially heavier than other notebooks i've had. The battery life is incredible (3-4 hours average with balanced settings). It charges incredibly fast when plugged back in.
Last, but not least...the design. I have not always been happy with Dell's laptop design. Like so many other PC notebook manufacturers, the design is usually flimsy, plastic, too much give. This is a very very solid design. You can just feel it while you use it.
The price tag was a bit higher than i wanted, but a good deal ($ 1350 after $ 425 coupon. Also got a 200 gift card for dell).
If you're in the market for a fast, and nice higher end laptop, this one is good. BUT do not sell yourself short. If you get the base model, don't even bother putting vista on it unless you have 2-3 gb of ram. Might as well order it with XP.
User Rating: 9/10
Great laptop!!
Pros: everything is great!
Cons: the only slightly negative thing is that it has a black screen that takes around a min. to go away when booting up.
Review: This laptop is just what i wanted for my workspace at home. It has been great over the past 4 months and i have had no problems what so ever. I would recomend it to anyone.
User Rating: 9/10
Very good home and school laptop
Pros: Great tech support, great product
Cons: none that matter that much
Review: The inspiron 1520 is an increible machine. I do not know why it has such a bad rating, probably because I ordered my system with XP instead of Vista so I do not have that much trouble with drivers and software as some people out there. The price is excellent and also is the tech support; it seems that dell finally took part on this situation because they will do anything to keep you as a customer and to solve all issues found in your system, overall great system I would recommend it to anybody. Dell rocks again.
User Rating: 9/10
Great notebook, would definetly recommend!!!
Pros: Too many to list
Cons: Dont really have any.......
Review: So I took a chance purchasing this NB, being that Ive always owned Toshiba's and Sony's...but I have not been disappointed. I bought the base specs...Intel Core 2 Duo T5450 (2MB cache/1.66GHz/667Mhz FSB), Vista Home Premium, 1 Gb DDR2, 120GB 5400rpm hdd, Intel Graphics Accelerator X3100, Intel J3945 802.11a/g Mini-card........I really didnt upgrade anything. For what it cost (cheap) it was well worth it. The Spring Green color is nice, not as irritating as I thought having a bright color would be. I know it sounds strange but I LOVE the way the keyboard feels and types, compared to my Tosh, its just smoother. Battery life is great, even tho I have it hooked up most of the time, it lasts about 2 hours pending Im not doing anything using high high resources. I was a little worried about switching to Vista after using XP for so long, but really, take a couple hours and play around with it and you learn it. Its not hard.
The only thing that wasnt perfect, was when I reinstalled my OS (got some bad spyware I couldnt get off), the computer does not look the same as when it comes out of the box....there was a few missing programs from the list, and the Norton AV wasnt on there anymore. I had to go find a copy and DL the trial again myself. Had to call tech support a few times for questions, and honestly it was the best tech support Ive ever received. I was a little weary when I heard offshore agents answer the line (working in tech support you hear not so good things), but everyone I worked with was so helpful and polite.
I fully would again and again recommend this NB to anyone looking to buy a home user level computer. Best 900$ Ive ever spent on a piece of technology.
The only thing that wasnt perfect, was when I reinstalled my OS (got some bad spyware I couldnt get off), the computer does not look the same as when it comes out of the box....there was a few missing programs from the list, and the Norton AV wasnt on there anymore. I had to go find a copy and DL the trial again myself. Had to call tech support a few times for questions, and honestly it was the best tech support Ive ever received. I was a little weary when I heard offshore agents answer the line (working in tech support you hear not so good things), but everyone I worked with was so helpful and polite.
I fully would again and again recommend this NB to anyone looking to buy a home user level computer. Best 900$ Ive ever spent on a piece of technology.
User Rating: 8/10
Good but not great
Pros: Good performance, decent battery life
Cons: Dell software
Review: I bought this computer to replace my Inspiron 1150 because Dell support is refusing service it onsite any more (even though I paid for onsite service) because I've had "too many incidents". Unfortunately they have a point. My lowly 1150 has had most of its parts replaced some more than once (which is what should happen when they break) and it's getting near the end of its life. And to be fair, Dell service has been good about honoring their service contract until this last incident. So I bit the bullet and bought an Inspiron 1520.
I bought the 1520 on a whim. Dell had a good discount (over $600) so I couldn?t resist. I should have done a bit more research into the options. Since I intend to do development on it I got the T7500 Intel Dual Core Process. This was a good choice; However, I also got the 1680x1520 display. That high of a resolution display on a 15" monitor is a huge waste of money. Normally, I can work on my computer without my reading glasses (even my 1150), but even using high DPI fonts I have to wear my glasses with the new computer. Granted the image looks great, but the fonts are microscopic. Setting the display to a lower resolution improves things, but since the LCD display has a different pixel density, the output looks less than ideal. I also loath the glossy screen. It looks pretty until you get it in a bright lighting. Then all you can see is your reflection - especially when running on batteries with low back lighting. I hope glossy screens are a fad that will disappear quickly.
But the biggest problem I have with it is all the software Dell has added to it. I hated the Google sidebar. It's buggy and shouldn't be inflicted on anyone. I'm not a fan of the Direct Media software. I bought the Media Center Edition of Vista but Dell sets their inferior software to be the default media player. What were they thinking?
I like most of the other features of the laptop. It?s definitely a keeper and a worthy successor to my 1150. I?m crossing my fingers that I have fewer visits from Dell service with this laptop than my 1150.
I bought the 1520 on a whim. Dell had a good discount (over $600) so I couldn?t resist. I should have done a bit more research into the options. Since I intend to do development on it I got the T7500 Intel Dual Core Process. This was a good choice; However, I also got the 1680x1520 display. That high of a resolution display on a 15" monitor is a huge waste of money. Normally, I can work on my computer without my reading glasses (even my 1150), but even using high DPI fonts I have to wear my glasses with the new computer. Granted the image looks great, but the fonts are microscopic. Setting the display to a lower resolution improves things, but since the LCD display has a different pixel density, the output looks less than ideal. I also loath the glossy screen. It looks pretty until you get it in a bright lighting. Then all you can see is your reflection - especially when running on batteries with low back lighting. I hope glossy screens are a fad that will disappear quickly.
But the biggest problem I have with it is all the software Dell has added to it. I hated the Google sidebar. It's buggy and shouldn't be inflicted on anyone. I'm not a fan of the Direct Media software. I bought the Media Center Edition of Vista but Dell sets their inferior software to be the default media player. What were they thinking?
I like most of the other features of the laptop. It?s definitely a keeper and a worthy successor to my 1150. I?m crossing my fingers that I have fewer visits from Dell service with this laptop than my 1150.
User Rating: 8/10
It Just ROCKS !!!!!!!!!!!....!!!!!!!!!!
Pros: very durable,sturdy,good looks,perfomance....
Cons: bit heavy,greyish screen,no touch pad on/off
Review: its is very durable especially for me as i have to travel to lot of places...nice color options available and highly customized notebook....very happy with it
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent Choice Affordable Easy Use
Pros: Speed Speed
Cons: No PCMCIA Slot
Review: Love this laptop right out of the box. Be sure to order with WinXP vs. Vista.
After getting rid of bloatware and unneeded software, be sure to update Windows software. Only one or two BSD while installing firewall (Zonealarm). Beyond that point have had no problems.
After getting rid of bloatware and unneeded software, be sure to update Windows software. Only one or two BSD while installing firewall (Zonealarm). Beyond that point have had no problems.
User Rating: 8/10
One fine laptop
Pros: Beautiful widescreen display, fast and powerful.
Cons: I wish they could figure out a way to add a numeric keypad. That would have been great.
Review: I've had my Inspiron 1520 for a week now and love it. I went for the biggest Hd I could get (320gb), 2gb ram, Nvidia graphics, the Creative Sound Blaster X-fi card, and Office 2007 Small Business. This machine will eventually replace my Dell desktop, which has provided many years of excellent service.
The 1520 impresses right out of the box. Setup couldn't be easier and the machine found my wireless network (Apple Airport) right away. This is my first experience with Vista, and so far things look good, but I don't plan on attaching my current printer and scanner because HP won't upgrade drivers, at least for the HP4670v scanner, which is only a couple of years old.
The widescreen HD display is fantastic. The 1520 is very quiet, and heat doesn't seem to be a problem. The speakers are a little tinny as expected, but that's why I bought the Creative card.
The weight and size of this laptop is just right for me and I'm happy I went with the 15.4" display. All in all, I'm very impressed with this machine, and commend Dell on a fine build.
The 1520 impresses right out of the box. Setup couldn't be easier and the machine found my wireless network (Apple Airport) right away. This is my first experience with Vista, and so far things look good, but I don't plan on attaching my current printer and scanner because HP won't upgrade drivers, at least for the HP4670v scanner, which is only a couple of years old.
The widescreen HD display is fantastic. The 1520 is very quiet, and heat doesn't seem to be a problem. The speakers are a little tinny as expected, but that's why I bought the Creative card.
The weight and size of this laptop is just right for me and I'm happy I went with the 15.4" display. All in all, I'm very impressed with this machine, and commend Dell on a fine build.
User Rating: 3/10
Not As good As expected
Pros: Nice&New exterior design of the laptop
Cons: Problems with software and hardware
Review: I purchased this Laptop about couple months ago and already sent it for return. Initially everything worked normally, not considering the expected Windows Vista bugs. Then noticed when setting into Sleep Mode computer crashed every other time, had then to go through the complete rescue and recovery mode. During third week fan went off, computer overheated, crashed ? again went through recovery. Somebody mentioned memory cad ? did not recognize any of the cards I used. Finally Control Panel was freezing the computer, wireless connection stopped working. Finally called Dell ? explanation for troubleshooting same as I was able to do myself, for every problem need to consult manager etc. Finally after numerous arguments with Dell decided to return. Also considered: several of my friends had the hard drive or OS burned out. Still waiting for refund.
User Rating: 9/10
Very Happy with it. Customized it to make it the best we have ever had
Pros: No problem with it that we have noticed.
Cons: Came on time as promised, unfortunately that was 3 weeks to get the color she wanted, but worth the wait, she was thrilled with it.
Review: Good for the money, worth the wait on the special color (in my daughter's opinion)
Updated
My apoligies for my misunderstanding of the posts. Hope some got a good laugh, I sure did when it dawned on me. Keep smiling.
My apoligies for my misunderstanding of the posts. Hope some got a good laugh, I sure did when it dawned on me. Keep smiling.
User Rating: 8/10
Pretty in Pink
Pros: Love the color, lot of upgrading options, glossy true life screen in awesome
Cons: A little on the heavy side, loading vista takes a little while longer than expected.
Review: This is the first laptop I ever wanted to purchase. I love the fact that you can get all kinds of great upgrades. I build my system with 2 gigs of membory, 160 hard drive 5400rpm, 256 Nvidia GeForce 8600, built in webcam, vista home premium, Intel core 2 duo, Flamingo pink microsatin finish. I love the fact that you can run twice the amount of programs at once. The aero feature is sweet. The laptop itself is so quiet I dont even know its on have the time. Even though I only got the 6 cell battery, the laptop still has a long life without having to charge it (depends on what you are doing). Love the fact that you can choose the color of the system.
User Rating: 7/10
Fast PC with nice display
Pros: Fast,no problems
Cons: Hate the glare from silver keyboard and bright blue lights
Review: I got mine quickly through Dell Resolution as a replacement for a Dell that never worked correctly in the 6 months I owned it.This seems to be very fast and I have had no problems in the 3 months I have had it.I hate the silver keyboard and liked the black ones on older models much better due to less glare. I also hate the blue lights showing cap lock etc.I found them so distracting I covered with masking tape.
User Rating: 2/10
Worst in class...lost order, no responsibility taken, need it for grad school
Pros: online order system
Cons: failure to deliver, oblivious customer service/sales people,
Review: Ordered an Inspiron 1520 Sept 3rd (printed out invoice), using my Grad School 12% discount, needing it ASAP (scheduled Sept 25th) b/c I have certain school apps that I need to do work/study.
I called today Oct 1st and apprently they lost my order. "These things happen" said the sales rep when I was contemplating ordering it again and I "could just order another one." This is after the first CustomerCare person I talked to "finally tracked down my order number,' couldnt give it to me but the person shes transferring me too could, and then transferred me to the wrong person, scrapping the entire 45 minutes we spent on the phone together.
Anyway, these people had no record of my order (even though I have an invoice in front of me that unfortunately had no Order # for a reason I have no idea about). So a week after the order was supposed to be shippped so now I am screwed with my classes. I tried again to order but was met wioth a rude salesperson who acted like he (Matt) was doing me a favor by taking my order. What they could offer me was a "guarantee my order gets submitted"! Are you kidding me? It should have been submitted a month ago and now Im stuck with no CPU a month later when midterm projects are due soon. So, basically, Dell lost a long time customer, even when a lot of my friends have had problems, I said screw it, its easy to order, etc....
So, I never really write to these things but I am PO'd at how these guys screwed up, wont take responsibility and then basically screwed up my semester of school after ordering through my school (using their dsicount)website. I basically talked to 5 people today and nobody could track my order, or give me a common sense resolution. Even after I decided to go with them anyway, I was met with a rude salesperson who I ended up having to hang up on (after robot answers given not pertaining to my questions were given)
I called today Oct 1st and apprently they lost my order. "These things happen" said the sales rep when I was contemplating ordering it again and I "could just order another one." This is after the first CustomerCare person I talked to "finally tracked down my order number,' couldnt give it to me but the person shes transferring me too could, and then transferred me to the wrong person, scrapping the entire 45 minutes we spent on the phone together.
Anyway, these people had no record of my order (even though I have an invoice in front of me that unfortunately had no Order # for a reason I have no idea about). So a week after the order was supposed to be shippped so now I am screwed with my classes. I tried again to order but was met wioth a rude salesperson who acted like he (Matt) was doing me a favor by taking my order. What they could offer me was a "guarantee my order gets submitted"! Are you kidding me? It should have been submitted a month ago and now Im stuck with no CPU a month later when midterm projects are due soon. So, basically, Dell lost a long time customer, even when a lot of my friends have had problems, I said screw it, its easy to order, etc....
So, I never really write to these things but I am PO'd at how these guys screwed up, wont take responsibility and then basically screwed up my semester of school after ordering through my school (using their dsicount)website. I basically talked to 5 people today and nobody could track my order, or give me a common sense resolution. Even after I decided to go with them anyway, I was met with a rude salesperson who I ended up having to hang up on (after robot answers given not pertaining to my questions were given)
User Rating: 7/10
User-friendly notebook
Pros: Well worth the price.
Cons: very few drawbacks
Review: DR PETER TEIMAN FRANKLIN here
Very functional and user-friendly.
DR PETER TEIMAN FRANKLIN
Sweden
Very functional and user-friendly.
DR PETER TEIMAN FRANKLIN
Sweden
User Rating: 9/10
Delivery, Service, and computer itself with vista is excellent!
Pros: I received in 18 business days. Service was VERY friendly, and offered to look at my system specs and asked my uses for optimum performance. No delays. Clean. Runs perfect, never over heated gaming.
Cons: They only give GLOSSY screens on this system.. you can buy or goto bestbuy + and get it undone, but it's a hassle.. but you can see from every angle. The touchpad is not sensative enough for me.
Review: Overall.. Very worth it. Getting the black or any color for that matter is very fun and unique way to express yourself. If you like the whole "skin it" idea, that is another thing you may do.
As I've stated above shipping was QUICK, and the sales rep was not afraid to say that it had a big chance of being delayed due to my specs. The person I spoke with had a heavy accent and was very understandable, but there again, I understand almost anything. However, they had written down my phone number wrong.. so... I had to fix that, but that's it.. Wonderful person and I enjoyed asking questions, because they didn't act bored or like they were pushing and rushing me. We talked PAST time for them to be done. Very nice person.
Although there are appearently no "good" cooling pads out at the moment, my laptop even when playing a very graphical action game NEVER overheats and shuts off, but I want one.. jsut in case, and you should really have one anyways. My LT also never had the "sleep screen resolution" issue, and the screen wasn't ever grainy and dirty looking. However, the touchpad is not sensative enough for me, I have a chocolate phone, and I LOVE how sensative that is, I barely even have to touch it..
But that is a MINOR flaw. Of course, even if you owned a laptop before hand, thy all take some time to get adjusted to.
Vista.. I like it! Wow, even though I've just gotten the home basic, because I wasn't sure what to make about everyone's complaints, I must say.. reviews are very bias. Before I bought my laptop I asked the sales what to expect from Vista, and only thing she said which made a lot of sense to me was think back when XP came out, and everyone raged and was mad about it then. . . Yeah, well I like Vista.. and all my programs and games work with it.
I didn't and still don't like the whole gloss screen thing.. It reflects light, and that kind of annoys me.. but I'll goto bestbuy tomarrow and fix that.. Easy enough.
This is a personal opinion for those that had "issues" with Dell while ordering and having 30+ day delays, accents, etc.
Are you guys sure it was 30 days? I seriously doubt it, and here's why.. I received my laptop in 18 business days, and my parents recieved their laptops a few days after mine, which they ordered about 2-3 days later..No matter where you go to get your laptop anymore, you're going to find someone with fluent English with a thick accent anywhere you go, unless you goto your local store, and you may STILL encounter it. This is a fact of life, you're in a world where there are many cultures, embrace it, because their ideas and difference may help you see things in a better way and help you as a person.. especially the one review I read about them bashing Non-English speakers.. Look @ me! I am Japanese that speaks fluent English.. And yes I am aware I probably made typos, but chances are if someone is reading a review on here, they can comprehend it anyhow.
Also, have you even honestly ordered this laptop? I am starting to wonder, because people that actually written reviews about the system specs I've seen are too few, and I believe I've only read 2 that I have really been able to see what they mean.
Thanks for reading my review, I hope it has helped you decide this computer or not.
As I've stated above shipping was QUICK, and the sales rep was not afraid to say that it had a big chance of being delayed due to my specs. The person I spoke with had a heavy accent and was very understandable, but there again, I understand almost anything. However, they had written down my phone number wrong.. so... I had to fix that, but that's it.. Wonderful person and I enjoyed asking questions, because they didn't act bored or like they were pushing and rushing me. We talked PAST time for them to be done. Very nice person.
Although there are appearently no "good" cooling pads out at the moment, my laptop even when playing a very graphical action game NEVER overheats and shuts off, but I want one.. jsut in case, and you should really have one anyways. My LT also never had the "sleep screen resolution" issue, and the screen wasn't ever grainy and dirty looking. However, the touchpad is not sensative enough for me, I have a chocolate phone, and I LOVE how sensative that is, I barely even have to touch it..
But that is a MINOR flaw. Of course, even if you owned a laptop before hand, thy all take some time to get adjusted to.Vista.. I like it! Wow, even though I've just gotten the home basic, because I wasn't sure what to make about everyone's complaints, I must say.. reviews are very bias. Before I bought my laptop I asked the sales what to expect from Vista, and only thing she said which made a lot of sense to me was think back when XP came out, and everyone raged and was mad about it then. . . Yeah, well I like Vista.. and all my programs and games work with it.
I didn't and still don't like the whole gloss screen thing.. It reflects light, and that kind of annoys me.. but I'll goto bestbuy tomarrow and fix that.. Easy enough.
This is a personal opinion for those that had "issues" with Dell while ordering and having 30+ day delays, accents, etc.
Are you guys sure it was 30 days? I seriously doubt it, and here's why.. I received my laptop in 18 business days, and my parents recieved their laptops a few days after mine, which they ordered about 2-3 days later..No matter where you go to get your laptop anymore, you're going to find someone with fluent English with a thick accent anywhere you go, unless you goto your local store, and you may STILL encounter it. This is a fact of life, you're in a world where there are many cultures, embrace it, because their ideas and difference may help you see things in a better way and help you as a person.. especially the one review I read about them bashing Non-English speakers.. Look @ me! I am Japanese that speaks fluent English.. And yes I am aware I probably made typos, but chances are if someone is reading a review on here, they can comprehend it anyhow.
Also, have you even honestly ordered this laptop? I am starting to wonder, because people that actually written reviews about the system specs I've seen are too few, and I believe I've only read 2 that I have really been able to see what they mean.
Thanks for reading my review, I hope it has helped you decide this computer or not.
User Rating: 1/10
iTunes crash, blue screen, black screen, arrogant customer service
Pros: the on/off button worked
Cons: random frequent failures of software and hardware
Review: I truly think I was shipped a refurbished system - one that someone had previously sent back - instead of an all-new machine. Another possible explanation is that the ?new? machine I received had been built with components taken out of returned systems. Why? I can?t imagine a new machine having all these problems.
This is the short story.
Hardware and software issues:
-Right out of the box, the Photo 926 printer wouldn't print until I disabled pre-loaded McAfee. Problem returned after each power-up because McAfee turned itself back on.
-Couldn't install Lojack because of conflict with McAfee. McAfee recommended patch, Lojack recommended uninstalling McAfee
-Day two, Blue Screen of Death
-Couldn't download quicktime or iTunes. Install would stop at 99% and hang: error 08x800704C8 among others.
-Four more blue screens in two weeks.
-Trouble connecting to internet service, "no or limited connectivity" (Other computers, same line, no problems)
-Suddenly lost ability to open & save email attachments using explorer
-Downloaded free AVG, but would not let me update the next day.
-Lost ability to download anything without errors or hanging, even with AVG and Windows defender off
- "error # -5"
-An IP address conflict using a cable connection and the wireless card "off", with connection settings for finding address automatically
-Black screen after closing the laptop overnight, no response for several hours, then randomly started working
-block of ~20 emails mysteriously deleted
-Screen displaying ?Disc drive might be corrupted? on start up, but completed disc drive check proved no errors.
-Random ?This page cannot be displayed? for web sites that displayed properly just seconds before
Customer service issues:
-Ordered over the phone while rep and I looked at (supposedly) the same ordering screen. Order shipped without extra printing cartridges, but with extra software and printer cable I didn?t order but was charged for.
-Be prepared to spend 2 hours anytime you call, with 70% of that on hold.
-Be prepared for the ?That?s not our department? shuffle in your attempt to get help.
-Outright lies by ?Customer Care? reps, such as ?No sir, we don?t have a manager for the manager of this department.? ?No person can authorize your request.?
-Promised emails with case number details never arrive.
-Customer Care does call your home phone ? when you?re at work ? to leave a message on your answering machine. When you call back, get voicemail, and ask them to call in the evening, they respond by calling back ? when you?re at work. You call them back and they STILL call back when you?re at work.
-You call the number and extension left on your answering machine. You get THEIR voicemail if you?re lucky enough not to get disconnected or if the mailbox isn't full. You get about 25 seconds to leave a message.
-Emails sent to the ?unresolved customer issues? link go unanswered. Many unanswered emails.
The key to dealing with this? Keep accurate notes of dates, times, conversations, the names of the Dell employees (which are fake ?business? names anyway), their Dell employee numbers, phone calls even if you only leave a message, the times you reached a rep and the times you were place on hold, screen shots of computer errors, and screen shots or copies of all emails sent. Request that they begin recording the conversation for customer service monitoring purposes. Be polite, never raise your voice, insist but don?t demand, be clear in what you want and state that you expect customer service to help you. Don?t hang up, ask for a transfer to a higher person who has the authority to grant your expectation.
I finally got out from under this mess by insisting on a refund on the machine. The rep was reluctant and resistive. When he asked if there anything else he could do, I asked if he would enter into the case record the problems with my machine. He said ok.
For the next hour, I calmly dictated from my notes while he typed the long story of every detail of every problem I had with this machine, including times and dates and quotes from Dell employees. Then I asked him to read it all back to make sure he had actually typed it instead of just saying ?Yes, yes?. Then I had him correct the errors he made in typing because of the language difference. Then I asked for the case number, and a full refund.
When I insisted on a refund, and the rep said he could not authorize that. I stated that was not acceptable, that I expected him to put me in contact with the person who could authorize that, and I would remain on hold as long as necessary to reach that person.
After another thirty minutes on hold, another representative spoke to me and said I would receive an email for shipping label for return of the system for a full refund. She said normally the email would take 10 ? 15 minutes to arrive, but could take up to 24 hours. I asked if she would mind staying on the line until it showed up in my email. I asked questions about the return process and wrote down her answers while I waited. The email arrived within 10 minutes. I also asked for and received the rep?s email address and employee number for future contact.
The laptop is going back. And to make sure I get the refund, I called my credit card company and put the amount of the laptop in dispute until Dell delivers on its promise to reverse the charges.
This is the short story.
Hardware and software issues:
-Right out of the box, the Photo 926 printer wouldn't print until I disabled pre-loaded McAfee. Problem returned after each power-up because McAfee turned itself back on.
-Couldn't install Lojack because of conflict with McAfee. McAfee recommended patch, Lojack recommended uninstalling McAfee
-Day two, Blue Screen of Death
-Couldn't download quicktime or iTunes. Install would stop at 99% and hang: error 08x800704C8 among others.
-Four more blue screens in two weeks.
-Trouble connecting to internet service, "no or limited connectivity" (Other computers, same line, no problems)
-Suddenly lost ability to open & save email attachments using explorer
-Downloaded free AVG, but would not let me update the next day.
-Lost ability to download anything without errors or hanging, even with AVG and Windows defender off
- "error # -5"
-An IP address conflict using a cable connection and the wireless card "off", with connection settings for finding address automatically
-Black screen after closing the laptop overnight, no response for several hours, then randomly started working
-block of ~20 emails mysteriously deleted
-Screen displaying ?Disc drive might be corrupted? on start up, but completed disc drive check proved no errors.
-Random ?This page cannot be displayed? for web sites that displayed properly just seconds before
Customer service issues:
-Ordered over the phone while rep and I looked at (supposedly) the same ordering screen. Order shipped without extra printing cartridges, but with extra software and printer cable I didn?t order but was charged for.
-Be prepared to spend 2 hours anytime you call, with 70% of that on hold.
-Be prepared for the ?That?s not our department? shuffle in your attempt to get help.
-Outright lies by ?Customer Care? reps, such as ?No sir, we don?t have a manager for the manager of this department.? ?No person can authorize your request.?
-Promised emails with case number details never arrive.
-Customer Care does call your home phone ? when you?re at work ? to leave a message on your answering machine. When you call back, get voicemail, and ask them to call in the evening, they respond by calling back ? when you?re at work. You call them back and they STILL call back when you?re at work.
-You call the number and extension left on your answering machine. You get THEIR voicemail if you?re lucky enough not to get disconnected or if the mailbox isn't full. You get about 25 seconds to leave a message.
-Emails sent to the ?unresolved customer issues? link go unanswered. Many unanswered emails.
The key to dealing with this? Keep accurate notes of dates, times, conversations, the names of the Dell employees (which are fake ?business? names anyway), their Dell employee numbers, phone calls even if you only leave a message, the times you reached a rep and the times you were place on hold, screen shots of computer errors, and screen shots or copies of all emails sent. Request that they begin recording the conversation for customer service monitoring purposes. Be polite, never raise your voice, insist but don?t demand, be clear in what you want and state that you expect customer service to help you. Don?t hang up, ask for a transfer to a higher person who has the authority to grant your expectation.
I finally got out from under this mess by insisting on a refund on the machine. The rep was reluctant and resistive. When he asked if there anything else he could do, I asked if he would enter into the case record the problems with my machine. He said ok.
For the next hour, I calmly dictated from my notes while he typed the long story of every detail of every problem I had with this machine, including times and dates and quotes from Dell employees. Then I asked him to read it all back to make sure he had actually typed it instead of just saying ?Yes, yes?. Then I had him correct the errors he made in typing because of the language difference. Then I asked for the case number, and a full refund.
When I insisted on a refund, and the rep said he could not authorize that. I stated that was not acceptable, that I expected him to put me in contact with the person who could authorize that, and I would remain on hold as long as necessary to reach that person.
After another thirty minutes on hold, another representative spoke to me and said I would receive an email for shipping label for return of the system for a full refund. She said normally the email would take 10 ? 15 minutes to arrive, but could take up to 24 hours. I asked if she would mind staying on the line until it showed up in my email. I asked questions about the return process and wrote down her answers while I waited. The email arrived within 10 minutes. I also asked for and received the rep?s email address and employee number for future contact.
The laptop is going back. And to make sure I get the refund, I called my credit card company and put the amount of the laptop in dispute until Dell delivers on its promise to reverse the charges.
User Rating: 9/10
IT is a very reliable laptop (batter life is very good ; it gives me 3.7 hours at max performance)
Pros: High quality mouse pad and keyboard). Beautiful 15.4" wide screen hi resolution screen). Very fast video card. Wifi catcher is awesome. What else can I say but FAST!!!!!!!
Cons: scratches easy have to be really careful otherwise it is a solid laptop.
Review: I bought my laptop with all the best options available for this model (including intel core 2 duo T7600 at 2.2Ghz, blue ray burner and 4GB RAM). Compared with some of the prices with the XPS and alienware that use graphic cards that will be outdated by early next and whats worse is the cost of $5-6000. I am very happy with my decision.
User Rating: 8/10
Arrived amazingly fast, met all my expectations
Pros: Fast, nice display, quiet, stays cool
Cons: Optical (DVD-RW) drive pretty noisy at highest spped
Review: Ordered it Sep 25 (Sun) evening and arrived (free shipping) Fri Sep 31. (Saved $50 and took the black one.) T7300 Core 2 Duo, 2Gb ram, Vista home premium, 1280x800 glossy screen (very clear and bright, not grainy), 256Mb GeForce 8600M GT graphics card, 120Gb 5400rpm sata drive, Intel 3945 802.11a/g card, Bluetooth module.
Everything has worked as expected so far. Much faster boot and shutdown time compared to my old Inspiron 1100 with XP...and hibernate mode actually works now!
Vista has made setting up wireless connection (home network) and setting up printers really easy. Haven't stressed it much...only modest gaming so far...but huge step up from the 1100 so I'm pleased.
Windows Vista experience scores:
Processor: 4.9
Ram: 4.8
Graphics (desktop): 4.7
Gaming graphics: 5.1
Hard disk: 4.7
Overall score: 4.7
No interactions (necessary) with Dell support to comment on.
Everything has worked as expected so far. Much faster boot and shutdown time compared to my old Inspiron 1100 with XP...and hibernate mode actually works now!
Vista has made setting up wireless connection (home network) and setting up printers really easy. Haven't stressed it much...only modest gaming so far...but huge step up from the 1100 so I'm pleased.
Windows Vista experience scores:
Processor: 4.9
Ram: 4.8
Graphics (desktop): 4.7
Gaming graphics: 5.1
Hard disk: 4.7
Overall score: 4.7
No interactions (necessary) with Dell support to comment on.
User Rating: 2/10
Very Disappointed with Support!
Pros: Looks Nice
Cons: Poor Support
Review: Purchased 1521 with all the bells and whistles less than 30 days ago. Worked great, that is until I wanted to use the ExpressCard slot.
It didn't recognize several known "good" ExpressCards. Called support 3 times totaling over 8 hours of phone time. Only to be on hold 40% of the time because "their support systems were slow".
Each time the tech I spoke with said that I needed to buy their ExpressCards, which Dell doesn't have one for a true parallel port -- -- only to be told either my motherboard is bad or the card is bad.
Checked the card and it was good, but still had to spend hours proving that it was the laptops port that was bad from the factory.
Irregardless, the support staff were difficult to understand due to many background disturbances. I was continually questioned about my ability in following their directions - I'm and IT Analyst and have been for 17+ years!
I didnt' care for the Warranty Support staff's attitude, no matter what country he was from. I didn't appreciate having to call "On Call" support for him only to step through the same support pages on diagnosing the problem that I had been through before.
I was disgusted that I had to do the same troubleshooting processes everytime - no matter that the staff were looking at my case # and reading what existing staff had me do previously.
Just disgusted with Dell support period! The laptop looks good, but receiving a machine that had a failed ExpressCard slot from the factory can happen. But what Dell calls premium "On Call" support and "Warranty Support" is ridiculous!
I won't be recommending a Dell to anyone, because their support basely put - sucks!
Giving at 2 instead of 1 - because it looked nice.
It didn't recognize several known "good" ExpressCards. Called support 3 times totaling over 8 hours of phone time. Only to be on hold 40% of the time because "their support systems were slow".
Each time the tech I spoke with said that I needed to buy their ExpressCards, which Dell doesn't have one for a true parallel port -- -- only to be told either my motherboard is bad or the card is bad.
Checked the card and it was good, but still had to spend hours proving that it was the laptops port that was bad from the factory.
Irregardless, the support staff were difficult to understand due to many background disturbances. I was continually questioned about my ability in following their directions - I'm and IT Analyst and have been for 17+ years!
I didnt' care for the Warranty Support staff's attitude, no matter what country he was from. I didn't appreciate having to call "On Call" support for him only to step through the same support pages on diagnosing the problem that I had been through before.
I was disgusted that I had to do the same troubleshooting processes everytime - no matter that the staff were looking at my case # and reading what existing staff had me do previously.
Just disgusted with Dell support period! The laptop looks good, but receiving a machine that had a failed ExpressCard slot from the factory can happen. But what Dell calls premium "On Call" support and "Warranty Support" is ridiculous!
I won't be recommending a Dell to anyone, because their support basely put - sucks!
Giving at 2 instead of 1 - because it looked nice.
User Rating: 1/10
Don't Ever Consider This Laptop
Pros: Decent Visually if Colors Don't Delay the Order
Cons: Long Production Delays and Screen Resolution Issues
Review: Very unhappy with my purchase in general. Dell delayed the order twice because of their inability to properly paint the laptops in their new color options. Order was around 4 weeks delayed. In addition, there is a well documented screen resolution issue with this laptop. Whenever it comes out of sleep mode, it reverts back to a low screen resolution causing the user to constantly reset the display setting (search dell's own forums for 'sleep screen resolution' for scores of angry customers. Tech support is unable to fix it, and Dell's engineering department has been unwilling to do anything for affected customers. Be warned, this laptop is defective from day one!
User Rating: 6/10
Better looking than previous Inspirons, no ddr2-800?!!!
Pros: Body consists of smooth, rounded edges, above average bright screen
Cons: Draft-N internal card range is suspect, lacks in ddr-2 800 support (the chipset does support it, but not here), loud optical drive
Review: Sold Athlon 64 3700+ HP running XP and bought the 1520 with C2Duo 2.2, 2GB DDR-2 667 RAM, Draft-N support, 160GB 7200 (Fujitsu) HDD, 1680 x 1050 LCD on nVidia GeForce 8600M GT.
: : : The Good News : : :
The shape and size of this laptop is an improvement from the older inspirons....less blocky, sleeker looking.
-The keyboard is quiet
-The bluetooth options work well
-The screen is big, bright etc. etc.
-The fan noise is about average
-The speaker quality is a hair above average
-The AC Adapter "Brick" doesn't get nearly as hot as the inspiron e1505's did
-The Front Audio controls work great
-Face tracking on the integrated web cam is neat (not entirely useful, but neat)
: : : The No Big Deal News : : :
For those interested in the different colored lids, the matte finish isn't all that great.. Dell really should have used a glossy finish. That would have looked fantastic.
: : : The Bad News : : :
The touchpad is too small! It really needed to be at least a half-inch taller (y-axis).
The optical drive is fast, useful, but loud when in use.
Found that with the included Vista Home Premium, you really need a lot of horsepower....sheesh.
Speaking of hosepower....
The bus speed on this notebook (PM965 chipset if I'm not mistaken) is 800mHz, but the fastest supported RAM is DDR2 667! It is an annoyance that the RAM slots aren't both on the underside of the laptop. To access the 2nd DIMM slot, you have to remove the top bezel and keyboard.
This laptop gets very warm. Everywhere. I would have liked to see dell attempt to put in 70 or even 80 mm "slim" fans that spun at a lower rpm instead of the small, whining 40mm fans.....again they're not too noisy.....but again, this laptop can be a bit of a oven, even during standard office/internet use.
And, of course, this notebook comes with the usual compliment of dell-installed gunk that you wil spend a hour or two removing. And game support for vista is sparse as of this writing.
: : : Conclusion : : :
This laptop is a hair above average. It has it's pros and cons. You will notice both. Try it before u buy it.
: : : The Good News : : :
The shape and size of this laptop is an improvement from the older inspirons....less blocky, sleeker looking.
-The keyboard is quiet
-The bluetooth options work well
-The screen is big, bright etc. etc.
-The fan noise is about average
-The speaker quality is a hair above average
-The AC Adapter "Brick" doesn't get nearly as hot as the inspiron e1505's did
-The Front Audio controls work great
-Face tracking on the integrated web cam is neat (not entirely useful, but neat)
: : : The No Big Deal News : : :
For those interested in the different colored lids, the matte finish isn't all that great.. Dell really should have used a glossy finish. That would have looked fantastic.
: : : The Bad News : : :
The touchpad is too small! It really needed to be at least a half-inch taller (y-axis).
The optical drive is fast, useful, but loud when in use.
Found that with the included Vista Home Premium, you really need a lot of horsepower....sheesh.
Speaking of hosepower....
The bus speed on this notebook (PM965 chipset if I'm not mistaken) is 800mHz, but the fastest supported RAM is DDR2 667! It is an annoyance that the RAM slots aren't both on the underside of the laptop. To access the 2nd DIMM slot, you have to remove the top bezel and keyboard.
This laptop gets very warm. Everywhere. I would have liked to see dell attempt to put in 70 or even 80 mm "slim" fans that spun at a lower rpm instead of the small, whining 40mm fans.....again they're not too noisy.....but again, this laptop can be a bit of a oven, even during standard office/internet use.
And, of course, this notebook comes with the usual compliment of dell-installed gunk that you wil spend a hour or two removing. And game support for vista is sparse as of this writing.
: : : Conclusion : : :
This laptop is a hair above average. It has it's pros and cons. You will notice both. Try it before u buy it.
User Rating: 10/10
Excellent Laptop
Pros: Core 2 Duo Processor, extremely fast, sleek design
Cons: Nvidia 256 MB Graphics card is not compatible with Windows Vista 64bit OS.
Review: I upgraded from Inspiron e1505 with dual core processor and decided on this model. I bought my laptop from DelL Outlet, and I must say What A Deal. It came with t7100 core 2 duo, 2 gb RAM, webcam and mic, Nvidia 256 MB graphics card, wireless card, bluetooth 355+edr. I have only had my new laptop for just a couple of days, and I already find it to be excellent. They buying exprience that I had witl Dell this time was very fast, informative, and they shipped my laptop out right away. I opted for next day air, and I even got it a day earlier than I was supposed to have. Dell's customer service has greatly improved. The laptop stays cool, even the bottom. There is no noise at all from it, even when it is running several programs. The display is very sharp and clear. I got the glossy look. The graphics card makes for an excellent one, much better than ATI, which until now, I have been a faithful costomer to. The new design is very sleek. I got the jet black color. The webcam works great, and the speakers and mic are awesome as well. I am not much of a gamer, but I do like a few of them, and also love to watch movies. This laptop does it all. I love toe core 2 duo. After my purchase, which I paid just $1150 for it, plus tax, I went to dell site and built one with the dsame specs as mine came with, and by the time I got done, I was up to over $2000.00 for cost. I really got a great deal. I definitely recommend the Dell e1505, which I have, and I most definitely recommend the Dell 1520 if you are going to upgrade. This laptop gets two thumbs up from me, as well as Dell for their prompt and courteous customer service attitude. Thanks Dell!!!!
User Rating: 1/10
Very cheap LCD; Condescending "customer service"
Pros: Computer is fast; relatively inexpensive
Cons: Very cheap LCD; heavy; bulky; horrible "customer service"
Review: After getting jerked around forever, I finally received the computer. As I expected, my wait was in vain, since Dell decided to try to sneak an extremely poor quality LCD past me after I'd paid for the top of the line.
As has come to be the norm with Dell "customer service," I had to wait forever just be insulted by them. They will do anything to keep you from sending it back, including trying to convince you that the problem is with you, not the computer. Regardless, I finally had enough of their condescension and ordered them to take it back for a full refund.
As has come to be the norm with Dell "customer service," I had to wait forever just be insulted by them. They will do anything to keep you from sending it back, including trying to convince you that the problem is with you, not the computer. Regardless, I finally had enough of their condescension and ordered them to take it back for a full refund.
User Rating: 1/10
Lump of poo
Pros: good for games
Cons: really bad quality
Review: I bought a Dell inspiron 1520 notebook a two weeks ago.
Last Friday it died and gave me the blue screen of death while I was doing a power point presentation in my Science class. A few days before I experienced lag and random shutdown. Since I got it from dell it has been such a lump of crap, It makes these high pitch squeal, it gets really hot and took forever to turn on.
I called Dell and they said within a few days we will pick it up. It has been five working days and I haven't even received a call. I needed a computer to do my school work on and finally could afford one and it dies. I was told Dell were Poorly made computer?s and it proved it self for being a paperweight. I would never buy a dell notebook again after this thing.
System specs
centrino core2 2.2ghz
2gb ram 667mhz
160gb 7200rpm seagate hard drive
8600GT nvidia Graphics card
15.4 truelife screen
Windows Vista Ultimate
Last Friday it died and gave me the blue screen of death while I was doing a power point presentation in my Science class. A few days before I experienced lag and random shutdown. Since I got it from dell it has been such a lump of crap, It makes these high pitch squeal, it gets really hot and took forever to turn on.
I called Dell and they said within a few days we will pick it up. It has been five working days and I haven't even received a call. I needed a computer to do my school work on and finally could afford one and it dies. I was told Dell were Poorly made computer?s and it proved it self for being a paperweight. I would never buy a dell notebook again after this thing.
System specs
centrino core2 2.2ghz
2gb ram 667mhz
160gb 7200rpm seagate hard drive
8600GT nvidia Graphics card
15.4 truelife screen
Windows Vista Ultimate
Updated
Dell finally got some one to pick up my faulty laptop. They didn't show up, they said they left a note (crap). I need the laptop for school and its dead. (Thanks Dell you have a nice product if i was going to use it as a paper weight).
Dell finally got some one to pick up my faulty laptop. They didn't show up, they said they left a note (crap). I need the laptop for school and its dead. (Thanks Dell you have a nice product if i was going to use it as a paper weight).
User Rating: 9/10
A lot for a good price
Pros: The wide screen is great, videocard is amazing
Cons: A bit heavy; buttons chip off,
Review: I just needed a laptop for college and this one is great. Comes in many colors so I got to choose what I liked. The videocard that came with it is great so I can watch movies and what not. I love the widescreen and the screen is nice, a little easy to get fingerprints but it's also easy to clean. The silver on the buttons for the media player are easy to chip off...I had to put on clear nail polish to protect it from chipping. Overall, it's great and anyone can use it. I LOVE IT!
User Rating: 4/10
If You Order Dell Inspiron 1520 now, expect 45 days delivery
Pros: Good Price, Attractive Design
Cons: Bad After Sales Services
Review: I ordered Dell Inspiron on July 31, I received notification that the est shipping date is Aug. 17th. I received another email informing me of a daley and new est shipping date Aug 30th. Today I received a third notification that the est. shipping date is Spet 19th. Can you believe that? No one to call or complain. It is what it is. I am going to cancel my order and go for Toshiba.
User Rating: 9/10
Awesome performance
Pros: Fast processing speed, cool colors, solid
Cons: Somewhat pricey
Review: I bought a Dell Inspiron 1521 and maxed it out with all the bells and whistles. It is a great laptop with loads of options. I got a red lid which makes it look very cool. I paid about $1050 for it which is a little more than some other brands with similar features, but decided on the Dell because of their reputation. I highly recommend this laptop for anyone looking for a solid performing computer.
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent value for general-purpose laptop
Pros: Quick and easy set-up
Cons: A little heavy; probably best to carry in a backpack
Review: Ordered on July 26, delivery was promised for Aug. 20. A router and mouse, part of the order, arrived a couple of days later and the laptop was delivered on Aug. 18. Contact via e-mail and phone (to confirm details) was courteous, helpful and personal. Set-up was a breeze and I couldn't be happier with the performance, although, like any new gadget, getting used to its workings (Vista Home is new for me) and customizing takes time. One day, after leaving it on (with power) it wouldn't "wake up"...panic...my call (from Toronto) to tech service was answered (yup, in India) by a patient, knowledgeable and helpful rep who I could understand. Turns out - and I wonder why I couldn't have been informed in advance, in some way, that Microsoft is "working on a patch" to be released later this year (confirmed by a visit to their website) to correct this little software bug. It only happened once - I just had to remove the battery pack. I use the laptop for e-mail, work applications (report writing), research (no gaming, downloading of big stuff) and, as such, can't imagine a better product for my needs. A little heavy, maybe, but the battery life seems more than adequate. I use a router (NetGear..don't even ASK me about their service!) and a Logitech wireless mouse, ordered with the laptop. All fine. Dell was also very inquisitive about feedback regarding their service; I know this has been a big issue. I've been highly satisfied - lucky? - but this is my second purchase (a 5 yr old Dimension desktop is still performing with no issues). Pricing seems good; a mid-level configuration, mouse, router and 3-yr. service contract was less than $1100 Cnd. One nuisance factor: Dell's constantly changing deals! Check the website a few times, hold your breath and press the button.
User Rating: 2/10
Customer Service ruins great laptop
Pros: Powerful computer, new sleek look
Cons: Terrible customer service, delays
Review: The delays on the laptops are due to the new fancy colors Dell has come out with. They are having serious back order issues. Expect about 2 months for delivery.
The laptop itself is great, powerful, easy to use.
However, in my opinion Dell is slipping in their customer service and support. I will never own another.
The laptop itself is great, powerful, easy to use.
However, in my opinion Dell is slipping in their customer service and support. I will never own another.
User Rating: 9/10
Long wait, But worth it.
Pros: Powerful, well built, many options, well designed
Cons: Heavy. Long delays in shipping, inconsistent customer service.
Review: I waited 40 days for my Inspiron 1520, and for those people that ordered in the first month of it being offered, that was pretty typical, for those that chose one of the optional color lids.
I see many people are giving the laptop itself low ratings because of frustration over long delivery delays, and I think that might be a little misleading to those who want to know about the laptop itself.
The laptop itself is solid. there is no flex or flimsy feeling anywhere. The Magnesium alloy case feels quite sturdy.
The laptop is very high performance for the price, if you get the nVidia 8600M-GT graphics card, which is the fastest card you can get at this screen size.
The 8600M-GT that dell ships is configured to be the slower of the two that nVidia makes (DDR2 vs GDDR3 ram), however, the cooling system of this laptop is so good that it can be easily overclocked (wth nVidia's own nTune application from their website), with no heat issues, to reach the scores of the GDDR3 version in pricier laptops. Overclocking is not for everyone, certainly. But even though I really had no interest in overclocking, it was just so easy and harmless, that it made sense for me. My 3DMark06 Score is roughly 4000, which is remarkable for a sub $1000 laptop. Out of the box, with the default GPU settings, my 3DMark06 score was roughly 2900, which is still considerably better than most (or all) smiliarly priced competitors.
The keyboard is very solid as well, the webcam is much better than previous generations, the bluetooth works flawlessly, and the Wireless range that I am getting with my Intel Wireless-N card is an order of magnitude better than my previous wireless laptops.
I opted for the WSXGA+ (1680x1050) screen, which is beautiful, even when scaled down to lower resolutions like 1440x900, 1280x800 or even lower. Dell advertises three resolutions to choose from, although from their specs, the lowest one (WXGA 1280x800) looks to have limited viewing angles. Having not seen one at that resolution, I can't comment. But Dell advertises it as having only half the vertical viewing angle of th WSXGA+ screen.
As I am a S/W engineer, and use my laptop for coding, I look at a lot of text, and I am very impressed at how crisp the text is at all resolutions, even non-native ones. This was a concern of mine when ordering.
My only complaints have been 1 - the laptop is heavy. It is not a featherweight. Also, there is a small amount of light leakage from the bottom on my paricular screen, that is only noticable when the screen is all black. It doesnt seem to be noticeable when I play videos. The screen itself is quite amazingly good looking.
I have heard that Dell uses a few different suppliers for their LCD screens, and there was an early batch of screens made by a particular manufacturer that had graininess problems. Either Dell has solved those issues, or I lucked out. Either way, I extremely pleased with mine.
Dealing with Dell customer service has been interesting. Because of the long delays, and some early typos on dell websites (regarding the graphics card) I spoke with several dell customer service representatives, and there level of competence varied wildly. It is almost like some sort of game, trying to find the right person to talk to who can help you with your problem. I think -most- of the negative scores on cnet for this laptop ar ebased on customer service issues, rather than the hardware itself, which is very much among the top laptops in bang-for-the-buch.
I considered the HP DV6500T, but because that laptop only had the 8400M-GS video card, which is about half the speed of the 8600M-GT, and the HP had heat issues, that led me to my choice for the 1520.
The 7200RPM Drive seems to work well, is not noisy, and seems very quick.
My configuration:
Midnight Blue
Core 2 Duo T7300 2.0Ghz Processor
WSXGA+ (1680x1050) Truelife (Glossy) Screen
nVidia 256Mb GeForce 8600M-GT (DDR2)
2Gb Ram
160Gb 7200RPM HDD
Intel Wireless-N
Bluetooth
2.0 MPixel Webcam
Visa Home Premium
6-Cell Battery
2-Year complete Care with Accidental Damage Protection
Price after shipping/Tax: $1377
Days it took Dell to Deliver: 40
I see many people are giving the laptop itself low ratings because of frustration over long delivery delays, and I think that might be a little misleading to those who want to know about the laptop itself.
The laptop itself is solid. there is no flex or flimsy feeling anywhere. The Magnesium alloy case feels quite sturdy.
The laptop is very high performance for the price, if you get the nVidia 8600M-GT graphics card, which is the fastest card you can get at this screen size.
The 8600M-GT that dell ships is configured to be the slower of the two that nVidia makes (DDR2 vs GDDR3 ram), however, the cooling system of this laptop is so good that it can be easily overclocked (wth nVidia's own nTune application from their website), with no heat issues, to reach the scores of the GDDR3 version in pricier laptops. Overclocking is not for everyone, certainly. But even though I really had no interest in overclocking, it was just so easy and harmless, that it made sense for me. My 3DMark06 Score is roughly 4000, which is remarkable for a sub $1000 laptop. Out of the box, with the default GPU settings, my 3DMark06 score was roughly 2900, which is still considerably better than most (or all) smiliarly priced competitors.
The keyboard is very solid as well, the webcam is much better than previous generations, the bluetooth works flawlessly, and the Wireless range that I am getting with my Intel Wireless-N card is an order of magnitude better than my previous wireless laptops.
I opted for the WSXGA+ (1680x1050) screen, which is beautiful, even when scaled down to lower resolutions like 1440x900, 1280x800 or even lower. Dell advertises three resolutions to choose from, although from their specs, the lowest one (WXGA 1280x800) looks to have limited viewing angles. Having not seen one at that resolution, I can't comment. But Dell advertises it as having only half the vertical viewing angle of th WSXGA+ screen.
As I am a S/W engineer, and use my laptop for coding, I look at a lot of text, and I am very impressed at how crisp the text is at all resolutions, even non-native ones. This was a concern of mine when ordering.
My only complaints have been 1 - the laptop is heavy. It is not a featherweight. Also, there is a small amount of light leakage from the bottom on my paricular screen, that is only noticable when the screen is all black. It doesnt seem to be noticeable when I play videos. The screen itself is quite amazingly good looking.
I have heard that Dell uses a few different suppliers for their LCD screens, and there was an early batch of screens made by a particular manufacturer that had graininess problems. Either Dell has solved those issues, or I lucked out. Either way, I extremely pleased with mine.
Dealing with Dell customer service has been interesting. Because of the long delays, and some early typos on dell websites (regarding the graphics card) I spoke with several dell customer service representatives, and there level of competence varied wildly. It is almost like some sort of game, trying to find the right person to talk to who can help you with your problem. I think -most- of the negative scores on cnet for this laptop ar ebased on customer service issues, rather than the hardware itself, which is very much among the top laptops in bang-for-the-buch.
I considered the HP DV6500T, but because that laptop only had the 8400M-GS video card, which is about half the speed of the 8600M-GT, and the HP had heat issues, that led me to my choice for the 1520.
The 7200RPM Drive seems to work well, is not noisy, and seems very quick.
My configuration:
Midnight Blue
Core 2 Duo T7300 2.0Ghz Processor
WSXGA+ (1680x1050) Truelife (Glossy) Screen
nVidia 256Mb GeForce 8600M-GT (DDR2)
2Gb Ram
160Gb 7200RPM HDD
Intel Wireless-N
Bluetooth
2.0 MPixel Webcam
Visa Home Premium
6-Cell Battery
2-Year complete Care with Accidental Damage Protection
Price after shipping/Tax: $1377
Days it took Dell to Deliver: 40
User Rating: 2/10
multiple last minute delays
Pros: looked like a decent system
Cons: Dell customer service has no information
Review: on the day of shipping twice, dell sent an automated message saying the system was delayed. 8 contacts with dell, including supervisors who promised to call back did not do so. Worst buying experience ever. previous to that they sent my first system to the wrong address then threatened me with account cancilation, and recovery dept multiple times. When the computer was returned, they made me give them the tracking number 5 times over 3 months before i got a credit.
User Rating: 8/10
The best for the money!
Pros: Internet catcher button, scroll slides on the touch pad.
Cons: 3 hour battery
Review: This was the best deal I have found for under $1000.00! I added the 2 gig memory and it was a free upgrade, and i boosted the hard drive uo to 160 gig and found that to be a free upgrade as well! I just advise to go with the windows vista home premium instead of the home basic. I settled for basic and am upgrading that this week for 79- bucks. ooh and you might want to include the web-cam option. I didnt thinking that I already own a web-cam. well my cam wasnt compatable with vista so I might have to buy a new one! Overall $927.00.
User Rating: 2/10
Ridiculous Delays
Pros: Color, Price, Customization
Cons: the most inconvenient delay ever. I needed my laptop for school and ordered it with extra time before school starts. But Dells bad business deals have made shipment 3 weeks after school starts.
Review:
User Rating: 9/10
quick arrival
Pros: quick service
Cons: none to speak of
Review: just to level up the other reviews of people giving it 1 when they havent got it, i received a call saying it will arive in 2 weeks and it is due to come now in a week and a half, thats pretty good at my end, so heres my rating without evening using it just like some of the others
User Rating: 10/10
Very good laptop
Pros: Fast, nice look, All I need.
Cons: No one for the moment
Review:
User Rating: 2/10
BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!!!!!
Pros: Has alot of features for a fair price
Cons: Dells customer service.Hours worth of calls an emails and still no computer
Review: I ordered my New Dell 1520 back in the first week of July. It was supposed to ship twice. Its Aug.20th and it still hasnt shipped. Dell has been nothing but a hassle. They dont respond to emails,there on phone customer service is horrible. When you want to order its easy!! When you have problems and questions,good luck.Bottomline if you order one be prepared to wait a long time. I have spent over $6000 with this company. They dont take care of customers. NOT RECOMMENDED!!!!
User Rating: 4/10
Amazing, except for the screen resolution
Pros: many colors
Cons: took forever to arrive
Review: Like one of the other reviewers said, it takes forever to arrive. I ordered mine through Costco, I ordered a black one by the way, it
was suppose to be shipped the next day but was unfortunately wasn't. When it did get shipped it was three weeks later, and took another two weeks to arrive. So as a warning to you all, don't order from costco!
They also don't give you a good color choice! They only have Blue, Red and Black. I wanted white, I had to instead go with Black.
Truthfully, I don't like it. But that was because, all the previous laptops I showed my father where turned down, so I finally gave up on it and agreed to whatever he chose, which ended up being this one.
And the fact that my three weeks experience with Vista doesn't help. Because, after that experience I grew to hate Vista. Which isn't very good, in my case.
Besides that, what I seem to be having trouble with the most is finding out the correct screen resolution. Which I did finally find out after many button clicking experiences, that it is 1440 X 900. So now I have to resize my resolution for my favorite wallpaper I have created over the years, on my other computer which is a resolution of 800 X 600.
I'm having an even harder time now to because I can't find any wallpaper sites with wallpaper in that resolution size. All the standard 1024 X 768 and 800 X 600.
I doubt any of you are as obsessed about wallpaper as I am so it wouldn't really matter to you as it does me. But, I really like my wallpaper not to be fuzzy and odd looking because of that. So thats all I really got to complain about it.
The laptop is good besides that.
was suppose to be shipped the next day but was unfortunately wasn't. When it did get shipped it was three weeks later, and took another two weeks to arrive. So as a warning to you all, don't order from costco!
They also don't give you a good color choice! They only have Blue, Red and Black. I wanted white, I had to instead go with Black.
Truthfully, I don't like it. But that was because, all the previous laptops I showed my father where turned down, so I finally gave up on it and agreed to whatever he chose, which ended up being this one.
And the fact that my three weeks experience with Vista doesn't help. Because, after that experience I grew to hate Vista. Which isn't very good, in my case.
Besides that, what I seem to be having trouble with the most is finding out the correct screen resolution. Which I did finally find out after many button clicking experiences, that it is 1440 X 900. So now I have to resize my resolution for my favorite wallpaper I have created over the years, on my other computer which is a resolution of 800 X 600.
I'm having an even harder time now to because I can't find any wallpaper sites with wallpaper in that resolution size. All the standard 1024 X 768 and 800 X 600.
I doubt any of you are as obsessed about wallpaper as I am so it wouldn't really matter to you as it does me. But, I really like my wallpaper not to be fuzzy and odd looking because of that. So thats all I really got to complain about it.
The laptop is good besides that.
User Rating: 9/10
Very good customer service, excellent lap top.
Pros: Delivered on time as promised;good customer service; good price;delivered what was requested.
Cons: None so far.
Review: I am not sure what has been the particular issue for the delivery problems for the other users, but I did not have such problems. Dell's web page has several ways to reach customer service and in all of them I was able to get any question or issue resolved. My laptop was promised on x date and *was* on the date scheduled for. As far as the lap top, it's a good to excellent lap top. No complaints. They delivered what I ordered.
User Rating: 2/10
Bright Shiny Crap Is Still Crap
Pros: Somebody must have received it
Cons: Customer Service is nonexistent
Review: Dell sucks. Three due dates have come and gone and still no computer. The final insult? They say the order doesn't exist. Screw their no English comprehending lying customer service drones.
Pros? I guess somebody actually received it.
Cons? Vaporware in my book
Pros? I guess somebody actually received it.
Cons? Vaporware in my book
User Rating: 9/10
Great Laptop, definitely recommend.
Pros: Customizable, stylish, keyboard is great, battery life is great, quiet and runs cool.
Cons: Long delivery for some people, a bit heavy, a bit thick.
Review: I got my inspiron a few weeks ago. To play high-end games and to bring to university, and to do some programming.
My general specs are: 2.2ghz duo, 2gb RAM, 256mb Geforce 8600m gt. The whole laptop cost me around $1850, but that's because I upgraded almost everything!
The network never disconnects for me. The signal stays strong.
The screen I got is 1680x1050, so the images are really crisp and sharp!
I play high graphic games, and games run perfectly!
The laptop remains quiet and cool even when it's opened for a long time or running intense applications.
I got the spring green surface, the surface doesn't look cheap, it is hard to leave scratches or marks.
The delivery was long, I had to wait more than 20 days. But, if you can sit through the waiting, then this laptop would be great!
My general specs are: 2.2ghz duo, 2gb RAM, 256mb Geforce 8600m gt. The whole laptop cost me around $1850, but that's because I upgraded almost everything!
The network never disconnects for me. The signal stays strong.
The screen I got is 1680x1050, so the images are really crisp and sharp!
I play high graphic games, and games run perfectly!
The laptop remains quiet and cool even when it's opened for a long time or running intense applications.
I got the spring green surface, the surface doesn't look cheap, it is hard to leave scratches or marks.
The delivery was long, I had to wait more than 20 days. But, if you can sit through the waiting, then this laptop would be great!
User Rating: 8/10
Great color selection
Pros: video option
Cons: no fingerprint reader
Review: Good all around notebook..I guess the manufacturer wide shortage of lcds is dampering buisness for dell because i see bad marks for a decent system..
User Rating: 2/10
Students, Do Not Order! Rated Terrible for a reason!
Pros: Excellent price and features
Cons: Terrible delivery projections, terrible customer feedback
Review: A Laptop can't have anything good about it if you can't even get one shipped to you.
I placed an order for this laptop on July 19th, with an estimated ship date of the 7th of Aug. Acceptable wait time, well before I go to school on the 20th. The 6th, I received a call Informing me that my laptop had been back ordered till the 28th! Now, much of the supposed problem is with the color of the LCD support. If you order black, you get your laptop on time. So, on the 9th, I tried to change the order to black. Response?
"If you would've responded earlier, by two weeks, we could've switched it. However, to do it now would mean an ship date extension."
So, I had to know there was a problem before I was notified, in order to fix it. Thanks Dell.
Some people have reported that their orders from late June have still not been delivered, and also back ordered till the 28th. I'm starting to doubt some people will ever actually get their order, even if they don't cancel out of utter frustration.
Dell has not only dropped the ball, but evidently lost it during some random earthquake in *Africa*. (Yes, that's one of the various, supposed explanations for the delays. Damaged LCD glass.) On the other hand, HP and Mac seem to have no trouble.
Do NOT order this laptop unless you're willing to put up with endless, unexplained order extensions, and willing to pay for technology that will be outdated by time you get it. Current order ship projections for nearly all Dell laptops are now into mid September, and even October for some models. All for a colored screen.
I placed an order for this laptop on July 19th, with an estimated ship date of the 7th of Aug. Acceptable wait time, well before I go to school on the 20th. The 6th, I received a call Informing me that my laptop had been back ordered till the 28th! Now, much of the supposed problem is with the color of the LCD support. If you order black, you get your laptop on time. So, on the 9th, I tried to change the order to black. Response?
"If you would've responded earlier, by two weeks, we could've switched it. However, to do it now would mean an ship date extension."
So, I had to know there was a problem before I was notified, in order to fix it. Thanks Dell.
Some people have reported that their orders from late June have still not been delivered, and also back ordered till the 28th. I'm starting to doubt some people will ever actually get their order, even if they don't cancel out of utter frustration.
Dell has not only dropped the ball, but evidently lost it during some random earthquake in *Africa*. (Yes, that's one of the various, supposed explanations for the delays. Damaged LCD glass.) On the other hand, HP and Mac seem to have no trouble.
Do NOT order this laptop unless you're willing to put up with endless, unexplained order extensions, and willing to pay for technology that will be outdated by time you get it. Current order ship projections for nearly all Dell laptops are now into mid September, and even October for some models. All for a colored screen.
User Rating: 2/10
60 days to delivery. terrible!
Pros: Not sure. still waiting for lap top
Cons: the dell purchasing experince
Review: I tryed to buy a dell in early June of 2007. When I went to order Dell told me that the notebooks were going to be replaced by the new moddels. and that i had to wait for them, because they no longer had the parts to build me one from the old moddel line. Then Dell said that there would be a wait for the new moddel (1520), because they were having problems getting parts from their 3rd party parts suppliers. The excuses seem to be endless. I am very very disapointed in Dells ability to deliver. It is August 8, 2007 now and I still don't have my notebook that I ordered from Dell! What a horrible service!
User Rating: 1/10
Poor LCD, Grainy
Pros: Everything but the LCD panel
Cons: LCD Panel Grainy, Fuzzy
Review: I ordered this with the upgraded LCD glossy 1680x1050. I was very disapointed to see that the screen was very grainy, especialy while reading text in any white background. I checked online and found many angry buyers with the same problem. dell is using cheap 6 bit LCD panels with poor glossy coating. The results are grainy looking LCD panels, whites tend to look dirty and grainy. This is unacceptable, my older dell Inspiron E1705 laptop looks excellent in comparison, whites are snow bright and smooth without any grain or fuzzyness.
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent overall. Dell customer support was great.
Pros: Is offered with matte, anti-glare display, NVIDIA 8600M GT graphics, excellent customer service
Cons: No cons with laptop. Windows Explorer in Vista has no up folder arrow (must use alt + up arrow on keyboard).
Review: Excellent laptop. Very happy with 1280 x 800, anti-glare (matte) display, NVIDIA 8600M GT graphics, and 2 GHz processor. Purchased internal Bluetooth. Works great with Dell Bluetooth mouse. Original Bluetooth mouse was defective. Called Dell support on Tuesday evening. A new mouse was delivered the following Thursday morning! Dell customer support called me to check whether the new mouse worked. Very impressed with Dell's responsiveness. I don't work for Dell nor have any connection with the company.
User Rating: 10/10
WOW! Love this notebook
Pros: nVidia 8600M GT / Core 2 800Mhz FSB
Cons: Only con that I could even think of is I wish the notebook was all one color. Yes just a cosmetic con, I see no others
Review: I LOVE this notebook. The main reason I use my notebook is to play games, mainly City of Heroes online multi player game. I was so excited to find the 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics card in this notebook. Finally a nice graphics in a notebook thats not over 15.4". I bought this notebook with the Midnight Blue, Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 2.2Ghz / 800mhzFSB, 2GB 667mhz Ram, 160GB 7200rpm HDD, N Wireless Card, Bluetooth, 256mb nVidia 8600M GT, 9 cell battery, SoundBlaster, 2.0 MegaPixel Webcam and 8 X DVD+-RW drive. What can I say but I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Its FAST, runs my games with ease and has NO problem with multitasking! The webcam I didnt really care about but it got it because it was only $30 so I thought why not. VERY clear picture! The prices for upgrades are VERY reasonable. The wireless works like a dream and the bluetooth even better! Most important I can play my game without having to lower the graphics! NICE The battery life is GREATLY improved from Dells last model the e1505 (wich I have)I can not explain how happy I am with my notebook. I got all this and 3 year warranty and accidental, all for UNDER $2,000. Thats an awesome deal for a notebook with these options. Buy this notebook, youll love it.
User Rating: 9/10
Great Laptop!
Pros: Fast, good monitor, and affordable
Cons: Slightly heavy, speaker sounds like you are in a tin can (slightly)
Review: I decided to get a laptop for college, after researching I saw that Dell would release a new series of Inspiron with the Santa Rosa technology which increased the FSB to 800mhz. So I set out to get a laptop. I got a 2.2 dual core processor, 2gb ram. 160gb hd,15.4" screen, 8600gt video, 1440*990 hd glossy screen and the 85 mwh battery. The computer runs great, especially at high resolution. The only problem is that some of the software upgrades are rather pricey. So I held off on upgrading Vistas and I opted not to get any productivity software installed because I could pick it up vastly cheaper through school. Eventually I ordered the laptop, took about 2 weeks for them to build it and then 2 days to deliever it. This computer runs amazingly well, I am very happy, I was worried that I wouldnt be able to run any games on it, but the dx10 video card and the high processor speed just eats through the games I play, on Half Life 2 game engine. I would recomend this laptop for anyone. Although I dont know what the price would be if I just ordered it without any couponds (Since I am ordering it for college I got 200 dollars off, along with a coupon I found online if the laptop was over 1399. The final cost for my laptop was just over 1750. A very good deal if I must say so myself. The only complaint I have is that if the image on the screen is dark (night scene) and you are in a well lighted room you can see yourself reflected in the screen (has glossy screen) I dont know really how the battery life is because I dont go very far, but I took if off one day and it lasted for just over 2 1/2 hours, but I wasnt doing anything extreneous on it. Also the computer is very good with connection to wi-fi and its a blast to use. Although being unfamiliar with Vista hindered me a little in the beggining but it worked out in the end, if you choose you can revert the style to past Windows editions (i.e. XP) All in all a very good computer for school, I greatly recomend it.
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