Great Deals on Dell Laptops w/ Win7
CNET editors' buying advice
We have not reviewed this product but here is CNET's buying advice on Laptops. This content was chosen based on the features included with this model of laptop.
Mid-size laptop computer
Not all midsize laptops are inexpensive, but most inexpensive laptops are midsize. Why? Whereas a desktop replacement is designed to deliver high performance and a thin-and-light is optimized for portability, the typical midsize laptop isn't specialized. Rather, a midsize laptop gives you everything you need for basic computing (word processing, storing digital photos), home entertainment (burning CDs, watching DVDs), and online communication (e-mail and Web surfing). Slightly smaller than desktop replacements and with limited battery life, midsize laptops aren't particularly well suited for regular travel.
Read more in the Laptop Buying Guide
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Microsoft Windows Vista for laptop computers
In addition to the core functionality of the Vista operating system, Microsoft portioned out extra features into different editions of Vista, aimed at different market segments and at differing price points.
| Feature | Home Basic | Home Premium | Business | Ultimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU support | One physical CPU, but with multiple cores | One physical CPU, but with multiple cores | Up to two physical CPUs | Up to two physical CPUs |
| Maximum supported RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Windows defender & firewall | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Scheduled backup | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Aero desktop experience | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobility center (centralized access to controls often used on portables) | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Tablet PC support | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Windows SideShow (display support for a variety of secondary devices) | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Extended media and entertainment capabilities (Media center, games,HD, movie- and DVD maker) | Yes | Yes | ||
| Remote desktop connection | Yes | Yes | ||
| Windows Fax and Scan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Sound Schemes, DreamScene (video desktop "wallpaper") | Yes | |||
| BitLocker drive encryption | Yes |
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Microsoft Windows 7 system requirements
Ready for Windows 7?
If you want to run Windows 7 on your PC, here's what it takes:
- -1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
- -1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
- -16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
- -DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
Additional requirements to use certain features:
- -Internet access (fees may apply)
- -Depending on resolution, video playback may require additional memory and advanced graphics hardware
- -For some Windows Media Center functionality a TV tuner and additional hardware may be required
- -Windows Touch and Tablet PCs require specific hardware
- -HomeGroup requires a network and PCs running Windows 7
- -DVD/CD authoring requires a compatible optical drive
- -BitLocker requires Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2
- -BitLocker To Go requires a USB flash drive
- -Windows XP Mode requires an additional 1 GB of RAM, an additional 15 GB of available hard disk space, and a processor capable of hardware virtualization with Intel VT or AMD-V turned on
- -Music and sound require audio output
from windows.microsoft.com
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Home user laptop computer
Home users are increasingly turning to notebook computers as their primary PCs, as they like that laptops can offer similar performance and features to those of a desktop PC, and can be easily moved from room to room. Though of course almost any notebook computer will do for typical home use, there are two types of laptops most suitable for home users: mid-size notebooks, which tend to be budget-friendly, and desktop replacements, which are usually packed with features.
Read more in the Laptop Buying Guide
Laptop computer memory size
To maximize battery life, notebook computer processors are often designed to save more energy and run cooler than desktop processors. The drawback is slower performance, but more memory can help, which it won't consume energy or radiate heat. Even better, up to 4GB of RAM can now be found in budget configurations. If you want more memory later, expansion is often a simple procedure.
See more Notebook computer RAM products
CNET product brief
Description: This configuration of the Dell Latitude is a 6.4-pound, mainstream notebook computer.Compared to other general-purpose notebooks on the market, it is very inexpensive at around $615.The 15.4 inch widescreen has a native resolution of 1280 x 800, which is fairly standard among laptops.Runs on the Intel Core 2 Duo CPU.This notebook has a 160GB hard drive and 2.0 GB of memory.
Pros: Has a 2.40 GHz CPU speed, which is somewhat faster than some similarly priced notebooks.In fact, the typical cost of a product with this fast a CPU speed is $1,310.An anti-theft security tether can be fastened into the built-in lock slot.
Cons: Has only a 160GB hard drive, which is smaller than some similarly priced notebooks.For example, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y530, a 6.6-pound notebook at around $630, has a 320GB hard drive.The poor battery performance of this laptop means it has to be recharged more often than other notebooks in its class.Integrated graphics controllers that rely on shared video memory are sometimes an acceptable trade-off for budget-minded users.
Suitability: A mainstream notebook, suited for general mobile computing.If you have a wireless network at home, wirelessly browse the Internet from any room in your house with this Wi-Fi enabled notebook.Bring along your favorite movies and watch them on your notebook with the included DVD player.
Value: Given its very inexpensive price, this notebook has great features for the money.Generally, not targeted at the gaming crowd, this computer will likely fulfill more modest laptop needs.
Suggestions: (1) Given this device's Wi-Fi capability, you may want to get a wireless access point for your home, so that you can browse the Internet more conveniently from any room.(2) Using this PC's Firewire (1394) port, you can connect to many digital videocameras and other equipment to rapidly upload data to the laptop hard drive.
CNET's Product Briefs are generated by a software tool that combines product specifications with knowledge of our editorial experts. They do not reflect hands-on assessment or labs testing. For more information about how we create Product Briefs, contact us.
Dell Latitude E5500 Laptop Computer (Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 160GB/2GB):
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