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Most helpful user reviews
- Average user rating: 2.0 stars out of 8 reviews
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Recent user reviews
- Average user rating: 2.0 stars out of 8 reviews
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Reviews from around the WebPowered by alaTest
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alaTest.com
Editors' rating: 90
Summary: alaTest has collected and analyzed 178 reviews of Dell Studio 17 from international magazines and websites. Experts rate this product 82/100 and users 86/100. Comparing these reviews to 171452 other Laptops reviews gives this product an overall alaScore™ 90/100 = Excellent.
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notebookcheck.net
Editors' rating: 86
Summary: The standard accessories consist of some driver DVDs, a recovery DVD for Windows Vista, Microsoft Works, and Roxio Creator. Even a printed manual is included in the delivery. Suitable bags, mice, and other products can be chosen on Dell's web site for ...
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fwd.five.tv
Editors' rating: 80
Summary: Big and tough enough to look after itself, it will easily stand up to the demands of a full family battering it day in day out. What's more, it's superhero powerful, making it easier to consign your old desktop PC to the recycler.
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laptopmag.com
Editors' rating: 60
Summary: The keyboard is comfortable to type on and we like its glowing white backlight when in use. Above the keyboard is a thick black panel with a speaker strip and touch-sensitive controls, which also glows white. The thickness of the panel, combined with ...
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pocket-lint.com
Editors' rating: 90
Summary: This is a powerful notebook at a great price - making it ideal for all the family
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personal computer world
Editors' rating: 80
Summary: Gaming performance isn't great, but otherwise this is a well-designed and solidly built notebook
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.
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
See more Microsoft Windows 7 system requirements products
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
Notebook computer processors
The central processor (CPU) is the heart of any computer system and an excellent litmus test as to whether a desktop computer or notebook fits your needs. The trouble is, processor names like Athlon and Celeron are as cryptic as system names like Latitude and Pavilion. Here's a quick guide to see which chip is a fit:
| Manufacturer | Processor name | Processing power | Designed use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel | Core 2 Extreme Quad | Very high | Gaming and graphics |
| Intel | Core 2 Quad | Very high | Gaming and graphics |
| AMD | Turion | High | Mainstream |
| AMD | Athlon | High | Mainstream |
| Intel | Core 2 Duo | High | Mainstream |
| AMD | Sempron | Medium | Entry level |
| Intel | Celeron | Medium | Entry level |
| Intel | Pentium Dual Core | Medium | Entry level |
| AMD | Athlon Neo | Low | Netbook |
| Intel | Atom | Low | Netbook |
| Via | C7-M | Low | Netbook |
| Via | Nano | Low | Netbook |
| Intel | Pentium | Low | Budget |
See more Notebook processor products
Dell laptop reviews
Whether you're looking for a thin-and-light laptop for home use, or a business notebook with full desktop functionality, CNET Editors review top Dell laptops including the Inspiron, Latitude, and XPS series.
See more Dell laptop computer reviews products
CNET product brief
Description: This configuration of the Dell Studio 17 is a 7.9-pound, consumer level notebook computer.Compared to other mainstream notebooks on the market, it is relatively inexpensive at around $785.The 17.0 widescreen has a native resolution of 1440 x 900, which is better than most laptops.Powered by the Intel Core 2 Duo CPU.This notebook has a 320GB hard disk and 4 GB of RAM.
Pros: Has a 17.0 screen size, which is considerably larger than some similarly priced notebooks.In fact, the typical cost of a product with this large a screen size is $1,075.Also, this notebook has 2 megapixel camera sensor resolution.Includes an HDMI port so you can easily output the notebook's audio and video to a compatible TV or monitor.An anti-theft security tether can be fastened into the built-in lock slot.
Cons: Has a 7.9-pound weight, which is somewhat heavier than some similarly priced notebooks.For example, the HP Compaq Business 2510p, at around $770, has only a 2.9-pound weight.The poor battery performance of this notebook means it has to be recharged more frequently than other laptops in its class.This notebook's Intel media accelerator 4500MHD graphics chip uses system RAM, which sometimes results in slower performance.
Suitability: A mainstream consumer notebook, suited for general mobile computing.If you have a wireless network at home, wirelessly browse the Web from any room in your house with this Wi-Fi enabled notebook.Enjoy movies while in transit with this notebook's DVD player.
Value: In view of its relatively inexpensive price, this notebook has great features for the money.For example, when it comes to screen size, the average price of general-purpose products with a similar screen size is quite a bit more -- right around $911.Generally, given the trade-offs between performance and low price, this item will likely only appeal to serious bargain hunters.
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 video camcorders and other equipment to rapidly upload data to the notebook 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 Studio 17 Laptop Computer (Intel Core 2 Duo P8600, 320GB HDD, 4GB):
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