Dell Inspiron 1440 Review

I bought this computer mainly for school - I HATE writing notes and when you're in a science college class (Anatomy and Physiology for me) you have A LOT of notes to write.

I wanted a laptop that was small and light but also had decent specs (CD writer driver, decent processor, expandable RAM, etc.) in case I needed to use it for something else.

All-in-all this computer is the perfect choice for that. It's lightweight and fairly small. If you go any smaller than 14", you risk sacrificing decent specs for small size.

The computer came with 4 GB RAM but can expand to 8GB which is great. The processor is fairly fast and the hard-drive is a decent size as well. I don't need a huge hard-drive, so it's no big deal.

I've had this computer for a little over 2 weeks and I love it. I haven't had any problems with it so far at all. I wouldn't recommend it to someone as a primary computer or as a desktop replacement computer though. The screen is a lot smaller than you think and it takes some getting used to. It's fine for when you're out and about or at school or whatever - but it will bother you if it's the only computer you use. I'm planning on purchasing a larger, more sturdy laptop for primary use. I refuse to go back to using a desktop because it's a pain-in-the-you-know-what to be stuck at one spot all the time. I prefer to sit in my recliner while on the computer at home.

This laptop is pretty sturdy. I can lift it easily by one corner and the casing doesn't bend or flex anywhere. The only area I have noticed any flex is on the keyboard when you push on the Enter key too hard. You have to push fairly hard to feel it, and it's just a tiny amount on bend. I don't feel it at all when I'm typing, and I sometimes hit the Enter key pretty hard. I was told that the only reason the keyboard flexes in that region is because the disc drive is right beneath it - so it's forgivable.

The only reason I don't give this laptop 5 stars is because of 3 things that really irritate me, but probably won't irritate the normal person.

1) The keyboard. Since the size is only 14", the keyboard is much smaller. They didn't make the keys smaller or remover any keys, they just smushed them all together so they're really close. It takes a lot more getting used to than I thought. Much easier to make typing errors too. Very annoying.

2) The backing of the screen, the top of the case when the laptop is closed, is a fingerprint magnet! It's black and very glossy - I can see millions of little fingerprints all over it! Drives me crazy. If you think it will bother you, I suggest getting it in a different color or buying a laptop skin.

3) Dell customer service is AWFUL. Most of the people are Indian and don't speak English well at all. Don't get me wrong, I'm not racist or anything, it's just that an Indian accent is very difficult to understand over the phone. And a lot of the people are rude and speak to you like you're stupid. When I bought this laptop, I couldn't buy it online because of some website glitch they were having. So I called in to a sales person. He was very pushy and ignorant of many things. He told me that I couldn't get my Educational Discount because my school didn't exist in their database - but I was able to use it online! I had to call back in and speak to someone (who was very nice) in the Educational Discount Department. She told me that he should have transferred me to her instead of trying to make the sale. Dell really needs to work on their customer service if you ask me. You have been warned!

It also bothers me a little that the plug for the AC adapter is on the left side of the laptop rather than the right. With my old laptop, it was on the right. The plug-in on the wall is to the right of where I sit, so it's a little awkward and annoying but nothing that I can't deal with.

There are also no lights for the wireless activity, processor activity, etc. It bothers me a little but not much. The only light is to show that it's plugged in. The same light also fades on and off when the computer sleeps. There is a light on the adapter so you know it's getting power. Again - I stress that this laptop isn't your best choice as a primary computer - unless you have to travel A LOT with your primary computer.

The screen is great - it's very bright even when the computer isn't connected to the adapter and when it's set on Power Saver to extend battery life.

Battery life isn't the greatest with the 6 cell battery. I only get about 3.5 hours of life. So if you need it to last longer, get a bigger battery.

The pricing is pretty decent - after my 7% discount, I paid just $665.13.

If you have any questions about this laptop or any of my other reviews, let me know. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have!