Dell Studio 15 Laptop Review

About a month ago, my old computer from college finally bit the dust.  I was really excited about getting the latest and greatest in computer technology, but had no idea what exactly that meant.  I spent a lot of time reading user reviews and consumer reports before finally settling on the Dell Studio 15 laptop.  According to a lot of people who know much more about this than I do, the Dell Studio 15 was the way to go without handing over my firstborn child in exchange.  A month later, I am very satisfied with my decision.  Although I am still figuring out how to work all the bells and whistles on this thing, it was a great choice. 

The Specifics (from the Best Buy website)

• $980 from Best Buy, but frequently on sale for $800 
• Intel® CoreTM2 Duo mobile processor T8100 with 2 processing cores, 800MHz system bus, 3MB cache and 2.1GHz processor speed per core, 4GB DDR2 memory
• 320GB SATA hard drive (5400 rpm)
• Slot-loading DVD±RW/CD-RW drive
• 15.4" WXGA+ widescreen display with TrueLife technology
• Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 with up to 358MB of shared video memory; Intel High Definition audio 2.0; HDMI connector
• Built-in 2.0-megapixel webcam with microphone
• 8-in-1 media reader supports Secure Digital, SDIO, Secure Digital High Density, Secure Digital High Capacity, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, MultiMediaCard and xD-Picture Card
• IEEE 1394 (FireWire) interface and 4 high-speed USB 2.0 ports 
• Built-in Bluetooth; Dell 1397 wireless networking mini-card (802.11b/g); 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN with RJ-45 connector
• Weighs 6.1 lbs. and measures 1.3" thin for portable power; lithium-ion battery
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition 64-bit operating system preinstalled; software package included with Microsoft Works 9.0, Adobe Reader 8.1 and Roxio Creator 10 Dell Edition

My Experience

Again, I really like this computer.  It has everything I could possibly need, and a whole lot I can't even begin to know what to do with.  First of all, the Dell Studio 15 was extremely easy to set up.  I had a bit of a problem getting it to understand that I was in Hawaii and therefore not in sync with Daylight Savings Time, but other than that, it was very easy and fast.  Set-up took 15 minutes, tops.  All of the programs that I normally use seem to work well with this computer and I have not had any software problems yet (knock on wood).

The Studio 15 is noticeably faster than my old computer.  I can't believe how well it runs.  I frequently have 10-15 windows open at a time plus iTunes, Word, and Excel, but it has no problem handling this volume.  I have not yet had Internet Explorer shut down or the computer freeze up on me.  This is great because it saves me a lot of time that I used to spend rebooting my old computer.  It is also very attractive and just feels advanced -- however strange that may sound.  I have a red one, my husband has a black one, and I think it is also available in pink and blue.

As mentioned in the list above, the Dell Studio 15 has a 320 GB hard drive.  I have an external hard drive that I used to use for pictures and music, but now I don't really need it.  My ipod only holds 80 GB anyway, so I can now store all of my music right on my computer.  I'm excited about not having to drag around my external hard drive any longer!

One of the only drawbacks I can think of is that the battery only lasts about 2 hours.  This isn't really a problem for me because I always have it plugged in, but I suppose it could be an issue for other people.  Additionally, the touchpad and touch-buttons at the top (sound buttons, etc) are pretty sensitive.  Sometimes, I accidentally brush against the volume spot and get blasted by whatever music I am listening to at the time.  It's not a big deal, but can be annoying at times.

My Viewpoint

If you're in the market for a new computer, you can't do better than the Dell Studio 15.  It is fast, has a lot of hard drive space and is very easy to use.  I would recommend this computer to everyone.  Whether you are a gamer, picture editor, or just an internet-browser, this computer will be able to meet and exceed your needs and expectations.