Publisher's Note:
This test is part of our Winter 2009 Retail Summary, which covers specific configurations of popular laptops available in retail stores.
Dell's mid-range 15-inch Inspiron laptops have long been an excellent choice for basic computing, especially if you take the time to configure a system to your needs through Dell's online configurator. Fixed configuration versions, available in retail stores tended to be hit-or-miss, sometimes undercutting the price of built-to-order versions, but they also lacked some key features.
The $649 Dell Inspiron I15-157B gives you a powerful combination of an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU and 4GB of RAM for not much more than a decently configured netbook. At the same time, it's about as stripped down as a laptop without Media control buttons or HDMI port (which earlier versions had). Add another $50 and you get a more upscale feel in systems like the Gateway MD7818u, which has both touch media controls and a larger 500GB hard drive .
Windows Vista Premium
mainstream
A spartan design model, the Dell Inspiron I15-157B is never to be confused with a high-end laptop. The plastic construction and simple, clean lines indicate a philosophy of commodification, recognizing that in this price range the best value -Value for money is paramount. The system looks simple, but it's not cheap. With a gloss black keyboard tray and matte black lid, we'd almost call it two-tone.
The keyboard is the same full-size model found on Dell's other Inspiron laptops, and only flexes slightly under your fingers. The individual letter keys are a little too pointed for our tastes, but are fully functional. It lacks the media control keys, which we like even on Dell laptops at the lower end - perhaps a sacrifice of cost savings. There is no fingerprint reader, but there is still an integrated 1.3 megapixel webcam.
The 15.6-inch widescreen LCD offers a native resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, which is standard for budget 16:9 systems. For comparison, Dell's online version has a 15.4-inch 4:3 Screen with a resolution of 1,280 x 800 pixels. None of the 15-inch systems in the budget category of our retail roundup winter 2009 had a higher resolution of 1,440 x 900.
Dell Inspiron I15-157B
Average for Category (Mainstream)
While you probably won't connect such a budget device to a big-screen TV via HDMI, we do miss the Bluetooth antenna, which has quickly become standard equipment in even the most affordable systems.
Like the vast majority of systems in the Budget section of our Winter 2009 Retail Roundup (for $600-$900 laptops), the Dell Inspiron I15-157B features Intel's 2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo T6400 CPU. The performance of the Intel -based systems was virtually identical, with a slight edge in some tests to Toshiba's Satellite A305-S6916, which featured integrated ATI graphics instead of Intel.
Any of these T6400-powered systems are perfectly adequate for basic web browsing, working on office documents, and media playback - although running too many applications at once or having too many windows open can cause some slowdown.
The Inspiron I15-157B ran for 2 hours and 40 minutes in our battery discharge test for video playback with the included 6-cell battery. We like to see at least 3 hours of battery life in a medium-sized system. In the same price range, the Gateway MD7818u is 4th -hours mark, but also has a larger capacity battery (71Wh vs. 56Wh).
Dell offers the system an industry-standard one-year parts and labor warranty, and the Dell website offers an extensive collection of support tools, including online chat, a Flash-based question widget, and a 24-hour toll-free hotline phone support. Retail stores offer a variety of extended warranty plans when purchasing your laptop, but they're generally expensive and difficult to use, so we don't recommend them.
