Dell introduces 15.6-inch Inspiron 15 laptop: starts at $600

So, how's about some news not originating from Las Vegas? Dell has chosen today to take the wraps off of its cleanly styled Inspiron 15 notebook, and while there's nothing here to write home about, the price accurately reflects the low-key nature of the machine. Prospective buyers will notice a 15.6-inch widescreen panel, up to 4GB of RAM / 320GB of hard drive space, an optional Blu-ray drive, integrated webcam, Intel's Core 2 Duo powering the ship and optional Bluetooth / facial recognition software. The rig is expected to be available online later this month starting at $600, though impatient souls can find non-configurable versions right now at Best Buy (USA) and Curry's (UK).

[eggothewaffle @ Jan 5th 2009 3:56PM]

Am I the only one who doesn't like the whole two tone trend that's been going on for a while now?

[liv @ Jan 5th 2009 4:01PM]

nope, you're the FIRST dude

[sam @ Jan 5th 2009 4:12PM]

cant see inspiron 15 on currys or pc world!

[Chris @ Jan 6th 2009 9:57AM]

Hi Sam

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0683244487.1231253723@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccdadegdkklldmcflgceggdhhmdfnn.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=557073&category_oid=#productInformationSection

[Chris @ Jan 7th 2009 6:23AM]

http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/store/cur_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1810553858.1231254204@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdcadegefedledcflgceggdhhmdfnm.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=557073&category_oid=-34014

[Mark @ Jan 5th 2009 4:18PM]

Looking for some advice, and thought this might be a good thread to get it from....

I was looking into buying a middle of the road laptop (around $600-$800,) but was told recently to wait until DDR3 becomes a little cheaper. I'm not sure that will make a big enough difference to wait a few more months to a year for them to come down in price.

Can anyone weigh in on this? Thanks.

[CraigJ @ Jan 5th 2009 4:46PM]

DDR3, but most importantly a 1066MHz FSB as opposed to 800MHz offer noticeable performance improvements. You can never wait for everything to come down in price or you'll never buy anything, but those are worth it to me. Also, nVidia integrated graphics over Intel X3100 is something you'll want.

[Inks @ Jan 5th 2009 5:58PM]

I'll second the NVidia graphics. Summer of last year I bought a laptop from Dell - and I bought an XPS as opposed to an Inspiron for this very reason.

[rob @ Jan 16th 2009 12:57PM]

depends on what you want to do with this laptop.

so what do you wanna do?

[BlurMagic @ Jan 5th 2009 4:20PM]

ADAMO or BUST!

[Byron @ Jan 5th 2009 4:26PM]

I checked it out on their website. The graphic's card sucks and for the 320GB HD it'll be an extra $50 added to the price and an extra $30 for another color other than black....Meh...I'll Pass.

[Jackson Fall @ Jan 5th 2009 4:36PM]

WOW!!! If only I could boot up OS X on this baby!

[JerkfacedFed @ Jan 5th 2009 5:13PM]

go die with steve jobs

[Ian @ Jan 5th 2009 11:29PM]

Yeah, a non-Apple laptop that could work flawlessly under OS X would be good.

[Ryan @ Jan 6th 2009 12:20PM]

Yes, because Apple offers a $600 laptop that can run OSX, so you're much better going with - what's that you say? They don't? You'd have to spend at least double the money to get something that runs OSX? Huh. Fancy that.

[bioadam @ Jan 5th 2009 4:46PM]

Can we give Dell kudos for including the 4500MHD integrated graphics that should have replaced the X3100 last summer? Sure, the new chip from Intel can handle HD movies, but there are actually decent integrated graphic solutions from ATI and Nvidia.

[Darren @ Jan 5th 2009 5:01PM]

Pretty big laptop, if you plan on carrying it around with you regularly.

[dellwiz123 @ Jan 5th 2009 5:01PM]

I work at Best Buy and We just got this laptop in. It looks alright but the piano black finish gets very fingerprinty. Also, it lacks an HDMI port which i think is very stupid of dell to take it out from the 1525 series. Overall, I don't think this laptop is worth it, Sorry Dell.

[Game_playa @ Jan 5th 2009 5:07PM]

When you say 600 why do you give the 1200 configuration? Why not say 1200 then? Or give the REAL configuration you get for 600?

[Ed @ Jan 5th 2009 5:18PM]

At first, I was thrilled when I found out that my wife’s aunt was generous enough to give my 6 and 5 year olds brand new Dell Inspiron computers running Vista. But as soon as they arrived, it became clear as day that both Microsoft and Dell have blown it big time. No wonder more and more are “defecting” to Mac. The computers were loaded with crapware, but if that wasn’t bad enough, they crash regularly. Neither computer was able to play a DVD out of the box, I had to load some software and “set the region”, (shouldn't it have been set right for me?). Try explaining that to a crying 5 year old! My old XP box has not crashed in several weeks. Some old games that work fine on XP simply don’t on Vista. Again, can someone from Microsoft call my crying 6 year old and explain it to him?

[evilbillcosby @ Jan 5th 2009 5:30PM]

you sound like an idiot
learn how to use your stuff, then bitch

[Ed @ Jan 5th 2009 5:44PM]

Not an idiot - trying to help idiots (perhaps you evilbill?). 25+ years software programmer. If I were running the company, these things would not happen. And there would be peace on earth too, LOL.

Sorry, but this has NOTHING to do with learning how to use something. One does not learn how to use crapware, but rather to rid or avoid it. How does one LEARN TO CRASH both the computers by simply surfing the web? And sorry, but is it too much to expect to plop in a DVD and have it work? These are legitimate complaints, and again, no wonder Apple is gaining ground.

[PeterF @ Jan 5th 2009 6:56PM]

And why do 5 and 6 year olds need their own computers? 5 and 6 year olds aren't expected to know how to use a computer. It is supposed to be set up for them so whatever they want to do is easy. Computers shouldn't have to be dumbed down enough so that a 5 year old can use it out of the box.

[Ryan Waddell @ Jan 6th 2009 12:31PM]

Indeed - XP "out of the box" laptops will have the same, if not worse, problems than what your Vista laptops had. XP didn't even come with native DVD support out of the box. Vista is not an operating system written for 6 year olds. I'm not saying it's great, either, but come on. You're pissed because 3rd party PC vendors are installing crapware? This is NOT new behaviour with Vista. My wife's new HP vista laptop had less crapware on it than the HP XP desktop my step-father got 5 years ago.

[Vorian @ Jan 5th 2009 5:29PM]

It looks like a giant Mini9

[Chandra @ Jan 5th 2009 5:22PM]

You are exactly right dude. Looks like a big Mini9. haha

[john @ Jan 5th 2009 5:31PM]

Hm. Is it going to have an ubuntu version?

[Mike J. @ Jan 5th 2009 6:19PM]

Can someone explain to me just how a 15-inch computer, with an Intel Core 2 Duo, and a 320gb HDD is a netbook.... If that is true than my macbook is a netbook. OH GOD!!!!

[Leo @ Jan 5th 2009 7:06PM]

Who told you it's a netbook?

[Mike J. @ Jan 5th 2009 7:25PM]

woahh i had a stupid moment, i read the title wrong. lol opps

[Abuzar Baloach @ Jan 5th 2009 8:26PM]

Just move the E around, get rid of the O and voila!

[iamnotjamesh @ Jan 5th 2009 7:42PM]

WOW, genuine rebadging of the Vostro A860, add some shine in plastic, offer colors, and its an inspiron, IT better be thinner and better than the inspiron 1525, or is dell just trying to prepare for the worst in the economy by adding a cheap, good-looking, laptop

[kyle @ Jan 5th 2009 10:01PM]

the ever-great engadget reporting fails to mention the ONE newsworthy aspect of this notebook: it's the first dell notebook with a 16:9 screen ratio

[kyle @ Jan 5th 2009 10:06PM]

my bad, first inspiron not first dell. we don't have the vostro equivalent of this in canada yet.

my point still stands though, it's the only change over the previous model

[AWWang @ Jan 6th 2009 1:40AM]

They released this @t Best Buy in December 2008 and they are debuting now in January 2009? This is just aqnother sign Dell is getting into a bad state and I don't like the Black laptop chassis, looks ugly...

[Tor Olav @ Jan 6th 2009 2:55AM]

I like dell laptop.

[superhobo @ Jan 6th 2009 5:07AM]

15.6"?
What crappy resolution does that display?
15.6Ain't no size I ever heard of!

[Mudkip @ Jan 16th 2009 6:13AM]

Hmm... I've never really liked Dells, something about their logo puts me off O.o

[Ralph C. @ Feb 5th 2009 7:13AM]

Hello. I bought a Dell Inpiron 1545 on 3rd January. I don't believe there is a better machine for the price. It is very powerful, has excellent graphics and connects itself to the web via my elderly Belkin router within seconds. Dell have rationalized the range of connections- probably to help pay for a powerful spec, but why only 3 USB ports?--these could have been 'double banked' on both sides. I also had to change the 'region' before I could play DVD's, but that was no real hardship, and I like the keys that control playback and sound without having to use the touch pad. The keyboard has a crisp, quality feel to it. Sound is good quality but no great volume--I usually attach external speakers when playing DVD's or CD's. The 15.6in screen is a 'widescreen' design, rather shallower but much wider than a 15.4in and ideal for DVD playback. Screen resolution is excellent. The dark blue and black high gloss varnish finish does attract finger marks, so I spayed it with furniture polish and that solved the problem- fortunately without damaging the finish! There are three battery pack 'options' but no indication of which is fitted. Mine gives only 90 minutes of 'life' and this restricts use outside the home--though wide screen machines are not too practical on a train or plane anyway. The Windows Vista Home Premium works well, though I'm not keen on icons appearing at the top of the screen. Seems to me that windows developments recently have been largely cosmetic--for general use not a lot has changed since 'Windows 98' back in another century! All told, though, the Dell 1545 is an excellent product of stylish appearance.