Inspiron17r
Latest
The dual-core Sandy Bridge laptops have arrived! Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Sony start shipping systems
If your eyes have been glued to Engadget this week, you've noticed that there have been quite a few new laptops unveiled. Sure, Samsung's rail-thin Series 9 stole a lot of the glory, but Dell and ASUS also rolled out a few new Intel Sandy Bridge systems. But something else big happened this week in the portable computer world -- a good number of the dual-core Sandy Bridge systems finally started shipping to you laptop-loving people. Wait, but didn't that happen back at CES? Not quite: while Intel announced the availability of Sandy Bridge back in January, it only started to ship its quad-core chips -- now all the dual-core Core i3, i5, and i7s are ready and so are the systems that house 'em. We've gathered a list of the rigs that are now up for order or hitting retailers. Hit that read more link for a breakdown, and start deciding if you need some fresh dual-core power in your life.
Dell Inspiron R refreshed with removable lids and Intel's latest processors
We'll be honest, we've never been the biggest fans of Dell's colorful, patterned lids -- not because some of them are pretty ugly, but because once you choose one hue, you're stuck with it forever (or at least until you need a new laptop). Well, Dell's finally solved that piece of the puzzle with its new Inspiron R series -- the 14-, 15.6- and 17.3-inch laptops all have swappable lids. Yep, it's sort of like those interchangeable Swatch watch faces from the 90s -- you can snap off the standard black cover, buy a new one for $39.99, and latch it right on. But that's not all Dell's changed with its mainstream laptops -- the rigs now have new chiclet keyboards, HD webcams, and a design that's similar to the new XPS line. For a budget system -- the 15R starts at $529.99 -- they actually feel pretty solid and the internal organs fit the same description. All three of the machines can be configured with brand new Sandy Bridge Core i3, i5, and i7 processors, Blu-ray drives, up to 8GB of RAM, six or nine-cell batteries, and USB 3.0 ports. Dell didn't forget about the graphics either -- the 14 will be available with AMD Radeon HD 6000M options, while the 15 and 17 grab a hold of NVIDIA's GeForce GT525. All three models should be up for order today on Dell's website with them heading to retailers later this spring. Hit the break for the full PR / specs and don't forget to check out the hands-on shots on your way. Update: We now have the correct spec sheet after the break! Update 2: Dell has just told us that the replaceable lids will actually be $39.99. %Gallery-119199%
Dell Inspiron 13R, 14R, 15R, 17R and M501R quietly surface
It's hard to say at this point if this new spate of Inspiron machines are just region-specific lappies or totally new breeds of a tried-and-true original, but either way, they're alive and well on Dell's own website. So far as we can tell, the Dell Inspiron 13R, 14R, 15R, 17R and M501R are exactly like their non-R contemporaries save for a few choice options: the GPU assortment is far more robust on the new flavors, while there's a larger quantity of choices in the operating system, RAM and wireless departments. There's also word that a Dell Dock feature is built right into these, making it easier to access media for those who aren't exactly technically inclined. To quote Walt Mayo, vice president Dell Consumer Asia: "This is a laptop that moms will love and youths will desire." We can't say we fit that demographic in any way, shape, or form, but we can appreciate the "smudge-resistant palm rests, full-size, ergonomically-designed keyboard and stiffer frame" when compared to the other Inspirons. These seem to be available now over in Australia and New Zealand, which means that order pages could go live at any moment for the rest of planet Earth. [Thanks, Mitch]
