Here it is, my first post on the new Dell Inspiron 1520. Since it’s my first post on this new machine, I might as well use it to do a mini review. I say mini because I really didn’t have the time to take a bunch of pictures of the unboxing and there are so many in-depth reviews out there on the web that doing another one isn’t practical. Therefore, I’m going to give it to you as I see it, tell you what I like and dislike, and avoid a lot of techie jargon. Let’s get to it.

The package arrived yesterday afternoon (July 25) via Purolator. Right after work I hurried home just in time to unpack the laptop before rushing back out for a game of golf. I didn’t even get to power it on! Talk about teasing myself. After a couple hours of whacking a little white ball around I was finally able to press the power button and watch my new computer come to life.

My first impression of the laptop was, “wow, that really is big.” The reviews I read said it was bulky and they weren’t lying. It is a pretty hefty machine and will be a bit of a pain carrying around campus. However, because I use OneNote to take notes in class, I am able to cut down on a couple notebooks so my overall weight/space increase isn’t that much. I knew the 1520 was going to be bulky, but it was a sacrifice I had to make to get high performance at a low cost.

I’ve shed some bad news, now lets hear some good. Overall, the laptop is pretty nice looking. I went with the black cover, although I could have chosen one of the 7 others–this was a nice option. Also, the keyboard is one of the best I’ve seen/felt on a laptop. The keys are where they should be (no weird configuration like many notebooks) and typing is a breeze. Also, this machine stays very quiet and doesn’t get nearly as hot as Rita’s Acer.

Let’s go back to another dislike. If you are sitting in a very quiet room and the laptop’s fan isn’t on, you can hear a high-pitched whining sound coming from inside the case (you can hear what I mean in this video). This can get very annoying. After reading some comments in the notebookreview.com forums, I found out that this problem is caused by a function of the new Core 2 Duo processors. The processor recognizes when your computer is idling and adjusts its power settings accordingly. It is this changing back and forth that causes interference with the motherboard, which in turn creates the whining sound. Luckily I came across a software fix in the same forums that eliminates this problem by keeping the processor set at a constant level–its highest level. Supposedly this reduces battery life, but I haven’t noticed much of a difference.

I think that is about it for the issues I’ve had so far with the computer. Overall, it is a great little machine for the money and is built quite well. I must say that running Vista is something to get used to, but a positive experience overall. When displayed on a crystal clear monitor like the one on this laptop, the colours really pop and the desktop looks very sexy. Along with Google Desktop (which I never really got into until now), Vista offers a much more efficient and user-friendly work environment compared to XP.

As a final word on the 1520, it is a nice, affordable laptop which is ideal for the person who doesn’t need to travel a lot with it. If you’re a student who has to lug it around campus every day, it isn’t ideal but you could probably get away with it–I will. For those looking for a smaller alternative from Dell, give the XPS m1330 a try. If you’re looking for a great laptop with lots of speed at a low price, the 1520 is for you.

Does anyone else have any experiences with this or other Dell products? Share them in the comments section.

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