Thursday, April 22, 2010

Dell Studio 1555 - 15.6in Review

Dell's Studio range of laptops first debuted last year in the shape of the Studio 1535, but to keep things fresh the PC giant has updated its 15in mainstream offering with the Studio 1555 (15 for short) we're looking at today. Primarily this is to make the switch to a 16:9 aspect, 15.6in display, but there's also been one or two design tweaks, new features and hardware options added, so there's a little more to it than a simple change of scenery.

Dell's Studio laptops are an alluring bunch; fitting snugly between the brand's budget-conscious Inspiron line-up and the premium XPS ranges, the Studio 15 and Studio 17 battery blend classy good-looks with surprisingly affordable prices. Adaptation is the key to survival, though, and the newest arrival, the Dell Studio 1555, marks an evolutionary step forward.

You'd be forgiven for not noticing any dramatic changes over its predecessor, but there are some subtle changes. Most notable of these is the disappearance of the 15.4in, 16:10 ratio display. In its place there now stands a 15.6in, 16:9 replacement.

Pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version), you'll be able to easily create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet. Better ways to find and manage files, like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews, help you speed through everyday tasks. Windows 7 is designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to.

Dell Studio 1555 Specifications:
  • Windows Vista Home Premium (SP1, 32-bit)
  • Intel Core 2 Duo processor P8600 (2.4GHz, 3MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
    15.6" High Definition (1920x1080) High Brightness LED Display with TrueLife and Camera
  • 3GB DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz System Memory
  • ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 graphics (256MB)
  • 250GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
  • 6X Slot Load Blu-ray (BD) Combo Drive (BD Read Only)
  • Dell Wireless 1397 802.11g Half Mini-Card
  • Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Internal (2.1)
  • Weight: 5.8 lb. including 9-cell battery
  • Dimensions: 1.0-2.0 x 14.6 x 10.0 inches with 9-cell battery (H x W x D)
  • Battery: 9-cell 85Wh
  • Dell Design Studio Custom Lid: XenoMayan - Haab3 by Tweeqim

Quite frankly, we were surprised to find a Dell Studio laptop on the shelves at Staples. We would have guessed that as Dell's upscale, entertainment-focused laptop line, the Studio would have ceded shelf space to Dell's mainstream Inspiron line. Both laptop lines are present at the office-supply store, however, and representing the Studio line is the Studio 1555 (4285MBU) ($749.98), a 15.6-inch desktop replacement. Its size and specs make it a good fit for the office or the home. The dual-core Intel processor and 4GB of memory make for a smooth Windows 7 experience, the 9-cell battery delivers more than 6.5 hours of running time, and at just shy of 6 pounds, it's still light enough for daily travel. This Dell Studio 1555 battery is nearly identical to the Editors' Choice award-winning Dell Studio 1555 (USE006CS) reviewed earlier this year; it bumps up the processor a notch while knocking $50 off the price. Given that this model follows the same recipe and does so for less, we think the Studio 1555 (S1555-4285MBU) deserves to keep the Editors' Choice that the preceding Studio 1555 earned.

The keyboard feel, is on the silent/soft side. It feels very sturdy and there is hardly any flex – good for people who slam their keys a lot or “key mash”. It does not have the springy feel as like the Dell Inspiron keyboard but more of a Logitech G15 or Microsoft Digital Media Pro. There is no dedicated keypad, nor is there a “Num lock” or “Scroll Lock” keys, or numbers seen on I, O, P etc which require the use of the FN key. All the numbers are typed using the number keys above QWERTY. This may prove a problem for people dealing with figures all day. There is proper spacing between each key and the travelling between each key is very marginal. Typing should not cause any problems and should be a breeze. The orange button, make the laptop less attractive and makes a mess of the overall tone of the white led’s, black keys and silver palm rest. What were they thinking? Perhaps the designer had the Walkman W800i in mind?

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When we originally reviewed the Studio 15 (1555) we certainly weren't impressed. The stereo speakers located beneath the screen produced weak and flat sound and we couldn't detect anything from the built-in subwoofer. We sent our review unit back to Dell for service and upon its return all we can say is, WOW!

The subwoofer adds a surprising impressive level of bass to the speakers in the battery for Dell Studio 1555. The bass is actually strong enough to feel with your hand on the keyboard. Overall the sound pretty good with crisp high notes from the main speakers and milder bass from the subwoofer. In short, the fixed subwoofer makes a world of difference and is much better than before. I still think the audio could use some tuning to lower the volume of the main speakers to match the subwoofer, but it's a minor issue.

Overall, the built-in speakers and subwoofer are good and external speakers or headphones are only a must-have accessory with this laptop if you want privacy.

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