Dell Studio 15z Notebook, Intel Core i5-450M, 500GB, 15.6", Backlit Keyboard, 9 Cell Battery, Cappu

I was looking for a 15" Notebook with System 7-64bit, an i5 processor (first generation okay), DDR3 memory, a 7200 rpm hard drive, and good producct reviews (the nine cell battery was an added plus -as I write this, the battery icon says I have 4 hours, 47 minutes with 87% remaining). Since I already have a good experience with an older Dell Studio, this looked good. I was surprised that the memory speed was faster than I expected (1333 MHZ). Since there wasn't any mention of memory speed by the seller, I was expecting a slower 1033 MHZ memory speed. I was blown away by how fast it shipped. They shipped on the same day that I placed the order AND FedEx delivered it two days after placing the order. I did have one problem -of my own making. My other Windows computers run Windows XP and I had gotten lazy about upgrading the firmware in the wireless router. Until I figured out the problem, I lost the wireless internet connection several times per day. On another subject, I agree with another reviewer who didn't recommend this Notebook for gamers. It doesn't appear to have an external video card. My understanding is that it uses video hardware on the motherboard and shares the processor/main memory. In summary, I feel like I went to the new car showroom and bought last year's model at up to 33% discount. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you have a "beer budget and champagne taste".

I purchased this laptop from Amazon a month ago and I'm very happy with my purchase. I'm not a high end user but wanted something that was versatile and this seemed to fit the need at a reasonable price. This Dell comes with a backlit keyboard which I find is my favorite feature. The slot loading DVD tray is also nice. The whole thing has that "Dell build quality" that is absent with so many of the cheaper units: great keyboard, track pad, sound. Battery life is very good. Another nice touch: Dell includes a very useful piece of software that displays frequently used icons; this dashboard disappears when a program is launched but remains available when the cursor is moved to the top of the screen. No need to collapse a window to launch another app.

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i love the laptop the colour is spectacular and graphics amazing. I bought a laptop cooling fan with it because of my fears of the battery overheating which usually happens with most dell laptops. other than the laptop arrived on time and well packaged. do not miss this opportunity

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I purchased this laptop after using my Dell Mini for a year. It was time to go back to full screen again. I have bought and sold 6 full size laptops while searching for the right one. When this one arrived, it was it. The look is very sharp and sleek. Its light weight and fully packed with features. My favorite are the Slot Load DVD drvie and the Back Lit Keyboard. Its like owning a Macbook but cheaper and better :) It runs fast and doesn't get as hot as my past laptops. The Sata Port on the side was something new to me and its a really cool feature. It doubles as a USB that actually works when your laptop is shut down. Great for a quick Ipod/Cell Phone charge. The touch pad works great, the keyboard is smooth to use and doesn't make the loud clicking sounds when typing. The battery has yet to die on me and I use it on average about 2.5 hours at a time. The HDMI port is wonderful and makes for easy hookup to my tv. All in all, I think for the price this laptop is hands down the best choice. If you look at the Dell Studio XPS 15 you'll see basically what your getting for a better price. They are about 94% the same.

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Even though the laptop arrived fast, in perfect shape, and was as advertised specification wise, I am giving this one star for technical reasons. First, when powered up the laptop did not go through the normal Windows 7 setup routine. It booted directly to a desktop with a user profile named PC1. This is not normal and is NOT the way new laptops or desktops ship from Dell. I have been a Dell certified tech for over 20 years and have never seen this. Makes me think that even though the box was sealed, the laptop was used. SOMEONE already set it up. Kind of like the Fry's Electronics lawsuit years ago when they were re-shrink wrapping returned items. No big problem though, added second admin user then deleted the PC1 profile. After cleaning off all the Dell junk and McAfee I noticed the clock and date were way off. I rebooted to get into the system BIOS to set time & date only to find the BIOS was password protected. Now this is NOT normal and a very bad thing. If you enter an incorrect password more than three times the BIOS will lock and the laptop will not boot. Ever. It would need to be sent back to Dell. I had to purshase a BIOS password hack program ($70.00) to unlock the BIOS. I was then able to clear all BIOS passwords, set boot order, set time / date, and flash the BIOS up to the current release. I did some research on this laptop on the Dell Support site. This laptop service tag was shipped from Dell 4/18/2011 and as far as I can tell has never been registered with Dell. I will register after I finish this review and post back if there are problems. To sumarize, I just get the feeling that wasn't really new. Can't prove anything, just a feeling.

Richard Treat MCSE MCP+

Dell Certified Technician