Surprise ... what I thought I purchased was a used machine from Warehouse Deals a few days ago in late May with cosmetic damage IS actually brand new! The Dell cardboard box had cosmetic damage and was re-taped though, but everything inside was PERFECT and NEW, New, new. I immediately called Dell to see what manufacturer's coverage was on my "used machine". Dell tracked the machine's Express Code and Service Tag and let me know in their system my machine was "purchased" in mid April and I had the remainder of 1 Year Basic Hardware Service with 1 Year Onsite Service after Remote Diagnosis.Dell said this model is also known as 15R-7520 which made it easier for me to find technical reviews and comparisons on the web (BE SURE to look at the PRODUCT DESCRIPTION on this for expanded specs beyond the comparison chart provided). There are so many Dell Sales going on the next few days I felt compelled to get the positive word out about this laptop for comparison purposes to counter the 1 STAR review. I'm pleased even though when I did a WINDOWS Update there were 48 needed and another half dozen have trickled in over 2 days. It's working fine and is a major improvement and upgrade over my VAIO.
Right now I wish the battery would provide more than 4 hours uptime and the touchpad wasn't quite as sensitive. Web surfing, watching videos and listening to music are quick, clear, crisp and a joy. The backlit key board with nice sized keys is good for typing in low lighting (ok, in bed at night). I'm NOT a gamer so I have no clue if this machine would appeal to gamers. I'll provide more detailed review AFTER I get my hands on Office 2010 Professional Plus for installation and use.
I don't mind being a software package release behind. I specifically was looking for a WINDOWS 7 based machine to replace my ailing 5 year old VISTA-based Sony VAIO AND avoid WINDOWS 8. I'm past my prime early adopter/bleeding edge days, especially since there are NO DISKS to restore the system from a hard crash. The VAIO has the same size screen and fantastic visuals but NOT the amount of memory or advanced chipset as the Dell. It's comparing apples and avocados given the advances in 5 years, this DELL is a major upgrade. Thus far the learning curve/transition from Vista to WINDOWS 7 isn't as traumatic as from XP to Vista. I STILL miss XP :)
Of course, as the other reviewer said, there's no Windows certificate on the bottom of the machine. It's not an issue for me, I don't travel internationally.
My past experience with Dell through grad school, work and home computing was business-based "build your own" with tons of pre-installed software, their disks + documentation. This is my first Dell specifically for home. It feels good to be back with Dell after my foray to big box stores, their LAME Tuxedo service plans and other computer manufacturer's. The power within a not so stylish shell is fine with me because it performs well. The only other computer manufacturer I considered this go round was Lenovo. Price and Graphics pushed me to Dell. At 62% of Suggested Retail, do the math, a decent deal for a NEW machine!
UPDATE 6/8/2013 Still HAPPY with my purchase! I requested and Dell sent Restore Disks and Driver Disks. They also showed me a few other spiffy things to do with my laptop. Have been using Open Office very well while deciding IF I'll purchase Office Professional Plus OR await my next freelance contract to offer me to "plug into" Office 365... whatev. I've had person-to-person contact with Dell Tech Support and email support that I haven't used as I get follow-up calls from them. So far REAL GOOD!!!
Even with the manufacturer's warranty verified to be in effect until April, 2014, I'm still going to purchase a Square Trade Warranty Plan within 30 days of my laptop purchase. I have purchased Square Trade Warranties on other "Used-Good as new" items from Warehouse Deals too. IF you've noticed, I do squeeze my pennies lol!
UPDATE 6/11/2013 Gamers make sure you run an assortment of games when you get your machine AND take notes documenting actions that cause BSOD (Blue Screen OF Death). This is JUST in case you've got a laptop that hasn't had the Motherboard or the Graphics card software upgraded. Some machines are older, before the flaws were detected. DO NOT attempt to replace the Motherboard or Graphics card itself OR you'll void what's left on your Warranty! Get in touch with Dell Tech Support ASAP with concerns.
***I am not sponsored by any company, have purchased all mentioned items with my own money***
0 comments:
Post a Comment