Dell Inspiron 1420

This $799 retail configuration, called the Inspiron 1420-123B, offers a reasonable mix of components, including 3GB of RAM, but lacks the updated features found on Dell's latest 15 inch Inspirons, including touch sensitive media control buttons and an HDMI output, making it look and feel a little dated.

Specification

• Price as reviewed $799
• Processor 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5750
• Memory 3GB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz
• Hard drive 250GB 5400rpm
• Chipset Intel GMA X3100
• Graphics Mobile Intel 965GM Express
• Operating System Windows Vista Premium
• Dimensions (WDH) 13.1x10.3x1.5 inches
• Screen size (diagonal) 14.1
• System weight / Weight with AC adapter 5.5 / 6.3 pounds
• Category Mainstream
  

Because Dell has revised its 15 inch basic Inspiron chassis more recently than the 14 inch version, we end up with an unusual situation where the 1420 is actually a hair thicker than the larger Inspiron 1525. Still, it has a smaller footprint and is easier to tote around on a frequent basis than the bigger 15 inch version, which weighs 0.6 pound more.

The basic Dell laptop keyboard remains unchanged and is comfortable to type on, but the small square media control buttons look and feel dated compared with the touch sensitive versions found on even the cheapest non 14 inch Dell laptops.

The 14.1 inch wide screen LCD offers a 1.280x800 pixel native resolution, which is standard for budget minded mainstream systems, but may not offer enough screen real estate for busy students who need to have multiple windows open simultaneously. The configurable version available on the Dell Web site offers an upgrade to a higher 1.440x900 pixel resolution.