Dell Inspiron

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Dell Computer's Inspiron laptop brand is a range of computers targeted at the consumer market (as opposed to the Latitude range aimed at the commercial market).

Current models in the range include the B130/1300, E1405/640m, E1505/6400 and, E1705/9400.

[edit] Current configurations

The following are some current configurations of Dell laptops:

[edit] Inspiron E1501/1501

This laptop offers the same basic design and feature set as the Inspiron E1505/6400, except that it is based on the AMD platform, offering AMD Sempron, Turion, and Turion X2 processors. Graphics options are currently limited to the integrated ATI Radeon® Xpress 1150 with 256MB HyperMemory. Available with up to 2 GB of RAM. System measures 14 x 10.45 x 1.44 inches (W x D x H) and weighs 6.19 lbs with 6-cell battery. Pricing begins in the $500 range for the minimum configuration. Model released in early November 2006. Similar is the Latitude 131L.

[edit] Inspiron E1405/640m

A 14" notebook configurable with components similar to the E1505 (excluding the dedicated GPU options) but a bit smaller in total size. The E1405 at the time of release is known for its excellent battery life (which under optimum conditions exceeds five hours with a six-cell battery and well over eight hours with a slightly more expensive, optional nine-cell battery). The main attraction of this laptop is its price.

[edit] Inspiron E1505/6400

The current styling of Inspiron entertainment notebooks.

With the advent of the Core Duo, Dell replaced the 6000 with the E1505 (US) and 6400 (Non-US, as well as U.S. Small Business). While most of the standard features are identical, there are some interesting variations between the two, such as the inclusion of Windows Media Center edition on the E1505, while the 6400 comes stock with XP Home. Many reviewers have commented that the standard battery does not last long, only marginally over two hours with the six cell battery; the nine cell battery, however, can last for over five hours

[edit] Inspiron E1705/9400

The Inspiron E1705 and Inspiron 9400 (non-US models) are essentially the same machine - with a few minor differences in configuration.

Available with either an Intel Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processor, this machine features a 17-inch WXGA+ (1440 x 900) or WUXGA (1920 x 1200) wide-screen LCD. Video card options also include an nVidia GeForce Go7900 GS (single heat pipe), ATI Radeon x1400 with 256mb of RAM or an Intel GMA 950. This model uses 533 MHz or 667 MHz of DDR2 memory. The E1705 tends to run hot on its underside.

Note: For gaming and high-end graphics use, the GeForce Go7900 GS video card is highly recommended over the Radeon x1400. This is primarily due to faster data processing and fewer heat problems. Additionally, 7900GS can be easily overclocked to reach 3DMARK06 scores as high as in 5000 range. [1]

[edit] Inspiron B130

The Inspiron B130, successor to the aforementioned B120, is currently the lowest-priced laptop offered by Dell. A basic entry-level laptop, the B130 comes with a 15.4 inch WXGA screen, 1.40 GHz Intel Celeron M 360 processor, 512 MB of RAM, 40GB 5400rpm hard drive, and a 24X CD/DVD burner drive. Wireless support is available with the B130.

Because of its affordability and ease of use, the B130 is a popular choice among college students.

[edit] Previous configurations

[edit] Inspiron 9300

The Dell Inspiron 9300 had either a 1.6, 1.73, 1.86, or 2.0 GHz Intel Pentium M processor and a 17" wide-screen (available in WXGA+ with a 1440 by 900 resolution and WUXGA with a 1920x1200 resolution). At the time it also featured a fairly new memory technology in that it used DDR2 memory, which was a new feature for laptops. Compared with the other Inspiron laptops, it is considered to be the "Entertainment Powerhouse".

The Inspiron 9300 was based loosely on its more expensive and more powerful big brother, the gaming-oriented Inspiron XPS2. With the right upgrades, the Inspiron 9300 can deliver most of the gaming power as the XPS2 at a much-reduced cost. These upgrades start with the nVidia GeForce Go 6800 video card (or higher such as a GeForce 7800GTX in later models), and continue with extra RAM, a 7200 RPM hard drive, and possibly a Pentium M that's faster than the baseline 1.6 GHz speed.

[edit] Inspiron 6000

A base Inspiron 6000 was shipped with a 1.5 GHz (upgradeable up to 2.13 GHz) Intel Pentium M processor, 256MB RAM (upgradeable to 2GB), 400/533 MHz FSB, Intel 915GM/PM chipset, and a 15.4-inch XGA wide-screen monitor. Like the Inspiron 9300, it featured DDR2 random access memory. In comparison with other Inspiron models, the 6000 was considered the "versatile and affordable" member of the Dell notebook line.

The Inspiron 6000 from Dell was among the first notebooks to arrive on the market with Intel's new Sonoma technology. According to Dell, the Inspiron 6000 would deliver faster data processing, and users - particularly gamers and graphics pros -- should see less audio and video chop, quicker task execution, less power consumption and enhanced battery life as a result. The Inspiron 6000 notebook added features and help files making it easier and faster to operate.

In addition the Inspiron 6000 offered a number of improvements over the Inspiron 5160, which it replaced in Dell's home/small business line-up. Upgraded features included a 15.4in. wide-screen display (available in WXGA with a 1280x800 resolution, WSXGA with a 1680x1050 resolution and WUXGA with a 1920x1200 resolution), a slightly slimmer profile (though it's about 2.5cm wider) and a Manufacturers bundle- (starter) memory cards that accommodated only a handful of photos.

[edit] Inspiron 8200, 8100 and 8000

The base Inspiron 8200 came with a Mobile Pentium 4-M processor clocked at 1.8 GHz (upgradeable to 2.6 GHz). It had a standard 15 inch SXGA (1400 x 1050 pixels) display which was upgradeable to either the UXGA (1600 x 1200) or the Ultra Sharp UXGA (1600 x 1200) which added a cleaner and crisper look to the display. The memory came standard at 256MB of RAM (Upgradeable to 1GB of RAM). However, some people have said that they were able to put 2GB of RAM into the system with no problem.

The Inspiron 8200 was equipped with two standard notebook RAM expansion slots and it was not difficult to simply remove the standard RAM the machine was shipped with and re-equip it with two aftermarket 1GB cards. The Inspiron came standard with a DVD-ROM drive in its fixed bay (upgradable to a DVD/CD-RW Combo drive and eventually a DVD+-RW drive) and a 1.44 in. floppy drive in the media (removable) bay (upgradeable to a DVD/CD-RW drive). The video card came with an nVidia GeForce2 Go graphics card with 32MB of dedicated video RAM and upgradeable to an nVidia GeForce 4 Go 440 with 64MB of dedicated video RAM, an ATI Radeon 9000 Mobility graphics card with 64MB of dedicated video RAM, or the Quadro4 700 GL, a professional GL-enhanced notebook equivalent of the desktop-based Geforce4 4200 Go. The Inspiron 8100 and 8000 models are almost identical to the 8200, only they were produced earlier and featured Pentium III processors instead of Pentium 4. They also didn't have UXGA (glossy) screens. The 8100 processor is clocked between 933 MHz and 1.2 GHz. The 8000 processor is clocked between 733 MHz and 900 MHz. Both computers have 2 standard RAM slots. Standard memory was 128 MB for the 8000 and 256 MBfor the 8100. Custom configurations were available, so actual numbers may differ. Both computers came with a CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drive, however CD-RW functions are only available on the 8100. Both models shipped with either an nVidia or an ATI graphics card, with a maximum Video RAM of 128 MB.

The chassis came in interchangeable color palmrests in silver-ion, black, blue, burlwood, purple/violet, and yellow.

[edit] Inspiron 700m

Dell switched it up here and took a page out of Apples book by replacing the cookie cutter style laptop casing with a silver, white and black design. Measuring under 2 inches and having a 12.1 inch xbrite screen, the laptop was a depature from previous versions. However, without the extended battery, life was short, and the 12.1 inch screen is a dust magnet. The models base was a 1.8GHz Pentium M processor, 512MB of RAM, 60 GB HD and CD-R/DVD optical drive.

[edit] Inspiron 710m

An important upgrade from the previous Inspiron 700m, which fixed the serious audio-input quality issues, a base Inspiron 710m is shipped with a 1.7 GHz (upgradeable to 2.0 GHz) Intel Pentium M processor and a 12.1-inch XGA wide-screen monitor as well as DDR memory. Based on the first generation Centrino platform Carmel, the internal components are now outdated. In comparison with other Inspiron models, the 710m is the most portable laptop of the Dell Inspiron line combining a good mix of processing power and style.

[edit] Inspiron B120

The Inspiron B120 was Dell's lowest priced offering for a time. Standard options included a 1.40 GHz Intel Celeron M 360 processor, 14.1 inch WXGA screen, 256 MB shared RAM, a 40GB 5400rpm hard drive, and a 24X CD burner/DVD combo drive. By default the B120 did not come with any integrated wireless support, but it can be added as an option.

[edit] Rebadging

Some Inspiron machines offered in the past have been modified to become a higher or lower quality machine. An example of this is the first-generation Inspiron XPS and Inspiron 9100 (2004). Both machines (non-base) shared the same options in processors (Intel Pentium 4 HT "Prescott"), RAM (DDR 400 MHz), hard-drives (Ultra-ATA 5400/7200 RPM), wireless cards, LCD screens (at 15.4-inches; WXGA, WSXGA+, WUXGA) and graphics cards (ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 64MB/128MB), as well as the same chassis. Dell marked the XPS as an "ultimate gaming machine", while marking the 9100 as a "desktop replacement".

[edit] Problems

[edit] Overheating

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In 2003, Dell released several lines of Inspiron notebooks which were having problems with cooling properly, causing them to overheat and even burn up the video card, motherboard, or cause the laptop to shut down automatically. Some people believe that the systems overheated due to the processors that were used in those laptops - Intel's Pentium 4 chip which went up to 3.4 GHz (3,400 MHz) for some models. This was not the mobile version of the Pentium 4 that was used in the premium Inspiron 8500 notebook, which generated less heat as it was designed to be using in a confined notebook form-factor. Laptops of those lines also came with Intel's Celeron processor, of the Celeron desktop CPU line, which would create a little bit less heat, but still ran into the overheating problem. Another reason on why these machines might overheat is due to the fact that they contained the fan on the bottom of the unit, unlike others where they are located on the sides and rear, where air could not flow through the unit when sat on a table or a desk. Affected models include the Dell Inspiron 1100, 1150, 5100, and 5150 and 9100. Many consumers state that refurbished Inspiron machines of those model numbers do not overheat, probably because Dell found a way of fixing that problem. "Dell Inspiron 1150 Review" Dell has yet to admit any problems regarding the design of the affected notebooks.

Dell has acknowledged this problem with this line of laptops, as they were amongst the more popular lineup of that generation. The new fan is designed with a better heatsink and heatpipes to provide better cooling and less noise.

A Windows utility exists to control most Inspiron fans based on CPU temperature. Users should check the compatibility list before installing it.

In September 2006, a class action was made against Dell on behalf of Inspiron 5150 owners in the US, the settlement for which included 100% cash reimbursement for certain repairs, and an extended limited warranty to cover those types of repairs that become necessary for one year.

The overheating problems on the Inspiron 5150 model are due to the position of the fan and fan vent and the way in which it vents air through the cpu's heatsink. The fan draws air from underneath the unit and removes it through the heatsink and out the rear of the unit. However as a result of drawing air from underneath the unit also sucks up any dust that may be present on the surface it sits. This dust then passes through the heatsink where some dust becomes trapped and builds up. Over time this buildup will constrict the airflow through the unit and thus buildup heat. The airflow through the rear of the unit will be noticeably deminished, simply place your hand near the fan vent on high speed the fan should give good air flow out the back if this is not the case then the flow is most likely constricted. Also heat will build up along the top of the unit near the LCD display and left toward the optical drive. This will be noticeable whilst typing. Performance loss may also result, jittery game performance and laggy windows performance. Some systems my experience jerky reactions where the unit goes into an alsmost slow motion phase for short periods of time. Continued operation in this condition may lead to overheating and could result in permanant damage to the CPU, GPU, motherboard and other internal components. To remedy this problem the unit must be dissasembled and cleaned. The heatsink must be cleaned of all obstructions and the fan must be inspected for proper operation. It is not uncommon for this problem to result in a CPU temperature increase of between 15-20c over a optimally functioning unit. Further temperature increases will also result in the casing of the unit as a result of this problem. It is imperative to remedy this problem to avoid damage to your Dell Inspiron 5150 notebook.

[edit] Motherboard

On a number of Inspiron 5150's, a design flaw has been found due to the positioning of a tab on the C panel on the underside of the laptop. Due to this tab, any pressure applied to the top left hand corner of the laptop causes this tab to be pressed against the motherboard and in particular the "LVC14A" chip. This causes the solder between this chip and the motherboard to be broken. This causes sudden shut downs of the system due to any movement of the laptop and in certain cases for the laptop to not boot at all. Later models of the 5150 have been redesigned for this problem. Some models were noted for the tab to have been manually snapped off the C panel by hand during the manufacturing process. This fault is currently being covered in the USA by the Lundell Settlement, although it is unknown wether Dell will fix this fault for free outside of the USA.

[edit] Defective graphics boards

In 2006, numerous Inspiron 9400 were delivered with defective Nvidia Geforce 7800 Go graphics boards. Dell generally replaced all A00 with A01, and next with A02, until the 7800 Go was finally replaced with the 7900 GS. ^{[citation needed]}

Dell has yet to admit any problems regarding the suitability of the Geforce 7800 Go to the design of the affected notebooks.

[edit] Display resolution

Some Dell Inspiron models with Intel graphics chipset 855/865/915 and 1400 x 1050 display resolution have display driver problems.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Battery recall of 2006

Dell posted notices to many of their laptop customers on August 14, 2006, saying that the Sony batteries on these models were prone to bursting into flames, or even exploding[2][3]:

Latitude: D410, D500, D505, D510, D520, D600, D610, D620, D800, D810

Inspiron: 6000, 8500, 8600, 9100, 9200, 9300, 500m, 510m, 600m, 6400, E1505, 700m, 710m, 9400, E1705

XPS: XPS, XPS Gen2, XPS M170, XPS M1710

Precision: M20, M60, M70, M90

The batteries on any of these computers purchased between April 2004 and July 18, 2006 were supposed to be removed and the computers run on AC power until replacements arrived.[4]Only certain Sony batteries were affected, but other companies including Hitachi[5], Toshiba [6], Lenovo (IBM)[7], Apple[8], and more have started thier own battery recall programs since then.