Dell Inspiron™ E1505 PC Notebook

I purchased the Inspiron E1505, otherwise known as the 6400 if purchased through Dell Small Business, in April 2006. I purchased the following configuration:
1.66 GHz T2300 Dual Core Processor
1 GB Ram at 667 MHz Dual Channel
15.4" Widescreen LCD with TrueLife Upgrade
40 GB Hard Drive
Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Windows XP Media Center Edition
Media Center Remote Control
Dell Wireless 1390 Mini Card 802.11G
8x DVD+/-RW Drive
6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

I paid $704 (including taxes and shipping) for this configuration, which was a great price! I used a coupon from BradsDeals for $300 off a $999 purchase and also combined it with a $35 off $300 coupon from Ebay. Dell was also offering free shipping and handling at the time. I still see similar deals for this model.

I have had this system for over a month now. I am most thrilled with the Core Duo Processors, which are Pentium Class. I especially notice the difference when running multiple applications, which is the main benefit of the Dual Core. I would certainly recommend it with the Core Duo over the Core Solo.

Another nice feature is the 2MB Cache. This model is also upgradeable to 2 GB RAM. I purchased it with 1 GB, which suits me fine, but who knows if I will run more demanding applications in the future and may want to upgrade. Many of the lower end models (such as the B120 or B130) are only upgradeable to 1 GB RAM.

The DVD Burner was a free upgrade and a very nice plus. It reads quite speedy and writes trouble free. I have burned both CDs and DVDs on it and no errors as of yet. I also feel that the DVD Burner is a nice choice, even if you don't see an immediate need for it because it will hold resale value much better with it. In the future, I think a DVD Burner will be the standard anyway.

I added the Media Center remote for $29. I only added it to bring up my total, so that I could use my coupons. It is OK. It connects via USB and works only with Media Center. If you plan on using your laptop to watch DVDs while on a trip, it might be nice. Other than that, it's kind of a waste.

I would certainly suggest at least getting the TrueLife upgrade for the $29. The UltraBright Upgrade with Truelife is $119, but I don't really think it is worth it. The nice thing about the TrueLife is the Coating on the screen. It makes the screen much easier to clean and you don't have to be so gentle with it with the coating. It also adds some brightness to the picture. Well worth the $29.

The 1390 Wireless card has worked without a hitch. You can also upgrade the wireless card and add BlueTooth. I just kept it with the standard configuration and it has been problem free for me.

SERVICE: Here is where the bad part comes in! I have already had to use Dell service many times. Not just for this system, but for my other Dell systems. Most of the time, you will need to contact Dell at least 5 or 6 times before a problem is resolved. The reason for this is the very poor communication skills of the service reps. Most of them do not speak English very well. You will run into this whether you use online support or call their toll free number. In the end, Dell will come through. They have already replaced my hard drive on my E1505 and replaced a defective monitor on my E310. They paid for next day shipping on both and sent me return airbills to send back the defective items. I wouldn't say that any of these problems could not have happened with any other retailer because they basically use the same parts. Dell did come through in the end, but they often have you repeat the same troubleshooting steps over and over again before they finally replace the defective part.

I am most pleased with my E1505 and the price I paid was great. I could not have gotten this configuration for less than $1000 anywhere else. A very nice price for a well loaded system.