Dell Studio 17 Laptop

For a number of years the phrase, "Dude, you're getting a Dell" from old Dell television commercials was synonymous with heavy, thick, and boxy laptops that offered great value but where short on style. In fact, several competing laptop manufacturers developed sleek notebooks over the last five years that attracted consumers mainly due to their more "personal" appearance. The new Studio line from Dell is the latest example of how Dell has finally learned that the package matters almost as much as the contents of the box
The first time you look at the Studio 17 it's as if Dell added a few inches to the XPS M1530, cut out the brushed aluminum parts, and offered a few more ways to customize the look. The end result is an impressive looking desktop replacement. I use the term "desktop replacement" because most people in the market for a 17-inch notebook aren't planning to haul their notebook everywhere and use it during regular airline travel.

What the Studio 17 lacks in mobility it more than makes up for in solid design and construction. As mentioned above, the Studio 17 takes several design elements from the latest XPS notebooks: the wedge-shaped profile, drop hinge, slot-loading optical drive, and touch-sensitive media buttons are all hallmarks of the XPS M1330 and M1530. That said, there's more to the Studio 17 than just design elements from the XPS line.

The Studio 17 is available in your choice of seven colors: Plum Purple, Tangerine Orange, Flamingo Pink, Midnight Blue, Ruby Red, Spring Green or standard Jet Black. Our pre-production unit came with the "Midnight Blue" paint job and it looks absolutely flawless. The matte paint has an almost rubber-like texture similar to the paint used on last year's Inspiron notebooks and, of course, the XPS notebooks. Dell also took the customization options one step further by offering an optional high gloss "Graphite Grey" color that comes in your choice of black, blue, pink, or red edge trim around the display back and sides.

Another nice touch is the use of an imprinted design on the palmrest area (also on the display lid if you select the high gloss graphite grey color options). The design looks like a close-up view of a topographical map and is yet another way that the Studio notebooks stand out from the rest of the Dell lineup.

The one design element I'm not 100 percent in love with is the bottom access panel. Rather than have the typical RAM cover, hard drive covers, and main panel on the bottom of the notebook, the Studio 17 uses a single, massive panel that provides access to all of the notebook at once. While this is helpful for those people who want to make multiple modifications or service their notebook, exposing the entire bottom of the notebook is a little intimidating for people who just want to upgrade their RAM.

specifications:

* Intel Core 2 Duo T9300 (2.5GHz) processor
* Windows Vista Home Premium SP1
* 17-inch WUXGA Glossy Display (1920 x 1200)
* 3GB system RAM - 2 DIMM (DDR2-667)
* 320GB 5400rpm HDD
* 256MB (GDDR2) ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 graphics
* Webcam and Fingerprint reader
* Backlit keyboard
* Slot Load DVD+/-RW with Dual Layer DVD+R write capacity
* Dell Wireless 1510N
* 9-cell battery (85WHr)
* Dimensions: 1.18" to 1.69" x 15.46" x 11.36" (H x W x D)
* Weight: 7.87lbs
* Other: "Dell Dock" software; 30-day security trial; 3GB Dell DataSafe; Dell Support Center
* Base Price: $999
* Price as configured: $1,599 (E-Value Code: 1-DNDPVA1)