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- Striking design
- Good battery life
- Good build quality
- Lots of customization options
- Only one available graphics card
- Bulkier than some laptops
- Upgrades are pricey
Dell's Studio 15 laptop bridges the gap between the company's Inspiron line of budget laptops and its XPS line of high-performance models. Moving past its unimpressive base configuration, a few important upgrades -- including an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and a discrete video card -- greatly improve performance and keep the price within the cheap computer range (*Est. $750). Those who've tested the Studio 15 when equipped this way say it's a top choice in its class and the few quibbles are minor. If your needs are more modest, the Dell Inspiron 1525 (*Est. $500 and up) is a little less expensive and a good performer in its own right, but it's held back by the use of nonupgradeable integrated graphics.
Although we saw lots of reviews of the Dell Studio 15, the best by far is at NotebookReview.com. Normally an excellent reviewer in its own right, the site's review of the Studio 15 is most valuable because it looks at the laptop in a budget configuration. Reviews of the Studio 15 at PCMag.com, NotebookCheck.net and CNET are based on more pricey configurations, but they still offer valuable information.
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Our Sources
NotebookReview.com is the only reviewer we found that looks at the Studio 15 in a budget-friendly configuration. The review is exceptionally well done, and includes performance comparisons to competing machines.
Review: Dell Studio 15 Review, Jerry Jackson, July 24, 2008
2. CNet.com
Although the version of the Dell Studio 15 tested here uses a higher-performance processor, this review is still worthwhile. However, the performance conclusions relative to other laptops might not be relevant when this laptop is configured as a budget choice.
Review: Dell Studio 15 Laptop Computer (Intel Core 2 Duo T5850, 320GB HDD, 3GB, Dan Ackerman, June 26, 2008
PCMag.com finds a lot to like about the Dell Studio 15 and awards it an Editors' Choice award for mainstream laptops. However, the version reviewed here is configured with options that take it out of the cheap laptop range.
Review: Dell Studio 15, Cisco Cheng, June 26, 2008
NotebookCheck.net is a top reviewer of laptops but is a difficult read because of sometimes awkward translations from the authors' native German. Testing here is extensive, but only some results will be valid as the reviewed configuration is priced well out of the cheap computer range.
Review: Review: Dell Studio 15 Notebook, Editors of NotebookCheck.net
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 Toshiba Satellite A355-S6925 16.0-Inch Laptop  from Amazon.com New: $649.99 In Stock.
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 Gateway MD2614u Laptop Notebook PC - AMD Turion X2 RM-72 dual-core 2.1GHz, 3GB DDR2 Memory, 250GB HD, 15.6" WXGA, Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW Drive, Built-in webcam with microphone, Windows Vista Home Premium from Amazon.com New: $569.95 In Stock.
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