2nd generation of DELL Laptops

The Dell Inspiron R Series 2^nd Gen has undergone several changes, both inside and out, compared to their previous model.  The major differences are the new processors that Dell includes and their “Switch” lids.

Looking at the new Inspiron, the thing that jumps out is obviously the lid.  Switch allows you to customize the cover of your laptop to a variety of designs that can be viewed here on Dells website.  While this feature may be a hit with students going off to school looking to impress their peers, like anything, it comes at a price.  The laptops come with the standard black lid included, but buying a Switch lid will run you anywhere from $30 for solid colored covers to $60 for covers with intricate designs.

The port layout on the 14R, while it seemed different at first, ended up being mostly functional.  The ports for Ethernet and your computer adapter are located on the back of the laptop rather than the side.  This made it easier to manage the cords while the laptop was plugged in at a desk.  I didn’t like the USB 3.0 port on the back panel however.  The main use I had for the back USB port was for my wireless mouse.  For most of my other USB devices, such as my mp3 player and flash drive, I preferred the right side 3.0 port and left side 2.0 port just because it was easier than reaching in back of my computer to unplug them all the time.  I would’ve liked to see the 2.0 port on the back rather than the 3.0 port so that the extra speed wasn’t wasted.

Enough about the looks and layout of the laptop and onto what’s inside of the R Series. Dell includes some of Intel’s newest processors; the i3, i5, and i7 along with either an Integrated 1664MB Intel HD 3000 or a more advanced AMD Radeon HD 6470M (64-bit) 512MB video card.  With these, the Inspiron was able to handle playback of HD movies and majority of computer games.  Games that required a lot of processing power didn’t play as well, but that is expected given that the Inspiron wasn’t made to be a gaming laptop. The RAM on the Inspiron 14R is expandable up to 6GB and allowed the computer to handle multitasking well.  I was able to have several programs open at a once, even ones that take up a lot of processing power such as music and movies, without having the laptop become sluggish or non responsive.  Battery life with the laptop was reasonable.  I got about 3 hours out of the standard 6 cell battery pack with normal use.  If that isn’t enough for your needs an optional 9 cell pack will cost you $179.99.

With the R series, you can also include an optional Blu-ray player instead of a standard CD/DVD drive.  I liked this feature because you can use the HDMI output on the laptop to connect to an HD TV and watch your Blue-ray disks on a much bigger screen.  It even supports playback of 3D movies if you have a 3D TV.  If you don’t want to use an HDMI cable, you can get the Wireless Display (WiDi) package which, with the purchase of Netgear’s Push2TV adapter ($79.99), can be used to stream HD movies from your computer directly to your flat screen in up to 1080p.

While the 14 inch screen on the 14R was a little smaller than what I was used to, it ended up allowing me to get some more time out of the battery.  Dell also offers 15 inch and 17 inch models.  Using the computer also felt comfortable.  The keyboard was easy to type on and the track pad was large enough to make navigating quicker, but small enough that it didn’t get in the way while you were typing.  With its new hardware, new look, and a relatively low price starting at $549.99, the Inspiron 14R ends up being an economical option for college students who don’t need a gaming laptop.