RSSDell launches a rainbow of $799 customizable notebooks
By Jacqueline Emigh | Published June 26, 2008, 6:01 AM
As part of its ongoing effort to seize back the initiative in PC sales, Dell today rolled out its Studio 15 and Studio 17 line-ups, a series of personalizable notebook PCs available in a variety of colors.
NEW YORK CITY (BetaNews) - The range of personalization choices for Dell's latest Studio series laptops starts with the laptop case but extends across drive and wireless options, Dell officials said, during a briefing for BetaNews at press preview in New York in May. Information about the laptops was held under press embargo until Thursday morning.
With prices starting at $799, these Intel Core 2 Duo CPU-based, Windows Vista-equipped PCs include Blu-ray drives, HDMI ports for sharing Blu-ray content on external TVs, integrated webcams, and a wide variety of wireless capabilities across Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and mobile broadband.
Dell is offering both Studio notebooks in colors that include "Jet Black, Graphite Grey, Midnight Blue, Spring Green, Flamingo Pink, Tangerine Orange, Plum Purple, and Ruby Red," BetaNews was told. The grey notebooks are available with either black, blue, pink, or red trim.
The Dell Studio 15 notebooks come standard with 15.4-inch XGA (1280x800) glossy (TrueLife) displays. But options include XGA+ (1400x900) and UXGA (1920x1200) displays. Built into the PCs are four USB 2.0 ports, plus ports for HDMI, IEEE 1394a, gigabit Ethernet, ExpressCard, one microphone, and two headphones. The notebooks also come with consumer IR, a SIM socket two mini card slots, one half mini card slot.
The Studio 17 PCs come standard with 17-inch WXGA+ (1440x900) displays, with higher resolution WUXGA and WXGA+ LED options also available. The larger notebooks also add a fifth USB 2.0 slot.
Other options and built-in features for the Studio 15 and Studio 17 are about the same in both notebook series. These PCs ship with up to 4 GB Dual Channel SDRAM memory; 5400 RPM hard drives, with up to 320 GB capacity; an 8-in-1 Flash memory reader; integrated 802.11 b/g and gigabit Ethernet wireless; and a 6-cell Li-ion battery, with a 9-cell battery optionally available.
Users can choose from between Vista Home Premium SP1 or Vista Ultimate SP1. Other options include a Blu-ray disc Drive combo; a Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth mini-card; and, in the US only, Dell wireless EV-DO cards for Sprint and Verizon Wireless.
As previously reported, also at the press event in May, Dell publicly unveiled a series of Special Art Edition Inspiron notebooks, as a likely launchpad for additional customized, build-to-order laptop covers some time down the road.
Hey Dell! How about launching a REAL customer service division instead!
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|So after reading this article I began prodding around the Dell website and found that with the Studio 15 line:
Any color other than black is $25 extra
The Blu-ray drive isn't standard, and it's only reads BRD's, $200 extra
So if you want the low end Studio 15 laptop in Flamingo Pink (actual color!) to watch BRD's while on the go, it'll cost you at least $1,024
Oh, and none of the screen options are anti-glare. Boo, Dell!
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|Some of you have no idea what you are talking about. I agree that Dell's consumer class systems are low quality and cheap. I do not buy or sell them. They're fodder for the technical idiots.
However, the business class Latitude notebooks and Optiplex desktops are very high quality and very reliable. The support that you get with these products is top notch north american based support.
I sell lots of these systems, they are my first reccomendation to my clients, and I only get positive feedback on them.
As far as these new systems, they look like the usual consumer-grade crap.
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|Agreed. You get what you pay for. Dell's low-end systems aren't too great, but I've found their mid-to-high-end desktops and laptops to be quite reliable.
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|Thats a lame sales pitch.
Anyone with even half a brain knows not to buy Dell. What does that say about you and your clients, hahahaha
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|That's an interesting point of view.
What do you reccomend then?
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|oooooooooh, colors.
That does nothing to solvve the problem of Dell using extremely low quality parts for all their hardware.
DELL IS GARBAGE. Anyone with even half a brain knows that.
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|They sure look Pretty. The Gals will love these.
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|The ones in San Francisco you mean?
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|Dell uses generic parts to keep up with price competition. They're garbage.
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|Well that was harsh, but I agree if only for the lack of wireless n support. Why would such a modern laptop not have any? That's a primary reason for my lack of interest.
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|Go to Dell.com, Configure a Studio 15 or 17. Upgrade to Wireless N for $25.
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|Depends on the system and/or if you want to pay for an upgrade. When it comes to laptops though your choices are of course much narrower.
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|somebody knows if this laptop is fully compatible (all componentes) with Windows XP?
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