Dell Inspiron 1525 Laptop PC

According to Dell, the Inspiron 1525 is about 25 percent smaller than its predecessor, the Inspiron 1520. At 9.8 by 13.9 by 1.4 inches, the 1525 is even smaller than the Dell XPS M1530. The 15.4-inch widescreen is a boon for video enthusiasts and photographers with their first D-SLR camera.

Dell Inspiron 1525 is equipped with these ample specifications:

* 15.4-inch WXGA (1280 x 800) CCFL TrueLife (glossy) screen
* 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo T7250 processor
* 2GB DDR2-667 SDRAM (up to 4GB DDR2 SDRAM available)
* 120GB 5400 RPM SATA HDD
* 8x Dual-layer DVD±RW drive
* Video: Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
* Wireless: Dell Wireless 1390 802.11g Mini Card
* Mobile Broadband: Dell Wireless integrated mobile broadband mini-cards Sprint and Verizon serice
* Colors: Multiple colors and finishes available
* Media Card: 8-in-1 flash memory reader
* Input and Output Ports: 4 USB 2.0, HDMI, VGA, IEEE 1394a, RJ11, RJ45, 2 headphone, 1 microphone, 1 ExpressCard 54mm slot, 3 mini-card slots, consumer IR, S-Video
* No webcam (optional Integrated 2.0 megapixel webcam available)
* Windows Vista Home Premium
* Dimensions: 1.00" - 1.48" (height) x 14.05" (width) x 10.08" (depth)
* Weight: 5.9lbs with 6-cell battery

Dell rarely disappoints when it comes to features. The Inspiron 1525 is meant for a more mainstream buyer looking for good multimedia and productivity features from a notebook, and not cutting edge 3D performance. You'll find a 2.0-megapixel webcam right above the screen. The four USB ports and a FireWire port are enough to handle all your peripherals. The HDMI port is not your only video-out feature; S-Video and VGA-out ports also come standard with the system.

The keyboard on the Inspiron 1525 is fairly similar to the 1520. The keyboard is firm with virtually no flex and the keys have excellent travel and cushion.

The palm rests, unfortunately, have a grainier feel, removing the smooth, lustrous finish that can still be found on the Inspiron 1420.

The good news with the touchpad is that it's responsive, has dedicated scroll areas and the textured feel is good.

The 6-cell 56WHr Li-Ion battery provides excellent battery life for the 1525. With Vista's power management running in "high performance" mode, screen brightness set to maximum and wireless on, the 6-cell battery delivered 2 hours and 53 minutes of battery life.

We're certain that the 6-cell could deliver three and a half hours of life with the notebook set to "balanced" or "power saver" mode and the screen brightness turned down.

In addition to the eight color options available on other Inspiron notebooks, the 1525 offers four new patterns. These designs are inlaid molds so there's no risk of the design coming off.