Dell Inspiron 17R-2950MRB

Specifications

Reviews for the Dell Inspiron 17R-2950MRB

80% Dell Inspiron 17R-2950MRB
Source: PC Mag
The Dell 17R-2950MRB laptop provides plenty of processing power and storage for avid videographers and photographers, but gamers should look somewhere else.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 10/12/2010
Rating: Total score: 80%

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Series:

A leading brand for laptops and computers in the world, Dell, designs and manufactures laptop in different categories to fulfill the computing requirements of different users around the world. The Dell Inspiron 17R constitutes one of the latest products from Dell – it is expected to be capable to meed the needs of consumers on a sophisticated desktop replacement laptop. A 17 inch display is the perfect size for those who prefer to use their laptop as a desktop replacement. While it’s actually made of plastic, they’ve successfully put a nice-looking brushed metal finish on its lid and keyboard tray. In today's desktop replacement market with a wide range of choices from low-end to high-end laptops, this laptop has a clear advantage – it offers a variety of hardware configurations. This laptop can be purchased with either Intel’s i3, i5 or i7 processor. Thus, it proves to be a better choice as consumers will get the best value for money with their purchase.

However, being a desktop replacement means that the battery life isn’t going to be great. Such as what are typically expected for a 17 inch laptop, this laptop doesn’t offer long battery life as well as portability since it is also bulky and quite heavy. Besides, its low quality display is another huge let down because the screen quality could be much better if it came with a full-HD display instead of the current 1,600 x 900 pixels display. It isn’t the laptop for those who want portability and ultimate gaming performance. But if you’re looking for a budget-friendly laptop for a desktop replacement with multimedia capabilities, the Dell Inspiron 17R is a great-value option.

Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) HD Graphics: Onboard graphics card that is built in the new Arrandale CPUs (Core i3 / i5 / i7 Dual Cores). Depending on the model and Turbo Boost, the GMA HD is clocked between 166 and 766 MHz.

Only some 3D games with very low demands are playable with these cards.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.

460M: The Core i5-460M has only 3 MB L3 Cache (compared to the I7-620M) and clocks between 2.53-2.8 GHz (Turbo Mode). Thanks to Hyperthreading, 4 threads can be processed simultaneously. An integrated graphics card (GMA HD) and a DDR3 memory controller are also included in the package.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.

17.3": Meanwhile the 17 inch display size is a more frequently offered standard format for desktop-replacements. The DTR-laptops can't be carried easily, need much energy but on the other side texts can be read easily and high resolutions are no problem. DTR mainly are intended for stationary usage on desks, where the weight and the energy need are unimportant.
» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.

3.2 kg: This weight is average for notebooks. Therefore the numerous mass of laptops with 15 inch display fits in this class of weight.

Dell: Dell Inc. is a multinational technology corporation that develops, manufactures, sells, and supports personal computers and other computer-related products. Based in Texas, Dell employs more than 82,700 people worldwide (2009). In 2006, Dell purchased the computer hardware manufacturer Alienware. In most countries, the laptops are directly sold to consumers by Dell and each notebook custom-assembled according to a selection of options. Market share regarding sales of personal computers in 2007 (market research IDC): HP 18.9 %, Dell 16.4 %, Acer 9.9 %, Lenovo 7.5 %, Apple 5.7 %

Dell reviews

80%: This rating is not convincing. The laptop is evaluated below average, this is not really a recommendation for purchase.

» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

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