4. Dell Inspiron 1501

Like the HP dv6000z, the Dell Inspiron 1501 uses an AMD processor for its computing horsepower. Here again, this also means an AMD Sempron or Turion 64, while Dell offers both single-core Turion 64 and dual-core Turion 64 X2 series chips. It also features a 15.4" widescreen LCD display, but is driven by an ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 graphics module with 256 MB integrated graphics memory.

The 1501 is just a little bit smaller and lighter than the HP and Fujitsu units.

The Dell’s dimensions are 14" x 10.45" x 1.44". It weighs 6.19 lbs. with the standard six-cell battery installed. We started our configuration process from the Everyday Performance model for the 1501, which includes a 1.7 GHz Turion X2 TK-53 CPU (you can bump up to the 1.8 GHz TL-56 for $60, and to the 2.0 GHz TL-60 for $100). It comes equipped with Windows Vista Home Basic, but for $29 you can upgrade to Windows Vista Home Premium (the better to take advantage of multimedia capabilities). Included is 1 GB of DDR2 533 MHz RAM, which you can double for $150. An 80 GB hard disk is stock, but you can go with a 120 GB model instead for $55. A 24X CD burner/DVD combo drive is included, but it’s probably worth switching to the 8X CD/DVD burner with dual-layer capability for $40. You can also add an integrated Sond Blaster Audigy HD Software Edition for $25 (again, probably worth it for those with multimedia needs).

The unit ships with a relatively paltry four-cell battery, which you should probably replace with a six-cell ($30) or a nine-cell ($50) model instead. For $129, you get both the six-cell and the nine-cell models, and $149 gets you two nine-cell batteries. To run six or more hours off a single battery charge, one of the latter two options is a very good buy. Wireless networking comes from the default 802.11g Mini Card (an 802.11 a/g model is available for $25, and one with Wireless-N support costs $50).

Dell’s software options fall somewhere between those of Fujitu’s and HP’s. The company includes 15 months of either McAfee Security Center, PC-Cillin Internet Security or Norton Internet Security 2007 with this notebook. Works 8.0 is included, and Office Home and Student is available for the usual $149. PhotoShop Elements and Premier Elements are available for the relatively good price of $80, along with numerous other popular packages for a modest fee. Dell does a good job of picking and offering all kinds of notebook accessories, too, from carrying cases, to USB Flash drives, to surge suppressors, to wireless peripherals and networking gear, and even online backup services, so be sure to look over its many optional order items. Adding the nine-cell battery, the bigger hard disk, the 8X dual-layer DVD burner, the Audigy HD software and upgrading to Windows Vista Home Premium took the $599 base price up to a very reasonable $798.

Here again, this is a very capable PC that should enable its carriers to make the transition to college or to work, as their next steps in life dictate. Even educators and other professionals should find this to be an eminently tolerable medium-duty productivity and multi-media notebook PC.