Dell Vostro 1500

[Raybdbomb]

I'm looking to buy a Dell Vostro 1500. It might just be that it's a new laptop, but I can't find reviews for it anywhere.

Does anyone have experience with this laptop, or know where I can find a solid review or two?

 

[Eureka]

It's a new brand, but the latitudes have been known to be pretty okay, and the Vostro 1500 is at a good price with its base specs ($600 for 1.6ghz, 1gb Ram, 8600GS). Or, if you're really into gaming, you can add on the 8600GT for a $170, but otherwise it's still a good laptop for what you're paying.

As for RAM... although it does come in 2DIMM For 1gb... it'd probably be cheaper to yank both of them out and replace with your own 2GB than to upgrade per the website... but I'm not too sure when it comes to RAM.

 

[Fraggable]

The Inspiron 1520 is pretty much the same thing, there's a few reviews for that out there. Only real difference is the Vostro is more expensive, considering the free 2GB / 160GB upgrades the Inspirons have right now and the case is a different disign, maybe a little more durable.

 

[Maximilian]

There arent any solid reviews so far, over at www.notebookreview.com on their forums under dell there is quite a lot of information.

Ive been going on the inspiron reviews so far since theyre very similar in design, noone has listed the differences between vostro and inspiron yet with any certainty but things look good for the inspiron apart from some people having a grainy screen and many people hearing a noise with headphones caused by the c2d cpu throttling, that problem isnt exclusive to dell though.

Ive ordered a 1700 and plan to install my own 2GB of ram since dell rips you off on the memory prices. So far what ive gathered about the vostros and inspirons:

PROS:

- Solid build
- Fantastic price considering the specs
- Vostros have magnesium alloy all around the laptop and not just on the lid, i believe the new inspiron line is the same
- Apparently has very good heat dissipation for a laptop

CONS:

- You may get a grainy screen, it seems to be mostly the glossy aka truelife screens that are affected (they will replace it for you by sendin a guy out, just make sure he dosent use an AUO screen)
- The sound issue may affect you (theres a workaround with RMclock, this is the only thing that bugs me about these laptops)
- Some consider it heavy

Here is the Vostro Q&A thread

 

[moshquerade]

I ordered a Vostro 1500 on July 11th and it's set up to ship Aug. 1st. I think most people are just getting theirs so more reviews will be upcoming.

 

[Fraggable]

Originally posted by: moshquerade
I ordered a Vostro 1500 on July 11th and it's set up to ship Aug. 1st. I think most people are just getting theirs so more reviews will be upcoming.

What is it with the Vostros? They're nearly identical to the Inspirons but the Inspirons come with 2GB of RAM and 160GB HDD for free now. You're paying about $250 for those upgrades on a Vostro.

 

[nickv360]

the thing is, I don't want those upgrades. The 599 dollar vostro is an unbeatable deal. And I can upgrade the ram after.

 

[ArchAngel777]

I would have ordered a Vostro or a 1520 except that there was one major downside - The laptop is a pig... I don't like bulky laptops and even worse than bulky laptops are UGLY bulky laptops. I can't get past the look on the Vostro/Inspiron 1520. In fact, Dell has never made a good looking laptop with the exception of the lattitude line.

Anyway, the Vostro/I-1520 is absolutely the best priced/performance laptop out there, especially for a gaming notebook, if only it could look like an Asus laptop, and be a bit slimmer. Anyway, since the look of it is subjective, if you can get past it, the laptop is great.

 

[Raybdbomb]

purchased one, it's on its way.

thanks for the notebookreview thread!

 

[Ichigo]

Dell Small Business customer service is probably better than their Home service, for one. Build quality should be better, though that ma be because they look so similar to the Toshiba's and Lenovo's. Vostro is generally cheaper, especially at the lower end, but Inspirons can get better coupons for the higher-end configurations. Also, one can configure XP with the Vostro's.

Edit: Vostro's also don't come with trial software.

 

[secretanchitman]

Originally posted by: Fraggable

Originally posted by: moshquerade
I ordered a Vostro 1500 on July 11th and it's set up to ship Aug. 1st. I think most people are just getting theirs so more reviews will be upcoming.

What is it with the Vostros? They're nearly identical to the Inspirons but the Inspirons come with 2GB of RAM and 160GB HDD for free now. You're paying about $250 for those upgrades on a Vostro.

no bloatware/trials installed and i think they look nicer.

 

[cheesehead]

Having owned a Dell, I'm simply not interested in the hassle. I'll pay the extra cash for a Thinkpad, thanks.

Unless someone can prove that Dell has improved their service and build quality, I'll be spending my cash somewhere else.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: Cheesehead
Having owned a Dell, I'm simply not interested in the hassle. I'll pay the extra cash for a Thinkpad, thanks. Unless someone can prove that Dell has improved their service and build quality, I'll be spending my cash somewhere else.

Agree fully! The Thinkpad T60 and 61 are stellar - especially the Ultrabay which allows you to use a second HDD. (Easy to create a fully duplicate HDD as a reserve drive, ready to go - no restoration needed.)

Dell's current quality is abysmal, and the number of annoyed customers suffering from extensiuve delays in shipment and production is growing. Dell has some serious financial problems and it is reflected in their current quality and support.

 

[Raybdbomb]

I've had a lot of luck with the Dell warranties. As long as you've got that, you're good to go

 

[Venomous]

I sent mine back.. I played with it for a few days and noitced some weird backlight issues. I got the truebrite screen with the 8600GT. It felt quite solid but the keyboard keys were a tad to small for my fingers.

I originally cancelled the order because getting a hold of Dell to do some upgrades to it was impossible. I kept getting hung up on after 80+ minutes on the phone each time. it drove me to cancel the order with a 3 week build time. To my amazement as well as the case worker at Dell, my unit was built 4hrs after cancelling my order and shipped overnight. Funny thing is, i paid for standard shipping. Aside from the video options Dell offered, im much happier with my custom HP DV9500. No Dell bs to deal with and im sure with the past reliability issues i had with my latitudes and inspirons, i made the right choice this time. The vostro does look much nicer than their previous notebooks. Goodluck with it.

 

[Raybdbomb]

i get mine any day now

 

[skillyho]

I'm typing this on one now....Core 2 (2.2GHz), 8600GT, 2GB RAM, DVDRW, 120GB HD..etc...pretty much maxed out. It IS heavy....I went from a tablet, to a Dell D630, to this...and it's an adjustment in terms of portability.

Performance is very good for a laptop, and games from a year or so ago on back play well on this. UT2k4/BF2/BF2142 run very well with max in game settings. The webcam is crisp and clear and the design is just sexy. Also came with unusually low bloat ware for a dell PC. Front AV buttons are a plus, but can be hindersome at times. Mousepad area is large and perfectly sensitized for me.

I love mine...it's everything I need for what it was purchased for (which was a "portable" desktop).

 

[Raybdbomb]

got mine yesterday. didn't come with a webcam

also, except for warranty and graphics card, I just got the base system and figured I'd upgrade it manually later.

 

[351Cleveland]

You are absolutely right about the business side customer service! Much better than the consumer side from my experience.

Funny you should mention the loat bloat software... that is actually a selling point on these things Oh, and you can get XP on them still... #1 reason I went with one.

I just ordered a 1500... 2GB RAM, 256MB vid card, WSXGA, 160GB HDD, the 3 year "oh crap I dropped it in the toilet" protection (for which, if you look, you get $150 MORE to spend at the Dell store... not on the Insiprons I dont think). I think my online configuration came out to $1637 with tax (free ground). Well, I messed up and ordered the wrong processor. Called up Dell, and got Eric Napoleon. 20 minutes later:

Upgrades processor
Free printer (I know... but its free)
Free upgraded shipping
$40 less than what I was spending online.

Man I hope this thing is as good as the deal you get...

 

[inthell]

im thinking about getting a Vostro 1400 but now im not so sure bcuz screen light leakage, i hear it is really bad.

 

[heymrdj]

Originally posted by: Raybdbomb
I've had a lot of luck with the Dell warranties. As long as you've got that, you're good to go

If your a college student like me, and your life is this laptop running without error, you don't f around with warranties. No time. With a paper due every other day, and projects for oyur local computer club such as setting up the latest VM image to present, I don't have time for this thing to go down for even a day. Thus I avoided a dell. My Dell Inspiron 4550 desktop blows, really wish I never got it from day one, wish we had returned it the day it arrived like we were thinking, we would have been much better off buying a gateway back then.

IMHO the HP's are a good cross between reliability and value.

HP9500t
T7500 2.2Ghz
2GB 667 RAM
160GB HD
Vista Ultimate 64bit

 

[Parasitic]

Did they drop the 8600M GT option?
It's no longer configurable.

 

[ballmode]

I dont see the 86gt available for the 1500

 

[Raybdbomb]

weird, i wonder why. i'm on my 1500 with the 8600gt right now.

 

[351Cleveland]

I just received my 1500 with an 8600GT. I ordered it on 9/4. If they took the option down, it was very recently.


Just checked Dell website. They still offer the 8600GT.

First impressions of my laptop... dang this ting is big. I didnt expect it to be this thick. Not a real problem as I dont travel, but it wasnt obvious from the website that it was this big.

Windows settings are not stock. The desktop icons are larger and farther apart. The title bars are larger... it is as if they are trying to compensate for the high resolution by increasing the size of things. I just gotta figure out how to fix it.

Another thing... they didnt mention that the 9 cell battery sticks out the back a little. Not a problem, just another "wish I woulda known" thing."

Another thing... there is no TRUE port replicator/docking station for it or planned for it. I say this because there does not appear to be a connector on the bottom or back of it. Again, something that could have been disclosed.

Other than that, this thing is great so far!