The Dell Inspiron i1464-4382OBK ($749.98 list) is a well-balanced, mainstream laptop that should hold wide appeal for Staples shoppers perusing the shelves for a modern, versatile laptop. Its 14-inch display and sub-five-pound weight mean the laptop is big enough for use as your primary computer and light enough for daily travel. The Inspiron i1464-4382OBK is built on Intel's latest mobile platform, featuring the new Core i3 processor and integrated Intel GMA HD graphics. It doesn't offer blazing performance, but it is competitive among similarly-priced laptops and should stand the test of time better than a model based on older technology. In addition to the laptop's size and weight, we also like its sleek yet understated design and the surprisingly big sound that the speakers emit. The Inspiron i1464-4382OBK's merely average battery life won't help the laptop win any converts, but there are ways to fix that on Dell's Website (you can upgrade to a bigger battery and Core i5 processor for $100 more). Whether shopping for the home, small office, or college campus, the Dell Inspiron 1464-4382OBK deserves a spot on your short list. As such, it earns our Editors' Choice for budget laptop.
Design
The Inspiron i1464-4382OBK features a standard black plastic chassis that offers a bit of window dressing in the shape of a faux brushed aluminum keyboard deck. The lid and screen bezel are glossy black, and the keyboard is matte black. The keys offer good travel and a pleasant, clack-free typing experience. Likewise, the mouse buttons are quiet when clicked. The touchpad blends in with the rest of the faux aluminum deck; slightly recessed edges and a matte finish help your mousing finger stay on point. Absent is a strip of media control keys above the keyboard; the F keys handle such duties, though Dell reverses the standard order so you are not required to press the Function key when pausing, skipping to the next track, or adjusting the volume.
MoreThe laptop measures 9.6 by 14.9 by 1.4 inches (HWD) and weighs 4.8 pounds. It's heavier than the ultra-thin, 14-inch Acer Aspire Timeline AS4810TZ-4120 ($629.99 list, ), which weighs only 4.2 pounds, but lighter than a more typical 14-inch laptop, like the 5.2-pound HP Pavilion dv4-2153cl ($749.99, ). Larger 15.6-inch models typically weight about a pound more, hovering around the 6-pound mark, while 13.3-inch models weigh about a pound less, in the 3.5- to 4.0-pound range, though many jettison the optical drive to save weight. The Inspiron i1464-4382OBK features an optical drive in the form of a standard dual-layer DVD burner. In the end, The Inspiron i1464-4382OBK feels solidly constructed and far from bulky. It's about as big a laptop as you'll schlep comfortably with any regularity.
Specifications
Type : General Purpose
Operating System : Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Processor Name : Intel Core i3 330M
Processor Speed : 2.13 GHz
RAM : 4 GB
Weight : 4.8 lb
Screen Size : 14.1 inches
Screen Size Type : widescreen
Graphics Card : Intel GMA HD
Storage Capacity : 500 GB
Networking Options : 802.11n
Primary Optical Drive : Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW
Features
The Inspiron i1464-4382OBK features a 14.1-inch, LED-backlit LCD display. The LEDs produce a bright image, and they are more energy-efficient than the traditional fluorescent lamps used in LCDs. The screen features a 1366-by-768 native resolution, which is standard for 14.1-inch display. It's also the same resolution that you'll typically find on larger 15.6-inch laptops; compared with those models with that resolution, text, and icons appear a bit smaller on the Inspiron i1464-4382OBK. We found Web pages and Word docs to be quite legible, but those with less than 20/20 vision might want to consider a 15.6-inch laptop instead. The larger screen size also gives a bit more cinematic feel to movies, but we enjoyed the visual experience the Inspiron i1464-4382OBK provides as an entertainment device.
Aiding the enjoyment of movies—and music—is the Inspiron i1464-4382OBK's audio subsystem. Featuring SRS Premium Sound, the laptop's two integrated stereo speakers produce loud and clear sound. It rivals the sound of larger 17.3-inch modelsthat come equipped with a small subwoofer. With just two speakers, the Inspiron i1464-4382OBK surprised and impressed us with its relatively huge sound. This is a laptop that you may use to listen to an album here or there without plugging in an external set or speakers or your headphones.
You can connect the laptop to an external display, using either VGA or HDMI. Other connections on board include three USB 2.0 ports, a media card reader, and an Ethernet jack. You won't find an eSATA port, which is an increasingly common connection on laptops, and an ExpressCard slot is also missing. An 802.11n antenna handles your Wi-Fi needs.
A Web cam sits above the display, and Dell includes a facial-recognition app that you can use in lieu of a password to log on to the system. It's of dubious value, but it is fun to play around with. Lastly, the laptop features a roomy 500GB hard drive. It's one notch larger than the 320GB hard drive found in many laptops at this price, such as the HP dv4-2153cl. The Dell's drive is also a lot less cluttered with bloatware—annoying software trials and offers and shortcuts—than the HP models.
Customers who buy this system from Staples can avail themselves of several services the retailer offers. This includes setting the new system up, data transfer from your old PC to your new one, software installation, and tech support and protection plans that range in price from $14.99 to $169.99.
Performance
The Inspiron i1464-4382OBK features the successor to Intel's Core 2 Duo chip, the dual-core Core i3, which is part of the "Arrandale" family that also comprises the Core i5 and Core i7. The Inspiron i1464-4382OBK uses the 2.13GHz Core i3-330M processor, which features Intel's GMA HD integrated graphics, and 4GB of DDR3 memory. On PCMark Vantage, it was 30% faster than the Dell Inspiron i1545-4583JBK ($639.98 list, ), which uses an older Pentium Dual Core T4400 chip, and 43% faster than the Core 2 Duo-based Editors' Choice Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch ($1,199 direct, ). Compared with the AMD Turion II-based Toshiba Satellite L505D-ES5025 ($829.98 list, ) the Inspiron i1464-4382OBK was 22% faster on PCMark Vantage. Looking in the other direction, the Inspiron i1464-4382OBK trailed the Core i5-based Acer Aspire AS5740-6378 ($650 street, ) by 16% on PCMark Vantage and by 18% on Cinebench.
For further comparison, let's take the Dell Inspiron 14z ($824 direct, ), a configurable model sold direct by Dell that uses an ultra-low-voltage Core 2 Duo SU7300, and hold its performance up against that of the i1464-4382OBK. It presents an interesting comparison of the tradeoffs in performance and battery life between a Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) processor and a mainstream CPU like the Core i3. The Inspiron i1464-4382OBK more than doubled the 14z's Cinebench R10 score and posted a PCMark Vantage score that was 70% better. These figures show the drastic difference in performance between these two processors, but we can't end this comparison without also looking at battery life.
The Inspiron i1464-4382OBK ran for 3 hours 31 minutes on MobileMark 2007, whereas the Inspiron 14z more than doubled that time, running for 7 hours 11 minutes. Compared with other laptops with standard-voltage CPUs, the Inspiron i1464-4382OBK 's MobileMark score was thoroughly average. Dell'sWebsite has a configuration with a bigger 85WH battery (9-cell), so this is a recommended upgrade for frequent travelers.
While a CULV-based laptop offers a huge advantage in battery life for restless types and others prone to wonder great distances from wall outlets, a Core i3-based laptop like the Dell Inspiron i1464-4382OBK offers a well-balanced, modern configuration in a well-designed, versatile 14-inch chassis. This particular configuration neither the faster nor the longest-running laptop in its class, but it does everything well and looks—and sounds—good doing it. Available at https://www.trade2me.com/
- Trade2me.com - One the Leading Online Shop Provides Cheapest Laptop - Buy Laptop - Read Dell i1464 Review, Dell i1464 Features, Dell i1464 Photos, Dell i1464 Technicals Details.
0 comments
Post a Comment