DELL INSPIRON 510M

IN BRIEF: A well-built machine that’s ideal for any home or small office looking for a performance laptop on a budget

The Inspiron line of laptops from Dell is designed with the consumer or small business user in mind. These people are often considered to be buying a small number of machines on a strict budget. Therefore, they are looking for the best in performance and the latest technology at a competitive price.

SCREEN SIZE
The Dell Inspiron 510m (£1115 inc. VAT) is a two-spindle laptop that’s been designed with the semi-mobile user in mind. This is borne out by the choice of an integrated graphics solution – the Intel 855GME chipset. Although it’s sufficient for 2D office applications, it isn’t enabled to handle the latest 3Dfeatures found in dedicated graphics cards. Our review unit came supplied with a 15-inchTFT panel that has a native resolution of 1400 x1050 pixels. For those on a tighter budget, a14.1-inch panel is available, saving the buyer£94 (inc. VAT) on the price, but the panel is of a lower 1024 x 768-pixel resolution.

If your budget stretches to include the higher definition screen we would recommend you opt for it. When it comes to raw processing power, the510m offers a great deal in the way of performance. Fitted with a 1.7GHz Pentium M processor, the Inspiron produced a MobileMark 2002score of 170. If you are looking for a machine that can handle standard office applications with ease, the Inspiron 510m will take some beating. Our review unit was supported by512MB DDR SDRAM and a 60GB Hitachi hard drive, which runs at the faster 5400rpm rate, a speed that’s becoming the standard for performance systems.

This specification also managed to impress us in terms of battery life, with the 510m lasting on average for 216 minutes from a single charge. While this figure is shy of four hours of usability away from mains power, it still offers more than enough use for a typical session away from the desk. Finished in the Inspiron range’s now familiar grey and blue, the 510m is an attractive laptop that should look impressive in any home or office. In the past there has been a problem with the usability of Dell’s keyboards. Previous versions of the Inspiron have had keys with a shallow amount of travel, which users have not always been happy with. The 510m has, however, moved away from the old keyboard, in favour of a keyboard with greater travel. While this adds a degree of rattle to the keys, we found that it was quite comfortable to use. Dell has also opted to fit smaller mouse buttons below the touchpad. However, they are of solid construction.

OPTICAL DRIVE

At this price point, the Dell Inspiron 510m is fitted with a HL-DT-ST DVD/CD-RW combination drive. However, a DVD+RW is available as an optional upgrade for an additional£82 (inc. VAT). The new multi-purpose drive bay can also hold a second battery or hard drive if desired. Dell has found that while buyers are keen
to invest in wireless technology they don’t necessarily wish to buy into the Centurion package, as this limits the user to the 802.11b standard. Therefore, Dell makes it a simple option at the configuration stage, offering the buyer the choice of either Centrino’s IntelPRO/wireless adapter or its own TrueMobile 802.111b/g adapter, which comes supplied in the form of a mini-PCI card.

Dell has introduced an impressively priced laptop with a focus on the small office rather than as an all-round home machine. If you are looking for a laptop that offers the latest in processing speed, but you don’t require performance graphics, then the Dell Inspiron 510m is currently ahead of the pack.

PRICE: £949/£1115 (EX/INC. VAT)
PROCESSOR: INTEL PENTIUM M 1.7GHZ
MEMORY: 512MB DDR SDRAM
HARD DRIVE: HITACHI 60GB
SCREEN SIZE AND TYPE: 15-INCH TFT
DISPLAY RESOLUTION: 1400 X 1050 PIXELS
GRAPHICS CARD: INTEL 855GM
DIMENSIONS: 333 X 274 X 42mm
WEIGHT: 2.8KG
PC CARDS (TYPE II/III): 1/0
WIRELESS LAN: 802.11A/G
ETHERNET: YES
MODEM: YES
USB PORTS: 2 USB 2.0
FIREWIRE: 1
STANDARD WARRANTY: 1YR C&R
WARRANTY UPGRADE: VARIOUS AVAILABLE
CONTACT: 0870 152 4649 WWW.DELL.CO.UK

RATINGS AND TEST RESULTS
VALUE FOR MONEY: 8
PERFORMANCE: 8
FEATURES: 7
MOBILITY: 6
BUILD QUALITY: 7
OVERALL: 7

Prices correct at time of review