Dell Inspiron E1705
Notebook Reviews > Dell Inspiron > E1705

Review

Specifications

Compare Prices

Review Date: 22nd July' 2006

Dell is updating the Inspiron line of notebooks to feature the new Intel processors, and the Inspiron E1705 is the first to get the new Intel Core Duo processor.

The E1705 replaces the older Inspiron 9300 and externally they look almost identical. It is interesting to note that the E1705 is also offered as Inspiron 9400 on Dell's Business site; the main difference being that the 9400 doesn't come with Windows Media Center Edition nor the optional TV-Tuner while the E1705 does.

As expected with entertainment oriented notebooks the Inspiron E1705 features a 17" wide screen display which comes in both matte and glossy options. Matte screens are known for their superiority in brightly lit environments. Glossy on the other hand, called TrueLife on Dell notebooks, offer superior color richness and contrast giving movies and especially games a more life like appearance.

The E1705 is well-built with no flexing of the body or screen. The keyboard also feels quite firm. Talking about the keyboard, the palm rest area is very comfortable in the E1705 and in addition the touch-pad's mouse buttons are quiet yet responsive. Another mark of good build quality is the shock absorbers for the hard drive; in case of a drop, these will increase the chances of your hard drive (and most importantly your data) surviving intact.

Unfortunately, the bottom of the E1705 gets quite surprisingly hot after a while of heavy use; so hot in fact, it won't be at all comfortable for lap-top use.

As an entertainment oriented notebook, media handling capabilities are of the utmost importance. Among these, sound is usually the weakest feature of notebooks; but the E1705's stereo speakers will pleasantly surprise you with their very clear, rich and loud sound. Not to mention the built-in sub-woofer which helps bring movies and games to life with the added bass - something most notebooks sorely lack. Other media-centric features include Dell's MediaDirect which is an almost instant pre-boot Linux-based environment that allows you to access your music, videos and DVDs without the need to boot up windows.

As with all entertainment notebooks the ability to connect to your other devices such as your digital camera is important and the E1705 provides all the necessities. In addition to the six USB 2.0 ports, you get a FireWire port and a 5-in-1 media card reader. And if you plan to connect the E1705 to an external high end display, you'll be glad to know that it also comes with a DVI-D port.

At 2.5 hours, the E1705's battery life is not that great but then again so is the case with most entertainment notebooks. The stiller processor, the huge 17" wide screen display and other components within the E1705 require (and drain) a lot of battery power. Another issue with entertainment notebooks is their weight, and the E1705 is no exception as it is quite heavy for frequent travel.

Overall, the Inspiron E1705 is a welcomed upgrade offering a well-rounded entertainment notebook at a reasonable price.