subject: Dell Inspiron 1525 Laptop Computer [print this page] The Dell Inspiron 1525 offers all of the ports and connections you'll probably need, but in typical Dell fashion, almost everything is an extra-cost add-on.It ran for 2 hours and 41 minutes on our DVD battery drain test, using the included six-cell battery, a decent score for budget 15-inch laptop. A nine-cell battery is also available, but it's large enough to stick out conspicuously from the back of the system, so you can expect longer life from casual Web surfing and office use.
The Inspiron 1525 turned in solid, if unexceptional, benchmark scores, starting with an iTunes conversion time of 8 minutes and 12 seconds, and a Windows Media Encoder time of 5 minutes and 39 seconds. It managed a Futuremark 3DMark06 score of 546 at its native resolution, but we couldn't get the PCMark05 test to run, possibly because this was a preproduction system. It shaves off a few ounces and inches, adds worthwhile new features, and puts more power under the hood. You're sure to be pleased by its travel-friendly dimensions, stylish design options, and nifty extras.
Though we normally don't clock boot speed, the Inspiron 1525 seemed to start faster than other notebooks we've tested. Sure enough, Vista was ready for action exactly 50 seconds after we pressed the power button. When you timed a few other notebooks, including the Gteway P-6825 and Fujitsu LifeBook V1010, you will see all of them took at least 90 seconds to bootsome closer to 3 minutes. For even faster initial operation, look to Dell's Media Direct feature, which provides near-instant access to your photos, music, movies, contacts, and even presentations without having to boot Windows. All you do is press the Home button next to the power button, then wait a few seconds for Media Direct to start.
The Inspiron 1525 support four USB ports (two on each side of the case), a mini-FireWire port, and a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port for connecting the system to an HDMI-equipped monitor or TV. When you connected the notebook to a 46-inch HDTV, it automatically switched display modes and chose a suitable resolution. However, notice that the notebook's optical drive was a bit noisy when watching DVDs.
Dell Inspiron 1525's other design amenities include a pair of headphone jacksgreat for sharing a movie or music with your seatmateand a Wi-Fi network finder that works even when the notebook is off or hibernating. Just slide a switch on the side of the case, and an LED lights up to indicate the presence of a network.
As you might guess from its model number, the Inspiron 1525 doesn't represent an extreme makeover of the 1520it's more like a nip and tuck. The wedge-shaped notebook looks virtually identical but boasts a slimmer design: It's 1.5 inches at its thickest edge, 1.1 inches at its thinnest, 14 inches wide, and 10.1 inches deep. The system weighs exactly 6 pounds with battery. Dell offers the highly configurable inspiron 1525 in a variety of stylish lid colors and patterns.
Inside, the Inspiron 1525 greets you with a stunning silver finish. Though it found the keyboard just a tad shallow, the extra-wide touch pad and its accompanying vertical and horizontal scroll strips will fit for you. It's rare that a Web page these days requires horizontal scrolling, but it's still great for zipping across spreadsheets. The Inspiron's new touch-sensitive media control panel, which includes four playback buttons and three for volume (up, down, and mute). All the buttons light up blue when you touch them.
