Not quite an Inspiron, not quite an XPS...
Dell has officially launched its latest range of consumer laptops, Studio.
The new range, which aims to combine aesthetics and features from the XPS range with the value available from the Inspiron range, is available now starting at £379.
There's 15.4in and 17in models to choose from, and there's no shortage of colour options.
Under the lid, Studio 15 provides a 15.4in screen with a lacklustre 1280x800 resolution. Though, a 1440x900 screen is an option. The 17in Studio 17 raises the bar with a minimum resolution of 1440x900, with a 1920x1200 screen available as an upgrade.
Both systems utilise the 975PM chipset, and there's a choice of Intel Core 2 Duo processors, ranging from the 2Ghz T5750 to the 2.6GHz T9500. Memory takes the standard form of 667MHz DDR2 and is available in 2GiB, 3GiB or 4GiB kits.
At present, Studio 15 is limited to a 5,400rpm selection of hard disks. Studio 17, on the other hand, offers an additional 160GiB 7,200rpm solution. Both systems utilise Intel's integrated GMA X3100 graphics, and a 256MiB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 is available as an option on the Studio 17.
Studio laptops ship with Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate, and Dell throws in a new bit of bloatware; Dell Dock. Though, calling it bloatware might be a little harsh, it actually looks quite useful.
Dell Dock aims to serve the same purpose as Mac OS X's dock and provides Dock-like features to Windows Vista, as illustrated below. It should be noted, however, that freeware application, RocketDock, has been doing likewise for a while.
Early impressions of Dell's Studio? We've yet to get our hands on the laptop itself, but from what we've seen, we like it. It's a mid-range laptop that's fairly easy on the eye. It's far better looking than an Inspiron, and isn't priced all too badly for a newly launched product.
Head on over to the official Dell Studio website for the complete specification, and let us know what you think of Dell's latest consumer laptop in our forums.
