Dell Vostro 1520 Wireless Hardware Switch
Reasonably priced and customizable
If you're searching for a reasonably priced office notebook, Dell'due south Vostro range is certainly worth a look. With a starting price of €319 (plus tax and shipping), the 15.4 inch Vostro 1520 is designed for pocket-sized businesses and is extremely customizable – though this tin rapidly push button the cost up to dizzying heights.
Dell's Vostro range offers relatively cheap laptops with 12.one to 17 inch screens for small-scale to mid-sized businesses. At 15 inches, the Vostro 1520 is withal fairly portable but besides offers quite a pleasant screen size. Typically for Dell, it is available with a great variety of different hardware gear up ups; therefore, some comments in this review (for instance the functioning and emissions sections) are but valid for models similarly equipped to our review model.
We tested a model with an Intel Core 2 Duo T6570 processor, Intel GMA 4500M Hard disk graphics, 3GB of RAM, a 160GB, 5400 rpm hard drive and a DVD drive. With its anti-glare screen, integrated communications features and emphasis on function operation, the Vostro 1520 does seem to be ideally suited for its intended use as part of a modest business network with occasional travel. Whether this translates into practice, y'all can read in the following review.
Weighing around 2.5 kg and with dimensions of 357 ten 258mm x 38mm (airtight), the Vostro 1520 is easy to carry just nonetheless has an attractive screen size. The slightly tapered shape of the notebook, with an downward-sloping base, makes for comfortable typing.
Defying the current trend for producing laptops in 16:9 format, the 1 5.4 inch Vostro 1520 has a 16:x aspect ratio. While performing function tasks such as discussion processing or using spreadsheets, yous volition be grateful for the somewhat taller format. The matt surfaces, the anti-glare screen (though a glossy 'Truthful Life' screen is as well available) and its businesslike black appearance likewise match well with its intended use. With an 'Obsidian Black' model, the only glossy surfaces are the lid and the strip above the keyboard; they are liable to pick up fingerprints and other marks. If black seems too apparently, you lot tin can too acquire the Vostro 1520 in 'Deep Blood-red Ruddy'.
The plastic casing is fundamentally sound. The base unit is solid and but gives manner very slightly under potent pressure in individual places. Happily this is also true of the area above the deejay drive. The underside of the base is furnished with 2 generous access panels, and then that a system upgrade or maintenance work tin can exist carried out relatively easily. Notwithstanding, the perforated covers providing airflow to major arrangement components are a trivial more sensitive to pressure.
The lid also shows good resistance confronting pressure and torque. The notebook can be lifted upwardly by i corner of the lid without much twisting or fifty-fifty creaking. However the screen edging is not quite and then stable; applying force per unit area will sometimes crusade distortions on the screen.
The hinges are well proportioned, just cannot quite preclude some wobbling of the screen when adjusting the viewing angle. Withal, the screen is steady at every angle, and the laptop can be opened to almost 180 degrees. When the hat passes below a certain minimum angle it closes automatically. Since there is no locking mechanism, when transporting the notebook you might want to take extra measures to ensure that no objects find their style into the space between the keyboard and the screen.
A quick glance around the case shows the ports on offer. The Vostro 1520 has a expert basic set upwards with four USB ports, a VGA connector and a LAN port. Additionally there is an ExpressCard/54 slot on the left-mitt side, allowing y'all to add together functionality.
Some models also include an integrated Dell Wireless 5530 Mini-card for mobile broadband (tri-band HSDPA 7.2/ HSUPA 2.0), merely this was not nowadays on our exam model.
The test model did include an internal DVD burner. If you happen to be a fan of Blu-ray, you tin can add it to the Vostro 1520 for the hefty additional cost of €320.
The layout of the ports is fine. Those that tend to be permanently filled, similar VGA and LAN, are positioned at the dorsum. Pairs of USB ii.0 ports tin be found in the center of the left-hand border and at the front of the right-mitt border, so both correct- and left-handed people are equally well served depending on how they cull to organize things. However, more than interesting ports like eSATA, DVI or a docking port are absent.
In terms of networking, Dell has used an integrated Realtek ethernet adaptor, a RTL8168D/8111D Family PCI-East GBE NIC (10MBit) to be exact. The laptop is available with various different WLAN modules; for example, our review model had the Intel WiFi Link 5100 (b/g/northward). Bluetooth is also available, only costs an boosted €25.
The Vostro 1520 tin also exist equipped with a webcam, TPM module and fingerprint reader, though these options were not included in our test model.
Dell also offers several options with regards to the operating arrangement. Windows Vista Domicile Premium 32-Bit was pre-installed on our exam model, simply you can have other Windows Vista variants or Windows XP; if you want to downgrade to XP yourself, then the necessary XP drivers are included on a DVD supplied with the notebook. You can also download drivers and tools from Dell'due south website.
Dell's online support deserves a particular mention here. On the i hand yous can effort to resolve problems by contacting Dell's experts through their online chat service, but sometimes at that place is no i available, even afterwards several attempts. Alternatively you can contact their support services via electronic mail; nosotros found that Dell responded within 24 hours, as promised. The competent and friendly support team met all our expectations and were outstanding.
All configurations come with a bones i year warranty, but while customizing your laptop during online buy, Dell will effort to tempt you to upgrade to upwardly to 3 years on-site service (an additional €130 or and so, depending on various special offers).
The Vostro 1520 has a standard keyboard layout with no room for a separate number pad. Some of the space that would theoretically have been available for the keyboard is taken up by 34mm loudspeaker strips on either side of it. The size of the keys themselves is pretty generous, and goose egg is surprisingly laid out.
Touch typing is wholly without issues. Noticeably the keys have a relatively long stroke length and feel firm when pressed, giving good tactile feedback.
Above the keyboard there are touch sensitive multimedia controls, and to the side there is a slider for switching the WLAN on and off. For all other special functions (brightness, switching to an external monitor) y'all can use combinations involving the Fn key.
The touchpad fits just into the overall design and offers a very smooth matt surface. The size of the pad is perfectly adequate. The two touchpad keys are responsive and, as is typical with Dell laptops, take a greater stroke length than nigh on most laptops.
The Vostro 1520 is currently available with 3 varieties of screen: two matt versions, one WXGA with LED backlighting and one WXGA+, and likewise a glossy Premium WXGA+ widescreen display with a True Life surface. Because our test model is destined for long-term utilise every bit an office notebook, a matt version with 1440 x 900 pixel resolution and sixteen:10 aspect ratio was chosen. This way yous get a larger usable desktop surface area compared with the WXGA version with a maximum screen resolution of 1280 x 800.
In the following report on the screen quality we're dependent on subjective impressions, as there was no measurement apparatus at the examination site. The white seems brighter and the black stronger when compared with the Acer Extensa 5220 which was likewise on hand (average: 197.9 cd/m², black value: i.0 cd/m²). The uniformity of brightness likewise seems fairly even, with only the two lower corners seeming somewhat darker with the naked eye.
The Dell Vostro 1520 is generally suitable for outdoor utilise, as long as you avoid straight sunlight falling on the display. The bones level of brightness is sufficient, only struggling under particularly hard lighting weather condition. Cheers to the matt surfaces there are inappreciably any disruptive reflections.
The range of viewing angles is skilful though not outstanding. In the horizontal management, the usable viewing angles are relatively generous; vertically, even small deviations from the platonic ninety degree viewing angle tin lead to over-brightening or darkening of the screen.
The Dell Vostro 1520's functioning covers straightforward office and light multimedia use. The base of operations model with Intel Celeron 900 processor (two.20 GHz, 800MHz FSB, 1MB L2 cache) and GMA 4500M Hard disk drive can only be recommended for less enervating users, since the single core architecture of the CPU quickly reaches the limits of its processing power when multitasking.
Also bachelor are the Intel Core ii Duo processors, which offer considerably more processing power; the T9550 CPU is the fastest currently bachelor through Dell's online shop. Only this incurs an additional toll of €120 compared to a model with a P8700 processor.
For the test model an Intel Core 2 Duo T6570 CPU was chosen, meaning the Vostro 1520 is very well equipped for its time to come workplace.
Well-nigh models (including our examination model) rely on Intel'southward integrated GMA 4500M Hd graphics chipset, which is sufficient for uncomplicated office and multimedia uses, in line with the target market.
For those who prefer a dedicated graphics menu, Dell offers the Nvidia GeForce 9300M GS graphics card with 256MB video memory. However, this is but a starting betoken in terms of multimedia graphics hardware, and great processing feats should non exist expected from it, though it can handle older 3D games with depression to mid-range graphics. Fans of calculator gaming volition be far better served by Dell's XPS range, or even the Alienware brand, now endemic by Dell.
The Intel GMA 4500M Hd supports DirectX ten.0. Electric current games such as The Sims 3 can run with the graphics on the lowest setting. Earth of Warcraft or the classic first-person shooter Counter-Strike can also exist played with less bonny graphics. An upgrade of the CPU as well equally the graphics card would brand sense in some circumstances, to get better looking graphics and also improve the picture refresh rate. For further details see our list of which games run smoothly on which graphics cards.
The business-orientated market is well served by the combination in our test model of Intel Dual Core T6570 CPU with two.x GHz (800 MHz FSB, 2 MB L2 enshroud) and the integrated Intel GMA 4500M HD. Simple function uses like word processing, spreadsheets and web surfing nowadays no problem, and fifty-fifty unproblematic prototype manipulation programs run without difficulties on the machine.
The 3GB of RAM is too sufficient for this. DDR2 memory is used and the Vostro 1520 tin can in theory be upgraded up to 8GB (two 10 4GB) of RAM. Dell offers this option in the online shop, but the extra cost of €490 is very steep. You would also want to upgrade to a 64-Fleck operating system if upgrading beyond 4GB. 32-Chip operating systems can cope with up to 4GB of memory, but fifty-fifty so peculiarities of the hardware architecture can lead to inefficient memory usage.
Y'all are also spoilt for choice between unlike speeds and capacities of difficult drive. In the exam model we have a 160GB Fujitsu hard drive, model MHZ2160BH with 5400rpm. The HDTune benchmark results for this prevarication as y'all would await in the average range. Information technology is also entirely possible to install a unlike difficult drive in the Vostro 1520, every bit this can exist done without any particular technical knowledge using the admission console on the left-hand side of the base. The aforementioned goes for the RAM, which is hands accessible through its own access panel on the underside of the machine.
Systeminformationen Dell Vostro 1520
| PCMark 05 Standard | 4634 points | |
| PCMark Vantage Outcome | 3106 points | |
| Help | ||
| 3DMark 2001SE Standard | 4652 points | |
| 3DMark 03 Standard | 2025 points | |
| 3DMark 05 Standard | 1200 points | |
| 3DMark 06 Standard Score | 738 points | |
| Help | ||
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
2287
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
4275
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
956
Help
Transfer Rate Minimum: 29.3 MB/s
Transfer Charge per unit Maximum: 60.two MB/s
Transfer Charge per unit Boilerplate: 46.4 MB/due south
System Noise
Here, we are again dependent on our subjective impressions since there were no measuring instruments available during testing. In idle mode and with a low organisation load the Vostro 1520 remained pleasantly quiet and unremarkable. Some users have complained online about an irritating rising and fall in system noise due to a cooling fan, simply we did not find this.
With a heavy system load the fan remains on continuously, but is non unpleasantly loud and does non get an badgerer, partly considering of its low-frequency sound.
Temperature
The palm residue expanse becomes noticeably warm during a heavy system load, with the right side staying cooler than the left, because of the fan on the right-hand side. The surfaces tend to grow warmer in the middle and front end areas, and the touchpad also becomes noticeably warm.
Corresponding problem areas tin can be found on the underside. While the back area stays cool, the laptop seems to warm up most underneath the touchpad.
Loudspeakers
Left and right of the keyboard, the two loudspeakers hold a very prominent position. The sound they produce is absolutely a little lacking in bass, but they are completely usable for undemanding background music or internet phone calls. Still, a college maximum volume would exist an improvement.
The signal via the three.5mm headphone jack is fine, so zero stands in the way of you enjoying DVDs and Blu-ray discs (should you have chosen that drive option) after connecting up external speakers or headphones.
Our exam model was equipped with a 56Wh bombardment (half dozen cells). According to Dell, the Vostro can also be supplied with a 46Wh 6-jail cell battery also as a larger 9-cell battery with a 85Wh capacity.
The Vostro 1520 achieved a maximum possible battery run time of 362 minutes (just over six hours) in the BatteryEater Readers Test, with minimum screen brightness, energy saving manner, and WLAN off. In contrast, its minimum expected battery life during heavy use (BatteryEater Classic test, maximum screen effulgence, high operation mode, WLAN on) was only 89 minutes, nigh an 60 minutes and a one-half.
All the same, the user will be more interested in the realistic battery run time of 233 minutes, almost four hours, with WLAN on and an adapted screen brightness and energy contour. With DVD playback and the 'counterbalanced' energy profile and adjusted effulgence, the battery life dropped to a still acceptable 167 minutes (past which time virtually films would be finished).
Bombardment Runtime
| Idle (without WLAN, min brightness) | 6h 02min | |
| WiFi Surfing | 3h 53min | |
| DVD | 2h 47min | |
| Load (maximum brightness) | 1h 29min |
The Dell Vostro 1520 is aimed at users with no exceptional demands of a notebook, who first and foremost need bones functions like e-mail, internet, word processing and image manipulation. Models with the matt screen are sensible for long-term office use and for travelling. Its low starting price is besides an important cistron.
The machine may not offering whatsoever highlights in terms of its instance, pattern or connectivity, but it does consistently meet the demands of a bones model for pocket-sized to mid-size firms. This is also true of the keyboard and touchpad.
The screen is available in glossy as well equally matt varieties, and the maximum screen resolution is 1440 x 900 pixels in 16:10 format.
The processing power is plenty to cover bones office activities likewise every bit low-cal multimedia apply. You can equip the notebook with a faster processor and the fairly basic Nvidia graphics card, simply this brings the toll up to the level of the Studio range, which would exist more than suitable overall.
A farther positive feature is the respectable bombardment life of up to 6 hours (longer with the optional 9-prison cell bombardment), meaning the Vostro 1520 tin can exist used for a reasonably long time abroad from a power source.
Dell Vostro 1520
Specifications
Memory
3072 MB
, PC2-6400 (DDR2)
Display
15.xl inch 16:10, 1440 ten 900 pixel, SEC5442, sleeky: no
Soundcard
Intel IDT 92HD81B1C @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller [A-three]
Connections
one Limited Card 54mm, 4 USB 2.0, one Firewire, 1 VGA, one Kensington Lock, Sound Connections: Microphone, headphone, Card Reader: 8-in-1 carte reader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168D/8111D Family PCI-Eastward GBE NIC (10/100/m/2500/5000MBit/s), Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5100 AGN (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4)
Optical drive
HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GT10N
Size
height x width 10 depth (in mm): 38 x 357 ten 258 ( = 1.5 ten 14.06 x x.16 in)
Operating System
Microsoft Windows Vista Business 32 Fleck
Additional features
Recovery DVD (Vista), drivers and tools, Roxio Creator ix.0, Norton Cyberspace Securtiy 2009, MS Works nine.0, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
ii.55 kg ( = 89.95 oz / 5.62 pounds), Ability Supply: 350 m ( = 12.35 oz / 0.77 pounds)
Devices from a dissimilar Manufacturer and/or with a different CPU
- Tips for ownership a notebook - notebookCHECK Purchase Advisory
- Discover the correct notebook - notebookCHECK Hardware Guide
- Display resolution comparison - DPI (grain size) of Brandish
- Our test criteria
- Manufacturer'south information for the exam device
Pros | |
| + | Classic timeless design |
| + | Matt screen |
| + | Good keyboard and touchpad |
| + | Pleasant matt finish on the base unit of measurement |
| + | Very customizable |
| + | Recovery media included |
| + | Skillful performance for the price |
| + | Access panels allow maintenance and upgrades |
Cons | |
| - | Some useful ports have been omitted |
| - | Customizing quickly drives up the toll |
| - | Trend to overheat (touchpad gets quite warm) |
What we liked
That the Vostro 1520 is very well suited to its target marketplace, with good part performance and a matt screen selection.
What was missing
A couple of additional ports would accept been nice, along with the choice to become beyond this basic level of graphics.
What surprised united states
How quickly the price rises when you pick options to customize the notebook.
The contest
Almost all major laptop manufacturers have a range of reasonably priced business models, for instance HP's Probook range, Lenovo'due south Thinkpad SL range or Acer'south Extensa range.
Martina Osztovits, 2009-09-12 (Update: 2012-05-26)
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