A rugged performer (Dell Inspiron 5000e)

Member Name: 137699

Product:	Dell Inspiron 5000e
Date:	11/12/02 (510 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Robust Quality Construction, Reliable, Superb Screen

Disadvantages: Basic & uninspiring design, No inbuilt network port, Not particularly ergonomic

I have had a number of laptops including a Sony Vaio, and a Toshiba.

Both the Sony & the Tosh were a much flashier package than the Dell, but for pure out and out day in, day out performance & reliability, the Dell takes some beating.

I work for a software company, and spend my time working from home, or meeting clients to demonstrate our software. My Dell gets lugged the length and breadth of the country, and has managed to succeed where others have failed.

Spec wise, it's getting on a little now - it is a 1999 model, Pentium III 750mhz, 128MB RAM, 6 GB disk, DVD-ROM. That aside, it still performs more than adequately for me, with Windows 2000 installed, and plenty of free disk yet.

So, it performs as well as you expect, but there are not a lot in the way of frills and gizmos. There is a USB port, but no i-link adapter, and no infra-red. There is an inbuilt 56k modem, but no network port, and all the rear ports are exposed - no neat hidden flaps or anything remotely slick. The case is simple black plastic. No flashy LCD display, no fancy logos or neat design. The keyboard is functional, but has not the same nice tactile feel as some rivals.

The screen is good in 1024x768 or 1280x1024 modes. The lower resolutions look a bit blurred, but with the fantastic 14.1" TFT screen, you don't need those lower modes.

No, basically what the Dell Inspiron is, is a no-frills workhorse. The reason why I like it so much, is that it just keeps on going. Quite why they call it an "inspiron" is a little beyond me though, as, it is far from an "inspiring" peiece of kit!

As I said, my laptops get lugged about all the time, and for me (probably like most laptop users) I need a bit of kit which can withstand being flung around the boot while I'm driving, being bashed on trains, and airplane cargo holds. This is where the Dell excels. The Sony died after about 15 months from the hinges break
ing, the Toshiba got dropped once, and the screen cracked, yet during 3 years of constant use, the Dell takes constant bashes, and drops and general abuse, and yet while the black-plastic case may show some war-wounds from it's constant use, everything still works, and its solid construction shows no sign of letting me down.

The lack of flashy bits and bobs means that there are no fiddly catches and flaps to break off, and the basic look of the PC means that the money is spent on quality plastic which absorbs bashes, rather than shattering on impact.

It's not the lightest of laptops, nor the thinnest, but by the same token, it is not the heaviest, nor the thickest!

No, when all's said and done, the Dell may not look much, but it gets the job done, and provides just about everything I need to present the software.

A great recomendation, from a laptop abuser!

Summary: