The Dell Inspiron i17R-6434DBK ($749.99 list at Best Buy) may sit on the shelf alongside other 17-inch laptops, but it's a slightly different breed built for general use rather than specifically geared toward high performance gaming or media. Its big screen is complemented by a Core i5 processor that provides power and space to multitask, but it won't do much for serious gamers or High Definition aficionados. The i17R-6434DBK may not boast a quad-core CPU or a screaming fast video card, but it's a nice in-between laptop that delivers features like USB 3.0, WiMAX, and WiDi 2.0 and strong performance for a lower price than $1000+ media centers.
Design
The i17R-6434DBK is not a small laptop. Measuring 11.3 by 16.5 by 1.2 inches (HWD), it is too large to carry around often, even though this desktop replacement is quite a bit lighter than many competitors. At 7.15 pounds, it's nearly a pound lighter than the metal-clad Dell XPS 17 ($1,670 direct, 3.5 stars), which weighs 8.1 pounds, but it's a shade heavier than the 7.04 pounds of the Editors' Choice HP Pavilion dv7-6143cl ($999.99 list, 4 stars).
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The glossy black plastic on the lid and palm rest is attractive, but it quickly accumulates smudges and fingerprints. There's a full-size chiclet keyboard with a numeric keypad, adding convenience for number crunchers. The multitouch trackpad is lightly textured, and was responsive to every scrolling, zooming, or rotating gesture I used on it. The right and left mouse buttons were smooth and quiet. Despite its plastic construction, the i17R-6434DBK has little flexing in the chassis, so when typing you won't feel like your fingers are going to break the keyboard.
The i17R-6434DBK has a 17.3-inch widescreen, but its 1,600-by-900 (720p) resolution is on the low end for displays this size. However, other desktop replacements that offer 17-inch 1080p screens are significantly more expensive, such as the Dell XPS 15z ($1,534 direct, 4 stars). The 17-inch screen is big enough for multitasking with two side by side windows or watching DVDs. If you want a larger or higher resolution display, the laptop can be connected to an HDTV with either an HDMI cable or WiDi 2.0, a wireless streaming alternative to HDMI that requires a Netgear Push2TV adapter connected to the TV ($99, sold separately). Thei17R-6434DBK also comes equipped with SRS Premium Sound speakers, which sounded clear at low volumes and remained undistorted as the volume was increased. While the sound was clear and consistent, it doesn't have the rich bass provided by laptops with an integrated subwoofer, like the HP Pavilion dv7-6143cl.
Specifications
- Type
- Media, Desktop Replacement
- Processor Name
- Intel Core i5-2410M
- Operating System
- Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
- Processor Speed
- 2.3 GHz
- RAM
- 8 GB
- Weight
- 7.2 lb
- Screen Size
- 17.3 inches
- Screen Size Type
- widescreen
- Graphics Card
- Intel GMA HD 3000
- Storage Capacity (as Tested)
- 750 GB
- Networking Options
- 802.11n
- Primary Optical Drive
- Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW
MoreFeatures
The i17R-6434DBK also offers an impressive collection of features. The previously mentioned WiDi 2.0 is just one facet of the wireless features available. You'll also find 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 for pairing with an array of devices, and 4G WiMAX, which lets you get city-wide mobile broadband in more than 60 cities across the country.
The physical connections are abundant as well, with four USB ports, two of which offer the lightning fast speeds of USB 3.0, and a combination USB/eSATA port for connecting portable hard drives. On the back of the laptop you'll find an Ethernet jack, a VGA monitor output, and a case lock slot for securing the laptop with a Kensington Lock. On the left hand edge of the laptop, you'll also find connections for headphones and a microphone, and a multi-format card reader (SD, MMC, MS/Pro). Just above the screen, you'll also find a built-in 1-megapixel webcam.
The Dell is equipped with a dual-layer DVD±RW optical drive. And while it can't match the giant 1TB hard drive found in the XPS 17, the Inspiron's 750GB 7,200rpm hard drive is larger than the one found in the Acer Aspire AS7552G-6436 ($799.99 street, 3 stars) (640GB), and faster than the drive found in the Pavilion dv7-6143cl (5,400rpm). It also comes with a little bloatware. Aside from a starter version of Microsoft Office 2010 and a 30-day trial of McAfee Internet Security, you'll find that most of the common clutter is replaced with a Best Buy desktop app, which lets you pick and choose among the software and utilities you want and need.
In addition to software, Dell includes a 1-year warranty covering parts and labor. If you want a little more peace of mind, Best Buy also offers two extended protection plans. Their standard 2-year protection plan ($149.99) covers the system against normal wear and tear, power surge damage, and includes a "No Lemon" guarantee in which Best Buy will simply replace the computer if it requires more than 4 repairs during the coverage period. Best Buy's advanced plan ($269.99) also covers the laptop against accidental damage from drops and spills.
Performance
Unlike the quad-core processors found in pricier systems like the Dell XPS 17 and HP dv7-6143cl, the i17R-6434DBK runs on a 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-2410M processor. Though it doesn't offer the raw power of a quad-core, it's still powerful enough to take on all but the most demanding tasks, and it's coupled with 8GB of RAM to boot. In PCMark 7, our general performance test, the i17R-6434DBK scored 2,240 points, putting it alongside similar laptops like the HP Pavilion dv7-6123cl ($999.99 list, 3 stars) and 15-inch Asus U56E-BBL5 ($649.99 list, 4 stars), which scored 2,221 points and 1,920 points, respectively. The i17R-6434DBK also matched these laptops in CineBench R11.5 speed tests, scoring 2.55 points. The quad-core powered HP dv7-6143cl blew past it with a blistering score of 4.97 points.
For graphics processing, the i17R-6434DBK relies upon the integrated graphics capability of the Intel processor. When tested in 3DMark 06, the i17R-6434DBK scored 5,059 points at medium settings, and 2,305 points when adjusted for higher detail and 1,600-by-900 resolution. This does provide for some gaming capability, as evidenced by gaming benchmark scores of 13.4 frames per second in Crysis and 20.7 fps in Lost Planet 2 with medium resolution and detail settings (though in real life, these aren't really playable frame rates). When stacked against laptops with dedicated graphics processors, these scores are quite low, but they indicate that you will be able to enjoy plenty of casual games without any problem.
While your gaming options may be limited, you will be able to edit and display photos and videos. In our Handbrake video encoding test, the i17R-6434DBK finished converting our test video file in 2 minutes flat, which is faster than both the Acer Aspire AS7552G-6436 (3:28) and the Dell XPS 17 (2:51), but just a step behind the HP dv7-6143cl (1:37). It did even better on our Photoshop test, completing a dozen filter script in 4:09. By comparison, the Acer AS7552G-6436 completed the test in 7:44, while the Dell XPS 17 finished it in 4:42. Again, the HP dv7-6143cl pulled ahead with a time of 3:52. While these top rated laptops may offer better performance than the i17R-6434DBK in many areas, multimedia authoring is one area where it performs as well or better.
With its 6-cell, 48Wh battery, the Dell i17R-6434DBK has one of the smaller batteries seen on a 17-inch laptop, but without a quad-core processor and discrete graphics card chewing through battery-life, it actually out performs some of these elite systems. The Dell XPS 17, for example, lasted only 3:01 with a big 9-cell, 92Wh battery. The Toshiba Satellite P755-S5274 ($733.99 list, 3 stars), which touts similar hardware and a 15-inch screen, managed to stretch its own 6-cell, 48Wh battery to last 5:08. The Inspiron i17R-6434DBK manages to fall somewhere in between the two, lasting 3 hours 59 minutes, which is fine for a system that will be fairly stationary.
It's not much of a surprise that media centers with top-flight components, like the Editors' Choice HP Pavilion dv7-6143cl and the Dell XPS 17, outperform the Dell Inspiron i17R-6434DBK across the board. What is a surprise is how well the i17R-6434DBK manages to hold its own against them. After all, it may not be packing the hardware of those elite systems, but it costs $250 less than the HP dv7-6143cl and less than half the price of the Dell XPS 17. For anyone looking to buy a great all around computer, the Dell Inspiron HP Pavilion i17R-6434DBK gives them everything they need for work and play, and does it at a price most computer shoppers can afford.
Source:http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2391085,00.asp?kc=PCRSS05039TX1K0000760
Brian Westover
Dell has a couple more models from their Inspiron line that hopes to, well, inspire you to make a purchase decision in the near future if you are mulling over whether to bring home a new notebook or not, especially since your current notebook is already in its death throes, with a hard drive that makes more noise than that bone-shaker you call a “classic” car, while the battery can’t even last for more than 5 minutes whenever it is unplugged from a power outlet. 
