Dell.com Laptops with Intel Core 2010
Dell is a massive company, one of the largest tech companies in the world. Dell is a multinational computer company whose mission is to develop, design, and sell computers and related products. Listed in the top fifty of the Fortune 500, Dell has a storied past.
What began as a small business in a dormitory at the University of Texas in the early 80s, selling custom built IBM compatible computers to other students, is now one of the biggest names in the tech industry. The CEO of Dell, Michael Dell, is the youngest CEO to ever appear in the Fortune 500.
Just twelve years after Dell was founded in a dorm room, the company started selling their computers online at dell.com. By the early 2000s, the product line at dell.com swelled to include personal entertainment items like TVs and digital music players, printers, and all sorts of other computer peripherals. These days, you can find everything from a desktop PC to Dell brand mobile phones and smart phones. Dell has recently been in the news for two big acquisitions -- Perot Systems (founded by former Presidential hopeful H. Ross Perot) and 3PAR, a company that specializes in data storage.
Dell.com Review
Dell's homepage is really basic -- information, account services, and their retail stores all have links on the welcome page, with those categories broken up into about eight parts.
"Dell Services" -- This link is aimed at potential corporate or small business customers. Clicking here takes you to a page listing different fields and the "possibilities" afforded them by Dell products. I'm not sure who would find these suggestions useful. For example: "Streamline insurance processes" or "improve customer retention". Nothing to see here.
"Headlines" -- Press releases, corporate news, and financial news are gathered under this heading.
"Dell Deals" -- A collection of "featured systems" and special deals that Dell is offering their retail customers. The layout of this page lends itself to easy shopping -- there are lots of photos, details on equipment, and an easy to read "sticker price" prominently displayed. Though the "Dell Deals" don't change often enough to make this page useful for bargain hunters, Dell does offer you the chance to chat with a "live sales consultant" while you're shopping. These people don't pressure you to buy anything, they're there to answer questions.
"Shop" -- This list is just quick links to Dell's retail outlets listed by customer type, from "Home" to "large business".
"Community" -- Dell.com hosts a blog, a "discussion forum", and ratings and review pages under this heading.
"Support" -- Customer information such as product recalls, driver downloads, and online support are available by clicking on the "Support" links.
"Company Information" -- The boring stuff you find at any corporate "about" page -- the history of Dell, information for investors, and a useless "newsroom" link that basically just sends you back to the "Headlines" tab. If you're looking for a job with Dell, that link is also listed here.
"My Account" -- When you buy something from Dell, you'll need to create a Dell account. To lo gin to this Dell account, click this link.
Dell.com's latest model of laptops come with a new 2010 Intel core. Not every laptop for sale at Dell.com comes equipped with the new 2010 Intel core -- because this is new and better technology it is only included in the more expensive packages.
New Laptops with 2010 Intel Core
The new 2010 Intel core has something that Intel is calling Turbo Boost Technology1. This feature promises that the core is better able to adapt to each individual computer's needs. To that end, Intel is releasing this new technology at something of a discount. The company claims this is the "first time [that] Intel is mass-producing a variety of chips at mainstream prices". These are the world's first 32 nanometer processors and Intel is making them available at realistically affordable prices.
That means a computer builder like Dell can charge the customer less for better technology. Outside of the fancy Turbo Boost Technology1 feature that the average computer user may not notice, Intel promises that their new 2010 i5 processors are "twice as fast" as existing PCs on the market, meaning that users will notice "visibly faster" video performance, photo editing, and music download speeds.
How do the new cores do this? Intel says they are the first in the industry to use a "technology select" feature that integrates graphics directly on the processor. These new processors aren't just for laptops and desktop PCs -- ATMs, retail kiosks, and even some fancier digital commercial displays will use the new 2010 Intel core.
Dell.com is currently selling four new laptops with 2010 Intel cores, ranging in price from $529 to $849. Customers can select from a wide range of options on their new Dell laptop with 2010 Intel core -- from a fourteen, fifteen, or seventeen inch monitor, to laptops that come equipped with cameras and photo studios. You can see the lower cost of Intel's new 2010 cores reflected in the relatively low cost of these new Dell laptops. Yes, laptop technology has increased to the point that their cost is down, but cutting edge technology does not normally come cheap.
There are three Dell InspironR models (the R in the name seems to indicate the presence of the new 2010 Intel core) available with the new Intel technology, known as 14R, 15R, and 17R. The number indicates the size of the monitor, but there are subtle differences in the machines beyond just the size of the monitor. For instance, the 14R and 15R come with limited warranties, while the 17R model comes with a heftier basic service plan.
The other model of Dell laptop with the new 2010 Intel core is the Studio 17. With an optional touch screen feature, a 320 GB hard drive, HD display and graphics card, and a two year basic service plan, this laptop (marked down from over $1000 to just under $900) is described as "a true powerhouse" by Dell.