Dell Inspiron 1720 Laptop Review

If you're thinking about getting a new multimedia laptop,
will the Inspiron 1720 have both the power and price to keep you happy?
Inspiron 1720 gaming laptop


Inspiron 1720 with Intel

The Inspiron 1720 is the latest 17" widescreen desktop replacement laptop from Dell, and boasts a level of processing power that would make many desktop systems blush. If you're looking for an all-round performer at a reduced price, then this could well be the right machine for you. But how can you get the most out of your Inspiron 1720?

READ MORE ABOUT THE DELL INSPIRON 1720...

Here are some key points to consider when configuring your Inspiron 1720:

  • Processor:

    The Dell Inspiron 1720 can be configured with an Intel Pentium dual core 1.6 GHz processor, but the best value option here is probably the 1.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. FSB speed is important too, as this affects how quickly data can pass from memory to the processor (the Inspiron 1720 can be configured with 533 or 667 MHz FSB speed).

    • To summarise: if you're looking to keep your spend as low as possible while still getting solid performance, go for the Pentium dual core processor. However, if you want a laptop that will still be a top performer two years from now, you might want to consider upgrading to the Core 2 Duo processor.

  • Memory:

    The best value configuration on the Dell site is 2GB, but 1GB is the default for the cheaper Inspiron 1525 systems. At the moment, Dell are practically giving away memory upgrades - for example, you can upgrade from 1GB to 2GB for just £30!

    It used to be the case that Dell memory was ridiculously overpriced, but they now seem to have swung in the other direction. You'll be hard-pressed to find memory at a cheaper price elsewhere, so now is definitely a good time to get yourself some extra memory.

    If you want to upgrade from 2GB to 4GB, it now only costs £70 when you customise your Inspiron 1525. You couldn't get this cheaper even if you bought the memory elsewhere and installed it yourself, so if you have that bit of extra budget, the performance boost provided by a RAM upgrade is well worth it.

DELL INSPIRON 1720 SPECS...