The Dell Inspiron 8000 series is Dell’s latest business/advanced user model. It comes with Windows 2000 (based on the Windows NT kernel), Microsoft’s latest business/server operating system. Windows 2000 makes more use of all your resources: the 900 MHz processor, the 256 megabytes of PC133 RAM, and the large 20-gigabyte hard drive. It also comes equipped with a DVD drive (also used as the CD-ROM drive) and a huge fifteen inch liquid crystal display.

Dell has been notorious for pushing the latest technologies and fastest processors on you. This is true with the Inspiron 8000. Since to date, the fastest laptop processor is 1,000 MHz, 900 is just about the top. Along with the extreme amount of memory, a whopping 256 megabytes of memory (not DDR, but I won’t complain too much), this makes this computer a great business computer (or server).

If you have a great system like the Inspiron 8000, you need an operating system that can handle that power. The Windows 9x kernel (95, 98, and ME) just couldn’t keep up with the power of today’s computers, so they introduced the NT kernel. On this, they built 2000 (and soon to be XP Home and Business) which combines the ME interface and the power and stability of NT. Without Windows 2000 Professional, this computer wouldn’t be nearly as good as it is.

Ever since the beginning of laptops and portable computers, the screens have been puny and dim. Lately computers are becoming equipped with LCD panels that are larger than 13 inches, which most are about the size of a regular fifteen inch CRT monitor, and this one is bigger and is about the size of a normal 17” CRT. The screen is also bright, as bright as a CRT or LCD panel display.

One of the downsides of this notebook is the battery life. The battery life is so short, and when you plug in the power cord and run the computer at the same time, it hardly recharges at all. I suspect the low batter life is due to the fact that it has a huge LCD display, a DVD drive, and such an awesome processor. I’d recommend either carrying an extra battery along with you (everywhere), or always bringing the AC adapter and praying for an outlet.

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): N/A
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
Processor speed: 801-900
Screen Size: 15
RAM: 256
Internal Storage: DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20