Great desktop replacement for mobile users, though tech support is not up to par...
Written: Jul 02 '02 (Updated Jul 02 '02)
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Pros: Fast, impressive, great screen (Ultra-Sharp), dual mouse pointer/trackpad, great battery life.
Cons: HEAVY, plastic construction flexes too much, tech support is terrible!
The Bottom Line: If you are a user that needs support, avoid Dell at all costs! If you can handle rude reps or don't need support, I would get the Dell!
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| BrianD's Full Review: Dell Inspiron 8200 (8TWORH) PC Notebook |
I purchased this for business and for note taking in class. I'm a student, so I wanted something that was powerful enough to handle all the audio, video, multimedia and software I would use in it. I also wanted something to play DVD's when I'm on the road.
Overall I am very impressed with this unit. I configured mine with 512 MB of Ram, 1.8 GHz P4 processor, 64 MB Video card, and a 60GB hard drive. All for about $3,800. I also purchased the docking station so I would not have to find an outlet to charge this every time I get home. This way, all I do is slide it on the docking station and it's instantly charging, and has a desktop mouse and keyboard ready to use.
The sound is good, I would give it a 6 out of 10. That may sound low, but the highest I would give any notebook that I have heard is 8.
The screen is VERY sharp, very clear and perfect for DVD's. People are so surprised that the screen looks as good as it does. The video card is equipped with a Geforce4Go with 64MB of ram. Perfect for high-res graphics.
The keyboard is wonderful. Very quite and sturdy. The added track pad/mouse stick is great! This is perfect for users who are sharing this, or people who get tired of using one of the other all the time.
The wireless card option is perfect for people who hate having to plug their laptop into a network using cords. I was able to get a good signal about 50 feet away!
The battery life was great because I purchased dual batteries, thus giving me extra battery life (a total of about 4-5 hours depending on use).
CompleteCare is great, and Dell is the only one who offers it as far as I know. If I drop my notebook, supposedly Dell will replace any broken pieces, or even the notebook itself. That is great, especially if you have kids or travel a lot!
The problems with Dell notebooks are the quality of tech support. Many times I found myself training them over the phone with their own stuff! Of all the times I called them (20X+) I only spoke with one person who was polite.
Most of the reps are rude, and in some cases insulting. I asked for supervisors, but they almost always hang up or refuse to get one for you. I am an advanced user, with many years experience. I mainly called support for minor issues, also so I could get a feel of how helpful their support team was.
The reason I mention this is because if you are a user who needs tech support, I would not suggest Dell. However, if you are a user who is able to do most things on your own without help, I would highly recommend this notebook.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 3,800
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Other
Processor speed: over 1000
RAM: More than 256
Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD
Hard Drive (GB): Over 50
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Epinions.com ID:
BrianD
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Location: San Clemente, California, USA
Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 6 members
About Me:
I am a Marketing Manager and computer systems administrator with an opinion on everything!
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