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Dell Inspiron i1545-4583JBK 1545 15.6-Inch Laptop (Jet Black)

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Average Customer Rating:	2.5
Brand:	Dell Marketing USA, LP
Model:	i1545-4583JBK
Color:	Jet Black
Display size:	15.4 inches
Weight:	9 pounds
Dimensions:	14.7 inches x 9.6 inches x 1.47 inches [Width x Length x Height]

Product Categories

Laptops; Dell; Laptop & Notebooks; Pentium; Cell Phone; Windows 7 Home Premium; 20 Inches & Under; 14 to 15.9 Inches; 121 to 320 GB; Intel Pentium; All product; Laptops; Computers

Product description

Meet the Inspiron 15 — a 15.6" laptop computer for your everyday needs. With an attractive, stylish design and mobile technology, this laptop features everything you want for everyday computing. The Inspiron 15 offers a modern black palmrest. Not to mention Intel Pentium Dual Core processors, a Dell Dock and optional facial recognition software, all at a value within reach. Includes Microsoft Works and a 30-day trial of McAfee SecurityCenter with anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall.

Dell Inspiron 15: Streamlined Design, Powerful Processing

Stay connected wherever you roam with the Dell Inspiron 1545 laptop in black, which features a bright, vivid 15.6-inch LCD screen and long-lasting 6-cell battery. Weighing just under 6 pounds, it's a great choice for both work and play with the screen's high-definition resolution and included DVD drive (which can also burn dual-layer DVD and CD media).

The Dell Inspiron 1545 in black.

The integrated 1.3-megapixel camera and digital array microphone helps you stay in touch with family, friends and business associates.

Pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version), you'll be able to easily create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet. Better ways to find and manage files, like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews, help you speed through everyday tasks. Windows 7 is designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to.

Key Features

15.6-inch TrueLife widescreen display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels (native 720p for high-definition viewing). It also provides TrueLife high-gloss/anti-reflective technology, which features a sharp contrast finish that's well suited to immersive 3D games and watching videos.
2.2 GHz Intel Pentium T4400 dual-core processor with 1 MB L2 cache and 800 MHz front side bus (FSB)
320 GB SATA hard drive (5400 RPM)
4 GB of installed DDR2 RAM (800 MHz)
Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD graphics
8x multi-format DVD drive supports reading/writing of CD-R/RW, DVD±R, DVD±RW, DVD±R DL, and DVD-RAM
1.3-megapixel webcam with facial recognition software automatically secures your computer when you're away. This software adapts to your changing looks so you can expect faster login times. Also, there's no need to remember numerous passwords for password-protected Web sites.
Dell Video Chat helps you stay in touch with family and friends using video chat, record and send video email, or even make PC-to-PC phone calls around the world. The application also supports four-way calling, making virtual family reunions a reality.
Built-in stereo speakers with standard headphone and microphone jacks
54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g)
Fast Ethernet (10/100)
7-in-1 memory card reader compatible with Secure Digital (SD), Hi-Capacity Secure Digital (SDHC), Hi-Density Secure Digital (SDHD), Multi Media Card (MMC), Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick PRO (MS Pro), and xD Picture Card (xD) media
Three USB 2.0 ports
VGA video output
Dell Dock: Enjoy a cleaner desktop with this application organizer. Installed software applications on your PC are automatically sorted into user-friendly categories placing your most frequently used programs front and center.
Dell Remote Access enables you to easily access photos, music, movies and more on your home system using another Internet-connected computer. No more waiting until you get home to get the files you need.
Dell DataSafe Online optional online backup service (additional charges applicable) offers data protection by enabling you to back up data to a safe, remote storage site using a broadband connection. Dell DataSafe Online is designed to be easy, flexible and secure. After setup, it will automatically back up data and help protect against software, hardware and catastrophic failure.
Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. And you can watch shows for free when and where you want with Internet TV on Windows Media Center. Get the best entertainment experience with Windows 7 Home Premium.
Get more features with Windows Anytime Upgrade. It's the best way to add features to Windows 7, takes as few as ten minutes, requires no software or downloads, and you'll keep your existing programs, files, and settings. Windows will walk you through the simple upgrade process.
Pre-loaded software includes Microsoft Works SE 9.0 for word processing and spreadsheet work. Enjoy a 60-day trial version of Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007.
6-cell battery
Dimensions: 14.7 x 9.6 x 1.5 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 5.8 pounds

What's in the Box
This package includes the Dell Inspiron 1545 (i1545-4583JBK), 6-cell rechargeable battery, AC adapter, and printed documentation. It's backed by a 1-year limited warranty with mail-in service.

The centrally located, easy-to-use Dell Support Center application offers provides personalized support resources. Conveniently located on your PC's desktop with quick links to service, support and system resources. You'll be able to keep your system up-to-date and running efficiently through automated fixes for common configuration issues.

Features

2.2GHz Intel Pentium Dual Core T4400 Processor (1MB cache, 800MHz FSB)

4GB System Memory; Media Card Reader; 10/100 Ethernet; Wireless 802.11 b/g Card

320GB Hard Drive; DVD/CD±R/RW Optical Drive - Plays and creates CDs and DVDs

15.6" Display; Integrated Intel 4500 MHD Media Accelerator Graphics; Built-in 1.3MP webcam

Windows 7 Home Premium Operating System (64-bit); 6-cell Battery; High Definition Audio 2.0

Customer reviews

« great machine, great service »

This is an great machine for the price. I had a special request for delivery, and it was taken care of swiftly and efficiently. Thank you!

Rating: (5 out of 5) @ 2010-09-02

« The last Dell I will ever buy. »

My wife and I have been loyal Dell customers over 10 years and four machines. All our previous machines have performed well and we have never had much reason to call customer service for anything. The few times we did (years and years ago) were reasonably pleasant experiences, though. My impression of Dell has always been that they are a solid company that produces solid products.

Not now.

This laptop, which is my wife's, has been nothing but a nightmare from day one. Pathetic battery life, hardware and software issues, trackpad problems, cursor jumping around, intermittent wireless problems, a shoddily-made machine with flimsy screen hinges that easily break.

Dell's customer service has been the absolute worst experience I have ever had with any company in my entire life. I started out trying to return the unit, but quickly found out that they count the number of days that you have had the computer as starting on the day you order the unit, not the day you receive it, so I was two days past the last day I could return the unit. After being transferred back and forth between two different departments who each thought the other department was supposed to help me, I finally found someone who understood the issue and said he would work on getting special approval to return the unit and then call me back. He also sent me an email. He never called back, never responded to emails, never answered the phone, never returned calls. Anyone else I talked to acted like they knew nothing and told me I could not return the unit. Then I tried to appeal to their business sense, by trying to exchange the unit for a higher model (figuring that if they saw I wanted to pay them more money, they would forgive the 2-day thing).

It took me two more weeks of calling every day to find a guy in their corporate customer service group who (even though he shouldn't have even helped me) agreed that what I wanted to do made good business sense and would help the company hold onto a loyal customer. It took him two more weeks to get what he told me was internal approval for the return (their system only allowed them to process it as a return, not a repair or replacement). He even CC'd me on the email where the manager approved the return and gave him instructions on how to process it. I was told I would receive a return code and instructions on how to return the unit for credit. A week went by--nothing. I called and emailed the guy over and over. No response. I finally got someone else who's email address was on the approval email to respond, who explained that the person who approved the return was in one of two different departments who had to approve the return. He said what everyone else always told me--that he would personally take responsibility for resolving my case. He gave me a phone number that was supposedly his direct number and an email. Never heard from him again. The phone number went to a generic mailbox.

After months of getting the runaround and taking every my lunch hour every day to sit on the phone while eating a sandwich, I simply gave up and decided it just wasn't worth it for a $560 laptop. We are already shopping for a replacement after 7 months of owning this thing. Guess who we won't be buying it from.

Rating: (1 out of 5) @ 2010-08-15

« Plenty of power, easily upgraded - overall a very good laptop »

After seeing some of the other reviews I thought I would add my two cents worth, as it may help out some of you who are looking to purchase an Inspiron 1545.

I've owned this laptop now for a little over a week and I am very happy with the experience so far. I am very knowledgeable about computers, and currently run several machines running Windows 7, Windows Home Server, Mac OSX, and Ubuntu. I have also worked in IT support in the past, so diagnosing and upgrading PCs is something I'm very comfortable with.

Quick Pros and Cons List:

PROS:
+ Windows 7 (it really is a nice and stable OS)
+ Intel dual-core T4400 processor (works well for most users, easy on battery life)
+ 4GB of RAM (helpful for running programs simultaneously, such as Office, Photoshop, Media Center, etc)
+ 320GB hard drive (plenty of storage for most users)
+ Integrated 1.3MP Creative Labs Live! webcam
+ 7-in-1 media card reader (almost a necessity today)
+ Easily upgradeable (discussed below)

CONS:
- T4400 is a dual-core processor, not as powerful as a Core 2 Duo, or the current Core i3 (1545R)
- Memory is slower 800MHz speed, not current 1066MHz (1545R)
- Wireless (wifi) card is A/B/G, but not N-spec
- While the webcam is 1.3MP, it isn't of the highest quality - but it's okay
- VGA-out included, not HDMI-out like on the newer 1545R
- Bluetooth not included (though upgradeable)
- High gloss surfaces do attract fingerprints (not a big negative)

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:
I've owned many Dells, and this is the third computer I've purchased from Dell this year... not because something was wrong, but they've had good deals on desktops and laptops this year. This is the first entry level laptop that I have purchased from Dell, and overall I am happy with the design, layout, and quality of the build. The high gloss plastic areas on the palmrest and LCD bezel are obvious fingerprint magnets, but not as bad as an iPhone or iPod. They keyboard is laid out well, with good distance between the keys and a nice feel when typing. The keyboard includes dedicated buttons on the right hand side for Home, Page Up/Down, End, and the four arrow keys.

The hard drive, a Seagate Momentus 5400.6 has decent storage space at 320GB, though it is slower at 5400RPM with an 8MB cache. After formatting, you have about 300GB of usable storage. The memory for this machine is 4GB, though the motherboard can support up to 8GB. The memory speed is 800MHz, which is fine, but is slower than the current 1066MHz memory available. It would have been nice if Dell included an HDMI video port, but instead chose VGA. The HDMI comes standard on the new 1545R with the Core i3 processor. The LCD is crisp and bright, with decent viewing angles. The native resolution of 1366x768 is good, though a little compact, but makes viewing 720p video very nice. The AC adapter is the slim variety... the only issue is that the power plug into the computer fits a little loosely - though probably on purpose to prevent damage to the laptop if the cable is snagged by a passerby.

UPGRADEABILITY:
The nicest aspect of this laptop is that if you find that you need more speed, hard drive space, memory, faster wifi, or even bluetooth - all of these components can be easily upgraded. Reading the service directions at Dell, you can see that taking apart the Inspiron 1545 is easy and straight forward. By removing the keyboard, you can easily add the bluetooth module and cable, which together go for about $25 on eBay. By removing the bottom cover, you can replace the memory, wifi card, and processor with little difficulty. An Intel 5100 N spec wifi card goes for about $12 on eBay. You can also add memory if need be - up to 8GB is supported. The processor can also be replaced, though make sure that the processor you choose is supported by the laptop's bios. The 1545 supports Intel Socket P (478-pin Micro FCPGA) processors; with the bios specifically supporting the Celeron 900, Dual-Core T4200, T4300, T4400, and the Core 2 Duo T6400, T6500, T6600, P7350, P7450, P8600, and P8700. The faster processors, like the P8700 include more onboard cache, faster processor speed, faster bus speeds, and virtualization. Replacement processors like those mentioned can be found on eBay for around $20-150. The hard drive can also be easily upgraded - I installed a new Western Digital 64GB SSD, which took about 60 seconds to install. The hard drive slot is on the right hand side, and comes out with the removal of two screws. I installed the new wifi in about 60 seconds, adding bluetooth took about two minutes. It doesn't take a lot of know-how to upgrade these components - just a screwdriver and a quick read of the manual.

CONCLUSION:
It's a good laptop for the price, which can be upgraded into a better computer easily and cheaply... all you have to do is read the manual, which is straightforward. I usually keep computers for about a year or two, and by next year I'll probably be ready to sell this at a decent price and use the proceeds to get another Inspiron - but it will have been worth it for sure. In my opinion, for the price, quality, and support, you can't go wrong with a Dell.

Rating: (4 out of 5) @ 2010-08-07

« Big Problem Dealing with Dell »

I placed an order with Dell for the inspiron 1545 after reading the CNET review, and then searched the reviews on Amazon; well the opinions on this website are usually dead on. After having read the poor reviews I called back Dell less than 24 hours after placing the order (on a weekend) and the representative repeatedly attempted to tell me that it was too late to cancel the order, in spite of the fact it would not be shipped for another week. Now I have been around for a while and that just didn't seem reasonable. I kept asking to speak to a supervisor and several times(X7) in a row he repeated stated that the supervisor would not be able to help, they serve administrative functions???? Finally, he placed me on hold for 5 or 10 minutes only to tell me that the supervisor was busy but that they approved my cancelation. I am writing this review because it is irritating the way they are using this tactics to hold onto a sale. If they are willing to play these games there are real problems with the Dell organization--beware!!! I can just see a young person being intimidated by this approach and in makes me angry. I decided to place an order for a Gateway laptop since I have been very happy with the Gateway desktop I have.

Rating: (1 out of 5) @ 2010-07-19

« Amazon/Dell i1545 laptop »

After searching the internet for a product that I thought would suit our needs I found the item, Dell i1545 on Amzaon.com.
It was relatively easy to work through the Amazon site and purchase the product. Delivery was on time and the product arrived in good condition.
Amazon kept us informed on the delivery status and we felt included.
The product itself is as it was described on Amazon and is currently working very well. The new Windows 7 is easier to get to grips with than when we first started with XP all those years ago.
Kind Regards
Ray and Irene McTearDell Inspiron i1545-4583JBK 1545 15.6-Inch Laptop (Jet Black)