Laptops are generally presumed to be thinking machines that have similar looks and specs but the Dell Studio series wants to dispel that notion by giving numerous choices to buyers. Dell believes that people want laptops that suit their personality.

As a result, Dell conceptualized and developed a range of laptops that would cater to the individuality of users – the Studio series.

Although the Dell Studio laptop is already a beauty outside, it is also a monster inside. Each of the laptop in the Studio series is powered by either an Intel’s Core 2 Duo or a Core i7. This processing power is supported by up to 4 GB of random access memory.

Aside from the series’ prowess, each of the laptops could carry a minimum of 250 GB and a maximum of 500 GB. That is more than enough space to store those files needed by entrepreneurs and even multimedia geeks. With this amount space for storage, the Dell Studio series is a contender for any user’s laptop choice.

Dell also backed the series with graphics-related hardware. One may find most of the series laptop’s graphics are run by a GeForce graphics accelerator. One may also be delighted to find a unit that is installed with the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 with 256 MB memory.

Studio XPS Studio 13

This Studio laptop is aptly named XPS, which stands for extreme performance capabilities. The XPS Studio 13, although having just a display of 13 inches, is very powerful, thanks to its Core 2 Duo processor (option includes T9800) running at 2.93 GHz, up to 8 GB of RAM and NVIDIA GeForce graphics support.

Specifications:

Processor: Up to Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T9800 (2.93GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)

Memory: Up to 8GB1 1067MHz DDR3 SDRAM.

Graphics:

  • NVIDIA® GeForce® 9400M G
  • NVIDIA® GeForce® 9500M – 256MB
  • NVIDIA® GeForce® G 210M – 512MB

Display:

  • “Edge-to-edge” Glossy 13.3 inch WXGA CCFL LCD display
  • “Edge-to-edge” Glossy 13.3 inch WXGA WLED LCD display

Pros:

The XPS Studio 13 is made to appeal to gamers and digital media geeks, as it is installed with a powerful processor clocked at 2.93 GHz, and a powerful RAM and graphics memory backup.

Cons:

With its display measuring 13 inches, the XPS 13 may be a turn-off for gamers who prefer to play games at high resolutions and in larger screens.

Studio 14z

The Studio 14z is the Studio 15 with a few major differences in specifications. Aside from having a display of 14 inches, the entry-level Studio 14z is not pre-installed with a graphics card. A user may opt to have one, but only the Nvidia GeForce 9400M is allowed.

Specifications:

Processor: Up to Intel® Core™2 Duo Processors

Memory: Up to 5GB 1067MHz DDR3 SDRAM2.

Graphics:NVIDIA® GeForce® 9400M

Pros:

With 5 GB of RAM at its disposal, the Studio 14z offers smooth and hassle-free computing. Add to that is the upgraded option of an installed GeForce 9400M graphics support.

Cons:

Although it has a good graphics card, you are still restricted to only one option. When time comes you realize that you need to upgrade, you won’t be able to do so with the Studio 15.

Studio 15

The Studio 15 comes with the usual yet powerful Intel Core 2 Duo processors, but one could opt to have the latest Intel I7 processor.

Specifications:

Processor:Intel® PentiumTM Dual Core, Intel® Core™2 Duo and Intel® CoreTM i7 processors

Up to Intel® CoreTM i7-820QM Mobile Processor (1.73GHz, turbo up to 3.06GHz, 6MB L3 Cache)

Memory: Two DIMM slots providing up to 8GB Dual Channel DDR3 @ 1333MHz

Graphics: Intel® Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD

Optional 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 or 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 45703

Display: 15.6-inches with 720p, 900p or 1080p resolutions

Pros:

The Studio 15 is able to play HD content at real HD resolution as it could dish out 1080p of resolution. It can also be installed with powerful graphics card to boost its performance.

Cons:

The Studio 15’s entry-level unit only has the pre-installed integrated graphics media accelerator.

Studio XPS 16

A larger version of the XPS 13, the XPS 16 is packed with up to 8 GB of RAM and ATI Mobility video card. With this memory support, expect seamless computing even when dealing with memory-driven applications.

Specifications:

Processor: Up to Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T9800 (6MB cache/2.93GHz/1066Mhz FSB)

Memory: Up to 8GB 1067MHz DDR3 SDRAM

Graphics:

  • ATI Mobility RADEON HD 3670-512MB
  • ATI Mobility RADEON HD 4670-1GB

Display:

  • Edge-to-edge Glossy 15.6 inch HD WLED display (900p)
  • Edge-to-edge Glossy 15.6 inch Full HD WLED display (1080p)
  • Edge-to-edge Glossy 16.0 inch Full HD RGB-LED LCD display (1080p)

Pros:

The XPS 16 offers a sterling performance with its powerful Intel Core 2 Duo processor backed by lots of random access memory and graphics support. It can also dish out resolutions of 1080p ideal for HD viewing.

Cons:

The only unattractive trait the XPS Studio 16 has is the lack of high-definition speakers that would have complemented its HD viewing capabilities.

Studio 17

The Dell Studio 17 is the star of the series. Powered by Intel’s Core i7 processor clocked at 1.6GHz, this laptop is loaded with 4 GB of RAM and 1 GB of dedicated graphics in ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650.

Specifications:

Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Quad Core Processor @ 1.6GHz (2.8GHz Turbo Mode, 6MB Cache)

Memory: 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1066MHz

Graphics: 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650

Display: 17.3″ HD+ (900p) Bright LED Display with TrueLife™ and Camera

Pros:

It’s hard to say no to the Studio 17 as it comes with powerful processing power and support plus an awesome 17-inch display.

Cons:

Despite its processing prowess, the Studio 17 cannot dish out a true HD resolution of 1080p despite having the largest screen in the series.

If the review of this Dell Studio Series informative then get a load of Laptops and Netbooks related stuff and other laptop series reviews.

Dell Studio Laptops FAQ:

Question: Does Walmart carry the Dell studio laptops?
I hear that Walmart carries Dell laptops. I saw it on the Walmart commercial. Do they carry the Dell studio laptops? I really want the plum purple Dell studio laptop.

Answer: You’ll get a much better deal and be able to get the components and color you want by going straight through Dell. They usually release new e-value codes on the weekends that give you hundreds of dollars off. I ordered my Studio 17 on the tax-free weekend and saved $499 plus no tax or shipping (another $125).

Question: Does the Dell Studio 17 laptop come with a built-in microphone? If not, which Dell Laptops Models do?
I’m buying a DELL computer but I want one that has a built-in microphone so I don’t have to use a headset to make calls from my computer via Skype or Yahoo Messenger. I like the Dell Studio 17 but it doesn’t specify if it does or does not come with a built-in microphone. If it doesn’t, which Dell Laptop models do come with a built-in microphone.

Answer: Any current laptop in the market should come with one.

Question: What do you think of the new dell studio laptops?
I’m planning on getting one and wondering what people think of them so far.

Answer: Their casing is a bit weak, other than that the overall performance is good.

Question: Are Dell Studio laptops a good deal?
I’m planning to get the Studio 1555 with some customizations, and it seems as though the specifications are very nice for a laptop that price (especially the ATI Radeon GPU). However I’m afraid that the laptop will easily overheat under full operating conditions, and no, I’m not planning on getting the extended warranty or any extra notebook cooling pad.

Answer: Yeah Dell Studio laptops are a good deal. Dell is well known brand in laptop market so i think you should go for it. Just don’t play games over 5 hours, too much for the laptop.

Question: What are the differences between DELL inspiron and DELL studio laptops?

Answer: If you have taken a closer look, you must have noticed that the Studio laptops have better LCD display. The LCD is HD in the case of studios and the graphics card is better even if you go for Intel integrated graphics card. Rest is more or less the same, but studios look better externally.

If you want to connect an HDTV go for the one that has HDMI output, you will love it.

Question: Do Dell Studio XPS Laptops have internal hard drives?
Does the Dell Studio XPS laptop have an internal hard drive? Probably a stupid question but I read something about it not having hard drive and I wasn’t sure what it meant. Not exactly computer savvy.

Answer: Every laptop has a internal hard disk drive, that is where the operating system is usually stored. Now there are some laptops that use solid state drives instead, but they do the exact same job.

Question: I bought a Dell Laptop Studio 1536. I have an Epson Workforce 600. I cannot get anything to print from the computer. I can scan and copy ok. Any suggestions?

Answer: Epson has a very specific way in which print drivers are loaded and you have to follow the directions exactly. So make sure you have downloaded the correct drivers, then do it exactly how they say.

Question: I have a dell studio laptop and the audio on recording videos is very messed up?
I have a dell Studio laptop, and my audio is messing up. It was working fine one minute but the next a loud buzzing was going on. You can still record and what not but the fuzzy noise is so prominent there is no point.

Answer: Go to settings/control panel/system/device manager and delete the sound device and shut down. Reboot and you should get the message “new device found” see if windows can install it from the windows files. If it is not there you will have to download the driver and install it manually. If that doesn’t work I would return it, that’s what warranty is for!