User:ThisIsNotABetter/sandbox/early Inspirons

Early models
The early Dell Inspiron models listed below went through a number of changes from 1999 to 2002

=== Inspiron 7500 === Released in 1999, the Dell Inspiron 7500 was a speedy laptop that Dell branded as "A Mobile Desktop.” Its starting price was $4,101.


 * Processor: Intel Pentium III @750, 700, 650, 600, 500 or 450 MHz, Intel Celeron @433, 450, 466, or 500 MHz
 * Memory: 32, 64, 128, 192, or 256MB of PC100 RAM
 * Graphics: ATI Rage Mobility M (with 4 or 8MB of video memory)
 * Display: 15" 1024x768, optional 1400x1050, 15.4" 1280x1024
 * Storage: 4.8, 6, 10, 20 or 30GB Ultra ATA hard drive

=== Inspiron 2100 ===

Released in 1998, the Dell Inspiron 2100 was a lightweight laptop that Dell branded as "Ultra-Thin & Light" and "Ultra Mobile." Its starting price was $1,699.


 * Processor: Intel Pentium III @700 MHz
 * Memory: 128 or 256MB of DDR RAM
 * Graphics: ATI Rage Mobility M (with 4MB of video memory)
 * Display: 12.1" 1024x768
 * Storage: 10 or 20gb Ultra ATA hard drive

Inspiron 3800
Released in 2000, the Dell Inspiron 3800 was an affordable laptop that Dell branded as "Stylish and Affordable." Its starting price was $1,199.


 * Processor: Intel Pentium III @700 or 600 MHz, Intel Celeron @600 or 700 MHz
 * Memory: 32, 64, 96, 128, 192, 256, 384 or 512 MB of DDR RAM
 * Graphics: ATI Rage Mobility (with 8MB of video memory, 2x AGP)
 * Display: 12.1" 800x600, or a 14.1" 1024x768
 * Storage: 5, 6, 10, or 20GB Ultra ATA hard drive

=== Inspiron 4000 ===

Released in 2000, the Dell Inspiron 4000 was a lightweight laptop that Dell branded as "Ultra-Thin & Light" and "Light as a feather, strong as an ox." Its starting price was $1,499.


 * Processor: Intel Pentium III @650, 700, 800 or 850 MHz, or an Intel Celeron @600 MHz
 * Memory: 64, 128, 192, 256, 384 or 512 MB of DDR RAM
 * Graphics: ATI RAGE Mobility 128 3D (with 8mb of video RAM, 2x AGP)
 * Display: 14.1" 1024x768, optional 1400x1050
 * Storage: 5, 10, or 20gb Ultra ATA hard drive

inspiron6000
The Dell Inspiron 6000 has either a 1.3 or a 1.6 GHz intel pentium M processor and is wide-screen. It also is also fairly unique in that it uses DDR2 memory, which is a new feature for laptops. Compared with the other inspiron laptops, it is considered to be "versatile and affordable"

=== Inspiron 8000 ===

Released in 2000, the Dell Inspiron 8000 was a mobile workstation that Dell branded as a mobile desktop. Its starting price was $1,649.


 * Processor: Intel Pentium III @650, 700, 800, 833, 850, 900, 1000, 1113, or 1200 MHz
 * Memory: 64, 128, 192, 256, 384 or 512 MB of DDR RAM
 * Graphics: ATI Mobility — M4 (with 8, 16 or 32 MB of video memory) or RADEON 7500 (with 64 MB of video memory), or NVIDIA GeForce2 Go (with 16 or 32 MB of video memory)
 * Display: 14.1” 1400x1050, a 15” 1400x1050, optional 1600x1200.
 * Storage: 5, 10, 20, 30, 32, 40, or 60gb Ultra ATA hard drive

inspiron9300
The Dell Inspiron 9300 has either a 1.6, 1.73, 1.86, or 2.0 GHz Intel Pentium M processor and a 17" wide-screen. It also is also fairly unique in that it uses DDR2 memory, which is a new feature for laptops. Compared with the other Inspiron laptops, it is considered to be the "Entertainment powerhouse".

The Inspiron 9300 is based loosely on its more expensive and more powerful big brother, the gaming-oriented Inspiron XPS2. With the right upgrades, the Inspiron 9300 can deliver most of the gaming horsepower as the XPS2 at a much-reduced cost. These upgrades start with the nVidia GeForce Go 6800 video card, and continue with extra RAM, a 7200 RPM hard drive, and possibly a Pentium M that's faster than the baseline 1.6GHz speed.

Netvertibles
As it has a wide range of generally Budget laptops, The specifications and price vary from model to model. The common varieties these days are:


 * Processor: Intel Celeron, Pentium or Core2Duo
 * RAM:4-8 GB 1600MHZ DDR3
 * Hard Disk: 5400-7200RPM 240GB-1TB
 * Display- 14,15 or 17 inch LED backlit with resolution of 1366x768 to 1920x1080 pixels
 * Graphics: Although Intel HD (Intel HD 4000 with ivy-bridge or Intel HD 5000 with Haswell) comes with Intel processors, Some models also have dedicated Nvidia or AMD cards
 * Battery: 6 or 9 cell Lithium ion
 * Camera:1.0 megapixel HD webcam
 * Wi-Fi Card: Yes, 802.11b/g/n
 * Bluetooth: Yes
 * Dimensions & Weight: 1.53 kg to 1.97 kg
 * Colors: blue, red or black
 * Extras: USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, optional MaxxAudio 4

Inspiron 910 (Inspiron Mini 9)
Released online on September 4, 2008, the Dell Inspiron 910 (more commonly referred to as the Inspiron Mini 9) is an 8.9" netbook that weighs 2.28 lbs. It is Dell's first netbook. It was retired on May 29, 2009.


 * Processor: Intel Atom N270.
 * Memory: 512 MB, 1 GB or 2 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 533 MHz
 * Chipset: Intel US15W Express
 * Graphics: integrated Intel GMA 950
 * LCD Display: 8.9" LED-backlit widescreen with 1024 × 600 resolution.
 * Hard Drive: 8 GB, 16 GB SSD (Windows XP Home Edition SP3 32-bit), or 32 GB (Ubuntu Linux version) SSD
 * Optical Drive: External USB 8X tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW
 * Battery: 4-cell (32 Whr) lithium-ion battery
 * Camera: 0.3 MP webcam
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1395 802.11g mini-card
 * Bluetooth: Dell Wireless Bluetooth Internal 350 (2.0)
 * I/O ports: 3 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 3-in-1 memory card reader, 1 VGA output, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, and 1 power adapter port

Inspiron 1210 (Inspiron Mini 12)
Released online on October 16, 2008, the Dell Inspiron 1210 (more commonly referred to as the Inspiron Mini 12) is a 12.1" netbook that weighs 2.72 lbs. The netbook originally shipped with Windows Vista Home Basic SP1 32-bit, but an option for XP Home SP3 32-bit was added a month later. It was criticized for being slow with Vista and was retired on August 7, 2009.


 * Processor: Intel Atom Z520 or Z530
 * Memory: 512 MB or 1 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 533 MHz
 * Chipset: Intel US15W Express
 * Graphics: integrated Intel GMA 500
 * LCD Display: 12.1" LED-backlit widescreen with 1280 × 800 resolution
 * Hard Drive: 40 GB, 60 GB or 32 GB PATA @ 5400 RPM
 * Optical Drive: External USB 8X tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW
 * Battery: 3-cell (24 Whr) or 6-cell (48 Whr) lithium-ion
 * Camera: 1.3 MP webcam
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1395 802.11g mini-card
 * Bluetooth: Dell Wireless Bluetooth Internal 350 (2.0)
 * I/O ports: 3 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 3-in-1 memory card reader, 1 VGA output, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, and 1 power adapter port.

Inspiron 1010, 1011, 1012, 1018 (Inspiron Mini 10/10v)
Released on Dell's website on February 26, 2009, the Inspiron Mini 10 is a netbook whose Mini 10v model weighs, and whose Mini 10 model weighs. The Mini 10 has an option for an external TV tuner and mobile broadband from AT&T. There is a 2 GB option available with Windows Vista Home Basic 32-bit.

Inspiron M101z
Released online August 5, 2010, the Inspiron M101z is Dell's 11.6" entry-level subnotebook that weighs 3.44 lbs.

It features an HDMI output but lacks an optical drive.


 * Processor: AMD Athlon II Neo K125, Athlon II Neo K325, or Intel Core i3-330UM
 * Memory: Up to 4 GB DDR3 1333 MHz SODIMM operating at 800 MHz (machine can take 8 GB of memory; however, it is currently not an option on dell.com but listed in the support manual on page 71 )
 * Chipset: ATI RS880M + SB820M or Intel HM57 Express
 * Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4225 or Intel HD Graphics (Ironlake)
 * Display: 11.6" 1366 × 768 HD TLF WLED
 * Hard Drive: 250GB 5400RPM or 320GB 7200RPM SATA
 * Battery: 6-cell, 56WHr Li-Ion Battery with up to 6 hours 36 minutes of battery life
 * Camera: Built-in 1.3MP (720p) Webcam
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1501 802.11 g/n, Dell Wireless 1520 802.11a/g/n, or Intel Centrino Advanced-N + WiMax 6250
 * Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0 802.11b/g/n combo card
 * I/O ports: 3 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 HDMI output, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, 1 7-in-1 Media Card Reader, 1 SIM card slot, and 1 power adapter connector
 * Dimensions & Weight: Width: 8.07" (205 mm), Height: 0.95" (24.3) front –1.38" (35 mm) back, Depth: 11.5" (292 mm), Starting weight of 3.44 lbs (1.56 kg)

Inspiron 1110 (Inspiron 11z)
Released online on August 18, 2009, the Inspiron 1110 is Dell's 11.6" entry-level subnotebook that weighs 3.05 lbs.

It features an HDMI output but lacks an optical drive.


 * Processor: Intel Celeron 723 or Pentium Dual-Core SU4100 soldered, not replaceable.
 * Memory: 2 GB or 4 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 800 MHz
 * Chipset: Intel GS45 Express
 * Graphics: integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD
 * LCD Display: 11.6" WLED-backlit display with a 1366 × 768 resolution and TrueLife
 * Hard Drive: 250 GB, 320 GB or 500 GB SATA at 5400 RPM
 * Battery: 3-cell (24 Whr) or 6-cell (56 Whr) lithium-ion battery
 * Camera: 1.3 MP webcam
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g or Dell Wireless 1510 802.11a/b/g/n
 * Bluetooth: Dell Wireless 365 Bluetooth
 * I/O ports: 3 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 HDMI output, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, 1 3-in-1 memory card reader, 1 power adapter connector.

Inspiron 1300
Features the new Intel Celeron M processor IDE Hard Drive, Intel 82801FB/FBM Ultra ATA storage controllers, DVD +RW drive, Mobil Intel 915GMA/GMS,910GML Express Chipset Family and C -Major HD Audio.

Inspiron 5421T (14r)
Features the new Intel Core 2 solo processor that can last up to 8 hours using an 8 cell battery. Also includes standard DVD drive and an option to upgrade up to NVIDIA 512 MB graphics card.

Inspiron 14R refers to the Dell inspiron 14inch display laptops. Although it varies from model to model, here is a common specifiation:

SPECIFICATIONS Inspiron 14R(5421)


 * Processor:3rd generation Intel Core i7-3537U (Auto Turbo Boost up to 3.10 GHz,4T,4MB L3)
 * Graphics (Dual x2 switchable Graphic) Nvidia GT730M- 2GB DDR3 Video Memory and Intel HD4000
 * Operating System:Windows 8
 * Memory:4GB DDR3 1600Mhz
 * Display:14.0" (39.6 cm) HD WLED True-Life (1366x768)
 * Hard Drive:500GB 7200RPM Sata
 * Wireless:Dell Wireless 1704 802.11n + Bluetooth 4.0
 * Optical Drive:Onboard tray-loading DVD+/-RW
 * Camera:Native HD 1.0MP webcam with digital microphone
 * Speaker:Stereo speakers with Waves MaxxAudio 4 processing
 * Built-in digital microphone
 * Ports (Externally Accessible)
 * (2) USB 3.0 + (1) USB 2.0
 * RJ45 Ethernet
 * HDMI v1.4a
 * Combined headphone/microphone jack
 * Kensington Security Lock
 * AC Power In
 * Width: 13.62" (346mm)
 * Height: 14R touch w/ 6-cell battery: 1.1”-1.3” (27.9mm – 32.9mm)
 * Depth: 9.65" (245mm)
 * Starting weight of 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) with 6-cell 65 WHr battery
 * Slots (8-in-1 Media Card Reader):
 * Digital (SD) Memory Card
 * Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC)
 * Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC) with UHS 50MB/Sec
 * Memory Stick (MS)
 * Memory Stick PRO (MS Pro)
 * Memory Stick XC (MSXC)
 * Multi Media Card (MMC)
 * Multi Media Card plus (MMC+) Supported in MMC compatibility mode only


 * Battery:6-cell Lithium-Ion

Inspiron 1525 (Inspiron 15)
Released online on July 27, 2007, the Inspiron 1525 is Dell's 15.4" budget laptop that weighs 5.8 lbs.


 * Processor: Intel Celeron 900, Intel Pentium Dual-Core T4200 or T4300 or Intel Core 2 Duo T5750, T6400, T6500, T6600, T8100, P7350, P7450, P8600, P8700, Intel Core i5 - 520M, AMD Athlon X2 Dual-Core QL-64, AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core RM-74 or AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Ultra ZM-82
 * Memory: 2 GB, 3 GB or 4 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 800 MHz.T
 * Chipset: Intel GM965 Express
 * Graphics: integrated Intel GMA X3100 graphics or ATI Mobility Radeon 256 MB of graphics memory
 * Display: 15.4" CCFL-backlit widescreen with 1280 × 800 resolution or 15.4" CCFL-backlit widescreen with 1280 × 800 resolution and TrueLife or 15.4" WLED-backlit widescreen with 1440 × 900 resolution and TrueLife or 15.4" WLED-backlit display with 1680 × 1050 resolution and TrueLife.
 * Hard Drive:80 GB,160 GB, 250 GB, 320 GB, or 500 GB SATA at 5400 RPM
 * Optical Drive: 8X tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW drive or 2X tray-load Blu-ray Disc Combo drive
 * Battery: 4-cell (37 Whr), 6-cell (56 Whr), or 9-cell (85 Whr) lithium-ion
 * Camera: 2.0 MP webcam with optional facial recognition software
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g half mini-card or Intel Wi-Fi Link 4965 802.11a/b/g/n half mini-card
 * Bluetooth: Dell Wireless Bluetooth Internal 365 (2.1 EDR).
 * I/O ports: 4 USB 2.0 ports, 1 IEEE 1394a connector (optional), 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 modem port, 1 VGA output, 1 S-video TV-out connector, 1 HDMI connector, 2 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, 1 Express Card slot, 2 Mini-Card slots (third slot optional), 1 8-in-1 memory card reader, 1 Consumer IR (receive only), and 1 power adapter connector.

Inspiron 1545 (Inspiron 15)
Released online on January 16, 2009, the Inspiron 1545 is a 15.6" budget laptop that weighs 5.8 lbs. The Inspiron 1545 is the first laptop in Dell's Inspiron line to get Design Studio. website.


 * Processor: Intel Celeron 900, Pentium Dual-Core T4200, T4300 or T4400 or Core 2 Duo T4500, T6400, T6500, T6600, P7350, P7450, Core i5 - 520M; AMD Athlon X2 Dual-Core QL-64, Turion X2 Dual-Core RM-74 or Turion X2 Dual-Core Ultra ZM-82
 * Memory: 2 GB, 3 GB or 4 GB of shared dual-channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 800 MHz. 8GB works but not officially supported
 * Chipset: Intel GM45 Express or AMD 780M (Inspiron 1546 model)
 * Graphics: integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics or ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 with 256 or 512 MB of graphics memory
 * Display: 15.6" CCFL-backlit widescreen with a 1366 × 768 and TrueLife or 15.6" WLED-backlit widescreen with 1366 × 768 resolution 15.6" or WLED-backlit display with 1600 × 900 resolution and TrueLife
 * Hard Drive: 160 GB, 250 GB, 320 GB, or 500 GB SATA at 5400 RPM
 * Optical Drive: 8X tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW drive
 * Battery: 4-cell (37 Whr), 6-cell (56 Whr), or 9-cell (85 Whr) lithium-ion
 * Camera: 1.3 MP webcam with optional facial recognition software
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g half mini-card or Intel Wi-Fi Link 4965 802.11a/b/g/n half mini-card
 * Bluetooth: Dell Wireless Bluetooth Internal 365 (2.1 EDR)
 * I/O ports: 3 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 VGA output, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, 1 ExpressCard 34 slot, 1 7-in-1 memory card reader, and 1 power adapter connector

Inspiron 5523 (Inspiron 15z)
The Inspiron 5523 is a newer version of the Inspiron 15z


 * Processors: 4th Generation Intel Core i3, i5, or i7.
 * Memory: 6 GB or 8 GB of shared dual channel DDR3 SDRAM @ 1066 MHz (upgradable to 12 GB).
 * Chipset: Intel GS45 Express
 * Graphics: Intel HD graphics 4000 (upgradeable to 2GB Nvidia Geforce GT 630M)
 * Display: 15.6" Glossy WLED-backlit display with 1366 × 768 resolution with optional multi-touch touchscreen.
 * Hard Drive: 160 GB, 250 GB, 320 GB, or 500 GB SATA at 5400 RPM with a 32 GB solid state drive included on all options.
 * Optical Drive: 8X tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW drive.
 * Battery: 6-cell (44 Whr) lithium-ion
 * Camera: 1.3 MP webcam with optional facial recognition software
 * Wi-Fi Card: Intel Centrino Wifi
 * Bluetooth: Intel Centrino
 * I/O ports: 3 USB 3.0 ports, 1 USB 3.0 port with PowerShare, 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 HDMI output, 1 combined headphone and microphone jack, 1 Kensington lock, 1 Express Card slot 1 7-in-1 memory card reader, and 1 power adapter connector.

Inspiron 1750 (Inspiron 17)
Released online on July 16, 2009, the Inspiron 1750 is Dell's 17.3" budget laptop that weighs 6.8 lbs. The Inspiron 1750 has the same design as the Inspiron 1440, but is simply bigger and includes a numeric keypad. Unlike its predecessor, the Inspiron 1720, The Inspiron 1750 does not support two hard drives.


 * Processor: Intel Pentium Dual-Core T4200 or T4300, Intel Core 2 Duo T6500, T6600, P7350 P7450, P8600 or P8700 or Intel Core i3
 * Memory: 2 GB, 3 GB or 4 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 800 MHz (upgradable to 8 GB)
 * Chipset: Intel GM45 Express
 * Graphics: integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics or ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 with 256 MB or 512 MB of graphics memory
 * Display: 17.3" WLED-backlit widescreen with a 1600 × 900 and TrueLife or 17.3" WLED-backlit widescreen with a 1920 × 1080 resolution and TrueLife
 * Hard Drive: 160 GB, 250 GB, 320 GB, or 500 GB SATA at 5400 RPM
 * Optical Drive: 8X tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW drive or 2X tray-load Blu-ray Disc Combo drive
 * Battery: 4-cell (37 Whr), 6-cell (56 Whr), or 9-cell (85 Whr) lithium-ion
 * Camera: 1.3 MP webcam with optional facial recognition software
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g half mini-card or 1515 802.11a/b/g/n half mini-card or Intel Wi-Fi Link 4965 802.11a/b/g/n half mini-card
 * Bluetooth: Dell Wireless Bluetooth Internal 365 (2.1 EDR) - Optional
 * I/O ports: 3 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 VGA output, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, 1 Express Card slot, 1 7-in-1 memory card reader, and 1 power adapter connector.



Inspiron 1720/1721
Released on Dell's website on June 26, 2007, the Inspiron 1720/1721 was a 17" large-screen laptop that weighed 7.62 lb and was based on the Intel Santa Rosa platform. The Inspiron 1720/1721 had support for two hard drives and included a full numeric keypad. The Inspiron 1721 had a RAID 0 and RAID 1 options, which was oddly missing from the 1720. The Inspiron 1720/1721 was retired in 2008, with no direct 17" replacement until the introduction of the Inspiron 1750 on July 16, 2009.


 * Processor: Intel Pentium Dual-Core T2310 or T2330 or Intel Core 2 Duo T5250, T5450, T5550, T5750, T5850, T7250, T7300, T7500, T7700, T8100, T8300, T9300 or T9500. (AMD Turion Processors for the Inspiron 1721)
 * Memory: 1 GB, 2 GB, 3 GB or 4 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 667 MHz
 * Chipset: Intel GM965 or PM965 Express or ATI Radeon Xpress 1250
 * Graphics: integrated Intel GMA X3100 or nVidia GeForce 8400M GS or 8600M GT. (AMD M690T chipset with ATI Radeon X1270 integrated graphics for the 1721)
 * LCD Display: 17" WXGA+ 1440 × 900 resolution, or UltraSharp widescreen with 1920 × 1200 resolution and TrueLife
 * Hard Drive: 160 GB, 250 GB, 320 GB SATA at 5400 RPM (can support two hard drives)
 * Optical Drive: 8X tray-load DVD+/-RW drive, 8X tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW, or 2X tray-load Blu-ray Disc Combo drive
 * Battery: 6-cell (56 Whr), or 9-cell (85 Whr) lithium-ion
 * Camera: 2 MP webcam
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1390 802.11g, 1490 802.11a/g mini-card, or 1505 802.11n mini-card or Intel 3945 802.11a/g mini-card or Next-Gen 4965 802.11a/g/n mini-card
 * Bluetooth: BCM2045 Bluetooth Adapter, or Dell Wireless Bluetooth Internal 355 (2.0)
 * I/O ports: 5 USB ports, 1 FireWire port, 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 56K modem, 1 8-in-1 memory card reader, 1 Express Card slot, 1 VGA output, 1 S-Video output, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, and 1 power adapter port

Inspiron 9300
The Dell Inspiron 9300 was a laptop that had either a 1.6, 1.73, 1.86, 2.0, 2.13 or 2.26 GHz Intel Pentium M processor and a 17" wide-screen (available in WXGA+ with a 1440 by 900 resolution and WUXGA with a 1920 by 1200 resolution). At the time, it also featured DDR2 memory, a new feature for laptops. Compared with the other Inspiron laptops, it is considered to be the "Entertainment Powerhouse".

The Inspiron 9300 was based loosely on its more expensive and more powerful big brother, the gaming-oriented Inspiron XPS Generation 2. With the right upgrades, the Inspiron 9300 can deliver most of the gaming power as the XPS Generation 2 at a much reduced cost. These upgrades start with the nVidia GeForce Go 6800 video card (or higher such as a GeForce 7800 GTX in later models), and continue with extra RAM, a 7200 RPM hard drive, and a Pentium M that is faster than the baseline 1.6 GHz speed.


 * Processor: Intel Pentium M 730, 740, 750, 760, 770 or 780
 * Memory: 256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB, or 2 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 533 MHz
 * Chipset: Intel 915PM Express
 * Graphics: integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics, nVidia GeForce Go 6800 Ultra or ATI Mobility Radeon X300
 * LCD Display: 17" widescreen with 1440 × 900 resolution, or 17" widescreen with 1920 × 1200 resolution
 * Hard Drive: 80 GB, 100 GB, 160 GB or 250 GB IDE at 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM
 * Optical Drive: 8X tray-load DVD+/-RW drive, 8X tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW
 * Battery: 6-cell (56 Whr), or 9-cell (85 Whr) lithium-ion
 * Bluetooth: Dell Wireless Internal 350
 * I/O Ports: 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 56K modem, 6 USB ports, 1 Firewire 400 port, 1 5-in-1 memory card reader, 1 PCMCIA Cardbus Slot, 1 VGA output, 1 S-Video port, 1 DVI output, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, and 1 power adapter port

Inspiron 9400/E1705
The top-of-the line Inspiron models in 2006, the Inspiron E1705 and Inspiron 9400 (non-US models) are essentially the same laptop but with a few minor differences in configuration. The Inspiron 9400 was basically a more up-to-date, redesigned version of the Inspiron 9300 with a few extra added features such as the Dell MediaDirect button which was left of the LED indicator lights next to the power button.

The system had a starting price of $999, since it was meant to be used as a portable media center rather than a gaming laptop, and it was also using a new memory technology called DDR2. The Inspiron E1705 tends to run hot on its underside, which might be the reason the graphics processor on some units overheats and burns out within a year because of inadequate cooling. This problem can sometimes be resolved by re-heating the solder joints under the GPU with the use of a hot air gun. On most accounts of users who have experienced this problem, it occurred after the warranty expired.

Note that while this model only officially supports 2 × 1 GB dual channel DDR2 it is possible to use 2 × 2 GB for a total of 4 GB. However you'll be limited to 3.2 GB due to a large reserved address space for I/O allocated by the BIOS and this whatever the operating system in use (including 64-bit versions of MS Windows and Linux).

Dell laptops (and others) have allocated space on the Hard Disk for utilities, for the Media Centre, and restoration. If changing hard disks (or SSD), see http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/


 * Processor: Intel Core Duo T2300, T2400, T2600, or Intel Core 2 Duo T5600, T7200, T7400 or T7600
 * Memory: 256MB, 512 MB, 1 GB, or 2 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 533 or 667 MHz.
 * Chipset: Intel GM945 or PM945(i945PM) Express
 * Graphics: integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics, nVidia GeForce Go 7800 (7900 GS in newer models) or ATI Mobility Radeon X1400.
 * LCD Display: 17" with 1440 × 900 resolution, 17" with 1440 × 900 resolution and TrueLife, or 17" UltraSharp with 1920 × 1200 resolution and TrueLife
 * Hard Drive: 80 GB, 160 GB or 250 GB SATA at 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM
 * Optical Drive: 8X tray-load DVD+/-RW drive, 8X tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW
 * Battery: 6-cell (56 Whr), or 9-cell (85 Whr) lithium-ion
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1500 802.11n mini-card or Intel Pro/Wireless 3945 802.11a/g mini-card
 * Bluetooth: Dell Wireless Internal 350
 * I/O Ports: 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 56K modem, 6 USB ports, 1 Firewire 400 port, 1 5-in-1 memory card reader, 1 Express Card slot, 1 VGA output, 1 S-Video port, 1 DVI output, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, and 1 power adapter port

Inspiron 1501
The Inspiron 1501 is a midsize, mainstream model with either a AMD Turion, AMD Sempron or AMD Athlon 64 X2 processor. This is Dell's first laptop to offer an AMD processor option.


 * Processor: AMD Sempron, Turion, Turion 64 or Athlon 64 X2
 * Memory: one or two 256MB, 512MB or 1GB PC-4200 DDR2 SDRAM @ 533 MHz or faster SODIMMs, shared dual channel. Reported by many users to support, unofficially, at least some 2GB and even 4GB SODIMMs with the last available BIOS, 2.6.3. 32-bit Windows can only use 2.6 GB on this machine; can utilize more with a 64-bit operating system
 * Chipset: ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 (RS485) northbridge with an ATI SB600 southbridge
 * Graphics: integrated ATI Radeon Xpress 1150
 * Display: 14.1" or 15.4" with 1280 × 800 resolution. Matte and slightly more expensive glossy variants supplied
 * Hard Drive: 60GB, 80 GB, 100 GB, 120 GB, 160 GB, 250 GB, 320 GB or 500 GB SATA at 5400 RPM. Incompatible with some, but not all, SSDs
 * Optical Drive: 8X tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW or DVD reader/CD recorder combo
 * Battery: 4-cell (27 Whr), 6-cell (56 Whr), 9-cell (85 Whr), or 12 cell lithium-ion
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1390 802.11b/g mini-card
 * I/O ports: 4 USB ports, 1 10/100 Ethernet port, 1 56K modem, 1 3-in-1 memory card reader, 1 Express Card slot, 1 VGA output, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, and 1 power adapter port.

Inspiron 1520/1521
Released on Dell's website on June 26, 2007, the Inspiron 1520/1521 was 15.4" mainstream laptop that weighed 6.40 lb. The Inspiron 1520 was based on the Intel Santa Rosa platform. It was replaced on January 11, 2008 by the Inspiron 1525 laptop, which was lighter, thinner, and featured a HDMI port, but no discrete graphics option.


 * Processor (1520): Intel Pentium Dual-Core T2310 or Core 2 Duo T5250, T5450, or T7100, T7250, T7500, T7300, T8100, T8300 or T9500
 * Processor (1521): AMD Athlon 64 X2 TK-55, or AMD Turion X2 TL-56, TL-58, TL-60 or TL64
 * Memory: 1 GB, 2 GB, 3 GB or 4 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 667 MHz or 800 MHz
 * Chipset (1520): Intel GM965 or PM965 Express
 * Graphics (1520): integrated Intel GMA X3100 or nVidia GeForce 8400M GS or 8600M GT (DDR2)
 * Graphics (1521): integrated ATI Radeon Xpress 1270
 * Display: 15.4" widescreen matte with 1280 × 800 resolution, glossy with 1280 × 800 resolution and TrueLife, glossy with 1440 × 900 resolution and TrueLife, glossy with 1680 × 1050
 * Hard Drive: 160 GB SATA at 5400 or 7200 RPM, or 120 GB SATA at 5400 or 7200 RPM
 * Optical Drive: 8X tray-load DVD+/-RW drive, 8X tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW, or 2X tray-load Blu-ray Disc Combo drive
 * Battery: 6-cell (56 Whr), or 9-cell (85 Whr) lithium-ion
 * Camera: 2 MP webcam with optional facial recognition software
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1390 802.11g, 1490 802.11a/g mini-card, or 1505 802.11n mini-card or Intel 3945 802.11a/g mini-card or Next-Gen 4965 802.11a/g/n mini-card
 * Bluetooth: Dell Wireless Bluetooth Internal 355 (2.0)
 * I/O ports: 4 USB ports, 1 FireWire port, 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 56K modem, 1 8-in-1 memory card reader, 1 Express Card slot, 1 VGA output, 1 S-Video output, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, and 1 power adapter port

Inspiron 1525
The Inspiron 1525 is a mid-sized (5.9 lb, 14.05" × 10.08" × 1.00"-1.48"), low-end replacement for the 1520. I is easy to change the CPU to a T7300 (2 GHz/4MB/800FSB) and 4 GiB of PC2-5300 and have a very fast machine with little expense, just by removing the access panels in the bottom of the unit. It has a 15.4" screen and features an HDMI connector. It was replaced on February 26, 2009 by the Inspiron 1545. It is also thinner and comes in a wider range of cover colors.

Inspiron 6000
The base model was shipped in 1st quarter 2005 with a 1.5 GHz (upgradeable up to 2.13 GHz) Intel Pentium M processor or a 1.3 GHz (upgradeable up to 1.5 GHz) Intel Celeron M processor, 256 MB RAM (upgradeable to 2 GB), 400/533 MHz FSB, Intel 915GM/PM chipset, an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (with up to 128 MB shared memory), 40 GB Ultra ATA hard drive (upgradeable), and a 15.4-inch WXGA wide-screen monitor. Both the Celeron M and Pentium M processors can work on the Inspiron 6000, so an Inspiron with the 1.3 GHz Celeron M can upgrade all the way to the 2.13 GHz Pentium M instead of being limited to the 1.5 GHz Celeron M upgrade. Like the Inspiron 9300, it featured DDR2 RAM. In comparison with other Inspiron models, the 6000 was considered the "versatile and affordable" member of the Dell notebook line.

The higher-priced Inspiron 6000D provided a dedicated graphics chip, the ATI Mobility Radeon X300 64 MB PCI Express x16 (upgradeable to 128 MB), which ran at a core speed of 300 MHz and DDR memory speed of 216 MHz.

The Inspiron 6000 was among the first notebooks to arrive on the market with Intel's new Sonoma technology. According to Dell, the Inspiron 6000 would deliver faster data processing, and users - particularly gamers and graphics pros-would see less audio and video choppiness, quicker task execution, less power consumption, and enhanced battery life as a result. The Inspiron 6000 notebook added features and "help" files, making it easier and faster to operate.

In addition, the Inspiron 6000 offered a number of improvements over the Inspiron 5160 which it replaced in Dell's home/small business line-up. Upgraded features included a 15.4 in wide-screen display (available in WXGA with a 1280×800 resolution, WSXGA+ with a 1680×1050 resolution and WUXGA with a 1920×1200 resolution), a slightly slimmer profile (although 2.5 cm wider) and a Manufacturer's bundle- (starter) memory cards that accommodated only a handful of photos.


 * Processor: Intel Celeron M 350, 360, or 370 or Pentium M 715A, 725A, 730, 740, 750, 760, or 770
 * Memory: 256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB, or 2 GB of DDR2 SDRAM @ 533 MHz
 * Chipset: Intel 915GM or 915PM Express
 * Graphics: integrated Intel GMA 900, or ATI Mobility Radeon X300
 * Display: 15.4", with 1280 × 800, or 1680 × 1050, or 1920 × 1200 resolution
 * Hard Drive: 40 GB or 60 GB Ultra ATA @ 5400 RPM
 * Optical Drive: 24x DVD/CDRW drive, 8X tray-load DVD+/-RW drive or 8X tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW
 * Battery: 6-cell (56 Whr), or 9-cell (85 Whr) lithium-ion
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1390 802.11b/g mini-card or Intel Pro/Wireless 2100 802.11b/g mini-card
 * I/O Ports: 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 56K modem, 4 USB ports, 1 Firewire 400 port, 1 SD memory card reader, 1 Express Card slot, 1 VGA output, 1 S-Video port, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, and 1 power adapter port

Inspiron 5150
The Dell Inspiron 5150 was released on June 11, 2003 as a desktop replacement, weighing over 7.5 pounds. It was purported to be the high end version of inspiron 5100 and designed to support the Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor up to 3.2 GHz, a high performance mobile processor architecture at the time, that first supported Intel Hyper-threading technology. The hyper-threading features of the processor were available only if the system board came with supporting firmware. Hyper-threading support had to be chosen at time of purchase and could not be enabled later by BIOS upgrades even though the processor supported it. The wireless networking was based on a closed broadcom chipset BCM4306.

The laptop was infamous for a huge number of design failures, overheating, battery failures, connector loosening, motherboard failures. The owners of Dell Inspiron 5150 initiated a class action lawsuit on Dell resulting in Lundell Settlement. On December 4, 2006 the United States District Court for the Northern District of California granted final approval to the settlement granting relief to the owners of Dell Inspiron 5150.


 * Processor: Mobile Intel Pentium 4 (2.4, 2.6, 2.8, 3.06, 3.2 GHz)
 * Memory: 2 SODIMM slots, with 256 MB RAM in base, expandable up to a maximum of 2 GB PC333 SDRAM, 1 GB in each slot
 * Chipset: Intel 852 PM chipset, which supported a 533 MT/s system bus (Quad Pumped 133 MHz)
 * Graphics: 4x AGP ATI Mobility Radeon 9000/Nvidia Geforce Go FX5200 which came with 32 or 64 MB DDR RAM
 * Display: 15.4" 1400×1050 SXGA+
 * Hard Drive: 1 bay with more than 20 GB 4200/5400 RPM Ultra-ATA/100 44 pin IDE ATA/EIDE/ATAPI
 * Optical Drive: CDRW (40x R, 24x W, 10x RW)
 * Sound: 18-bit AC97 sigmatel 9750
 * Battery: 6 cell 4400 mAh lithium-ion
 * Wi-Fi Card: mini-PCI slot with dell true-mobile 802.11b/g 1350
 * I/O Ports: 1 IEEE 1394 Firewire, 2 Hi-Speed USB, 1 external VGA, 1 S-video, 1 compact flash slot, 1 Fast Ethernet, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, and 1 power adapter port.

Inspiron 8600

 * Processor: Mobile Intel Pentium 4M (1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 GHz)
 * Memory: 2 SODIMM slots, basic model came with 256 MB RAM, expandable up to a maximum of 2 GB PC333 SDRAM, 1 GB in each slot.
 * Chipset: Intel 855PM, which supported a 400 MT/s system bus
 * Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce4 4200 Go, NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 / NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5650 which came with 32 or 64 MB DDR RAM
 * Display: 15.4" 1920 × 1200 WUXGA, 1680 × 1050, 1280 x 800
 * Hard Drive: 1 bay with more than 20 GB 4200/5400 RPM Ultra-ATA/100 44 pin IDE ATA/EIDE/ATAPI
 * Optical Drive: CDRW (40x R, 24x W, 10x RW)
 * Sound: 20-bit AC97 Intel 9750
 * Battery: 9 cell 6000 mAh lithium-ion
 * Wi-Fi Card: mini-PCI slot with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
 * I/O Ports: 1 IEEE 1394 Firewire, 2 Hi-Speed USB, 1 external VGA, 1 S-video / composite / SPDIF (via dongle), 1 Fast Ethernet, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, and 1 power adapter port

Inspiron 6400/E1505
(6.18 lb, 14" × 10.45" × 1.42"), mainstream models with an Intel Centrino or Core (Solo, Duo, or 2 Duo) at up to 2.16 GHz, 15.4" WXGA, WXGA+ or WSXGA+ display, SATA hard drive (up to 160 GB), and DDR2 SDRAM up to 2 (4 GB with new BIOS version (64 bit only)). Both models feature an integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, ATI Radeon X1300, ATI Radeon X1400, or NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300. Included are 7 multimedia buttons on the front. Offered with Ubuntu Linux, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, Windows XP Professional, or Windows Vista Business. May include Dell Media Direct. It was offered with optional Wireless N Intel OR Dell Wireless Mini-Lan Cards. It included a 53 WHr 6-Cell 4400 mAh Smart Lithium-Ion battery, the 85 WHr 9-Cell 6600 mAh Smart Lithium-Ion battery was included as an option which gave it 6 hours of general use with Wi-Fi.

Inspiron 1420
Released on Dell's website on June 26, 2007, the Dell Inspiron 1420 is a 14.1-inch lightweight laptop that weighs 5.4 lbs and is based on the Santa Rosa platform. Unlike its larger counterparts, the Inspiron 1520 and 1720, the Inspiron 1420 did not have an AMD variant. The media keys were located on top of the keyboard instead of on the front of the laptop. The Inspiron 1420 was replaced by the Inspiron 1440 on June 25, 2009.


 * Processor:: Intel Pentium Dual-Core T2310, T2390, T4200 or T4300, or Intel Core 2 Duo T5250, T5450, T5750 or T7100, T7250, T7300, T7500, T8100, T8300, T9300 or T9500.
 * Memory: 1 GB, 2 GB, 3 GB, 4 GB, or 6 GB of shared dual-channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667 MHz.
 * Chipset: Intel GM965 or PM965 Express
 * Graphics: integrated Intel GMA X3100 or nVidia GeForce 8400M GS with 128MB dedicated graphic memory
 * Display: 14.1" widescreen with 1280 × 800 resolution, 14.1" widescreen with 1280 × 800 resolution and TrueLife, 14.1" UltraSharp widescreen with 1440 × 900 resolution and TrueLife
 * Hard Drive: 80 GB, 160 GB, 250 GB or 320 GB SATA at 5400 RPM. 160 GB SATA at 7200 RPM.
 * Optical Drive: 8X tray-load DVD+/-RW drive, 8X tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW or 2X tray-load Blu-ray Disc Combo drive
 * Battery: 6-cell (56 Whr), or 9-cell (85 Whr) lithium-ion
 * Camera: 2 MP webcam with optional facial recognition software
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1390 802.11g mini-card, 1490 802.11a/g mini-card, or 1505 802.11n mini-card, Intel Pro/Wireless 3945 802.11a/g mini-card, or Intel Next-Gen 4965 802.11a/g/n mini-card
 * Bluetooth: Dell Wireless Bluetooth Internal 355 (2.0)
 * I/O ports: 4 USB ports, 1 FireWire port, 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 56K modem, 1 8-in-1 memory card reader, 1 Express Card slot, 1 VGA output, 1 S-Video output, 2 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, and 1 power adapter port

Inspiron 1420s purchased in the United States between May 2007 – September 30, 2008 that are suffering from a defective nVidia GeForce 8400M GS Graphics chip may be covered under The NVIDIA GPU Litigation. Note that systems sold outside the United States were offered a 1 year limited warranty extension to any existing service warranty.

Inspiron 6400/E1405

 * see Dell Inspiron E1405

The Inspiron 14" notebook configurable with components similar to the E1505 (excluding the dedicated GPU options) but a bit smaller in total size. The E1405 at the time of release is known for its excellent battery life (which under optimum conditions exceeds five hours with a six-cell battery and well over eight hours with a slightly more expensive, optional nine-cell battery). The main attraction of this laptop is its price. For gamers, the E1405 comes standard with a Mobile Intel(R) 945GM Express Chipset Family, which in most cases will not be enough for most new high end games. Also, it is near impossible to add a new graphics card because this chipset is integrated, therefore you cannot add a new graphics card unless you get a new motherboard. Otherwise most other system specifications are rather basic, if you want serious media on the machine you will have to buy some things, the easiest (and most in-expensive) route is to buy system RAM for the computer. Dell claims that its maximum supported memory is 2 GB, however E1405's have been known to accept up to 4 GB of memory.


 * Processor: Intel Core Duo T2050, or Intel Core 2 Duo T5500, T5600, or T7200, or T7400
 * Memory: 1 GB, 2 GB, 3 GB, or 4 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 667 MHz
 * Chipset: Intel 945GM Express
 * Graphics: integrated Intel GMA 950
 * Display: 14.1" widescreen with 1280 × 800 resolution, with 1280 × 800 resolution and TrueLife, with 1440 × 900 resolution and TrueLife
 * Hard Drive: 80 GB or 100 GB or 120 GB SATA at 5400 RPM
 * Optical Drive: 8X tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW
 * Battery: 6-cell (56 Whr), or 9-cell (85 Whr) Lithium Ion Inspiron 640m
 * Camera: 2 MP webcam with optional facial recognition software
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1390 802.11g mini-card or 4965 802.11n mini-card
 * Bluetooth: Dell Wireless Bluetooth Internal 350
 * I/O ports: 4 USB ports, 1 FireWire port, 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 56K modem, 1 5-in-1 memory card reader, 1 Express Card slot, 1 VGA output, 1 S-Video output, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, and 1 power adapter port.



List of Dell Inspiron models

 * 1000
 * 1100(see Inspiron 1150 note)
 * 1110
 * 1150
 * 1050
 * 1200 (see Inspiron 1000 note)
 * 1300
 * 1318
 * 1320
 * 1370
 * 13R (N3010)
 * 1410
 * 1420
 * 1425
 * 1427
 * 1440
 * 1464
 * 1470
 * 14R (N4010)
 * 1501
 * 1505
 * 1520
 * 1521
 * 1525
 * 1526
 * 1545
 * 1546
 * 1564
 * 1570
 * 15R (N5010)
 * 1720
 * 1721
 * 1750
 * 1764
 * 17R (N7010)
 * 2000
 * 2100
 * 2200
 * 2500
 * 2600
 * 2650
 * 3000
 * 300m
 * 3200
 * 3500
 * 3520
 * 3589
 * 3700
 * 3800
 * 4000
 * 4030
 * 4100
 * 4150
 * 5000
 * 5000e
 * 500m
 * 5100 (see Inspiron 1150 note)
 * 510m
 * 5150 (see Inspiron 1150 note)
 * 5160 (see Inspiron 1150 note)
 * 6000
 * 600m
 * 630m
 * 6400
 * 640m
 * 7000
 * 700m
 * 710m
 * 5520
 * 7720
 * 7500
 * 8000
 * 8100
 * 8200
 * 8500
 * 8600
 * 9100
 * 9200
 * 9300
 * 9400
 * B120
 * B130
 * E1405
 * E1505
 * E1705
 * M301Z
 * M5010 (M501R)
 * M5040 (August 2011)
 * X200

Rebadging
In the past Dell has modified some existing Inspiron machines to produce computers of higher or lower quality. Note for example the first-generation Inspiron XPS and Inspiron 9100 (2004–2006). Both machines (non-base) shared the same options in processors (Intel Pentium 4 HT "Prescott"), RAM (DDR 400 MHz), hard-drives (Ultra-ATA 5400/7200 RPM), wireless cards, LCD screens (at 15.4-inches; WXGA, WSXGA+, WUXGA) and graphics cards (ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 64 MB/128 MB), as well as the same chassis. Dell marketed the XPS as an "ultimate gaming machine", while marketing the 9100 as a "desktop replacement". The Inspiron 9100 is a rebadged XPS; the only difference between the two is the LCD Panel. Although both support a 15.4 Samsung LCD, only later models of the 9100 (3.2 GHz) use the identical LCD screen (Dell Part #s 7T774/W3866). The Samsung LCD Panel supports 1920×1200. Previous 2.8-3.0 GHz Inspiron 9100 use a lesser panel with resolutions of 1280×800 (Dell Part # Y0316).

Overheating
Reference: [http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=cc_faq&message.id=329 Dell's Official statement: the Lundell Settlement. Dell Inspiron 5150 only]

In 2003, Dell released several lines of Inspiron notebooks that had overheating issues. The systems would overheat and could cause damage to the microprocessor, video card, and motherboard. These systems would also randomly shut down due to high internal temperatures. Overheating in these Inspiron systems is mainly caused by performance-consuming tasks and software. This problem was determined to be due to the design of the air-flow from the bottom of the system. It would draw in dirt/dust and clog the heat sink, making air unable to pass through in order to cool the system. Affected models include the Dell Inspiron 1100, 1150, 5100, 5150, and 5160. Also affected is the Latitude 100L, a near-clone of these models.

Dell acknowledged this problem and designed a new fan with a better heatsink and heatpipes to provide better cooling with less noise. Any repairs made at this point will include the redesigned parts.

On September 20 Inspiron 5150 owners in the US brought a class action against Dell. The settlement included 100% cash reimbursement for certain repairs, and an extended limited warranty to cover those types of repairs that become necessary for one year.

Following the lawsuit detailed above, in October 2006 customers who had purchased Dell Inspiron 1100, 1150, 5100, 5150, and 5160 notebooks filed a class action lawsuit against Dell, alleging misconduct in connection with the design, manufacture, warranting, advertising and selling of these computers. A similar action started in Canada.

Overheating has been reduced by using compressed air duster spray. Spraying the keyboard, the Microprocessor Thermal-Cooling Assembly located under the "I" - "backspace" keys, rear air vent/exhaust, bottom air intake, and side air vent {all located on the right side of affected systems)have been effective in reducing the running temperature from a normal operating temperature of 77-87°C to 45-55°C under average load.

Alternately, some users of these affected models found relief by underclocking their processors

Motherboard


On a number of Inspiron 5150 and Latitude 100L systems, a design flaw in the positioning of a tab on the C panel on the underside of the laptop has led to problems. Any pressure applied to the top left hand corner of the laptop causes this tab to press against the motherboard and in particular against the "LVC14A" chip. This causes the solder between this chip and the motherboard to break. This causes sudden shut-downs of the system as a result of any movement of the laptop; in certain cases the laptop will not re-boot at all. Dell has redesigned later models of the 5150 to avoid this problem. Some models reveal cases where someone has manually snapped off the tab from the C panel by hand during the manufacturing process. Dell covers this fault in the USA under the Lundell Settlement, although it is not known whether Dell will fix this fault free of charge outside the USA. In January 2007 a similar lawsuit started in Canada, and Dell in the Netherlands has agreed to repair Dutch computers following criticism in the consumer programme Kassa.

This has also been a problem with the Inspiron 1150, with the same chip giving problems with broken solder. Re-soldering is not recommended. Re-heating the pins can re-establish the connection and solve the power-off problem at the expense of possibly losing the use of the touch-pad mouse.

Battery recall of 2006
Dell posted notices to many of their laptop customers on August 14, 2006, saying that the Sony batteries on the following models could combust, or even explode:

Latitude: D410, D500, D505, D510, D520, D600, D610, D620, D630, D800, D810

Inspiron: 6000, 6400, 8500, 8600, 9100, 9200, 9300, 500m, 510m, 600m, 6400, E1505, 700m, 710m, 9400, E1705

XPS: XPS, XPS Gen2, XPS M170, XPS M1710

Precision: M20, M60, M70, M90

Users of many of these computers purchased between April 2004 and July 18, 2006 received the recommendation that they should remove the batteries and run their computers on AC power until replacements arrived. Problematic batteries made by Sony led to recall programs at other laptop computer companies as well, including Hitachi, Toshiba, Lenovo (IBM) and Apple.

Power supply issues
Most Dell laptop computers have a special external power supply (PSU) which cannot be replaced by a third-party universal supply. The PSU has what's called UniqueWare Add-Only Memory, known under type DS2501. It is a parasitic power circuit memory chip connected to the center identification pin in the plug, via a 2m long unshielded wire alongside the PSU cable. This chip produces a special signal using a 1 wire communication protocol known as "1-wire" in identifying the PSU as an original Dell PSU. This chip handles all the data needed to authenticate a charge. If a power supply not made by Dell is used, or the cable near the connector becomes damaged as is not infrequent after some use, the PSU stops charging the battery and the CPU runs slower, although the computer can be used indefinitely so long as it remains plugged in. If this problem is present at startup, the message "The AC power adapter type cannot be determined. Your system will operate slower and the battery will not charge" is displayed. This will continue until the external PSU is replaced. A few third-party suppliers make power supplies with specific provision for Dell computers at lower prices than Dell's. It is possible to work round the slowdown, but not the battery charging, by installing a CPU clock utility. On some models (the 9100 for instance), the problem can be worked around by starting the computer without a battery installed and fitting the battery after the computer has booted.

Another problem arises after much use with the motherboard power connector; flap-like metal parts which contact the outside of the plug lose their tension and fail to make contact so that power does not reach the computer. The "official" solution is to replace the connector on the motherboard, which requires partial dis-assembly of the computer and desoldering a part with several pins; many companies charge a considerable sum for the work involved. Various simple alternatives have been suggested; for example a thin "skin" of solder on the outside of the barrel of the connector on the PSU (with care not to overheat the connector's plastic parts; and this thickened connector should not be used with other, not faulty Dell laptops, as it will stretch the springs and damage or even overheat the plug and socket assembly, causing them to melt or bond permanently).

One other problem can happen with the wattage rating of the power supply. There are 2 Dell power supplies that were used for different Inspiron models which have the same plug assembly and voltage, a 65 watt supply model PA-6 and a 90 watt supply model PA-9. Some models {for example the Inspiron 1100) shipped with a PA-9. If a PA-6 (or equivalent aftermarket supply) is used in these models then the system might not boot at times. In such cases, it will light the battery light for a few seconds when the supply is plugged in. This can also happen if the power supply becomes marginal. Marginal supplies can show as supplying full voltage even if tested with a volt meter while the supply is plugged into the computer and an attempt is made to turn on the computer.

These problems are discussed in detail, and solutions and workarounds suggested, in a discussion on Tom's hardware site, and on The Laptop Junction site.

Hibernation sensor problem
A problem exists with the hibernation sensor located in some older laptops. Unlike many laptops that use a mechanical switch to detect when the lid is closed, in these systems the sensor is a magnetic reed switch that is located between the touchpad and the front edge of the laptop. There is a magnet that is located in the top lid above this switch, and when the lid is closed the magnet triggers the reed switch. If the magnet loses strength then the system will not go into suspend or hibernation if the lid is closed. The magnet strength can be checked by running a paper clip along the top edge of the screen. A worse problem happens if the reed switch fails. Sometimes the switches will fail in a closed position with the contacts sticking together. In that case the system will not switch on. There are several ways to check for this. First the laptop can be partially disassembled and the mouse assembly can be unplugged from the system board and the system switched on. If the system boots with the mouse unplugged then it is the switch. Another way to check for the problem is by running a magnet over the reed switch, there should be a faint click when the magnet triggers the switch. This does not require disassembly but the magnet must be in the correct position and be strong enough. Some people have modified the circuitry of the laptop by cutting the switch off of the assembly, with the downside being the system will no longer suspend if the lid is closed.

Vertical line LCD problem
Some 17" Inspiron 8600, 9200, 9300, 6000, 1750, and XPS Gen 2 notebook LCDs have a vertical line manufacturing defect. Symptoms range from individual lines to entire bars of the screen with inverted colors. Most problems showed after 2–4 years of usage.

Dell has been very reluctant to replace these panels after guarantee, although there was a direct link to the defective parts from their suppliers. Even warranty customers have had difficulty getting replacements, and replaced screens often develop the defect after a short time. 

Desktop models
On June 26, 2007, Dell released the new Inspiron desktop series as a replacement to the Dell Dimension chain. The Inspiron marks Dell's return to a MicroATX case and motherboard with one exception: the I/O panel is not removable. As a result, motherboard upgrades are nearly impossible without modifying the case.

Inspiron 400 (Zino HD)
Launched online on November 12, 2009, the Inspiron 400, more commonly known as the Inspiron Zino HD is an Ultra Small Form Factor desktop like the Studio Hybrid. It is in an 8" by 8" form factor and has a similar form factor to the computers made by Shuttle. There are several customer reports about devices tending to overheat and shutting down randomly.


 * Processor: AMD Athlon 64 2650e, 2680e or AMD Athlon 64 X2 3250e or 6850e.
 * Memory: 2 GB, 3 GB, 4 GB, 6 GB, 8 GB, 32 MB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 800 MHz
 * Chipset: AMD RS780G
 * Graphics: integrated ATI 3200 or ATI Radeon HD 4330 with 512 MB of graphics memory
 * Hard Drive: 250 GB, 320 GB, 500 GB, 640 GB, 750 GB or 1 TB SATA at 7200 RPM
 * Optical Drive: 8X dual-layer DVD+/-RW or 2X Blu-ray Disc Combo
 * Wi-Fi Card: optional Dell 1397 802.11 b/g Wireless Card or Dell 1520 802.11 a/b/g/n Wireless Card
 * I/O ports: 4 USB 2.0 ports, 2 eSATA ports, 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack, 1 line-out connector, 1 gigabit ethernet port, 1 VGA output and 1 HDMI output

Inspiron 537s
The Inspiron 537s is simply the slim version of the Inspiron 537 with similar features. It replaces the Inspiron 530s. The Inspiron 537s is limited to an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 whereas the Inspiron 537 can be customized with up to a Core 2 Quad Q9400. Because of its slim form factor, it only has one optical drive. The other hardware configuration options are identical to those of the Inspiron 537. The memory is only upgradeble to 4 GB.


 * Processor: Intel Celeron 450, Intel Celeron Dual-Core E5100, Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5200, Intel Core 2 Duo E5300, E7500 or E8400 or Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200
 * Memory: 2 GB, 3 GB, or 4 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 800 MHz.
 * Chipset: Intel G41 Express
 * Graphics: integrated Intel GMA X4500 or ATI Radeon HD 4350 with 512 MB of graphics memory
 * Hard Drive: 320 GB, or 500 GB SATA at 7200 RPM.
 * Optical Drive: 8X dual-layer DVD+/-RW drive or 2X Blu-ray Disc Combo drive.
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1505 802.11n mini-card with external antenna.
 * I/O ports: 4 USB 2.0 ports, 1 FireWire port (optional), 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 56K modem (optional), 1 VGA output, 1 HDMI output (with ATI Radeon HD 4350), 1 headphone jack, 2 microphone jacks, 1 line-in connector, 1 line-out connector, 1 19-in-1 memory card reader (optional), and 1 power cable connector.

Inspiron 545
The Inspiron 545 is a non-configurable mini-tower desktop that only retails at BestBuy and the Dell Outlet.


 * Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E7400, or Core 2 Quad Q8300, Q9300, or Q9400
 * Memory: 2 GB, 3 GB, 4 GB, 6 GB or 8 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 800 MHz
 * Chipset: Intel G31 Express
 * Graphics: integrated Intel GMA 3100, ATI Radeon HD 4350 or Nvidia GeForce GT220
 * Hard Drive: 750 GB or 1 TB SATA at 7200 RPM
 * Optical Drive: 8X dual-layer DVD+/-RW
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1505 802.11n mini-card with external antenna
 * I/O ports: 6 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 56K modem, 1 VGA output, 1 HDMI output, 1 19-in-1 memory card reader, 1 headphone jack, 2 microphone jacks, 1 line-in connector, 1 line-out connector and 1 power cable connector

Inspiron 545s
The Inspiron 545s is the slimmer version of the Inspiron 545. Like its mini-tower cousin, the Inspiron 545s is non-configurable and only retails at BestBuy and the Dell Outlet


 * Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E7400.
 * Memory: 2 GB, 3 GB, 4 GB or 6 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 800 MHz
 * Chipset: Intel G33 Express
 * Graphics Processor: integrated Intel GMA 3100 graphics or ATI Radeon HD 4350 or a Nvidia GT 220
 * Hard drive: 250 GB, 500 GB or 750 GB SATA at 7200 RPM
 * Optical drive: 8× dual-layer DVD+/-RW
 * Wi-Fi card: none
 * I/O ports: six USB 2.0 ports, one Fast Ethernet port, one 56K modem, one VGA output, one headphone jack, two microphone jacks, one line-in connector, one line-out connector and one power cable connector

Inspiron 546
This model quietly went on sale on Dell's website and replaced the Inspiron 537. It features AMD processors.


 * Processor: AMD Sempron LE-1300, AMD Athlon LE-1660, AMD Athlon X2 7550, AMD Phenom X3 8650 or 8750 or AMD Phenom X4 9750.
 * Memory: 2 GB, 3 GB, 4 GB, 6 GB or 8 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 800 MHz
 * Chipset: AMD 780G chipset
 * Graphics: integrated ATI Radeon 3200 graphics, ATI Radeon HD 3450, HD 4350 or nVidia GeForce GT 220.
 * Hard Drive: 320 GB, 500 GB, 640 GB, 750 GB or 1 TB SATA at 7200 RPM or 640 GB, 750 GB or 1 TB SATA @ 7200 RPM w/DataSafe
 * Optical Drive: 16X dual-layer DVD+/-RW drive, 2X Blu-ray Disc Combo drive or Blu-ray Disc Burner
 * Wi-Fi Card: Dell Wireless 1505 802.11n mini-card with external antenna
 * I/O ports: 4 USB 2.0 ports, 1 FireWire port (optional), 1 Fast Ethernet port, 1 56K modem (optional), 1 VGA output, 1 HDMI output (with ATI Radeon HD 4350), 1 headphone jack, 2 microphone jacks, 1 line-in connector, 1 line-out connector, 1 19-in-1 memory card reader (optional), and 1 power cable connector