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It all depends on what size you want your laptop. The 1420 is just a smaller version of the 1520, which means it's better for mobility. I'm not really into 14 inch laptops though, so I would go with the 1520.
I think the 14" will be a hot seller. Its still has a decent size and yet not too bulky/heavy. You see most manufacturers coming out with new 14" models now. The design is not completely the same as the 15" Inspiron. The 15" has its media buttons on the front whereas the 14" has the media buttons near the bottom of the display above the keyboard.. From the pictures, it appears the speakers are just above the media buttons on the 14" and right below the display.. I have not figured out where the speakers are positioned on the 15".
There are definintely many design differences between these too. I ordered a 14" model since I usually have my laptop, on my lap. A 15" definitely is something more to carry around. I ordered the hi resolution screen which is reported to be really a great looking display.
If you are into gaming, the 15" has a much better graphics option then the 14". I think the 15" is a bit less expensive as well.. Mainly since it always cost more to build smaller form factor notebooks.
Coming from two different 12" VAIOs I went for the 1420. My fiancee has an E1505 (where I am typing from now) and personally it's too big and heavy for what I want. I travel for work and want to be able to take my personal lapop with me, so size is important. The other thing that's important is resolution and since the 1420 has the same 1280x800 anti-glare resolution that the 1520 does, there was no real benefit to getting the 1520 (save for the upgraded graphics but doubt I'll really need them at 1280x800 anyway).
But I will tell you what with the current deals going on I built both a 1420 and a 1520 at almost the exact same ~$1150 shipped.
Unless you're a complete weenie and carrying around that extra 1 whole inch will shatter your vertebrae and tear all your ligaments in half or something.
If you're not planning carrying it around a lot, either one is fine. Its less that 1 exrtra inch than the extra lb or so that you'll end up carrying because of the bigger size. If you're going to be a college student, shedding every little bit of weight of your bag will be totally worth it. Otherwise.. than it just depends.
1420 = portability, and possibly slightly better battery, while the 1520 gives a better video card option
When it's available in Ireland I'll go with 1420, simply cause it looks better, 1520's front looks like a boat or something, 1420 looks like a sports car, lower on the front, i like it's bigger vents on the left, it has less plastic around it, I'm a big worried about the screen size though, if I go with 1440x900 it might be a bit too much, 1400x1050 on my 15" 5160 was perfect, not sure how 1440x900 will compare to it on a 14" screen.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.
