Ultralight Dell Studio 14

http://gizmodo.com/5271819/dell-joins-the-budget-ultrathin-party-with-14+inch-649-studio-14z

Looks like a great laptop with nice high resolution options and a powerful integrated graphics solution.

Product Page

 

I wish they had done a 13" instead to compete with the macbook

I WAS going to say ahh damnt right after I order the studio 15 but really I think the screen real estate and dvd burner are important for why I bought it

but if THATs the midnight blue I'm getting on my studio 15 i'll be VERY happy

 

Interesting that they chose the nVidia 9400M as the dedicated graphics card. The previous Studio models have all done pretty well with ATi, and nVidia cards are known for running warmer. Not what you want in a smaller 14" notebook.

Also interesting that all 3 configurations on the website are identical, even though at the bottom, one says "2 year warranty" and stuff like that.

 

Yeah I noticed that too

I think I'll buy one if after seeing it in person it's thin like the macbook

 

Looks interesting, but suddenly I have lost some of my regard for the Gizmodo website...... seriously, did they need to refer to graphics card comparison with the use of vulgar language.

 

Not bad. Will it be sold in Europe?

 

Most 14-inch notebooks have an optical drive (Acer Timeline 4810t). Even a standard drive would fit here as it isn't really thin per say. You would definitely be able to get a slot-loading one in this chassis. It's thicker then the Macbook it's targeting. But I don't mind the omission at this price.

And what the hell is up with the port arrangements? If i'm gonna have to power an external high-speed optical drive (Lightscribe or otherwise), i'll need two USB ports side by side.

Edit:

The tapered front/rounded edges make it look like a larger netbook at this thickness (including the screen bezel). Consequently the new Lenovo U350 is thinner with better port arrangements.
Albeit the performance seems solid enough. Hope this makes it to the UK though without that much of an increase in price.

 

Looking at Dell Studio series service manual, turns out that there are two 14" Studio series: Studio 1435 (16:10 screen, PM/GM965 chipset, ATI 3450 or GMA X3100, internal optical drive) and this Studio 1440 or Studio 14z (16:9 screen, nVidia MCP79MX chipset, GeForce 9400M G, w/o internal optical drive).

Interesting there is a Hall Sensor Board inside the Studio 14z. Can anybody explain what sort of 'creature' is this?

 

so the 900p screen is 1600x900, right?
another let down is no card reader...
yes, it is optional but it's a deal breaker for me... I don't always have a USB cable with me when I take photos...arg that sucks!

 

Looks pretty awesome. I'm glad they chose 14" instead of 13.3 actually- I still think it competes with the Macbook because, despite having a bigger screen, it's apparently lighter (4.2lbs compared to 4.5). I don't really care about the optical drive, I can't remember the last time I used a CD in my computer; everything I do now just needs a USB stick.

lottdot, I also just ordered a studio 15 like 3 days ago, lol. But that's okay, the 15 at least has a bigger screen and better graphics.

 

If you mean the colour that is inbetween the purple and pink, that is not what you will get when you order midnight blue, it is MUCH darker, or atleast my studio 15 is.

 

Personally, I'm disappointed with all these new laptops coming out without optical drives. Not only does work/school require me to have one (they always seem to be the last to adopt new tech "standards"), but I still have a lot of media/software on DVD/CDs that I use on a consistent basis. Hopefully Dell comes out with a new 13" laptop soon that doesn't skimp on the optical drive or processor power (another trend that a bunch of other companies are doing that's pissing me off).

 

I like the looks of this...but I want to see some reviews on this. The starting price doesn't seem so bad. Now, for a 13"


Cin

 

Vostro 1320 would do all of this.

 

This thing has some damn weird options. Only 3GB or 5GB DDR3 memory (5GB being a $400 upgrade, by the way), Pentium Dual-Core standard, and only two low-end C2D's to upgrade to, 8-cell battery...

Also, no optical drive somewhat defeats the purpose of the Studio series, which is made for multimedia.

I like the idea of a 14" Studio notebook, but I think this 14z model comes up short.

-16:9 display ratio, which is only good for widescreen movies, and yet no optical drive to watch movies from

-Very limited configuration options. Starting with a Pentium Dual-Core, and with only two processor upgrades. Also, only 3 or 5GB DDR3 RAM configurations, the latter being a $400 upgrade.

-Only Dell 1397 and 1515 WiFi cards, no Intel options.

And yet this thing costs as much as the 1555, and weighs nearly as much too? Oops.

 

I believed this is because Studio 14z uses NVIDIA MCP79MX chipset which is not supported by Intel WiFi Link series cards.

There are few posters with non-Intel based chipset notebooks mentioning that they cannot make the Intel WiFi cards to work on their systems.

 

I think it has 1GB soldiered onboard and 1 memory slot, explaining the 3GB/5GB situation. 1366x768 resolution is fairly normal for 13/14" laptops, and 1600x900 is actually very good. As far as weight, this is under 4.5lbs, so it's at least 1lb under the weight of 1555.

 

When I configure the Studio 14 I have the following Processor options:

Intel Pentium Dual Core T4200
Intel Core 2 Duo T6400
Intel Core 2 Duo T6600
Intel Core 2 Duo P8600
Intel Core 2 Duo T9550

Is it the same for you MasterShroom?

 

Engadget Hands On

 

Looks like the P8600/T9550 were just added as options for me.

Overall looks like a nice 14inch, but I question the lack of an optical drive for a 16:9 screen.

 

I agree, that was not a wise decision.

 

somehow, wimax card option is amissing?
overall, i like the design and configuration of studio 14, unlike the dell xps line,
studio line is run by tech professionals.
studio 14z is going to be another hit follows dell studio 15 and studio 17.

 

What's with the RAM configuration? 3GB and 5GB? How does it work on a dual channel system?

 

1GB onboard and one additional slot (where you can get up to a 4GB card), so 5GB possible.

 

I thought dual channel works best if you have the same RAM module installed on both slots. Would 1GB onboard + 2GB card still be able to take advantage of the dual channel system?

By the way, if there is an option for a 9500M discrete card, I would buy this immediately. There is not reason why it can't be done. The Studio XPS 13 has it, even though it's small and has an optical drive. There should be a lot room in this Studio 14z.

 

I bet the lack of a 9600M was possibly a heating issue. Nvidia cards tend to run much hotter than their ATI counterparts.

 

I think the benefits of dual channel vs. single channel are not noticeable. 9600m would be way too hot for this. Remember that this is a thin chassis and the Studio XPS 13 has a 9200m + 9400 G, NOT a 9600M.

 

Someone from work might be ordering this....and this will be nice!
As, I would get to play around with it for a bit ~ and see if I really likey!




Cin

 

Yeah, I've been looking at the Vostro 1320, but early reports seem to say the speakers suck, which would be close to a deal-killer, as I use my current laptop to watch/listen to movies/music (I unfortunately don't own, nor really want/need to buy separate speakers). I'm really hoping Dell releases a refresh of the Inspiron 13 soon (like before July), b/c I would snatch one up if it had an updated processor (a P8xxx-series) and graphics card (Intel 4500).

 

I would want dual channel with an integrated GPU even if the benefits are minimal. And why the heck would they solder it on anyway?!? It just doesn't make any sense.

 

Very thin and looks good. This has by far been one of the best years for 14" notebooks.

 

Yeah I'm still glad I ordered a 15" because I really needed something powerful as more of a home/desktop computer until I get a main desktop. The upside is I get to delay the purchase of a desktop which means when I do buy it, it'll be waaay better for the same $$

I will wait 6 months and hopefully it'll have optical (yes we need it!), be thinner and have a tv tuner

 

I believe the hall sensor helps the computer know when the lid is open or shut so it can go to sleep or wake up. The hall sensor under the palm rest detects when the magnet (in the display) is close and then activates either wake or sleep accordingly.

 

Oh... Thanks for explaining. I never figure out what that sensor is supposed to be.

 

I always assumed it was for teachers, to let them know when students are goofing off in the hall when they're supposed to be in class.

A fairly specialized feature, but as long as I wasn't paying extra for it I didn't mind.

 

Nice.......