The Dell Studio 17 is a full-featured multimedia laptop that borders on “desktop replacement” territory both in terms of its hardware specs, and its size. While a 17-inch laptop will probably only appeal to a limited segment of the market, Dell is looking to expand the reach of the Studio 17 by offering a number of customization options. Is the Studio 17 a big value, or does it fail to make the most of its ample proportions?
Positives
Dell’s focus shift from solid but boring laptops to a more stylish and individualized approach is well underway, and the Studio 17 represents another step in the company’s evolution. Unlike most other large laptops, the Studio 17 actually manages to look fairly sleek, sort of like a larger version of Dell’s XPS series laptops. A huge number of color and design options are available, from solid color schemes to more specialized motifs. Some of these, combined with the Studio 17’s size, make for a very flashy-looking laptop, which may appeal to some users (or drive some away).
There’s also quite a bit of choice available when it comes to the Studio 17’s hardware setup. A unit with an Intel Core i5 processor, multitouch screen, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive costs about $1500, which is a good value for that much power. Configurations with up to 8GB of RAM are also available.
Negatives
In terms of hardware and design quality, the Studio 17 delivers mostly what users would expect. If there’s a complaint to be made, it’s that although some very high-end hardware options are available, the most powerful graphics card available is an ATI Radeon HD3650. This card should handle most video-related tasks, but it also rules out modern gaming for the most part.
The Bottom Line
The Dell Studio 17 is one of the best-looking 17-inch laptops ever created. Its performance is also very good, especially considering its reasonable price point. The Studio 17 should appeal to anyone who’s looking for desktop replacement-type features without having to settle for the boxy, bulky style that laptops of this type usually sport.
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