CNET editors' review

With its latest Inspiron update, Dell adds some major improvements, both inside and outside, to its workhorse line of laptops. And in the case of the Inspiron 1420, Dell has introduced a new screen size--a spacious yet portable 14-inch wide screen. The 1420's baseline price is a reasonable $819 and offers a host of upgrade options--everything from Blu-ray drives to Intel's latest Centrino Duo processors--that make the Inspiron line one of the most flexible systems out there. Our review unit packed in a discrete graphics chip, a Centrino Duo CPU, and mobile broadband from Sprint, driving the price up to nearly $1,700. You can configure a well-equipped system for much closer to the baseline price, however, that would prove more than adequate for most mainstream users. The Inspiron 1420 isn't nearly as attractive as Dell's other new laptop, the higher-end XPS m1330, but it still improves on the last-generation Inspiron's biggest flaw--its bulky, boxy chassis.

While Dell is offering similarly revamped version of its 15- and 17-inch Inspiron laptops, the 14-inch 1420 model is a new addition. We continue to see vendors--Lenovo with its ThinkPad T61, Gateway with its E-265M, and Sony with its VGN-CR190--redefining their mainstream laptops as 14 inches instead of 15 inches. We welcome this trend; after working with 14-inch laptops for a time, we find that they offer the optimal balance between portability and usability.

The new look for Inspiron is an evolution rather than a revolution, offering softer, rounded edges and a thinner lid while scrapping the two-tone, white-on-silver design that never looked particularly inspiring. Instead, you get your choice of eight different colors for the back of the lid. Our Ruby Red model, which looked an awful lot like the Crimson Red on the 13-inch XPS m1330, had an appealing satin finish that seemed to be virtually fingerprint-proof. If you fear colorful laptops, black and white are also options for the lid.

The basic Dell laptop keyboard remains unchanged and is comfy to type on, but we were pleased to see the old Inspiron's excessively chunky mouse buttons reduced to a more manageable size, along with small square media control buttons replacing the older round ones, which were notoriously hard to hit. A 2.0-megapixel Webcam sits above the screen, or you could forgo it and save $30. Like the XPS m1330m, a small, credit-card-size remote control that pops into card slot on the side.

The 14.1-inch wide-screen LCD display offers a 1,440x900 native resolution, which is a $50 upgrade Dell offers over the standard 1,280x800 screen (standard on both 14- and 15-inch laptops). For a screen this size, the difference is honestly negligible, but people working with digital photos, for example, may want the slightly higher resolution. Neither screen would be able to play back Blu-ray movies in full 1080p resolution.

Our review unit was tricked out with every networking option under the sun. While you can order the Inspiron 1420 with just a basic 802.11g Wi-Fi card, we had Draft N Wi-Fi , Bluetooth, and mobile broadband from Sprint (AT&T and Verizon are also available). The EV-DO cards are an extra $150, but all the major carriers offer some kind of rebate with a service plan.

While older, non-Santa Rosa CPUs are also available, they knock only $100 off the cheapest Centrino Duo option. We suggest choosing one of the three Core 2 Duo 7000-series chips that feature Centrino Duo's faster 800MHz frontside bus. Trading the integrated graphics up to an Nvidia GeForce 8400 is likewise $100. Add in options such as Bluetooth ($20) and a second GB of RAM ($150), and the $819 starting price can easily climb.

Our Inspiron 1420 featured a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 CPU, and compared to other similarly configured systems, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad T61 and the Gateway E-265M, the performance differences were negligible, especially in CNET Labs' Photoshop CS2 and iTunes encoding tests, where less than 20 seconds separated these three 14-inch laptops. It's a point we harp on, but any current Centrino Duo laptop will be able to easily handle the multiple simultaneous tasks (Web surfing, media playback, document editing, and so forth) that average users engage in on a regular basis, and the Dell Inspiron 1420 was no exception.

The only discrete graphics option available, the 128MB Nvidia GeForce 8400, isn't going to turn this laptop into a gaming powerhouse, but we got a very playable 29.8 frames per second in Quake 4 at 1,024x768, even with high-end options such as anti-aliasing turned on.

The 1420 ran for 3 hours and 29 minutes on our DVD battery-drain test, using the included nine-cell battery (a $50 upgrade), making it the longest-lasting 14-inch laptop we've seen. A smaller six-cell battery is also available if you absolutely hate batteries that stick out from the back of the system. Our DVD battery-drain test is especially grueling, so you can expect longer life from casual Web surfing and office use. Going for integrated graphics instead of the aforementioned GeForce 8400 will likely result in better battery life as well.

Dell includes an industry-standard one-year parts-and-labor warranty with the system. Upgrading to a three-year plan will cost an extra $250, which includes on-site service. Support is accessible through a 24-7 toll-free phone line, an online knowledge base, and driver downloads; Dell also included 3GB of online backup space free for the first year.

Find out more about how we test laptops.

Dell Inspiron 1420
Windows Vista Home Premium Edition; 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300; 2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS; 160GB Hitachi 5,400rpm

Toshiba Tecra M5-S4333
Windows Vista Business Edition; 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7200; 2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB nVidia Quadro NVS110M; 120GB Toshiba 5400rpm SATA/150

Gateway E-265M
Windows Vista Business Edition; 2.2GHz Intel Core Duo T7500; 2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD2300; 100GB Seagate 7,200rpm

Lenovo ThinkPad T61
Windows Vista Business Edition; 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300; 2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB Mobile Intel 965GM Express; 100GB Seagate 7,200rpm

HP Compaq 6515b
Windows Vista Business Edition; 2.2GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile TL-64; 2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB ATI Radeon Xpress 1270; 120GB Toshiba 5,400rpm SATA/150

Basic Specs

Product Specifications:
Product Description: Dell Inspiron 1420 - Core 2 Duo T5850 2.16 GHz - 14.1 TFT active matrix
Dimensions (WxDxH): 13.1 in x 9.6 in x 1.5 in
Weight: 5.5 lbs
System Type: Notebook
Built-in Devices: Stereo speakers , Wireless LAN antenna
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T5850 / 2.16 GHz ( Dual-Core )
Cache Memory: 2 MB - L2 cache
RAM: 2 GB (installed) / 4 GB (max) - DDR2 SDRAM - 667 MHz
Card Reader: 8 in 1 card reader
Floppy Drive: None
Hard Drive: 160 GB - Serial ATA-150 - 5400
Optical Storage: DVD±RW - Integrated
Optical Storage (2nd): None
Storage Removable: None
Display: 14.1 TFT active matrix 1280 x 800 ( WXGA )
Graphics Controller: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
Audio Output: Sound card
Telecom: Fax / modem - 56 Kbps
Networking: Network adapter - Ethernet , - IEEE 802.11b , - IEEE 802.11g , - Fast Ethernet
Wireless NIC: Dell Wireless 1395
Input Device: Keyboard , Touchpad
Voltage Required: AC 120/230 V
Battery: Lithium ion
OS Provided: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition
Manufacturer Warranty: 1 year warranty