Dell Studio 17 user reviews
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User reviews8
Ryan O'Callaghan 23 July 2011
Good: The screen is nice, keyboard is the best I've used and the touchpad has a nice feel.
Bad: The build quality is awful.
Comment: I bought this laptop 2 and half years ago and when I first ordered it I was super excited because it looked like a fantastic laptop and I thought if a laptop was going to cost £450 I would be great. Oh how I was wrong, within 4 days of having it I had to reinstall the O/S and I had to manually install all the drivers from about 5 separate discs. I'm not sure if you have to manually install the drivers, but it was very tedious and took hours.
Good: I really like the screen if I'm honest, and I can't complain about the keyboard or touchpad, infact it's the best I've used and I hate to use any other. It used to run rather fast but since I reformatted it, it just didn't feel the same, I lost 50 GB of memory and I couldn't for the love of me get it back. The speaker quality was very even at it's loudest and it is rather loud for a laptop.
Bad: Within 7 month's the laptop became immobile, I couldn't move the laptop because the hinges just completely didn't work. It's a big floppy mess, when I moved the laptop from my computer chair(where it lives now) about 7 wires snapped, I was devastated because I thought my laptop was just destroyed. Although these wires had snapped, everything still worked and I have no idea how. My power button no longer existed, there was just a loose wire that if I touched with my finger it would turn on/off. The only way to turn it on is to use the multimedia buttons on the front of the laptop.
Overall: If you're looking for a laptop that you want to move around(which is the idea of a laptop) do not get this one. Spending a minimum of £400 on this laptop would be idiotic, surely there are much better options for that price?
Ryan O'Callaghan 23 July 2011
Good: The screen is nice, keyboard is the best I've used and the touchpad has a nice feel.
Bad: The build quality is awful.
Comment: I bought this laptop 2 and half years ago and when I first ordered it I was super excited because it looked like a fantastic laptop and I thought if a laptop was going to cost £450 I would be great. Oh how I was wrong, within 4 days of having it I had to reinstall the O/S and I had to manually install all the drivers from about 5 separate discs. I'm not sure if you have to manually install the drivers, but it was very tedious and took hours.
Good: I really like the screen if I'm honest, and I can't complain about the keyboard or touchpad, infact it's the best I've used and I hate to use any other. It used to run rather fast but since I reformatted it, it just didn't feel the same, I lost 50 GB of memory and I couldn't for the love of me get it back. The speaker quality was very even at it's loudest and it is rather loud for a laptop.
Bad: Within 7 month's the laptop became immobile, I couldn't move the laptop because the hinges just completely didn't work. It's a big floppy mess, when I moved the laptop from my computer chair(where it lives now) about 7 wires snapped, I was devastated because I thought my laptop was just destroyed. Although these wires had snapped, everything still worked and I have no idea how. My power button no longer existed, there was just a loose wire that if I touched with my finger it would turn on/off. The only way to turn it on is to use the multimedia buttons on the front of the laptop.
Overall: If you're looking for a laptop that you want to move around(which is the idea of a laptop) do not get this one. Spending a minimum of £400 on this laptop would be idiotic, surely there are much better options for that price?
Ryan O'Callaghan 23 July 2011
Good: The screen is nice, keyboard is the best I've used and the touchpad has a nice feel.
Bad: The build quality is awful.
Comment: I bought this laptop 2 and half years ago and when I first ordered it I was super excited because it looked like a fantastic laptop and I thought if a laptop was going to cost £450 I would be great. Oh how I was wrong, within 4 days of having it I had to reinstall the O/S and I had to manually install all the drivers from about 5 separate discs. I'm not sure if you have to manually install the drivers, but it was very tedious and took hours.
Good: I really like the screen if I'm honest, and I can't complain about the keyboard or touchpad, infact it's the best I've used and I hate to use any other. It used to run rather fast but since I reformatted it, it just didn't feel the same, I lost 50 GB of memory and I couldn't for the love of me get it back. The speaker quality was very even at it's loudest and it is rather loud for a laptop.
Bad: Within 7 month's the laptop became immobile, I couldn't move the laptop because the hinges just completely didn't work. It's a big floppy mess, when I moved the laptop from my computer chair(where it lives now) about 7 wires snapped, I was devastated because I thought my laptop was just destroyed. Although these wires had snapped, everything still worked and I have no idea how. My power button no longer existed, there was just a loose wire that if I touched with my finger it would turn on/off. The only way to turn it on is to use the multimedia buttons on the front of the laptop.
Overall: If you're looking for a laptop that you want to move around(which is the idea of a laptop) do not get this one. Spending a minimum of £400 on this laptop would be idiotic, surely there are much better options for that price?
simonr82 5 May 2010
Good: The processor (not Dell!!!), Windows 7 (not Dell!!!!!)
Bad: The build quality
Comment: For the price I expect to get a high quality machine instead I get one with loose fittings and appaling quality.
I am affraid to use it as I think it will fall appart.
Monkeyspam 31 December 2009
Good: cost
Bad: build quality
jim97 9 August 2009
Good: screen size
Bad: where do i start
Comment: it now 11 months old had 3 hard drives a new motherboard new fan new keyboard it slow it gets very hot fans all ways running.asked dell if could change it as this seems be a pig in the poke but answer was no. was built in poland should have left it there
jim97 16 March 2009
Good: 17 inch screen
Bad: every thing else
Comment: the keys fall off i had 2 new hard drives and only 6 months old it slow why they stuck vista on it i dont know the touch pad dont use i have use mouse all time i think they had good idea then ruined it yet the 15 inch studio dont seem as bad
sandyc 9 December 2008
Good: the 17-inch screen and the hardware specs
Bad: the system doesn't respond well, despite overall great specs
Comment: Where should I start? I have so many complaints. Note: I have used several Dell systems before, so I bought this system wanting to love it, or at least like it. I have also previously/currently owned/used Gateway, Toshiba, Sony Vaio, Acer (various models, depending on my company), MacBook, and of course, Dell.
1) My system specs
4 GB RAM
2.17 GHz
5400 rpm hard drive (7200 rpm is not available on this model)
3 year stinking extended international warranty (the only way you will get "guaranteed" tech support
2) My complaints
a) the original order got screwed up by Sales (Ana Molberg, Shauna Cassidy). Both were very nice pre and during sale (there was a problem with their online ordering, and therefore I contacted sales directly). However, post sale, they refused to take responsibility for NOT having included the bluetooth and remote control card options that I had requested. Why the heck is bluetooth even an option these days? In general, once the sales commission is made Dell WON'T HELP YOU.
b) I bought the system in the US. After a couple months of usage (I am a heavy user, and use my computers about 12-14 hours/day, 6-7 days/week), I have experienced a "Blue Screen" error. That's what the system calls it. It automatically shuts down the system and reboots in a continual loop. Yes, this is a Windows problem, but isn't it a possibility that it is also a hardware integration issue. I have never had this specific problem with other systems.
The Tech Support contact page on dell.com requires your Service Tag. Acc. to the pop up window, I am not allowed to contact Tech Support because my service tag shows that I bought the system outside of the US. What the heck?
c) Now for how the system actually works (a non-professional review, actual user review):
Really disappointing. WHY is it so slow? It should be snappy, and yet, its performance is plain sluggish. Real life performance with multiple programs and the Internet running at the same time. I use normal programs, like Excel or PPT, or maybe a Word doc, in conjunction with Firefox. I have kept my Firefox add-ons to a min, so that it doesn't overtax the system.
d) My wifi connection works faster on a 2005 Acer Aspire laptop than this supposed N wireless connection.
e) Also, the touch pad, despite adjustments from tech support, just isn't usable. I am forced to use a mouse always. Which means that I must have always provide a nice working surface for the mouse. Too many cables--mouse, battery, external hard drive. Why won't the Touch Pad respond as it's supposed to? I found this was a problem with previous Dell laptops, as well. However, none were as bad as the touchpad on the Dell Studio 17.
3) Is there anything I like? Well, the 17" screen isn't bad. No complaints after almost 4 months. Adjustable settings of how bright you want the screen is a nice touch.
4) Summary
Based on the reviews I read, I thought this would be an acceptable system for watching movies and videos when I needed a break from work. Since it is my largest screen (I don't have external monitors, as I live on the go) and is priced well below the MacBook 17" Pros, and I already own a 2007 13" MacBook, I also find myself surfing the Internet more on this Dell Studio 17 than on my other systems. I also have an old (2005) Acer Aspire--purely for backup, but will be getting rid of that shortly.
Btw, my best PC laptop experience was a Sony Vaio. It was fast, solid and quiet. It's only problem is that its specs got old and too slow for newer apps. However, Sony's cost as much as Macs, so you might as well get a Mac for that price.
Final summary: I'm sure there are better-value 17" laptops out there.