Dell Inspiron 6000(d)
Introduction
With the next notebook refresh cycle right around the corner, we are taking the time to look at some of the more recently refreshed notebooks. In the meantime, there is a lot of buzz surrounding the AMD Turion platform, which we have been eagerly anticipating. The news so far (directly from a few system vendors) is that it does surprisingly well in power consumption. We are hearing that quasi-thin and light/lightweight desktop replacements using an 8-cell battery should get just under 200 minutes of use This is just preliminary news we are hearing with what seems to be the first official batch of drivers and hardware. When compared to comparable Centrino systems, we are hearing that the Turion just misses the bar set by Intel's solution. We haven't heard how short the gap is or if the gap can be closed with newer drivers and refined designs, however. We will just have to wait and see. One thing is for sure, things should get really interesting soon, and by all counts, AMD seems to be able to give Intel a real run for their money in this round. We will get to Turion based systems soon, for now though it's to take a look at the Dell Inspiron 6000...
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| Processor •_Designed for Intel Pentium-M/Intel 90nm Dothan Pentium-M with 2MB On-Die L2 Cache and Intel Celeron-M/Intel 90nm Dothan Celeron-M with 1MB On-Die L2 Cache processors •_Supports 400/533MHz FSB Chipset •_Intel 915PM/ICH6-M Chipset Memory •_Two 200-pin SODIMM sockets •_Supports DDR2 400/533 Unbuffered Non-ECC memory •_Supports maximum memory capacity up to 2GB Graphic • ATI Mobility Radeon X300 PCI Express x16 - HyperMemory - SmoothVision 2.1 - SmartShader 2.0 - PowerPlay 5.0 ATA • Intel ICH6-M South Bridge: - 1 x ATA 100/66 - 2 x SATA 100/66 - 30GB/40GB/60GB/80GB Ultra ATA HDD - NEC DVD+-RW ND-6500A Communications •_Broadcom 10/100 Mbps Ethernet •_Dell Wireless 1450 (802.11 a/b/g) Wireless Lan •_56K v.92 Fax/modem Display •_15.4" WXGA TFT LCD (native 1280 x 800) Audio •_Compatible with AC'97 2.3 •_Built in dual speakers |
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Measuring in at 14.0" x 10.5" x 1.5" and with a weight starting at 6.65 pounds (our sample weighed just over 7 lbs.), the Inspiron 6000 effectively replaces the value end of the midrange 5160 and 8600 skew. Dell's design favors those that want a multimedia emphasis without and overly large price tag. The use of Centrino parts gives the 6000 the advantage of low power requirements and thermal footprints. Even though this is not a notebook that can not be categorized as a true blue desktop replacement, it is not really the right form factor for those planning to use it on the go. In our opinion, any notebook with a display size greater than 15.0" is going to be something we recommend for those that don't expect to be traveling constantly. This notebook still works fine for the occasional meeting, presentation, or road trip, etc, just keep in mind that it is a bit large for those planning on frequent mobility.
