Dell Inspiron i3542-6666BK 15.6-Inch Laptop Review

15.6 inch Dell Inspiron i3542-6666BK
via Amazon

Dell Inspiron i3542-6666BK is a fairly slim and compact 15.6 inch laptop that is designed for both multimedia / entertainment and work / school use. It offers fast performance and processing with its 4th generation Intel i5 processor, allows smooth multitasking with its 8GB RAM and has quite a large storage space with its 1TB hard drive, along with a decent video, audio and connectivity options.

Dell Inspiron has a Haswell dual core Intel i5-4210U processor (3M Cache) at 1.7 GHz speed up to 2.7 GHz with turbo boost function, 8GB Single Channel DDR3 (1x8GB) at 1600 MHz, 1TB hard drive at 5400 rpm spindle speed and 64-bit English Windows 8.1 operating system. The U at the end of the processor means it is mainly for ultra books and it offers snappy overall performance for daily things and more demanding stuff including office stuff and multimedia editing, but not suitable for advanced gaming with its integrated Intel 4400 graphics card.

In terms of performance, the i5-4210U is similar to the previous generation i5-3427U, but with very low energy consumption. 8GB memory will let you run multiple apps and programs at the same time and efficiently- no delays or freezing, while 1024GB hard drive would be enough for most computer users and especially good for multimedia editors or those that need extra space. The processor has both the turbo boost function that takes the speed from 1.7 to 2.7 GHz and the Hyperthreading allowing the dual cores handle four threads in parallel.

15.6 inch high definition LED backlit Truelife screen with a native resolution of 1366x768 pixels and the Intel HD 4400 graphics offers clear and sharp enough picture for photos, videos or games for a few people to view the screen at the same time and although the integrated graphics card is good enough for older games at high settings, it is not so much for those latest games at higher settings (OK at lower settings). It is faster than the standard Intel HD 4000 that we see on many laptops but slower than the HD 5000 available on some other ultra low voltage processors. For sound, you have the HD Audio enhanced with Waves MaxxAudio and built-in stereo speakers.

The Inspiron i3542 weighs a bit under 6 pounds, which is the typical weight for a 15.6 inch computer and is 1 inch thick (fairly slim). It is a winner when it comes to battery life as the 40 WHr 4-Cell lithium ion battery gives you around 6.5 hours in normal use, which adds to its portability and you can be away from the power outlet for quite a while. The keyboard is not backlit but is spill-resistant (according to Dell website), comfortable to type on and has the 10-key numpad for easier data entry. Connectivity options include Dell Wireless-N 1705 802.11 bgn wifi, Bluetooth 4.0, 1 x USB 3.0 port, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI port, an Optical DVD Drive, Media Card Reader, FastAccess Facial Recognition and webcam with integrated microphone.

Conclusion: Dell Inspiron i3542-6666BK is a functional entertainment and business type computer that can handle pretty much anything you’d do at work, home or school every day, smoothly and efficiently. Like other modern Dell computers, it is made to be durable- to last you a long time as keys, battery, hinge and different parts are tested hundreds or thousands of times for durability. The DVD drive is both a positive and a negative as it makes the laptop heavier than it would be without but adds to the functionality for those that want or need a DVD drive.

Haswell i5-4210U processor is an ultra low voltage one that we see most commonly on ultra books so don’t expect super power performance for heavy demanding tasks that you’d get from the desktop version of i5 processors, but still a high performance processor that can handle most things with also the help from the generous 8GB RAM for multitasking power. Dell offers very good customer service and the limited warranty for parts and labour is for 12 months. Good value and decent computer overall..

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