Notebook gamers get ready to empty your wallets. Dell announced updates to the Alienware gaming notebook line for Spring 2012, including new Intel 3rd Gen processors and graphics options to handle demanding gaming sessions.

The new configuration options include the update announced last week, but add the latest Intel 3rd Generation Core i7 Quad Core processor options to all models.

The updates include new internals, but no changes to the look and feel of the popular gaming notebooks.

Read: Alienware M17x Review

The Alienware M11x received no updates, and is slated to be discontinued.

AlienWare M14x

The Alienware M14x ships with the Intel 2nd Gen Core i5 processor standard for the $1,099 model, but users can upgrade to a 3rd Gen Core i7 processor for $98, with options ranging up to $441 for the 2.7GHz 3rd Generation Intel Core i7-3820QM clocked at up to 3.7GHz with TurboBoost 2.0.

AlienWare M17x

The Alienware M17x ships with an Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3GHz capable of 3.3GHz w/Turbo Boost as the standard processor, but it can also be configured with up to a Intel Core i7-3820QM 2.7GHz capable fo 3.7GHz under TurboBoost 2.0. The Alienware M17x starts at $1,499.

The M17x has a number of graphics options, including,

• 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 660M (Standard)
• 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 675M
• 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 7970M

I highly recommend the optional HD screen upgrade for a full 1080P HD display. There are optional bundles with 3D and with wireless gaming built in.

AlienWare M18x

The top of the line Alienware notebook is the M18x, with a massive 18.4-inch display and overclocked processor options. The Alienware M18x ships standard with the Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3GHz processor, but is available with an Intel Core i7-3920XM Overclocked Turbo Boost capable of 4.1GHz for just $1,127 over the base price.

The M18x has a 1080P Hd display and offers a range of graphics options, including dual graphics power.

• 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 660M (Standard)
• 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 675M
• Dual 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 7970M – AMD CrossFireX (coming soon)
• Dual 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M – NVIDIA SLI

The Alienware M18x starts at $1,999, with options that can quickly push the price to $3,000.

Alienware M14x, M17x and M18x Gaming Notebooks Gain Intel 3rd Gen Processors is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Dell announced new versions of the popular Alienware gaming notebooks today, but left the smallest gaming notebook out in the cold.

The Alienware M14x, M17x and M18x add new Nvidia and AMD configuration options, but these new notebooks are missing the newest Intel processor.

Intel Ivy Bridge processors are reportedly just weeks away from arriving in high-end notebooks, like the Alienware gaming rigs. Ivy Bridge Quad Core processors should be available in notebooks starting on April 29th.

There is no confirmation that Alienware notebooks will include this option, but there is no reason to buy a new Alienware notebook until May.

Gamers flock to Alienware gaming notebooks for the latest processors and graphics power, so it’s no surprise that these notebooks will have AMD Radeon HD 7000 series GPUs and Nvidia GeForce 600 GPU options.

The new Alienware notebooks all come with a mSATA slot that can hold a SSD, Bluetooth 4.0 standard and Creative Sound Blaster audio with THX TruStudio software.

The Alienware M14X has a 28nm GeForce GT 650M GPU with up to 2GB of dedicated RAM and the option of adding 16GB of RAM and a slot loading Blu-Ray drive. The mSATA can hold a 64GB SSD for fast booting and there’s even an option for a 512GB RAID 0 array according to The Verge.

Read: Alienware M17x Review

The larger M17x and M18x gaming notebooks aren’t going to fit in backpacks as easily, but they do come with impressive specs and displays that will tempt users to camp out at their desks and order in food until cash runs out.

The M17x R4 has a GeForce GTX 660M with 2GB of dedicated RAM and the option for a GTX 675M or the Radeon HD 7970M. Configure this 17.3-inch gaming notebook with up to 32GB of RAM and your choice of storage configuration options. The display starts at 1600 x 900, but there is a highly recommended 1080P upgrade available.

The Alienware M18X offers similar options but has room for dual graphics cards, either the GeForce GTX 675M in SLI or the Radeon HD 7970M cards in CrossFire.

Gamers hoping for a new Alienware M11x gaming notebook will have to look at gaming ultrabooks for portable gaming fun as Dell tells The Verge this small notebook is being phased out.

Don’t Buy the New Alienware M14x, M17x & M18X Gaming Notebooks Until May is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook is a new take on PC from Dell.

For $999, you get an incredibly capable, attractive and compact notebook that will sway some buyers away form the MacBook Air 11.6″ model.

While this notebook isn’t perfect, it is one of  the best Dell notebooks I’ve used. From portability to performance, the XPS 13 Ultrabook brings a lot to the table.

The Dell XPS is the best Ultrabook we have used, which is why we are gave it a Notebooks.com Editor’s Choice Award.

The XPS 13 Ultrabook isn’t perfect, but if we only gave awards to perfect notebooks, we would never give out awards. The trackpad, which is our biggest complaint, will likely be fixed by Dell in a driver update, as they have in the past.

If you want an Ultrabook, the Dell XPS 13 offers beauty, the best build quality, and performance at an attractive price.

The Dell XPS 13 is a very compact notebook that is closer in size to the 11 inch MacBook Air than the 13 inch model. In many ways, the XPS 13 Ultrabook is best compared to the smaller MacBook Air. Both models are similar in size and build quality, both have the same 1366 x 768 resolution and both lack an SD card reader.

More importantly, the Dell XPS 13 starts at $999, just like the 11 inch Macbook Air. But, for the same price consumers get a bigger screen, double th hard drive space, double the RAM and a faster processor.

OS X fans may not be tempted to switch to the Dell XPS 13, but shoppers looking for value will appreciate the components and performance packed into the base model we are reviewing.

Dell XPS 13 vs MacBook Air 13-Inch

Does the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook have what it takes to beat out the Ultrabook competition and win back users tempted by the looks and performance of the MacBook Air?

Find out in our Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook review.

Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook Video Review

Watch our hands on review of the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook to get up close and personal with Dell’s first Ultrabook. From the aluminum lid to the carbon fiber base we have you covered with impressions of the keyboard, mouse and display.

Who is the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook for?

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook is a notebook designed for users who are on the go. From students to travelers, the XPS 13 will be a good fit. The $999 entry-level model we are reviewing offers a faster processor than the MacBook Air 11.6″ and double the storage. If you want a sturdy notebook, the XPS 13 is right up there with Apple, beating out the Portege z835.

Professional creatives may be constrained by this entry-level model’s power, but Dell offers a Core i7 model for $1,499.

Design

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook has an anodized aluminum body, but instead of using metal on the bottom Dell opted for a soft touch carbon fiber finish that looks and feels great.

This notebook is very compact. At 12.4″ x 8.1″ x 0.24-0.71″ it is about the same size as the 11 inch MacBook Air, and noticeably smaller than the 13 inch MacBook Air. Users who want a very small package will appreciate this compact form factor, even if the XPS 13 is slightly thicker than the Macbook Air.

One of the things basic users will like most about the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook is that you don’t need to make the typical trade off between screen size and overall size. The XPS 13 Ultrabook is the same size as many 11 inch notebooks, but delivers the screen size of the Toshiba Portege z835 and the HP Folio 13.

Users will also appreciate the build quality, which is higher, and feels nicer than the Portege z835.

I really like the soft touch finish on the palm rest and keyboard tray. The black looks great against the anodized aluminum edges, and it provides a comfortable place to rest your wrists while you use the XPS 13 Ultrabook.

The Dell XPS 13 has one USB 2.0 port, 1 USB 3.0 port, a DisplayPort and combo mic/headphone jack. There is no SD card slot.

Keyboard and Touchpad

I was really impressed with the keyboard on the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook. The keys feel great and offer good travel, the distance they need to go before being registered. Spacing is also excellent on the island style keyboard. Even though the notebook is compact, Dell didn’t make any weird key placement or sizing choices.

Unfortunately the glass touchpad is another story. While accurate and responsive to gestures, even three and four finger gestures, the touchpad has little to no palm rejection. Even with the settings cranked as high as possible, my cursor still jumped constantly while writing this review.

Another issue with the touchpad is the odd click zones. Too often while I was trying to tap to click anywhere on the touchpad I would activate a right-click. This doesn’t happen every time, but often enough that it was an issue.

If you can overlook these two issues you’ll enjoy the built in two, three and four finger gestures, which bring some of the magic from OS X to Windows with easy swipes to see currently open windows and to show your desktop. These weren’t enough to make up for the other issues in my experience.

These issues are most likely software based, so Dell could fix these complaints in a software upgrade.

Display

Dell is able to squeeze a 13 inch display in this small form factor thanks to a very small bezel, and strengthens the display with Gorilla Glass to prevent scratches and damage from mobile use.

The XPS 13 Ultrabook has a meager 1366 x 768 resolution, which will disappoint power users. This is the same resolution as the 11.6 inch MacBook Air, and the same as you’ll find on most 14 and 15.6 inch notebooks. This is acceptable on an entry-level notebook, but I wish there was an upgrade to a higher resolution display like the 1440 x 900 resolution on the 13 inch MacBook Air.

Colors look great on the 13 inch display and viewing angles on the Dell XPS 13 are also very good side to side. Colors quickly take a hit when you get off-center vertically, but in most use cases you can position the display to stay in the sweet spot. If you need to share the display with someone for a short YouTube clip you can, but I wouldn’t plan on watching a feature film with someone else on the XPS 13 Ultrabook.

Features

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook isn’t just a pretty face, Dell packs in features you will use and love. Thanks to Waves Maxx the XPS 13 has seriously good sound and Intel WiDi helps you connect to your HDTV with no wires.

WavesMaxx Audio – The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook comes with WavesMaxx Audio which delivers a premium sound experience in a small package. The sound is surprisingly clear and loud. You’ll hear a noticeable difference between the XPS 13 and the competition.

Carbon Fiber Base – The carbon fiber base isn’t just for looks. The Dell XPS 13 is able to stay cooler than the competition thanks to this base.

Wireless Display – If you have an optional $99 WiDI adapter you can wirelessly stream your desktop to your HDTV without any wires.

Performance and Graphics

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook review notebook we have is the base $999 model. This has a 1.60GHz Intel Core i5 2nd Gen processor, 4GB RAM an a 128GB SSD.

The XPS 13 Ulrabook has the power to run your web browser, chat client and Office apps without any slowdowns, including hopping back and forth between them with ease.

I loaded up the included full copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements 9, and edited a number of photos very quickly. The system didn’t struggle with quickly applying filter after filter, no did it struggle when I decided to undo my 18 changes by quickly hitting undo over and over.

The notebook handles streaming video with ease. I watched an episode of Family Guy on Hulu Plus at 720P while all the above apps were open. The XPS 13′s carbon fiber base and large vent kept the notebook nice and cool even at the end of a 20 minute episode.

One issue that users may have is fan noise. During most of the time I used the Dell XPS 13 the fan was audible. It was not so loud that it overpowered the music or audio on these speakers, but if you want a silent notebook, the XPS 13 is not it.

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook resumes from sleep almost instantly, and boots to a usable state in 20-25 seconds.

Battery Life

The Dell XPS 13 is rated for 8.5 hours of battery life, but I came up short. Using the Laptop Magazine Battery Test, which simulates web browsing with the screen at 40% brightness I was able to record 6 hours an 19 minute of battery life.

This is good real world battery life for a compact and light notebook, on par with the rest of the Ultrabook notebooks we have tested. If you drop the screen brightness lower, you will likely achieve longer life, without making the notebook completely unusable.

The Bottom Line

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook is an impressive notebook that delivers a lot in a small package, especially at $999. If the trackpad was as good as that on the Macbook Air I would say that Dell had bested Apple in that price range, but sadly that’s not the case.

If you plan to use an external mouse with the XPS 13 Ultrabook, you are in for a great experience. One that will suit Windows fans better than a 11 inch MacBook Air. If you have $999 to spend on a new notebook and the 11 inch MacBook Air’s 64GB hard drive and 2GB of RAM sounds cramped, the XPS 13 Ultrabook is a good option to look into.

Even though the XPS 13 carries the same size display as the 13 inch MacBook Air, the $300 price difference and the higher resolution of the Air put the two at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Gallery

Specs

Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook Review: Best Ultrabook Yet is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The Dell XPS 14z is a step above the standard Dell notebook, but it comes with an attractive $799 starting price that puts it within the range of students and creative professionals on a budget.

The XPS 14z is thin and light, but unlike most notebooks in this category and the new Ultrabooks, the XPS 14z includes an optical drive.

Even though the XPS 14z starts at $799, it is a very capable notebook that includes features like a backlit keyboard, battery meter and great sound. The keyboard is mediocre and there are only two USB ports, but the XPS 14z is still a contender.

The Dell XPS 14z starts at $799, with power and good looks.

Who is the Dell XPS 14z for?

The Dell XPS 14z is a notebook for creative professionals and students in need of the horsepower to create movies and use programs like Photoshop and other Adobe products. The design is very similar to the MacBook Pro, which isn’t a bad thing, and will attract users who value a good-looking notebook with the specs to get work done.

Design

As I mentioned, and as most people I showed the Dell XPS 14z to mentioned, the XPS 14z looks a lot like the MacBook Pro.

The Dell XPS 14z reminds us of the MacBook Pro.

The notebook has an aluminum case that feels good to the touch. When you open the XPS 14z, you immediately notice the barrel-shaped hinge that catches your eye where the display meets the notebook base. This hinge is sturdy, but because of the placement you cannot open the display too far.

The palmrest is thankfully not aluminum, instead it is a softer, nicer to the touch material that feels more comfortable than the palmrest on my MacBook Air.

There are speaker grilles on both sides of the keyboard, cut with a pattern that you also see on the base of the unit.

The barrel hinge limits how far you can open the display.

The Dell XS 14z is slightly wider than the MacBook Air 13, even though it has a 14 inch display. This is thanks to the very small bezels around the screen.

The XPS 14z weighs 4.36 pounds and measures in 13.2 x 9.2 x 0.9 inches, which puts it out of the Ultrabook category, but still in competition as a thin and light notebook with power inside. Plus, it has an optical drive.

Most of the Dell XPS 14z's ports are on the rear.

Dell places most of the ports on the back of the XPS 14z, including Ethernet, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI and DisplayPort. There is an SD card slot on the left side as well as microphone and headphone jacks.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The Dell XPS 14z keys don't offer much travel and could provide a better typing experience.

The Dell XPS 14z keyboard is disappointing for several reasons. The keys feel cheap compared to the rest of the notebook and offer very little travel. Key placement is excellent with no odd sized keys, but backlighting is very poor.  I ended up turning backlighting off because it lit the keys unevenly, making it hard to see the R, D, C and I, K, M keys.

Note the lower light on the R, D, C and I, K, M keys.

The touchpad is large and includes two dedicated mouse buttons. The touchpad handles two finger scrolling very well, delivering perhaps the best two finger scrolling on a Windows notebook in recent memory. It also offers precise pointing and buttons that have a good feel.

The Dell XPS 14z's touchpad is surprisingly good for a Windows notebook.

My palm often moved the mouse with the default settings, but after increasing Palm Check, I was able to type without worrying about errant cursor movement. This is very important given the size of the touchpad and the likelihood that your right palm will touch it when typing.

Display

The Dell XPS 14z has a 14 inch display with an average 1366 x 768 resolution.

The small bezel around the 14 inch display allows the XPS 14z to stay compact, but unfortunately the display has a lackluster 1366 x 768 resolution. This limits how much you can do on the screen at once, and is an issue for users who want to take advantage of the power to work on photos and edit movies.

Viewing angles are limited by the glare that quickly gets in the way when you move to the left or right of the notebook. Even with the limited range of the display, the vertical viewing angles are good enough that you’ll be able to find a comfortable angle in most settings.

The colors looked good overall, delivering an enjoyable video watching experience, but it is disappointing that there is no higher resolution option.

Features

WavesMaxx – The Dell XPS 14z has WavesMaxx Audio and wonderful sounding speakers, much nicer than most notebooks.

Webcam & Dual Array Mics – The built in 1.3MP webcam offers clear images for video chatting in most settings, and the dual array microphones deliver good audio to the person on the other end.

Optical Drive – Unlike most notebooks that are thin and light, the XPS 14z has an 8X slot load DVD drive capable of burning both CDs and DVDs.

Battery Meter – The built in battery meter on the right side allows you to check your battery life without turning the notebook on.

Performance and Graphics

My Dell XPS 14z review unit has a 2.40GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M 1GB graphics with Optimus switching to enhance battery life.

I was really impressed with the power in this small package. I was able to run through PhotoShop tasks without any issue, and video editing on Sony Vegas didn’t strain the system thanks to the GPU and healthy helping of RAM.

The Dell XPS 14z offered speedy resume times, so you can get back to work after moving to a new location or taking a break almost as fast as you open the notebook.

The Dell XPS 14z has stylish vents that keep the notebook cool.

Through all of this the notebook was cool enough to keep on my lap, though the fan is loud enough to hear even with just a few programs open.

The Dell XPS 14z isn’t a gaming notebook, so don’t plan on playing the most intense games out there, but with the GT520M and 1GB of RAM you can play recent games with the graphics turned to lower settings. Still, I wouldn’t make this notebook my top pick if I want to do any serious gaming.

When it comes to watching the video you create, the system has the power to playback HD video locally and from sites like Netflix and Hulu without any trouble.

The Dell XPS 14z speakers offer great quality and good volume.

I was really impressed with the audio on the Dell XPS 14z, which delivers depth to your music. I am surprised by how good these speakers are given the reasonable price of the XPS 14z and the small size of the notebook. More on the Dell XPS 14z speakers and sound.

Battery Life

You can check the Dell XPS 14z battery life with this indicator on the right side.

The Dell XPS 14Z is rated for just under 7 hours of battery life by Dell. I used the Laptop Magazine battery testing tool, which simulates web browsing with the screen at 40% brightness and the XPS 14z lasted 5 hours and 32 minutes, which is similar to what we saw on the Lenovo ThinkPad T420s. Given the price and the specs, this is decent battery life.

The Bottom Line

The Dell XPS 14z won’t replace a MacBook Pro, but it is decent alternative for creatives on a budget. The low screen resolution and the unimpressive keyboard are a reason to look at alternatives like the HP ProBook 5330m which offers a better typing experience, though no optical drive.

If you spend more time in Photoshop and movie editing tools than writing papers and emails, the Dell XPS 14z is a notebook you should seriously consider, especially with a $799 starting price.

Gallery

Specs

Dell XPS 14z Review is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Notebook audio is always a mixed bag, and often a disappointingly muddy and quiet bag at that.

When you do hear good audio it’s usually found on notebooks designed to be stuck on a desk, but the Dell XPS 14z is able to pack in some of the best sounding speakers I’ve ever heard, in a surprisingly portable package — one that starts at $899.

I’ve spent the morning working on the Dell XPS 14z, after lusting over the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook we’re giving away at GottaBeMobile, and I’m incredibly impressed with the sound quality coming out of this system.

The Dell XPS 14z has a few things working for it, including the large top open speaker grills which send the sound right at your head, instead of into your jeans like so many other notebooks do. Also helping out is the inclusion of Waves MaxxAudio on the system, which helps deliver better sounding audio in smaller packages.

The Dell XPS 14z speaker grilles help deliver great audio directed at your ears, not your lap.

Listening to a variety of music I was most impressed with the depth and clarity of the music. While listening to 99 Problems by Jay Z and I Put Your Picture Away (Live) by Kid Rock on Pandora it was hard to believe these were notebook speakers. I could make out background sounds that don’t come through on other notebooks and on some dedicated systems I have tried out.

Volume is good, though if you want to host a house party with this system, you’ll need to connect to some bigger speakers. For a dorm room, small office or a hotel room though, you get great sounding music at a sufficient volume.

This isn’t the only system from Dell with Waves MaxxAudio included, the Dell XPS 15z which I reviewed last year also impressed. If you are looking for a great audio experience on your notebook, I highly recommend the Dell XPS 14z, and suggest checking out other Dell systems with similar setups.

Stay Tuned for a full Dell XPS 14z review.

Dell XPS 14z Rocks – Great Speakers and Sound is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Here at CES 2012, there is a battle for the smallest and lightest Ultrabook, and now that Dell has entered the game with the Dell XPS 13, we have a battle for the most compact Ultrabook.

The new Dell XPS 13 takes design cues from the XPS line with a machined aluminum lid and carbon fiber bottom, but the size is the big deal.

Thanks to an edge to edge display and slim bezel Dell is able to cram the 13.3 inch display into an amazingly small chassis. When we saw the Dell XPS 13 in San Francisco last month we were able to compare the size to the 11 inch Macbook Air, and the XPS 13 was just slightly larger. The XPS 13 weighs in at 2.99 pounds.

Dell XPS 13 Video Tour

Inside this compact frame you have an Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB SSD and 4GB RAM. The 13.3″ HD display has a 1366×768 resolution and is made with Gorilla Glass.

There is a full size backlit keyboard that has about the same amount of flex as the Macbook Air and key travel was good.

You also get a USB 3.0 port for fast connectivity. On the power side, you’ll find a built in 47 WHr battery that Dell is claiming will offer up to eight hours of battery life.

The Dell XPS 13 will be available starting in February at $999. You can purchase the XPS 13 starting today, and the first 10,000 orders will get a free T-Mobile 4G Mobile hotspot and 90 days of service.

Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook Claims “Most Compact Ultrabook” (Video) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

If you want to run OS X, but you can’t bring yourself to buy a Mac, you can find a notebook that is able to run OS X, and hopefully pick up a Mac software experience on the cheap. Be warned, finding a hackintosh notebook isn’t as easy as walking into your local Best Buy.

Most commonly theses systems are referred to as a hackintosh, aka a hacked Mac. There are a number of guides out there for building your own hackintosh mini or hackintosh desktop, but if you want to run OS X on a notebook or laptop you need to be careful which notebook you purchase.

Because this is a hack, you can’t always guarantee perfect results, but with a little bit of research, you can find compatible laptops and notebooks.

The best resource I have found is the OS X 86 Project Wiki. Here, you can find compatible OS X Laptops. You can see which laptops work with which versions of OS X from Snow Leopard to Lion. These notebooks claim to have been tested by contributors to ensure that they work with OS X.

Each of these listings will tell you what system components work, and which need special configurations. Before you buy one of these notebooks, I highly suggest searching the model name and hackintosh to see how smooth the process is for other people. Also, look closely at the final model numbers, as small variances in parts can cause issues. Wireless is often not working, or requires much fussing about.

Below you can see a user who has gotten OS X Lion running on his HP G62-b53SE notebook. You can check out the YouTube description for more details on how he got OS X Lion running on an HP laptop.

If you can use a smaller screen, netbooks often offer easier compatibility with OS X. The Dell Mini 10V was a perfect netbook to hackintosh, but has been discontinued. There are other netbooks out there that are able to function as a hackintosh, which you can see on the Mac OS X netbook compatibility page, a portion of which are listed below.

The basic installation process for OS X can be performed by most tech savvy users. If you aren’t comfortable messing around with files to get the machine working, a hackintosh laptop may not be for you. You can get a feel for the installation process at the OS X 86 Project Installation Guides.

It is important to avoid automatic updates, which could break your system. Keep in mind that if you don’t purchase a copy of OS X Lion from Apple, you are pirating software, which has the potential to land you in trouble.

How to Find a Hackintosh Notebook That Runs OS X Lion is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

If you need a durable notebook to take back to school or to take to work, the Dell Latitude E5520 is a good choice, especially when you can save 42% off the list price. Through friday, you can get a Dell Latitude E5520 notebook for $779 with free next business day shipping after an instant $504 discount and a stackable $60 off coupon code.

The Dell Latitude E5520 is a business class notebook, which means it is designed to meet the higher demands of businesses.

This notebook has a sturdier feel than many consumer notebooks and the Tri-Metal design, screen bumper  and spill resistant keyboard provide better protection for the system. Mobile workers will also appreciate the ability to open the LCD 180 degrees to find a perfect viewing angle.

The Dell Latitude E5520 has the following Specs:

• 2.5GHz Intel Core i5 2nd Gen processor
• 4GB RAM
• 250GB hard drive
• 15.6″ Anti-Glare display with 1366 x 768 resolution
• WiFi and Bluetooth
• 8X DVD RW drive
• webcam and noise canceling digital array mic
• 6 cell battery
• 1 year American based support
• 1 year next business day on site repair
• 1 year accidental coverage

Deal Details

To get this deal, Add the Ships Fast Dell Latitude E5520 to your cart at Dell Small Business and enter the coupon code 535LFNF?JW8HL8 at checkout to take an additional $60 off. Your final price should be $779 before tax. Choose Next Business Day as your shipping option to get free shipping.

Deal Tips

You don’t need to be a small business to take advantage of this deal. these business notebooks don’t have the flash of other consumer models, but they do make a great fit for students, especially given the great warranty support that is included at this price.

If you have an American Express or MasterCard, you may be able to double your warranty by purchasing the notebook on your card. Call the number on the back of your credit card to make sure that the warranty extension is included on your card.

You may want to add the 3 year Basic Hardware Service warranty to your purchase, which for $156 includes 3 years of next business day on site service after remote diagnosis. This is a good price for users who think they will need support down the road, and want to have a single point of contact to get computer repair.

Dell Latitude E5520 Notebook Drops to $779 After 42% In Savings is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

With students getting ready for school in the next couple of weeks, here are some suggestions for five hot laptops. Included are a:

• budget Windows Notebook,
• all around Windows system,
• gaming powerhouse computer,
• high-end Ultra-portable system,
• and a high-end Powerhouse Money-Doesn’t-Matter system

Because your needs are different than the next student, it’s worth spending a decent amount of time to find a good notebook. We’ve covered student needs in a variety of articles, but this list includes a wide range of notebooks in a variety of prices. Returning upper class students may be interested in a more business centric notebook like these selections.

Budget Windows Notebook – Dell Vostro V131 – $499

The new Dell Vostro V131 looks like a really nice, inexpensive system for the budget minded student or parents who want long battery life. The base price is just $499, but for the model you would actually want to use it will cost closer to $700-$800. These are thin and light, with colorful options if you are into flair, or a basic black chassis if $30 is too much to part with for a touch of color.

The chiclet style keyboards often make for easier typing. With 4GB of RAM, 500GB of hard drive space and an optional Intel Core i5 processor, it has enough power for light gaming and creative content editing.

Windows Budget All-Rounder – HP DV6T Series – $599.99

If you need a little more than a budget system because you want more entertainment options, the HP DV6T series is a good all-rounder choice. The budget level starts at a penny under $600, but with some add-ons you will have a fairly powerful system that won’t break the bank.

I have an older version of this laptop and used it for a few years before handing it down to my son, who loves it. The system has the power to run most software, other than hard-core games. If you select some key upgrade options you can put together a really nice system for not a lot of money. We added the following to the base configuration at HP:

• Intel Core i5 from an i3 for $50
•  AMD Radeon 6489M Graphics Card for $100
• 750GB 7200rpm hard drive from a 500GB 5400 rpm drive for $50
• 9-cell battery from 6-cell for $21 offering a promised 9.75 hours (6-7 likely)

The total, after the above upgrades, is $820.99. You can also bump the display resolution up to a full HD 1920×1080 and add a Blu-ray drive for a few hundred more.

This is a nice system that can serve as a jack-of-all trades computer that should be future-proof enough to last a student most of their high school or college career.

Windows Power User Gaming and Media System – Toshiba Qosmio F755 3D – $1,699

Do you like to play the latest and greatest games? Do you enjoy 3D Blu-ray movies? Toshiba put gamers and movie/music lovers in their cross hairs with the Qosmio F755 3D. The powerful laptop does glasses-free 3D movies thanks to a cool new face tracking technology making it the “first” glasses-free 3D laptop, according to Toshiba.

The built-in webcam tracks your face as you are viewing a 3D movie or game. The computer adjusts the images so that you can see both 2D and 3D content simultaneously. You can watch your favorite 3D Blu-ray movie, but the computer also transforms other movies into 3D too.

3D is cool, but the F755 offers more than that one trick. The 15.6″ entertainment computer comes with a high-end Intel Core i7 Sandy Bridge processor, which means the processor won’t be your bottleneck for any intense tasks. The 8GB of RAM and a fast 750GB hard drive should tear through games, video encoding and converting or processing huge RAW digital photographs.

The Harmon Kardon speakers should pump out some great Dolby sound. Hook this rig up to your HDTV via the HDMI out port and share the fun with friends. Electronista says it will be ready to chew up your credit card on August 16th. See the company’s Qosmio page after that date to find the system.

High-End Ultra-Portable – Apple MacBook Air 11″ – $999

Some students only want a nice looking laptop to write papers, take notes in class and surf the web with. Throw in a few light casual games, watching fun stuff on YouTube and what you need is the new Apple MacBook Air. The graphics processor on this system isn’t that powerful, but the CPU and flash storage drive make up for that weakness nicely. You can easily throw an 11″ MacBook Air into a book bag and whip it out at a moment’s notice to take notes or work on a group project in the library. The five-hour battery life keeps you going through most of your day. You can buy cheaper systems, but you can’t get a better ultra-portable. Throw in another two hundred bucks to get the one with 4GB of RAM and 128GB SSD and your student will be much happier.

The 13″ model costs more but might satisfy students who want to do more than just type documents or surf the web. I love my 13″ MacBook Air and use it for most of the tasks needed other than hardcore gaming. If you only want an 11″ model, get this one for $1,199. If you want to jump up to the 13″ model, I recommend this model for $1,299.

High-End Power Money Doesn’t Matter – Apple MacBook Pro 17″ – $2,499

For the student who wants to be able to do anything they could on a desktop on their laptop, we recommend the biggest MacBook Pro Apple makes. At 17″ it can serve as an entertainment hub in a dorm room. With the Intel Core i7 processor and 4GB of RAM it is ready for processor intensive tasks like making the next cinematic masterpiece. You can also frag bad guys with the best of them thanks to those specs plus the powerful AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics processor with 1GB GDDR5 RAM. This screaming powerhouse ain’t cheap, but you won’t feel handcuffed by the specs your senior season if you bring this beast along your freshman year. I wouldn’t recommend this system for everyone, but for the student who wants a desktop replacement system and money is no object, you can’t beat he 17″ MacBook Pro.

A few recommendations: get 8GB of RAM for another $200. Add a $19 Apple Remote for making presentations and controlling it from across the dorm room.

5 Hot Back to School Laptops is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The Dell Vostro V131 is a new business notebook from Dell, aimed at Small Businesses who need a powerful machine with long battery life at an affordable pricepoint.

The new business notebook joins the Vostro line of business notebooks from Dell. This line is known for affordable prices and quality notebooks with business sensibility, but not a lot of frills.

The new V131 changes this with a thin and light form factor that is further spiced up with a sharp look at optional bright red finish. If you ask me, this is a better looking notebook than the new consumer focused Inspiron 14z.

Dell Vostro V131 Comes in Red and Silver.

Vostro V131 Specs

The Vostro V131 is a 13.3″ notebook, powered by the latest Intel 2nd Gen processors (Up to Core i5), brings optional 3G and 4G connectivity, and can be configured with up to 4GB RAM and a 500GB hard drive. Surprisingly, this notebook also includes Bluetooth 3.0 and USB 3.0.

The notebook lacks an optical drive, which is no surprise given the size and 3.6 pound weight. You do get an integrated 1.0MP webcam and SRS Premium Voice Pro software bundled with the package to take advantage of the built in speakers and digital array mics.

If you choose to upgrade to the optional 6-cell battery, Dell claims you’ll get 9.5 hours of battery life which should translate into a little under a full day of work in the real world.

Dell Vostro V131 keyboard

The Vostro V131 has a chiclet style keyboard and includes the option to add a backlight for working in low light environments. The notebook also comes with a fingerprint reader standard and Absolute Lojack security software.

Small Business Extras

To boost the savings for small businesses V131 notebooks purchased in September will include the following extras as part of My Business Toolkit.

• Free website hosting form Web.com
• Ruby Receptionists – 30 days ro 100 minutes of free virtual receptionist service.
• 15 months of Trend Micro Antivirus Service
• Dell DataSafe – automatic data backups

More information on these specials will be available from Dell on September 1st.

Vostro V131 Price and Warranty

The Dell Vostro V131 notebooks start at $449, but most users will want to bump up to faster processors. The ULV processor and 2GB of RAM will have a tough time keeping up with the multitasking needs of many business users. Most small businesses will be best served by bumping up to the Intel Core i3 model which starts at $599, even though it only has 2GB RAM.

The V131 comes with a standard 1 year warranty with next business day on site service so that you aren’t stuck waiting for your notebook to get fixed while business passes you by.

Dell Vostro V131 Gallery

Dell Vostro V131 Launches With 9 Hour Battery and Small Extras is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.