Dell Studio 14: Defining Solid
by Dustin Sklavos on August 19, 2010 2:49 AM ESTGeneral Performance of the Studio 14
The Studio 14 we have on hand has a fairly low-to-middle-of-the-road configuration, but upgrade pricing on Dell's site for most components (excepting graphics) is reasonable at least. Here's a refresher of how our unit was configured:
| Dell Studio 14 Test System | |
| Processor |
Intel Core i5 430M (2x2.26GHz, 32nm, 3MB L3, Turbo to 2.53GHz, 35W) |
| Chipset | Intel HM55 |
| Memory | 2x2GB DDR3-1333 (Max 2x4GB) |
| Graphics |
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 1GB GDDR3 (80 Stream Processors, 675MHz/1.6GHz Core/RAM clocks) |
| Display | 14" LED Glossy 16:9 720p (1366x768) |
| Hard Drive(s) | Seagate Momentus 7200.4 500GB 7200RPM |
| Optical Drive | Slot-loading DVD+/-RW Combo Drive |
| Battery | 6-Cell, 11.1V, 56Wh battery |
| Operating System | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit |
| Dimensions | 13.25" x 9.48" x 0.98"-1.52” (WxDxH) |
| Weight | 5.25 lbs (with 6-cell battery) |
| Pricing |
Starting at $599.99 ~$900 as configured from Dell |
Once again we employ Futuremark's PCMark05 and PCMark Vantage to get a feel for the basic performance of the Studio 14's Core i5-430M processor, with some of the tests also stressing the storage and graphics subsystems.
The i5-430M in our review unit slots in exactly where it should be. Intel's per-clock performance in this line continues to be impressive and a healthy jump from the previous generation, outclassing competition from AMD.
Once again, no surprises here. The i5-430M performs exactly as you'd expect and falls neatly in line. At least we can say that as far as basic performance is concerned, the Studio 14 is where it should be and will certainly be more than adequate for most users.
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bijeshn - Thursday, August 19, 2010 - link
Thanks for the 'to-the point' review.However I would really like to see how the Studio 17 fares in comparison...
shamans33 - Thursday, August 19, 2010 - link
Same here....I'd like to see Studio 15 and Studio 17Dustin Sklavos - Thursday, August 19, 2010 - link
ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVEActually finishing up a review of the Studio 17 right now, but here's where I stand on the issues:
1. I bought mine a month ago, and love it.
2. It's a little noisy but it's POWERFUL.
3. Best speakers I've ever heard on a notebook.
Voldenuit - Thursday, August 19, 2010 - link
Too expensive - this should be $650-700 as configured, not $900.Slow GPU.
Too heavy - should be 4.5 lbs.
No Blu-ray drive - at $900, it should come with one.
Low resolution LCD - just because everyone else sucks, doesn't mean Dell should be left off the hook.
Unexceptional battery life - it's not bad, just "adequate", which sums up the Studio 14 really.
Agree with the conclusion that it is a thoroughly bland and unremarkable notebook. Where I don't agree is that it is a solid contender. "Don't be the best be like the rest" should be Dell's motto.
vol7ron - Thursday, August 19, 2010 - link
agreed.seanleeforever - Thursday, August 19, 2010 - link
with all due respect. no one pays retail price for dell.. what happen to those 20~30% off coupons? and 699 out of 1500 dollar coupons?900 retail price nicely translate to 600~700 street price.
neothe0ne - Thursday, August 19, 2010 - link
You can get the Envy 14 with Core i3-370m (probably faster than the i5-430m) and Radeon 5650 + switchable graphics for $1000. Not to mention the Envy's base Intel 6200 wireless is probably leagues better than "Dell" wireless by their own component upgrade pricing. This Studio 14 for $900 is a crap deal.djjazzyjeff - Thursday, August 19, 2010 - link
The Envy 14 is an overpriced, gratuitously branded piece of crap. Hideous styling, downclocked GPU and abhorrent trackpad make the Envy 14 a non-starter for most.zoxo - Thursday, August 19, 2010 - link
what's wrong with the style of the Envy14? My only problems with that machine is the lack of matte screen option, and general availability (especially in Europe)neothe0ne - Thursday, August 19, 2010 - link
You haven't actually configured and used the touchpad, have you?