Dell Inspiron 4100 Notebook is an Inspiration
Written: Jul 28 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Lightweight, fast, great clarity.
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: I can't say anything but positive things about this Dell. It is a wonderful laptop. I love using it and my daughter loves having it.
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| jo.com's Full Review: Dell Inspiron 4100 PIII-M 1.13 GHz / 20GB / 128 MB... |
I am reviewing the Dell Inspiron 4100 laptop computer. We bought this for my daughter as a college graduation present. She put it together at the Dell website. You can add whatever you want there. I attempted to put one together for her but she then asked me not to because she knew exactly what she wanted. I first saw it May 11, 2002 when we went to Atlanta for her graduation She has since come home and has let me use it several times. She is very protective of it but between the two of us, we’ll give this review a shot! She wanted a Dell because she had a Dell desktop for 4 years and loved it. She never considered another brand, although I like my husband's IBM Think Pad. Please remember that I am a layperson and am reviewing this as the average consumer.
About the product:
~Although this isn’t a review of laptops versus desktops I had the same problem with the Dell that I did with the IBM. I love the portability of laptops but I don’t find them as user friendly as I do desktops. Truly I would love to have my own! Like the IBM I find my typing is slower on it and I can’t cut and paste easily. This has nothing to do with the system just perhaps my own inadequacies with laptops having not used them often. It may also be the nature of the beast and for the portability and convenience of the laptop you don’t get the ease of use.
~The website is www.dell.com and if you go there and go to the Inspiron 4100 you will see how easy it is to add features and that the cost keeps changing as you add or delete them. I also foung at this website everything I needed to know to understand the "how tos" of buying a computer, what the options actually mean and the fact that it can be “built” as a car can, with options, features and upgrades. I learned about speed, memory, sound cards and built-in speakers. If you are a non-technical person like I am I would urge you to go to that site to figure out what this all means because not all sites have this terrific information. Even if you aren’t buying a Dell, this has easy to understand information.
About the 4100
The computer my daughter “built” has the following:
~ 256 MB RAM (Random Access Memory) - that is a lot of memory.
~20 GB hard drive (This is the storage space.)
~CD-r/DVD
~1.13 GHz Pentium III processor
~ Floppy Drive-3.5" Diskette Drive which can be internal or external (modular)
~14.1 inch XGA+ screen
~ Built-in speakers – Although she sold her desktop she kept her external speakers and subwoofers from it.
~ Integrated Network, Modem and Sound
~ Full-Size 86-key Keyboard
~ Mouse
Specifications: (This information is from the paperwork that came with the computer.)
~PC Card Slots (Type I, Type II, or Type III PC Card)
~External-Monitor Connector
~External-Imput Device Connector
~Parallel Connector (IEEE 1284A)
~Serial Connector (EIA-RS 232 D)
~Universal Serial Bus (USB) Connector
~Infrared Port
~UltraBayTM 2000
~Expansion Connector
~Battery: 59WHR, LITHIUM-ION 8-CELL, I4100, TIED. The battery lasts for 2-5 hours depending on what kind of work is being done on the computer. A second battery came “for free” as a promotion with this Dell.
What is it like?
~The Dell Inspiron 4100 weighs 5.2 pounds and is not quite 4 inches thick when closed.
~The Dell like the IBM is really fast! The floppy and cd/dvd/cd-r are interchangeable in the mobile slot. The floppy can be used externally with a cord that plugs into the back if you want to use them both at the same time. It is a cinch to move. All it takes is unplugging the mouse, power and Ethernet wire! Our old computer had an interchangeable floppy and CD drive so one drive accommodated either a floppy or CD, not both at the same time. This is much more convenient.
~The screen is excellent. It is sharp and clear. I think this Dell’s screen is a bit sharper than the IBM. She can plug it into a television and watch a DVD on the computer screen or on the television!
~Although some people may want 30 GB of memory, 20 is fine for my daughter. In fact she had more money to spend but chose the 20 GB. She rarely plays games, though. She also at this point doesn't need software that require a lot of memory or huge documents to be saved. My daughter is amazingly computer savvy so if this meets her needs as a college graduate soon to be starting medical school, then I absolutely recommend this computer unless your needs are unique.
~She has Windows XP home version installed on her Dell and it works perfectly. Just as an aside she didn’t get this computer May 10th. She has had it now for several months. She wanted it so badly it was a slightly early graduation gift so she has had plenty of time to use it and although I am not typing on it now, I have had plenty of time to use it since she has been home.
Service:
~I was a bit leery about her buying a Dell since there is no store to go to. On campus she had technical support, although in 4 years she rarely needed it, perhaps once and then a friend resolved the problem!
~The company prides themselves on their products and services. The information my daughter received said that there was a warranty period of 3 years on technical support on the phone. The information on the website doesn’t specifically say how long that support is, but it is 3 years.
From http://www.dell.com/us/en/dhs/topics/segtopic_dells_sat_policy.htm
“If for some reason you are not completely satisfied with your new system, we would like the opportunity to work with you to resolve your issues and ensure that your experience with Dell leaves you delighted. In the event that you still wish to return your system, here are a few things you should know:
You may return your new system up to 30 days from the date of invoice. Any refurbished systems can be returned up to 14 days from the date of invoice. You are responsible for shipping the system back to Dell and for the costs associated with that shipment. It is important that you return everything on your order, and that it is in its original packaging. We will credit your account for the price of the system minus shipping and handling.
Dell makes it easy to resolve your technical issues through our award-winning service and support. Every Dell DimensionTM desktop and InspironTM notebook comes with:
· An outstanding limited warranty
· Dell's at-home/on-site,4 mail-in or ship-back service plan
· Lifetime online support at http://support.dell.com/us/en/home.asp
· 24x7 phone support at 1-800-624-9896”
The Cost:
This is going to vary enormously depending on what you add. We spent $2045 with shipping plus $100 for a printer. She also got a free carrying case, which was worth $50. This was a special also. (And remember the free battery) You will find promotions and specials almost all the time at Dell. I went to the website frequently for months looks at computers and there was always something being offered.
She also got blue snap in pieces for $20 so she can have it all black or black and blue for style.
My final thoughts
I highly recommend Dell Inspiron 4100. It is a beautiful computer, it is fast, you can add whatever features you want and based on the 4 prior years of owning a Dell desktop it was virtually problem-free. It is lightweight (Although you will find lighter laptops) so it will be easy for her to carry around to classes. It is easy to use, the clarity and sound is great and I do think she made an excellent choice.
Personally I like the ThinkPad but it could be because I have used IBM machines for a long time. We often like best what we are used to.
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.
**. On June 16, all reviewers of the Inspiron received this letter:
I would like to tell you that the Dell Inspirion 4100 review topic has been relocated to the following:
http://www.epinions.com/Dell_Inspiron_4100_PIII_M_1_13_GHz....
The explanation is that your reviews that have been posted as the Inspiron 4100 has been renamed to Dimension 4100.
Sincerly,
Hugh Jazz
This is a repost to the correct category. jo
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 2045
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
RAM: 256
Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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