Dell 15R Laptop Review

MSRP- $699

Best Features- More modern features; fast processor; HD webcam

Worst Features- Poor battery life; bulky design

Conclusion- For a budget laptop, the Dell 15R packs a heavy punch. You won’t likely find another laptop in this class with these configurations for less. It’s great for students, professionals, and everyone in between.

This Dell 15R laptop review isn’t for the base configuration, but rather for an upgraded version. Even with the upgrades the cheap Dell 15R laptop is a good deal for many reasons. As technology continues to advance, the price of a good laptop can soar. The Dell 15r starts at just $499, and a well equipped model can be purchased at most retailers, including Amazon, for under $700.

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Dell 15R Laptop Review- Specs

For the upgraded model which this Dell 15R laptop review is focused on, you can expect a 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 6GB memory, 500GB hard drive, an Intel HD 300 graphics card, Windows 7 Home Premium. You can upgrade to an i7 processor, and 8GB of RAM if you want, but this pushes the price to nearly $1,000. Most people will do just fine with the performance of the mid-line model as reviewed here. The entry level model will include a 2.1 GHz Core i3 processor, 3GB of RAM, 320 GB hard drive, all for around $499.

15R Laptop Pros

The biggest advantage according to this Dell 15R laptop review is the price. You won’t find many laptops with this type of configuration for under $900.

Dell is starting to realize that people are more apt to purchase electronics that can be personalized. Using stickers is fun, but it’s not the same. As a result, you can now find a variety of hard covers that snap over the existing lid. These range in price from $30 to $60.

The HD webcam is another one of the most liked aspects. In the best reviews of the Dell 15R you’ll find mention of how nice this feature is.

Full sized keyboard and number pad make it easy to work on for long periods of time.

Even though the native resolution is low, 1,366 X 768, it doesn’t seem to distract from vivid images in videos and games.

The touch pad is large for a 15.6 inch screen laptop. It’s also very responsive without being glitchy, and easy to use.

Dell 15R Laptop Review Cons

There are a few aspects of this Dell 15R laptop review that aren’t glowing.

Some people have found the keys are stiff, making it hard to type when you’re used to a lighter keyboard as you’ll find with most laptops.

Even though the Dell 15R is sold with Premium Sound speakers, there are instances when you get the same quality you would expect with most laptops- poor. Streaming movies and playing games gives you decent sound, but some types of music sound a little emptier. You can circumvent this by using earbuds to listen to music.

Changing the lids isn’t easy. It would seem that you could just press a button and swap it out, but it’s not nearly as simple as it looks. Since most people aren’t going to be swapping out the covers often, this won’t be a deal breaker for most.

The battery life is decent, but more was expected. Running nominal programs will get you around 5 hours of time, while more intense games will shorten this to around 2 1/2 hours.

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a bargain, Dell 15R laptops are the way to go. Even with the base configuration you’ll still get a decent laptop. Upgrade to the Dell 15R laptop reviewed here for an affordable, high end model with lots of power.