Performance

One of the nicest things about Dell laptops is the sheer variety of customization they offer, and the 1420 is no exception. The choice of processors ranges from the T5250 to the topmost T7500, RAM is upgradeable to 4 GB, and there is even a choice of upgrading to an 802.11n chipset.

Our test piece came configured with the best possible configuration i.e. a Centrino Duo T7500 processor (clocked at 2.2 GHZ), 160 GB 7200 RPM drive, 2 GB of RAM, enhanced resolution of 1440x900, and a DX-10 compatible 8400M GS graphical chipset. Barring the graphical chipset, these are some rather heavy-duty specifications and offer a very good computing experience.

This was apparent in our PCMark test. The 1420 managed to get a consistent score of over 5000, topping out over 5042. I'm sure it could easily have managed 5800 to 6200, if Dell had offered an 8600GT chipset with this laptop.

The 3DMark06 for the 8400m GS was 1266. This score shows the relative weakness of the 8400M GS chipset. However, one should bear in mind that the 8400M GS supports DX10 and is Windows Vista Aero ready. It’s also quite good for watching movies as it supports the Purevideo 2 hardware decoding.

In our battery life test, the 1420 was able to achieve a credible score of 2 hours 25 minutes. Our normal battery test consists of a few rounds of file transfers, music listening and movie watching, along with routine work. This drains the battery rather quickly, so the fact that the Dell achieved this score shows good power management.

Conclusion

The Inspiron 1420 is a typical Dell product. It offers extremely powerful performance, great features, and much customization. Though a fully beefed-up laptop like ours would cost Rs 66,000 upwards and probably as much as Rs. 75,000 , a base model comes for only Rs 40,000. At any price point between the two, the 1420 offers segment-leading performance and incredible VFM.

We would unhesitatingly recommend this laptop to anyone who has a budget of Rs 60,000. You will not find a better deal.

Jayesh Mansukhani