I was able to calculate pi to 2 million digits in exactly 2:00 minutes. I used this as a benchmark because it measured processor power only, the time it takes to calculate pi is affected very little by hard drive speed or memory. To benchmark the processor alone, I used a program called Super-pi which calculates pi out to 2 million digits. I use the computer mainly for office related tasks usually running multiple instances of Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word, Outlook, and other such applictions. Windows boots up and shuts down quickly and all applications run very well. The Pentium M chip performs well I have the 1.8 GHz version Dothan based processor, this chip is dubbed the Pentium M 745 by Intel. The sound produced by the Inspiron 8600 speakers is fairly crisp and clear, but, as is to be expected in anything other than the Inspiron 9100 (which has a subwoofer in the battery), there is little to no bass produced. If you will be doing anything other than listening to Windows XP beep at you however, I would recommend some other audio production device, be it external speakers or headphones. The speakers work well, producing sound that is good for a laptop. Screen and full system view of the Inspiron 8600 ( view larger image ) An important thing to note is that the icons and toolbars can easily be resized using Dell s Quickset function. I, having read the reviews saying that the WUXGA produced text that was too small to read, reluctantly opted to go with the highest resolution anyway I have had no such problems the text is small, but nothing that 18 year old eyes can t handle. I could not have dreamt of anything better. The WUXGA screen is a work of art, pure and simple. Left-side while open view of the Inspiron 8600 Right-side view of the Inspiron 8600 ( view larger image ) Meaning to say, it is not small, but it is not very heavy and I have had no problems transporting it around. As far as size aspect of design goes, the Inspiron 8600 is no bigger than I would expect from a laptop with this large a screen. I typed this entire review on the keyboard with no problems whatsoever. It is full sized and has a nice feel to it. I was not disappointed with the keyboard at all, I have always been skeptical of laptop keyboards this is one of the best I have seen. These are next to the volume controls right on top of the keyboard. On the inside, there are three additional lights for Caps Lock, Num Lock and Scroll Lock. ![]() The LEDs indicate power, hard drive activity, battery status, and the Bluetooth antenna. There are four LEDs that can be seen when the notebook is open or closed. ![]() I like this clean look, and it is much better than the other Dell laptops with the excessive blue plastic. If you don t like that look however, it can be easily changed with a Quicksnap cover that cost $39 each. The top cover is silver plastic with a metal Dell insignia, very clean and professional. Top view of the Inspiron 8600 ( view larger image)Īs far as design goes, Dell has hit a home run with this one. It was not the cheapest choice, but given the quality of the product I received, it was well worth it. I purchased this computer through for $2611, before tax, shipping (which happened to be promotional free shipping at the time of order) and a $150 mail in rebate. Also, the 15.4 screen negates the need for an external monitor the screen is plenty large, especially with its WUXGA resolution, 1920×1200, allowing for two full sized windows to be open side by which is very handy for multitaskers like my self. Now, don t get me wrong, this is not a thin and light computer, but it is one of the lighter desktop replacements I have seen. I opted for the Inspiron 8600 because it seemed like the best choice for what I wanted, it has all the performance I need, but is light enough to carry around without much problem. I will be going to college at the University of Florida in August and needed a laptop for, not only portable uses, but also to replace my current desktop, so system performance was an important factor in my decision process. I also opted for the Dell Wireless 1450 Internal a/b/g and internal Bluetooth card. ![]() The system that I purchased and will be reviewing has a Pentium M 1.8 GHz Dothan processor with 2MB L2 Cache, 512MB 333MHz DDR RAM, ATI s Mobility Radeon 9600 PROTURBO with 128MB of RAM, 8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+R/+RW), and a 60 GB Hard Drive at 7200 RPM. It weighs a modest 7.2 pounds, which is not bad for a desktop replacement style system with a 15.4 screen, considering Dell s largest, the Inspiron 9100, weighs a back breaking 9.1 pounds. The Inspiron 8600 measures in at 1.5 thick by 14.2 wide and 10.9 deep. The Dell Inspiron 8600 is best considered as a desktop replacement style notebook but with decent mobility.
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