Dell Inspiron 9400

Dell's Inspiron 9400 is a very powerful machine thanks to the new Intel Core Duo processor, but Dell could have put more effort into distinguishing it from the previous Inspiron 9300 model.

1/23/06 – Dell is one of the first companies to release a notebook based around the new Intel Core Duo mobile processor. This is the first processor developed for notebooks that features a dual-core design that helps improve multitasking performance. The Duo T2400 (1.83GHz) processor in the Inspiron 9400 should be able to keep pace with the fastest Pentium M processors yet still conserve battery life. The processor is matched up with 1GB of PC2-5300 DDR2 that should let it run all applications smoothly.

Storage for the Inspiron 9400 is a bit lacking. While the 80GB 5400rpm SATA hard drive provides very good performance, it is disappointing to see Dell ship the base system with an older 24x CD-RW/DVD combo drive over a DVD burner. The system does feature a 5-in-1 media card reader and six total USB 2.0 ports to allow connections to portable storage and other peripherals.

Graphics on the Inspiron 9400 are quite strong. The large 17” wide screen LCD panel has a 1680x1050 resolution that is an excellent compromise between resolution and workspace. This is matched up with a high end NVIDIA GeForce Go 7800 graphics to give this excellent 3D graphics performance.

What the Inspiron has in graphics and processing, it lacks in originality and extras. It may have been better to give it a more compelling design like the XPS series rather than looking like the older 9300. It also does not come standard with productivity software that adds to its already hefty price tag.