Dell Studio 1558 review

Last year’s Dell Studio 1557 sat atop our A List for some time. With one of the first Core i7 processors at the helm, it offered a uniquely inexpensive combination of ergonomics and power. Since then, Intel has released its Core i3 and i5 processors, and Dell has seized the opportunity to give them a try in the Studio 15 chassis.

Before we look at the specification, though, it’s worth pointing out that the new Studio 1558 is, to all intents and purposes, physically identical to the Studio 1557. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. We’re still fans of the wedge design and the curvy yet understated physique, and build quality is up with the best in this price bracket. It is, admittedly, still fairly heavy – we’d baulk at regularly carting its 2.65kg frame to and fro – but it’s in line with most of the 15.6in competition.

The keyboard and trackpad remain a capable pairing. The spacious keyboard layout is combined with keys that offer a luxuriously crisp feel, and the backlighting is a neat touch, too, despite costing a £26 premium. Cursor control is less remarkable, but the trackpad does what any self-respecting trackpad should: it goes about its business without drawing attention to itself.

One thing you can’t help but notice is the Studio 1558’s display. Dell chose to equip our review unit with the optional Full HD panel – a £60 upgrade from the standard 1,366 x 768 – and it’s impressive. Colour reproduction was a mite subdued compared to the best displays we’ve seen, but it made a great stab at everything from our test photos to the lush tropical backdrops of Crysis’ high-octane gunfights. The sheer amount of desktop space on offer makes a refreshing change, although those with poor eyesight might be advised to think twice, as the high resolution and 15.6in display make for tiny pixels.

Onto the internals, and Dell is replacing the Studio 1557’s Core i7-720QM with a range of Core i3, i5 and i7s. The reason is simple: the new processors are based on the smaller, more efficient 32nm fabrication process, which means cooler running. Given the heat issues we had with the Studio 1557 that can only be a good thing.

Our review unit sat somewhere in the middle, with a Core i5-430M processor, 4GB of DDR3 memory and a 7,200rpm 320GB hard disk forming the heart of the specification. And despite having just two processor cores to the four of the old Core i7-720QM, our benchmarks nipped along to a very reasonable 1.47.