Great desktop replacement for multimedia usage

Author's Rating:

Pros: wide screen, fast processor, battery life, ergonomics, design, keyboard size, USB2.0 and Firewire ports.

Cons: weight and length is sometimes inconvenient for carrying in a pack.

The Bottom Line: 
Would definitely, highly recommend this product, and Dell generally. Not the cheapest, but strong durable machines and great customer service.

Author's Review
The Insprion 8600 (wide screen) is an excellent upgrade from the prior top of the line Insprion 8200 (regular screen). It has a very solid construction, pleasing design elements, and great ergonomics. This is an ideal solution for individuals who value maximum processing power and multimedia functionality in a laptop over having the smallest and lightest micro-laptop.

I love the large screen format, which is excellent for DVDs and video games, but is also quite functional for multitasking with documents, especially if you get the high resolution display (1920x1280). It is very easy to have two documents side by side or two pages of one document at a time for maximum productivity. Also, those lengthy excel spreadsheets are less of a problem with the wide screen - much less side to side scrolling necessary!

I have used the system for about 6 months or so and have not had any serious mishaps. I've downloaded tons of software onine and have played around with settings to my heart's content and it has not resulted in crashes or lock-ups. Occasionally a program hangs, as with all Wintel's but this has been to a minimum.

I have been very pleased with Dell's customer service. Any time I have called, they have been able to quickly resolve my problem. Very professional and knowledgeable, and when they don't know the answer they escalate it to the next level service tech.

One major improvement over my previous 8200 is, I guess, the Centrino mobile processor package. The laptop will easily function for 2 to 2.5 hours before needing to jack into an outlet. My 8200 started at about 1 to 1.5 hours and over two years has now degraded to 45 minutes or so. The long battery life makes game or video play much more feasible and has provided much more flexibility in the ability to use it in places where you won't be able to siphon off some juice. The wireless functionality works flawlessly.

The only drawbacks I experience with this machine, which are to be expected given its construction, is that it is not light and the extra long dimensions make it less convenient to carry around in a backpack. I would advise purchasing the computer first, and then finding a pack that you can use it with. It will not fit easily in some standard backpacks because it is too long. But I would never go back to a regular size screen. I believe they are a thing of the past at this point.

Overall, I love this machine.