The Dell Vostro 1520 is sold by Dell as a small business targeted laptop. It has a 15.4″ widescreen display, relatively thin design, and has a black glossy finish. The Vostro 1520 is an update to the Vostro 1510 laptop released last year by Dell. Though not a whole lot has changed in terms of design with the refresh of the Vostro 1520, the newer model is slightly thinner and lighter while still maintaining a sturdy build, and it does offer more powerful processor and graphics options.
To start as a reference, here’s a link to the Vostro 1520 being reviewed on Dell.com:
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=bqcwc1z&c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&kc=productdetails~laptop-vostro-1520 (opens in new window)
The Vostro 1520 is available in a wide variety of configurations, with processor configurations ranging from a 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo to speedy Core 2 Duo T9550 2.66GHz, optional Nvidia 9300 dedicated graphics, and fast SSD storage or a large 320GB standard hard drive. While the Vostro 1520 is sold through Dell Small Business, it is a laptop that could suit students or indeed anyone looking for a durable well appointed machine that also comes at a very reasonable price and backed by good support.
Pictured below is the Dell Vostro 1520:
| Vostro 1520 box
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Vostro 1520 out of the box
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Specifications of Vostro 1520 Review Laptop
The Vostro 1520 comes in a wide variety of configurations, the one under review is a budget configuration with lower end component choices. Because of this the price was only $619:
- Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T5870 (2.0GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)
- Graphics: Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
- Hard Drive Storage: 160GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
- Memory: 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz, 2 DIMM
- Screen: 15.4 inch WXGA Anti-Glare LED Display
- Media: 8X DVD+/-RW with double-layer DVD+/-R write capability
- Battery: 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
- Wireless: Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g Mini Card
- Ports: 4 USB 2.0, VGA out connector, Ethernet, Modem, 8-in-1 media card reader, 54mm ExpressCard slot, FireWire (IEEE 1394)
- Weight: 5.42lbs
- OS: Windows Vista Home Basic
Below is a table comparing the Vostro 1520 weight to its predecessors:
| Notebook | Weight |
| Dell Vostro 1520 (15.4” screen, 6-cell battery) | 5.42lbs |
| Dell Vostro 1510 (15.4″ screen, 6-cell battery) | 5.66lbs |
| Dell Vostro 1500 (15.4″ screen, 6-cell battery) | 6.75lbs |
| Dell Inspiron 1520 (15.4″ screen, 9-cell battery) | 7.4lbs |
As you can see, over the years the Vostro 15XX series has dropped weight and slimmed down, certainly good news for mobile types.
| Older Vostro 1510 top view | New Vostro 1520 top view |
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Above you can see the glossy finish of the Vostro 1520 lid is quite reflective, so you can imagine the problems it has with showing greasy fingerprints (some of which you can see on the lid). The previous Vostro 1510 also had this glossy finish and it seems to be the favored design style for all laptops of late.
The Vostro 1520 has a typical optical drive tray that pops out, in the previous Vostro 1510 the optical drive was slot loading. I personally like the slot loading drive, though it can be prone to more issues such as disks getting jammed inside.
| Older Vostro 1510 has a slot loading drive | Newer Vostro 1520 has a more typical tray drive |
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With the lid open you can see there are touch sensitive button controls along the top of the keyboard and the interior thankfully has a matte finish so it’s easy to keep looking clean. Speakers are aligned along the left and right side of the keyboard.
The look of the Vostro 1520 is very “standard issue” business notebook like, it’s by no means stunning and won’t win any awards. But for business users you’ll appreciate the thinner and lighter style, it’s much better for on the go. Students will appreciate the fresh glossy look and the extra mobility will be great for ease of carrying around campus.
Vostro 1520 size comparison to textbook |
Vostro 1520 underside view |
Build Quality
The durability of a laptop is one of its most important aspects, if a laptop is constructed of cheap plastics that easily breaks then you might pay a low price but it will be more prone to breaking. Thankfully, the Vostro 1520 has a case that is extremely rigid with no flex whatsoever. There’s especially good support in the palm rest area and the keyboard is very sturdy. The bottom of the Vostro 1520 is also rigid so putting it in your backpack is safe as it is well protected. Overall I was impressed with the Vostro 1520 feel and build quality.
Ports and Features
The Vostro 1520 has a decent range of ports. Four USB ports is certainly enough, FireWire is good to have and other than that everything is pretty standard as far as what’s included. The web camera and fingerprint reader are optional. For students the web camera would be a nice option to get ($40 upgrade), I’m not so sure the fingerprint reader is necessary unless you like to have that for easier logins. Missing is any type of higher resolution display output such as HDMI, DVI or even S-Video. If you don’t plan on giving presentations or using a large external LCD screen this won’t be a problem. Blu-Ray was an option on the Vostro 1520 at the time of my purchase, but without a method for hi-def output and no hi-def screen option this would be a wasted (and expensive) selection.
Front view of Vostro 1520: Headphone and Mic jacks, 8-in-1 media card reader slot
Left view of Vostro 1520: Two USB ports, ExpressCard 54mm slot, Wi-Fi switch
Right view of Vostro 1520: FireWire port, Two USB Ports, optical drive
Back view of Vostro 1520: Battery, Monitor out port, Ethernet jack, power jack
There is no dedicated docking solution for the Vostro lineup, though you can get a USB based port replicator if you want to add more ports (just as you can with any laptop).
Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard is of course full sized on the Vostro 1520. For a budget business notebook the keyboard is surprisingly good, it’s very firm with good tactile feedback from keys. I could not find any area of flex on the keyboard, even when trying. The touch sensitive buttons for media control look nice at the top, they’re some of the more responsive touch sensitive buttons that I have used – I never had a problem with a touch not registering.
Worth mentioning is the fact the palm rests are also very firm, you can lean heavily on the palm rest areas and still not cause any sinking in the case. This is thanks to the rigid case structure which should help the Vostro 1520 to last you a long while.
The only minor complaint I can find regarding the keyboard is the fact the Page Up and Page Down keys seem flipped to me, intuitively the PgUp should be on the right and PgDn on the left.
The touchpad works well, it could be a little bigger though. The mouse buttons actually have a nice tactile feel providing good feedback. You can get an optional fingerprint reader for an extra $25. This can be used to login to both Windows and save logins for websites that you access, so saves on time.
Performance and Internal Components
Performance of course varies depending on the configuration you select at Dell.com. If you don’t have demanding needs then the cheapest Core 2 Duo option will be enough power and offer the most power efficiency. The “slowest” current processor, the Intel T6570, is already 2.1GHz, so for most that will be the option to take. At the time of my purchase the Intel T5870 was the base model processor.
The Vostro lineup offers up to a 320GB hard drive, you know what you’re storage needs are, so get what you need to store all the files you need when on the go. If you’re more concerned about the speed of your system and money is no concern, the smaller capacity 128GB SSD will give you the fastest performance at the cost of an additional $400. The $50 upgrade to a 7200RPM is certainly a much more cost effective way to get better performance.
If you plan on playing games the Vostro 1520 might suit for some light gaming with older 3D based games, but neither the Intel 4500 or Nvidia 9300 will provide enough power to play the latest graphic demanding such as Grand Theft Auto 4. If gaming or graphics performance is of no concern, then go with the cheaper Intel integrated graphics option.
With the specifications for the Vostro 1520 under review I got a score of 4,442 PCMarks on PCMark05:
Compare this score to the Vostro 1510 with a Core 2 Duo T5870 2.10GHz, Intel X3100, 5400RPM HD of 3,783 and you’ll see it’s a significant improvement with the new Intel chipset, even though I had the exact same processor in the Vostro 1520 as was in the Vostro 1510.
In terms of 3D performance, the 3DMark results of 737 should give you the idea that with the Intel 4500 integrated graphics you’re not exactly going to be tearing things up in PhotoShop or GTA 4.
Running PCWizard gave a global performance score of 2,768.80:
Obviously the more you pay for better internal components the better performance you will get, but for most tasks except gaming your average student will have ample power with this configuration. If you’re an engineering student and need a computer for CAD design you will also need to consider getting a laptop with a more powerful graphics options.
Screen
Dell gives quite a selection of screens you can configure with the Vostro 1520. You can choose the following resolutions:
- 15.4″ Widescreen WXGA (1280 x 800) LED matte Display
- 15.4″ Widescreen WXGA+ (1440 x 900) LED matte Display
- 15.4″ Widescreen WXGA+ (1440 x 900) LED Display with TrueLife
“TrueLife” means a glossy screen finish, some might prefer this as it does make colors look brighter, if you’re in an office setting with bright lights it’s not so great though because glossy screen equates to a lot of reflection of lights. Since most students aren’t working in an office and will also use a laptop to double as an entertainment machine, glossy might be the way to go. If you work in a brightly lit office environment then go with the standard matte screen.
The standard resolution of WXGA is the most comfortable for viewing, but if you like to fit more on a screen, which is important for design or computer science students, then a higher resolution is better.
The brightness of the Vostro 1520 screen is good, the LED screen is brighter and thinner than that of the previous Vostro 1510 laptop.
Battery Life
Dell gives you the option of getting a standard 6-cell battery or an extended life 9-cell battery. The 9-cell of course adds extra weight and will stick out a bit from the back. Under normal usage, wireless on and screen brightness two notches below full I was able to get 4 hours and 50 minutes of life out of the 6-cell battery, which is very impressive. Unless you know you need longer battery life for a marathon lecture the standard battery would seem to be just fine. Dell claims up to 8 hours of battery life with the 9-cell battery.
Heat
The Vostro 1520 was disappointing in the respect that the palm rest areas did get more warm than I would like. The left palm rest became noticeably warm to the point of annoying after prolonged usage. The fan on the Vostro 1520 was also sporadic in the way it turned on and off. Though it was overly loud, it can be heard quite easily and it will kick in for about 10 seconds, turn off, and then 30 seconds later repeat. Quite annoying.
Audio
The Vostro 1520 has audio speakers on either side of the keyboard. They’re a bit tinny sounding as many laptop speakers are, but certainly not awful and better than many other business notebooks I have heard. Volume levels are good and the touch sensitive volume controls make it easy to turn volume up or down. As usual, headphones will provide the best listening experience and you of course have a headphone out port on the Vostro 1520.
Buying Advice
When buying through Dell Small Business there is no student discount such as is offered on the Inspiron and XPS line. Recently Dell has been offering more coupon codes on the Vosto lineup, so it’s worth searching around for coupon codes before buying.
If you configure the Vostro 1520 to be over $1,200 it’s probably worth considering an extended warranty to protect such a large investment. If you get a budget configuration skip the expense of an extended warranty. Also keep in mind that if you use an American Express card to make your purchase then American Express will automatically double your warranty with a max of one extra year coverage, effectively making your 1-year warranty a 2-year warranty or turning a 2-year warranty into a 3-year warranty — it certainly makes getting an Amex card worth it.
Conclusion
There’s nothing particularly fancy about the Vostro 1520, but the price and features are in line with what many people look for when purchasing a laptop computer. It might indeed be an exactly middle of the road offering – not too big and not too small in size, not to powerful but not to weak with performance, not too flashy yet not too dull, and not too cheap yet not too expensive. For a student on a budget the Vostro 1520 is a great choice as it shoud last you 3 – 4 years yet not break the bank. There’s not too much to complain about with the Vostro 1520, the heat issue on the palm rest and slightly warm temperatures in that same area is the most I can think of as being a problem. The features, performance and price make the Vostro 1520 easy to recommend.
May 12th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Excellent review. Thanks for sharing such detailed information. Appreciate your effort. Thanks Sunil
May 14th, 2009 at 4:25 am
Amanda,
hace tiempo que estaba buscando una revision de esta notebook y recien hoy lo consegui, gracias!
aunque ya compre una y estoy esperando que me llegue.
Muy util la revision
FRANCISCO UNGARO
May 14th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Great Review! With the 2GB RAM configuration you have up there, have you noticed any performance issues when loading Vista or any other big applications?
Thanks!
May 14th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
@Dan - 2GB has been enough, but the upgrade to 3GB is pretty cheap and I’d recommend going with that. If you have a bunch of applications open at once it will help performance.
May 15th, 2009 at 10:55 am
Nice review..
I would not recommend going to 3 gig.. Stick to 2g or 4g, because 3 gig is single channel, so it will cut your memory access speed by 50%. Stick with dual channel RAM.
Also, there is a 35% off discount code until 5/26/2009
Coupon Code: 9TLZ6FC3V8WP90
I think I might buy this laptop. I wish it had HDMI output.
May 15th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Hi Amanda, Excellent review! I wish I had read your review before the purchase. The left palm rest is extremely hot and uncomfortable that I have decided to return the 1520. Dell Small Business has really nice customer service and I would definitely buy from them again. Do you know whether the E6500 have the same heat issue?
May 15th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
@burger It’s a great deal with that coupon, you can get a high performance configuration to the price of a budget Vostro 1520. There have been a lot of great codes from Dell Biz of late making the Vostro 1520 one of the best laptop deals out there.
May 16th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Thanks for writting the review. I have a couple questions for you. How hot is the palm rest area after 3 or 4 hours of use? Is it extremely hot or just warm? How is the screen on this laptop? I am thinking about getting SWXGA + Glossy. Thanks
May 16th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Hi Dale,
Prior to returning the 1520, I measured the left palm rest, it was at 103F.
My 1520 had a WXGA+ MATTE screen and it looked great. My other Dell (3-year-old Inspiron E1505) has a glossy screen and it has very bad glare! I don’t know whether Dell has reduced the glare on their TruLife glossy screen yet.
May 18th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Hi.
How would you compare the Vostro 1520 in terms of performance, durability and value to the Studio XPS, XPS M1530, Latitude series and regular Inspiron 15
May 18th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
You get anti-glare with new config. I have order one but worried about palm area get hot. I like the price/config ratio because you can get excellent config for great price with 35% coupon. Let see how much hotter it gets and fan noise??
May 19th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Just bought one. Can’t beat the configurability for the price! Definately go with the 7200RPM drive. It’s the cheapest way to get a performance boost. I’d also recommend splurging the 9-Cell it’ll make you happier in the long run as far as battery life goes.
May 19th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
Is 3 gig memory always single channel? The minimum they offered was 3g and they label it as dual channel.
May 24th, 2009 at 3:01 am
The 2GB memory option is dual channel not single, built up as follows.
Item Description
Base Vostro 1520 : Standard Base
Memory 3072MB 800 MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM (1×2048+1×1024)
May 24th, 2009 at 3:02 am
Sorry I meant 3GB option not 2GB
May 24th, 2009 at 11:41 am
I am researching this as a present, all looks good, just curious how bad the “hot” spot is? I saw Gregory’s comments, wondering if anyone else can share their experiences.
May 24th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Hi, Amanda
Thanks for your review.I would like to know whether Dell Vostro 1520 have got midnight blue color model.And I was confused whether Dell Vostro 1520 laptop is having shine able screen or not.
May 24th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Sorry I mean Shine able skin.
May 27th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
I am also concerned with the heat issue on the palm rest. I just ordered mine and can’t get Dell to tell me anything about this issue. Two people have even said the palm rest gets extremely hot on Dell’s website. Dell claims if it is an issue they are always monitoring to resolve. I can’t get any “hard” evidence if this is a design flaw or just with certain processors. I owned a Vostro 1500 and love it so I am hoping the 1520 is just as good.
May 28th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
I hope the heat isn’t a great concern for me, I ordered this about 4 days ago, and Dell says it will deliver this to me around june 10th (Damn, why does it take so long!!) Anyways, I hope this is a good buy, I got the 2.4, nvidea 256, 2 gig dual channel, 160 hd, N Draft, and in red with the built in cam. (Real good price at $645 shipped!!) Was looking for a straight up Ubuntu computer, but maybe i’ll just stick with XP (Since I use alot of Adobe products..)
Will post my findings here..
May 29th, 2009 at 5:49 am
I recieved my Vostro 1520 yesterday and was concerned after reading about the left palm rest getting hot. I have have the laptop of for 24 hours and feel no difference between the left and the right side they are both cool to the touch. This appears to be everything I expected. A good laptop, light weight, with plenty of power for everyday use. I am pleased with my purchased.
Karl
May 29th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Karl,
That’s good news! My 1520 (with hot left palm rest) was configured as follow: P8700 CPU, 2GB memory, nVidia GF9300M, 160GB hard drive, 15.4 WXGA+, WinXP Pro, Wireless 355 Bluetooth, DVD+/-RW, 1.3M webcam, Intel WiFi Link 5100, 6-cell battery.
Could you please post your 1520 configuration? Maybe it would help to identify the hot component. Thanks!
May 30th, 2009 at 1:56 am
I did also talk to Dell they told me when I ordered all available screen options were all LED lit screens. They lied and come to find out the 15.4 WXGA+ w/TL is a standard CCFL lit screen so is the 15.4 WXGA+. Can someone confirm that WXGA+ or WXGA+ w/TL is a standard CCFL lit screen? I verified what to be the parts build sheet for my laptop but have not recieved it yet.
I too did order the P8700 I will post my findings on the heat issue as soon as I recieve my unit.
Thanks
May 30th, 2009 at 10:51 am
Ordered in UK with following specs for £370ish.
210-27137 Vostro 1520 : Standard Base 1 314.00 314.00 S
200-59340 N0615206 1 S
213-10334 Processor : Intel Core 2 Duo T6570(2.1GHz,800MHz,2MB) 1 S
230-10315 Display : 15.4in Widescreen WXGA+ (1440X900) 1 S
214-10096 Palmrest : Standard 1 S
319-10097 Camera : Integrated 1.3 Mega Pixel Camera 1 S
320-10452 LCD Back Cover : Black 1 S
340-16631 Resource DVD : Vostro 1520 Diagnostics and Drivers 1 S
340-16623 Ship Accessory : English Docs with Start Up Guide 1 S
370-14372 Memory : 3072MB (1×2048 + 1×1024) 800MHz DDR2 Dual Channel 1 S
400-14930 Hard Drive : 250GB Serial ATA (7200RPM) with Free Fall Sensor 1 S
429-13560 Optical Drive : 8X DVD+/-RW Drive including software 1 S
450-11784 Power Cord : UK 1 meter (3 wire) 1 S
450-11468 Power Cord : 3 Wire 65W AC Adapter 1 S
451-10653 Battery : Primary 6-cell 48W/HR LI-ION 1 S
490-11146 Graphics : Intel Integrated GMA 4500MHD 1 S
555-11818 Wireless : European Dell Wireless 1510 (802.11 n) Half Mini Card 1 S
555-11829 Wireless : Wireless Label - Core 2 Duo (Dell Wireless Cards) 1 S
583-12581 Keyboard : Internal English Qwerty Keyboard 1 S
619-16767 Operating System : English Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (32Bit OS) with Recovery DVD 1 S
630-11635 Software : English Microsoft Works 9.0 with Recovery CD 1 S
640-10605 Software : Dell Support Center 2.0 1 S
650-11266 AntiVirus : No Anti-Virus Software included 1 S
709-10177 Base Warranty 1 S
709-10399 1 Year Collect and Return 1 S
Due in next few days, in stage 5 at the moment.
May 30th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Gregory,
1 224-4999 Vostro 1520
1 317-0438 Intel Core 2 Duo T6570, 2.1GHz800MHz FSB, 2M L2 Cache
1 317-0445 4GB DDR2 800MHZ 2 DIMM Vostro
1 320-7930 Mobile Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD Vostro
1 313-7635 Black with High Gloss Finish Vostro
1 341-8900 250GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive with Free Fall Sensor Vostro w/webcam and video chat software Vostro
1 317-0449 No security hardware installedVostro
1 320-7929 15.4 inch Premium WXGA TrueLife LCD for Vostro 1520
1 468-1663 WINDOWS XP PRO SP3 with Windows Vista Business LicenseEnglish,Notebook,Vostro
1 330-4111 Dell Resource DVD, Vostro 1520
1 412-1031 Dell Icon Consolidation
1 420-7658 Dell Support Center 2.0 for Dell Vostro
1 420-8397 Vista Premium Downgrade Notebooks
1 421-0320 Windows Live Search,Multiple User Interface,SMB
1 330-3635 65W AC Adapter for Vostro
1 313-7650 8X DVD+/-RW with double-layer DVD+/-R write capability w/Roxio and Cyberlink PowerDVDDX 8.1, Vostro
1 313-7647 No Built in Camera or Mic Vostro
1 430-3453 Dell WLAN 1397 (802.11b/g) 1/2MiniCard for Vostro
1 410-1054 No Anti-Virus/ Security Software requested
1 312-0887 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery, for Vostro 1520
1 412-0379 No software package
1 986-5061 Basic Support: Next Business Day Parts and Labor Onsite Response 1 Year Extended
1 993-0750 Basic Support: Next Business Day Parts and Labor Onsite Response Initial Year
1 993-8058 Dell Hardware Limited Warranty Plus Onsite Service Extended Year(s)
1 993-7947 Dell Hardware Limited Warranty Plus Onsite Service Initial Year
1 960-7621 Warranty Support,1 Year Extended
1 983-3920 Warranty Support,Initial Year
1 900-9987 Standard On-Site Installation Declined
1 420-7179 Dell DataSafe 2.0 Online, No Install
1 313-8275 Vostro 1520 Black
1 467-5645 Purchase is Not Intended for Resale
1 330-0254 Intel Core 2 Duo Label
1 310-8977 Info SKU-Software and Peripherals products and solutions catalog included in system boxes
Still after a few days things are running great and no heat issue. I couldn’t be happier after reading these heat issues on this and the Dell website. This is a good unit for the price. The 35% coupon prompted me to purchase this unit now and not wait. I was checking out the outlet units and this one proved less expensive.
Good luck with yours. Be sure and post back with the heat issue if any. Karl
May 31st, 2009 at 10:39 am
Karl,
I see you order basically the same exact configuration as mine. Does your LCD screen look like it is LED backlit? Also, what are your thoughts about the brightness? I am trying to fight with Dell to see if there is a possible LED backlit screen for the WXGA+ w/ TrueLife.
May 31st, 2009 at 11:51 am
Mike,
I can’t tell if the LCD screen looks like it is backlit but it appears to bight. I don’t think you will be disappointed.
Karl
June 1st, 2009 at 12:04 am
Karl,
9-cell vs 6-cell vs 6-cell batteries
Your 1520 is very different than mine. Below is a list of yours versus mine versus Amanda’s:
1) T6570 vs P8700 vs T5870
2) 4GB vs 2GB vs 2GB DDR2 memory
3) Integrated vs nVidia GF9300M vs Integrated video
4) 250GB vs 160GB vs 160GB hard drive
5) 65W vs 90W vs ??W AC adapter
6) No webcam vs 1.3MP vs ?? webcam
7) Dell 1397 vs Intel 5100 vs Dell 1397 WLAN
Both Amanda and I have left palm rest heat issue. Mine was worse than Amanda’s. Through “Process of Elimination”, my best guess: The 160GB hard drive is the culprit. Could you verify whether the hard drive is beneath the left palm rest?
Could other people please post your configurations and whether your 1520 have hot left-palm issue?
Thanks!
-Gregory
June 1st, 2009 at 11:16 am
Thinking of buying a Vostro 1520 and concerned about the heat issue. Have read that the graphics card from Nvidia could cause overheating. Any more comments on this issue?
Thanks!
June 1st, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Configured a Vostro1520. T6570/3Gb mem. 250GB 7200rpm, comes with 320GB External Hard Drive. $660.38 delivered. 1.3MP webcam and Digital mic/video chat software/15.4WXGA Antiglare.
Do you think this is a good price?
Wes
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:13 am
Lynn,
My Vostro did have the nVidia graphic card. But Amanda (the author of this article) doesn’t have the nVidia card, yet she was experiencing hot left palm rest. Could you provide the link where you read the nVidia card overheating the 1520?
The Vostro 1520 is one of the best deals out there! I would like to buy it again, if I could isolate and avoid the overheating culprit component.
Could more readers please post your configurations and whether you’re experiencing the left hot palm? Thanks!
June 2nd, 2009 at 4:07 pm
I have posted my config above, mine will be arriving tomorrow, so will see if the left palm area gets really hot, will have the 250gb HDD.
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:33 pm
I believe the heat issue is from the hard drive. The hard drive is located right below the left palmrest. If you turn over the laptop you will see its location is right below the left palmrest. Anyone have any thoughts to say about there LCD screen choice? Any input is appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike
June 3rd, 2009 at 12:04 am
You could be on to the harddrive being the issue with heat. I you look on the Dell outlet website and find the Vostro 1520’s you will be that they are all being sent out now with the 250MB 7200RPM. I’ll bet the 160MB drives were causing the heat. Just my guess after reading the comments and revisiting Dell. My 1520 with the 250MB 7200 still cool on the palm rests.
June 3rd, 2009 at 2:57 am
I am also considering a Vostro 1520 for a friend of mine (she is technology impaired). I look forward to reading whether or not the hard drive is the culprit. However a couple of questions: have any of the folks that had a heat issue tried a cooling pad? If so how well did it work?
@Karl, where is this 35% coupon?
Thanks, Gauss
June 3rd, 2009 at 9:32 am
I bought a Vostro 1520 and also had the HLPR issue. Dell agreed to replace it by configuring a new model with the same specs. The replaced unit still had the HLPR issue. I told them to give me a refund. Extended typing for 20 to 30 minutes is annoying and left a noticeable hot feel to my palm after several hours. I have the 250GB/7200, 2GB RAM, built-in graphics. Great laptop and great price but I want to be comfortable when I use it. If anyone can pinpoint a culprit please post. Thanks.
June 3rd, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Mine arrived today,
Mark I have the Matte Screen, nice indeed. I don’t like glossy screens, thank got I went for the Matte.
I have the 250gb HDD, the left palm area is warm, this surely is the heat from the HDD but no where as extreme as others have mentioned. The heat on the bottom is fairly hot but the palm keeps your palm warm, will be good in the winter lol!
June 3rd, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Mine arrives on friday, i had ordered it with the 160, we’ll see what happens.. I also am thinking about getting a solid state drive to fill in the express card slot, and run my os off there, since that will be much faster than a 5400 rpm HD, could someone boot into the bios and see if you can boot in from the express card slot?? (I would imagine you could now a days with any laptop, even my $400 acer extensa does it, just want to make sure)
Thanx, and i’ll post here on friday..
June 3rd, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Nik,
That’s good news for you with the 250GB HDD. Is the left-palm rest warmer than the right-palm rest?
My 1520’s left-palm rest with 160GB was at 103 deg F after about half an hour. The right-palm was 80s deg F. Could you let it run for a few hours and let us know whether it gets any warmer? Thanks!
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Gauss the 35% discount was good only until May 26. I found it when doing a search for Dell discounts on the Web.
June 4th, 2009 at 12:05 am
Karl, thanks, I found out similar discounts (my brain was rather fried when I posted last night). - Gauss
June 4th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Oh man, i’m so mad… FedEX went to my house 10 minutes after I left for work, and now they won’t come back, and won’t leave it on my door step. I asked if I can come get it, and they said that i’ll have to wait till tomorrow… What a crock of shyt…
Ah well, post first reviews here tomorrow as originally planned…
June 4th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Hi, Anyone knows if Western Digital Portable Passport 250GB External hard drive will work on ONE SINGLE USB cable on this Dell Vostro 1520 ? Thank you.
June 5th, 2009 at 5:29 am
Gregory and rest… I’ve taken your comments into consideration when configuring my laptop. 2.1ghz - 4gb ram - nvidia 256 - 250gb hdd
My left palm gets warm at most. I believe the increased ram and hard drive are the mediators to this issue. They are the main differences between mine/karl’s and most of the others.
June 5th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
It’s strange that so many commenters are getting varying results in terms of the warm left palm rest, I don’t have a tool to measure the warmth there but it’s definitely present. It might be worth noting I ordered mine very early on, close to release, and the processor I got is no longer even available. That said, the warmth is close to where the HD is so it would seem that’s the culprit for the warmth.
June 5th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Gregory, it’s warm but no where near the 103 you had. Left is certainly warmer than the right. I don’t have any equipment to measure the temp but it is relatively warm. I’ll leave it on all day tomorrow to see how hot it gets but with the couple of hours of use I’ve done on it since arriving I’ve not had major heat problems on the palm area, the bottom is hot so it must be the HDD causing the heat.
June 5th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Nik,
On my 1520, the right-palm rest was in the 80s F. On your 1520, if the left is warmer than the right, then we’re talking about 90s F for your left palm rest.
The major differences between our 1520s are: 160GB vs 250GB and Integrated vs nVidia video card.
Schmidty and I have similar 160GB and nVidia card. If his 1520 has hot left-palm rest, then we are down to 2 major culprits. For sure the HDD, but the nVidia card might contribute to the heat too.
June 6th, 2009 at 4:56 am
Interesting, I can’t find many other users of the 1520, I wonder if the 1320 and 1720 suffer from the same problem as well. Over a NBR one guy did post a review of the 1720 but did not mention any heat issues and he has the nVidia as well.
How you finding the laptop? minus the heat issues?
June 6th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Hello everyone!
First of all, thanks for the detailed review. I will undoubtedly buy this laptop in the next few weeks, I’m just waiting for some information related with the release of win 7 and the upgrade options for those who buy a computer with vista in the next few months. So as soon as I get it, I will tell you if I have the heat issue and my configuration.
June 7th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
I got this laptop 3 days ago n it’s working excellently..
my config..2.53 GHz, 4GB RAM, 250GB Hard Disk 7200 rpm, 256MB Nvidia 9300 graphics card and cost is 738$ with tax included
I am also not feeling much hot on the left palm rest (acceptable heat)
booting taking 1 min and shut down approx 30-40 sec
design: very attractive obsidian black finish on the top
Thanks to dell…(hope it won’t give problems(speakers etc) like 1510
June 8th, 2009 at 2:19 am
Hi guys. I’m thinking to buy a Vostro 1520 since i think it has a good price but i was wondering about the fan noise. Though in review is mentioned, nobody has addressed this issue in the comments above. Anyone experiencing continuous fan noise? Is it annoying? If yes do you know any fixes?
Thanks
June 8th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Amanda,
I am confused. I need a laptop but, I don’t know whether to pick a used one from ebay or buy new. My needs are simple. I am doing a Ph D. I need the laptop for three hours of reading and writing (pdfs and word processor) and may be a little bit of browsing too for the next four years. No need for great battery support, as I sit close to a power source. But, being in the tropics, my environment is very hot and dusty. I am ready to pay if I am getting value for money. What do you suggest?
Thanks,
Cyril
June 8th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
for those of u experiencing the heat issue: is the laptop on top of your lap (or any suffocating “soft” material like on beds or pillows) without adequate ventilation? even flat surfaces like on top of desks without a gap of air between the bottom of the laptop and the top of the desk surface may “trap” heat. with modern laptops consisting of powerful components, the side/bottom case vents are part of the overall cooling system and if any or most are restricted, the heat could build-up and heat-up other internal components.
June 9th, 2009 at 11:56 am
not a big problem with the fan noise..sometimes it will go fast but most of the time it won’t..if anything is blocking the air vent on left side it gets hot.
if you keep it on a table always it’s fine (flat surface) unlike mattress etc..
June 13th, 2009 at 7:49 am
The left palm rest on mine doesn’t get hot, I have the 320GB 7200rpm hardrive, 2.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, 9300GS Graphics etc (all for £344 using 50% off discount code :D)
The fan is not bad at all, and rarely comes on. A very nice laptop!!
June 14th, 2009 at 11:33 am
James, can you provide the url for web page for the 50% off discount code D. As looked at del.co.uk website and tried discount code D and this is not valid discount code
June 22nd, 2009 at 6:36 pm
The hard disk is fitted under the right palm rest so cant be the source of the heat.
June 23rd, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Which Wifi card should I opt for and what does wwan mean against colour options?
June 23rd, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Steve, the cheapest Dell wi-fi card has been fine in my usage, unless you have needs to be streaming large amounts of data across a wireless network (such as lots of video or gaming online) then go with the Dell 1397. If you know you’ll need a lot of bandwidth, upgrade to the Intel 5300. WWAN means integrated cellular modem for Internet anywhere, you’d have to pay Verizon about $70 a month for that though, most people don’t need it.
June 23rd, 2009 at 8:56 pm
I ordered the vostro 1520 and I believe I have found the culprit of the hot palm rest. Located directly under the left palm rest close to the touchpad is the half sized PCI wireless card. I found when I shut off the wireless the palm rest cooled down to a comfortable level. As soon as I turned it back on and began surfing the web it became uncomfotably hot. I have yet to decide if I will return the laptop because of this, but I am 99% sure this is the culprit in my case. It is a bad location for the wifi card and there are no vents to help with circulation in that area. Good Luck all.
June 23rd, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Jason,
As I mentioned earlier in my postings, I ended up returning my Vostro 1520. I had the Intel WiFi 5100. I connected the 1520 only using the WiFi. The left palm rest was 103C. Which WiFi card do you have? I also had the Bluetooth module.
As mentioned by Steve, the hard drive is beneath the right palm. Could you confirm?
Thanks!
-Gregory
June 23rd, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Oops, it was 103F, not 103C…
June 24th, 2009 at 2:25 am
Thanks Amanda, I don’t need anything other than the basic wifi. I’m still undecided about the 1520 as I’m worried about the left palm rest heat issue but apart from that it looks like a great machine at a great price.
June 24th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Hi Gregory,
Yes, the Hard Drive is under the right palm rest. I measured the temp of my left palm rest with laser temp reader and the temp was 100 degrees. I have the 1397 wifi. I have decided this is a deal breaker for me too. I have emailed Dell to process the return. I am back on the hunt for another laptop.
Did you have any problems returning the laptop? Any extra fees?
June 24th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Hi Jason, I didn’t have any problem returning my 1520. The return was promptly processed. They even paid for the returning freight and arranged for UPS pick up. I was very impressed with Dell’s Small Business unit. BTW, the no question asked return policy is for the initial 30-day only.
Do you also have the 160GB hard drive? nVidia graphic card?
June 25th, 2009 at 12:51 am
I am about to order the 1520. I was looking for a machine that would have all the drivers for Xp, and be configurable for 3GB RAM, which I understand is the most Xp can use.
Still haven’t decided between the 2.4 GHz P8600 with 3MB L2 cache 1.066 GHz FSB, or the next one down. I am going for the 250 GB drive with free-fall sensor, 9 cell battery.
I will probably upgrade to Win7 around SP1 or so!
Hope the heat issue isn’t intolerable.
June 25th, 2009 at 2:45 am
I noticed something interesting. The higher powered P8600 2.4 GHz CPU with 3 MB L2 cache and 1 GHz FSB has a 25 watt TDP (Thermal Design Power) rating, while the 2.1 GHz T6570 with 2 MB L2 cache and 800 MHz FSB has a TDP of 35 watts, 40% higher.
See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_Design_Power
I got the specs here:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Processors-Benchmarklist.2436.0.html
Seems counterintuitive, but I guess the slightly faster CPU with 50% more L2 cache runs cooler.
I finally ordered, with a July 13th estimated arrival date in Seattle.
June 25th, 2009 at 4:40 am
I’m in the process of returning my 1520 as well. I could not stand the warm palm rest and the really dire keyboard flex.
June 25th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Does the Vostro 1520 have a print screen button on the keyboard?
Also how bad is the keyboard flex? How is it compared to an Inspiron 6000 for instance?
June 25th, 2009 at 8:34 am
@Brian. You hold down Fn + F11 for Print Screen, there is no dedicated button. I did not find keyboard flex to be an issue, it’s got a bit of flex above the optical drive but it is not mushy. If you’re a very firm typist I can see complaining, but from my perspective it is a non-issue.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:18 am
Cyril,
I haven’t seen Amanda respond to your post so I thought I would. IF your needs are exactly as stated and you do not need a large screen I would personally suggest buying the ASUS Eee 1000HE PC (upgrade the RAM afterwards, and buy an external DVD drive btw).
The 1000HE is a 10inch netbook that is great for just school purposes (ie: anything from microsoft office, websites, etc). The keyboard does take a little getting used to being slightly smaller than normal but that is a netbook for you. Finally, the battery on the 1000HE officially lasts 9.5hrs but I have had it run a respectible 7hrs at a stretch with the processor running at full speed.
Total cost is around $375-400 for the mini, around $50-75 for the external DVD drive and around $20-25 for the 2GB ram upgrade. Total cost about $475 at the prices I paid a few months back.
Hope this helps - Gauss
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:09 am
DON’T waste your time with Vostro 1520.
I purchased a high end build and support package (almost $2000) for small business use, and well lets just say that its costed me a lot of time and money because of the problems with it.
Major parts of the build were:
T9550/2.66G/1066 FSB/6M L2/35 watts
320G 7200 RPM w/free fall sensor
4G memory
NVIDIA GeForce 9300M
WXGA True Life
Essentially all the highest end parts you could get a couple of months ago.
It shipped with a defective keyboard, as the spacebar was all flakey. Obviously Dell didn’t do any testing. I’ve had issues with the MBR getting corrupted randomly and having to restore it every few days. The hard disk died after about a month and I had to get that replaced. Even with the new hard disk the MBR corruption issue is still there.
Since I use this laptop for business use, part of my process for backing up the system is to run a diskcheck while in windows on C drive, (which gets scheduled or the next boot up - and then to back up the partition with imaging software), and that diskcheck often will not occur for some reason on the next bootup - and I’ve even installed just a bare windows XP installation with SP3 and that even has the problem.
Minor annoyances include the fan, which runs almost constantly even if the laptop is idle and it is quite noisy. The palmrest area is very poorly constructed. As my palm initially rests on it, you hear some creaks from the plastic.
As an FYI, the hard disk is on the right side of the laptop, not the left. Heat didn’t seem to be much of an issue.
The only thing this laptop has going for it is the LCD, which is good quality, but the rest of it really blows. But when its all said and done, this is a poor laptop all around, especially for almost $2000.
Trust me and look elsewhere, possibly a toshiba or HP will be alot better.
July 10th, 2009 at 2:42 am
On the Vostro 1520, does anyone know how to turn the
WLAN 1/2Minicard off and on?
I heard that turning it off will save power.
Also, did anyone notice if inverse video settings are
available with their Windows XP? For some reason it
isn’t on mine.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Good work. This helped a lot. Thanks.
ama
July 11th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
By the way, how is the DELL vostro1520 support for Ubuntu OS.
July 13th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
I am planning on ordering the 1520 tomorrow, but I’ve been seeing tons of complaints about the heat on the left side. Has anyone used a cooling pad? If so, how did that work for you? I have one because my last computer had major heat issues, so I’m looking for something that could use a cooling pad, but not that it would shut off without having one under it at all times.
Thanks!
July 13th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
The Vostro 1520 is in my price sweet spot, but it sounds like the temperature and fan issues are deal breakers. Any recommendations for something similar? I like Dell’s warrantee and service, and I want XP, not Vista. I just need a basic laptop, no gaming or graphics.
BTW, great comments here. Incredibly helpful .
July 15th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Hi,
Great review!!, I just bought the 1520 for my study in Holland.
I hope i’m happy with the parts and the laptop
July 16th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
For all of you who have bought a 1520 recently, how is the heat at the left palmrest? Is it okay, or very bothersome? I would like to know if they were able to correct this problem. thanks!
July 19th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
hi
I have 1520 :2066 GH ram 4 hard 320 vga 9300
but my 6 cell battery give me only 2 hours
is it regular or my battery has a problem
my battery type is k738h
plz tell me about your battery type and time that support you
thanks
July 20th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
reply to shahriar:
That’s unusual that your laptop only gets 2 hours with a 6 cell (even with a dedicated graphics card). What are you doing when you get your 2 hours? Are you gaming? Also does your left palmrest get hot like others have mentioned here?
July 26th, 2009 at 7:25 am
my dearest friends
thanks a lot for all the fabulous feedbacks! i really owe you all 1!
as i checked the high end build, well i’m gonna order it and i think it’s good in comparisson to the price and configuration!
to put everything in a nut shell for myself, about the heat issue, y turning off bluetooth and wifi at the most time and leave the laptop on a flat surface with enough space for vent, it’s gonna be ok and the noise according to much of the comments won’t be too much, about the keyboard, it’s gonna be nice according to what dear amanda said
i couldn’t find major other issues by reveiwing all the aboves and most of the problems seem to be arose from the form of usage! and for a symple pharmaceutical student with no gaming and hard work, gonna be a good pal for the next even 10 yrs!
i’m gonna order the follow:
T9550 2.66Ghz FSB 1066
4 GB Ram
15.4 truelife
Gforce 9300 256MB upto 2200
HDD 500++ 7200 rpm free fall sensor
DVD RW
6 cell battery adaptor 90w
vista home premium with SP1
internal modem V92 56K
Lan, wifi, BT,FP,webcam 1.3 Megapxl
i’ll let you know my experiences too and hope dell corporations read these comments and take full of advantage of these issues being said to improve their product!
i’ll follow reading your kind posts too
thank you dearest amanda and my nice friends
be well guys!
houman
July 30th, 2009 at 10:13 am
After a month of waiting, mine arrived on July 27th. Ran it continuously the last few days for 5 hours at a time while connected to wifi. The left palm rest does get warm but not unbearably hot like others have described. <–maybe fixed issue or just a lucky build. My specs:
Core 2 Duo T6570, 2.1GHz800MHz
3GB
NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS
250GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
TrueLife LCD
WINDOWS XP PRO
8X DVD+/-RW
1.3 Mega camera
Dell WLAN 1397
6-cell
July 30th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Just got my 1520, Fastest computer I’ve owned… I haven’t had any heating problems what so ever (Its never been hotter than my hand!)even while running RAM intensive simulations. The cooling fan does seem sporadic at best though (a bit annoying).
System Specs:
Core 2 Duo, 2.66 GHz
8 GB RAM
320 GB HD
Windows Vista 64-bit
August 1st, 2009 at 9:54 am
Great to hear people are happy with their new 1520’s. What type of battery life are you getting with your new laptops? Do you have the 6 cell or 9 cell? Thanks
August 4th, 2009 at 9:48 am
I’ve been reading many reviews of the Vostro 1520 both here and at other websites. I’ve noticed quite a variance in the personal experiences of people. Some think the keyboard is great with minimal flex, others think its cheap with very huge amounts of flex. Some have had very hot left palmrests, others notice no difference from the right palmrests. Some have great battery life, others very disappointing battery life. I don’t recall seeing such a variance of reviews for another laptop recently. It leads me to think that Dell’s Small Business quality control is frankly, terrible. It’s a shame as I was really considering this laptop for purchase. I am thankful for this website for the reviews and feedback of the readers.
August 11th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Amanda - Thank you for writing such a comprehensive review of Vostro 1520 which I’m planning to purchase shortly.
Guys do you think “Intel Integrated Graphics 4500MHD” is sufficient to handle AERO features of Vista Business OR should I go with a dedicated graphic card?
I do not play games and would like to avoid the additional graphic card but if Vista AERO could benefit from it then I can think about including it.
So kindly suggest if default integrated 4500MHD is suitable for Vista Business.
I would really appreciate your suggestions in this regard and look forward to hearing back from you.
Cheers, Viv
August 11th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
From what I understand, the 4500MHD integrated video if fine for Windows aeroglass. In fact it should be able to handle HD videos.
August 13th, 2009 at 4:02 am
Just received my standard (no extras) 1520
Fan no issues
Keyboard flex no worries - keys have a nice smooth feel
Heat concerns on palm rest(s)- Again no worries
August 13th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Hi everyone!
I’m glad to hear alot of you have had good experiences with your Vostros. I’m planning on buying a laptop mainly for music production, and the Vostro 1520 really seems to offer the best price/performance ratio.
I’ve googled around a bit and found that many Dell laptops suffer from poor audio playback, clicks, pops and distorted sounds when playing/editing music etc. When producing music, these problems are a huge blow. Before I buy a Vostro I want to be certain this is not the case with it.
I kindly ask any of you Vostro 1520 owners to try and run the test program called dpclat.exe, found here: http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml , and post the results here (i.e. if it only shows green bars, and how big the maximum latency was). If you get a poor result (yellow or red bars), it would be very kind of you to disable the WiFi card and try to run it again.
Thank you very much for helping, and I’m hoping the laptop doesn’t have any latency spikes (red bars :))!
David
August 18th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Excellent Analysis! Thanks.
August 20th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Thank you for the good and detailed review!
August 25th, 2009 at 8:09 am
Great review! I picked up a vostro 1520 2 weeks ago and I am finally recievieng it sometime today. Hope i dont have the heat issue. I will post my findings at the end of the day.
August 25th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Great Omar. Looking forward to hearing about your new laptop! Perhaps you could post about your approx battery run times. Thanks!
August 26th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
@Aboy-I have a 4-cell battery and i get about 2-3 hours! I dont experience the left palm heating up at all. Ther is only a small difference between the left and right. I have the dell 1510 wifi card with wireless n. If the palm heating up is a deal breaker then you should get this laptop. Dell must have fixed the problem
August 26th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Oh and if you want to use the feature windows aeroglass get the nvidia. It is only slightly over the required 1.0(nvidia gets 2.1 i believe)
August 27th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Thanks for the info Omar! I am really glad to hear that the left palmrest isn’t heating up like it had for previous users. Hopefully Dell has fixed this problem. Also getting 2-3 hours on a 4 cell is great! I went ahead and ordered the laptop. Looking forward to receiving it. Thanks to everyone on this board and Amanda for her review.
August 28th, 2009 at 1:00 am
Hey guys, the heat issue isn’t that bad. I just got my vostro 1520 today, and its at 64 degrees Fahrenheit. Its really not a problem, and I’m happy with this laptop and build.
August 29th, 2009 at 12:04 am
I am also planning for Vostro 1520.
The only additions that i ahve made to the Dell Recommendations are 3GB RAM,320 GB Free Fall Sensor HDD @7200rpm,NVIDIA GeForce 256MB.
I am really confused with the NVIDIA.Should i go for it or go for 4GB RAM instead of 3GB(as i read above 3gb will decrease performance)
I am getting T6670,15.4″ WXGA (1280×800) Anti-Glare LED Display,Genuine Windows Vista(R) Home Basic SP1 32 bit Edition.
Wat also i want to ask whether i would be able to install xp/windows 7 on 1520.
August 30th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
@Kartik- if you want windows 7 just upgrade to vista home premium and you can then request an upgrade to windows7
August 31st, 2009 at 1:44 am
If i get the Dell Installed Vista 32 bit,wont i be able to install Windows 7 on it.
August 31st, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Kartik says:
If i get the Dell Installed Vista 32 bit,wont i be able to install Windows 7 on it.
If I understand the Windows 7 upgrade, you should be able to either do an inplace upgrade of Vista to Windows 7 or you can do a clean install of Windows 7, wiping out Vista (this would be the recommended way).
September 10th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Got my Vostro 1520. Great laptop but unfortunately mine had the problem with the left palmrest heating up. I’ve had many laptops before but I think this was by far the worst (an HP I had previously was also quite warm but not as bad as this one if I recall correctly). I had pretty much a stock 1520. An earlier poster said that the wifi card may be the culprit. I had the 1397 b/g card in mine. Maybe the 1510 b/g/n is better? Anyway, mine went back. Its a very nice laptop if you get a good build.
September 10th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
In regards to my previous post, I just read earlier on that Karl had a Vostro 1520 with a 1397 b/g wifi card and did not have the left palmrest issue. I don’t know why some models have a cooling problem and others don’t. Hope someone can figure it out.
September 13th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
what is the price of this model ?
September 17th, 2009 at 10:29 am
RE: “Also keep in mind that if you use an American Express card to make your purchase then American Express will automatically double your warranty with a max of one extra year coverage, effectively making your 1-year warranty a 2-year warranty or turning a 2-year warranty into a 3-year warranty”
This offer is no longer offered by American Express - Confirmed Via Dell Customer Support 9/17/09
September 22nd, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Thanks for all the info. I recently received my Vostro 1520 and absolutely love it! The look, the feel, the performance. I did get quite a few upgrades which put me at about $1100.00, but well worth it. I keep reading that the biggest complaint is the unit getting hot just to the left of the mouse pad. I haven’t noticed that at all. Warm yes, but not hot by any means. Perhaps my upgraded processer and such is the difference. I highly recommend this laptop.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:33 am
I love my Vostro 1520. Yes it can get hot. My issue is this. I had Windows 7 RC ultimate 64 bit installed. It worked fine for a week than the touchpad crashed. Apparently the touchpad driver is somehow not compatible with Win 7. Dell says yes it is but that they can not help me until Win 7 is released officially on Oct 22nd. For some reason one must uninstall the driver for the Synaptics touchpad and install an ALPS driver I had luck with a Toshiba driver. Also One MUST disable all auto updates and select manually to install because Microsoft wants to update the Synaptics driver. Others are reporting that the culprit is a combo of this update and Windows Defender. Make sure you set up a Systems restore point so when it does mess up you can restore. You might want to invest in an external mouse until this is fixed. By the way it only happens to the Vostro 1520 so far that I can find.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:29 pm
How many usb poerts avaailable for the dell vostro 1520.
which model is better dell vostro or inspiron. if so why.
October 6th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Hi
I am going to buy a Vostro 1520 with below specification:
———————–
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T9550 (2.66GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
Graphics: 1.5GB Geforce 9300 GS (256 MB Dedicated)
Hard Drive Storage: 320GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
Memory: 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 1066MHz, 2 DIMM
Screen: 15.4 inch WXGA+ TruLife LCD Display
Battery: 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Wireless: Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g Mini Card
Ports: 4 USB 2.0, VGA out connector, Ethernet, Modem, 8-in-1 media card reader, 54mm ExpressCard slot, FireWire (IEEE 1394)
Weight: 5.42lbs
OS: NO OS
Web cam: 1.3 Mpix
———————–
Please tell me your opinions, I will be so thankful.
I am a software engineer.
October 12th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Thank you for your excellent and thorough review. We just received this laptop as a replacement under warranty for a Dell Inspiron. I was happy to read you found it has a durable casing! Your information was very helpful in figuring out what it is we were sent, and what to expect.
October 23rd, 2009 at 7:10 pm
How do you do print screen on this laptop?
October 28th, 2009 at 11:23 am
i just got mine yesterday p7570 2.26ghz 4gig ram and 250hd 7200rpm. the thing that bothers me is the keyboard especially the middle buttons when you press them the keyboard kind goes down like it is fixed with some kind of springs and then comes up is it a problem or built like that.
thanks
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:59 am
Thanks for the review. I just purchased a Vostro 1520 from Dell for $528 and now I feel much better about not knowing what I was doing when I made the purchase.
November 6th, 2009 at 3:36 am
@deyman Try Fn + F11
November 7th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Hey question for anyone here with the vostro 1520. Just wondering if you did thw windows 7 upgrade yet and how it works. And if you chose clean install or in-place upgrade. Thanks in advance for the feedback!
December 12th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I just purchased a Vostro 1520 with an intergrated webcam. How do I launch it?
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:05 am
Thank you amanda
December 25th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Hi,
A quick question, i got a dell vostro 1520 laptop - windows 7 OS with webcam. I do not see any program shortcut to invoke the webcam. I checked the driver status - its shows the integrated camera is configured properly. Do i have install install or change any setting before invoking the webcam?
December 25th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Check the disks that came with the Vostro 1520, I believe they include software you can install from disk that acts as a webcam manager utility. If not, try installing this Creative webcam utility from Dell http://ftp.us.dell.com/app/R168730.EXE
January 5th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Hi,
Great laptop, but the build quality sucks!
If you plan to use the laptop as a desktop replacement, BUY IT.
But if you plan to use it for traveling, don’t!
See other vostro user reviews if you a unbeliever!
gr,
Slako…
February 8th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
I recently purchased a vostro. Overall, I am happy with it but prospective buyers should be aware that the screen gets mashed into the keyboard and little scratches where the keys are develop on the screen. I got my screen replaced just a few days ago (thank goodness it was still under warranty).
February 20th, 2010 at 11:37 pm
Just received 2 new Vostro 1520 through Dell Outlet rated as previously ordered new. Watch Dell outlet because I got these for only $475 each. The best part is that they shipped loaded with XP Pro! Bought for use at my office and could not be happier. I do not require much horsepower for office and quickbooks so the Celeron 990 / 1 GB RAM / 160 GB HD / 4500 HD Graphics work great for me. I have no overheating problem as a matter of fact I was stunned that it runs so cold, even the air output from the fan on the side is cool. This could be due to the Celeron 990’s however as the Core Duo would probably run hotter. Great sturdy build and stellar looks make this a great professional looking office machine. Will be buying more units!
February 27th, 2010 at 10:56 am
Great stuff! I just received the Vostro 1520 as a gift on Tuesday, and have had no issues with it. A lot of my questions have been answered here.
Thanks!
March 5th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Thank you for your great review. I just bought this laptop yesterday…can hardly wait for delivery. Thanks again.
March 21st, 2010 at 4:02 am
I think it unreasonable to complain about the extremely hot in the left palm rest,because there is no components in this part that will produce heat. The proof is found in this webpage:
http://www.parts-people.com/index.php?action=item&id=6592
click on the photo of the 1520 mainboard,and it will zoom in to full size. And you will find there is no components in the left palm rest！！！
March 21st, 2010 at 6:31 am
@hilli: Thanks for the response, but that page did not load to show the internals for me. Furthermore, several users and other reviewers have mentioned the warm left palm rest. Here’s another review that mentions it:
“The palm rest area becomes noticeably warm during a heavy system load, with the right side staying cooler than the left, because of the fan on the right-hand side.”
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Dell-Vostro-1520-Notebook.19748.0.html
March 21st, 2010 at 9:22 pm
@AJ: Thanks for you suggestion.
I think the real reason is not the fan on the right-hand side, but maybe the CPU and north bridge are all near the left palm rest (see the picture of “The machine can get rather warm in places, both top and bottom”). So “The palm rest area becomes noticeably warm during a heavy system load”. If these components are designed on the upper part, such as in the location of memory, the performence may be improved.
As far as warm of touchpad is concerned,the south bridge and WLAN MiniCard made major contributions.
March 25th, 2010 at 8:51 pm
@Gregory:
I found the real reason for the hot of left palm rest. GPU,ie 9300GS M is under the left palm rest like dell vostro 1320.
March 30th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Hi, Thanks for this great Article and the interesting user reviews/comments.
1. I saw that the Vostro 1520 has some issues with Charging. Many say that the Laptop freezes when you run while charging. Can anyone comment on this issue ?
2. Can I use the laptop with ONLY the Power Adapter Connected and the battery removed ?
Im planing to order this in June.
Thank You
March 30th, 2010 at 11:22 pm
@Jude:
Vostro 1520 will be sold out until June.I think so.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:23 am
@hlli
sorry but i didn’t get u clearly
April 6th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
@Hlli:
I haven’t checked back at this site for about 1 year now! Glad to see that this site is still providing useful info. My 1520 did have a GPU card. I concur with you that the GPU is probably the real culprit for the hot left palm rest.
As I had mentioned in my earlier posts, I returned my 1520. I ended up getting a Latitude E6500.
I think Dell will end-of-life 1520 soon, replacing it with the 3000 series. I hope someone would start another thread for the new Vostro 3000 series.
-Gregory
May 9th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Well been nearly a year for me as well, just sent it in for repair as I screwed up my bios lol! Has served me well and going strong still. Just waiting for Dell to re-send it back to me.
May 15th, 2010 at 7:17 pm
I have heat issue on Vostro 1520, the main problem is when I installed win 7 profesional. The temp was 41 celsius grade on left palm rest. Whe I had xp installed the temp was 34 celsius grade. i called Dell service, they change the cooler fan but the heat issue is not resolved. I think that problem is with the desing, it is not prepared for win7 (profesional).