Dell Inspiron 14z (i14z-6677DBK)

The Dell Inspiron 14z (i14z-6677DBK) ($849.99 list) is the Staples configuration of another leading mainstream laptop, the Editors' Choice Dell Inspiron 14z (Core i5) ($750 direct, 4 stars). With the same thin chassis, the next iteration of the Core i5 processor, and a slightly longer battery life, the new Inspiron could be the next top mainstream laptop, but there are other excellent systems also vying for that title, like the Sony VAIO VPC-EG16FM ($829.99 list, 4 stars), which costs $20 less, but offers more in the way of wireless (WiMAX) and video-oriented (Blu-ray) features.

Design
The i14z-6677DBK features a thin, sleek design that dresses up a plastic chassis with cool brushed aluminum. The Dell weighs 5 pounds, the same as comparable laptops, like the Samsung QX411-W01UB ($699.99 list, 3.5 stars) (5 pounds) and Sony VAIO VPC-EG16FM (4.9 pounds). It's also quite stylish looking, with a dark brown finish covering the lid and palm rest.

The i14z-6677DBK's full-size keyboard is done in the chiclet style and offers one of the most comfortable typing experiences found on a 14-inch laptop, with subtlety sculpted keycaps providing a more finger-friendly surface than regular tile keys. It doesn't, however, have the handy backlight that was offered on the previous Dell 14z (Core i5). The accompanying trackpad is smooth and responsive, but the mouse buttons are a bit stiff. These sorts of details are highly subjective, however, so try before you buy.

The 14-inch widescreen display is quite bright, thanks to a white LED backlight, and sharp, with standard 1,366-by-768 resolution. You'll also find that the stereo speakers built in to the laptop deck sound crisp and clear, thanks largely to SRS Premium Sound software enhancement. The result is what Dell calls HD Sound 2.0, and it rivals HP's Beats Audio in quality.

Features
The i14z-6677DBK has plenty of features, but it tucks most of them out of sight behind protective covers. Open the cover on the right and you'll find two USB 3.0 ports and a headphone jack. On the left, the cover conceals a mini-DiplayPort, USB 2.0 port, and HDMI-out. Uncovered is an integrated media card reader (SD, MMC, MS/Pro). There's even a cover on the rear of the laptop, hiding the Gigabit Ethernet connection. These covers help keep dirt and grime out of the ports and help maintain the smooth uninterrupted lines of the laptop, but they are still an irritant that you'll be dealing with every time you need to plug in a mouse or USB drive.

The i14z-6677DBK has an HDMI port for connecting the laptop to the an HDTV to watch your videos; alternately, you can also you use the WiDi 2.0 feature, which lets you stream HD content to any TV equipped with a Netgear Push2TV adapter. It's not the only wireless solution included in the i14z-6677DBK; you also get 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The included dual-layer DVD burner is nice, but it can't quite match the Blu-ray drive found in the Sony VPC-EG16FM.

The i14z-6677DBK's 750GB 7,200rpm hard drive is larger than those of most leading mainstream laptops, like the Samsung QX411-W01UB and Sony VPC-EG16FM, which both have 640GB drives. On the hard drive, you'll find a bit of bloatware pre-installed, like Microsoft Office Starter 2010, a 60-day trial of McAfee Security Center, two ereaders (Blio and Zinio) and a handful of game samples from WildTangent.

Dell protects the i14z-6677DBK with a 1-year warranty covering parts and labor, but Staples buyers can take advantage of their 2-year extended protection plan. In addition to covering the laptop against the usual wear and tear, this service plan also includes 24/7 technical support and a free screen replacement?an expensive, but commonly needed, repair.

Performance
The i14z-6677DBK is equipped with a 2.4GHz Intel Core i5-2430M dual-core processor, one iteration removed from the processor found in the Dell 14z (Core i5). It's paired with 8GB of RAM. In PCMark 7 the i14z-6677DBK scored 2,622 points, putting ahead of the previous Dell model (2,308) and Samsung QX411-W01UB (2,296), which utilizes the same Core i5-2430M processor. In Cinebench R11.5, the system scored 2.69 points, just slightly behind the Samsung QX411-W01UB (2.71). In practical terms, performance was extremely close across the board. Similar results were seen in multimedia tests as well, where the i14z-6677DBK completed Handbrake in 2 minutes flat and Photoshop CS5 in 4 minutes 1 second. The leading scores in these tests go again to the Samsung QX411-W01UB, but by a razor-thin margin (1:53 in Handbrake, 4:00 in CS5). The Sony VPC-EG16FM was just as close (2:05 in Handbrake, 4:16 in CS5).

The i14z-6677DBK utilizes Intel's integrated graphics solution instead of a discrete graphics card, but the performance is still quite good, leading the pack with 3DMark 06 scores of 5,186 at medium settings and 2,833 at native resolution. In gaming tests it took the prize again, pumping out 19.9 frames per second in Crysis and 19.5fps in Lost Planet 2. That's good enough for moderate intensity 3D games at medium quality settings, and lighter 3D titles.

A large 65Wh battery pushes battery life close to 9 hours, lasting 8 hours 41 minutes in Mobile Mark 2007. It lasted long enough to outlast the previous Dell Inspiron 14z (8:38), and the Sony VPC-EG16FM (8:12). The only laptop to go longer was the Samsung QX411-W01UB, by a mere 17 minutes (8:58).

The Dell Inspiron 14z (i14z-6677DBK) has plenty in common with its Editors' Choice predecessor, the Dell Inspiron 14z (Core i5), like the latest Core i5 processor, a larger hard drive, and slightly better performance in gaming and multimedia, but it also retains some of its flaws, like stubborn mouse buttons and a irritating port covers. It makes a strong showing in its category, but other laptops like the Sony VAIO VPC-EG16FM add features like Blu-ray and WiMAX and cost less. For the time being, the previous Dell Inspiron 14z (Core i5) remains our Editors' Choice.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:

COMPARISON TABLE
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