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Editor's Choice

Dell Inspiron 531

Dell Inspiron 531
Full Set Tower Front Tower Angle

review

The Dell Inspiron 531 ($709 direct, $899 with 19-inch widescreen LCD monitor) is a redesign of Dell's consumer mainstream PC line as well as of the line's identity. Formerly known as Dell Dimension, the company's mainstream desktop line now shares the model name of its notebook line, Dell Inspiron. The new desktops have other changes, but suffice to say that the Inspiron line continues the "bang for the buck" tradition of its predecessor. It's for the majority of users who don't have specialized computing needs, such as gaming or professional-grade multimedia.

red arrow Read the Dell Inspiron 531 full review

Company

Dell, Inc.

http://www.dell.com

Spec Data
  • Price as Tested: $1,129.00 - $1,409.00 Direct
  • Type: General Purpose, Media
  • Processor Family: AMD Athlon 64 X2
  • RAM: 2 GB
  • Storage Capacity: 320 GB
  • RAID: No
  • Graphics Card: ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT
  • Primary Optical Drive: Blu-Ray Disc
  • Secondary Optical Drive: Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW
  • Monitor Type: LCD Widescreen
  • Screen Size: 20 inches
  • Notes: $1,129 direct, $1,409 with 20 inch widescreen LCD monitor

Bottom Line

An Inspiron that's not a laptop, the Dell Inspiron 531 replaces the venerable Dell Dimension brand as the company's mainstream consumer desktop line. Available with both Intel and AMD, this one has a speedy Athlon X2 processor.

Pros

Nice price for a powerful mainstream system. Well equipped for students. Discrete graphics. Widescreen monitor. System also available with Intel processors (as Inspiron 530). Included 3GB of online storage for backup.

Cons

Still some bloatware. Only 90-day McAfee subscription. ATX case is less upgrade-friendly than the old BTX case.

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