ProsI liked the laptop, screen is clear, threw 4GB of Kingston in, and wiped out and reinstalled out of the box so it runs smoothly.
ConsBattery doesnt last too long, and even though I paid the extra for the soundblaster upgrade audio, still sound like sticks in a tin box.

ProsI have had the Inspiron 1420 for six weeks now and thoroughly enjoy it / like it. I have the 4GB / 2/4 mhz configuration, so power / speed is fantastic. The 14" screen size provides a good balance between being productive and portability. I had it set up and productively using the laptop in less than an hour - what a painless experience!
ConsOnly two items:
* The Roxio Creater DE software used to burn DVDs pre-installed is not very intuitive - or at least it was not for me.
* I wish Dell would more clearly describe that 32 bit systems cannot fully utilize 4 GB of RAM. That said, as noted in the "pros," this machine does not lack for power.

ProsThe price was right.
Audio/video controls on keyboard.
Self-storing remote control.
Gorgeous display.
ConsMultiple crashes, including a blue screen of death, within the first few days.
DVD drive wasn't just noisy, it failed.
Much too heavy for travel, even though it's billed as a mobile laptop.
Vista (need I say more?)

Additional ThoughtsI've bought five Dells over the past few years, including three refurbished, and have never had the issues I had with this one. It had the features I was looking for but not the OS. Maybe it wasn't properly set up during refurbishing, but I didn't get one good day out of it. Thanks to Dell for taking it back and only charging me for shipping. But now what do I do?

Prosit has great features/programs, easily understood, not a difficult or 'high tech' computer. love the size. screen is great!
Consit freezes often.

Additional Thoughtsi got mine in yellow and i love the color! love the setup...just bugged by it's 'wigging out' sometimes. but aside from that, it's a great laptop.

ProsI got to build it the way I wanted. Sometimes, you just have to have want you want. I feel as though I got a good value, and I didn't have to settle. I even got to pick my favorite color. What more could you ask for?
ConsHaven't found any yet.

Additional ThoughtsThanks Dell for allowing me to have a choice. The ability to pick and choose and build a machine that meets my needs was a great experience. The ordering process was simple, and I even got my new computer several days before it was promised. I'll keep coming back to Dell.

Pros-Customizable
-Many colors to choose from.
-Ability to be for home use, gaming use, or a combination of the two.
-A comfortable screen size for mobility and video viewing.
-Available blueray.
Cons-The extra options needed to make it a gaming computer are expensive, making other gaming laptops a better value. -4 gigabytes only runs as 3.5 or lower
-128mb of video memory is a little low for the most serious of gamers

Additional ThoughtsThe Inspiron 1420 is very customizable and can be used by anyone. With available options such as up to 4gb ram, up to 320gb harddrive, 128mb nVidia memory, and an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, the 1420 has the ability to become a versatile laptop that can be used by anyone from the teen gamer to the adult businessman. I suggest at least a 160 gb harddrive, 3gb of RAM, 2 ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and the nVidia video card.
A word of caution: If you choose 4gb of RAM, BEWARE. Becuase of Windows Vista's being a 32-bit OS, not all of your 4gb will be useable. Depending on the configurations of your computer, only 3-3.5 gb of the RAM will be used by your computer.
Remember: Refurbished computers are great. Go to dell.com/outlet to find great deals on refurbished laptops that are perfectly fine and work just as well as brand new ones. I got a $1250 computer for $750. I cannot tell that it is refurbished at all, and I was able to get a great computer for less than $1000.

ProsVery well designed, easy to use, very clear buttons, faster than my old clunker.
ConsDell can be on the expensive side but you get what you pay for.

Additional ThoughtsSo far, I am very happy with this computer.

Pros9 cell battery lasts a loooong time. Not as heavy as I thought it would be. Keyboard is top notch. 45nm chip runs cool (58C under load). Placement of I/O's is great.
ConsWish it came with 64 bit Vista. 8600GT would be a lot better than the 8400GS, but don't know if it could fit - wasn't an option. 1440x900 glossy screen is OK at best, but not as good as I expected.

Additional ThoughtsThis is really a great, slim, full-featured notebook. T8300 chip is a good value for this computer and draws very little power. The XPS 1330 is a little smaller, but wasn't worth the extra money for me. You can pack a lot into the 1420 at great price, especially with the manufacturer's coupons floating around.

ProsPurchased this laptop for my daughter for high school course work. The wireless feature setup was effortless and works well with the home wireless network. Very easy to use keyboard.
ConsVista works well but is slower than XP - on any laptop.