I got this laptop from US at INR equivalent of under 36000/-. Have been using it for over 10 months; and I really like it.
The 1.83Ghz(T2400) Core Duo is really fast. Though the 1GB memory runs @533Mhz and the CPU bus runs @667Mhz, it works quite well at the lower fequency. Dual-core is really a wonder, no program ever seem to hog the CPU. The hard-disk is amazingly noise-free, you can hear the purr only when you work in a "power cut".
The bloated pre-installed software are a mess, but you can uninstall those easily. Unlike some brands, you get an XP OS media also along with the laptop.
There is a 40MB partition which enables autoplay(you can play a CD/DVD without booting up XP; it internally uses some other OS) using the multimedia buttons at the front. I was never able to play though; since I formatted the machine the first thing(and later realised the 40MB OS, was not there in the accompanying CDs). No problems though, Windows media player has no qualms about following the media buttons.
Touch pad sensitivity is a problem. When you hit the keys t, y, u it is sometimes similar to pressing the the touchpad; and the input moves to where the cursor was placed. This was real problem when chatting; since you usually key in fast and with more force during chatting. But, this remains the only major problem I’ve encountered; and should not take any points away from the real match-winner:
Battery Power lasts for OVER 5 HOURS WITH WIFI ON with the SINGLE BATTERY. I don’t know how they manage; but this feature is incredible. I use my laptop mainly for web development(PHP/Apache) with wifi on. And this thing seems like it can go on for ages. Dell deserve credit for this.
WiFi is good; signal is at the highest, even though the router is kept 3 rooms(and 30 feet) away.
The 14" widescreen is extremely convenient for programming. Haven’t got any "dead pixels".
Audio volumes are quite high, though "tinned" by the speakers. I don’t watch movies and hence opted for the non-glossy screen. As regards music, tinned MP3s are, well, better than no MP3.
I don’t take this thing outside; so I cannot comment on durability. For my use, quality is quite acceptable.
You get this thing cheap in US, but warranty in India costs around 11000 per year. I have taken the risk and so far, it has been ok. Dell support is ok.
If you are looking for a fast, cheap, noise-free laptop; this one would fit galdly.