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Inspiron 1525

Developer	Dell Inc.
Type	Laptop
Release date	January 4, 2008
Introductory price	US$500
Discontinued	February 26, 2009
CPU	Celeron, Pentium Dual-Core, Core 2 Duo (all by Intel)

The Inspiron 1525 was a laptop designed and distributed by Dell as part of their Inspiron product line. An AMD variant known as the Inspiron 1526 was also released. The Inspiron 1525 was the successor to the Inspiron 1520, released on January 4, 2008. It was available to purchase on the Dell website, where it could be customized to the user's specification.

On June 26, 2008, this laptop was followed with the release of the Inspiron 1535, otherwise known as the Dell Studio laptop. On January 6, 2009, the Inspiron 1525 was superseded by the Inspiron 1545, which featured some higher-end configuration options at a lower starting price, but lacked features such as the HDMI port, LED indicator lights and two headphone jacks. The Inspiron 1525 laptop was discontinued on February 26, 2009, which left the Inspiron 1545 as Dell's 15-inch budget laptop.

Overview

The Dell Inspiron 1525 was a laptop with a 15.4-inch display released in 2008. It weighed approximately six pounds – half a pound lighter than the 1520. This laptop can be considered a mid-range Dell computer, between the smaller Dell 1420 model and the more expensive XPS M1530 model. It featured a chassis with a new edge design, which still appears on all of Dell's current laptops; this was a departure from the design of previous Inspiron laptops, which were considered bulky and boxy.

System specifications

Generally fitted components as standard in each unit:

Processors: Intel Celeron 540, 550 or 560, Intel Pentium Dual-Core T2370, T2390, T2330, T4200, T4500 and the Intel Pentium/Intel Core 2 Duo T5250, T5450, T5550, T5750, T7250, T8100, T8300, T9300, T9500 or T3400.
Memory: 512 MB, or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 GB of shared dual channel DDR2 SDRAM @ 667 MHz
Chipset: Intel GM965 Express Chipset
Graphics: Integrated Intel GMA X3100 graphics
Display: 15.4" widescreen with a 1280x800 resolution, 15.4" widescreen with a 1280x800 resolution and TrueLife, or a 15.4" widescreen with a 1440 × 900 high resolution and TrueLife
Storage: 80, 120, 160, 250 or 320 GB SATA at 5400 RPM HDD
- Optical drive: 8× tray-load dual-layer DVD+/-RW drive, 2× tray-load Blu-ray disc combo drive or 2x Blu-ray disc burner
Battery: 4-cell (28 Whr), 6-cell (56 Whr), or 9-cell (85 Whr) lithium-ion
Wi-Fi: Broadcom 4312 based, Dell Wireless 1397 802.11g half mini-card (Previously changed to 1395 802.11b/g full mini-card), or 1490 802.11a/g/n full mini-card (Broadcom 4311 based), or Intel Next-Gen 4965AGN 802.11a/g/n Wi-Fi
I/O ports: 1× Fast Ethernet port, 1× 56 kbit/s modem, 1× S-Video output, 4× USB 2.0 ports, 1× Express Card slot, 1× VGA port, 1× HDMI output, 1× FireWire port (optional), 2x headphone jacks, 1x microphone port (optional), and 1× power adapter connector
Camera (optional): Integrated 2.0 MP camera

The most notable difference between this laptop and its predecessor is the 1520 model's dedicated graphics card, which the 1525 model did not have. Some believe that this was an attempt by Dell to appeal to a wider market of computer consumers. In a 2008 processor speed test, the Inspiron 1525 placed 14 out of the 18 tested computers. The touchpad was upgraded from that of the 1520, the new one designed to allow faster scrolling through web pages. This model contains a SIM card slot underneath the battery compartment. However, the 1525 does not support reading data or using Internet from SIM cards without a separate wireless modem-card.

Software

The Inspiron 1525 typically comes with a version of the Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Ubuntu 9.04 pre-installed (32-bit/64-bit). Ubuntu 12.04 and Linux Debian Wheezy are known to be working out-of-the-box on this model. Models with Windows Vista and 7 contains Microsoft Office 2007.

Compatible System Software

Compatible OS(s): Windows XP - Windows 10, Ubuntu 7.10 and newer (Windows 11 will run with lack of driver support and hence not recommended with the laptop having low processing power)

BIOS: Dell BIOS A13 - A17

UEFI System: No

Upgrade

The Dell Inspiron 1525 can be upgraded to Windows 10 32-bit or 64-bit but has no compatibility with Windows 11 due to lack of TPM 2.0 support.

A fresh installation of Windows 10 64-bit already provides all required drivers for this laptop, including the webcam, SD card reader, Wi-Fi adapter, DVD/CDRW Combo drive, Intel GM965 chipset, on-board Intel graphics and multimedia keys. However, there are onboard devices that require additional drivers:

The default Microsoft touchpad driver works well but lacks support of advanced touchpad features and customizations; A Dell touchpad driver can be forced-installed to get access to all touchpad settings (Alps_Touchpad_W8_X02_A01_Setup-W71Y8_ZPE).
The driver for the Dell Wireless 1505 Draft 802.11n WLAN Mini-Card that comes with the Windows 10 64-bit installation is a Microsoft driver (v5.100.245.200, dated 212–03–14). This driver works but is not very stable and suffers from frequently disconnects. This Wi-Fi adapter uses a Broadcom BCM43xx chip. Broadcom released newer driver versions for that chip in 2016, such as the BCM43xx_7.35.317.3 driver released in 2016. This newer Broadcom driver can be force-installed and provides better stability than the 2012 Microsoft driver.
The "Display Adapter" driver (for the 965 Express Chipset) that automatically comes with the Windows 10 64-bit installation (directly from Microsoft) is version 8.15.10.2697 (initially released for Windows 8.1 64-bit). There are reports that it is causing compatibility problems causing sporadic (but minor) graphics corruptions in the desktop UI elements, especially after coming out of sleep. Reverting to the latest driver available from the Intel website, i.e. v8.15.10.1930 (initially released for Windows 7 64-bit) seems to reduce the occurrence.

This computer has two DDR2 SODIMM slots and can be upgraded to 6 GB of RAM, with a set of 2 GB and 4 GB modules. Both 667 Mhz and 800 Mhz modules are supported (PC2-5300 or PC2-6400).

Graphics cannot be upgraded as its integrated with the mainboard.

Processors can be upgraded to any Socket P Intel Core2 Duo mobile processor in the T8x00 series, and to certain T9x00 series processors whose FSB speed is limited to 800 MT/Sec.

Other software

Other software provided with the laptop includes:

Dell MediaDirect media player
Microsoft Works office suite
Roxio Creator DVD/CD authoring software

On February 18, 2008, it was announced that Ubuntu 7.10 would be available as an optional operating system for the laptop this since was shipped with Ubuntu 9.04 until support ended.

Customization

The user is able to decide which components they wish to be included, during the ordering process, by selecting from a range of hardware on the website. These possible components include a range of processors, operating systems, graphics cards, a webcam and various other peripherals. In addition, Bluetooth and an integrated mobile broadband card can also be installed upon request, and the default battery can be replaced with an alternative.

Reception

The Inspiron 1525 has received a great deal of positive attention. General computer users welcomed the relatively low price, as well as the easily accessible volume control keys, and hardware reviewers have praised the customizability of the laptop, as well as its system specifications and light frame. In general, users have made positive reference to the screen, with some describing the display as "flawless", also praising the inclusion of a webcam and dual headphone jacks. Some reviewers claim that the battery life is a good point of the system.

Despite being a high-selling model, and receiving a large amount of positive feedback, the Inspiron 1525 has also attracted some level of criticism. Some critics feel that the sound quality is unfit for a recently produced laptop, claiming "raspy-sounding speakers take some of the shine off the 1525's entertainment appeal", whereas others have criticized the system's performance and battery life. The wireless switch is located on the right side of the bottom half, close to the front and is easily overlooked. Prominent placement near the volume and media controls would be much easier for users to find. The positioning of the cooling fans render the laptop incapable of supporting high-end graphics cards. Some users have encountered technical problems, many of which center around the webcam and built-in microphone. A common complaint is that the supplied fan is irritatingly loud, and many users have tried to rectify it on their own. The placement of the headphone jacks on the front of the unit leads to inconvenient trailing wires when external speakers are connected. A touchpad design flaw causes the button to stick, requiring the replacement of the entire palm rest assembly. Users have also reported numerous hard drive problems, many related to overheating.

Noteworthy hardware issues

The Inspiron 1525 utilizes a single heat sink to dissipate heat away from the CPU & GPU. Whilst the Inspiron 1525 is not the only model that uses a single copper alloy conduit, it is one of the more common. The Inspiron 1525, models affected will combine the Intel Core 2 or Intel Dual Core CPU's.

CPU/GPU degradation over time is common, primarily due to extended overheating. While fan failure & vent blockages will exacerbate these issues, in addition to general component failures from extended periods of overheating beyond components tested safety margins, may cause product failure, in some cases even fire hazard. It is recommended to read & understand the DELL INC., technical article, should you experience these issues.

For both the 1525 and 1526, a low CMOS battery can prevent the computer from operating properly. Replacement when done the "right" way requires removal of the main board, as the CMOS is located on its underside. However, there is a method that involves shimming the case open and using an angled pick to remove and replace the battery, but this method can lead to casement damage if done without care.