Lowdown on the Vostro 3750

The Dell Vostro 3750 is essentially a slightly different version of Dell’s consumer Inspiron 17R that is targeted at small businesses. With a 17” 720p widescreen display the Vostro 3750 is slated as a no frills desktop replacement. Lack of Core i7 upgradability is disappointing in a desktop replacement but not exactly must have.The key differences between these lineups tend to be appearance and build quality while the performance options are usually very similar if not exactly the same.

The Vostro series is generally built better with an aluminum alloy case. The newer Inspiron’s are coming with a aluminum alloy frame they are still cased by plastic. The Inspiron is generally accented by curves and eggshell finishes while the Vostro has sharper edges and matte surfaces.

Multimedia and Graphics

Options for gaming on the cheap with the Vostro 3750 are somewhat disappointing (but unsurprising since this is a busines laptop after all). The two lowest trim options for the 3750 will not allow you to upgrade the graphics card which will not allow you an option that has the better graphics card with the Intel i3 processor. In fact most customizability in the lower end is pretty limited with a maximum of 320GB hard drive and 4GB of memory.

Our guess is that Dell is trying to prevent the Vostro from cutting into their upper end model sales. Configured with an Intel i5, the GeForce® GT 525M graphics card, 500GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM the Vostro comes out $40 more expensive than the comparable Inspiron but the Vostro comes with a 2.0 Megapixel webcam and backlit keyboard while the Inspiron comes with a 1.0 megapixel webcam and SRS HD Audio so it’s really a matter of preference. Either machine would easily let you play newer games with modest performance with this middle of the road graphics card. For more information check the Inspiron 17R review page.

Quirks and Things to Watch For

Because the Vostro is a business lineup you’ve got to watch out and be careful not to pay a premium for some of the services targeted specifically at businesses. For instance many of the 3750’s trim options advertise “Ready to ship the next business day.” These options usually cost a bit more for that luxury and unless you’ve just got to have that laptop tomorrow you can save some cash by picking a regular model and customizing it to the options of the trim that you liked. For instance the top trim option in the Vostro’s lineup comes with the upgraded graphics, 320GB hard drive, i5 processor and “ProSupport.” A model that doesn’t ship next business day that is configured exactly the same is more than $100 cheaper so be on the watch-out for that if you’re a regular consumer.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion the Vostro 3750 can offer a nice mix-up from the dime-a-dozen Inspiron appearance at a very comparable price. Changeable color is a nice feature that at least pulls a little bit away from totally business. With sturdier build quality, better webcam and a backlit keyboard the Vostro would make a better option for the frequent traveler who needs to stay connected.