The Dell Studio 17 looks like a cross between the the Inspiron 1720 and the XPS M1530. The design is similar to the latter, with its tapered look that gives it a thicker back and thinner front. Even the hinges look fashionable. The sleek slot-loading drive can be customized with a Blu-ray or a DVD burner. It has a good 17-inch, 1,920-by-1,200 resolution WUXGA display. The keyboard of the Studio 17 is responsive and the mouse buttons are soft and quiet. It carries a bevy of connectivity ports such as five USB ports and HDMI-out though the reviewer noted that an eSATA port could be beneficial to the system. Despite using the previous-generation Centrino platform, the Studio 17 is still fast though it trailed behind the higher-clocked Acer 8920G. The Studio 17’s SYSmark 2007 Preview Overall score is behind the Acer 8920G by 3 percent. Video-encoding and CineBench R10 tests placed the Studio 17 second best, right behind the Acer 8920G. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 isn’t meant for gaming as confirmed by its poor 3DMark '06 results. Battery life is impressive, scoring 3 hours and 30 minutes in MobileMark. If you have set your sights on getting a 17-inch system, you’d find the Dell Studio 17’s reasonable price and excellent high-definition experience a good deal.

Working its way between the entry-level Inspiron and high-end class XPS is the Dell Studio 17. It features an all new design which is a mix of both classes. The lid looks similar to the two, but pop up the lid and you’ll see a completely redesigned, albeit polarizing, Dell. The reviewer noted that the combination of a plain-looking matte keyboard and a futuristic palm rest is a bit jarring. The Studio is also quite thick, measuring in at 1.2-"1.7 inches. It includes an assortment of ports, including a generous helping of 5 USB ports. It comes with a 2.0-MP camera which provides accurate color and decent brightness. The 17-inch, 1920 x 1200 display is great for watching movies, though the speakers tend to sound distorted when volume is cranked up. The Studio 17 provided solid performance, scoring above average on benchmark tests. Graphics performance, while decent, isn’t actually the greatest. Scores garnered are below average for all desktop replacements. Battery life lasted for 2:58 with Wi-Fi and continuous web surfing. By combining a fast dual-core processor, discrete graphics and a beautiful high-resolution display, the Studio 17 is a strong contender in the desktop replacement arena.