As with the HP Pavilion dv6500t, the Inspiron 1525 is equipped with a 802.11n Wi-Fi network card, which managed a respectable throughput of 19.9 Mbps when placed 15 feet from our access point. However, wireless performance at the 50-foot range was inconsistent, a flaw we chalk up to Dell's use of preproduction drivers on our review system.The upper portion of the silver keyboard deck contains a set of low-powered speakers that lacked bass response, plus a power switch and a nice soft-touch media control bar for adjusting volume and controlling CD/DVD playback. It also has a hotkey that launches Dell's MediaDirect application, where you can access movies, music, and video clips, as well as view pictures from a central launching point. This same hotkey gives you access to your calendar and contact database via the Instant Office applet.
The keyboard is comfortable and well spaced, but the wide-aspect touchpad was a tad sensitive and jumpy at first. A quick tweak of the speed and sensitivity settings took care of that.
