Dell Inspiron 15 N5040

The Dell Inspiron 15 N5040 is a part of the 5000 series Inspiron product line released in 2011 by Dell. Currently, the N5040 runs on outdated software and hardware, but Dell does sell updated models of the Inspiron 15 with up-to-date software and hardware.

On release, the N5040 had a selling price of under $500 USD but can be found now on third-party sale sites like eBay for around $50. It followed the release of the N5030 and was followed by the N5050. The N5040 and N5050 have little to no difference in hardware, with them even sharing the same owner's manual that can be found in the Attached Documents section of this page.

The Inspiron laptop model was introduced in 1999 and targeted a different audience than its predecessors. Editorial Today classified this line as a more consumer-oriented "college student" laptop compared to its previous business-centric audience.

According to Firstpost, Dell was issued a lawsuit in 2007 regarding this laptop line for faulty heat dissipation/premature motherboard failure that would occur shortly after the warranty of the device ended. While this issue is not known to affect the N5040 specifically, it did affect other Inspiron devices within the 5000 series. Many reviews also criticized the mousepad for its placement and its response time.

Additionally, Dell issued a battery recall in 2006 for many of their devices, including some in the Inspiron product line, after some users claimed their Dell devices had spontaneously combusted or even exploded. More information can be found in the Inspiron's Wikipedia page found in the Additional Information section of this page.

Aside from its faults, the Dell Inspiron 15 N5040 was praised in many reviews due to its cheaper price point for its (at the time) higher-end microprocessors and DDR3 memory support.

The Dell Inspiron 15R 5000 series is a bulky laptop with an obsidian black smooth finish that extends to the entire palm. It has the Dell logo centered on the top of the lid in silver, and when opened the Dell Inspiron 15 N5040 has a 15.6" display.

Its left and right sides feature the output air vent, separate headphone and microphone jacks, three USB type A ports, a VGA port, and an Ethernet port. The right side also includes an optical drive.

Additionally, the front and back views include power and charging LEDs and an SD card slot. The back view also includes the power adapter port

Turning the device upside-down, the model name and number can be found under the battery, on the middle-right side.

Images regarding the identification of your laptop can be found in the Attached Documents section of this page.

As for its specifications, this device has an Intel Core™ i3-380M 2.53GHz processor and an Intel HD Integrated GPU. With 4 GB of RAM (1333 MHz DDR3), this version of the Inspiron 15 comes with Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) pre-installed, with upgrade support for Windows 8. There is no upgrade support for Windows 10 and on.

Microprocessor

• Intel® Core™ i3-380M
  • 2.53GHz
  • 3MB

Operating System

• Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
• Windows 8 Upgrade Support

Memory

• DDR3
  • 4GB
  • 1333MHz
  • 1 DIMM

Video Graphics

• Intel® HD Graphics HM57 UMA

Hard Drive

• 500GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive

Multimedia Drive

• 8X CD/DVD Burner
  • Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive

Media Card Reader

• 3-in-1 Media Card Reader

Display

• 15.6”
  • High Definition
  • 720p
  • WLED
  • Includes TrueLife™

Fax/Data Modem

• HDMI port

Wireless Connectivity

• Dell Wireless 1502 802.11n WLAN

Audio

• High Definition Audio 2.0

Keyboard

• English
  • non-Backlit

Webcam

• Built-in webcam
  • 0.3MP

Battery

• 6-Cell Lithium Ion Battery

Having trouble with your Dell Inspiron N5040? Try visiting iFixit's troubleshooting page for the N5040/N5050, or check out the Dell Diagnostic Tests in the Additional Information section.

Dell Real-Time Diagnostic Tests can help troubleshoot specific problems with your device, no matter what Dell device you have.

Dell Inspiron 15-N5040 Amazon Reviews provides you with information on common remarks and comments the general public has on this product.

Newegg's Product Shop Page for the Dell Inspiron N5040 contains a more in-depth description of the specifications of this device.

The eBay listings for this device can provide insight on how much they are worth today compared to what they costed on release.

Editorial Today's article on the Inspiron product line explains the history of this device in detail.

Firstpost also has an article on a lawsuit filed in Canada back in 2007, and can also provide an in-depth explanation of the history of this device.

The Inspiron Wikipedia Page includes the specifications and a short description of most products in the Inspiron line, including some of their common issues and recalls.

Be sure to check out iFixit's device page for the Dell Inspiron N5050 as well, as the N5040 shares many of the same hardware and software features with the N5050. They have some great guides!