Sorry for another dell studio post only a day after last one, but I'm really thinking of getting this, and then my friend's girlfriend got one and he said the sound from the speakers is rubbish... Does anyone know if this is true (compared to general laptop speakers that is) or perhaps does he just have unrealistic expectations?

I've read a few reviews saying they're bad, but some otherwise. Unfortunately don't think I'll get chance to hear them before i buy. Don't know if its enough to put me off buying, but would like to have decent speakers. To put it in perspective, I currently have an old (I mean oooollllddd) latitude, which doesnt have amazing speakers, but is acceptable.

didn't have the chance to hear a studios sound but you really should decide this yourself. maybe you can have a look at your friends girlfriends studio and listen what it is like.
its always difficult to tell and my desktop user always complain the sound when they use a laptop for traveling, just because they have external speakers on their desktop pc's and are used to this kind of sound...

Yeh. I know. The best way is to hear myself. I'll see if i can but she's goin away to uni this week so might not get chance which is annoying.

May just go for it anyway casue the rest of the laptop is greatin terms of performance and looks. I haven't seen many of similar spec for the money (other than some acers but they look like fisher-price 'my first computer' toys. ie- they is ugly bugly) and as long sound's decent I'll just live with it. I'll plug in speakers ifi need, butim sure itll be alright

I think you're right and to be honest I use earphones or speakers as well on my laptop(s) for music and the internal one only if I just work and let windows beep...

i just got this laptop and like everything about it... except the speakers. They sound ok unless they are turned all the way up then they distort really bad. Even with the volume all the way up the sound is very low. I have never had a computer this quiet. Like i said that is my only complaint everything else works really great.
I hope this helps.