Can maximum laptops/PCs with DVD drive play multi-region DVDs Or are they usually region secured like DVD players?

Most of them can play all DVDs through Windows Media Player (as long as you have downloaded all of the Codexes from the Microsoft Website), Dell's default Media Experience setting is for one region so I would avoid this player. Another alternative actress to use would be VLC Media Player which you can get from here: http://filehippo.com/download_vlc/

Hope this is of help!