Netbook Review: Dell Inspiron Mini 10

As my first choice for a new laptop, computer, etc. I'm usually going to go straight to Dell first just to see what they offer. And, I did that when researching netbooks, trying to find the best mini laptop for my money. Now, although I did not purchase the Dell Inspiron Mini, I was convinced on all features and almost pushed the checkout button. The only reason that I didn't was because I wanted to do a little more research, and in the meantime a better deal came about.

When looking to buy a mini laptop, do the research. Dell really is a great option to pick, and I know that I wouldn't have been disappointed with the Inspiron Mini. Plus, come one... It comes in tons of colors- obsidian black, cherry red, alpine white, gecko green, promise pink, and ice blue.

Battery Life

This 3 cell lithium ion battery is pretty small in comparison to the Acer Aspire or the ASUS Eee, as you'll only get about 3 hours of battery life.

Intel Atom Processor

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 runs from off of an Intel Atom Z520 processor that has a 45 nanonmeter structure, which reduces electrical leakage, saving your battery and conserving energy. The Atom processor provides 1.3 GHz CPU speek, a 533 MHz front-side bus, and 512 KB L2 cache, and when all combined causes the mini laptop to use just about 2 watts of power.

Storage

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 has a 160 GB hard drive and 1 GB of RAM (533 MHz; maximum capacity), but Dell powered with Box.com and now provides you with an additional 2 GB of remote storage space that can actually be expanded to 25 GB.

Operation System

The Dell Mini is pre-installed with Windows XP.

Screen and Keyboard

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 inch basically just a one inch upgrade to the Inspiron Mini 9, which means less scrolling left and right. Nice feature in comparison to the trouble it takes to scroll back and forth on the Mini 9, which is to thanks for the 16:9 ratio.

The screen as a 1024 x 576 resolution and TrueLife high-gloss/anti-reflective technology, which provides a nice contrast finish perfect for 3D games and videos. With the widescreen 16:9 ratio, which features a sharp contrast finish that's well suited to immersive 3D games and watching videos.

As for the keyboard it's about 92% the size of a normal keyboard, which makes adjustment simpler and typing a breeze. Plus, since the keyboard is spill resistant, you have a litle more insurance than those that aren't in case of a mishap.

Touchpad

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 has an easy to use multi-touch trackpad, which provides easier navigation with just your finger tips.

Other Features

• Built-in 54g Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
• Bluetooth V2.0
• Ports: 3 USB, 1 HDMI, analog video output, 10/100 ethernet network port, 1 headphone, 1 microphone
• 3-in-1 memory card reader that is compatible with Secure Digital (SD), Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC), Multimedia Card (MMC), and Memory Stick
• Built-in 1.3MP webcam
• 2 speakers for surround sound

Warranty and Services

You get the Dell 1 year limited warranty with mail-in service. You also get an array of Dell services such as the Dell Support Center and the DellConnect Remote Assistance.