Dell Inspiron New Mini 10.
This netbook was received as a contest award (Canada Dell Mini Contest)
System specs:
CPU: Atom N450 (1.6GHz, 512K L2 Cache)
Display: 10.1" Widescreen Display (1024x600) Integrated 1.3M Pixel Webcam
OS: Windows7 Starter for Small Notebook PCs,32Bit .....
I bought this laptop to replace the company-issued one that I've used on personal excursions for a few years, since I'll soon be leaving my current employer.
Portability and battery life were my primary concerns, followed immediately by price. I'm a programmer, but most of my work is done remotely by SSH, so power isn't a real concern. 90% of my intended use is a mix of ssh and firefox.
Specs:
Given my requirements, and the fact that I'm a die-hard Linux proponent,
I went with the Ubuntu version with a 4GB SSD and 1GB RAM. I got the integrated wifi and bluetooth modules, as well as the 1.3MP webcam.
The wifi was the only requirement, but the other two were cheap enough that I included them as amusements. I typically leave the bluetooth soft-disabled .....
Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Review.
Screen
The 8.9” SVGA (1024x600) LED backlight screen is impressive. Outside, with full sunlight directly on the screen I am able to view this review with no problems!
XGA (1024x768) is still the standard resolution (established in 1990) and many applications, websites, etc are optimized for XGA not SVGA. You might have to do some side scrolling but it’s definitely tolerable. For example, I wrote this entire review on the mini 9 (no cheating).
Keyboard
The only other netbook I’ve been able to use is the ASUS eee PC 900. Compared to the ASUS’s keyboard the mini 9’s is great! It may take some time getting used to but this keyboard it is bearable, unlike the ASUS. The function keys (F1, F2, etc)have been replaced with function keys, meaning you have to press the Fn key to access the function keys (i.e. Fn + A = F1). The F11 and F12 keys are gone, no ifs and or buts about it. Keep that in mind if any of your applications require these two keys.
Batty Life
GREAT! I clocked 3 and a half hours under some pretty heavy usage.
Memory card reader
I only tested a SD card, it works fine and the card fits fully into the machine. Some notebooks only insert ½ the card leaving the other half hanging out........
Got one of the new Dell Mini 9 notebooks or netbooks as some call them today. Have had much too little time with it, but wanted to post a review anyway. Here's what I've learned so far...
specs.
I ordered the $449 Windows XP version with 1 gig ram and the 16 gig SSD hard drive. The unit only comes with a 1024x600 screen which is adequate, but I do wish one of the netbook makers would push the limit to 1280x800. It also has a 4 cell battery good for about 3 hours, and the standard port setup of 3 USB, VGA, sound in/out and an ethernet. There is also a slot for an SD card to help out the small SSD hard drive if desired.
What's in the box.
The system came with only a power adapter, which is not more than just a normal looking power brick, so you'll need a plug with room to use it. And, the OS CD, resource CD and Works CD. And, a terse manual and other odd paper work. The power cord is plenty long enough so getting power to it is not hard at all. The power plug is located on the left had side of the unit near the back....................
Build Quality and Finish
My first impression as I unpacked the laptop was how light it felt for a 17” notebook. By comparison, my older Dell 9400 (E1705) seems much heavier. I don’t hear any creaking/groaning of plastics when I hold the laptop from one corner and, overall, the chassis appears rigid and well constructed. Aesthetically, this machine will not be a compliment generator. It’s industrial design is simple (read: bland), straightforward (read: uninspired), and utilitarian. A business laptop through and through.
The display hinges (one of the first things I check on new laptops) are excellent. There is absolutely no screen wobble when opening the display and hinges have a nice strong feeling. Of course, hinges often start to wear many months into ownership but my initial impression is very positive.
The display bezel has some rather unsightly hooks for the screen latch but I still appreciate the ability to lock the panel down before transport. The media key console above the keyboard is, in a word, ugly. The buttons are simple squares with boring symbols printed inside. The blue LED indicator lights are nice and, in a rare example of engineering forethought, are not blindingly bright.
The palm rest flexes when pressure is applied and has a slightly hollow sound when tapped. One small feature that I really appreciate is Dell softened and curved the forward edge of the palm rest to ensure your hands don’t sit on a sharp edge.
When closed, the display does not sit perfectly flush with the palm rest and has a 2-3 millimetre gap (however the right and left gaps are equal - so the rubber bumpers may be just a little too short). For a budget laptop, I consider this acceptable.
Fan(s) are very quiet when idle but do ramp up under high CPU/GPU loads (gaming) but have a low pitch and are not distracting. The exhaust is located on the left side of the computer.
***UPDATE: After further use, I have found that the fan(s) can become quite loud and distracting when gaming for 20-30 minutes. Under load (Crysis, Fallout 3, etc.), the 9600 GS video card does heat up considerably over time. Examining the bottom of the laptop, a very small air intake is provided for the video card and appears insufficiently sized for good airflow. If you value a quiet gaming experience, this could be a deal-breaker***
Display
I opted for the 1440x900 LED-backlight matte panel. Brightness uniformity is good but colours are somewhat muted compared to Dell’s TrueLife panels. Contrast is also significantly lower than the glossy displays. If you’ve ever used one of Dell’s business-class matte monitors you can expect an almost identical image quality with this panel. At it’s highest setting, panel brightness is more than adequate and, in a darker work environment, I would knock the brightness down 3-4 steps (of 7 total brightness levels). Despite the trade-offs (muted colours and lower contrast), the absence of annoying reflections that plague glossy displays is a nice benefit. I would rate the viewing angles (both horizontal and vertical) as average......
The dell inspiron Mini 10 is a new 10-inch model. The notebook will come together with the latest Intel Atom platform.
Features
The system of this laptop will be equipped with a 1.6GHz Atom Z530 processor. This edition of dell will also come with a number of built-in features such as a TV tuner, mobile broadband, GPS or wireless 802.11n Internet connectivity. The product has a number of battery options such as a 3-cell and 6-cell versions that are available to t…
The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook has been around in various guises for a while, and Dell recently updated the entry-level version of this netbook with a newer Intel Atom N450 processor. The Z530 processor used in this version has several of the advantages that the upgraded ‘N' version offers and lowers the price tag to a very tempting £229 inc VAT.
The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook with the 1.6GHz Atom Z530 processor is accompanied by 1GB of RAM, 802.11g Wi-Fi, ethernet, three USB ports, a headphone output, a microphone input, an HDMI output and a 10.1in (1024x600) screen.
Dell offers several options for customising your Inspiron Mini 10 netbook when you order it online, such as a choice of white, blue or green coloured lids (for an extra £19) or even a patterned sticker for £35. But note that the Mini 10 is limited to 1GB RAM, and this is not easily user-upgradable later on.
When customising your model, you can also choose to upgrade to a 1366x768 resolution screen. We found the extra resolution makes a difference if you're used to modern screens. The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook also includes an integrated TV tuner - an unusual addition to a netbook and the reason Dell has seen fit to include better graphics support.
The 10.1in screen looks a little small on the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook; the chassis could easily have accommodated an 11in screen. Instead, you're left with a lot of wasted border surrounding the screen. The visual quality is surprisingly decent with reasonable contrast, colour reproduction and viewing angles.
The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook's keyboard is large enough to type on easily, but the Fn keys, Home/End buttons and arrows are a bit cramped. The trackpad is a sort of buttonless design where you press on the lower left or right corner to left- or right-click, but it's hard to use in practice.
The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook's performance isn't great, scoring just 32 points in our WorldBench 6 real-world speed test, but the battery lasts for seven hours, which did impress us.
Pros
Decent TV tuner
Good design with small, light layout
Cons
Mediocre netbook performance
High-res screen is a little hard to read
Bottom Line
Despite a decent design, this netbook's screen and limited storage don't make it the ideal platform for a TV tuner.
Netbooks are a lot cheaper than full-size notebooks, the battery lasts a lot longer, and if you spend most of your time in a Web browser anyway, the performance limitations aren't that big a deal. With the Mini 10, Dell attempts to tap into the desires of this market the same way so many companies do--by utilizing Intel's diminutive Atom processor.
What you may not realize is that the Atom has two common versions, the N-series and the Z-series. The Mini 10 netbook uses the Z-series. The primary difference between the two versions is that the Z-series features a chipset with a better graphics processor in it. It's a better match for Vista's GPU-accelerated desktop, though we wouldn't recommend trying to run Vista on this system. More important, the Z-series chipset supports the kind of video acceleration technology that makes it possible to play back video reasonably smoothly (something the Atom N-series doesn't do too well).
The Mini 10 with the Atom Z530 processor (1.6GHz) that we tested costs $534 as configured. The price puts our Mini 10 beyond the usual upper limit of a netbook (though units start at under $350). In addition to the Atom Z530 processor, our test unit had 1GB of soldered-on RAM, 802.11g Wi-Fi, an ethernet jack (10/100, not gigabit), three USB ports, headphone output, mic input, an HDMI-output, and a slightly higher-res screen than most 10-inch netbooks (1366 by 768). Frankly, the extra resolution doesn't do much at this size, and you'll find yourself squinting to read on it. You could always increase the size of icons and fonts and such, but Windows XP doesn't handle such resizing very gracefully. The reason for that video kick is in no small part due to the optional on-board HDTV tuner that came with our unit.
Yep, this nondescript input jack sits somewhere between a USB port, a combination SD/Memory Stick card reader, and a power plug on the left side. It seems a little out of place, but the internal Hauppauge WinTV MOD7700 ATSC tuner meshes pretty well with the included Dell Digital TV software. As long as you get a decent signal with the included antenna, TV video plays back fairly smoothly. But why put a TV tuner in a netbook? It makes sense in a larger notebook where you might want to record TV and then watch it on the road, but the small, slow hard drives in netbooks are no good for that. You actually have to pull the tuner and the antenna out and hunt for a signal. It'd be easier to find a real TV.
The video decoding in general (TV and otherwise) is mediocre--HDTV channels are just a little choppy, and standard-def channels need to be cleaned up a little. And the real problem is that the GMA500 integrated graphics doesn't do anything for most Web video, like Hulu or YouTube. Watching even standard-def YouTube videos at normal size in the browser window was such a choppy mess that you want to stop watching in seconds. Now if Dell incorporates this feature into a Ion-based netbook, that would probably make all the difference.
The 10.1-inch screen actually looks a little small on this system, in part because the body is large enough to accommodate an 11-inch screen. A lot of border surrounds the screen, and that doesn't combine well with the relatively high resolution and small size. It only exaggerates the impression that you're straining to read the screen. But in actual visual quality, the screen is surprisingly decent for something so small and cheap, with reasonable contrast, color reproduction, and viewing angles.
The keyboard is large enough to type on easily, but the "extra" keys like function keys, Home/End, and arrows are a bit cramped. The trackpad is the biggest bother. It's a sort of buttonless design where you need to press on the lower left or right corner to left- or right-click, but it's hard to use in practice. You'll often move the pointer when trying to click, resulting in more mis-clicks and no-clicks than you should really have to deal with.
The Mini 10's performance is about what you would expect from an Atom-based notebook. Even running just Windows XP, the system quickly becomes unresponsive. Though low performance is a fact of life on most netbooks, the Mini 10 performed a tad worse than most of its competition, scoring just 32 on WorldBench 6. The best netbooks in its price range score in the upper 30s. Battery life is good at a little under 7 hours, but not as stellar as the ASUS Eee Pc 1005HA or the Toshiba Mini NB205-N310 (the later lasts a little under 10 hours). You can't even "hackintosh" the Mini 10 (the process of buying a compatible notebook and installing OS X on it). The integrated GMA500 graphics is incompatible.
All that said, this $500-plus netbook seems a little pricey because of all the extra on-board bells and whistles that came with our review model. Drop down to a lower-res screen, forget the TV tuner, and you have a decent machine that would probably cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $400. Dell's intentions are in the right place with the Mini 10, but a netbook with a tiny screen and limited storage is not the ideal platform for a TV tuner, and they're just not winning us over on the benchmarks or industrial design. If you're in the market for a 10-inch netbook, you can do better.
The Good: Sharp design; higher display resolution; HD video acceleration hardware.
The Bad: Broadcom HD video requires beta software for streaming video; smallish touch pad.
The Bottom Line: Dell's popular Netbook adds HD video acceleration for a solid movie-watching experience, but requires a still-in-beta Flash update for streaming video.
Dell pushes the upper echelons of netbookitude with the Mini 10. It's a little laptop whose Atom processor marks it as a populist ultraportable, but whose 10-inch, wide-format display and HDMI port reveal more aristocratic ambitions.
Want to catch the last episode of Battlestar Galactica while hanging out in the local java joint? Going to download a season of The Simpsons for viewing on the plane? Giving an impromptu screening of your vacation photos at a friend's house? The Mini 10 is your machine.
It's not all for show, either. Although powered by a relatively anemic 1.6-GHz Atom Z530 processor (a 1.3-GHz Atom Z520 is also available, for $50 less), the Mini 10 actually does a pretty good job at video playback — on its own screen. While the screen's 1,024 x 576 pixels are too few for even 720p HD playback, the 16:9 aspect ratio and vivid colors are enough to make you think you're watching high-def video, and the difference is barely perceptible on a 10-inch screen, anyway. Playing videos from Hulu.com was perfectly acceptable at Hulu's "standard quality," but became jerky at the "high quality" (480 lines) setting.
Playing video over the HDMI out port is another matter, though. While the Mini 10 can drive large screens, it just can't keep up when delivering video to them, so playback becomes choppy. For plugging into a second monitor or for showing off slideshows of your favorite photos (using the integrated SD card slot), that might be ok — but forget about making this puny portable the centerpiece of your home entertainment system.
The 160-GB hard drive gives you plenty of room to store your supersecret cache of BitTorrent porn — ahem, legitimately purchased network TV shows from iTunes — and the keyboard is ample and gives lots of tactile feedback, so when you're ready to turn off the shows and get down to work, the Mini 10 is ready, too.
But there are infuriating shortcomings to the Mini 10. The trackpad is one of the worst we've seen. Dell's decision to integrate the buttons underneath the pad itself makes using it both unpredictable and challenging. When you click on a button, the cursor may hit the target, wiggle off an centimeter or two, or teleport off into a remote corner of your screen. While it got easier to use after a week of practice, our advice is to invest in a cheap travel mouse.
Also, our unit exhibited frequent problems connecting with secure Wi-Fi networks, although it had no problems with unsecured hotspots. (Those still exist?) And the screen, while bright, sports a highly reflective, glossy surface that makes using it in high-contrast environments a real drag.
Worse, the 3-cell battery only lasted an average of 2 hours and 16 minutes in our battery rundown tests. That's far less than the longest-lasting 10-inch netbooks, the Asus Eee PC 1000HE and the Samsung NC10 (both 5 hours).
Unless you absolutely adore Dell's customer service, wait for the company to iron the kinks out of this promising but not-fully-cooked media-friendly netbook. There are other tiny portables that are more deserving of your money.
WIRED Bright, responsive screen. Integrated 1.3-megapixel webcam. Not gunked up with crapware. HDMI-out port shows charming, if unwarranted, optimism about the netbook's video capabilities. Light weight: Just 2.6 pounds.
TIRED Infuriating trackpad with integrated buttons hidden underneath. Excessively glossy screen produces distracting glare. Windows XP is starting to look pretty tired. What, no solid-state option? Despite the HDMI port, the netbook can't deliver HD video without fits and starts.
Pros:
+Size
+Weight
+Craftsmanship
+Style
+Cost
+Trackpad Operation
+Integrated Web Camera
+Win XP
+Availability
+Keypad Size and Design
+3USB, HDMI, external speaker option, card reader
+Ethernet port & internal wireless
+Power cord construction.
Cons: - Speakers are under the machine (muffled sound)
- Intel Atom Processor
- Cant get to the hard drive externally
- Screen size cuts off some dialog box's footer & resizing is a chore if not
impossible..
Summary: Placed this side by side with all its current competitors (and I did) and it will win every time. There are just too many pro's than con's and off of that alone makes this the best buy in every way.
Pros
•Distinctive design with several color options
•Comfortable keyboard
•Relatively loud speakers
•Over 9 hours of battery life
•Lots of optional bells and whistles
Cons
•Finicky touchpad
•Runs a bit hot
•Somewhat sluggish boot time
Dell’s netbooks have always been in the middle of the pack. They’ve typically offered sleek designs and plenty of customization options, but not the best ergonomics or battery life. This time around Dell took full advantage of Intel’s new Atom N450 processor (Pine Trail) to give its Inspiron Mini 10 a major boost of endurance. Thanks in part to this more efficient CPU, the Mini 10 offers over 9 hours of battery life without a bulging battery. We especially like the more distinctive look, not to mention the several fun color options. You also get a 250GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, and Windows 7 Starter Edition. At $369, the Mini 10 is fiscally attractive, too. But has Dell done enough to catch up to the likes of Acer, ASUS, and Toshiba?
Just had to share my experience with HP's Bluetooth mouse they currently offer because I can barely find any information regarding their mouse, just that they offer it and the specs. I just recieved it, I've gotten about an hour or two of full use with it after an awful installtion on Windows 7. So yeah my thoughts so far, pretty nice once you get it working.
Another thing, if you have EPP discount, or Academic discounts, and some other coupon codes you can get this at a nice deal. I was able to get it for about 44$ with a retractable mouse (20$) and free shipping at that point. So I got about 81$ (including shipping) worth of stuff for 44$, almost 50% off with all the discounts I had. Not bad I would assume for a nice looking mouse.
I'm just trying to provide an informational post with this mini-review. I hope it helps some people who are looking for a BT mouse.
Installation
In a couple words, pretty bad. Being bluetooth, I'd thought I'd fire up my bluetooth adapter, then just hit pair using native Windows, and let Win Update do it's thing if needed. Everything went through fine, choose no pairing code, and things installed, but things didn't work. Threw in the disc, followed instructions, no worky still. After a restart, and trying again, seemed to work....
Usage........................
The extreme glare of HP's Infinity displays and lesser glare of glossy screens in general has a cure: antiglare films, which also provide scratch protection. I found a very comprehensive review of the options here:
Screen Protector Shootout Results
Photodon LCD protector sheets were highly rated, and since Photodon is in my home state of Michigan I ordered from them. I went with a larger than normal custom cut for my HP dv4z's Infinity display, figuring (correctly) that I'd want the film to be a little larger than the LCD panel since there's no bezel. I got the width right, 310mm, but I guessed low on the height. 194mm should be about right. Being mechanically disinclined I did a poor job applying the film but it still looks good. Some pics:
Glare screen, no flash, creepy serial killer gloves from the Photodon installation kit
Glare screen, flash on
Photodon antiglare film, flash off
Photodon antiglare film, flash on
Photodon antiglare film, notebook on, flash off..................
Prior to 2006, there was a distinct difference between Apple and the PC industry. Apple specialized in design, and still does, and the PC industry won over customers by wooing them with the best bargain available—features for the price charged—and almost always at the cost of a pedestrian design. In 2006, in an ambitious bid to gain market share, HP launched a massive and hugely successful marketing campaign known as, “The Computer Is Personal Again,” and redesigned all of its laptops with the extremely popular high-gloss Imprint finish. In less than 2 years, HP unseated Dell as the undisputed leader in PC shipments and maintains that lead today.
3 years later, HP is back again (perhaps) to change the game. Borrowing from design cues from Apple’s Macbook Pro line, HP launched the dm3 in late October and the tm2 earlier this month, with designs that feature a brushed aluminum finish. Is it successful? Read more to find out.
How this laptop was purchased
I had shopped for a while to look for a new computer to replace my aging dv6000t from back in the Windows XP days. My options were the HP Pavilion dm3t and the Sony VAIO CW. I visited a Best Buy to check out some of the laptops, and I can say that I was absolutely repulsed by the build quality of the Dells these days. They suck. Period. What really won me over from the Sony CW was the build quality of the dm3t. The aluminum finish really is outstanding. More on that later................
I purchased this Mini to be in touch on an extended personal and business trip in Central America. Dell was exceptional in delivering the unit before I left, even though the promised delivery was after my departure. While away the Mini let me keep up with email and browse for information vital to the trip. The machine worked exactly as expected with no glitches. Bonus points for how easy it was to get the Minithrough security in American airports- an unexpected pleasure. Two of my colleagues and travelling companions were impressed - kept borrowing the Mini and will likely acquire one for travel.
View 10 Replies View RelatedFor anyone waiting to buy a Mini 9 or Mini 12, the price of the Mini 9 is now $299 and the Mini 12 is $399.
I think this is going to make the Mini 12 a much better offering for those that might need a little bit more screen and hard drive.
I'm trying to figure out the difference between the two other than the casing (one's metal and one's plastic). The 2140 uses a SATA connector vs a PATA connector. So for $25 extra(lowest config 2140 vs highest config 1000) you get a metal case and SATA connector?
Why would anyone buy the 1000? Am I missing something? Oh and the 2140 has a higher volatage adapter for 'fast charging'...what's left for the 1000?
I've been looking a getting a Dell Mini 9 or 12 and reading as much as I can. One thing that comes through over and over again is that the Mini 9 is just about built to be hacked and upgraded while the Mini 12 is not.
RAM upgrade
Mini 9 is easy bring to 2GB with inexpensive RAM
Mini 12 has1 GB RAM soldered to the motherboard and is not upgradeable.
Drives
Mini 9 uses SSD. SSD drive replaceable with even larger faster SSD drives.
Mini 12 has 4200 rpm hard drive.
The processor of the mini laptop is atom N450, i want to know can i install windows server 2003 32 or and 64 bit os on this machine.
View 10 Replies View RelatedWhat do you think about my configuration?
Inspiron 1520 Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7500 (2.2GHz/800Mhz FSB/4MB cache)
Genuine Windows ® Vista Home Basic Edition
System Color Spring Green
Memory FREE! 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667MHz
LCD Panel High Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch display (1440x900)
Video Card 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce® Go 8600M GT
Hard Drive 160G 7200RPM SATA HDD
Network Card and Modem Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Combo or DVD+RW Drive CD / DVD writer (DVD+/-RW Drive)
Sound Card Integrated Sound Blaster® Audigy™HD Software Edition
Wireless Networking Cards Intel® 3945 802.11a/g Mini-card
Camera Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam
Anti-Virus/Security Suite (Pre-installed) I chose Security with Value, Plus,or Premium Warranty Bundle
Battery Options 85Whr Lithium Ion Battery (9 cell)
Limited Warranty, Services and Support Options DellCare Plus
Doms Camera Module Spring Green color w/ 2.0M pixel Camera
Processor Branding Intel Centrino Core Duo Processor
Labels Windows Vista™ Basic
This isn't a full review but I wanted to post my thoughts after a few days with the Studio XPS 16. Maybe this will help others considering this notebook among others to make a decision.
I ordered it from the Outlet, $1149 for SXPS 16 with P8600, 1GB ATI 4670, RGBLED screen, 500gb drive, Intel 5300 wifi, DVD/RW. I got the 9 cell for additional $80.
This seemed like too good a deal to pass up, particularly since it was "previously ordered new" rather than refurbished or scratch/dent .....
Finally i got new XPS M1530 as a replacement today, with the following configuration:
Intel C2D T8100 2GHZ @ 800MHZ FSB, 3MB L2
3GB Samsung @667 MHZ Ram
1280x800 Samsung WXGA screen
250gb WD@5400 rpm
Nvidia 8600GT @DDR3
intel(R) 4965AGN Wireless-N Mini-Card
Integrated Sound Blaster Audigy ADVANCED HD Audio Software
Tuxedo Black LCD display with Integrated 2.0 mega pixel web cam
6cell Battery
Vista HP SP1
McAfee(R) Security Center(TM) – 30 days trial
CompleteCover/ CompleteCover Guard Technical Guide include
1-year XPS Premier Service with 1-year CompleteCover
#1 Year Complete Cover Accidental Damage Protection
1 Year Priority PC User 24x7 Support (Round-The-Clock Technical Assistance)
# Year 1 Standard POW
i received this afternoon, i inspected thoroughly later in i did format and installed vista Ultimate with SP1, then installed all the necessary drivers also installed DELL MD 4.
PROS
i ran 3dmark 06 soon after installation of all drivers, i got score of 4671
next thing i noticed the temperature its idles between 57-60c
when i ran 3dmark 06 the max temp reached was 82c.
the HD is 250gb WD@5400rpm, the drive is so quieter
Everything is perfect except 2 issues, one is DVD drive makes lot of noise while reading dvds, and little bit bulge near the XPS |M1530 logo not visible tho, also the cover over the speakers on the lest part of hinge has come up, also not visible much
This time what i noticed is my dvd writer makes noise continously while reading the dvd, i did noticed the noise while installing vista, also during installation of drivers and other software DVD. and the noise is pretty loud and annoying.
Except those im overall satisfied with my new system, im feeling good, i guess the noise from my dvd writer may soon disappear, if not, need to be replace the DVD writer.
i havent ran much benchmarking tools except 3dmark06, yet to test few games later in.
The XPS M1330 is the second Dell laptop I've owned. The Inspiron 9400 put me off buying another Dell - for the wrong reasons really. I didn't want another high end laptop with poor battery life, and at just over �1000, the XPS M1330 seemed like a good choice. At 13.3" it's portable and packed with features....
View 9 Replies View Relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSw_d...e=channel_page
Just wanted to let everyone know that Digital Home Thoughts just uploaded their 23 minute review of the 14z.
Excellent performance, but poor portability from this Inspiron
Mobility be dammed. Weighing over 3Kg, the Dell Inspiron 17R is a back breaker. Double that with the low battery life and it’s clear this laptop is not for seekers of portability. Fortunately for Dell - and us - its desktop replacement credentials are brilliant.
The Inspiron 17R we had comes with a “peacock” blue case but you can choose tomato red or mars black. The peacock blue isn’t as garish as it sounds and actually has a nice chrome finish that looks good against the gun-metal insides – it just doesn’t look like it’s trying to imitate anything else.
Pros
* Blu-ray Drive
* Good Performance
* Software Installation Free Of Much Bloatware
Cons
* Exterior Shows Lots Of Fingerprints And Smudges
* Display Can't Handle 1080p HD Video
* 3D Graphics Best Suited For Casual Gaming
Description
* Intel Core i5-450M Dual Core Mobile Processor
* 4GB PC3-8500 DDR3
* 500GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
* Blu-ray Reader And Dual Layer DVD Burner Combo Drive
* 17.3" WSXGA+ (1600x900) LED Backlit Display With 1.3 Megapixel Webcam
* ATI Radeon Mobility HD 5470 Graphics With 1GB
Dell's Inspiron 17R is a slimmed down desktop replacement that provides a more compact and lightweight design. This high end model comes equipped with a higher resolution display and Blu-ray drive. At $1000, there are less expensive Blu-ray equipped systems or models with better graphics for gaming. It does a decent job of being a good general purpose desktop replacement without costing too much ...
Pros
* Excellent Storage Options
* Hybrid Graphics Provides Good 3D Graphics
* Wide Range of Peripheral Ports
Cons
* Very Heavy for 13.3-inch Laptop
* System Runs Quite Hot
Description
* Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 Dual Core Mobile Processor
* 4GB PC3-8500 DDR2 Memory
* 320GB 7200rpm SATA Hard Drive
* 8x DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Burner
* 13.3-inch WXGA (1280x800) Wide LCD With 2.0 Megapixel Webcam
* NVIDIA GeForce 9500M Graphics With 256MB Memory and GeForce 9400M Integrated Graphics
* Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n Wireless
* Two USB 2.0, eSATA, FireWire, HDMI, Display Port, ExpressCard/54, 8-in-1 Card Reader
* 12.6" x 9.3" x 1.4" @ 4.9 lbs.
* Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit, Works 9, McAfee Internet Security
Guide Review - Dell Studio XPS 13 13.3-inch Ultraportable Laptop PC
Mar 13 2009 - Dell's Studio XPS 13 is much more of a replacement for the XPS M1330 because of its improved features. Most notable of these is the hybrid graphics that combines a GeForce 9400M integrated graphics for light desktop work and a dedicated GeForce 9500M with 256MB when accelerated 3D graphics are needed. This gives it some good 3D performance that was lacking from other Dell 13.3-inch laptops.
Another surprise in the Studio XPS 13 is the storage options. The standard 320GB hard drive is spacious, but the 7200rpm spin rate provides it with a high level of performance. Those needing more space can always upgrade to the 500GB drive option. Solid state drives are also offered but are quite expensive. It would have been nice to see Dell offer a Blu-ray option as well.
Performance is very high thanks to the use of the Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 mobile processor and the 4GB of PC3-8500 DDR3 memory. This combined with the graphics actually gives it some performance levels that are equal to or at times higher than the XPS M1330. The problem is that all of these parts generate a lot of heat.
In what can only be considered a major design accident, Dell put one of the primary cooling ducts on the back side of the laptop. This duct can be blocked when the LCD panel is folded beyond a straight perpendicular position, something that many users do with laptops. Combine this with the aluminum bottom panel and this system can get very hot on the bottom where it should not be used on one's actual lap without some sort of cooling device.
The other downside is that the Studio XPS 13 is quite large and heavy for a 13.3-inch laptop. At nearly five pounds in weight, this is a system that is much more comparable to a 14.1-inch for portability.
So this is a review on my new (Scratch and Dent) Dell Studio 1536..
View 9 Replies View RelatedOn first look i found that the build quality was better than expected, I had read a fiew reviews by owners that thebase was flimsy and so was the keyboard. I have found this to be quite solid and i can see no flex at all.
The keyboard is very responsive and a pleasure to use, although i find that some of the keys give a slight squeeking noise when pressed. I intend to get a backlit keyboard sometime soon so that should fix the squeeking problem.
I bought this from the outlet as refurbished but it looks brand new and i saved nearly £300 this way instead of self configuring the system.
What's in the Box:
Dell Windows Vista Home Premium 64 Bit installation dvd, Works 9, Driver and Resource Disk, 90w Power Supply
Design
Nice design and a sturdy construction, has a kind of wedge shape.
Screen:
This WLED 720p screen is far brighter than anything else i have ever seen, the picture is nice and crisp and colours are very vibrant. There is no ghosting at all and HD movies are a pleasure to watch on this, its a 15.6" 16:9. There is an option for a 1080p screen but i did not have that option getting this from the Outlet. Under sunny conditions the screen is quite reflective but i plan to use it indoors 95% of the time so it will not be an issue.
Keyboard
The keyboard is a pleasure to use, I did not get a backlit version but i intend to as soon as I can get dell on the phone, I find the keys very responsive and well laid out.
The multimedia keys are on the top of the keyboard along with the F Keys, to use the F1 Keys ect you have to press the Fn key.
Touchpad
At first i did not like the touch pad as it has a textured feeling and not a smooth finish like im used to , after a while i have got used to it and its not as bad as i first thought, there is a scroll pad on the side although the touch pad has no indication of this, when playing games this area gets quite hot.
Features:
Multimedia Keys
The keys are on the main keyboard and shared with the "F" Keys.
LEDS
One of my main complaints abot this machine is there are no LEDS for hard drive activity or wireless ect. The only light is on the power button on the side of the screen hinge.
Wifi –
My system has the Intel WiFi Link 5300 AGN card and the signals are strong and i have not suffered any drop outs or interference. Just a pity this laptop has no Wireless LED.
Speakers
The speakers are of a decent quality, i had read about the previous Studio 15 which had poor sound quality but this is more than acceptable and a subwoofer is included.
Input and Output Ports
Front
There are no ports on the front of the machine
Webcam Pictures
The screen has a 2.0mp camera in and the quality is very good, the best i have seen in a laptop. Pictures are good with no noise or distortion.
Right Side:
1 x USB 2.0, Slot loading DVD-RW Drive
8 in 1 media card reader, ExpressCard 34 and Power Adaptor
Left Side:
VGA, HDMI 2x USB 2.0 (1x USB/E-SATA combo, 2x standard) IEEE 1394a/Gigabit NIC (no RJ11 – via dongle for USB External Modem) 1x Stereo in, 2x headphone speaker out.
Rear:
There are no ports on the back.
Bottom:
There are 3 ventilation grills and the usual opening for the memory and Hard drive access.
Benchmarks
I have had time to do 2 benchmarks, 3dmark06 and Super PI
3dmark Vantage would not run with the resolution on this laptop.
3DMark06 Scored 4193
and Super PI took 48 seconds to do 2 million count.
Size and Weight
The laptop is light about 2.61 kg and is easily carried around so its very portable.
Heat and Noise
Under general use the laptop does get warm but nothing to worry about, when gaming it gets quite hot so it will be uncomfortable on your lap if you game alot. The fans are quite quiet i have found and do not cause any disturbance when on.
Battery Life
Under general use with a 6 cell battery i get around 3 hours 30 mins, I do not feel that a 9 cell would of been benefical to me.
Software
The software that came pre-installed was Roxio CD Creator and Windows Live.
Accessories
All that came was the power supply (it has a nice blue led on the power jack)
Pros:
Great Screen
Fast Processor
Light and Portable
Long Battery Life
Cons:
No Activity LEDS
Gets quite hot under Gaming
Backlit keyboard not standard.
Conclusion:
A great all rounder laptop that should full-fill the needs of most, Not to over priced and has some good choices when configuring to buy.