Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Dell's Mini 10v is simply a breath of fresh air in an ever-cramping netbook market. Particularly, it's ingenuity make it the most-comfortable, most-useful netbook around.
===== It's Comfortable =====
Most netbooks are unusable to me, especially where the keyboard is concerned. Most netbooks' have either tiny keyboards, or their keyboards just aren't typing-friendly. I frequently work on laptops, so I'm used to the low-profile, "chiclet-style" scissor-switch keyboards that are (or at least used to be) most common in laptops, and in fact I love them.
I'm referring to the type of keys that are flat and flush with the palm rest, and have a little flange or lip on the edges (where the space is between the keys). Such a design makes them spill-resistant, but also makes typing a breeze, as they won't inflict wrist strain due to tall keys or keys that require more force to press. So, this thing is certainly a dream to use.
===== It's Innovative =====
The touch pad is small, yet clever, allowing you to press down on the bottom-left/bottom-right corners of the pad to left-click/right-click (respectively), rather than wasting space by implementing separate buttons. The touch pad is also very touchable, as its texture and finish is matte, rather than glossy, making it much more conducive to swiping your fingers across than most of the other netbooks I laid fingers on.
Most netbooks' touch pads were glossy, making your skin shear and resist the dragging gestures. I find such a feeling to be nearly as annoying as fingernails on a chalkboard! The other netbooks were also noticeably covered in oily smudges and finger grease, both inside the track pad and also on the wrist rest. Instant turn off for me on anything but the Dell! The Mini 10 on the other hand was smudge free, thanks to their use of an oil-resistant softly-textured palm-rest.
===== It's Brilliant =====
The display is crisp and bright, and it isn't too shabby outside either, though I recommend using full brightness when being used outdoors. My only complaint about the screen is its native resolution is a bit low for my tastes, which I hope isn't just a personal preference. I'd rather see more on the screen than to see things big and close up. However, this is par for netbooks anyway. You should look into this Sony (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PII4HW?tag=a52-20&ie=UTF8) if you absolutely must have a higher definition display while maintaining the small form factor of a netbook.
===== It's Media Friendly =====
The built in HD media excellerator and the 9:16 ratio widescreen 10.1" display is great for watching hi-def movies on the go, with one very important exception: you must have an external DVD (or Blu-Ray) drive. I recommend this Samsung (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002C1BBU8?tag=a52-20&ie=UTF8) which sports a sexy look, on par with the Dell 's own appeal, without sacrificing functionality. Video playback is generally smooth and very few hiccups in playback have been experienced. The TV tuner featured in the similar model (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002EEP3J8?tag=a52-20&ie=UTF8) is really the only media-friendly feature really missing.
===== It's Capable =====
Great for writing and surfing the Web (after all, surfing was the original presmise of the netbook, hense the name). Just be sure to keep your browser tabs to a minimum and not install too many Firefox extensions, and you'll be fine. Media plays alright, including Web videos, Flash sites and Flash games. As long as you aren't trying to multi-task by running several other programs at once, you should be just fine. The memory card reader is an added bonus. I didn't think it would be all that useful, but it is a life-saver when traveling.
This machine features Windows XP, which runs okay. Windows 7 would be more ideal, as the OS is optimized for the netbook, and it even outperforms XP in several areas, so you can't go wrong in using it. While some of the other Mini 10's feature slightly better Atom processors (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00361G10S?tag=a52-20&ie=UTF8), the GMA-950 Intel graphics chip used here tends to make this model more conducive (less painful) for implementing OSX, but I'll leave it at that.
===== Processor and Battery =====
The Dell Mini 10v features the Intel Atom N280, a 64-bit-capable single-core processor supporting 2GB max ram. It supports Hyper Threading, so mild (but not wild) multi-tasking is possible, within reason. Try not to run more than two apps simultaneously for best performance and battery life. Intel Speedstep Technology is also built in, helping you save battery life. We averaged about 7-8 hours compared to the boasted 9.5 using the 60WHr 6 cell battery.
===== What I Loved =====
* Keyboard design - 92% full-size!
* Touch pad design - genius usability features
* Wrist rest - comfortable, remains clean/streak-free
* 3 USB ports - 2-left/1-right is dandy for using a USB mouse
* 9:16 ratio display - great for movies (see above for DVD solution)
* Keyboard + Touch pad design - seriously! It hits the mark spot-on!
===== Dissapointments =====
The things we would have liked to see were:
* 802.11n support - wave to the future already!
* 1024x600 resolution - would have preferred at least 1280x720
* 5400 RPM hard drive - would have liked a faster SSD (even if smaller)
* Windows XP - Win7 is more optimized for netbooks, XP isn't
* No TV tuner/HDMI hookups - this is becomming more standard
I hope you've found this review to be helpful! :)
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Dell Inspiron Mini 10V Netbook Computer (Intel Atom N280 160GB/1GB)
Click here for more information about Dell Inspiron Mini 10V Netbook Computer (Intel Atom N280 160GB/1GB)
