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Many consider the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 a bit overpriced as this netbook belongs to the upper price bracket of more than $500. We agree that it maybe a little bit more expensive than its rivals but let us examine what it offers.

 

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 is the younger brother of the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 and one of the top 5 must have netbooks of 2009. They look practically the same, except that this 10-incher has a sleeker look that its predecessor. The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 has a box dimension of 10.3 x 7.2 x 1.3 inches, and weighs only 2.6 lbs. It is really amazing how Dell was able to pack a TV antenna and a tuner into this little box.

 

This netbook is not only sleek and light, but also sports a fabulous design. The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 is very compact with rounded lids and black glossy finish. Its compact design allowed Dell to cast a roomy keyboard, with some important keys retaining their full sizes. This mobile thinking chic comes in four other colors – white, green, pink and blue.

 

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 comes with a Z-series Intel Atom processor, which features a chipset that supports better video playback. Its Intel Atom Z530 processor is cloked at 1.6 GHz, which is good enough to handle average computing tasks. This processing power is supported by an installed memory of 1 GB DDR-800 and Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 500. With this, the Dell Inspiron Mini can handle normal office programs and even some very softcore games.

 

One can store up to 160 GB of digital files into the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 with it SATA hard drive. It is also installed with a GPS. 

 

Specifications
Central Processing Unit	Intel Atom Z530 clocked at 1.6 GHz
RAM	1 GB GB DDR-800
Screen Display	10.1 inches
Resolution	1024 x 576 (upgradeable to 1333 x 768)
Dimensions	10.3 inches x 7.2 inches x 1.3 inches
Weight	2.6 lbs
Disk Space	160 GB 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive
Optical Drive	None
Battery Life	3 hours on a three-cell battery (upgradeable)
Graphics	Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 500 at 64 MB

 

Pros:

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10’s main strength lies in its upgradeability. Although its specs at a quick glance may seem weak, this could be boosted by some extra specs. Higher end units could carry a higher resolution display of 1333 x 768, which other average laptops don’t have. It may also be loaded with a HDMI port for high-definition content viewing. A buyer may choose to load an optional mobile broadband.

 

Another good thing about the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook is its well-spaced keyboard. Even though it is a 10-incher, this netbook has near full-sized keys, with some keys even at full sizes.

 

The Dell Inspiron Mini’s 10-inch display comes with a 16:9 aspect ratio, which would allow users to watch movies using external optical drives without the black lines.

 

Cons:

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10’s upgradeability comes with a price, that is, one has to pay more to upgrade this netbook. Its $500-plus tag is already pricey, and paying more for more options could put a strain on one’s pocket. It might be a better option to buy bigger laptops that sell at a few hundred dollars higher than the Dell Inspiron Mini 10.

 

This netbook has somewhat a weird touchpad. At first look, one may conclude that the right and mouse buttons are missing, but actually, they are meshed with the touchpad itself.

 

Conclusion:

The Dell Inspiron is a good mobile machine, but is really a bit pricey for its class. It is upgradeable for a price and has many options, also for a price.

Related posts:

1. Dell Inspiron 11z – Review

Tags: ASUS Netbooks, Inspiron, Mini 10, netbook, netbook review

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 at 4:53 pm and is filed under Dell, and is tagged with ASUS Netbooks, Inspiron, Mini 10, netbook, netbook review. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.