Dell Inspiron Mini 12 Review: The ultraportable laptop

Dell Inspiron Mini 12, the ultra portable laptop, caters to the need of those individuals, who are looking for a portable multi-tasking device. After desktop computers came laptops - portable computers that could be taken just about anywhere, and do anything the desktop could. By the mid-2000s, the laptop had become extremely popular, and more and more people wanted a share of the portable pie - a machine which could be used to take notes, surf the Net or listen to music on the go. This new avatar of the laptop is called the Netbook.

The basic configuration of Dell Inspiron Mini 12 features an Intel Atom Z520 processor with 1 GB of 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM, and a 60 GB 4200 RPM PATA hard disk. This is pretty much what your usual Netbook has, but the Dell Inspiron Mini 12’s one-up here is its build, design and comfort of use.

With its 12.1-inch screen, the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 looks more like a laptop than a Netbook, which puts it at the top of the race for maximum screen size. However, the combination of the hardware, large screen and pre-loaded Vista make it almost unbearably slow - multitasking, for example, is rendered completely out of the question. Upgrading to Windows XP, though, improves performance noticeably. Adventurous users could also explore the Ubuntu-loaded version of the Dell Inspiron Mini 12, which runs reasonably fast.

The Dell Inspiron Mini 12 is perfect for classroom use, thanks to its almost full-size laptop keyboard and excellent build quality. The machine promises to be ultra-portable, weighing less than 3 pounds (2.72, to be exact) on the basic configuration, and just a smidgen more if it is upgraded to a 1.6GHz Z530 Intel Atom, 80GB hard disk and 6-cell battery. The 6-cell Li-ion battery will run it for up to 4 hours, which is a major improvement over the basic 3-cell battery, which only lasts 1 hour 20 minutes. This upgrade will set you back by about $50, bringing the price of the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 (upgraded) to $600. Sadly, the RAM cannot be upgraded, but with a switch from Vista to XP, the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 is eminently usable if all you have to do is take notes, write documents or listen to music.

As for ports, the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 does not have an optical drive, but has 3 USB 2.0 ports, a Integrated 10/100 LAN (RJ45), 15-pin VGA video connector, mic in, line out and of course the AC adapter port. The AC adapter is tiny and light, adding to the portability of the machine. This netbook also features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth mini-cards, which means that it can be used for file transfers practically anywhere.

The sweetest thing about the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 is its build and design. It is wafer-thin, at 0.92 inches in front, and 1.09 at the back. Its tapering edges, smooth and roomy keyboard, glossy finish, nice and grippable bottom, and tendency to stay cool even after staying on your lap for hours on end make it a sexy as well as serviceable housemate. If basic functionality and a pleasant viewing experience floats your boat, the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 is definitely your thing.

Dell Inspiron Mini 12 Specifications
Processor:

Model: Intel Atom Z520 Processor/Intel Atom Z530 Processor

Speed: 1.33GHz/1.60GHz

Front Side Bus: 533MHz FSB/533MHz FSB

Cache: 512KB L2 Cache/512KB L2 Cache

Screen:

Size: 12.1 inch

Screen Type: Glossy WXGA display (1280X800)

Graphics card:

Type: Intel Integrated Graphics

Version: Media Accelerator 500

Weight: 2.72lbs (for basic model)
Hard Disk:

Size: 60/80GB

Type: 4200 RPM

RAM:

Size: 1GB

Type: 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM

Networking

WLAN: 802.11g mini-card

Bluetooth: Internal (2.0) mini-card

OS (operating system): Windows Vista

Version: Home Basic

Pros: Excellent build and portability, large screen, almost full-size keyboard, good battery life with 6-cell Li-ion battery

Cons: Very slow on Vista, unclear speaker sound, slow hard drive, high price

Price: $654 (base price)