Dell Inspiron Mini 9 review

What you need to know

Reviewed by: Dan Ackerman

Reviewed on: 11 September 2008

Tags: Dell, Dell Inspiron Mini 9, concept, storage, music files

We like:

Low price; good battery life; XP and Linux OS options

We don't like:

Some awkward keyboard compromises; no SSD options larger than 16GB; lack of customisation options in the UK

CNET UK judgement:

Dell's entry into the netbook market means it's time to take these low-cost, low-power PCs seriously. The Inspiron Mini 9 is an excellent example of the form, if not radically different from the competition

Full review:

We've known for some time that Dell was working on a netbook-style laptop -- the same kind of small, low-power, inexpensive system made popular by Asus and the Eee PC line. And even though there are not many surprises in the £299 Inspiron Mini 9 (previous leaks revealed the system's design and features), it's still exciting to see a major player back the mini laptop concept in a big way. Design In person, the Mini 9 is similar in design to Asus' 9-inch Eee PC. It's slightly thinner, at 27mm, tapering slightly towards the front. Our system had a glossy black finish, the only colour available in the UK at the moment. The US gets a white version, and most of the leaked product shots we've seen up to now show a red model. Continue Reading...