Dell Inspiron Mini 12 Notebook Computer Review

The Inspiron Mini 12, Dell’s biggest netbook, is now available to order!  Almost one month ago, CMS Report was the first to break the news that Dell was readying their site for the release of the Mini 12.  Current prices of selected configurations range from $549 to $649 which is about the expected price of this netbook.

Microsoft’s Vista Home Basic is currently the only operating system available for the Mini 12.  However, Ubuntu Linux and Windows XP on the Mini 12 are expected by the end of the year.

Dell finally gathered up the courage to formally introduce its 12-inch netbook late last month. After arriving at the testing facilities of Laptop Mag, critics quickly found a lot to love about the relatively expansive display, “excellent” battery life and spacious keyboard. In all fairness, there really wasn’t anything to complain about on the surface; the first kvetching we heard was soon after bootup — er, a fair while after bootup, we should say. The biggest knock on Dell Mini 12 battery was its sluggish performance under Vista, not to mention the lethargic hard drive shoved in there. In sum, critics frankly pointed out that the “Mini 12 doesn’t have the right hardware to handle this OS,” and recommended holding off for one with WinXP / Ubuntu if you were dead set on the design.

Under the hood I was greeted by an almost full sized keyboard that was much larger than the one found on the Dell Inspiron Mini 9, but with black matte keys that felt more or less the same. There was a dedicated row of function keys lining the top of the system, unlike the Dell Mini 9. The trackpad was spacious and both it and the dedicated right and left mouse buttons were covered with a smooth plastic.

Above the keyboard was a glossy and bright 12.1-inch screen; Dell’s Ubuntu desktop and its orange background looked bright. If a 8.9-inch screen, like that on the Acer Aspire one ($649.83), is a kiddie pool, the Mini 12’s is a large lap pool. While the 12-inch screen is only 2 inches larger than the popular 10-inch netbooks, it makes a world of difference. Connected to a hardline Ethernet connection, I was able to quickly navigate to Websites and keep two Web browsing windows open side-by-side on the screen. The expanded display and the resulting larger chassis will make for a more comfortable work experience compared to a 10-inch netbook.

Specification Summary:

• Intel Atom Z520 processor (1.33GHz, 512KB L2 cache)
• Intel SCH US15W chipset with Mobile Intel GMA500 graphics
• 1GB 533MHz DDR2-SDRAM
• Glossy 12.1-inch LED backlit display (1,280 x 800 native resolution)
• 60GB Samsung Spinpoint N2B 4,200rpm hard drive
• Three USB 2.0 ports, two 3.5mm audio jacks (headphone and microphone), 10/100 Ethernet and D-SUB connectors
• Integrated three-in-one media card reader (SD/MS/MMC)
• Built in 802.11g wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0
• Stereo speakers and built in 1.3 megapixel webcam
• Three cell 2,400mAh Li-Ion battery
• Ubuntu Linux 8.04

Dell is also going one step further with the release of the Inspiron Mini 12 by providing a variety of services and add-on options to help customers make sure the Mini 12 is as easy to use as possible, including:

• Dell Support Center: Quickly access Dell service and support from an icon on your desktop that provides automated fixes, software upgrades and tools to help keep your system up-to-date and running efficiently.
• DellConnect Remote Assistance: Dell experts help diagnose and solve PC problems via an Internet connection (available only on Windows-based systems).
• DellDock software: First seen on the new Dell Studio notebooks, the DellDock is a useful tool designed to launch applications and adjust notebook settings without having to navigate complicated menus inside Windows.

Despite having a bright, high-quality screen, this isn’t a multimedia device. Not only are there no dedicated controls — apart from volume — but the on-board speakers are also unimpressive. But these are netbooks, after all.

While the build is good for a cheap laptop, it does still feel a bit plastic-y, and the small dimensions mean that some of the ports are a little too close together — for example it’s difficult to plug something into both the right-hand USB port and the Ethernet port. But we have no complaints about heat, the Dell may be fanless but it doesn’t get hot sitting on your lap.

In the wake of the Asus EeePC range of mini notebooks, the so called ‘Netbook’ market has become flooded with new models from the top-tier electronics manufacturers. Dell is the latest to join the fray with its new Inspiron Mini range. The Inspiron Mini 12 is Dell’s latest model and side steps the competition by offering a significantly larger screen than its competitors in a light and ultra-thin form factor. Complete with Bluetooth, WiFi and an integrated webcam the Dell also includes a glossy LED screen, 1GB of RAM and Intel’s Atom processor.

The Mini 12’s scores of 119 on CineBench 9.5 and 718 on CineBench 10, for example, are about 10 percent below the average of like-minded netbooks. It took 24 minutes and 31 seconds on our Windows Media Encoder 9 trial—right in line with its peers—but its time of 27:36 on our iTunes encoding test was a couple of minutes behind most others. We also couldn’t get 3DMark06 to run, but we’re confident you won’t be doing any 3D graphics with the integrated Intel 950 chipset. At just under 4 hours, battery life from the optional six-cell power pack Dell sent us is exemplary; it’s definitely worth the $30 extra versus the standard six-cell Dell Inspiron Mini 12 battery.

The screen has a resolution of 1,280×800 pixels, the same as many laptops. Colours are natural but muted, though its glossy finish helps to add depth to darker shades. However, bright lights will cause reflections onscreen. The backlighting is generally even, apart from a bright strip at the very bottom of the display.

Build quality is generally good. The lid has a glossy black cover and feels rigid, while the underside has a highly tactile matt black finish that’s easy to grip. The lid opens to reveal a shiny grey surround that extends all the way around the keyboard and screen. It’s a clean design that looks simple but classy. The exception is the keyboard, which looks cheap and flexes heavily even when typed on lightly. The keys are flat and closely spaced, and some are half-width. Feedback is poor, and only those with smaller fingers will find touch-typing comfortable. It’s a shame Dell hasn’t used the full width of the netbook for the keyboard, even if that would have meant breaking up the grey surround. The touch pad is large but felt jittery and slightly inaccurate, although the large buttons have a light action and good travel.

Cast the larger screen aside for a moment, and the Inspiron Mini 12 battery isn’t the ergonomic success we were hoping for either. With all that chassis to work with, we would have expected Dell to capitalise on the extra space, but it hasn’t. Instead, a two centimetre strip flanks the keyboard on each side and results in a needlessly cramped layout.

The excessively light, indistinct key action is compounded by a noticeable flexiness on the left half of the keyboard’s base, and if you were hoping that the trackpad might offer some consolation, it doesn’t. Cursor control is smooth and precise but the accompanying buttons are as spongy and indistinct feeling as the keyboard. It’s a far cry from Samsung’s NC10 and, in all honesty, a desperate misfire for a laptop that should have shown the average netbook what’s what when it came to usability.

Thankfully, the 12.1in display is enough to restore a little of our customary cheer, with clean, bright whites and vibrant colour reproduction. Viewing angles aren’t the best, but they’re good enough and the 1,280 x 800 pixel resolution is a huge relief after working with the cramped 1,024 x 600 confines of other netbooks. The problem is the Mini 12′s inability to do its display justice in other key areas of its specification.

Though it has a larger screen than other netbooks, the Mini 12 doesn’t have the performance to make the most of it. It may be light and thin, but the average battery life means there are better options for mobile use. It’s also let down by its poor keyboard and touch pad. Many 10in netbooks, such as Samsung’s NC10, offer much better value.