Dell may be late to the 10-inch netbook party, but its Inspiron Mini 10 ($449 as configured) stands out in a few key ways. The system is one of the thinnest and lightest in its class, with several color options, and the company has nearly caught up to the competition with its roomy keyboard. Plus, Dell promises to make this netbook even better with future upgrade options like integrated mobile broadband, GPS, and a built-in TV tuner. However, the touchpad and touchpad button design are awkward. And while the bundled three-cell battery provides adequate runtime for its capacity, we’d wait for the six-cell option.
Design
The Mini 10 shares the same design genes as the Mini 9 and Mini 12; the rounded lid sports the same glossy black coating (also available in white, green, pink, blue, and red, for an extra $30) which is prone to fingerprints. Underneath the hood, the black keyboard is offset with a smooth silver palm rest and gritty trackpad.
The Mini 10 is one of the most compact 10-inch netbooks on the market. Measuring 10.3 x 7.2 x 1.3 inches, it’s both thinner and shorter than the Samsung NC10 and the ASUS Eee PC 1000HE. It isn’t as thin or light as the 1-inch, 2.4-pound HP Mini 1000, but the 2.6-pound Mini 10 fit into our purse and left plenty of room. Its single cord, 0.4-pound AC adapter is also more compact than most of its ilk.
Dell Laptops Starting at $449
