Dell Inspiron Mini IM12-2870 12.1-Inch Red Netbook
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A larger sibling to Dell’s Inspiron Mini 9, the Inspiron Mini 12 (model IM12-2869) in cherry red features a larger 12.1-inch screen with a 1280 x 800-pixel high-definition resolution. It’s ideal for teens, tweens, travelers and “Tweeters” to surf the Web, chat with friends (both via text and using the integrated 1.3-megapixel webcam), stream video and audiocontent, and upload on-the-go photos to blogs or social networking sites. Standard built-in Wi-Fi means quick and easy wireless internet access to hotspots in the home, on campus, in a local coffee shop, in the office or at a conference. Super thin and ultra-portable. The Inspiron Mini 12 features an intuitive Dell-developed custom home screen interface that is designed t (more…)
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Nov 17th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
PROS: big, vivid screen; nearly full-sized keyboard AND trackpad; very slim and light despite the 12.1″ screen; works great with XP
CONS: glossy case is print-prone; some shrunken buttons on keyboard; 3-cell battery life is low, need the 6-cell; RAM not upgradeable
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Are you looking for a light, slim laptop that mimics the Macbook Air at a fraction of the price? Then the Dell Mini 12 would be a great choice for you!
I wanted the readable/usable screen size of 12.1 (10 might be the sweet spot for some people, but not for me — see for yourself firsthand) with a good keyboard, large trackpad, and light weight. Another important consideration was battery life of at least 5+ hrs (more on that later).
The Dell Mini 12 hits all of those points. The 12.1″ screen causes some debate about its classification as a “netbook,” but its Atom processor and low price definitely puts it in netbook territory. The screen is lovely, with true colors, no blotches or dead pixels, and decent viewing angles. The Atom processor (mine is 1.6 GHZ) is more than capable for basic web surfing, light typing, and reading PDFs in a Windows XP environment. And the price (I got it for under $400 at the brand name’s Outlet store) is superb, if you shop around.
The one featured on Amazon is decent, though it has the slightly slower chip; however, most online reviews downplay the effect of this clock speed decrease. Realize that it has 1GB of RAM, which is suitable for basic netbook applications on XP. But no expandability exists with this current setup — that may be a downer for those looking to soup up their netbook into performance ranges of a normal laptop or desktop.
Another knock against the Amazon one — it comes with only the 3-cell battery. That’s good for 2-3 hrs with some serious power conservation (Bluetooth off, screen brightness at maximum low), but the 6-cell gives you 5-6hrs easy. It adds a little bulk to the rear end, but this baby’s back is still appealing and makes it easier to hold, if you know what I mean…
Another unexpected but appealing feature to the Dell Mini 12: it is completely fanless. Somehow it manages to stay cool to the touch! Over time, I have found the silence and relative coolness to be big pluses.
In the end, the key thing for me is usability. I found the 12.1″ screen to be kind to my eyes and the trackpad/keyboard combo to be virtually normal-sized. The engineers at Dell were still able to package the Mini 12 into a ridiculously slim, light case. The closest competitor here would be the Samsung NC20, which is chunkier, louder, warmer, and more expensive, albeit with a much bigger hard drive and RAM expandability. For my purposes, the Dell Mini 12 is perfect. It just might be the same for you.
Nov 18th, 2009 at 1:06 am
I purchased my cherry red Dell mini 12 a few weeks back directly from Dell. (it was a “scratch and dent” model) I was looking for a inexpensive, small, light and quiet laptop to surf the web/ watch some online videos and on occasion travel with. I also wanted to try out the Linux OS. The Dell Mini 12 fit those requirements. It is easy to set up and I have had no issues with the Linux OS or the software that came with it. There was a sizable amount of “upgrades” that I downloaded (over 250mb!) when I first connected online, but if you have a broadband connection it’s no big deal. I’ve watched videos on Hulu and Youtube and they work fine. I’ve opened MS office files with the open office package and that works good too. The big plus here is the 12″ screen with the 1280 X 800 resolution. You can see an entire web page with that resolution without scrolling (something you can’t have with the smaller 9″ and 10″ models). I also have the 6 cell battery which I can use for 4-5 hours on a charge. However, it does add some extra depth to the unit which is important when buying a slip cover or bag. I purchased a Mini 12 sleeve for my dell mini and it is a tight fit with the 6 cell battery.
Now there are some issues you should be aware of before you purchase the Dell Mini 12. First off if your into the Linux stuff this unit has “custom” hardware and “closed” software that only work with the dell mini 12 version of Umbuntu so if your thinking “I’ll just upgrade to the latest greatest” you will be sorely disappointed (check out conical’s support pages). If Dell/Intel/conical plan on updating these custom closed drivers so you can upgrade to Umbuntu 9.04 they have not made any official announcement to that effect that I can find. You also should not expect Dell to give you much help with the Linux OS. They will send you to online web support sites. This unit has no fan so in order for it not to get overheated you have things like a slow hardrive and no memory expansion. The speaker output is really poor so plan on using it with head phones. The keyboard not being full size takes a litle getting used to and If I was a fast touch typist a big issue, but I’m not so it works for me. In short, what you have with the Mini 12 is an appliance like your stove or fridge. Buy it, turn it on, configure the settings, it works (hopefully!) but don’t go looking to MacGyver this thing into your next video editor! Just plan on buying the next model when it comes out in a year of so.
Nov 18th, 2009 at 3:14 am
I just got this mini 12 and must say is very good looking. Now, since I only use it for music-photos-e-mail and internet I cannot make an ïn-depth”review. But when it comes to pictures, the quality and sharpness are not there. I have an old Gateway 15.4″ XP that beats the pants off this one. But is and old, heavy, taking too much space on my desk.
so I will keep it as photo & music processor and storage, and use this one for internet and e-mail only. I would love to have the lightness of this one, with the excellent sharpness and detail of my old one. Any suggestions?