Customer Reviews

Dell Inspiron mini 9-Inch (Intel® Atom Processor 1.6 Ghz , 1 GB DDR2 at 533MHz, 8GB Solid State Drive, Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition) Black

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

When I saw the Eee PC's, I knew I would eventually get one, or some other kind of netbook. This Dell is a dream, and it does the basic stuff I want-- email, web, video playback, iTunes, and word processing. This is not a gaming PC, something for graphics or modeling software, not for any kind of software that takes up a lot of RAM and processing power, and it's probably not suitable as a main PC for most people. It's a glorified PDA for people who want something more than a PDA, but love the portability. That said, if this is making your mouth water and doesn't sound like a step backward in technology, you've come to the right place.

I looked into the Dell Mini 12s, but decided against one because they're simply not as portable. The Mini 12 has a bigger screen, keyboard and hard drive space, but that also makes the PC bigger and less portable. The Mini 9's smaller keyboard will require a bit of adjustment, epecially if you use the F keys very much since they're integrated with the second row of letter keys. I don't have a problem with the size of the screen, but I can see how some might. Try to look at one of these in person before you buy if you think it might be an issue.

The Mini 9 will handle 2GB of RAM, but it can only be shipped with up to 1GB because of the software license with Windows XP. Thank you Miscrosoft for another slap in the face! I mean, anything's better than getting a machine with Vista on it, but REALLY. Dell also put the RAM cap on the Mini9s with Ubuntu, which really makes no sense... Anyway, it's nothing to pop open the cover, put in your extra GB of RAM, close it, and have the zippiest little netbook around. (I think it will handle a 4GB stick, but then you're looking at power and heat issues.) When you turn it on, it's ready to go in no time, even without a memory upgrade! Also, decompress the drive. Compression doesn't save that much space and it runs better. If hard drive space is an issue, add an external drive, thumb drive or SD card.

It doesn't come with a DVD drive, but how often do you really use one? I only use mine to install software and to rip my CDs to iTunes. I don't do either of those things when I'm out and about, and remember, it's all about that portability! Eventually you will need to buy a DVD drive, but you might not need one right away. Also plan on investing in an external mouse if you don't like touchpads. This one is particularly irritating because it's so small. I can't really comment on how this or anything else affects battery life, since I rarely run on the battery. The speakers are really small, so have some headphones on hand if sound is a problem for you.

I got it and immediately covered it with one of those sticker skins later to keep it from getting scratched. It's a glossy finish that you just know is going to get sandpapered if you carry other stuff in your bag. (And who doesn't?) I also got the webcam and bluetooth options, even though I have no use for either of them. That was because hubby will eventually inherit this when I buy something else, so I wanted him to be able to expand this however he would need.

My only other gripe is that when you use this in public, you get a lot of people coming up to interrupt you to talk about it. It's not Dell's fault, but if you need to get something done, don't do it in Starbucks where you'll be interrupted about every 30 seconds. Come on, it's the 21st century! It's difficult to accomplish anything in an environment like that. I had the same problem with my PDA and folding keyboard, and when it started to happen again, I wanted to cry... but my Mini won't let me.

Overall, this is 4 1/2 stars, but the drawbacks are nothing when I can put this in my purse, go to Borders, do my thing, and get out without the achy shoulder. I always wanted a small laptop like this, light enough to carry around, small, with PC power and feel. Now that I have one, the sky is clear, birds are singing and velvet ropes have parted-- well, not really, but this is about as close as I can get.

I am writing this review from my Dell Mini 9 with 1 gig ram, 8 gig solid state hard drive, running Windows XP. The keyboard is smaller than full sized, but very easy to touch type with. The atom processor and 1 gig of ram handle running XP without a hitch. I loaded Microsoft Office Home/Student edition (minus OneNote) and it too runs fine. The MS Office suite was loaded using a $35 external USB CD drive I bought for this computer. Because this is a Windows computer, the new hardware was recognized and loaded automatically. The wireless connection works smoothly and seeks out a connection well. I have worked on secure networks and using public WiFi, all using the internet easily. The screen has excellent resolution. I can run music on the Media Player, browse the internet and edit word all at the same time.
An 8 gig hard drives seems small, but the built in SD card slot can act as your document storage. I dumped much of the pre-loaded programs that I would never use which leaves nearly 2 gigs on the built in hard drive. I have 35 albums, almost 4 gigs of photos and a bunch of documents on the 16 gig SD card and I still 8 gigs of room for more there. I write documents to the card using a Windows briefcase that syncs with back-ups on my desktop.
If you are looking for a simple laptop/travel computer, this is a good choice.

This unit is great for sitting on the couch and checking email and general browsing. I hated holding the heavy 15" laptop while try to do simple things like this.

It was also bought for a second laptop so when the primary is in the hands of my wife, I had something to use. I figure this is great for taking out of town.

My young daughter is now taking ownership of it. She thinks the size is perfect for her.

So far, I love it. It is light with incredible battery life. I got the Linux Ubuntu software instead of the Windows Vista. It is about the same navigation as Windows and learning curve is next to nothing. Instead of Internet Explorer, it comes with Firefox which is superior browser. Linux is even better than Apple's OS; I am impressed.

Configuring the mini into my wireless network was a breeze.

I looked at the ACER in a Staples store and did not like it. The DELL screen is much better quality.

Take a look at the DELL OUTLET for these units also. I paid 279 dollars plus shipping and tax for "Previously Ordered" Mini 9. I upgraded the RAM myself to 2 Gig from Crucial for about 32 dollars. I bought a SDHC 8 Gig card to supplement the 4Gig internal storage.

Pros:
Compact
Lightweight
Portable
Sufficient for a mobile pc, but the current field is getting crowded with many other manufacturers offering similar products, and many that are much better.

Cons:
Internal drive went bad within 2 weeks.
Would no longer boot - "Operating System Not Found"
Sent the unit back twice for repair, and was returned BOTH times with the same problem as if it was never touched.
Finally requested a replacement unit, and am now still waiting on the replacement.

Original Order Date: 9/10/2008
Received: 9/24/2008
Returned: 10/7/2008 for repair
Received a still non-working unit: 10/16/2008
Returned: 10/17/2008 for repair
Received a still non-working unit: 10/27/2008
Requested a replacement unit: 10/27/2008
Estimated ship date of replacement: 11/4/2008
Revised Ship date: 11/10/2008
Revised ship date: 11/14/2008
Revised ship date: 11/28/2008
Revised ship date: ... ???
It is currently December 1, 2008, and I do not have a working Dell Mini 9 that I ordered on 9/10/2008.

Purchase from DELL with care. With the sheer number of other manufacturers with similar (and even more powerful) MINI computers, do your homework.

I actually requested a refund if I returned the product and was told I had to have returned it within 21 days. I didn't even have the computer in my hands that long, but Dell was not willing to give me a refund.

I really like the Dell mini 9 when it behaves. I bought the max'd out version--64 G SSD and 2 gigs of Ram, running Ubuntu. I kept Ubuntu. I had a VM for XP for a while, but never used it. My complaint is that my machine locks up a few times a day. I contacted Dell support and went through the motions--reinstall the OS without any modifications, sat on the phone while we did a surface level integrity check of the solid state disk (yes, I know it makes absolutely no sense). I lost the will to live when the Dell service representative asked me to reinstall the OS a second time. So, I am living with a machine that locks up. There's another review here from a fellow who gave up after while as well. The moral of the story is that when you buy the Dell mini 9, you get what you get and you sit there and take it. I'm not saying that's bad; I'm just saying my computer locks up a couple of times a day.

Dell gave me a new one. All is forgiven.

I bought this along with ATT's 3G service (and, with my purchase of ATT service, received a bit of a rebate).

For the price, this computer is perfect. I don't expect to save much on here (although, it does come with Box.net, for which you can sign up.) I am going to use it as a word processor, to check the internet, and to blog. For those purposes, it's more than one could ever want. (Especially if you use Google Documents!)

The one thing that takes getting used to is the keyboard. With the smaller keyboard, comes smaller keys, and also some keys are placed in different locations than the usual QWERTY keyboard that I'm used to. e.g., the tab button next to the Q is tiny, the right shift button is tiny, the single and double quotation marks are down by the space bar, the brackets are functions of the U, I, O, & P buttons (you need to press FN + those buttons), and the +/= key is in a place I'm not used to.

In addition, I sorta feel like the computer is a walking advertisement with all of the programs that are already built in - McAfee, Box.net, Bluetooth, Java, Dell Video, etc.

I'm also too scared to change the operating system for fear of my ATT wireless getting messed up. (There are horror stories posted online!)

But, I'm not a computer expert; I have no reason to run Linux; and I can ignore/delete all the other stuff. I will relearn this keyboard. It's not like I'm trying to win a typing contest.

The best part of the computer is actually using it. Last week, I was sitting in the movie theater changing the design of my blog before the lights went down. I was also texting with to my sister's phone via my ATT number.

With no more cell phone rings, now movie theater goers are going to be concerned about laptop lights.

I pre-ordered this for the Nov. 5, 2008 release date, and anxiously awaited its arrival. I wanted it for its compactness and portability, and I am certainly not disappointed on either of those considerations. This netbook is awesome for taking on an airplane or to the coffee shop. The battery lasts about 4 hours, which is more than enough for my typical usage. The keyboard is at 85% size, which I am able to adjust to without too much trouble. I like that the mouse buttons are in the normal locations. The biggest complaint about the keyboard is the apostrophe key being out of place. Even after almost a year of constant usage, I still have to hunt for that key, and I am a better-than-average typist. Every now and then it runs slowly because of memory size. Those are my two complaints, BOTH of which I believe are resolved in the new Dell Mini 10. A 92% keyboard with all the keys in the right place, and a 120 or 160 gig harddrive. I wish I had waited, but at the same time I am very happy with this and use it almost exclusively. I use it for word processing, email and internet, powerpoint presentations, photo editing, etc. I am overall very happy with it, but think I would be happier still with the mini 10.

I normally don't write reviews, but I had to for this one.

Overview: This is just about the best "bang for the buck" netbook. I had not really seen any netbooks prior to this. Once I received it, I was pleasantly surprised at its size and weight. My 14'' laptop is supposed to be "lightweight," but compared to this netbook, it feels like a ton of bricks. The netbook's weight is most noticable when I put it in my briefcase - I don't even notice its there. It's lighter than most my textbooks.

Operating System: I would highly recommend going with the Windows version. I've heard that people have had some problems with the Linux version. The only problem with the Windows version is that it takes up so much space - especially with the updates. You will need to get a separate SD card and store as much stuff on that card as much as possible. There is a built-in SD card slot that you can use in the netbook. Which brings me to my next point...

Hardrive Space: Regardless of if you get 8gb or 16gb, you'll still need to supplement it with an SD card to store all your documents, pictures, etc. Windows takes up a great deal of space, so you will need to dedicate your HD to the operating system. While the amount of space is a con, having a solid state hardrive is so much easier on your stress levels if your netbook is constantly on-the-go. The #1 issue with laptops is with their hardrives going bad - and they usually go bad b/c conventional hardrives have moving parts. This netbook uses non-moving parts only - making it more rugged.

Speed and Useability: It works great and is relatively fast (taking into account the weak processor it uses). I can browse the web and type documents easily on Microsoft Word (user installed). The webcam is very good quality as well.

Keyboard & Screen: The 2 gripes I have about this computer are the keyboard and the screen. They Keyboard - they abbreviated the keyboard AND made the keys smaller. It makes typing very difficult. For instance, the apostrophe key is nearly impossible to use b/c it is a hybrid key that is placed on the totally opposite side of the keyboard. Some other netbooks have a better keyboard layout. The Screen - it is good quality and bright. HOwever, sometimes the window you open is bigger than the screen. Windows get cut-off. I had to google special procedures to get to certain portions of the window with programs such as internet explorer.

All in all, great netbook. It doesn't have the problems that other netbooks experience. It looks great and travels well. I get compliments on it all the time - so much so that I get annoyed, actually.

the price on this item is insane considering you are buying a laptop with an ATOM processor at 1.6ghz. You can get the same with an ACER Aspire One which has a 150GB hard drive. I have one of these and love it (and I only paid $260 for it) If there is some difference between these two that warrants the price, I can't find it. Just something to think about

I bought this item for my grandma because she travels a lot and needed something that was not heavy or big. I tested it out and besides the fact that it doesnt have a cd rom, i would give it 5 stars.