Danny Ellise About the Reviewer
Danny is an English journalist and writer who has reviewed over 200 products in the Computer and Electronics categories. He is a keen gamer and holds a Batchelor of Science dgree from the University of Surrey.

Good Value but disappointing Battery Life

Dell 1011 Netbook – Review by Danny Ellise

Size and Weight
Keyboard & Trackpad
Overall Value

The Dell 1011 Mini 10 inch netbook is in stock for £279.99 at Amazon here


Dell 1011 screen

The Dell Inspiron 1011 is, as you would expect from one of the world’s biggest manufacturers, an excellent product and one of the best netbook computers on sale today.  With it you are able to surf the net, play YouTube videos, iTunes songs and write up Word documents without any difficulty.  Dell claim that neither the processor speed nor the capabilities have been compromised in the 1011, despite the cost being much lower than that of a laptop.  I have to say, however, that it is not the laptop market we should be comparing this machine to, but other netbooks, and in this regard, the Dell gets quite a run for its money.

Build Quality

The build quality is uncompromising, the keyboard wide and easy to use and the trackpad works as it should.  Many of the reviews I have read focus on the operating system, which in the case of our test model was Windows 7 – but the Home (Starter) edition, which is somewhat limited in its capabilities.  If you find one with a more up market version of Windows 7 I suggest you go for it.

Battery Life

Dell’s advertising speel claims that “now you can have all the time in the world” because the newly designed Inspiron Mini 10 offers up to 9.5 hours of battery life to keep you on the go.  However, in our tests we have never come close to this; Dell must be referring to hibernation mode, since in use we have never made it last longer than a maximum of three or four hours.  This is not really on, and could cause a lot of dissatisfaction among buyers when they realize that the reality is less than half what is promised in the sales pitch.  You have been warned!

Ventilation

Something that has become a small concern is that the ventilation slots are under the netbook chassis, so unless it is placed on a hard surface like a desk it can get hot and start to run slowly.  This is something purchasers should be aware of, particularly as the typical user is more likely to balance the netbook on their knees in order to use it.

The Inspiron Mini 1011v is everything you want in a mobile companion and much more. It’s highly portable, sharp design is complete with excellent wireless and entertainment features, making the Mini 1011 exactly what you’re looking for.

The Dell 1011 is ideal for surfing the internet, staying connected with friends and family, web based entertainment at home, watching movies and being entertained on the go.

Pros:

  • Smart appearance
  • Solid build quality
  • Good wireless capability
  • Light and compact

Cons:

  • Can get hot in use
  • Battery not as long-lived as expected
  • Not as fast as some rivals

Get the Dell 1011 Mini 10 inch netbook with FREE delivery from Amazon

Customer Reviews

I bought this netbook as a replacement for my old laptop, and I was slightly worried that it would not be able to match up in terms of power and capability. It turns out my fears were completely unfounded. I am not a demanding computer user, but the netbook is able without any difficulty to surf the net, play youtube videos and itunes, and write up word documents, which is all I ever ask of it. Jen Read the full review here

The netbook is very good, I love how I can carry it everywhere. A few things I dontlike so much: It comes with Windows 7 Starter, which doesnt give me the benefits from other Windows 7 versions. Rosangel Read the full review here

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