Dell's Mini 12 netbook is ready for US orders, ships in December
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Nov 13th 2008 12:29PM
posted Nov 13th 2008 12:29PM
It was bound to happen sooner or later. We received the birth announcement, we read the reviews, and it looks like Dell is finally set to unleash the Mini 12 upon us lowly North Americans. The 12-inch netbook is pretty much what we expected specs-wise, starting at $549 for a 1.33GHz Atom processor, 1GB of memory, 40GB hard drive and standard 3 cell battery. Perhaps $758 is a little steep for a netbook, but if you're game the top-end machine sports a 1.6GHz Atom processor, 80GB hard drive and a 6 cell battery. All configurations should be shipping with Windows Vista Home Basic starting sometime in early December.
[Via Electronista]
[Via Electronista]
I think the term "netbook" should include a specific price - under $400
Otherwise, you'd be able to include mini Sony Laptops that cost upwards of $2000 in the "netbook category"
Agreed, plus at 12 inches it weighs in as one of the largest. A minimum of under 11-10 inches should be considered a netbook. This is just a cheap laptop.
I agree with you for once, Flashpoint. There's no point in even calling it a netbook if you've already exceeded the $400.00 mark. At that point, you're better off buying a _real_ notebook and not dealing with marginal performance later on. It's like the worst of both worlds.
That's the thing, it seems like no netbook yet has quite matched initial offerings; cheap (300 bucks), small (sub sub SUB 10"), and good battery life.
A refurb/clearance Macbook 2.1 C2D goes for $850 now... anything not several hundred dollars less isn't a netbook.
At this rate we're inline for some 15", 17", $1500, 'netbooks' by Christmas.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/13/dells-vostro-a860-yours-for-a-song-and-379/1#c15595323
um... hello dell, your offering another laptop with twice the specs at half the price - really?
This really just a cheap, low performance 'ultra portable'. I seem to recall that before the netbook craze started anything around 11" or 12" size was an ultra portable. This is an ultra portable. Perhaps if it was really cheap, $400 - we may call it a netbook, but at the given price it's pushing the envelope of the netbook category.
That said, it will probably fall by a few hundred rather quickly.
but if you're game the top-end machine sports a 1.6GHz Atom processor? hmmn..
a little overpriced?
A. but if you're a gamer, the top-end machine sports a 1.6GHz Atom processor
B. but if your game is to get the best, the top-end machine sports a 1.6GHz Atom processor
C. Joe doesn't know how to game
D. None of the above (please specify)
You just lost the game
the best part is that they'll blame the economy for poor sales......
Should of had Express Card on it! That's what preventing me from purchasing one. Need it for my Verizon EVDO card.
dude... way too expensive.
kinda misleading though, if you choose the last bundle, you get everything with a promotional discount, and the middle one at $600 is real sweet spot for a laptop that's half Eee and half Air.
http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/laptop-inspiron-12?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
also be sure to look at the picture on the top corner that shows it clearly running the unavailable Windows XP
I say we call this a netbook, but just declare it a "high end" netbook... just like some laptops are high end and a lot more expensive than others when you have primo specs for the genre
of course the problem you run into with a high end netbook is that you in most cases are better off just going with a regular laptop, it just depends on user preference as all product purchases do
Vista on a netbook with 1.3ghz atom processor...man that is going to be SLOW! I have eeePC 901 with 1.6ghz atom and a the Xandros distro that is tweaked for the processor and it is "ok". Vista can be alright if you have some good specs, but it will be a dog on slower hardware.
I'm more worried about Vista on 1GB RAM
This thing would be better running Windows XP. In fact, Microsoft would have been alot better off if they'd waited a year or two to introduce Vista.
I have Vista on my dv6835nr and I enjoy it. But one thing is clear. If you have a low powered CPU or not enough RAM, Vista isn't fun.
I always have to reply to these comments about running Vista on netbooks w/ 1GB of RAM. I have Vista Ultimate x86 on my Aspire One w/ 1GB or RAM and a 1.6GHz Atom and It runs beautifully, Aero and all. Honestly, I don't thing people that make comments like this have any actual experience with such a setup.
Now, that being said. I can't comment on how it would be like on a 1.3GHz Atom... This (net?)notebook, with a 1.3GHz Atom starting at $549 is almost laughable.
If you remember though, Microsoft set the limit on their XP licenses for netbooks including a 10 inch screen limit.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/10/microsofts-xp-for-low-cost-pcs-defines-some-boundaries/
So the only way they could have put XP on is if they forced you to get a Vista Business license (which comes with XP pro license thrown in)
on the flipside you could get OS X86 on this with almost if not 100% compatibility
That's just stupid. It's dell plain jane fugly and way too spendy given the specs.
I only need a notebook for cursing the internet. I think the only taxing thing it will ever do is play youtube clips. Do you guys still think that I will notice performance issues under Vista wit the 1.3 chip?
CURSING the internet?
GODDAMN YOU !
The Asus n10 is a high end netbook. This is just a cheap laptop at 12inches - 2 inches too big.
well this of it like this, the HP dv7 and Dell studio 17 are just 2" bigger versions of the same hardware of 15" versions
Hold on a sec, TWELVE inches? hardly a netbook. My Acer Gemstone is 14 inches, this is just two inches shy.
Can we please keep the Netbooks down to less than 10 inches? The 8.9" form factor is just about perfect.
Twelve inch screen?
They are really stretching the definition of "netbook" with this.
I think they should define it in an objective way, something like "a netbook is a laptop that is smaller than A4 and less than $xxx".
Otherwise, the screen-size-war will inevitably result in 15" laptops being called netbooks.
I just ordered an Acer Aspire AS4530 from newegg for $450, while its not a netbook, its much more capable than both of these. I have a feeling that the novelty of a netbook would wear off for me soon after realizing its limitations. I was at best buy last night putting around on one, and while it seems like fun, it would mean no gaming, no mobile music production, no DJ'ing, and no HD video.
The eee PC 1000HA has demonstrated an ability to play back 720p HD content quite nicely...
...and I've done plenty of mobile recording on my Inspiron with an Intel M processor at 1.6 GHz and 1 GB of ram running Cubase 3...not that I'm saying this thing could (Vista bog down), but I'd definitely be curious to find out if the eee can...
@nick: yeah, i've heard a few of them can do HD vid. I didn't get to sample it because best buy had a 80kB/s connection (buffering 44mins remain...lol). The price of the eee PC 1000HA makes it hard to justify over what I just ordered, although, I was impressed at how zippy everything felt for such a small machine. As for music production, I don't doubt it can do a good job as a sampler, but when VST plugins come into factor, things get pretty demanding.
Dell might have been amazing in the early 2000's but their standard has gone down significantly. I recently paid close to a grand on a Studio 15 laptop. Let me tell you, You'd be better off spending that money on an Apple computer.
The speakers on this, were crap. The eject button keeps coming on and trying to eject a fantom disc. After several tries the Dell service department failed to diagnose an issue that 70% of the user base is having.
Upsetting is the fact that cheap netbooks keep popping up without the need for improving the current line-up. Same as the case with Vista.
Honestly why can't manufacturer's just try to improve their products rather than trying to throw out as much garbage consumers are going to buy. Use that revenue and do some R&D.
$1K spent on a Studio 15n: 1920x1200 LCD
$1K spent on a macbook : 1280x800 LCD
You get about 225% as much for your money from Dell with screen resolution. The other specs are probably less ridiculously different, but for me, screen resolution is one of my main considerations, if not THE main consideration.
If you want a 1920x1200 screen on a mac laptop, you're looking at around $2000 or more. I haven't seen a hardware vendor that matches apple for innovation yet, but there's got to be one that matches them for build quality.
Macbook: 13.3" screen, 4.5 lbs+.
Studio 15: 15.4" screen, 6.1 lbs+.
Ya, that's why you get the resolution you do. You don't buy a 13" laptop expecting a gigantic resolution. That's why you buy a 15" laptop. Two different markets, IMO.
Netbooks should be:
I'm on the edge of my seat, Flashpoint. Don't let me down.
c'mon Flashpoint, you can say it... c'mon!
Some call 911, i think he died before he could finish this post!!
The real Flashpoint just came along and killed the imposter who'd been recently posting highly-ranked posts under his name.
I was going to say, Netbooks should be:
less than $400
less than 4 lbs
less than a 10" screen
absinthe party, liv and timmy....
I'm sitting here on 2am laughing with tears running down, trying not to wake up my gf.
That was great. thank you.
Don't be a 12" hater. A 12" netbook makes sense to anyone with hands and eyes. My problem with Dell's 12" netbook is the price. $1300 gets you a refurbished MacBook Air that is just as svelte but provides a much better return on investment (in either years of usability or resale value).
I'm seeing $1800 for the refurbished MBA..
You're looking in the wrong place. The $1800 one is the SSD option.
Refurbished MacBook Air 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
13.3-inch glossy widescreen display
2GB memory
80GB 4200-rpm PATA hard drive
Built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi2 and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
Built-in iSight Camera
$1,349.00
Refurbished MacBook Air 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
13.3-inch glossy widescreen display
2GB memory
80GB 4200-rpm PATA hard drive
Built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
Built-in iSight Camera
$1,499.00
Yeah sorry, I see that now.
This is way too expensive. I just recently bought my sister a inspiron 13 for school. it has 3 times the ram and hard drive space, way better processor, 12 cell battery, and a dvd-rw drive for only 699
and its like twice the weight!
Twice the weight because of the 12 cell yes, but she gets a decent 6 hours on it. But if we were to compare both of them with a 6 cell, there would be what a 1 pound difference between the two it would still be over priced.
MSI Wind FTW
You can DELLete this if you want . . . . OMG sasuke LOL
DELLete.....yeah, I see what you did there. Very clever!
for that kinda money get an asus n10j if you really want a netbook, with GPU accelerated decoding it can do 1080p via the HDMI out :)
If this has the title of a netbook then you might as well consider the X200 one as well. For me, the limits of the term 'netbook' are:
- 10.4 or smaller screen
- no optical drive
- comes STANDARD with WiFi
- should run Win xp or some form of linux
- well under 3 lbs, preferable under 2.5
- etc.
I really worry whether Michael has completely lost it!
Too expensivive, too big, too low spec, too heavy for a Netbook.
Memory and battery are low end.
If you want a full spec small Laptop they are available near $1K
In summary this is a product nobody should buy.
Complete waste of time by Dell.
If you are loyal to Dell, I see no reason to spend that kind of money on a 12" Netbook. Spend the minimal (if any) extra coin and spring for a Vostro 1310. Larger screen, better specs, and hardly any heavier or thicker.
How should we define netbooks? 10.2" screen or smaller? Well, the current generation of 10.2's generally have a thick bezel around the screen, which I assume some future netbooks will shrink given the usual trends. In which case I suspect that an 11.1" display like the one in Sony's Vaio VGN series would fit in a laptop about the same size as many current 10.2 inchers...
I'd say the screen has to be SMALLER than 12". A 12" screen is just a regular laptop.
What about price? I'd love to say under $400 since that's what I think they should be, and where the bulk of this market is given how well the Acer Aspire One is selling. But we've got the Samsung and Lenovo (in Red, or with the 160GB drive) and some of the Eees and the real configurations of the HP mini 1000 now going for up to $499.
I'd say under $500. The lower the better though.
Could there be a "premium" netbook segment that would justify a higher price? If the case were made of carbon fiber, or it was ultra-thin, or it had a slot mount DVD drive, or a custom paint job, or dedicated graphics, or ... Maybe. I guess we'll see if Apple (and maybe Sony?) ever deign to do something in this space. I'd still say they have to be under $700 even then, but I guess we'll see.
Obviously its got to have WiFi.
No optical drive? If they can fit one in at the same price and without making the thing bigger, I'd be happy to take one.
OS's will vary. Doesn't define the category for me. If ARM builds a netbook running Linux using a non-Intel compatible processor is that a netbook? I'd say it is if it can run a standard browser--i.e. access the "real" internet, as Apple would say.
for the most part i agree with you
but however before the netbook came around
laptops were 13.6 inches and up..
now adays you caint find a laptop below 15inches
thair is a diffriance between laptop and ultraportable
the insparan 13 is a great example of an ultraportable..
but on you price opion i agree that the STANDERD should be 550 or less
but thair is another faction and that is the poppulartaty factor...
witch drives some companys like dell to charge 700+
bow my actuial opion on the insparan 12
its got an good size yah a little on the heafty side
but deffanitly manageable
the midmodle with the 1.6 atom we are used to
i think is priced resanioble..i mean dell is trying to cash in on
the netbook afterall..
pluss thair ARE xp drivers for the grafix card the gma 500..
so that means it is linuxable...
but i agree with you an everyone elce..this is really pushing it...
the only oither netbook like the ins 12 is the giggabyte 912
that one has an express card slot so that brings it into the ultraportable catagory
but then agian card slots are prety usless given you can do more with usb
so that still makes it a netbook
and hell if DELL can set off a trend for 1200x768 or 800 for netbooks natively
then ide be happy
bc anything less then 1024x768 is just bull shet
I'm one of those rare people who actually really likes Vista.
However....
Vista Home Basic = Epic Fail
For 100 more than a 758, you can get a ThinkPad x61s. Check bensbargains or similar for codes to get a price that low. An x61s would blow this thing out of the water in terms of performance and build quality. They also still ship with XP!
I actually think a 12" device with netbook internals is a very good idea, IF it is cheap enough, light enough and has great battery life.
This is way too expensive, and the OS choice is just stupid given the hardware.
thair is XP drivers for that chipset
so you can just format it xp xD
heres the link to it on intels site
btw you just need the embeded grafix driver bc the chipset and grafix chip are one unit
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Product_Filter.aspx?ProductID=3036&lang=eng
do they really think this thing will run well on vista? those specs for this price? is this a joke?
This ain't netbook. It is a clunky cheapbook!
If the $700+ price for the 6 cell didn't kill it for me the freaking "Vista" OS sure did..
Thumbs down here..
Why carry around a brand new underpowered 12" netbook when you can buy a used IBM T-22 / T-23 for $200 & not have to worry about
having it stolen by the Airline porters.. I have a T-22 that I've used for years to access routers / switches (has a serial port) & with the magnesium case, 12" screen, upgraded memory & hDD makes it's better than any netbook.. Food For Thought..
$758 for a dell netbook? O RLY?
I got a Acer inspire one for the train with: 1GB Ram, 160GB Hard Drive, Atom 1.6ghz proc, and XP, plus 6 cell battery in black for $399.95 through Amazon. hmmmm...
Vista was not a smart choice for that.
I want a Dell Mini 9 with a hard drive and Linux. However, thats still going to cost me a pretty penny.
Guess Ill get a MSI Wind instead....
My $350 Acer Aspire One with 1.6Ghz Atom, 8.9" screen, 1GB RAM and 120GB HDD laughs at Dell.
with all the negative feedback here, i think i will go for the Samsung NC10 160 gb