New Dell Adamo terrible value for the money

This notebook is so vastly overpriced I do not know how dell can stay in business when coming up with new products like this. Look at this.

TUMI BAGS & SLEEVES Black TUMI Sleeve edit

ADAMO PREMIUM SERVICE Adamo Premium Svc: 1Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, 1 Yr Comprehensive Coverage edit

OFFICE SOFTWARE Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2007 - Word, Excel + PowerPoint edit

EXTERNAL OPTICAL DRIVE Onyx External Slot Load DVD RW Drive edit

DISPLAY 13.4 inch 720p (HD) WLED Display (1366x768) with 1.3 MP web cam

PROCESSOR Intel® Core™ 2 Duo SU9400 (3MB cache/1.4GHz/800Mhz FSB), Onyx

OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Service Pack 1 64 Bit

ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE McAfee 9.0 30 day Anti-Virus protection

MEMORY 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 800MHz

HARD DRIVE 128GB Solid State Drive

VIDEO CARD Intel® GS45 Integrated Graphics with 256MB Memory

WIRELESS CARDS Intel® 5300 WLAN 802.11n (3x3) Mini Card

MOBILE BROADBAND Dell Wireless 5530 HSPA Mini Card for AT&T

BATTERY OPTIONS 40 WHr Lithium Polymer Battery

SOUND OPTIONS High Definition Audio 2.0

BLUETOOTH Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Module (2.1+EDR)

SOFTWARE Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 8.1

INTERGRATED NETWORK ADAPTERS (NICS) Integrated Gigabit (10/100/1000) Network Card

ENERGY STAR Energy Star Compliant


Now how in the good lords name does that piece of hardware cost 3100 dollars. Sure its nice and light and very thin and very portable and can run on a battery for 5 hours or more but 3100 dollars for the weak hardware and good portability, who in their right mind would pay this price for a tiny 1.4 ghz processor and crappy integrated graphics. I had to post this to vent out my frustration with dell's wasted R + D time for a piece of junk that will sell maybe 500 units if they are lucky. Wish they used that time to design something worth 3100 dollars. Can anyone tell me why some 1 would be stupid enough to purchase this. Am I missing something?

 

That's why it's called the dell adamo.

 

Size compromises performance. However, too much performance is being compromised here for absolutely no reason. It seems to me that Dell is trying to go the Apple route where you pay a premium for "better" service and a better quality laptop. All laptops should be built to the same standards, too bad Dell doesn't understand that concept. Apple does, and look at their sales.

 

its made for corporate executives make $1m+ per year. its just another niche market product,
and who says every product line has to be profitable.

 

Most of the discussion is here:

The Official Dell Adamo Thread:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=342287

 

Someone would buy it because they have nothing else to spend their money on. It's not about performance. It's not about being cheap. It's about being the thinnest computer in the world - and quite frankly, someone who buys this thing probably cares ONLY about that. It's an adamo, not an inspiron.

Oh, and your post title - "adamo terrible value for the money" should instead be "adamo way overpriced" - because there's no value at all in this thing. You could get hardware like this for $500.

 

Like people have said, folks would buy it because it's thin and sexy, not for power. If somebody wants the fastest computer avalible, they're looking at something more like the XPS 1730 (to stay with Dell) or the W90. This competes with the Envy and Air. They All offer horrible value, because of their type of computer. ULV processors geneally mean that the system they're in is trying to be "ultra portable". Ultra portables are thin, pretty, light and expensive.

Netbooks are small, quick enough, and cheap.

They both basically do the same tasks.

 

It basically comes down to personal choice, really...doesn't it?

Yes, it's overpriced...Yes, it's a sexy 13"....its what *you* the individual wants and needs.


Cin

 

There's always a market for anything. The Adamo is a niche product. Don't know why some people blasts a product that they dislike. Sometimes me thinks people are envious and can't afford to buy one so they rant and rave for no reason. Just take it as it is and move on. I for one like it but what'll I do with my other 4 laptops and a netbook? I'll just stick with the ones I have.

 

It should sell for $5-600 with those specs, at the most..

 

Right, Dell should just give them away.

 

Many of you are right. This laptop is not and was never meant to be about value. But it is overpriced. It is overpriced, not because of my personal opinion, but because it is not selling enough units. I would expect that dell could still lower the price and make a profit. At the rate they are going, the price is very detractive towards sales, probably to the point that they are making little or no money. If they lowered the price, they would make less money per unit, but they'd be selling a lot more units. A moderate price drop, a few hundred dollars and an increase in some specs would make it a lot easier for many people to pull the trigger (maybe try to undercut the air) But what do I know, I don't get paid the big bucks like Dell's R&D and markteting department.

 

The Adamo has a solid metal casing thus you can't even change the battery or even tweak the innards. People who can afford it will get it. It's more for style and not for power users. It is chic I admit. Wait awhile, new products are usually expensive and will go down in price eventually. If not enough is being sold it might just be discontinued. The Adamo was made specifically to compete with the Macs.

 

I would like a notebook with a solid metal casing which exudes high quality. That's the reason I'm seriously considering a MBP at the moment. If Dell was offering a model called the Adamo 16 right now with a faster CPU, slot-loaded internal Blu-ray drive & the ATI 4670M, I would be all over that.

 

Eventually they have to make it more powerful and lower the price a bit. I would buy it too if it was improved. Hopefully there would be a slim slot loading blue ray player added.

 

Actually, the battery life of this thing has been reported to be a little over 2 hours or so. And the MacBook Air is thinner (on average), and quite a bit lighter, too.

So, yes, this is a joke, and a bad one at that. Dell is going to bleed, once again, for yet another model utterly failing in the market place...

 

These threads are ridiculous... If you don't see the need at first glance then you never will. Posting a rant about how over-priced or under-powered the system is is a complete waste of time. We already know you're not going to buy one and those of us that will (or already have) won't care a bit about your opinion on a system you've never seen.

I've got one and love it (WAY more than the Latitude E4200 that is now collecting dust until I've got time to sell it) as do our Operations & Marketing VPs, both of whom have ditched their previous thin systems (MacBook Air & Thinkpad respectively).

The Adamo is a notebook that has it's place. It's not a large place, I'll give you that, but it is a place none the less, and I expect Dell to continue with this line over the next few years to great success as, while a bit pricey at the moment, this system is so far beyond the rest of the Dell notebooks that it's a wonder they even slapped the "Dell" name on it.

 

I just don't get it. What the hell was Dell thinking?
Apple gets away with it (as in, people admire it but STILL don't buy it) because a) They're apple and apple is 'in' right now and b) because the air is ACTUALLY thin and sleek and sexy and amazingly light.

The adamo is just ugly. OMG where they placed the hinge and left that hangover in the back, yuck

 

That's funny, cuz I think the Adamo is sexy...

That is why we are all different as humans - you think it's hideous while I like it!

 

Nobody is disputing the looks, we are questioning the massive price tag...Seriously $2000 - $2700 during these times is financial suicide, Dell will feel the pain on this development...

 

I foresee it at the Outlet and at a more *affordable* price sooner than the latter. I can't wait till Dell get's their Quarterly Sales results on the Adamo!


Cin

 

Well, my reply was to lottdod re: looks.

Anyway, I really don't think Dell is going to take a hit with a niche product like the Adamo. I am sure they created the sytem for buzz and not so much for profits.

You know, they probably budgeted for it, etc....

 

The release of the Dell Adamo couldn't have happened at a worse time. It's kinda like how Kia introduced their full-size SUV (Borrego) when gas was around $4.50/gallon...timing sucks!

 

May 29, 2009

"Dell Inc. warned that the painful slump in demand for its personal computers has yet to reach a bottom, as the PC maker posted a 63% drop in quarterly profit amid a 23% decline in revenue."

 

But that is referencing ALL of their personal computers - the Adamo is probably 0.001% of that total.

Like I said, the Adamo was just as much a publicity stunt/pr-buzz maker than about profits....

 

I wonder which has sold more- the Sony VAIO P or the Dell Adamo?

 

Yeah, but how much of Sony's customer base is enthusiasts compared to Dell's?

 

It would be nice to see a Sales Comparison to the other competitors & the Adamo...bet the Adamo's sales won't be as strong.


Cin

 

I just can't see why people would buy it, even if you don't care about the money.

As much as I detest the thought of buying from apple.

There is no logical argument as to why anybody would choose this over the macbook air.

- more expensive.
-1.4GHz compared to 1.86GHz
- 4500mhd compared to 9400m
- heavier
- Dell support versus Apple support

And let's be honest from an appearance point of view, it just doesn't compare at all.

It looks like an attempt of copying the envy, except they didn't do it correctly and stuck the hinge in the middle of the laptop instead of at the edge.

As always, each to his own.
I however just can't see the appeal.

 

The Lenovo ThinkPad X200s or X301 both make a lot more sense than the Adamo. Even the Samsung X360 is a better deal...

The Adamo makes about as much sense as the Lenovo IdeaPad U110....but you can find the U110 for as low as $999 these days...

Dell has now demonstrated that they CAN build super-thini and light notebooks, so they need to apply what they've learned across the product line....

 

it doesnt look nicer then a mba and its more expensive (can get a 2nd mba for £800) and its is just way too overpriced.

to sell it, thet either need more power or a price drop

 

I myself would love one. Why?

Well it's not for the specs, nor the price obviously.

In a coporate environment, I'd like to open up my notebook and have clients ask me what model that is.

Sure, you get more power and it is arguably better looks with the mac, but nobody asks what it is. They all know. They all know someone that has one. Perhaps they have one.

The Adamo. Well that's different.

Sure it's not the fastest, it's certainly not the cheapest, but the client base they are pitching to does not care. In reality, most of what I do on an office machine could be done on my old dual core T2330 with 1Gig of RAM. Could probably be done on less than that truth be told.

So if you have a few extra pennies burning a hole in your pocket, you want something functional, but don't need it to play Crysis at full res, and you want to stand out from the crowd a little, then why not?

It's a statement. It's like buying a porsche when you also need to buy a family saloon due for practical reasons. It's like buying a Maserati. Sure, you could buy a cheaper, faster car such as some Ferraris, that people would argue even look better. But where is the uniqueness in that?

 

I'm actually a loyal Dell customer (currently own three Dell laptops and two desktops), but I'd buy the Sony VAIO Z-series over the Adamo. The Adamo only comes with a 13.4" 1366x768 resolution display....how common! Sony offers the Z's 13.1" with 1366x768 standard and 1600x900 optional!

I think "Z" would get plenty of attention for onlookers, too.

 

meh, if I was that rich I'd buy both of them, plate them both with an inch of gold plating and to bugger with the new laptops cooling properties

There is no arguing that Sony Vaios are not ace machines, but again amongst executives these are common. I know the chairman of my company has one, and so does the Marketing Director, eCommerce Director, and I think also the Warehousing/Logistics Director does too.

I know, I'd go out and buy an Osbourne 1. You would certainly get some stares and questions then...

(ps, I do actually have an Osbourne 1 somewhere, not like it's small enough to lose or anything)

 

I DO get your point- the Adamo is a status symbol and it has such a unique appearance (dimensions & design) that most people who see it will take notice. Unfortunately, the Adamo debuted at a time when many would-be status seekers aren't spending on luxury items....they're saving every dollar with the rest of the 'hoi polloi'!

 

Yes, there is no doubting that it was an unfortunately timed release, one that may see it disappear before it's time.

Perhaps I should take this opportunity to get rid of that Osbourne. Market it to Business Executives along the lines of "Head turningly noticeable zl80 powered cost effective portable computer, featuring a 5' display and.....oh a Qwerty keyboard (I think)"

Think someone might give me £200 for it

 

That would be like me parting with my Toshiba Satellite 4060CDT (c. 1999, 333MHz Pentium II, 64mb RAM integrated)! It cost around $2500 way back then and only the hard drive has needed replacing (after four years). I installed Ubuntu on it last year and played with it for like a day and it's been collecting dust ever since...

 

I can't anyway; I help run a computer museum in my spare time hence that is why I know I still have it; I'm dusting it off in the next week or so and putting it in the next exhibition

 

I've got a Commodore VIC-20 I could donate....and my Commodore 64 is still somewhere in my parents' basement!

 

Thanks appreciated but we've more of those than you can imagine - they were very good and therefore common machines. Anyway, I should maybe make a posting along those lines rather than go off topic here (I can all too easily do so) - sorry op

 

But you know in a successful forum like NBR you have thousands of people posting how they feel about the products they see or hear about. It is all about letting people voice their opinion and the OP's opinion is that the Dell Adamo is terrible value for money.

Now we can debate "value" because the value you see in a system obviously differs from that same value of the OP. You valued the Adamo so you bought one. You are obviously happy with your purchase and got the machine that suited you.

But to be honest I do agree that the Adamo is a terrible conception. From my limited experience, Execs tend to go the Sony route. So Dell seems to be like a brand that more appeals to one segment trying to attract another (say like a Kia pushing out an car to compete with a 3 series BMW). You did mention why they would slap a Dell name on it and I agree. This should have been in the Acura line and not the Honda line, but this does not fit into the Alienware line either so Dell didn't really have a choice (can't just call it the Adamo or it will have no name for people to recognize). It is also very pricey for what you get from a Horsepower point of view.

I will go out on a limb and also doubt that the Adamo will be a successful notebook... at least not in its current state.

 

If peep's like the Adamo...they are going to purchase it.
If peep's don't, they won't.
Personal choice and preference, always in the end.


Cin

 

I don't think one can put a price on luxury goods. People spend because they want to.

Fashion some would say makes no sense also. Theres never logic in why a leather bag should cost thousands of dollars because it was manufactured by 'LV'.

But, on the more technical side, I don't like adamo's back ended thing. Its pretty ugly. A lot of laptops have it if you use an extended battery, but you can change that by using a normal battery. Her eyou cant.