Dell Announces Mini 10v Netbook (Updated)

Dell today announced the availability of the new Inspiron Mini 10v netbook along with six new color options for the Inspiron 15 notebook and new Inspiron Slim and Mini-Tower Desktops.

The big news, obviously, is the launch of the Inspiron Mini 10v. Dell's Inspiron Mini series of netbooks has been largely popular thanks to the balance of mobility and affordability ... with several Dell Inspiron Mini netbooks priced below $300. The new Mini 10v will be available just in time for summer travel and lets students get an early jump on their back-to-school efforts.

Dell intends the Inspiron Mini 10v to be a lower-cost configuration of the original Mini 10. Like the rest of the Inspiron Mini family, this budget-priced ultra-portable laptop makes a great Internet companion to help keep students, bloggers or adult travelers connected in a more convenient form than a smartphone. Available in seven color options, the $299 Mini 10v will likely prove to be a popular netbook in the current economic environment.

Here are the key features and specs for the new Inspiron Mini 10v:

• New, larger keyboard – 92 percent of a standard full-size keyboard for comfort and ease of use
• Your choice of one of seven colors: Obsidian Black, Alpine White, New Cherry Red, Promise Pink (US), Ice Blue, Jade Green and new Passion Purple
• 120GB, 160GB hard drives and 16GB solid state drive (XP and Ubuntu); 8GB SSD (Ubuntu)
• 1GB RAM
• Availability of Ubuntu Linux or Windows XP operating systems
• Built-in webcam to stay in touch with family and friends
• Multiple connectivity options
• Optional built in Bluetooth connectivity
• Starting at $299 US

Stay tuned to NotebookReview.com for a full review of the Dell Inspiron Mini 10v coming soon.

UPDATE:

We spent some hands-on time with the new budget-friendly Inspiron Mini 10v yesterday and took a few photos to hold you over until our full review. The build quality is still pretty solid despite the use of more plastic rather than the alloy used in the standard Mini 10. The keyboard is certainly one of the better ones we've seen on a 10-inch netbook and rivals the excellent keyboard used on the HP Mini 1000 and HP Mini 2140. This may prove to be a popular netbook for Dell this year.

 

I ordered one this morning with the 160gb option. I can finally rid myself of the Acer Aspire one I bought at Xmas. It has been a blinking nightmare, tried upgraiding the bios , no luck. It will have to be sent to Acer for Repair and then sold.

 

I find it very strange that this netbook doesn't cost any less when configured with Ubuntu instead. I checked the specs, and there is no bonus that Dell adds when you opt to forgo the Windows XP SP3 option.

 

The normal Dell Mini 10 has GMA 500, the Dell Mini 10v announced today has GMA 950.

 

The bad thing about this is it is only a 180 nit screen compared to 200 nits on the Mini 10 with Z processors.

 

This goes look appealing. i might get one around the end of the summer for school. very nice

 

What about Canada? where is it.

 

What is nit? brightness?

Is the Z faster?

 

Interesting.

In the NBR review they said the Mini 10 with 1366*768 isn't that bright either. Notebookjournal is measuring the Mini 10 HD at the moment, so we'll soon know.

 

Available in Canada tomorrow.

Anyone knows if we can get the 6-cell separate?

Thanks,

 

Nits tell how bright a screen is, the higher the better. Many computers usually have 200-250.

Depends. reports I've read say that a 1.6GHz N270 is faster than an 1.6GHz Z530. The Z series also has 1.86GHz Z540 and 2GHz Z550, so those might be faster than the N270.

Here is the comparison of the Z and N Mini 10's: Link

 

Thanks for the detailed specs posted below for future reference:

 

There were some articles a few weeks back speculating that MS was only charging 15 dollars for oem copies of XP for net books to insure they don't bleed too much market share to linux. The question is, when they pull the plug on XP and start putting seven on these are they going to start charging a ton again for the OS? I'd say they better not or they will bleed. I'm concerned that base prices for net books with seven will start at four hundred bucks.

 

Can i install Windows XP on the Ubuntun version?

 

As long as there are XP drivers for all your hardware components.. yes. But some of the newer notebooks that have been released have issues with lack of good XP drivers. So I expect, as we move forward, you may start to see issues with configuring newer net books with XP. But for now, there should be NP with most current net books and XP.

 

Pretty much blows the overpriced, underspec'd ADAMO by a mile.

Adamo=Joke

 

This is a nice little machine. Too bad Dell didn't go with a matte screen.

 

There's some suggestion that the Starter Edition of Windows 7 (the version that can only run 3 applications *theoretically*) is aimed at netbook makers who want reduced pricing, however they are free to install any version of Windows 7 they want on their systems.

 

How long would the 3-cell last in this thing? I hate how the 6-cell is so huge and raises the back.

 

Usually max. 2.5 - 3 hours.

 

Good to see the price on this is pretty low. They are going to undercut most if not all of their competition. What kept me away from the original dell mini was the price. I thought it was overpriced for the specs. I'm just curious why the price on the min10v is so much lower, despite having better specs overall?

 

Dell explains what makes it cheap.

 

Still fanless design Any other companies making fanless netbooks based on the Intel Atom?

 

Since the price of Mini 10V is higher than Mini 10, does it mean that Mini 10V is better? because I am planning to choose between these two but I am not sure if it is worth to go with 10V or choose Mini 10 and Upgrade ram to 2GB instead. Thanks

 

I like the updated photo's on the Mini 10V...
I think its going to be a great sell for Dell, esp. now that the Mini 9 has been phased out. (Though still availi' for purchase from the Outlet)!


Cin

 

That's nice. But it has a downside too: bad for overclocking.

 

Come this fall, many netbooks using the next generation of Atom (codenamed Pineview) should be fanless.

 

10V cheaper than 10?!?!?!

 

Dell has said the V in 10v stands for "value". It uses cheaper N series processors over the more power efficient and expensive Z series, has no glass over the bezel and display like the 10, has no multi touch trackpad, and more.

 

The 10V performs better than the 10 though. CPU and HDD perform better.

 

sorry, my mistake. Mini 10V is cheaper than Mini 10. Is it possible to upgrade RAM to 2GB?

 

Yes you can.

 

I finally got Dell Mini 10v last week and it is sweet. I thought I never like Dell but nice netbook.

 

wait i just found out it is not mini 10v it was Mini 10

 

@rottie, so your mini's processor must be atom Z, not atom N right?
If atom Z, it must be the Mini 10 not 10v.