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See All. Equipped with an I ntel Atom processor with 1. Additionally, Aside from the fact that, in part, the load times take getting used to , while starting programs, for example, the performance of the Inspiron Mini running Win XP can be described as thoroughly satisfactory. While Intel limits the working memory configuration in netbooks to one gigabyte, an upgrade to 2GB is also not supported on Dell's side. Nevertheless, installing a 2GB stick is thoroughly possible , but its negative affects with regard to warming and batter life should also be taken into account.
The theoretical advantage of an upgrade, aside from a somewhat shorter boot time, would be limited, according to Dell. Although the Inspiron Mini was also subjected to a series of benchmark tests, the results were rather sub-par. Most important for the user is that the notebook's performance is sufficient to run basic office functions.
Thanks to the VGA port, the Inspiron Mini is also adapted for mobile presentations, so long as the complexity and the size of the presentation are within certain limits. Playing older, undemanding computer games is with the Inspiron Mini 9 thoroughly possible. This may indeed sound somewhat peculiar, but old gaming classics like, for example, Sim City or various other jump and run games on the appropriate emulators pose no problem for the netbook, and they can make the occasional period of downtime pass much more quickly.
A 16GB solid state drive serves as the mass storage device , and in the test it showed, via HDTune, a good access time performance typical of SSD of only 0.
A considerable weakness of this particular SSD could also be identified, however - the write rate. It deals here with a problem that many current netbooks struggle with. Presumably, the reason for this may be presumably financial boundaries involved in the choice of the respective memory chips and controllers for the installed SSDs. One can get by thoroughly well with the gross capacity of 16GB , depending on the intended use.
Videos or MP3s could also be stored alternatively on an external SD card , and the integrated SD card reader could be used as a sort of auxiliary drive. Appropriate data carriers with around 4GB can be obtained at this time already for less than Also, using a USB stick as a storage expansion would be conceivable. With this, the capacity limits already reach up to 64GB. Although this pushes the price of the laptops even lower, it could quickly backfire with standard use.
In a notebook without mechanical, moving parts , one can only speak ill about loudness. The Inspiron Mini 9 expels its heat exclusively through the case, thereby eliminating a bothersome fan noise entirely. And since the mass storage device is set on a solid state drive, the data carrier is also eliminated as an emission source. Every now and then in the test, only a quiet and barely perceptible buzz could be heard coming from the back right corner of the base unit. Since the cooling system puts up with a high amount of case warming so that it can do without a fan , the high measurements, particularly on the underside of the base unit, are not very surprising.
Top side of the base unit heats up only marginally from less demanding office-related functions. In this context, the maximum heat values under high performance move to about The Inspiron Mini 9's speakers are located in the lower region of the display and therefore produce sound directly in the direction of the user.
Although they deliver only thin and bassless sound with a moderate maximum volume, this is nevertheless thoroughly acceptable and sufficient for a netbook in this price category.
Normally, headphones will presumably be used, anyway, and can be attached to the device through the 3. In the test, this port delivered flawless sound. The extremely low minumum power consumption , which is no more than 6. As a mattery of fact, in the maximum battery life test, the BatteryEater Readers Test minimum brightness, energy saver profile, WLAN and Bluetooth deactivated , the netbook achieved a battery life of no less than minutes , or more than 4 hours.
While surfing over WLan with the display brightness at maximum, the Dell Inspiron Mini could give a similarly good result: minutes. Also, during video playback with maximum display brightness in the test, an mpg video , the batter can easily last around minutes. In the test, the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 presented itself as an extremely mobile and agile companion that specializes in making long drives and travels seem shorter. Thanks to the WLAN, the netbook always has access to to any available hotspots.
Furthermore, the performance of the Mini 9 is sufficient to run everyday office functions and to perform simple tasks. The case of the netbook is extremely compact and robust , and therefore allows for an intensive mobile use of the laptop. The weight , which is no more than grams , and the compact power supply, only grams, also fit well with this concept. Only the high gloss display cover requires somewhat more maintenance and careful handling in transit. The keyboard is, with lots of practice, also suitable for text compositions using the finger system.
The keys on the right side around the enter key n particular are very small and can only be singled out while typing with a single finger. While the display offers very good brightness with good illumination, the mirrored glare-type display is anything but optimal for outdoor use. Especially in brightly lit areas, one has to put up with bothersome reflections and mirroring on the display.
The battery life of the netbook is also thoroughly adequate. The Dell Mini 9, equipped with a 32 Wh Lithium Ion battery, can easily reach lifetimes of hours , depending on the required performance. With a sale price starting at For netbook fans, the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 is an interesting alternative in this market.
Simon Leitner. Dell Inspiron Mini 9 on Ciao. Dell Inspiron Mini 9 EU. Test Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Notebook. Stay in contact. Front side: no ports. Back side: no ports. Input Devices. Dell Inspiron Mini 9 - glare display. Viewing angle of the Dell Inspiron Mini 9. Video of the viewing area of the display. PC Mark PCMark 05 Standard. HD Tune. Transfer Rate Minimum: 4. Transfer Rate Maximum: Transfer Rate Average: Access Time: 0. Burst Rate: System Noise In a notebook without mechanical, moving parts , one can only speak ill about loudness.
Noise Level Idle. Temperature Since the cooling system puts up with a high amount of case warming so that it can do without a fan , the high measurements, particularly on the underside of the base unit, are not very surprising. Speakers The Inspiron Mini 9's speakers are located in the lower region of the display and therefore produce sound directly in the direction of the user. Maximale Akkulaufzeit. Minimale Akkulaufzeit. Key: min: , med: , max: Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements.
Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here. Please share our article, every link counts! In Review: Dell Inspiron Mini 9. Specifications Dell Inspiron Mini 9. Intel Atom N 1 x 1. Dell homepage Dell notebook section Inspiron Mini 9 Series. Dell's Irish manufacturer steps with its Inspiron 9 into the highly competetive netbook market.
However, the size of the individual number keys seems extremely small, due to the machine's compact size. Operation in the finger system is indeed possible, but it requires a tedious familiarization phase. The built-in 8. With a combination of a gigabyte of working memory and 16GB SSD data storage, simple operation can take place without problems. One of the strengths of the Inspiron Mini lies in its cooling concept, where the netbook comes wholly without fans, which allows for noiseless operation.
The underside of the netbook can warm up substantially, but this is bearable in normal operations. The speakers deliver mediocre but nevertheless adequate sound. With its included 32 Wh lithium-ion battery, the Inspiron achieves a thoroughly acceptable battery life.
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