The Netbook segment is hitting a new screen size with Dell's Inspiron Mini 12 likely to be the pioneer 12.1-inch Netbook in the market. Japan is the first country to get dibs on the unit, with a rollout to other Asia-Pacific markets scheduled for the near future.

One of the main criticisms of the Netbook segment is that with a limited screen estate and small keyboard, working on one is difficult at best. But while hitting the same display size as traditional ultraportables may seem like a good idea, the problem now lies not with the hardware but on managing the expectations of users who may anticipate the same functionality as full-fledged laptops.
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Read first take of the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 »

First Take

The Netbook segment is hitting a new screen size with Dell's Inspiron Mini 12 likely to be the pioneer 12.1-inch Netbook in the market. Japan is the first country to get dibs on the unit, with a rollout to other Asia-Pacific markets scheduled for the near future.

One of the main criticisms of the Netbook segment is that with a limited screen estate and small keyboard, working on one is difficult at best. But while hitting the same display size as traditional ultraportables may seem like a good idea, the problem now lies not with the hardware but on managing the expectations of users who may anticipate the same functionality as full-fledged laptops.

Upside: Forget the eye-squinting Netbooks of old. With a generous 12.1-inch display and 1,280 x 800-pixel resolution, the Inspiron Mini 12 gives the same workspace as traditional ultraportables. This not only means Web pages can be displayed in their full glory, but working with spreadsheets is now much easier.

Like the Eee PC S101, we feel one of the main selling points here is the design. With a heft of 1.3kg and slender at under 28mm, it gives the MacBook Air a run for its money considering that the Mini 12's screen size is much closer to the 13.3-inch of the former. Like the Inspiron Mini 9, this Netbook makes good use of the extra dimensions and provides an excellent keyboard that doesn't feel cramped. With 802.11b/g and Bluetooth support as standard, future models may even come with an HSDPA radio as an option.

Unlike most other Netbooks which use the Intel Atom N270 (Diamondville) 1.6GHz processor, the Inspiron Mini 12 has opted for the Atom Z520 and Z530 (Silverthorne) chips instead. Silverthorne processors were created for the smaller Mobile Internet Devices and, as such, have smaller profiles and use less power. Their performance is similar to the Atom N270, but, as we will see later, the additional cost of using a Silverthorne processor translates to a more expensive Netbook.

Downside: One of the first things you should be aware is that other than breaking the frontiers of screen size, the Inspiron Mini 12 also brings the cost of a Netbook to new highs. In Japan, the starting price is a hefty 89,800 yen (S$1,369) for a model with a 1.33GHz Atom Z520 processor, 1GB RAM and 60GB harddisk. This brings it above the cost of budget laptops using full-powered dual-core chips with much more functionality. After-market upgrades are not possible as the unit does not have user-accessible panels. There is no option to equip the unit with solid-state drives, either.

Whatever power savings the Atom Z500 series processor provides is pointless as the unit is bundled with an anemic three-cell 2,400mAh battery (a six-cell option may be available in the future) and preinstalled with Windows Vista Home Basic Edition. The latter is an especially poor choice as the combination of Vista and the large 12.1-inch screen gives the impression that this Netbook can perform at the same level as traditional ultraportables with dual-core chips and better specs. The temptation to open multiple windows may bring the system to its knees.

Despite its larger size, the Inspiron Mini 12 has exactly the same ports as the Mini 9. Though most users will probably feel comfortable with the three USB ports, memory card reader, VGA output and Ethernet jack, we can't help but compare it with models like the Lenovo IdeaPad S10 which managed to fit an ExpressCard/34 slot under its 10.1-inch chassis. Also, forget stereo sound quality as this model is equipped with only a single speaker.

Outlook: Though its generous screen size and large keyboard make the Inspiron Mini 12 one of the most usable Netbooks in the market, unrealistic user expectations and sky-high pricing might mean that only a small segment in an already niche market may even consider getting this Netbook.

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aweysham: Im kind of lost here. why opt for this "netbook" when you can get something like the ASUS U6 ...

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