Dell Inspiron Mini 1018

The basics

With the success of the Apple iPad, things have gone a bit quiet on the netbook front recently, but Dell is hoping its Inspiron Mini 1018 will change this. A 10-inch netbook offering lots of features at a bargain basement price, it's perfect for students and frequent travellers.

The good

Unlike lots of netbooks, which tend to feel flimsy and toy like, the Dell Inspiron Mini 1018 provides a very robust construction. This makes it ideal for a life on the road, and it's more than capable of standing up to the rigours of day-to-day use.

The mobile feeling is further enhanced by the Dell Inspiron Mini 1018's compact 10.1-inch chassis and sub 1.5kg weight. You'll be able to carry it around for hours on end without noticing the weight, and a battery life of around 7 hours means you'll be able to work for a full day when out and about.

The keyboard on the Dell Inspiron Mini 1018 offers a well defined typing action, making this little machine a pleasure to use for longer periods of time.

The bad

Unfortunately, the interface is not all good. The touchpad is far too shallow, with the keyboard mounted too far forward in the chassis, limiting space. This can make it uncomfortable when navigating the OS or when browsing the internet.

The bottom line

It's a small price to pay for such and impressive budget choice, however. With a good keyboard, excellent build quality and features including a 250GB hard drive, the Dell Inspiron Mini 1018 is well worth the asking price