Dell Mini 12 emerges: netbook or notebook?
Dell first launched the Mini 9 netbook to much fanfare as the computer making giant was lending credence that the netbook category was not to be ignored. The Mini 9 was a typical configuration for the netbook class with a 9-inch screen and Atom processor like the rest of the crowd. Dell was rumored to be considering a 12-inch "netbook" to add to the line and details are emerging about the biggest netbook to date. Laptop Magazine got a chance to see a pre-production model of the Mini 12 and were impressed with how light and thin the notebook is compared to other cheap alternatives. They snapped some pictures alongside a MacBook Air, not a netbook for sure due to its high price. They found the Mini 12 to be a decent choice in the "thin and light" category and the expected $600 price point to be quite reasonable. The Mini 12 will run Vista Basic and be launched initially in Japan only with global release to follow later.
This leads us to the question that keeps flaring up, what makes a netbook? A 12-inch model is certainly pushing the size limits for what we normally think of in netbook terms but the price point is good enough to qualify. Maybe it’s the inclusion of the Atom processor that makes a netbook a netbook? The Dell Mini 12 is to sport an Atom version that is a step up from the standard model being used in all the other netbooks. So can netbooks keep growing in size and still be netbooks?
UPDATE: APC has a full hands-on review of the Mini 12 and overall were pretty impressed with the big netbook. They did have an opinion of how well the Atom-based Mini 12 handled Vista:
Yet we’re not convinced that shoehorning Vista into a netbook is thepath to true wisdom, especially when that netbook hits the memoryceiling at 1GB. That’s barely enough for the OS on its own, let aloneonce you run some security software in the background and a fire up anyhalfway decent application.
Using the Mini 12 proved our point:screens were slow to draw, the little spinning wheel was foreverpopping up to do its thing, and with more than a few windows openthings get downright skittish.
they are not using the same Atom found in most other netbooks. this 1 has the newer chipset but is much weaker & less mature.
Posted by: FairyBoyLikesButterflies | October 27, 2008 at 7:13 am
JK– you quoted $600 but APC mentioned $999 several times for the Mini 12. Do you know which is correct? I wouldn’t consider a $1000 laptop a netbook anymore!
Posted by: Erik | October 27, 2008 at 7:35 am
Erik, APC is quoting the price in Australia. In the U.S. the device should be priced at the lower figure.
Posted by: Kevin C. Tofel | October 27, 2008 at 7:48 am
this cannot run Vista well because its NOT the same Atom we are used to, the Diamondville. this is in fact the Silverthorne Atom, originally meant only for MID’s.
the advantages are smaller physical & lower power consumption (2.5w vs 2.0w). but the disadvantages are plenty, the new chipset only supports 1GB RAM & upto 1366 x 768.
this Atom performs significantly worse than the current 1 people are used to, just try playing some highend movies to see.
Posted by: TimNity | October 27, 2008 at 7:52 am
Are they seriously trying to run Vista on a CPU designed for Net tablets and smartphones?
Are they trying to kill their own product?
Posted by: vance | October 27, 2008 at 8:46 am
It falls in a gray area. I have a 12″ laptop from Dell; they’ve been making them for years. The word netbook hadn’t been invented yet when I bought it about two and a half years ago. But a netbook was pretty much what I was looking for.
I passed on a 15″ screen because I wanted to get the weight and size down to a minimum. I passed on a more powerful processor (I went with a Pentium-M) because I wanted to get the most battery life.
If I could have bought a netbook back then, I probably would have.
Posted by: Nate the Great | October 27, 2008 at 9:03 am
THE MINI 12 has ONE Mono Speaker.
That’s ridiculous.
They claim there was no room for speakers. Ha!
I think it looks cheap and to much like a toy.
what a joke.
Posted by: NO REAL SPEAKERS | October 27, 2008 at 9:10 am
Whether we call it a netbook or a laptop, the sweet spot is 10″ as far as I’m concerned. Still thinking the Wind is the device to beat in this space.
Posted by: Dave Zatz | October 27, 2008 at 9:15 am
another reminder why i dont read Engadget anymore or the ignorant comments from their readers. after being linked there & seeing the article which claims this Atom to be a “step up” i presume just because it has a different model number lol. the writer clearly doesnt know any of the facts on it. then most of the readers thinking that it is actually dual core for some reason? what a joke that place is.
my opinion on the “new” design is that it’s just not worth it. for such insignificant power savings you are limited to 1GB RAM & NO use of an external monitor (unless it 1366 x 768 or under), something else i havent seen anybody mention is that the interface support is PATA only!! no SATA or SATA2. that means new machines are being built that are already extinct. no new support is being given to PATA anymore, just old supply quickly diminishing.
Intel NEVER intended for this chip to be produced in laptops & it shows.
Posted by: fBrig | October 27, 2008 at 9:41 am
another reminder why i dont read Engadget anymore or the ignorant comments from their readers. after being linked there & seeing the article which claims this Atom to be a “step up” i presume just because it has a different model number lol. the writer clearly doesnt know any of the facts on it. then most of the readers thinking that it is actually dual core for some reason? what a joke that place is.
my opinion on the “new” design is that it’s just not worth it. for such insignificant power savings you are limited to 1GB RAM & NO use of an external monitor (unless it 1366 x 768 or under), something else i havent seen anybody mention is that the interface support is PATA only!! no SATA or SATA2. that means new machines are being built that are already extinct. no new support is being given to PATA anymore, just old supply quickly diminishing.
Intel NEVER intended for this chip to be produced in laptops & it shows.
Posted by: fBrig | October 27, 2008 at 9:44 am
For the folks out there complaining about Vista on the Mini 12, know that Ubuntu and Windows XP will be options later this year:
http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archive/2008/10/27/Dell-Mini-12-Launching-in-Japan_2C00_-Will-Reach-US-Later-in-November.aspx
Posted by: Lionel Menchaca | October 27, 2008 at 10:40 am
To those of you complaining about Vista on the Mini 12… we will be offering Ubuntu and Windows XP as options later this year.
See D2D for a bit more: http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archive/2008/10/27/Dell-Mini-12-Launching-in-Japan_2C00_-Will-Reach-US-Later-in-November.aspx
Posted by: Lionel Menchaca | October 27, 2008 at 10:43 am
I get netbooks.
I don’t get this one.
Dell, currently, offers the Inspiron 13 for 649. It’s powerful, very portable and very affordable.
This 12 incher just leaves me scratching my head.
Posted by: Nate | October 27, 2008 at 10:57 am
If they had stuffed the N270 processor in this one and a standard SATA drive plus 2 gigs of ram (or at least a chipset that would allow it) I would’ve been all over it. I have a wind now and although it’s definitely usable the screen resolution is not ideal for doing pretty much anything. Most programs run fine on the processor, but the screen resolution really limits how many toolbars and such you can have open. It’s pretty clear that modern software isn’t written for 600 vertical pixels. I’m not talking about photoshop or flash here, but just basic word processing or spreadsheets (the microsoft or the google docs version).
IMHO 1280×800 is a must in a device. I’ve learned that the hard way through using a netbook du jour.
I’m hoping dell learns from the failure that is this machine and puts together a good 12 incher for cheap after this. That could push me into the dell camp for the first time ever.
Posted by: Niels | October 28, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Very very slow. I just got one and since I needed a laptop for work I am going to be very patient before I threw this thing on the wall. Will remove google search and Mcafee and other stuff.
I just hope Dell did their job and benchmark this toy before this slap Vista on it otherwise I will demand for a Vista refund.
Posted by: teekblang | December 15, 2008 at 6:33 pm