After a rocky start that is becoming increasingly common for the company, Dell has now officially made its new Mini 10 netbook available for order. The snazzy little netbook first appeared on the site for pre-order a few days ago, then it became available for order, then the pricing changed a few times, etc. All of the wrinkles have seemingly been ironed out now however, and Dell’s newest Mini is available at the proper (and reasonable) starting price of $399. So what does $399 get you?
- 1.33GHz Intel Atom processor, 533 MHz FSB, 512K cache
- Windows XP Home SP3
- 10.1-inch anti-glare display (1024 x 576)
- 160 GB 5400 rpm SATA HDD
- 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM
- Wireless 802.11g (1397) Mini Card
- Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 500 video card
- 24WHr Lithium-Ion Battery (3-cell)
In a move pretty uncharacteristic of Dell, customization options on the Mini 10 are limited at best. You’ve got a bunch of colors and the option to bump up to a 1.6GHz processor for $50 but beyond that, it is what it is. There is no option for a bigger hard drive or an SSD, no Linux option and perhaps most importantly, no option to toss in more RAM. Remember, word on the street is that there will be no way to add more RAM yourself so tread with caution. Supposedly Dell will be adding a bunch of options later this year (more RAM, Ubuntu, Vista, more hard drives, Bluetooth, GPS, WWAN and a TV tuner) so the early adopter tax is super high – but no where near as high as with the crazies who actually paid the $560 QVC price. Anyone thinking about scooping one up despite all that?
