Three cheers for DELL
Written: Jan 05 '02
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Pros: Size, Durability, and Quality
Cons: External Ports and not the fastest machine available
The Bottom Line: Easy to move, easy to use, and easy to love. The convenience alone makes this the best option for anyone one the move without the time to deal with problems.
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| aleary's Full Review: Dell Inspiron 2100 Series |
I'm not going to give you all the specs and hardcore numbers on this machine because you can easily find that out from Dell or other reviews. Instead I want to highlight why this laptop has been absolutely perfect for everything I could ever want because how you use it is just as important as what's in it.
I ordered this machine about two days after it came out and I have been very happy with it ever since. Obviously it was a huge upgrade from my old machine, but the ease of use has been the key difference.
Screen: Clean sharp and totally true to the images it is creating. The small one-half inch boarder no black space between the edge of the screen and the boarder make a very tight and clean image. Maybe this isn't important, but it's nice. The screen also opens 180 degrees (I think all Dells do now) which is great when it’s in my lap or in some other awkward position.
Keyboard: It is suppose to be a 95% keyboard and I have not missed the 5% at all. Full functioning with all F keys and scroll keys that make key strokes much easier. I also like that the "control" key is the bottom left key because it is very useful in many programs (IBM's often have the "Fn" key here and it always throws me off).
Mousepad: I have never liked the touch point that comes on most IBM's because if you run into it when typing you will move the cursor and lose your place very easily. The pad is very responsive and has the useful scroll sidebar to cruise down web pages and documents. I have had some issues with the scroll sidebar recently, but I think it may a software issue and not the hardware.
Ports: Built in ethernet and modem have been awesome: just plug and surf! Only one USB can be a little limiting, but I haven't had too may conflicts. Most of the major ports (printer, modem, ethernet, parallel, etc.) are placed in the back so it is easy to move the computer around without cables and such hanging off the side.
Battery: I got the larger battery and have absolutely loved it. It runs for about 3 hours with normal use and charges very quickly. There is also a button on the bottom of the laptop to check the gage without needing to start up the computer. Although I don’t use it too often, it has been very convenient when I have needed it.
Size: Absolutely perfect! I generally leave it in one place for most of the time, but the small size and weight make it very portable when I want to work at my desk, in bed, in the kitchen, or anywhere at home. When I want to grab it to get some work done away from home it is easy and light. I don’t travel with my external drives very much because most of what I use is on the computer or on the internet, so the fact that they are separate doesn’t hurt my mobility.
Durability: As good at it should be. The casing is very very solid and has taken some of the bumps and scratches I give it without missing a beat. Since it is a computer I don’t really expect it to bounce down a flight of stairs without having some problems, but I’m guessing it would actually fair better than most because of the solid construction and minimal weight.
Specs: I got the 600mhz Pentium III, 20 gig, 256 RAM configuration. They were having a RAM special and I love having a huge hard drive for MP3s and other useless stuff. Since I don’t run too many heavy programs I haven’t noticed any problems with the speed, we’ll see in a couple of years.
External drives: I got the CD-RW drive because I like to make CDs out of my MP3s and it has been great. It was a little pricey at $200. I would have gotten a CR-RW/DVD player if they had it. It is a hotswap drive so I can change between drives without rebooting the machine. If you use a lot of external software the changing and carrying of extra cords and drives will get a bit annoying, but if you don’t need them all the time the portability is well worth it.
Intangibles: I love Dells and this one hasn’t let me down. Dell puts quality parts in to their machines and all but minor problems seem to go away. In the same time that I have owned this computer two friends one with an IBM and the other with a Mac laptop have needed to send in their computer for service. I haven’t needed to call technical service once or even search through a manual to figure out a problem. It just does what it is suppose to without any problems.
Price: When I got it the price was pretty steep, but I knew I was going to use it for a long time and be traveling more and more. Although I haven’t gotten to the traveling part yet, I think it have been totally worth every penny for the great portability. Convenience is huge for me and this machine has totally satisfied.
Overall this is a great package for those looking for durability, mobility, and power. The Viao’s I’ve seen out there have had a lot of problems and certainly don’t come any cheaper.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 2500
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
Processor speed: 501-600
Screen Size: 12
RAM: 256
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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Epinions.com ID:
aleary
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Member: Alex Leary
Location: San Francisco, CA
Reviews written: 30
Trusted by: 11 members
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