Dell Inspiron Mini 9 review

The first netbook from Dell was eagerly anticipated and was certainly worth the wait, as the Inspiron Mini 9 (free on 24-month Vodafone contract) provides excellent mobility, connectivity and a stunning Super-TFT screen.

The black and silver chassis imitates Dell's full-sized Inspiron range and suits both consumer and corporate use. Along with the Toshiba, it is also one of the smallest netbooks you can buy. Its glossy lid is prone to scratches and smudges, however, and requires suitable protection.

As with the majority of netbooks, Dell has used a 3-cell battery, rather than the 4-cell battery used by the Asus Eee PC S101. While its 224 minutes of mobility is bettered by some rivals, it is still a capable result and lets you get some work done on the daily commute.

Although usability is generally strong, it's not without fault. The keyboard proves comfortable in use, but the full width of the chassis has not been used to its best ability. As a result, the keys are much slimmer than on rival netbooks, which may not suit typists with large hands.

The stunning 8.9-inch screen compensates somewhat – its compact size isn't ideal for multi-tasking, but colour reproduction, contrast and sharpness are fantastic. The glossy coating adds to this quality, but does increase reflections.

Mobile broadband

Where the Dell stands out is its wireless HSDPA broadband connectivity. A SIM card slots beneath the battery, for accessing the internet at high-speed wherever you travel. This makes it a great choice for business users and consumers requiring around-the-clock web access.

Unfortunately, a minimum 24-month Vodafone contract is required, starting at £25 per month for 1GB of monthly downloads. This means you'll spend £600 in total, so for users that don't require web access and want to save money, Dell sells the Mini 9 contract-free for £199 (inc. VAT).

In terms of office and graphics performance, the Dell is average. It is capable for basic daily use, as well as watching the occasional movie, but fails to match the higher abilities of the Asus Eee PC S101 or Samsung NC10.

Small hard drive

Storage is also disappointing. Despite using a mechanical hard drive, only 80GB of storage is provided; half the amount provided by the Samsung NC10. A 3-in-1 Flash card reader is also in place, but users wanting to carry large amounts of files should look elsewhere.

While the Mini 9 on a Vodafone contract is ideal if you need long-term wireless connectivity, the £600 asking price is too steep for those that don't. Nevertheless, this a still a highly capable netbook with plenty to recommend it.