Review: Dell Latitude 2100-N

I was fortunate enough to have a buddy lend me his Latitude 2100-N by Dell. It was unfortunate that I had to give it back. He had to pry it out of my hands. This is an awesome notebook running Ubuntu Linux.

The unit that I had was equipped with an Atom N270 by Intel with a speed of 1.6GHz. It came with 1GB of DDR2 SD RAM, 5400RPM had drive of 80GB, and built in graphics card Mobile Intel 950 GMA. It runs on a six cell battery. Similar to other netbooks, this comes with a moderately sized display of 10.1". With this equipment the unit will sell for a little under $450.

The basic unit, equipped with Ubuntu Linux, has 16GB SSD, 515MBs RAM, and three cell battery. This version sells for upwards of $350. The same version of netbook is available equipped with Windows XP Service Pack 3 will cost just about $400. It is always convenient to have both options.

Dell also offers a package including Windows Vista for this netbook. They have a disclaimer however, that you need a hard drive option with 80GB or more of space if you choose to run Vista. I would also like to add that you should get a at least a gigabyte of RAM if you want to avoid tearing your hair out.

One of my favorite features about the Latitude 2100-N is the easy of upgradeability in terms of ram. This is a rare feature among today's netbooks. While 512 MBs of RAM is sufficient enough for a decent performance on both XP and Ubuntu, the Latitude's SO-DIMM memory slot allows you to conveniently add up to 2GBS more of RAM.

Ubuntu was a blast on this system. The built in Wi-Fi system (802.11 b/g) was quickly able to find and utilize a local Wi-Fi connection. I was on the web for a good four hours straight while I was using the Latitude, and I am pleased to say the battery still had plenty of juice left.

My favorite part of this netbook however, is not the magnificent hardware packed into it. The body of the Latitude 2100-N is very hardy, which is made of a very solid, sturdy material. The lid and base are also rubberized for added protection. The overall feel of the netbook is that it can take quite a beating and still perform.

The Dell Latitude 2100-N is very portable, weighing only 3 pounds, it is powerful for its size, and has a great battery life. I can't wait to pick one up for myself.