Review: The Dell Mini 9 Netbook

The latest in popular peripherals is the pocket PC, or netbook as it's commonly called. No more lugging around hefty laptop, netbooks are the compromise between tiny PDA screens and massive power-hungry traditional laptops. Several manufacturers are now producing their version of the netbook, including Asus, HP and Dell. Dell introduced the Mini 9 a couple of years ago, and has since replaced it with a Mini 10, but the Mini 9 remains a bestseller in the netbook market. Once you realize the power Dell has built into this machine, its easy to understand why the Mini 9 is so popular.

The Mini 9 comes equipped with a more than adequate 1.6 GHz Intel Processor, 1 GB of DDR, 8 GB internal memory and a built-in wireless 802.11 g card. You have your choice of operating systems, either Windows XP Home Edition or Ubuntu, a Window-esque version of Linux. While I'm a fan of Linux, I'd recommend sticking with XP, as Linux has a steep learning curve that can cause a lot of frustration. You can always switch to Linux anyway, since its available online as an open source, free program.

The RAM the Mini 9 comes with makes it a fairly fast machine, but you can easily add RAM by opening the RAM cover on the back and adding another GB. The only reason this configuration isn't directly offered by Dell is because Microsoft places RAM limits on machines that come with Windows. Dell also chose to maintain that RAM limit on its Mini 9 with Ubuntu, although I'm not sure why.

The hard drive, with just 8GB of space, is fairly limited. If you are concerned that you will run out of space while on the run, I recommend you invest in a portable external hard drive or several little flashdrives. Keep in mind that Windows is a resource hog and will take up a fair amount of drivespace. You will still have enough to load your music, surf the net, and write papers, but beyond that, make sure you carry extra space.

The keyboard on the Mini 9 appears to be the most often mentioned gripe about this machine. It's a 95% version of a full size laptop keyboard, which was already a bit small. If you have large fingers or any problems with dexterity, consider a Mini 10 or attach an external keyboard. Full size portable keyboards are available online and also at local office stores.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with netbooks, don't mistake this for a full size computer with all the amenities. Instead, it's a compact version with no DVD or CD drive and a tiny touchpad instead of a mouse. If you travel a lot or spend a lot of time hauling your laptop to a local café' or bookstore to pull a free wireless signal for a couple of hours, the netbook is for you. If you are looking for a portable version of the desktop or traditional laptop, the Mini 9 isn't for you. Despite this, it's a fun little portable that is backed by Dell's great reputation for quality.