Dell Inspiron Mini 9 review

With an 8.9in widescreen display, 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 16GB solid-state disk (SSD) and Windows XP Home Edition (Ubuntu Linux is also active), Dell's Inspiron Mini 9 is similar to Asus's Eee PC 901.

While it would be easy to dismiss this as just another netbook, Dell has included something to make this laptop different: a built-in HSDPA 3G modem. Combined with the 802.11g WiFi and 10/100Mbit wired network port, you can get online from pretty much anywhere with this laptop.

The Mini 9 will work with any existing SIM, so you can take advantage of your existing 3G broadband deal. Alternatively, you can buy the Mini 9 on contract from Vodafone. With prices starting at £25 including VAT a month for a free laptop and a 1GB monthly download limit, this is good value compared to the standalone cost of the laptop from Dell along with a separate 3G contract. The only thing to be wary of is that Vodafone ships its laptops with a measly 8GB SSD, compared to the 16GB SSD that comes as standard with Dell's netbook - though Dell ships an 8GB SSD with its Linux version.

One of the criticisms that we've levelled at other netbooks is that they don't feel very tough. Fortunately, this isn't a problem with the Mini 9. It has been well built, and the thick plastic lid means that the screen doesn't flex. We're confident that this laptop can easily survive the rigours of being carried around all day, and its battery life of three-and-a-half hours compares favourably to other netbooks.

The glossy coating on the screen means that colours are bright and vibrant. We were pleased with the image quality, too, as text was sharp and easy to read. Our one complaint is that the screen doesn't fold back very far, so you won't get the best viewing angles if you use it on your lap, and colours will appear faded.

Despite its tough build, the Mini 9 is still light at just over 1kg. The small keyboard is one of the best that we've used on a netbook: the keys are responsive and feel firm. Dell has made the letter keys a decent size by removing the function keys (they're accessible using the Fn key and letter keys from A) and making the punctuation keys thinner. This means that typing is more comfortable, although it's easy to hit the wrong punctuation key.

The touch pad is a little strange. It has no rim at the top, so we kept finding our fingers sliding off the pad on to the keyboard. The buttons are also recessed, which makes them a little uncomfortable to press with a thumb.

Despite a couple of minor little niggles, Dell's Inspiron Mini 9 is a great-value, well-built netbook and the best 8.9in model available. If you want something a little bit bigger, though, Advent's 4211 is a great choice.