Dell Inspiron Mini 1018

Dell Inspiron Mini 1018 review

Dell's Inspiron Mini range has grown over the years from tiny nine-inch models to larger 12-inch ultraportables and finally settled on the 10-inch Inspiron Mini 1018. A well-made and highly usable netbook, it's easy to recommend, but it lacks the flair of some of its rivals. While the default model is black, a choice of pink or red colour schemes are available for an extra £19. The chassis is by far one of the most rugged around and feels extremely tough. As such, it lacks the svelte style of the Asus Eee PC Seashell 1015PE, making it a hardy but slightly bland choice. The rock-solid build quality continues to the user interface, with the keyboard being one of the best we have used. Avoiding the use of the isolation style design seen on the Asus, all keys feel larger and more accessible with the smooth typing action proving flawless. Unfortunately, the tiny touchpad doesn't fare quite as well. Measuring 65 x 30mm, it feels too wide and not nearly deep enough, making it awkward to scroll smoothly across the screen in a single motion. Thankfully, the mouse buttons are large enough to be used more comfortably. The 10.1-inch Super-TFT screen is far more pleasing.