Dell intros new low-cost ultrathin, Vostro V13

[Matthew DeCarlo]

Dell has introduced a new low-cost ultrathin notebook, the Vostro V13. The system closely resembles Dell's recently released flagship Adamo, except it's lighter and a grand cheaper. The Vostro V13 is about 0.65in thin, weighs 3.5lbs and starts at $449 with Ubuntu 9.04 or $599 with Windows 7 Home Premium.

Specifications are very fair for the price, with the base Linux model featuring a Celeron M ULV 743, 2GB of DDR3 1066MHz RAM, Intel GMA 4500MHD, a 250GB 5400RPM HDD, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and a six-cell battery. The $599 Windows 7 configuration upgrades that to a Core 2 Solo SU3500, a 320GB 7200RPM HDD, and a 1.3 megapixel webcam with digital mic.

An extra $50 will net you a Core 2 Duo SU7300-powered system. Other upgrades include 4GB of RAM, a 500GB HDD, and a USB DVD drive. All of the systems are available for purchase now, but have a preliminary ship date of January 12 -- over a month away.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/37253-dell-intros-new-low-cost-ultrathin-vostro-v13.html

 

[compdata]

More blur in the netbook/notebook boundary. Looks decent though for the price. I would be more likely to get this then one of the netbooks (mainly because my ipod touch does the ultra mobile computing part well enough for me)

 

[dummybait]

yeah not bad for the price.. nw they need to make a slot-load cd/dvd drive that will fit this form factor!

 

[levar]

nice specs! Love how thin it is
I'd probably go with the Ubuntu version I already have Windows 7
And why are they shipping em' out with Ubuntu 9.04 why not 9.10, I had a couple issues when I upgraded from 9.04 - 9.10 though its probably been sorted by now.

 

[treeski]

This thing looks pretty sweet to me. Why is it only listed under the business side of the Dell computers? I would assume that a super thin laptop like this would appeal to a lot of home users...

 

[Guest]

jan 12th;it's my birthday

 

[lfg18]

It looks very nice, the hardware is not impressive but the weight and size is, I'm bond to performance not to design so maybe i would opt for a more powerful computer, but it would be a very good choice if you travel a lot

 

[ken777]

It looks pretty awesome for a low cost computer. Not positive from looking at the specs and pictures, but it doesn't look like the battery is removable. The batteries on my previous Dell laptops have always died after about 18 months.

 

[jgvmx]

The Ubuntu deal is stepping quite deep on the "atombook" price range and the Windows 7 model it's also a very nice deal. The design is very elegant, perfect for the travelling bussinessman.

 

[MaXtor]

I will never buy a Dell laptop again. The motherboards have a chip built in to recognize the power adapter to ensure you're using theirs. After regular use for several months it starts to fail recognizing the Dell adapter which in turn results in it refusing to charge your battery. I will never buy a Dell laptop again.

 

[Rick]

I'm aware of the mysterious '2nd voltage' in Dell power supplies, but I can tell you that I've never had an issue charging any Dell laptop with a universal.

If you can't charge your battery, it should be because your power supply is bad. I won't rule out that Dell has started doing this with their newest laptops (Companies tend to be evil) -- BUT -- I've charged plenty of XPS, Vostro, Inspiron and Latitude laptops (Most less than 2 years old) with no issues.

 

[Guest]

**************
I talked to chat support and the lady i chatted with said that it is not a preorder, they will be built and shipped within 15 business days of purchase. this is on the dell canada site, dont know if the US is different but i doubt it.
**************

 

[Matthew DeCarlo]

Thanks for the heads up, Guest. Availability may be different for Canadian customers, but on the US product page (choose one of the systems and look for red text on the right) it states a preliminary ship date of 1/13.

 

[Guest]

woah, we got something first for once? awesome lol

 

[Guest]

It is pretty plain to see that Dell is using the old "Good/Better/Best" imaging pioneered by Sears, Roebuck, & Co in the late 1940s and 50s for their catalog sales. Ubuntu is being squarely positioned as the J.C.Higgins of personal computers. Do you want the bottom of the line model that is usually the fate of the loser who never quite gets to first base? Buy the Base Package with no options available and the Ubuntu OS that is said to be OK for those with nothing but "the most essential needs". Are you a winner or at least a strong player? Well move up to the Productivity Package or, if you dare, the Performance Package and show the world your marks of success.

 

[Guest]

^ that's hilarious