Dell Inspiron Duo convertible netbook gets reviewed

When Dell introduced to the world the Inspiron Duo, its tablet meets netbook device, people were in awe especially because of the screen, which back flips and folds over the keyboard , transforming an ordinary looking netbook into a tablet.

The specs weren’t bad either, as it packs a dual core Intel Atom CPU, 2 GB of RAM, 320 GB HDD and the Broadcom Crystal HD accelerator.

Dell’s extravaganza could have been the bridge between netbooks and tablets, attracting buyers from both sides and maybe charming those still in doubt about what to buy. But is the Inspiron Duo a must buy for any enthusiast with $550 in his pocket? Well, according to Engadget.com’s review, unfortunately is not.

Inspiron Duo's clearly defined back fliping screen

But let’s start with the good stuff. The rotating screen works like a charm. Just push the edge of the screen and it will rotate inside the bezel. When locked in netbook or tablet mode, the screen doesn’t jiggle or something, as the stability is assured by magnets located on the display and the bezel.

But the size is a turn off; yeah, it changes from netbook to tablet in no time, but the 1.03 to 1.13-inch thick / 3.4-pound device is hard to handle and you’ll have to keep it on a table in order to use the capacitive touchscreen. On the sides you don’t get the usual bulk of ports and slots, but only two USB ports and a headphone jack.

The keyboard and touchpad will not cause any upset, as the keyboard has no flex and pressing keys works great, while the touchpad is large enough and supports multitouch (although the reviewed unit struggled with two finger scrolling).

DuoStage interface

The 10.1-inch, 1366×768-resolution display works fine and plays 720p videos at top notch quality…but only if you look at it from certain angles. In horizontal mode, the display offers good image, but vertical angles are virtually unwatchable. And considering that the screen rotates, it’s a big issue that if you hold the screen vertically (especially in tablet mode) you can hardly distinguish what’s being shown on it. Also noticeable is the fact that when changing from a mode to the other, the screen flickers, but that’s common with many tablets running Windows 7.

On the bright side, the touchscreen is very responsive, although it gathers fingerprints in no time. Dell came up with its own software layer “above” Windows 7 Premium, named DuoStage, that launches automatically when in tablet mode. DuoStage allows you to launch multimedia apps for music, videos, pics and some games, located on the HDD or online. Sounds good, except the whole system moves very slow. Apps take up to 30 seconds to launch and scrolling through thumbnails was also a pain.

Audio Dock Station

When using Windows 7 for touch gestures, everything works better than with DuoStage, but that doesn’t mean it’s a smooth walk. But then again, Windows 7 is not primarily designed as a touch based OS. Things get worse as the battery won’t last more than 3 hours if you use it for browsing the web and writing; if you’re playing some videos, it will not hold for more than two and a half hours.

Yes, the Duo Audio Station. An extra $100 for some loud JBL speakers, that don’t deliver top notch sound, a Ethernet jack, media card reader, 2 USB ports and an audio line in socket. The station is designed to be used when the Duo is in tablet mode, but match that with the slow DuoStage and you might get a frustrating experience, but do try it if you’re fan of docking stations.

Video review

Tags: convertible netbook, Dell, docking station, touchscreen

Last updated: March 27, 2012 | Published: December 4th, 2010 | Add the first comment!