Dell Releases New Inspiron 9100 (pics)

Delltoday launched the Dell Inspiron 9100 notebook aimed at providing a mobile solution to demanding on-the-go enthusiasts who wish to unwire from their desktop without sacrificing performance. Customers now can choose a multimedia notebook computer that easily handles digital content creation, video editing and gaming.

The new Dell Inspiron 9100 front-side view

"Our customers tell us that they want a high-performance notebook capable of handling intense applications and complex multimedia functions, including graphics-demanding digital content manipulating capability," said Gretchen Miller, director of notebook marketing, Dell client products. "The Inspiron 9100 is that system."

Dell Inspiron 9100 back-side view

With prices starting at $1,549, the Inspiron 9100 is powered by Intel's Pentium 4 processor starting at 2.8GHz with Hyper-Threading capability to help improve the execution of large workloads, enable faster response times for Internet and e-Business applications and enhance the customer experience. Advanced graphics performance is powered by the ATI MOBILITY(tm) RADEON(tm) 9700 graphics (64MB or optional 128MB) and an eye-opening 15.4-inch wide-screen display. The Inspiron 9100 also features integrated subwoofer sound.

Dell Inspiron 9100 left-side view

A host of software is standard on the Inspiron 9100, including Microsoft XP Home, WordPerfect Productivity Pack, Dell Media Experience, Dell Jukebox, Dell PictureStudio, Dell MovieStudio and Dell Security Center.

With the Inspiron 9100, Dell also introduces its "MAXPerformance" design, a new notebook design providing a spacious, accommodating form factor that is optimized for performance, enabling mobile users to custom-configure a notebook with high-performance processing capability, large capacity, high-speed hard drives, up to 128MB leading-edge video graphics and up to 2GB of 400MHz DDR dual channel memory.

Personalization of the Inspiron 9100 is easy thanks to Dell's QuickSnap(tm) color kits, with five exclusive color options. Customers will have the choice to "color up" with a Red Lava, Graphite Swirl, Bamboo, Burlwood or Venice Blue machine. For more information about Inspiron products, go to www.dell.com/inspiron.

Additional technical information for the Inspiron 9100

-- Choice of Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4: 2.8GHZ, 3.0GHz, 3.2GHz or 3.40GHz

-- 256MB to 2GB DDR Dual channel memory at 400MHz

-- UltraSharp(tm) Wide Aspect Display (15.4-inch) with choice of resolution: WXGA (1280x800), WSXGA+ (1680x1050) or WUXGA (1920x1200)

-- Choice of ATI MOBILITY(tm) RADEON(tm) 9700 128MB or 64MB

-- Integrated 56K(a) v.92 capable modem, 10/100 Ethernet, optional integrated Wi-Fi (802.11b/g or 802.11a/b/g) and Bluetooth capability

-- Choice of modular optical drives: CD-RW/DVD or DVD+RW/+R(b) or modular 40GB hard drive

-- Choice of Hard Drives: 40GB, 60GB or 80GB

-- Ports include four USB 2.0, One DVI, one S-Video Out, one IEEE 1394 port, serial, parallel

-- One PC Card slot

-- 12-cell Lithium Ion battery with integrated subwoofer

-- Optional floppy disk drive

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Brian

 

Is it just me or is that 9100 amazingly thick and pretty close to ugly?

Editor in Chief http://www.bargainPDA.com and http://www.SPOTstop.com

 

It's quite similar in look to the Inspiron XPS, so it's the new Dell look for a desktop replacement. However, it weighs 9.0lbs [:0] and doesn't even have the 17" monitor the HP zd7000 has or Apple Powerbook (both desktop replacement types of notebooks). So where in the hell is all that weight coming from? Oh, the gigantic heavey-duty plastic body, that's where.

 

I would have to agree that this is one of the worst looking laptops that I have seen, bar the XPS. While other notebook makers are following the ibook lead and designing something that is functional and attractive, dell seems to be going for the huge and ugly form factor. Perhaps thats what people want?????
I'm perplexed!!!
a

 

While a lot of people may want tiny, good looking, powerfull and very expensive machines or tiny, good looking useless cheep machines, I believe that there are thousands out there who want a powerfull feature rich machine with a great display that they can easily lug from the home office to the living room or at worst from home to the office (using a car).
We want to do real work on the machine and don't give a dam what it looks like as long as the work we do on it looks good. Also seeing as we are not sales people or others who travel by air a lot we don't care about weight. Hell I couldn't care if it was 20 pounds as long as it was cheep and portable. I rarely go hiking with my notebook!

 

Im with Dennis. I was surprised to see such immediate negative comments regarding the way the machine "looked". How about how it performs??? I am in the market for a new laptop to replace my 6 year old gateway and I want something with speed and power. Ive been considering so far the HPzd7000, the GAteway 6xx and Dells biggest before this and more recently the XPS. But none of those are proving to be the perfect machine for me (considering little details and the XPS just being too pricey). This new Dell is looking closer to it and for what appears to be a good price for what you get. I too never use my laptop on a plane. I use my laptop daily enough and work on another computer editing all day at work that the little I fly, its kind of nice to have a break from it. Im not looking for what I can put in my lap. I dont need paper thin if that means its going to perform inferior to a desktop. I want as close to a desktop as I can get but in portable form.
Can someone here tell me why this is so inferior to the HP?. Id like to know cause it seems better and to me the HP looks cheap in frame like it will break easily. Like I said Ive had a 9 pounder for 6 years and one of the only major wear was the case cracking from me picking it up every day more than once for 6 years. I would LIKE a nice strong plastic case holding those electronics.
If someone wants to tell me why the other dell or the HP or the GAteway big laptops are better, Id like to know cause Im still undecided but this one now looks the most attractive considering price, performance, and portability.
I plan to get a backpack for it so that is making me think 17" is not needed and the 15.4 is fine.

dave

 

I found the 15.4 is plenty big enough. I purchased the hpzx5000 a month ago and used it on a plane and it traveled very well.To let you know i spent alot of time and effort on my search (including Dell) and choose the zx5000.At hpshopping.com they were very helpfull on building my laptop.<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Sequoia225

 

It all boils down too what you use it for on a day to day basis.....Bigger is not always better....i do agree about the screen resolution.<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by HermosaBeach

 

I really impressed with the Dell 9100. For just over $3K, I get a fully loaded laptop with 1920x1200, ATI 9700 Pro 128 MB, 60 GB 7200 RPM HD, 1 GB RAM, 3.2 GHz P4, 802.11 a/b/g, Bluetooth, DVI port at the back for second LCD display while at work, etc.

I'm not crazy about the looks (they suck). I would rather have a laptop have the same specs as above, but be thin and light. But performance is king, and looks and wieght come a far distant second and third. Actually, I would also prefer the display to be larger, like 17", but at the 1920x1200 resolution. I have no idea why people get laptops with larger screens but less resolution. Go figures, you see less and it takes up more space.

The HP zx5000 only comes with an ATI 9600 64 MB.

The Dell XPS seems to offer similar specs but for $1K more

The HP zd700 comes with 15.4" WVA WXGA (1280x800) or 17.0" WVA WXGA+ (1440x900) - both of these options suck - at least for me. See comments on 1600x1200 minimum resolution required.

I have been using 1600x1200 on my laptop for three years now. 1600x1200 is now my minimum working resolution. Going back to 1440x900, or 1200x1024 or what-ever, ain't gonna happen

Dave

 

Thanks for the info Dave!!
Upon further research heres the monitor comparison.

HP (as stated above)

15.4 1280x800
17.0 1440x900
Hard drive max 5400

Dell

15.4 XGA 1280x800
SXGA 1680X1050
UXGA 1920X1200
Hard drive max 7200

And we know the Dells video card is better by a little right?

So this is looking like the better machine to me for performance without the XPS price.
Again, if anyone thinks the Dell 9600, HP 7000, Gateway 675 or the big toshiba is better than this machine (9100)
please let me know cause so far this is what Im leaning towards.

dave

 

I am considering the dell, my only complaint is that it doesn't have a full size keyboard like the others.

 

In an unfortunate accident this past weekend, my laptop was damaged by a minor flood in the house where i was staying. Since my now drowned laptop was a dell inspiron 8200 and i loved it, i went back to the dell website to look for a replacement. To my elation i saw the new 9100 and the amazing performance capabilities it had. I've already ordered a 9100 and can't wait till it arrives.
I am a college student and would have to kill myself if i didn't have a laptop to bring with me to do the many tasks required by students these days, whether its bringing it to the library to study, work on a class project away from home, or even go hook up and play some games or watch a movie [ ] With all the talk about the weight and ugliness, neither of those features is king to performance. As far as being cutting edge and posessing desktop capabilities i have yet to find the combination of those and price, to equal the impressive laptop dell has just unveiled.

 

The 9100 is priced similarly to the XPS when configured with similar options (on Dell Canada). The 9100 uses the P4 Prescott processor, which has 1MB of L2 cache. Either laptop is a good value, considering it's performance.

However, I ordered an Inspiron 8600, with P-M 1.7, 154." SXGA+, 128MB ATI Mobility 9600 Pro Turbo (not sure what the Turbo refers to), 60 GB 7200RPM, 512 MB RAM, TrueMobile 1300 wireless. From what I have read about the processors, this laptop should have comparable performance in a package that is lighter and more attractive. I priced all 3 mentioned laptops and they were within $100 of each other with the options I wanted. I might've choosen the XPS, but didn't want the UXGA screen. Reading text on the internet would be too hard on the eyes.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by playadru182

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Slat

 

No the N series does not off any of those except the 3-year. I'm not sure those specs are really needed though or worth paying a premium for.

Editor in Chief http://www.bargainPDA.com and http://www.SPOTstop.com

 

I've just order a Dell 9100 after looking around for a desktop replacement for a couple of weeks. The Mobilty 9700 graphics and 800FSB/400Mhz DDR sold it for me. I'm not bothered about looks, weight etc. I just need a machine I can throw in the car a couple of times a week depending on where I'm based.

Just to confirm, the processor is a "P4 3.2Ghz HT 800FSB 512KB cache (NOR)" so it seems they're usuing Northwoods instead of Prescotts. I say so thankfully as I'm sure the Northwood will run pretty hot and the Prescotts are a lot hotter.

From the research I did there are three levels of Radeon Mobility 9600 accredation depending on implentation of the system. In increasing order of performance.
9600
9600 Pro
9600 Pro Turbo

Simple really.

12 working day build times suck!

Ant



<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by babber

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>like it will break easily. Like I said Ive had a 9 pounder for 6 years and one of the only major wear was the case cracking from me picking it up every day more than once for 6 years. I would LIKE a nice strong plastic case holding those electronics.
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

I just got the HP ze4610 last week. Its about 7.3lbs and feels very sturdy. A few days later I was setting up DSL on a hp nc4000 and it felt very fragile. But it was really light The specs say 3.5lbs but I can not even see how it weighed that. I'd rather have a machine that does not fall apart. Its portable because of its size. I don't mind if it was 20lbs. But I would mind if it was 2.5lbs but too big for me to get my arms around.

Eric

 

Ant, Actually 12 day build time is awesome for high end systems. I just ordered the M:860 from Voodoo (custom paint job [8D] but the build time could be 30 days or more[xx(]
http://www.voodoopc.com/systems/m860.aspx
I originally wanted the dell xps but I couldn't get over the look of it and the fact that it doesn't have the dual format dvd burner, really a must these days as most DVD players only play one format.
When I first discovered the Voodoo I originally ordered the M:780 which is a total powerhouse of a computer P4 3.4 EE and RAID 0 with dual 7200 60gig drives and an ATI 9700 w/256 MB. That machine is 40% faster than the XPS but the battery life is non existent
. Thats why I switched to M:870 with the 64 bit AMD 3400+, ATI 9700 w/128mb, I figure
it will still play great games awesome and have up to 3 hours battery life oh yeah and the dual format dvd burner[ ].
<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by decto

 

i can't believe it, i just checked on my 9100 status and it says its been shipped. we'll see how long it takes now!

 

I agree with pumaro, for the price I would much prefer a voodoo M860!
Just had a quick look/price comparison and a similarly spec'ed (bar CPU) M860 vs a XPS. They both come in at around the same price ~high 3K's (see below).
I know that if I was spending this much money I would want the best machine in every catagory. That includes performance & looks & lower weight.
Here the voodoo wins hands down! And for all those who wanted a 17" take a look at the M780!
[ ]
a


Here is the comparison!
XPS
$3,896
Pentium®4 w/HT Technology 3.2GHz Extreme Edition,15.4 WUXGA
Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional Dell Recommended
1GB Dual Channel DDR SDRAM at 400MHz Dell Recommended
128MB ATI™ Mobility Radeon™ 9700
4x CD/DVD burner (DVD+RW/+R) Upgrade! (from Combo Drive)
80GB Ultra ATA Hard Drive [add $99 or $3/month1] Dell Recommended
Dell TrueMobile™ 1400 Internal Wireless (802.11a/b/g, 54Mbps)
Year Limited Warranty plus 1 Year Mail-In Service

And the Voodoo M860
$3,832.95
AMD 64 3400+
1Gb DDR 333 LL RAM kit
128 Mb ATI 9700
DVD dual format Burner
80Gb 5400rpm HDD
Envy G wireless
XP pro
N.american air insur. shipping
1 year Warranty

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Underpantman