Digital Home Thoughts - News & Reviews for the Digital Home

When I hear the words "Dell Vostro", I think big, bulky, corporate laptops devoid of anything resembling nice design. A Dell Vostro I ordered in 2008 bore that out; it was cheap-feeling, heavy, and ugly. When I saw the Vostro V13, my jaw dropped: it had an Adamo-like design, and even more surprising, a Vostro-like price. This is a very compelling product that's worth a serious look by anyone seeking a thin and light general productivity laptop. Read more...

"What if you took an original Adamo, shaved a couple pounds off the weight and a grand off the price? You'd end up with something pretty close to the new Dell Vostro V13. We just got a quick look at the machine, and while some of the cheaper materials Dell is using here certainly came through, the total package is still quite impressive -- and the price unimpeachable."

The Dell Adamo must be one of Dell's "halo" products, because with the release of Vostro V13, I think you would be hard pressed to pay the premium that the Adamo commands. Sure, the Vostro V13 is not quite as powerful, but it has plenty of juice for your everyday tasks. Thin is definitely in, and almost every manufacturer now has a laptop that will fit in a manila envelope. What is most remarkable is the base price for the V13, which sits it right in the high end netbook territory. With reasonably powered laptops with this kind of design this cheap, are the netbook's days numbered?