vostro

MacBook Pro declared 'best-performing' Windows laptop

An Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro is the "best-performing" Windows laptop? Yes, says a PC services company that has done "frustration analytics" on some of the best-selling PCs.

The MacBook Pro won out over established PC makers like Dell, Acer, and Lenovo, according to Soluto, which was quick to explain its finding.

A main factor in this machine's metrics is the fact that every Windows installation on it is clean. With PC manufacturers loading so much crapware on new laptops, this is a bit of an unfair competition. But, on the other hand, PC makers should … Read more

New Dell Vostro laptops: Small, cheap, Ivy Bridge

Before there were ultrabooks, we always had a soft spot in our heart for the Vostro, a smartly designed, slim, and surprisingly affordable small-business laptop line from Dell that borrowed some design touches from the long-departed Adamo.… Read more

Dell Vostro V131 review: Slim, affordable, hidden gem of a small-business laptop

Most companies strive to create distinctions between their small-business and consumer laptop lines, sometimes to the point of creating whole new designs that aren't available otherwise. Usually, they're nothing to write home about, but every once in a while one emerges that merits attention from even "regular" consumers.

The Dell Vostro V series has been that way for us for well over a year now. The last model we reviewed, the slim Vostro V130, looked like it might be the perfect slim 13-inch laptop, hiding in the form of a small business computer...except that it … Read more

Hands on with the Dell Vostro V131: A tiny business laptop you just might want to buy

Business laptops are a different breed. Most consumers never see the average business laptop in any store, and business laptops are often created with completely different designs than consumer lines. We don't understand why, especially since companies like Apple don't bother with distinctions, but sometimes a business laptop comes along that's sleek and good enough that most people would want to buy it.

The Dell Vostro V series has been that way for us for well over a year now. These slim ultraportables resemble distant cousins of the Adamo, but start at a fraction of the price. The only catch: the last model we reviewed, the slim Vostro V130, had a battery life that was far too short, and a low-voltage processor that wasn't fast, either.

The new Dell Vostro V131 picks up where the V130 left off, with a nearly identical design, clad in smooth metal and a choice of Silver or a race-car-like Lucerne Red for an extra $30. The V130 weighs 3.6 pounds and has a 13.3-inch screen. It still feels as sturdy and comfortable as the last time we used one. While the touch pad's on the small side, the island-style keyboard is very well-built, and there's plenty of hand and palm room.

But, there's a big difference under the hood: the new Vostros feature full-voltage second-generation Intel processors, matching what's available in most mainstream laptops.… Read more

Do we really need sexed-up business laptops?

We've seen a number of redesigned business laptops lately. "Not your father's business laptop." "A business laptop for the cooler set." Whatever you want to call them, these notebooks are defined by thin profiles, sleek bodies, and features more often seen on "consumer" laptops. In other words, they're trying to be business laptops in disguise.

The ThinkPad X1 and ThinkPad Edge E220s. The Dell Vostro V130. The HP ProBook 5330m. All of them are, in their own way, worth considering for nonbusiness users.

Why, then, call them business laptops?

Hands on with Dell's Inspiron R and Vostro laptops, with new Intel CPUs

Dell has announced the new Vostro 3350 small-business laptop, along with a new Inspiron R laptop with changeable lids. They both feature Intel's new Sandy Bridge Core i-series CPUs, which are finally making their way into laptops in stores. We paid both laptops a visit for a brief look.

The Vostro has always been an intriguing line to us: borrowing the look of the Adamo and some affordable pricing, the industrial-looking compact laptops could be an appealing pick for those gravitating to a laptop like a ThinkPad or an HP ProBook. Intel's new Core i-series CPUs could make … Read more

Hands-on with the new Dell Vostro V130

Last year, the Dell Vostro V13 was an affordable small-business laptop surprise, a thin 13-incher that amounted to an affordable Adamo for budget shoppers. Dell's holiday update, the Vostro V130, keeps the same aluminum and magnesium-alloy flat design as the V13, but gives the innards a boost. We have one here at CNET, and we've been trying it out leading up to a forthcoming review.

The V130, like many Dell laptops, comes in a variety of configurations starting affordable and ranging up to the pricey. Our V130 has a Core i5 ULV processor, which runs about half the … Read more

Dell Vostro 3000 series adds Core i5, i7 processors

It's interesting to see how design can filter down from a high-end brand through a whole series of laptops. While the original Dell Adamo, while eye-catching, was always set at a price above what most humans could pay for it, the small business-targeted Vostro 13 adopted a lot of the Adamo's clean-cut design features and offered up a far more affordable product. Dell's new lineup of Vostro laptops has shifted to similar design to the Vostro 13, but with included optical drives, a thicker chassis, and screen sizes ranging from 13.3 inches up to 17.3. … Read more

Dell makes a business thin-and-light: Latitude 13

While optical drive-free larger-screened thin-and-light laptops are not always ideal for the average consumer, they could be the killer app for business travelers. Dell has formally announced the Latitude 13, described as "the world's thinnest 13-inch commercial client laptop," as a solution for businesses that might want to incorporate a device as thin as a Netbook, but with significantly more processing muscle.

With a look that's nearly identical to the recently-released Vostro 13, the Latitude 13 has a look evolved somewhat from the Adamo school of thin-and-light design, with metallic angles and a clean profile. What … Read more

A cheaper Adamo: Dell Vostro V13 hands on

Today, Dell announced the availability of the Vostro V13, a new addition to its small-business Vostro line of laptops. The big news here is that it's the company's first ULV thin-and-light for the business sector, an area that seems to be a big focus factor in a down economy when lots of small business entrepreneurs are looking for affordable portables. We had the chance for a quick up-close hands-on look at one, and it's definitely an attractive little laptop.

With an industrial design that's heavy on anodized aluminum and borrows a lot of what was eye-catching … Read more