Suggestions... I'd like to see your take on the Lenovo X120e.
As far as testing... I've used a Dell Mini 9 since it came out. I'm not a gamer, and find the Mini 9 to be adequate for basic office functions when using Open/Libre Office and an external keyboard. However, the system bogs down when the going gets tough and I'm running several apps at a time. Mostly, I want to know that a system can handle a large work load (word processing, spreadsheets, browser w/several tabs open, etc., etc.) and still be responsive without running out of RAM or paging like crazy. How about a RAM recommendation? Yes more RAM=better, but with budget systems sometimes more=just too much $ - particularly now since Fusion isn't limited to a paltry 2GB of RAM.
I've always wondered how intrusive Office's large ribbon bar would be on a limited netbook display.
While the quantitative display metrics are all well and good, they don't do a good job of describing what I'll think about a display, and whether I will end up liking it or not. I really like the Mini 9's (glossy) display, but honestly I could not tell you how my home desktop's display or my office monitor would compare to the Mini 9's display; they're both in that fuzzy area of 'good enough'. The difference is that unlike you, I don't look critically at 10 different displays a week, so I have little appreciation of what a 'black level' means to me. And frankly whenever you mention 'nits', Rid - a head lice medication - is what comes to mind.
Keyboard layout and feel are also worth a paragraph or so. For example, looking at the picture of the dm1z's keyboard I could not find the page up/page down keys. I assume they're there. Are they a hassle to use?
I'm also curious about the state of Linux compatibility with Fusion - a trial install of Linux would be appreciated.
I'd also be curious about the impact of replacing the HD with an inexpensive SSD in these systems; how much would a modest (price-appropriate) SSD impact performance and battery life?
Gaming... Not so much. Maybe you could equate a laptop's processor and graphics capability back to a year when that much horsepower was available in a good desktop gaming system. Would that date be a good predictor of whether a system could handle a given game?
-- Bill
As far as testing... I've used a Dell Mini 9 since it came out. I'm not a gamer, and find the Mini 9 to be adequate for basic office functions when using Open/Libre Office and an external keyboard. However, the system bogs down when the going gets tough and I'm running several apps at a time. Mostly, I want to know that a system can handle a large work load (word processing, spreadsheets, browser w/several tabs open, etc., etc.) and still be responsive without running out of RAM or paging like crazy. How about a RAM recommendation? Yes more RAM=better, but with budget systems sometimes more=just too much $ - particularly now since Fusion isn't limited to a paltry 2GB of RAM.
I've always wondered how intrusive Office's large ribbon bar would be on a limited netbook display.
While the quantitative display metrics are all well and good, they don't do a good job of describing what I'll think about a display, and whether I will end up liking it or not. I really like the Mini 9's (glossy) display, but honestly I could not tell you how my home desktop's display or my office monitor would compare to the Mini 9's display; they're both in that fuzzy area of 'good enough'. The difference is that unlike you, I don't look critically at 10 different displays a week, so I have little appreciation of what a 'black level' means to me. And frankly whenever you mention 'nits', Rid - a head lice medication - is what comes to mind.
Keyboard layout and feel are also worth a paragraph or so. For example, looking at the picture of the dm1z's keyboard I could not find the page up/page down keys. I assume they're there. Are they a hassle to use?
I'm also curious about the state of Linux compatibility with Fusion - a trial install of Linux would be appreciated.
I'd also be curious about the impact of replacing the HD with an inexpensive SSD in these systems; how much would a modest (price-appropriate) SSD impact performance and battery life?
Gaming... Not so much. Maybe you could equate a laptop's processor and graphics capability back to a year when that much horsepower was available in a good desktop gaming system. Would that date be a good predictor of whether a system could handle a given game?
-- Bill
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