The launch of the MacBook Air notebook in India a few days ago seems to have spurred competing manufacturers to come out with their share of relatively thin computers. Toshiba launched the Android-drive AC100 not too long after the arrival of the Air, and now Dell has joined the slim notebook party with its Vostro V130 notebooks. It claims to be one of the most slim 13 inch screen notebooks, being 0.65 inches at its thinnest point and 0.78 inches at its thickest, looks good in its aluminum and zinc casing, and packs in some impressive specs as well.
Users can choose between Intel’s ULV i5, i3 and Celeron processors, get up to 4GB RAM, opt between 320GB and 500 GB hard drives (nope, no flash memory here, folks) and can also choose their flavor of Windows 7. The notebook comes with a 13.3 inch diagonal LED-backlit HD (1366 x 768) display, but the graphics will be powered by Intel’s on board Gaphics Media Accelerator, which means that this baby is going to struggle with games. However, it does pack in a lot of connectivity options – there are 2 USB ports, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, VGA video connector, HDMI port, and 5-in-1 card reader. And of course, there is the little matter of the price – the Vostro V130 notebooks start at Rs 36,990, which is a far cry from the Rs 60,990 tag of the new MacBook Air.
So is this a potential MacBook Air slayer? To be honest, we think not. Yes, it does have more connectivity options, but then the MacBook Air does score in terms of those NVIDIA on board graphics which are among the best we have seen on a computer without a distinct graphics card. And then again, the low price tag of the Vostro V130 will apply to the lower configurations, which might well mean that Celeron processor and lower RAM while even the most undercooked Air has a Core 2 Duo processor. The MacBook Air’s flash storage will also score in terms of performance, if not in those of sheer storage space. Finally, for all the slimness and good looks of the Vostro, it really ain’t a patch on the MacBook Air in either department.
On the flip side, even with the higher processor options (say, the i7) and maxed out 4GB RAM, the Vostro V130 is still likely to cost lesser than the most expensive MacBook Air. So if you are not exactly crazy about breakneck start and shutdown times, feel more at home with Windows 7, and want a super sleek notebook that you can flaunt, the Vostro V130 looks a very good option indeed.
The Vostro V130 and the Macbook air are actually not even comparable. They are made for different audiences. The vostro V130 is for entrepreneurs for whom graphics are least of the concern! So, i do not agree with ur reference that since the Mac Air has an NVIDIA graphics card which makes it hav an advantage over the V130. What you’ve done is compare apples to oranges!
Hmm…well, I think the V130 is very clearly influenced if not inspired by the MacBook Air. And I feel (I could be wrong) that a lot of people looking for slim, good-looking notebooks who find the Air too expensive might consider the V130. Hence the references to the Air. And the MacBook Air does NOT have a graphics card but very good onboard graphics. As to graphics being of the least concern to an entrepreneur, hmm…I have seen a lot of them being influenced by them, but then again I could be wrong. Finally, apples CAN be compared to oranges – they are both fruits, they both have a certain nutrition content, they both grow on trees, they both grow in similar seasons and regions. The same applies for the Air and the V130 – they are both very light, slim and portable notebooks and my comparison has been on these grounds mainly, stressing that Dell has some features that the Air does not and vice versa.