Dell unveiled a new version of its Inspiron 11 3000 Series notebook at CES, and now it’s available for purchase for $200.
The laptop features entry-level specs to go along with its entry-level price: it features 2GB of RAM, 32GB of eMMC storage, and an Intel Celeron N3050 Braswell processor.
The notebook features a fanless design and a matte 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display.
Other features include dual-band 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, a 32 Wh battery, a microSD card reader, one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 port, and an HDMI 1.4a port. The laptop ships with Windows 10 64-bit software.
Dell also plans to offer models with up to 4GB of RAM, up to 500GB of hard drive storage, and up to an Intel Pentium N3700 processor in the future, but I haven’t seen any options to buy models with those specs yet.
The new Dell Inspiron 11 3000 Series notebook measures about 0.8 inches thick and weighs about 2.7 pounds. It’s available in blue, white, or red.
I wonder if the reason for the Fisher-Price colour scheme is to dissuade cheapo buyers like me from buying it, and keeping it geared towards kids and students?
It very well could be to deter business users and other professionals, who presumably could pay more, from buying them.
I bet it hobbles you wit 64-bit Windows 10 that runs too slow with a lousy 2GB of RAM and no way to upgrade, no 32-bit Windows drivers, and likely no Linux compatible drivers (yeah YOU Broadcom Scum). And then there’s the specter of the ever more common locked-down UEFI BIOS. This is the Lenovo & ASUS playbook these days, and it seems Dell is following suit. I am trying to buy a new low-end laptop to replace a an essentially useless Brand New Lenovo S20-30 11.6″ laptop that is crippled this way, and I am seeing more and more machines crippled in exactly the same way. Buyer beware.
No problems with 64-bit windows on my 2GB Transformer Book. I was worried it would be an issue, but haven’t noticed any issues in practice compared to 32-bit windows on my earlier model.
How much time did you invest in removing bloatware?
I tried Win10 64-bit on a new 11.6″ Lenovo Pentium S20-30 laptop that is crippled with 2GB SDRAM you can’t upgrade, and no 32-bit drivers available (Lenovo bastards). It ran and I could do simple things, but a lot of the applications I use were struggling and the HDD was constantly thrashing as it tried to handle the cache. A solid-state drive might help speed it up, but relying on your mass storage to act as a crutch because you don’t have enough system RAM is a bad idea.
That type of Bios does have some disadvantages, but the average user is only likely to notice that it boots extremely fast.
You were cheering for this computer line two weeks ago. Perhaps this model isn’t for you?
Yeah, big let down so far. Can’t find drivers and 32/64-bit compatibility info. I sent Dell an Email but no reply yet. I’m really keen on the matte display. Very hard to find these days.
Why do they keep making these under powered units? It’s only good for grandma or the kids. I agree the stupid color is a great way to keep serious buyers from trying this laptop. 2GB RAM/32GB eMMC this is useless.
Because people keep buying them?
Actually these days it’s things like games and Facebook that seem to need lots of RAM, whilst things like programming don’t require this. Which is the serious use?
Facebook requires a lot of ram?
Facebook is an expensive client, indeed. Huge numbers of async calls going, video auto-starting. Try profiling it using chrome dev tools — it’s an enlightening experience.
I’ll ask you the same question–have you even used one of these type devices? They are adequate for a lot of uses for a lot of people.
Dude, your comments indicate you operate from just reading spec sheets, not actual usage. These Win10 systems come out of box so filled with bloat that the 2GB is quickly overwhelmed and performance is just awful. The overall user experience is frustrating.
Dude, my comments indicate I own a slightly inferior model. But in any case, with Windows 10 you can keep the bloat from loading at startup. And to respond to your response to someone else, dealing with that does not take a lot of time (at least for one machine).
Not sure I agree it’s like a low end phone. Even the older bay trail models boot in 10-20s compared to over a minute for my Nexus 6. Windows 10 runs fine on these machines. I have a high end laptop too, but that’s for things like playing PC games and running virtual machines. I wonder if people complaining have actually used these machines, and I’m curious to know what’s better for the price.
Yes, at 2/32 (or 2/16) Chromebooks perform better (though not great compared to 4 GB RAM when many tabs are up). As per my other comment, we regularly test this class of hardware for deployments in schools.
Have you even used a similar device? They are surprisingly fast, based on the Asus device I own. Obviously they can browse and send email, but they can also run Office applications too.
Moore’s law has performance double every 18 months. Unlike early versions of Windows, the past 3-4 versions of Windows have not required more powerful hardware for adequate performance–some even improved performance. That’s a lot of doubling of performance, meaning low end CPUs are now adequate for most uses.
We regularly test a wide variety of devices, from low-end to high-end, for large-scale deployments. These 2GB windows systems running on Bay Trail show terrible usability and performance behavior compared to even identical hardware running Chrome OS.
Another aspect of these computers to consider is the ergonomics of the screens (reflections, viewing angles), and, for Dell (lately) and Acer devices, the unusable trackpads.
Yes, we found that the HPs are marginally better built than Acers and Dells.
stupid, why cant they give it a full hd screen?
Don’t know about that, but they might have needed a drink and a shower after this exercise in “design”.
It’s such a shame there is only one model of laptop out there.
Refurbished Toshiba Chromebook 2. You left out long battery life: its got that, too (ten hours or so). If you must have new, I got mine at Best Buy for $249.
I suppose i also forgot to say WINDOWS, not linux or chrome.
OK, there is no such Windows machine, and apparently won’t be for a long time, given the latest example of Wintel’s intransigence.
I bought the nvidia shield tablet. I know it isn’t windows haha? i was just disappointed to see dell release a laptop thats exactly the same as the ones asus and hp released over a year ago, i think they could have squeezed an hd screen and still kept it at 200, thats all.
Oh, and the Toshiba has 4gb ram.
But not enough storage to practically install a Windows virtual machine (have run Windows from an sd card, though; not worth doing).
The sticker on the bottom says Toshiba CB35‑B3340 Chromebook 2.
Some research and patience needed to get it at a good price.
Not at this price-point (yet), I can live with the resolution. The KEY here is the screen is reported to be half-decent, AND IT is MATTE, not shiny glare-inducing reflective.
I think some people in the comments need to look up the term “market segmentation”.
You need to look up the terms Collusion, Bait & Switch, and Gouging.
Did you just pick four random words? I might give you bait & switch, given it’s Dell, but this is probably the one Dell computer that you can go and buy and not end up paying way more because of add-ons than you thought you would. Not sure who you think they are colluding with by giving people some small, efficient low end notebooks, that presumably have long battery life. And $200 is the going list price for such devices, although they’re often available for less.
And the Yugo was a perfect adequate car, too. Not for me, of course, but I’m sure it’d be a perfectly good car for somebody, after all, it had four wheels and rolled.
And everybody’s making too much of the water in Flint; where do the poor get the idea they should have lead free water? The Roman drank water with lead in it for years, never hurt them.
Another thing; the imaginary people who could find a use for this don’t have enough tech savvy to not lock it up all the time. Including grandma and little kids.
WRONG, I cite the Horrible Lenovo 11.6″ laptops with 64-bit Windows drivers ONLY, 2GB RAM, Linux Incompatible without Severe work on the EFI Bios JAIL, on and on and on. But the machines are actually MARKETED to be useful. Enough additional “terms” for you Kary? Wake Up!
My problem wasn’t with the number of words you used, it was that the words you used didn’t apply. Do you know what collusion means? Bait and switch? Gouging? None of that has any application to the netbook at issue.
Is that a full size HDMI port? If so, that’s a nice upgrade over the similar Asus units.
LOL at the folks ripping a $200. Oh it needs this and should have that. Is it called elitist? Not sure. It sure represents a tiny tiny fraction of the consumers though. You have to know where you stand in the scheme of things. Or not. If not, then keep ripping that new $200 laptop expecting it to be this and that. I will continue to LOL.
They’re never killing Chromebooks with hideous underspeced garbage like that. As proven by the disgraceful HP Stream. Making these in embarrassing colors appears to be some sort of licensing requirement. They’re accumulating a of badwill with these degrading offerings.
Incidentally, saw a shattered HP Stream at a store once; found the craptacular construction hilarious. The only thing Wintel’s clown colored cheapos are good for; smashing.
It’s not a matter of preference when there is no choice. The color finishes probably cost more than simple black or gray dye, and can’t be excused as “corner cutting”. Notice they reserve these screaming colors as identifiers for their absolute rock bottom of the barrel machines, suitable for little children, old people, and the unemployed. Would you really install your one and only $150 non-transferable install of Microsoft Office on one of these? (Sure, you might install an older version of Office, but you’ll find you’re running into more and more docs that won’t work.) If not, the only reason to get one of these (instead of a Chromebook) is that it prints to traditional printers.
A search at Best Buy failed to turn up any gray, either.
While you’re looking for the gray version, might want to find me a well specced or reviewed machine in these colors, and any indication that they sell. I think you’re making that up, also.
Thanks for finding the gray version, the list price of which is two and a half times that of the inexpensive ones with the garish colors. Confirms what I’ve been saying about the colors, right? Your other two listings are from Groupon, which, being polite this time, don”t count.
I disagree. I think the price of the gray model is more about market segmentation. Why pay $350 for a basic laptop if you can get one for $200 that meets your needs. 4GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage is a considerable bump in usability.
And yet you can’t get the identical lower priced model in the same color. You keep suggesting that the colors and the prices have nothing to do with each other, but there it is.
You can get the Aspire R 11 in blue, orange, and white. The bright colors don’t cost any more or any less that the white version.
The fact the HP, and other manufacturers offer better models with colored bodies indicates that some people like the colors. Offering options costs extra money, it’s cheaper to mass produce items in the same color. HP wouldn’t offer the colored models if they weren’t selling. The fact that the colored options exist highly suggests that some people are buying them. Otherwise, they would just offer them in gray or black and save some money.
I accept the fact that you only like laptops in black or gray. Why is it so hard for you to accept that some people might like their laptops in other color?
What you like and what is socially acceptable is two different things.
Costanza may have liked eating that eclair from the garbage can, but it wasn’t socially acceptable.
I suppose under the right circumstances it might be acceptable, but generally, your chances of employment will be better with a less garish machine. But its a fine machine for people who don’t care if they ever have a job or go out on a date again.
As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I have no problem with either eating from a garbage can or getting a computer from a garbage can per se.
I do have have problem with using a computer that’s designed to make me look juvenile/senile/unemployable.
And yeah, I am glad that other companies have not followed HP’s lead and have more dignified offerings at their bottom end. So, HP’s ploy has (fortunately) failed.
HP used to have a blue Stream desktop under $200 (the non-blue cost much more); I didn’t mind that because it was small and wouldn’t be seen outside the house. Ordered it directly from HP the second it came out, and guess what? They cancelled my order. And, presently, they no longer offer the cheap blue Stream desktop.
Libre Office works on Chromebooks (with Crouton). Crouton’s easy and fun (except printing’s a pain).
But Libre Office has (wish it were different) poor compatibility with MS Office. Basically, won’t work with a lot of employer mandated forms.
WPS Office (by Kingsoft) does a much better job, but its from China, and I’m not sure even it could work with all the latest MS Word weirdness employers love to put in their forms.
Basically, everybody’s got to have at least one Windows machine with a recent copy of MS Word on it.
I put a non-transferable one and only copy of MS Office 2010 on my Asus X205. It works, I intend to keep it a long time, and I can take it to professional places hobnobbing with fellow professionals without looking like I just stepped off a clown car.
Kids reject a machine like this due to its inability to play decent games. Only game I play is Spider Solitaire, so not an issue for me. Besides MS Office (and occasionally support for an oddball device), the universe of exclusively Windows apps that run decently on a machine like this is a vast wasteland. Whatever light useful apps Windows has, Linux has something better. You’d be nuts to put Photoshop on that thing, but it’ll run Gimp just fine; fortunately, Linux types decided to put out a Windows version. Etc, etc.
Don’t know about you, but I use my machines much longer than a year or two (my main machine is an Acer Extensa 5420 with Ubuntu on it). And, when I get a new machine its not because its shattered; its because something better is available at a good price. I reject the idea that we should be replacing breakable garbage with roughly equivalent breakable garbage every year or two.
I reject the idea that these small laptops are garbage. If you need something for some light web usage, they work well. I’ve had mine for almost a year and it looks and works just as well as it did when I bought it. I take care for my tech. I’ll probably last a few years if I don’t butterfingers it into oblivion.
George Louis Costanza: No, no, no. It was not trash.
Jerry Seinfeld: Was it in the trash?
Jerry Seinfeld: Then it was trash.
George Louis Costanza: It wasn’t down in. It was sort of on top.
Jerry Seinfeld: But it was in the cylinder.
George Louis Costanza: Above the rim.
Jerry Seinfeld: Adjacent to refuse is refuse.
George Louis Costanza: It was on a magazine, and it still had the doily on.
Jerry Seinfeld: Was it eaten?
George Louis Costanza: One little bite.
Jerry Seinfeld: Well, that’s garbage.
George Louis Costanza: But I know who took the bite. It was her aunt.
Jerry Seinfeld: You, my friend, have crossed the line that divides man and bum. You are now a bum.
I don’t see the point you’re trying to make here. I didn’t get my laptop out of a garbage bin, I bought it online. Just because these little laptops don’t meet your needs, doesn’t mean they can’t meet other people’s needs. Calling something garbage just because it isn’t up to your standards is merely your opinion.
I, on the other hand, HAVE gotten a computer out of a garbage bin and used it for many years (not because I couldn’t afford a new computer, but because my wife wouldn’t let me buy one – hopefully she learned to let me buy new computers).
I also reject the “stolen” argument. I have never had a laptop stolen, and I’m not particularly careful. I’ve never used one of those cable locks, but I don’t just leave a laptop laying around in public, either. Nobody should be careless enough to get their machine stolen; more important than losing the machine, there’s the little matter of your personal data. Besides which, what crazy thief is going to steal one of these garish cheap machines?
The stats on the percentage of laptops stolen is rather shocking. I don’t remember what it is, but it’s something approaching 50% as I recall. I would have guessed something like 5-10%.
Kensington claimed at one point that 10% of all laptops will be stolen EVENTUALLY (http://readwrite.com/2012/02/1…. I think its safe to assume that the vast majority of these were higher end things like MacBooks or Ultrabooks, and the owners/handlers were careless. Nobody in my family has had a laptop stolen. Several stolen bikes, yes. One particularly craptacular bike was abandoned and recovered, unfortunately. Saw an episode of Seinfeld last night where a thief wouldn’t steal his smelly car, either. Think I saw a video once where burglars were stealing everything except the Zune on a desktop (which actually was a pretty good device, just not popular). Moral being, don’t expect thieves to rescue you from bad purchase decisions.
This one says that 10% will be stolen within the first 12 months. I was remembering a lifetime stat. People are stupid and leave their laptops places they shouldn’t, and it’s easy to carry them off.
I must not know any stupid people. I have several kids who have gone through undergrad; I’ve provided many laptops, but never because any of them were stolen; it was always because they claimed they needed something better. They’re in a pile in the basement. I don’t believe any of these stats, which appear to have been cooked up by people with something to sell. “Lies, damned lies, and statistics”.
I’m with you on the values of a very cheap device.
1) Yes, windows has improved performance on marginal hardware, but it’s stil too heavy compared to lightweight OSs like Chrome OS.
2) The “kids and grandmas” argument doesn’t fly because of all the bloatware that these ship with. Yes, one can spend a few hours painfully removing all the software crap and the stickers, but that’s not something that grandmas and kids are good at doing. After 30 days, when all the “free” accounts lapse, these computers become hilariously impossible.
Incidentally, I’m tying this on an HP Chromebook 14 2015 edition — Bay Trail 4-core Celeron, 4GB, 14″ 1080p matte screen, $280. Other than a bug where occasionally the wifi doesn’t come up after sleep (very annoying, but I’ve posted a bug at chromium.org and they’re on it), it’s a terrific computer. I’ve even run complex statistics software on it (in a Linux environment that runs in a tab!).
I use a full-on macbook pro for heavy work, but this little computer covers 75% of other use cases for me. So you see I too am a lilliputer.
On the plus side, awful offerings like this certainly liven up this recently sleepy site!