Final thoughts and rating
There's plenty to like when it comes to Dell's Inspiron M101z. As far as 11.6in notebooks go, it's one of the best-looking and best-built systems we've come across.
The chassis is rigid and finished with style and smooth curves, and both the keyboard trackpad are a pleasure to use.
Despite the system's ultra-portable dimensions, both the display and the built-in speakers manage to impress, and the AMD innards are capable of providing a snappy user experience that's superior to Intel Atom-based machines of this size.
The system can however get a little warm under heavy use - and consequently noisy, too - but the M101z's biggest failing is battery life. Unfortunately for AMD, and Dell in this case, Intel CULV-based notebooks offer better CPU performance and almost double the battery life at around the same price.
If you're willing to do without extensive longevity, the Inspiron M101z is a well-rounded package that impresses in almost every other aspect.
The Good
Decent performance from a system of this size
Keyboard and trackpad are a pleasure to use
Sleek design and sturdy build quality
Bright 1,366x768 display
The Bad
Battery life falls short of Intel CULV alternatives
Top-end configuration doesn't come cheap
Can become warm and noisy under load
HEXUS Rating
Dell Inspiron M101z
HEXUS Where2Buy
The Dell Inspiron M101z notebook can be purchased direct from Dell.co.uk.
HEXUS Right2Reply
At HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any company representatives for the products reviewed choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.
