Laptop Thoughts: A Review of the Dell Vostro V130: Not Quite There

"Here's the not-so-secret secret about Dell's new small-business laptop, the Vostro V130: it's not really just for small-business users. Although the Vostro series slots in alongside Dell's Latitude as non-consumer-oriented laptops, the thin, sturdy, compact 13.3-inch Vostro V130 feels more like a more affordable offspring of the original Dell Adamo. The V130 is an upgrade to last year's Vostro V13, outfitted with HDMI-out and new, faster CPUs. Available in a wide variety of configurations ranging from $429 up to a MacBook Air-level $1,073, the Vostro V130 is less of an individual product than it is the latest in a line of high-concept designs kicked off by the original Adamo."

Constructed of aluminum and magnesium, the lightweight and strong Vostro V130 is aimed at small businesses, but would make a decent consumer notebook, with 13-inch matte screen, reasonable fast processor and integrated graphics, quality components and a decent out-the-door price. Almost every review so far has rated it highly, except for the lousy (just a bit over 2 hours) battery life that brings down the final rating. Starting at $429 and climbing to over $1000, configuration options are plentiful. Puzzling design choices, higher-end components, but scrimping on the battery. Is this today's attempt to keep cost down? Would you be happy with a new laptop with only a bit more than two hours of battery capacity? Maybe in a small business, where it's plugged-in most of the time.