Though Dell’s Vostro notebooks have always been known for high performance benchmarks at low budget costs, they were neither the most stylish nor the most portable notebooks on the market. Addressing the need for better portability and a more sleek design, Dell released its new Vostro line of notebooks: the Vostro 1310, 1510, and 1710. Thinner and lighter than the previous generation of Vostro laptops, these new Vostros come with an array of configuration options, from Windows XP to Vista, an Intel Celeron chipset to a top of the line Core 2 Duo, up to 4 GB of memory, and even business-orientated security options such as fingerprint readers.

The Vostro 1310 in particular is the thinnest and lightest out of any in the Vostro line. With its stylish build, lightweight frame, and a budget price, it appeals to a broad range of consumers, students and small-business users alike. Borrowing some features from its XPS line such as a slot-loading optical drive and touch sensitive multimedia controls, it definitely rivals other notebooks in its class and may just be one of the best price / performance 13.3″ notebooks to date.

Before these new Vostros were released, Dell already had its portable Vostro (1st gen.), Inspiron and XPS series of notebooks. While the Vostros and Inspirons, such as the Vostro 1400 and Inspiron 1420, had basic features targeted towards budget consumers, the XPS series with notebooks like the XPS M1330 had additional features and a higher quality build intended for enthusiasts who did not mind the inflated price tag. However, most consumers wanted something in the middle - that is, a well built notebook with a variety of features for a low price - and thus came this new Vostro line, specifically the notebook tested today, the Vostro 1310.

   

  

Specifications (as tested):

• Intel Core 2 Duo T5670 (1.8GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)
• 13.3 inch UltraSharp Wide Screen XGA LCD Display w/TrueLife
• 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz, 2 DIMM
• Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
• 160G 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
• Genuine Windows XP Home Edition
• 8X DVD+/-RW with double-layer DVD+/-R write capability & Roxio
• High Definition Audio 2.0
• Dell Wireless 1395 802.11g Wi-Fi Internal Card
• 58 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
• Weight: 4.75 lbs with 6-cell battery (4.0375 lbs without)
• Price as tested: $849