Dell Inspiron B130 PC Notebook

The Inspiron B130 replaces the B120 in the Dell lineup of inexpensive laptops. This line of laptops is designed to fit the basic computing needs of most people who plan to use a laptop for general, everyday tasks. With the capability to run productivity software, connect wirelessly to the Internet, burn CDs, read DVDs and provide portability when you are on the go – the B130 is a solid choice for a new laptop computer.

Look and Feel
True to its intended use, the Inspiron B130 has a basic fit and finish that will not stand out in a crowd. The black / silver casing and square, block-shaped design gives this laptop a "no-frills" appearance.

Build quality on the B130 is a plus point, with sturdy screen hinges on both the left and right sides of the notebook. There is no flexing or bending in the hinges when opening the screen. The outer casing is made of a textured plastic that does a nice job of resisting scratches and does not easily smudge or pick up fingerprints.

Typical to almost all laptops, a latch on the lid of the screen is used to close and open the display. The keyboard is a full-sized, standard 87 key that is also typical to nearly all laptops on the market today. Tactile feel of the keys is average, with only minor adjustment needed to become accustomed to the lesser resistance of the keypad as compared to a regular desktop keyboard.

The 6.7 lb. weight (with 4-cell battery) is evenly distributed and the laptop is easy to carry. The B130 certainly does not fit into the ultra-portable laptop category, but at this price point you cannot expect to find a capably equipped notebook weighing less than 6 lbs.

Out of the Box Setup
The out of the box experience was very good, with the laptop and all of the accessories packaged securely. Also included is a large foldout poster detailing step-by-step instructions on how to set up the laptop for the first time. This is very helpful for first-time laptop owners and serves as a handy reference for getting the laptop up and running.

After the initial setup, which took about 10 minutes, a set of irksome pop-ups began appearing with information and warnings about using security software. These pop-ups, along with the other trial software packages that were pre-installed, can continue to cause headaches in the future if you don't take the time to uninstall the software. It is quite annoying to need to take the time to uninstall all of this software - it took close to an hour to completely remove all of the unwanted programs.

What's in the Box
The B130, as configured, features the following:
- Intel Pentium M Processor 745 (1.80GHz, 2MB Cache, 400MHz FSB)
- Windows XP Home Edition (no other useful software is included)
- 14.1in WXGA Display (1280 x 800 native resolution)
- 1GB PC2-4200 DDR2 RAM (2 x 512MB)
- Integrated Intel Media Accelerator 900 Graphics
- 40GB 5400rpm Hard Drive
- Internal 56K Modem and Integrated Ethernet 10/100 Network Card
- 24X CD-RW/DVD Optical Drive
- Intel Pro 2915 Internal Wireless (802.11 a/b/g, 54Mbps)
- 4-cell Lithium Ion Battery
- 1-year warranty

Dimensions: Height 1.41", Width 14.0", Depth 10.5"

Performance
Before getting into the details of the B130 testing results, there are a few points to consider about the CPU in this laptop. The Intel Pentium M processor line is currently in the backseat as the new Intel Core Solo and Core Duo processor lines take center stage. However, with the introduction of these new processor lines the Pentium M line has seen quite a reduction in price. This has made Pentium M based laptops become quite attractive in terms of performance for your dollar. These CPUs provide enough processor power to handle multiple desktop applications at once, while still drawing minimal power to help extend the battery life available before needing to recharge.

Application Testing
In my subjective application performance testing, the results showed that the B130 performs reasonably well. Opening three Firefox browser windows along with an MP3 player, spreadsheet file and word processor document did not cause the laptop to slow down in any way. I was also able to run an image editing program and quickly perform a number of image enhancements without experiencing any frustrating pauses or lockups. However, when running more resource intensive applications - playing a DVD movie or running video editing software – the notebook struggled and was not able to simultaneously run the applications smoothly. Choppiness in the movie playback and tedious pauses resulted, and it is clear that these types of programs show the limitations of the B130.

Graphics Testing
My testing of the graphics and gaming capabilities for this laptop was limited due to the integrated graphics processor. The integrated Intel Media 900 graphics chip is simply not powerful enough to run any of the current generation 3D games. Attempting to play Doom 3 and RTCW: Enemy Territory was futile, as the frame rate was unacceptable at even the lowest graphics settings. This notebook is not designed to run any of the current generation games.

LCD Display
Throughout my use of the B130 the 14.1" LCD screen provided a clear, bright and accurate display of images and text. I was very happy when I first started up the computer to see that there were no dead pixels anywhere on the screen. Visibility from about 30 degrees to the left or right of center was also clear, although not as vivid as other Dell models that feature brighter "TrueLife" displays. The LCD screen has a matte finish that helps reduce glare, and it does a good job as long as you are not in direct sunlight. When running multiple applications, however, more room would be nice to display multiple windows simultaneously. If you like to keep a lot of applications open at once, then you could probably use the extra real estate a 15.4" or 17" widescreen provides.

Battery Life
Battery life testing showed that the 4-cell Lithium Ion battery was not outstanding, but provides adequate time before needing to be recharged. Under light usage with web surfing and emailing, the battery lasted nearly 2 hours and 45 minutes. Under more heavy usage, such as watching a DVD, the battery lasted just over 2 hours. If you want to use the B130 for more than 3 hours between charges, plan on spending the extra money to upgrade to the 6-cell battery.

Wireless Connectivity
Wireless networking was simple and easy to setup with the built-in Intel Pro Wireless card. I was able to get the laptop connected to my home network in less than 5 minutes. Once connected, I found that the wireless connectivity of the B130 is one of its strong suits. Testing was performed with the wireless router stationed at the top floor of my house and the laptop used in my basement and outside on the patio. The wireless connection stayed strong throughout the testing with no dropped connections, and the speed remained consistent.

Heat and Noise
Finally, I would say that noise and heat testing are a strong point of this laptop. The cooling fan is near silent during light usage, and remains quiet even during heavy usage. The heat vent is located in the back of the laptop and does a good job keeping the warm exhaust air out of the way.

Overall, the B130 is not a superstar in any of the performance categories. It provides an adequate level of performance for everyday tasks.

Conclusion
The market for budget laptop computers is a crowded one. There are numerous other notebooks from Acer, Sony, HP, Toshiba and Gateway that will provide the same, or better, level of performance. At this price point, however, you will be hard pressed to find a similarly configured laptop computer that beats the B130 in performance and overall functionality. A very attractive LCD screen, strong wireless performance and a friendly out-of-the-box experience make the B130 worthy of a close look for anyone looking for a budget friendly laptop.