They're almost identical in size, so which is the better machine? See the matchup with our photo gallery and first impressions.
The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 (see our Inspiron 9 First Look is getting lots of coverage online, but just how big is the machine?
We've photographed it up side by side with one of our favourite ultra-minis - the Acer Aspire One. And as you can see for the photos, the two machines are very close in size.
Both the Dell and Acer have 8.9in screens, though as you can see, the Dell is slightly smaller in width.
Price
The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 has the edge here, with a launch price of $599 with Windows XP. By contrast, the Acer Aspire One started with $649 for the XP mode, and $599 for the Linux model. Keep in mind you might find the Aspire One online for less.
OS
Not everyone will be interested in running Linux, but for those that are, the Aspire One gives you a Linux option out of the box. No Linux option with Dell for now, though that might change in the future, and you can always install Linux yourself.
Storage
An 8GB or 120GB option with the Aspire One means you've got more choice. Dell's Inspiron Mini 9 is currently a 16GB machine, but that could of course change in time if more options are made available.
Screen
Both machines have an 8.9in gloss-type screen - it's good, better than the original Eee 701, though doesn't match the larger screen of the MSI Wind.
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| Mini matchup: The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 on the left, and Acer Aspire One on the right |
Keyboard
A closed match-up. The Dell's large-type keys are better than some versions of the Eee PC. The Acer Aspire One keys are a more traditional shape, and there's more keys, including a row of Function keys. It's a close call, but some may prefer the Aspire One to type on.
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| Mini matchup: The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 on top, and Acer Aspire One on the bottom |
Performance
Again, a close call. Both machines run Intel Atom, which we found competent, though a touch laggy in both cases. There's 1.5GB RAM for the Acer XP model, vs 1GB for the Dell.
It should be noted the Dell comes with more apps stuffed into the system tray than we'd like. It's good to see Dell's adding extras like Dell Video Chat, but we wonder how much this effects system startup time.