Dell’s Inspiron notebook computers are reliable portable PCs assembled with name-brand components from the big manufacturers. The 1100 series of Inspirons lets you take one of these home (or out on the road) at a price that's quite affordable.

The 1100 Inspiron uses either a 2.0GHz Intel Pentium 4 or a Celeron CPU (Dell recommends the P4, but you can save $50 with the Celeron). The plain case design doesn’t offer extras, such as multimedia or shortcut buttons, but it does offer a comfortable keyboard and a touchpad for mouse pointer control.

Like most budget notebooks, the 1100s are a bit on the heavy side (weighing just over 7 pounds), but they’re still easy enough to transport. And the 14.1-inch display is a tad smallish, but you can upgrade to a 15-inch display if screen size is important. These are features you can expect in low-end notebooks--it’s the excellent price and the respectable performance of these machines that make them a Budget Buy.

Without skimping too much on the extras, you can purchase the 1100 for right around a grand. For this price, you’ll get a respectable 256MB of DDR memory and a combo DVD/CD-RW drive that only takes up one bay but still lets you play DVD movies or burn CDs. The 1100 line doesn’t include a floppy drive, but you can opt for an external USB model for $49 that plugs into one of the 1100’s two USB 2.0 slots.

You’ll also find an integrated modem and network interface, but if you want wireless access, you’ll have to spring for a wireless PC card (another $49 from Dell).

Dell’s service and support has waned a bit in the past few years, but it’s still some of the best you’ll find in the industry. Although the Inspiron 1100 comes with only a 1-year limited warranty, you can opt for an extension if you’re inclined.

Battery life isn’t the best, with the Inspirons averaging up to 3.5 hours. While that will get you through most movies, if you’re planning on taking "The Fellowship of the Ring" on a coast-to-coast flight, you better opt for the $99 backup battery.

Despite a couple of knocks, the Dell Inspiron 1100 series of notebooks is still your best bet for a budget portable. With power, multimedia performance, and decent specs at an excellent price, consider an Inspiron.

Pro: Great price, respectable features and performance. Con: No built-in floppy drive, only 1-year warranty.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Dell One Dell Way Round Rock, TX 78682 800-915-3355 http://www.dell.com

Warranty
1 years limited