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As far as Netbooks go, Packard Bell's Dot S series have been generally well received. This SE-410UK version is no exception and even before you open the case, the build quality speaks for itself. Available in several colours, the red being the most striking and elegant looking, a shiny metallic casing barely exposes any sign of the slim battery underneath. While other Netbooks have big bulky batteries, the PB Dot SE seems to have managed something that fits in with the general aesthetic design of the whole case.
The box comes with the Netbook, quick start guide, warranty and a handy case to hold the computer in (though with no pockets, which means I’ll need to look for a bigger one for general use).
Touchpad
The touchpad has multi-touch functions to zoom in and out or choose an area with several fingers and even a scroll section for browsing documents or the internet. While these are nice touches, I found that they sometimes got in the way of the main trackpad functions. The button under the pad is used as the right and left mouse buttons but is fairly clunky. You'll still be better off with a dedicated mouse plugged in.
Hardware and Ports.
The device comes with 3 USB 2.0 ports. While USB 3.0 would be nice, 2.0 is still the current standard. An Ethernet port, VGA out for connecting to a Monitor and SD Card slot are also included. Speakers take up the front of the machine and while not the best I've heard, they should be fine for general use. The 250 Hard Disc allows plenty of storage space, while more can be made available via an external USB drive.
Networking is supported by the Ethernet port, while WIFI is covered by a 802.11n connection if you have a wireless N router. This is a step up from the previous Packard Bell model that came with Wireless G only. Getting online was an easy task and the software automatically found my router and asked for the passcode. Anyone familiar with Windows 7 will be able to make changes to the internet setup.
The Atom 450 Processor is an average 1.66Ghz speed for a Netbook, with newer Netbooks now supporting the much faster 470. However, coupled with the 1GB DDR 2 RAM it will be enough to run most general every day tasks. As it has Photoshop Elements built in,it shows that even graphic manipulation is handled pretty well by the machine. The Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 isn’t the fastest Graphics card either, but as it only has to cope with the 1024x600 display it does a good job.
Lastly, a 1.3 Megapixel Webcam sits within the housing above the screen, making instant video calling possible and even makes the machine useful for recording Youtube videos.
Software
Startup is fairly quick though, being on the 250GB Hard Drive rather than, as some Netbooks have, having a solid state drive for fast bootup, it still takes a few minutes to boot Windows. Windows 7 Starter is included and although it takes up more of the processor's power than XP, it's fast becoming the OS of choice for Netbook users thanks to the better handling and features. Also included is a full copy of Photoshop Elements 8. This is amazing for the fact that it actually runs fairly well on the netbook as much as for the fact that it's included on the machine as standard. Microsoft Works SE is included for day to day word processing and spreadsheet functions and a 60 day Norton subscription and Office 2010 preview are also present.
A suite of games is included using a 'token play' method which allows you to play hit games like Plants vs Zombies and Bejewelled Blitz 2 for free for a limited time or you can choose to pay for unlimited play. It's still far easier and cheaper to install Steam and buy the same games and more on that. I've tested Plants vs Zombies and World of Goo, both of which run fine, but other more graphics intense games will struggle on the Intel Graphics card.
Functionality
The machine runs pretty fast in general, Word and Excel 2010 are quick to start and responsive compared to some Netbooks I've used where Word catches up after about 10 keypresses. Even Photoshop works well on less demanding general photo editing. Windows 7 Starter allows for fast, efficient navigation and hasn't caused any problems for me since I started using the machine. The bonus of having Win 7S is that anyone used to Windows 7 will find it very familiar. Only part of the graphics interface has been sacrificed for speed.
The 3 Hours and 45 Minutes Battery life is about as accurate as you can get and will depend on what you use the machine for (WIFI decreases battery life substantially). On average 3-4 hours with WIFI is still possible.
Upgrading
Upgrading the RAM to the maximum 2GB (or the Hard Drive) involves taking the keyboard off by plying the top off with a credit card or screwdriver. Unscrewing 8 screws then allows the large base plate to pop off, revealing the HDD and single RAM slot. The 1GB DDR RAM can be replaced with a similar 2GB DDR2 800HZ module. It took me about 10 minutes overall to change the RAM (though considerably longer to actually find out how to do this, as Packard Bell don’t really advertise their technical guides for the machine).
Overall Impressions
The Packard Bell Dot SE 410UK is a great Netbook that retails around the £220 mark in stores, making it great value if you include the bundled software. While the trackpad could do with a little work (using a mouse gets around this), everything else about the machine is well built and works well for every day use, plus the Photoshop Elements addition is a great little extra.
9/10
(this is an extended review based on a shorter product review I wrote for Amazon)
The box comes with the Netbook, quick start guide, warranty and a handy case to hold the computer in (though with no pockets, which means I’ll need to look for a bigger one for general use).
Touchpad
The touchpad has multi-touch functions to zoom in and out or choose an area with several fingers and even a scroll section for browsing documents or the internet. While these are nice touches, I found that they sometimes got in the way of the main trackpad functions. The button under the pad is used as the right and left mouse buttons but is fairly clunky. You'll still be better off with a dedicated mouse plugged in.
Hardware and Ports.
The device comes with 3 USB 2.0 ports. While USB 3.0 would be nice, 2.0 is still the current standard. An Ethernet port, VGA out for connecting to a Monitor and SD Card slot are also included. Speakers take up the front of the machine and while not the best I've heard, they should be fine for general use. The 250 Hard Disc allows plenty of storage space, while more can be made available via an external USB drive.
Networking is supported by the Ethernet port, while WIFI is covered by a 802.11n connection if you have a wireless N router. This is a step up from the previous Packard Bell model that came with Wireless G only. Getting online was an easy task and the software automatically found my router and asked for the passcode. Anyone familiar with Windows 7 will be able to make changes to the internet setup.
The Atom 450 Processor is an average 1.66Ghz speed for a Netbook, with newer Netbooks now supporting the much faster 470. However, coupled with the 1GB DDR 2 RAM it will be enough to run most general every day tasks. As it has Photoshop Elements built in,it shows that even graphic manipulation is handled pretty well by the machine. The Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 isn’t the fastest Graphics card either, but as it only has to cope with the 1024x600 display it does a good job.
Lastly, a 1.3 Megapixel Webcam sits within the housing above the screen, making instant video calling possible and even makes the machine useful for recording Youtube videos.
Software
Startup is fairly quick though, being on the 250GB Hard Drive rather than, as some Netbooks have, having a solid state drive for fast bootup, it still takes a few minutes to boot Windows. Windows 7 Starter is included and although it takes up more of the processor's power than XP, it's fast becoming the OS of choice for Netbook users thanks to the better handling and features. Also included is a full copy of Photoshop Elements 8. This is amazing for the fact that it actually runs fairly well on the netbook as much as for the fact that it's included on the machine as standard. Microsoft Works SE is included for day to day word processing and spreadsheet functions and a 60 day Norton subscription and Office 2010 preview are also present.
A suite of games is included using a 'token play' method which allows you to play hit games like Plants vs Zombies and Bejewelled Blitz 2 for free for a limited time or you can choose to pay for unlimited play. It's still far easier and cheaper to install Steam and buy the same games and more on that. I've tested Plants vs Zombies and World of Goo, both of which run fine, but other more graphics intense games will struggle on the Intel Graphics card.
Functionality
The machine runs pretty fast in general, Word and Excel 2010 are quick to start and responsive compared to some Netbooks I've used where Word catches up after about 10 keypresses. Even Photoshop works well on less demanding general photo editing. Windows 7 Starter allows for fast, efficient navigation and hasn't caused any problems for me since I started using the machine. The bonus of having Win 7S is that anyone used to Windows 7 will find it very familiar. Only part of the graphics interface has been sacrificed for speed.
The 3 Hours and 45 Minutes Battery life is about as accurate as you can get and will depend on what you use the machine for (WIFI decreases battery life substantially). On average 3-4 hours with WIFI is still possible.
Upgrading
Upgrading the RAM to the maximum 2GB (or the Hard Drive) involves taking the keyboard off by plying the top off with a credit card or screwdriver. Unscrewing 8 screws then allows the large base plate to pop off, revealing the HDD and single RAM slot. The 1GB DDR RAM can be replaced with a similar 2GB DDR2 800HZ module. It took me about 10 minutes overall to change the RAM (though considerably longer to actually find out how to do this, as Packard Bell don’t really advertise their technical guides for the machine).
Overall Impressions
The Packard Bell Dot SE 410UK is a great Netbook that retails around the £220 mark in stores, making it great value if you include the bundled software. While the trackpad could do with a little work (using a mouse gets around this), everything else about the machine is well built and works well for every day use, plus the Photoshop Elements addition is a great little extra.
9/10
(this is an extended review based on a shorter product review I wrote for Amazon)
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As far as Netbooks go, Packard Bell's Dot S series have been generally well received. This SE-410UK version is no exception and even before you open the case, the build quality speaks for itself. Available in several colours, the red being the most striking and elegant looking, a shiny metallic casing barely exposes any sign of the slim battery underneath. While other Netbooks have big bulky batteries, the PB Dot SE seems to have managed something that fits in with the general aesthetic design of the whole case.
The box comes with the Netbook, quick start guide, warranty and a handy case to hold the computer in (though with no pockets, which means I’ll need to look for a bigger one for general use).
Touchpad
The touchpad has multi-touch functions to zoom in and out or choose an area with several fingers and even a scroll section for browsing documents or the internet. While these are nice touches, I found that they sometimes got in the way of the main trackpad functions. The button under the pad is used as the right and left mouse buttons but is fairly clunky. You'll still be better off with a dedicated mouse plugged in.
Hardware and Ports.
The device comes with 3 USB 2.0 ports. While USB 3.0 would be nice, 2.0 is still the current standard. An Ethernet port, VGA out for connecting to a Monitor and SD Card slot are also included. Speakers take up the front of the machine and while not the best I've heard, they should be fine for general use. The 250 Hard Disc allows plenty of storage space, while more can be made available via an external USB drive.
Networking is supported by the Ethernet port, while WIFI is covered by a 802.11n connection if you have a wireless N router. This is a step up from the previous Packard Bell model that came with Wireless G only. Getting online was an easy task and the software automatically found my router and asked for the passcode. Anyone familiar with Windows 7 will be able to make changes to the internet setup.
The Atom 450 Processor is an average 1.66Ghz speed for a Netbook, with newer Netbooks now supporting the much faster 470. However, coupled with the 1GB DDR 2 RAM it will be enough to run most general every day tasks. As it has Photoshop Elements built in,it shows that even graphic manipulation is handled pretty well by the machine. The Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 isn’t the fastest Graphics card either, but as it only has to cope with the 1024x600 display it does a good job.
Lastly, a 1.3 Megapixel Webcam sits within the housing above the screen, making instant video calling possible and even makes the machine useful for recording Youtube videos.
Software
Startup is fairly quick though, being on the 250GB Hard Drive rather than, as some Netbooks have, having a solid state drive for fast bootup, it still takes a few minutes to boot Windows. Windows 7 Starter is included and although it takes up more of the processor's power than XP, it's fast becoming the OS of choice for Netbook users thanks to the better handling and features. Also included is a full copy of Photoshop Elements 8. This is amazing for the fact that it actually runs fairly well on the netbook as much as for the fact that it's included on the machine as standard. Microsoft Works SE is included for day to day word processing and spreadsheet functions and a 60 day Norton subscription and Office 2010 preview are also present.
A suite of games is included using a 'token play' method which allows you to play hit games like Plants vs Zombies and Bejewelled Blitz 2 for free for a limited time or you can choose to pay for unlimited play. It's still far easier and cheaper to install Steam and buy the same games and more on that. I've tested Plants vs Zombies and World of Goo, both of which run fine, but other more graphics intense games will struggle on the Intel Graphics card.
Functionality
The machine runs pretty fast in general, Word and Excel 2010 are quick to start and responsive compared to some Netbooks I've used where Word catches up after about 10 keypresses. Even Photoshop works well on less demanding general photo editing. Windows 7 Starter allows for fast, efficient navigation and hasn't caused any problems for me since I started using the machine. The bonus of having Win 7S is that anyone used to Windows 7 will find it very familiar. Only part of the graphics interface has been sacrificed for speed.
The 3 Hours and 45 Minutes Battery life is about as accurate as you can get and will depend on what you use the machine for (WIFI decreases battery life substantially). On average 3-4 hours with WIFI is still possible.
Upgrading
Upgrading the RAM to the maximum 2GB (or the Hard Drive) involves taking the keyboard off by plying the top off with a credit card or screwdriver. Unscrewing 8 screws then allows the large base plate to pop off, revealing the HDD and single RAM slot. The 1GB DDR RAM can be replaced with a similar 2GB DDR2 800HZ module. It took me about 10 minutes overall to change the RAM (though considerably longer to actually find out how to do this, as Packard Bell don’t really advertise their technical guides for the machine).
Overall Impressions
The Packard Bell Dot SE 410UK is a great Netbook that retails around the £220 mark in stores, making it great value if you include the bundled software. While the trackpad could do with a little work (using a mouse gets around this), everything else about the machine is well built and works well for every day use, plus the Photoshop Elements addition is a great little extra.
9/10
(this is an extended review based on a shorter product review I wrote for Amazon)
The box comes with the Netbook, quick start guide, warranty and a handy case to hold the computer in (though with no pockets, which means I’ll need to look for a bigger one for general use).
Touchpad
The touchpad has multi-touch functions to zoom in and out or choose an area with several fingers and even a scroll section for browsing documents or the internet. While these are nice touches, I found that they sometimes got in the way of the main trackpad functions. The button under the pad is used as the right and left mouse buttons but is fairly clunky. You'll still be better off with a dedicated mouse plugged in.
Hardware and Ports.
The device comes with 3 USB 2.0 ports. While USB 3.0 would be nice, 2.0 is still the current standard. An Ethernet port, VGA out for connecting to a Monitor and SD Card slot are also included. Speakers take up the front of the machine and while not the best I've heard, they should be fine for general use. The 250 Hard Disc allows plenty of storage space, while more can be made available via an external USB drive.
Networking is supported by the Ethernet port, while WIFI is covered by a 802.11n connection if you have a wireless N router. This is a step up from the previous Packard Bell model that came with Wireless G only. Getting online was an easy task and the software automatically found my router and asked for the passcode. Anyone familiar with Windows 7 will be able to make changes to the internet setup.
The Atom 450 Processor is an average 1.66Ghz speed for a Netbook, with newer Netbooks now supporting the much faster 470. However, coupled with the 1GB DDR 2 RAM it will be enough to run most general every day tasks. As it has Photoshop Elements built in,it shows that even graphic manipulation is handled pretty well by the machine. The Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 isn’t the fastest Graphics card either, but as it only has to cope with the 1024x600 display it does a good job.
Lastly, a 1.3 Megapixel Webcam sits within the housing above the screen, making instant video calling possible and even makes the machine useful for recording Youtube videos.
Software
Startup is fairly quick though, being on the 250GB Hard Drive rather than, as some Netbooks have, having a solid state drive for fast bootup, it still takes a few minutes to boot Windows. Windows 7 Starter is included and although it takes up more of the processor's power than XP, it's fast becoming the OS of choice for Netbook users thanks to the better handling and features. Also included is a full copy of Photoshop Elements 8. This is amazing for the fact that it actually runs fairly well on the netbook as much as for the fact that it's included on the machine as standard. Microsoft Works SE is included for day to day word processing and spreadsheet functions and a 60 day Norton subscription and Office 2010 preview are also present.
A suite of games is included using a 'token play' method which allows you to play hit games like Plants vs Zombies and Bejewelled Blitz 2 for free for a limited time or you can choose to pay for unlimited play. It's still far easier and cheaper to install Steam and buy the same games and more on that. I've tested Plants vs Zombies and World of Goo, both of which run fine, but other more graphics intense games will struggle on the Intel Graphics card.
Functionality
The machine runs pretty fast in general, Word and Excel 2010 are quick to start and responsive compared to some Netbooks I've used where Word catches up after about 10 keypresses. Even Photoshop works well on less demanding general photo editing. Windows 7 Starter allows for fast, efficient navigation and hasn't caused any problems for me since I started using the machine. The bonus of having Win 7S is that anyone used to Windows 7 will find it very familiar. Only part of the graphics interface has been sacrificed for speed.
The 3 Hours and 45 Minutes Battery life is about as accurate as you can get and will depend on what you use the machine for (WIFI decreases battery life substantially). On average 3-4 hours with WIFI is still possible.
Upgrading
Upgrading the RAM to the maximum 2GB (or the Hard Drive) involves taking the keyboard off by plying the top off with a credit card or screwdriver. Unscrewing 8 screws then allows the large base plate to pop off, revealing the HDD and single RAM slot. The 1GB DDR RAM can be replaced with a similar 2GB DDR2 800HZ module. It took me about 10 minutes overall to change the RAM (though considerably longer to actually find out how to do this, as Packard Bell don’t really advertise their technical guides for the machine).
Overall Impressions
The Packard Bell Dot SE 410UK is a great Netbook that retails around the £220 mark in stores, making it great value if you include the bundled software. While the trackpad could do with a little work (using a mouse gets around this), everything else about the machine is well built and works well for every day use, plus the Photoshop Elements addition is a great little extra.
9/10
(this is an extended review based on a shorter product review I wrote for Amazon)