Friday, February 27, 2004
The Dell Axim X3i Review
Posted by David Prahl in "HARDWARE" @ 10:00 AM
A little over a year ago Dell released the Axim X5 Pocket PC. Quickly finding a niche and forming a following, the X5 has become a respected device that rivals similar devices made by Hewlett Packard and Toshiba. Released in mid October 2003, the Axim X3i is a whole different breed of device. Dell dropped the CompactFlash card slot, added integrated wireless, and slimmed the whole thing down to just over half an inch. Did it work? Can this new featherweight deliver the knockout punch Dell needs? Read on!
First of all, Dell offers two non-wireless versions (the X3), and a version with 802.11b integrated wireless - the X3i. This review is based on the latter version. The Axim X3i is designed to go after the emerging "thin and wireless" Pocket PC market, while still keeping the price tag fairly low. The HP iPAQ 4150 is trying to do the same thing, and if Dell releases the rumored next version which would include Bluetooth, the two will be nearly identical from a technical aspect. There is a battle looming for this newfound territory, and the X3i is ready to prove it can hold its own - and it knows a few tricks!
First Impressions
Let me put it this way - when I was unpacking the box from Dell, I thought I was holding the battery when I was actually holding the device itself. It's not the thinnest Pocket PC, but it comes close at 4.6 by 3.0 by 0.6 inches. Although Dell made some bold moves when designing this device, the form factor was not one of them. The X3i features the sterile and straight body style that many Thoughts readers loathe.
Figure 1: What your money is worth.
Figure 2: The leaked image we reported on here.
One of the things that the Axim X5 was praised for was its snazzy cradle. A similar cradle is available for the X3i, and it's even bigger! Inserting the X5 into its cradle is not easy, but it's very easy and fast with the new X3i cradle. Personally, I found it to be too big on my small desk, and it would sometimes tilt backwards when I would remove the device. A little shorter and heavier, and I would call it perfect.
Figure 3: Family photo - Axim X3 cradle on right, X5 cradle on left.
Dell was kind enough to include a battery charger in the rear of the cradle which can accommodate the standard 950 mAh battery or the larger 1,800 mAh cell. An indicator light on the front of the cradle is orange when charging the rear battery, and green when fully charged. I found that charging a battery in the device or in the cradle's secondary slot took the same amount of time (more on that later). There are also two small holes in the top back of the cradle if you'd like to place a stylus in them during the charging process.
Like the HP 2215 and HP 4350, the X3 and X3i require a little adapter to charge outside of the cradle. Unlike HP, Dell doesn't include a little cable to keep the two together. Besides being a hassle to plug in and unplug depending on where I'm charging the device, Dell didn't include a second dongle. What happens if I lose this one? It looks like I'd have to buy a whole new AC adapter. The AC adapters for the X5 and X3i are electronically identical, but have different part numbers.
First of all, Dell offers two non-wireless versions (the X3), and a version with 802.11b integrated wireless - the X3i. This review is based on the latter version. The Axim X3i is designed to go after the emerging "thin and wireless" Pocket PC market, while still keeping the price tag fairly low. The HP iPAQ 4150 is trying to do the same thing, and if Dell releases the rumored next version which would include Bluetooth, the two will be nearly identical from a technical aspect. There is a battle looming for this newfound territory, and the X3i is ready to prove it can hold its own - and it knows a few tricks!
First Impressions
Let me put it this way - when I was unpacking the box from Dell, I thought I was holding the battery when I was actually holding the device itself. It's not the thinnest Pocket PC, but it comes close at 4.6 by 3.0 by 0.6 inches. Although Dell made some bold moves when designing this device, the form factor was not one of them. The X3i features the sterile and straight body style that many Thoughts readers loathe.
Figure 1: What your money is worth.
Figure 2: The leaked image we reported on here.
One of the things that the Axim X5 was praised for was its snazzy cradle. A similar cradle is available for the X3i, and it's even bigger! Inserting the X5 into its cradle is not easy, but it's very easy and fast with the new X3i cradle. Personally, I found it to be too big on my small desk, and it would sometimes tilt backwards when I would remove the device. A little shorter and heavier, and I would call it perfect.
Figure 3: Family photo - Axim X3 cradle on right, X5 cradle on left.
Dell was kind enough to include a battery charger in the rear of the cradle which can accommodate the standard 950 mAh battery or the larger 1,800 mAh cell. An indicator light on the front of the cradle is orange when charging the rear battery, and green when fully charged. I found that charging a battery in the device or in the cradle's secondary slot took the same amount of time (more on that later). There are also two small holes in the top back of the cradle if you'd like to place a stylus in them during the charging process.
Like the HP 2215 and HP 4350, the X3 and X3i require a little adapter to charge outside of the cradle. Unlike HP, Dell doesn't include a little cable to keep the two together. Besides being a hassle to plug in and unplug depending on where I'm charging the device, Dell didn't include a second dongle. What happens if I lose this one? It looks like I'd have to buy a whole new AC adapter. The AC adapters for the X5 and X3i are electronically identical, but have different part numbers.
