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The Packard Bell dot m/a is the BHS of gadgets. It doesn’t have style, but the lack of looks does mean you get a hearty dose sensibility instead. That means decent specs for a netbook and a reputation as a workhorse rather than a sliver of bleeding edge gadgetry. Read our full Packard Bell dot m/a review to see whether this micro machine is worth a punt.
The first thing you’ll notice about the Packard Bell dot m/a is its size. In spite of laying claim to the netbook nametag, it rocks a larger than average 11.6–inch screen. That means no more squinting at spreadsheets or having to scroll unnecessarily around web pages, something we’re huge fans of.
The spec surprises don’t end there. There’s 2GB of RAM, more than nearly every one of the dot m/a’s competitors. That means it runs at a fair old lick. And with 160GB or 320GB HDD’s up for grabs, this is more of a low–end laptop than a high–end netbook.
But a netbook it is. That Intel Atom chip is very much in evidence and can cause things to slow down when you start chucking too many apps at it. However, the ATI graphics means basic games and vids are flicker free and the Dolby Headphone tech gets you personal surround sound when you plug yourself in.
The touchpad rocks gesture controls and what’s more, you’ll find Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 bundled so tinkering with your pics is a breeze too.
Read more netbook reviews on Electricpig
There are a few niggles though which make the Packard Bell dot m/a a bit of a letdown. Build quality is more suspect than a burglar with his foot through your living room window. The fan makes the Xbox 360 sound like a trappist monk, the keyboard is too flat and the whole thing feels as plasticky as a cosmetic surgeon’s theatre. And at four hours, the battery life is disappointingly short.
While the Packard Bell dot m/a might have some slick features, it’s poor build quality really lets the side down. If you’re after a basic machine for work though, this does tick plenty of boxes.
AMD CPU!