The Packard Bell Dot S2 surprised us to reach number 5 in our netbook rankings
The Packard Bell Dot S2 took us by surprise. We were expecting a rebranded Acer, which is largely what the Dot S2 is but we weren’t expecting to see the Packard Bell in the top 5 netbooks. So what is it that makes the Packard Bell Dot S2 so good?
The specification of the Dot S2 is pretty standard for a 2010 netbook, the ubiquitous Atom N450 processor is accompanied by 1Gb RAM and a 250Gb hard drive. Draft N wireless, integrated webcam and Windows 7 Starter Edition feature as they do with many other netbooks released this year.
The screen is 10.1 inches and 1024 x 600, which offers no surprises. Bluetooth is missing, as it does seem to be for some netbooks, especially at the lower end of the price bracket. The Dot S2 can be picked up for as little as £230 from PC World and other retailers. For the latest Dot S2 deals go to the bottom of this page.
All in all, the Dot S2 doesn’t seem to offer anything exceptional or out of the ordinary from many of the other netbooks currently on the market. As Packard Bell is owned by Acer, we expected the Dot S2 to be based largely on an Aspire One 532H and that mostly does appear to be the case. However, reviewers noted several aspects of the Packard Bell that sets it apart from the Acer and contributes to the higher scores awarded to it.
Before we get into the Packard Bell Dot S2′s reviews, let us set out the Packard Bell’s specification in full:
Packard Bell Dot S2 Specification
Intel Atom 1.66Ghz N450 processor
1Gb RAM
250Gb hard drive
10.1 inch WSVGA screen
1024 x 600 pixel resolution
3 x USB ports
Wifi – 802.11b/g/n
Integrated webcam
Microsoft Windows 7 Starter Edition
3 cell battery – 3.5 hours battery life (6 cell battery should get between 5 and 8 hours battery life)
Weight – 1.1Kg (Dot S2 with 6 cell battery weighs 1.3Kg)
A specification only tells you so much about a netbook so what do the reviewers think? Let’s start with the good points.
Packard Bell Dot S2 Good Points
1. Battery Life – The 3 cell Dot S2 is quoted as having just 3.5 hours battery life but that is not bad for a very lightweight netbook weighing just 1.1Kg. Of the reviewers that pointed out that battery life was good, at least 3 of them were reviewing the 6 cell model with a 4400 mAh battery whilst I’m not sure what version TechRadar were reviewing but it was probably the 6 cell. This heavier version weighs around 1.3Kg so it is the usual compromise between a lightweight netbook with a relatively short battery life and a netbook that lives longer but weighs more.
2. Useful Extras – The Packard Bell Dot S2 is sold with some useful extras that you don’t often get with other netbooks. 4 of the 6 reviewers picked up on this including TechRadar, who appreciated that Adobe’s Photoshop Elements was included even though some of the features of the software run slowly on the netbook. Additionally, TechRadar, Register Hardware, Expert Reviews and Trusted Reviews all pointed out that the Dot S2 comes packaged with a slip case and a USB sync cable in addition to the software.
3. Lightweight – Notebookcheck, TechRadar and The Link remarked on the fact that the Dot S2 is a high portable, small and lightweight netbook.
4. Build Quality – Both Experts Review and Notebookcheck notes the solid workmanship and the build quality of the Packard Bell.
5. Design – TechRadar loved the design of the Dot S2 and thought it was one of the best looking netbooks they had seen. The Link also appreciated the vividly coloured lid and contemporary lines of the Packard Bell.
6. Quiet & Cool – Notebookcheck completed its usual tests for noise and temparature, finding the Dot S2 to be both quiet and cool. Good to know.
Packard Bell Dot S2 Divided Opinion
1. Screen – The screen brought about some interesting viewpoints from several reviewers. Notebookcheck had both good and bad things to say about the Dot S2′s screen in that the display is bright but reflective and at low contrast the display is weak. TechRadar thought the screen was good, as did Trusted Reviews but Expert Reviews also commented on the reflective nature of the screen whilst The Link felt 1024 x 600 was just too cramped these days.
2. Keyboard – For the most part, the Dot S2′s keyboard was found to be excellent and comfortable to type on. This was picked out by The Link, Expert Reviews, Trusted Reviews and TechRadar, which believed the Dot S2 to have great usability. However, the keyboard was found to be cramped by Register Hardware, as it had minimal spacing between the keys.
3. Touchpad – A clear disagreement between 2 reviewers in that Trusted Reviews really liked the touchpad on the Dot S2 including the mouse buttons whereas Expert Reviews definitely did not like the touchpad.
4. Bluetooth – Notebookcheck’s review model came with Bluetooth but none of the other reviewers got Bluetooth with their review model. From the specifications I have seen, Bluetooth is not available for the Dot S2. I have also seen different spec sheets with 802.11n included whereas others do not have it. In the UK, I believe that the Dot S2 does have Draft N wireless but it is always worth checking this point.
Packard Bell Dot S2 Bad Points
Performance – TechRadar found the performance to be limited, which is probably true of all N450-based netbooks.
Battery Bulges – Trusted Reviews was not keen on the battery bulging slightly at the back.
Packard Bell Dot S2 Overall Score
Overall Score – 85.2% (compiled from 6 top industry reviews)
This currently places the Packard Bell Dot S2 at an overall position of 5th in our netbook rankings from a total of over 70 netbooks.
Packard Bell Dot S2 Reviewer Comments and Verdicts:
1. Trusted Reviews – It’s not the prettiest netbook around, but the Packard Bell Dot S2 offers an excellent keyboard and touchpad, decent screen and speakers, and some innovative and genuinely useful extras. It’s definitely one of the better Pine Trail models so far, but it’s still worth looking at older generation netbooks if you’re on a tight budget.
2. Expert Reviews – A beautifully designed, well-built netbook with an excellent keyboard, decent battery life and some useful extras.
3. Notebookcheck - The Packard Bell Dot s2 retrieves many of the points that a netbook can seize nowadays. The solid case, the long battery life of 5 to 8 hours and the pleasant soundscape is worth mentioning. The input devices aren’t perfect, as their keys are very close to each other. But a self test proves that you can work with them adequately.
4. TechRadar - Offering fantastic mobility, a stylish design and great usability, the Dot S2 is one of the best second-generation netbooks we’ve seen so far. Add its unique features and low price and you’ve got a great mini-laptop that easily stands out from the already bustling crowd.
5. The Link – Overall, we really like the Packard Bell dot S2. If you’re in the market for a 10.1-inch machine, then there are few options that offer better value for money. Sure, at £290 it’s not the cheapest, but inclusions like Adobe Photoshop Elements make a real difference, and the quality and usability on offer puts it ahead of many rivals. You can buy the Packard Bell dot S2 from PC World without wait, or for the best prices online check out Dixons.
6. Register Hardware – Although the dot S2 is frighteningly similar to the Acer 532h, there are a few differences. The touchpad is an improvement and the extra bundled software a welcome bonus, while it also manages to out perform the Acer-branded version in terms of battery life. It’s not enough to get a better score, though. I also can’t help feeling that if Acer is to continue producing netbooks under the Packard Bell brand, it would do well to differentiate them from the Aspire One series a little more.
Packard Bell Dot S2 Reviews Used to Compile This Report:
1. Trusted Reviews – posted on 22nd February 2010 and gave the Dot S2 7 out of 10.
2. Expert Reviews – posted on 4th March and gave the Packard Bell 5 stars out of 5.
3. Notebookcheck - posted on 16th March and gave the Dot S2 86%.
4. TechRadar - posted on 18th March and gave the Packard Bell 4.5 stars out of 5.
5. The Link – posted on 1st April and gave the Dot S2 4 stars out of 5.
6. Register Hardware – posted on 18th May and gave the Packard Bell 75%.
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