[Merged] Dell Adamo - 4lb, $2k Macbook Air Competitor

[11800506]

The Adamo is looking to be a huge disappointment, especially when compared to what looks to be it's main competitor, the MBA. It has a much slower processor, is a pound heavier, and at that weight, you might as well get a regular sized computer, many of which are around that weight anyways. At that price, it makes the MBA look like a great value!

And what's interesting is that the majority of Engadget commentators seem to agree.

 

[Grolubao]

Can't understand either... Less performance, higher price and it's windows... Who will buy that crap?

 

[GoCubsGo]

It sucks that it is so disappointing as I kind of liked the design. Even still, I feel good about my Air because it does what I need, not because it trumps something else out there.

 

[sammich]

So it's 1 whole pound heavier than the MBA? And it's got a slower CPU?

At least they took sometime to think about their packaging (follow link on page for pics).

 

[Eyedn]

"Vista on 2GB of RAM and 1.2GHz? "

Exactly my point, Vista will just eat that up for starters. Im interested to see someone take it apart though just to see how it shapes up against the MacBook Air.

I think that people had really got their hopes up about the adamo, that it would come along and just "Crush" the MBA. Im really struggling to find out who is their potential audience for this, maybe people who just have to have 2 USB Ports.

 

[aristobrat]

Who will buy that crap?

According to cnet, ...

Dell is pitching the Adamo as a "luxury brand notebook design for the luxury conscious consumer,"

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10197495-1.html?tag=rtcol

 

[Mastamarek]

looks like a total copy of a MPB, especially with that backlit keyboard and that glossy black finish on the LCD. I actually cant believe that they are so cheap and cant get their own design. Also, PC-bots were complaining about MBA weight so STF now as that Dell weights even more. Its gonna be painfully slow with that 1.2Ghz CPU and internal X4500 Intel Graphics is no match for the brilliant nvidia 9400 in the MBA. Man, I cant wait to see pc-bots posting about that piece of crap dell very soon, be ready.

 

[Redline13]

Does anyone else see the irony of Mac owners complaining about overpriced, underpowered but generally sharp looking computers?

 

[Mastamarek]

Does anyone else see the irony of Mac owners complaining about overpriced, underpowered but generally sharp looking computers?

no, and its ugly. so go cry.

 

[Goona]

Seems Apple's prices ain't that bad.

 

[AdeFowler]

Does anyone else see the irony of Mac owners complaining about overpriced, underpowered but generally sharp looking computers?

You need glasses

Seriously, I'm surprised at how ugly they managed to make the rear of it.

 

[notjustjay]

I think that people had really got their hopes up about the adamo, that it would come along and just "Crush" the MBA. Im really struggling to find out who is their potential audience for this, maybe people who just have to have 2 USB Ports.

I think it would have been a MacBook Air killer at $999 or $1299 (e.g. significantly cheaper than the Air) and I think this is what a lot of people were expecting. I hadn't seen any rumors of pricing information until it was released, but a lot of conjecture that this thing would surely be cheaper than the MBA.

After all, "Macs are way too expensive --- anyone could build a comparable PC for way less", right? So Dell put their money where their mouth is, and -- oops! Maybe it's not that easy after all.

Look at all the previews on gadget sites between December - January -- speculated prices ranged everywhere from $500 (!) to $3000, but the one undisputed constant in all the comments was "it will definitely be cheaper than Apple".

(e.g. from a New York Times blog: "It is pretty clear, though, that Dell could beat Apple on price. “One of the things they could do real differently from Apple would be cheap,” said Roger Kay, president of Endpoint Technologies, an analyst firm. “They could shave $400 off the MacBook Air price pretty easily.” ")

 

[Scottsdale]

Looks like Dell's Adamo FAILS terribly against the MacBook Air. Some good news 4 MBA!

I actually love Adamo. It is heavy (relatively speaking to the MBA) because of its quality and thickness of aluminum. The MBA is so light it's like Air. Sometimes the difference in weight IS quality.

Anyways, Adamo is really thin (.65 inches). While comparing the MBA and Adamo in side by side photos, the MBA still is SMALLER. The glass display goes ALL the way which means it is not wasting the extra space for bezel as the MBA does. Notice the video goes all the way to all edges. I really like that. BUT, the design still doesn't look nearly as nice or sleek as the MBA.

The keyboard is really really nice too. I love how the keys edges turn up a little sharper than the MBA and align better. I also love the SAME COLOR KB. I hate looking at my MBA's BLACK KB. The contrast is NOT a good thing. I also love the white key mods some have done here at Mac Rumors. The KB on Adamo just looks like it will feel really good to type on.

I think Adamo looks elegant, is made of solid materials, and is Dell's BEST EVER attempt at a notebook. Is it a MAC, HELL NO! But only Apple can do things perfectly. I do notice that the reviews don't include LINES all over the displays. Some who have seen Adamo have explicitly said they would switch to Adamo from MBA because the display is gorgeous.

This is another great thing for the MBA. Competition is EXCELLENT for us MBA lovers. When Apple has to respond, it improves in quality control. The MBA is already the most beautiful, already the best design, and already amazing, BUT its reputation is that of Apple's poor choices to skim costs where it shouldn't and allow a plethora of MBA buyers to experience LINES all over the display, broken hinges, and etc. I don't have the lines on mine, but I read it all of the time here... and I have to believe that MBA buyers are the real winners TODAY. The 4 GB RAM in Adamo is EXACTLY what us MBA lovers NEEDED. Now, Apple will be forced to put 4 GB of RAM in the MBA. A rev C MBA will be out sooner because Adamo was released today. When the rev C MBA is introduced, the display problems will be GONE. When the rev C MBA is introduced, 4 GB RAM will be inside. There will be a silky smooth glass trackpad, and Apple will do something to minimize the bezel just like Dell has done on Adamo.

This is a very good day for future MBA buyers! Go Adamo! The better Adamo is, the more Apple wants to ensure that every user experience with the MBA is vastly improved. Since we all will love the MBA more, if it just didn't have the QC problems, the problems will go away. I predict in the long run the MBA gets better and better. And the price of Adamo will have sales and etc, as Dell just will not keep to the plan like Apple does. Dell has proven again and again that it wants to be low cost, not superior design and quality. Even if the Adamo team believes, the spirit of Dell has never been Adamo. The spirit of Apple has always been MBA!

Adamo fails in a couple of KEY areas when compared to MacBook Air. The MBA uses an SL9400 CPU with 6 MB L2 Cache, running at 1.86 GHz. The high end Adamo uses an SU9400 CPU with 3 MB L2 Cache, running at 1.4 GHz. You would think Dell would have learned from MBA? I guess it wanted an Ultra Low Voltage CPU instead of just Low Voltage, BUT FOR WHAT?

Adamo also uses only 800 MHz FSB and RAM, while MBA is 1066 MHz! Again, the MBA wins. No matter how you slice it, the MacBook Air WILL OUTPERFORM Adamo. Also, like Adamo could truly ever compete, MBA has Mac OS X, while Adamo has Windows Vista Home Premium (OUCH)!

I love my MBA, but for the days I have to use Windows, I will be using Adamo to do my Windows work. Sure it is only a day or two of work per month, but life is too short to work on computers that SUCK with poor design and quality. Dell's Adamo both helps itself and the MacBook Air!

Competition is great for us BUYERS.

Go MacBook Air.

 

[darwinian]

Dear Dell ... just because you put a $2000 price tag on a machine doesn't mean it's worth that much. 1.2 GHz? 2 GB? Yikes. I was really looking forward to the Adamo, too.

 

[Eyedn]

I think it would have been a MacBook Air killer at $999 or $1299 (e.g. significantly cheaper than the Air) and I think this is what a lot of people were expecting. I hadn't seen any rumors of pricing information until it was released, but a lot of conjecture that this thing would surely be cheaper than the MBA.

After all, "Macs are way too expensive --- anyone could build a comparable PC for way less", right? So Dell put their money where their mouth is, and -- oops! Maybe it's not that easy after all.

Look at all the previews on gadget sites between December - January -- speculated prices ranged everywhere from $500 (!) to $3000, but the one undisputed constant in all the comments was "it will definitely be cheaper than Apple".

(e.g. from a New York Times blog: "It is pretty clear, though, that Dell could beat Apple on price. “One of the things they could do real differently from Apple would be cheap,” said Roger Kay, president of Endpoint Technologies, an analyst firm. “They could shave $400 off the MacBook Air price pretty easily.” ")

Completely agree, it is out of the blue to have something from dell priced HIGHER than an Apple alternative. I tend not to believe a lot of what these "analysts" say these days as going by threads on this forums they are seriously inconsistent.

 

[bobdard]

Guys, I think the MBA is better value (don't flame me; I have a MBA) BUT the Adamo at $1999 does have a 128GB SSD....

 

[DarrenT]

Guys, I think the MBA is better value (don't flame me; I have a MBA) BUT the Adamo at $1999 does have a 128GB SSD....

$2000 is alot to pay for a hard drive. after all, there is nothing else there that you would want. The style, weight and performance are going to be worse than the air and as other haave said, vista will gobble the specs for breakfast.

 

[aaquib]

Guys, I think the MBA is better value (don't flame me; I have a MBA) BUT the Adamo at $1999 does have a 128GB SSD....

The MBA with 128GB SSD is $2299. So for $300 you get a faster processor, much better graphics, a better display, faster FSB, faster RAM, and a lighter notebook.

 

[trip1ex]

Looks decent. This can only spur Apple to compete more.

The weight though? Ouch. Closer to the MacBook's weight than the MBA's. And the MacBook is $700 cheaper.

And of course you have to run Vista. One reason I use Macs is for the OS. If Macs only came with Vista I would not shell out the dough for them.

 

[Cruleworld]

The MBA with 128GB SSD is $2299. So for $300 you get a faster processor, much better graphics, a better display, faster FSB, faster RAM, and a thinner notebook.

Actually the Adamo is thinner

 

[aaquib]

Actually the Adamo is thinner

Woops, I meant lighter. The MBA is a full pound lighter. And, the Adamo is 0.65" thick, while the MBA goes from 0.76"-0.16" thin. So, at it's thinnest point, the MBA is actually thinner.

 

[tubbymac]

And what's interesting is that the majority of Engadget commentators seem to agree.

This is the most telling sign that the Adamo's introduction was a failure. Engadget started as a fairly pro Apple site but a while ago the comment area has been dominated by Apple haters. But even the PC fanboys and Apple haters there can't and won't defend Dell on this. When the people who would love to get their shots in at Apple are saying and agreeing that the Macbook Air is a better choice and that the Adamo is even MORE overpriced and underspecced in comparison - you really have to wonder what kind of drug Dell was smoking to release something this underspecced so late in the game.

Seriously, I'm surprised at how ugly they managed to make the rear of it.

Cnet revealed why the back is that ugly. I wish I was joking about this, but Dell designed the back to stick out like that so that they could put a removable magnetic top panel on that ugly protrusion. And this magnetic panel's primary purpose - and this is so pathetic that it's almost vomit inducing - the purpose is to conceal a MICROSOFT VISTA STICKER that Microsoft forces PC vendors to put on their machines. By putting the sticker underneath the panel where you can't see it, but still having it discoverable by the user, Dell found a crazy workaround to the ugly Vista sticker problem.

That's some utter insanity between Microsoft and Dell if you ask me.

 

[skye12]

Dell. When are people going to realize how cheaply they are made?

Maybe its just the people who live near Dell here in Texas who know the
real Dell story. It is not good. They treat their employees like **** and
often deliver pink slips by email. Real class! And no, I have never worked for Dell but know many who have.

 

[gkarris]

You think the Adamo (wtf kind of name is that, by the way?).

Isn't he the commander of the Battlestar Galactica???

Here is the video on YouTube from Dell extolling the virtues:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&v=QUJqWc6seYk

Erm, really? It's like an Onion parody of an Apple video. Right down to the "designer" talking about the process against a white background.

"People will stare. And that's ok"

"Get ready to witness a true love story by Dell...."

Yeah, like for real???

LOL...

 

[Padraig]

Dell. When are people going to realize how cheaply they are made?

Maybe its just the people who live near Dell here in Texas who know the
real Dell story. It is not good. They treat their employees like **** and
often deliver pink slips by email. Real class! And no, I have never worked for Dell but know many who have.

As someone who used to work in Apple's European HQ, i'll tell you they're not the greatest employers either. From what I've seen/experienced when it comes to the production side I'd imagine they're about equally bad/good, as you go up the food chain Dell are probably the better employers. I've only one friend left in Apple and they're goal is to get out.

On the Adamo, I have to say I don't like the design at all, especially the white/silver model. Dell's industrial design has come on leaps and bounds over the past year, but for me this looks like a step backwards.