Dell unveils Vostro 3000 laptops for small firms

The Vostro 3300 has a 13.3in screen and runs Windows 7 Professional

Dell has expanded its line-up of Vostro systems for small businesses with the 3000 series laptops based on Intel's latest processors, including the firm's first quad-core product for the small business market.

Available immediately in the UK, the series comprises the Vostro 3300, 3500 and 3700, which feature 13.3in, 15.6in and 17.3in screen respectively, plus new design aesthetics including an aluminium casing for greater rigidity.

All the new models include an optical drive, Windows 7 Professional and up to 6GB of memory, but are still priced at an affordable level for small businesses and backed by 24 x 7 technical support, according to Dell.

James Nolan, Vostro product manager for Dell EMEA, explained that the brand had evolved over the past two years, but that it was still focused on delivering "essential technology at a good price" for smaller companies.

"It is aimed at the small business or entrepreneur, such as shopkeepers, the self-employed and companies up to about 25 employees, but in reality the systems can be bought by anyone," he said.

The new line-up is slimmer than the previous generation, with a back-lit keyboard as an option and new ports including a combo eSata/USB, FireWire, ExpressCard slot and a HDMI port on the two larger models.

All models have the base option of Intel Core i3 processors, with Core i5 processors optional for the Vostro 3500. Core i7 chips are available for the Vostro 3700, making it Dell's first quad-core system for small business.

The 13.3in Vostro 3300 is designed as a highly portable system, weighing less than 2kg and with a four-cell battery pack as standard, while a 3G broadband module can be specified as an option.

Mobile broadband is also an option on the Vostro 3500, which ships with a six-cell battery and will also be offered with a touch-screen from April.

The Vostro 3700 is intended as a desktop replacement, according to Nolan, and delivers high-end performance but without the high-end price tag.

Intel graphics is standard across the board, and Vostro 3300 and 3500 buyers have the option of an Nvidia 310M adapter with 512MB memory, while the Vostro 3700 can be configured with an Nvidia GT 330M and 1GB memory.

Prices start at £399 for the Vostro 3300, £369 for the Vostro 3500, and £389 for the Vostro 3700, all of which apply to a Core i3-330M processor, 2GB memory and a 250GB hard drive.