aximsite Reviews the Dell Axim X30

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.aximsite.com/x30review/' target='_blank'>http://www.aximsite.com/x30review/</a><br /><br /></div>Yup, it's official: the Dell Axim X30 is out. It's not up on their Web site yet as of this writing, but I'm sure it will be soon. Dell sent me an X30 to review, but I didn't receive it until Thursday, and I've spent the past few days doing battery tests and taking pictures. And then tonight, when I was hoping to finish up my review, I spent four hours with an insurance agent talking about life insurance. 8O So there you have my sorry excuses for not having the review finished - regulars will know that if I can't be first I don't like writing reviews at all, but in this case I promise I'll finish it off tomorrow. ;-)<br /><br />One fellow who did manage to get an X30 review written is Chris Leckness from aximsite:<br /><br /><i>"Since this is the 1st 624mhz Pocket PC, there is nothing to compare benchmark scores with at this time, But compared it to the older machines, it is"Smoking"! What is the perfect PocketPC? That is a question that will never be answered, there are too many opposing views and usage patterns for that to ever be accomplished. Today, Dell released the closest to my perfect PocketPC to date. It sports the fastest processor available at this time, SDIO SD Slot, a small and light form factor, Bluetooth and WiFi, and Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition. Other than a few features that some find a must, it has everything I want in a PocketPC. The only real complaint offhand is the look. I mentioned in my X3i review last year that I really wish that Dell would have duplicated the modern, unique look of the X5 when they design the X3. Just in case you have not figured it out yet, the Dell Axim X30 is the same as the X3i with some major enhancements."</i><br /><br />What I can tell you is that the X30 is <b>f-a-s-t</b>. I threw a 320 x 240 WMV clip at 1011 kbps, and it played it without a hiccup (yeah, that's over 1 mbps!). That same clip on the same SD card while played in my iPAQ 4150 resulted in a brief sputtering every four seconds. The raw CPU power of the 624 mhz CPU is very impressive for multimedia. Overall, this is the most powerful Pocket PC I've ever tested - witness the benchmark results:<br /><br /> <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/axim-x30.gif" /><br /><br />In fact, what's really amazing is how painfully slow the Axim X5 is with the PXA250 CPU. This is the first Pocket PC which, from a performance standpoint, feels truly faster than the original iPAQ based on the 206 mhz StrongARM CPU.<br /><br />Other interesting bits about this X30 release include the fact that their entry-level non-wireless model will be $199 USD, and that they will have a Bluetooth keyboard released within 60 days or so. Battery life is decent, but not stellar - 3 hours and 17 minutes with the backlight cranked up to maximum. With the 1800 mAH battery that rises to over seven hours, which is very respectable. No backlight and CPU idle? 28 hours and seven minutes. 8O <br /><br />More on this tomorrow, but definitely go check out Chris' review!

[Enderet]

8O

Finally this is the type of thing that I have been waitinf for. SNES emulators will play even better now.

[takotchi]

The new processors sound promising - too bad this is just a quickie remake of an old model that still has the sucky 320x240 screen.

But that makes me look forward to something like the new iPAQs even more. Hopefully we'll see more of these 624MHz PocketPCs soon.

[Mark Johnson]

I'm also wondering about what VGA goodness Dell has up it's sleeve. It feels weird to say it, but I'm not really craving the Mhz that badly. Sure I would like more speed, but I really want the resolution. It's all about the pixels...

[vting]

Just saw this on Dell Australia website.

http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/axim_x30_312w_au?c=au&l=en&s=dhs

The site mentioned it have 312Mhz and not 624Mhz.

I wonder if it is a typo or are they releasing a different spec model for Australia? :!: :?:

[Zack Mahdavi]

Wow, this sounds very impressive.. Finally, Dell has released a dual-wireless model with an incredible processor. Plus, with the regular Dell discounts, I'm sure this thing will be significantly cheaper than the iPaq 4150.

I'll be waiting for that review, Jason! :)

[Snail]

Just an observation: why is it that, 4 years since the 3600 iPaq, the cpu in the X30 is only twice as fast as the original? :devilboy:

[huangzhinong]

Wow, this sounds very impressive.. Finally, Dell has released a dual-wireless model with an incredible processor. Plus, with the regular Dell discounts, I'm sure this thing will be significantly cheaper than the iPaq 4150.

I'll be waiting for that review, Jason! :)

even without any coupon, it is only $349, $100 less than h4155.
X30 has more than 20mb ROM storage too, which doesn't exist in h4155.

Let alone the middle version, which is only $249 and faster than h4155.(FROM Aximsite.com review.)

[whydidnt]

Am I the only one amazed that Dell actually beat HP to the punch with the release of a 2nd Edition Device? HP really seems to be sleeping on this release. I wonder if they are as committed to the platform as Compaq was? If I was a betting man, I'd bet that all of HP's releases last year were the completion of previously started Compaq projects. All we've heard from them is very think rumors and inuendo to this date.

[popabawa]

I'm struggling to work out why anyone would release a non-VGA device at this stage...

I'm guessing it must be down to the cost of the screen - anyone have any idea what the difference in manufacturing cost is?

Iain.

[Kowalski]

this device is far better than 4150, who would buy an HP when this device exits!

[outdoor]

this device is amazing.. only if it looked cooler :D



i'm sure HP will release its device soon... somehow i believe they want the axim to release first (just like when palm introduced their models first, then Sony came pounding in).

[Kacey Green]

Maybe HP is just better at keeping secrets than Compaq was, they've even done rumor control here at this site, and if I remember correctly they did the same thing at brighthand. I mean just look at the awesome pic/stats we got earlier of the VGA device, wether or not it is 4"

[Stephen Beesley]

I'm struggling to work out why anyone would release a non-VGA device at this stage...

Like sooooo many others this is the big question for me as well. While I would love the greater speed, built in dual wireless etc etc. I also want a vga screen!

When the Toshiba e800 came out and WM2003 was announced with VGA support I sort of presumed that VGA would become the new standard and that pretty much all PPC hardware from here on in would be VGA - so far however this just does not seem to be happening (okay I know it is still early days but....). This leaves me wondering about software compatibility issues - what will be the incentive for developers to come up with VGA versions of their software if only a handful of devices utilise that functionality?

[James Fee]

I'm struggling to work out why anyone would release a non-VGA device at this stage...

Like sooooo many others this is the big question for me as well. While I would love the greater speed, built in dual wireless etc etc. I also want a vga screen!
Cost. I doubt we'd see this price point with a VGA screen.

[jake080]

I'm struggling to work out why anyone would release a non-VGA device at this stage...

Like sooooo many others this is the big question for me as well. While I would love the greater speed, built in dual wireless etc etc. I also want a vga screen!
Cost. I doubt we'd see this price point with a VGA screen.

Very true! I almost wish we had a new XGA (800x600) releasing to maybe knock some costs out of VGA, but then I would want that, and at that rate we will have like WUXGA and 2Ghz HT processors and comepletely integrated, and unnoticable GPS, cellular net, WiFi/WiMax combo and like Bluetooth 4.0 with like 3x the range of Wifi and prolly a 10 gb microdrive for $99 ;)
yeah, thats actually a depressing thought, why buy one now when you could wait for that :?

~Jake

[Paul P]

Great review. Awesome specs, but was a little disappointing looking at those pie comparison screenshots of wm2003 and wm2003SE.

[Ed@Brighthand]

I'm struggling to work out why anyone would release a non-VGA device at this stage...

Like sooooo many others this is the big question for me as well. While I would love the greater speed, built in dual wireless etc etc. I also want a vga screen!
Cost. I doubt we'd see this price point with a VGA screen.

I have to agree. The top-of-the-line wireless Axim X30 with a 624 MHz processor is just $349. The iPAQ hx4700 (http://www.brighthand.com/article/RumorMill_-_Additional_Info_on_iPAQ_hx4700) will be at least $500, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was $600.

[Zack Mahdavi]

Wow, this sounds very impressive.. Finally, Dell has released a dual-wireless model with an incredible processor. Plus, with the regular Dell discounts, I'm sure this thing will be significantly cheaper than the iPaq 4150.

I'll be waiting for that review, Jason! :)

even without any coupon, it is only $349, $100 less than h4155.
X30 has more than 20mb ROM storage too, which doesn't exist in h4155.

Let alone the middle version, which is only $249 and faster than h4155.(FROM Aximsite.com review.)

You're absolutely right.. this device is insanely cheap. The $249 one, though, is just a 312Mhz, right? So that's not faster than the 4155.

Still, for $250, I wouldn't mind giving up a little speed to save that much money...

Dang, I have a feeling my next PDA will be a Dell.

[david291]

Does the X30 automatically disable wireless when the battery drops too low, like the X3i does? That behaviour is a deal breaker for our vertical market business solution. Anyone know if that has been "fixed"?

[Jason Dunn]

Does the X30 automatically disable wireless when the battery drops too low, like the X3i does? That behaviour is a deal breaker for our vertical market business solution. Anyone know if that has been "fixed"?

It would appear that it still does that:

"After a total of 2.5 hours of use, I reached the point where Wi-Fi wouldn't activate any more. This is something Windows Mobile does in an attempt to keep you from draining your battery too quickly. At 3 hours I got the first warning that my battery was low. Anything after that and you are living on borrowed time. I stretched the battery out another half hour, but eventually decided I wasn't in the mood for a hard reset and plugged the X30 in."

http://www.brighthand.com/article/Dell_Axim_X30_Review?site=PPC

Have you contacted Dell about this? They're always eager for feedback from business clients...

[Jonathon Watkins]

I'm struggling to work out why anyone would release a non-VGA device at this stage...

I'm guessing it must be down to the cost of the screen ...

Don't forget about battery life. Driving 4x the number of pixels uses up more juice. Everything costs somehow .....

[David Prahl]

I shivered seeing Aximsite's photo of the X30 in landscape with BT and wifi! :worried:

I really have trouble believing that Dell increased the battery life that much. I got 70 minutes of actual surfing on the X3i before the wifi turned itself off. How did this figure double?

Has anyone heard of a US/Canada release?

[Jason Dunn]

I really have trouble believing that Dell increased the battery life that much. I got 70 minutes of actual surfing on the X3i before the wifi turned itself off. How did this figure double?

But remember how we thought maybe your unit had a bad battery? ;-) I'm going to try and do some WiFi tests with the X30, although Spb Benchmark lacks a WiFi test that transfers any data, which makes it difficult. :?

Has anyone heard of a US/Canada release?

Well, you can order it now on both the US and Canadian sites, so I think the release is...now. ;-)

[jblodgett]

I ordered mine today from Dell's website.

Unfortunately, they say that it won't be SHIPPING until June 10, 2004.

:(