Excellent PDA and SAT Nav package (Dell Axim X51v)

Member Name: count_zero

Product:	Dell Axim X51v
Date:	30/06/06 (1283 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Bright screen, fast, CF and SD expansion slots

Disadvantages: Bulky with case and tendency to freeze

Dell Axim X51 - 520MHz

Specs:
Windows Mobile 5.0
Intel Processor at 520MHz
3.5" colour TFT display
Integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
64MB SDRAM
Integrated Compact Flash and Secure Digital expansion slots
USB cradle

Software Included:
Media Player 10
Mobile Office (Word, Excel & Powerpoint)
Calendar, tasks and contact management
Internet Explorer
Basic games
Several demo games

Additional Software Purchased
Dell Navigator
Monopoly
Scrabble

My Palm Tungsten E was beginning to show its age after a couple of years and I started looking at a replacement. I am not confident about the future for Palm units so thought I'd look at Pocket PC models. After initially looking at HP iPaq models I felt that the Dell range offered better value for money. My criteria included straightforward compatibility with MS Outlook and other MS Office applications, a large bright screen and the option to include a sat nav package. After reading some very positive reviews in the computer press I decided on the Axim.

The Dell website were offering the 520 for the same price as the 416 so I went for this option. I also purchased the Dell Navigator sat nav, carry case and screen protectors.
Unit £225
Sat Nav £183

Overview
I am mostly very pleased with this unit, it is noticeably more powerful and better quality than my old Palm. The display will be familiar to most PC users as it mirrors the Win XP desktop very well. All applications and functions are easily accessible from the Start menu which can be customised to provide shortcuts if required.
The screen is very clear and bright and doesn't have any dead space. It can become hard to view in brighter light but this is common for most PDAs.
The bundled software all work well, the Outlook functions are easy to use and sync well with your main PC. The Office applications are fairly comprehensive in terms of functionality. MS Word is very good and virtually fully formatted documents can be produced. MS Excel and Powerpoint are equally good but the screen size makes them hard to use effectively, they are usable at a pinch but no replacement for a full size machine. The on-screen keyboard is good for entering text and is accessible from most applications, but it's not a patch on the Palm Graffiti tool.

Pocket PC units tend to be bigger than their Palm equivalents and this is no exception. With the carry case the Axim becomes quite bulky and you're not going to forget it's in your pocket. It's also noticeably heavier, but we're only talking grams here. The battery life is quite disappointing and depending on what applications are running can be down to a couple of hours. If you are a heavy user you might want to consider getting the bigger battery.

The selection of software and games for Pocket PCs is huge and you should find something to meet your needs without too many problems.

The Dell Navigator sat nav add on was one of the main reasons for choosing this machine. It really is very good once you get it set up. The instructions were for a different version of Windows and consequently I had to spend some time with the help files to get the connection working. The map files included cover much of the UK and Europe and can be selected by country. This is important as the map files are very large and even just using the UK map virtually filled my 512MB expansion card. The maps are pretty up to date and after a lot of use I've only found one new road not covered (A21 sth of Tonbridge). Setting up a route is quick and easy, the list of possible destinations is very comprehensive and I haven't defeated it yet. On the move the directions are very clear on screen and the vocal instructions are pleasant and well timed. If you go off course or think you know better the unit will recalculate within seconds and revise its directions.

USB cable and cradle connections are included and the Auto Sync function works well. My machine has a tendency to freeze on occasion and this requires a 'soft' reboot but this is frustrating more than a real problem.

Summary:
This is a good quality, powerful unit that should meet most of your PDA needs. The bundled software will cover 90% of the things that you want to do and everything else is easily found. The sat nav package is very good and I would certainly recommend it as an alternative to a dedicated unit. In one sense you are buying an excellent sat nav and getting a top of the range PDA thrown in.

Summary: Effectively a great sat nav with a free PDA thrown in

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