Dell Venue 11 Pro review: This Atom-powered Windows tablet goes full-HD

Design and Features

When the Venue 11 Pro is in laptop mode and connected to its chunky keyboard dock, it looks and feels a lot like other recent ultraportables, and even echoes the classic netbook design of many Atom-powered ultrathin laptops from years ago. In everyday use, the Venue 11 Pro performs just as well as its peers, and has some unique advantages, including a sturdy chassis and built-in keyboard that make it feel more like a laptop than a Surface. It also has a 1920x1080-pixel Full HD display, which is rare for a screen of this size.

Capacity: Typically 32Wh or 42Wh (may vary between models).

Voltage: Standard lithium-polymer battery, typically 7.6V.

Life: Approximately 6-8 hours (actual use varies by load and system settings).

2. Common battery problems

Sudden drop in battery life: battery aging or system background programs occupying resources.

Unable to charge: charging port is damaged, battery is faulty, or power adapter is problematic.Dell Venue 11 Pro Tablet Battery

Bulging: Stop using immediately to avoid safety hazards.

The Venue 11 Pro may be able to withstand some bumpy movements, and the soft-touch coating on the back is not easy to smudge or scratch. One problem with the hinge/connection is that pulling the screen away from the keyboard base almost always causes me to accidentally press the power button on the top edge of the tablet.

One of the reasons why the Venue 11 Pro stands out from other small Windows tablets is that it is equipped with a 10.8-inch Full HD 1920x1080 pixel display. This IPS display is very clear and sharp even at wide viewing angles, and the screen surface has a moderate glossiness, so you don't have to endure glare all the time. The sound quality of the built-in dual speakers is a little thin, but it is more than enough for daily video watching. Connectivity, Performance, andDell Venue 11 Pro Tablet Battery

For a thin and light tablet, the Venue 11 Pro offers a fairly generous amount of connectivity. The HDMI and SD card slots are small and not usable at all without an adapter or dongle, so be aware of that if you like to travel light.

But things aren't always so positive. I occasionally experienced lag or missed keys when using the keyboard. The keyboard is physically connected to the tablet, not via Bluetooth, so this was more surprising, although we've experienced similar issues with other hybrid tablets in the past. The trackpad on the keyboard base is too small to offer much functionality beyond basic on-screen navigation. While it felt more responsive than the keyboard, scrolling web pages and selecting blocks of text with two fingers was difficult. However, on a small tablet like this, most navigation will probably still be done using touch.