Dell updates Vostro laptop for better battery life

Dell has launched the V131, a new ultraportable laptop in its small-business Vostro line that the company says improves on the poor battery life of its predecessor, the Vostro V130.

Dell has launched the V131, a new ultraportable laptop in its small-business Vostro line. Photo credit: Matthew Fitzgerald/CNET News

The Vostro V131, unveiled on Thursday, lets customers replace batteries themselves and also offers lengthier battery life. The V130's six-cell battery lasted just over two hours with continuous video playback, but Dell said in a blog post that the V131 could manage almost 10 hours on a single charge.

"Overall battery life is much improved compared to the V130, thanks in no small part to Intel's second-generation Core technology, which you may know as Sandy Bridge," Dell blogger Lionel Menchaca wrote.

The V131 has three Intel processor options, including the ultra-low voltage Celeron 847 and the standard-voltage Core i3-2310M and Core i5-2410M. Customers can select four-cell or six-cell batteries.

Other features include an HD webcam with dual-array microphones, SRS Premium Voice Pro audio software, a fingerprint reader and a fall sensor for the hard drive. Although US customers can only choose configurations with hard drives, SSD options are available in some countries, including the UK.

The Dell Vostro V131 is on sale at a starting price of £359 excluding VAT and shipping, although its price can go much higher depending on the configuration.