Dell Streak

Overview
Specs
Reviews
Videos

7/10

800 x 480 display
Android
5 inch display
Multi Touch
HDMI
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
Screen Zoom
Dock connector
GPS
View full specs

The Dell Streak is very unusual in the sense that it has all the features of a tablet, but is similar in size to a smartphone. It has a five inch display and a 800 x 480 screen resolution. The screen is bigger than the iPhone 4 and bigger than the Android phones, HTC Evo 4G and Motorola Droid X.

Tablets such as the iPad 2 have a 9.7 or 10 inch screen, and if you are looking to use a tablet for emails, casual gaming, or HD videos then you might want a larger screen and a virtual keyboard that is easy to type on. But the Streak's size means neither of these two are possible.

As far as processing goes, the Dell Streak has a 1 GHz Qualcomm processor with 512 MB of RAM. It runs an old version of the Android OS, 2.2. Again, this means it is slightly behind new tablets that run on the Android 3.0. However, it is a very fast system, and can load websites very quickly as well through its WiFi. Most websites load in similar or faster times than the iPad, despite the smaller size, meaning you are not losing out on performance and speed. However, the Android 2.2 OS does not have the same quality and quantity of Android apps that the new 3.0 operating system offers, meaning users miss out in that sense.

Dell claims that their tablet is actually an improvement on larger tablets, because 95% of Android games do not take advantage of bigger screens anyway, and can be viewed or played as easily on this tablet as larger ones. However, it is difficult to judge the Dell Streak because it is not a smartphone and it is not a tablet. It is a hybrid between the two, similar in many ways to the iPod touch, and it remains to be seen whether there is a market for smaller tablets.

Need To Know Facts: Dell Streak

1. Small screen means it is easy to carry around. (The Good)

2. Fast web browsing. (The Good)

3. Small screen might make it harder to type and use certain features. (The Bad)

4. Android 2.2 instead of Android 3.0. (The Bad)

Prices (Where To Buy)

New Dell Streak 7 WI-FI Tablet 7" 16GB Android 3.2 OS 1 GHz NVIDIA 5MP Camera from eBay

•Condition: New
•Availability: In Stock
•Contract: No
•Located In: USA

$139.95

New Dell Streak 7 WI-FI 3G (T-Mobile) Tablet 7" 16GB Android 3.2 OS 1 GHz NVIDIA from eBay

•Condition: New
•Availability: In Stock
•Contract: No
•Located In: USA

$149.95

Dell Streak 7 WiFi Touchscreen Tablet Rear & Front Facing Camera Video from eBay

•Condition: New
•Availability: In Stock
•Contract: No
•Located In: USA

$157.99

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Latest Reviews

Dell’s updated Streak 5 has some solid improvements over its debut version

Sarah E. Anderson from Computer Shopper (over 2 years ago)

5/10

The Streak 5, whether you buy it unlocked or with a two-year contract, comes with an industry-standard one-year warranty, as well as one year of "advanced exchange" service. There is no option for an extended warranty on Dell’s site. Bundled apps of note include Evernote; CoPilot Live; Quickoffice;... More

Mix a smartphone with a bit of iPad and you’ll get the Dell Streak

Kate Craig-Wood from The Guardian (over 2 years ago)

In summary, despite some minor niggles, the Dell Streak is an excellent device. I also think my experiment of trying to get the benefits of a 'pad and a smart phone in one device has worked. It is big enough to be easy to read, watch or interact with for extended periods but small enough to be highly... More

The update to Android 2.2 brings numerous improvements to the quietly impressive Dell Streak, with the one notable negative being battery life

Tim Danton from PC Pro (over 2 years ago)

Overall, then, this is a positive update. It’s faster, more intuitive and has more features than before. It also helps that Dell has priced the Streak quite aggressively: £399 inc VAT is competitive for a SIM-free device with this amount of power and features. We don’t suggest that... More

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