Conclusion: More Modern Than The X30i, But Not Perfect

Dell thinks $425 is a suitable asking price for its newest high-end model the Axim X50v. For the money, the customer receives a powerful PDA with VGA display, dedicated 2D/3D graphics accelerator, a rich feature set, and excellent expandability. The new design represents an undoubted improvement over the "old" X30 series, although the same cannot be said of the battery life, at four and a half hours. A metal casing would have also added a touch of class.

Upon critical inspection, the dedicated graphics chip sounds more impressive than it really is, since current applications (save for the odd game) can't derive any benefits from the theoretically available graphics performance.

Compared with the competition, however, the Axim X50v is nonetheless a good choice, as Asus' VGA PDA with integrated Bluetooth and WLAN functionality, the Mypal A730W, currently sells for $600. Sure, that device also features an integrated 1.2 megapixel digital camera, but it also has far worse battery life. You could also opt for HP's Ipaq hx4700 for $650. Initial measurements gave this pocket PC a battery life on a par with the handheld from Dell, plus it sports touchpad input as a neat feature. Still, we're not convinced that this alone justifies the significantly steeper price.

So just who is the Axim X50v aimed at? Well, just about everyone - consumers and businesspeople alike - who want to buy a fully loaded, relatively reasonably priced PDA with VGA display right now. Die-hards like that won't be deterred by the fact that the device's dedicated graphics accelerator is useless at present, except for the occasional gaming title.

To everyone else, such as folks who only recently bought a fast and well-equipped PDA like the X30i, our advice is: sit tight and wait for the price reductions that are sure to come.