The Dell Axim X5 is Dell's first adventure into the world of Pocket PCs.
The purpose was to introduce a more affordable Pocket PC to the world. They've
done this with the Axim X5. But even though it's affordable, it isn't necessarily
as flashy as some more expensive models. Dell was probably focused on getting a
solid product into the market first.
There are actually two different Axim X5 models - the 300 MHz and the 400
MHz. There are only some minor differences between the two, and the 400 MHz
model may not be a significant improvement over the 300 MHz. The 400 Mhz Axim
has more memory and a faster processor, but not everyone believes that it
performs noticeably better. Because the two are so similar, they will be
grouped together in this one review.
With the Axim X5, Dell won some loyal followers, but there are also some
serious detractors. On the whole, the Axim X5 seems to be a good product,
but Dell can probably do better with future models.
Overall the Dell Axim X5 has gotten pretty good ratings from professional
reviewers as well as everyday users. However, of 1,524 votes on one web site,
only 51% recommended the Axim. This is not so good, despite the outstanding
user ratings below.
Professional Ratings: 7.8 out of 10 (3 reviews)
User Ratings: 9.2 out of 10 (85 reviews)
So why don't more people recommend the Axim X5 if it has such good ratings?
Truth be told, that's hard to say. One of the most common complaints has been
terrible customer support from Dell. This may be a big factor for the disgruntled
Axim users. Another common criticism is that the Axim is just too big. There have
also been some complaints that the Axim X5 doesn't sync as well with non-Dell
PCs. But it's difficult to know what the real story is behind that.