for caching.

An mSATA drive is a solid state drive that has a very small form factor. It looks like a large integrated circuit, it's basically an SSD without the 2.5" housing. It originally was a relatively small size, typically 16 GB or 32 GB, and was used to cache the hard drive. That is, it would hold the initial boot files of the operating system and the most used application programs, thereby speeding up the boot process and some program load times (depending on how much cache was in the drive). However, now with larger mSATA drives of 128 GB or more, they can be used as a regular SSD to hold the operating system on instead being used to cache a hard drive.

Thanks for the info.


My new 5470 just arrived today. Took around 7 days to arrive order via dell online.

Early review:
1. Lightweight. Easy to carry around.
2. No VOSTRO wording at the top left corner as compare to previous dell vostro series.
3. Weak wifi strength. I put HP DV6 laptop side by side with this. 2-3 bar wifi network able to detect by the DV6 but 5470 unable to pick up the wifi network at all.

Worth the money as an entry model laptop. Using for normal office work + watching movie only.

But the wireless card is weak, not an issue for you?

yeah, gonna be an issue for me. didn't know that before. else would not have chosen this laptop.

maybe will get external wireless adapter to boost its wifi strength. at my table in the office, also unable to pick up the office's wifi. bad bad bad.

I see, I was thinking of getting this now there is ssd & wifi issue. I dont think I am going to get this model anymore

I will now aim for lenovo flex 14 or U430T instead

may i know how big and the weight for the adapter? because i'm torn to either buy vostro 5470 or toshiba u840t for my wife. if laptop only, the vostro is lighter than the toshiba, but toshiba's power adapter is small and light. I reckon the power adapter for the vostro should be quite big and heavy since it's going to power the nvidia gc inside it, right?

medium in size light in weight, although it is not that "flat type" which is provided for netbook. you should go to shop and have a look to have better view.

tq for the info. ok maybe someday next week will go to lowyat la. lowyat there got dell showroom right?

i think many malls now got dell reseller, midvalley, BTS, digitalmall...

the problem is i live ni nilai and there's not too many malls here..
perhaps when i have a meeting in kl i'll drop by at lowyat for a while

try search here

Find the nearest retail shop for you

you can call dell service to replace it with another wifi model

thanks for the link. actually i just went to thundermatch in tesco nilai last week but they don't have any dell on display although they're listed as one of the dell retail seller in the link you gave...

I guess is a known problem for the whole fleet of 5470 not only to this particular model.
Oh wells, will live with it.

many slim-book have problem with wifi (weak signal) not only from dell. the previous 5460 also faced similar problem, wifi in living room, signal lose 1-2 bar when close door compare to open door in bed room and it happens in apartment, i wonder how it is in a double story house.

i call dell to replace my wifi card, i duwan the intel card. they changed it for me now i have a strong wifi connection

oh, which one did they change? mind to let me know the brand and model?

i want to know too pls..

My laptop is Acer V5-473PG (direct competitor to Dell 5470). Unfortunately I didn't encounter any wifi problem. I am staying at hostel 4th floor but I able connect my uni wifi hotspot located at LG. Somemore you know there's many hotspot and limited wifi channels will interfere with each other to make the signal weak, but it works perfectly. I almost purchase Vostro 5470 but luckily I didn't.