Dell readies its first AMD Fusion laptop, the $699 Inspiron M102z

Most of Dell’s laptop lineup is Intel-based, but the Inspiron M100 series appears to be saved for its AMD notebook forays. It already sells the Inspiron M101z with an Athlon II processor, and now it appears to be adding its first AMD Fusion portable in the form of the M102z.

For $699, the M102z will come with a 1.6GHz E-350 Fusion Zacate processor and Radeon HD 6310 graphics, along with a 11.6-inch screen (1,366×768 resolution) and 4GB of RAM. You can also get a cheaper version ($599) with a 1GHz CPU, or bump things up to $759 with a built-in TV tuner.

While it won’t necessarily provide the same performance as an Intel Core i3 mobile processor, the E-350 has garnered high marks in other systems  as an alternative to an Intel Atom-based netbook. Dell’s entry confirms that AMD has a successful mobile offering right out of the gate with Fusion, as we await more powerful laptop processors using the new platform.