Dell will this week unveil the sleeker Wi-Fi-enabled successor to its chunky Axim X5 PDA.

The Axim X3 will offer a bounty of communications options including Bluetooth and infrared as well as 802.11b. The first Axim was bulky at almost 200g but the new model is lighter and smaller at 150g.

This new model has a solid specification and generous amount of memory but no Compact Flash (CF) slot, which will deter some buyers. CF was integrated in the first Axim but its removal might have helped Dell achieve the thinner look.

The X3 has a microphone and stereo jack that could make it useful for voice memos as well as playing music. Although it is aimed mainly at consumers, its price and features will see it used in many businesses The device is based on Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC and will be available with basic and enhanced specifications.

The original Axim suffered from a performance problem that had to be fixed by a software patch and despite its low price - the current model costs from only £139 - has suffered from low sales, according to one analyst.

"It had a pretty slow start and was clunky," said Roberta Cozza of Gartner. "Its main effect has been to put pressure on all the others to cut prices."

Dell declined to discuss its plans for the Axim other than to confirm the product's release date as this Wednesday.

Assuming Dell prices the X3 with its customary keenness it could appeal to buyers who do not need an integrated mobile phone. For those that do, mobile carrier O2 will soon release its XDA II, another PDA that uses Windows Mobile 2003 but adds phone capabilities as well as a digital camera.

Like Dell's X3, the XDA II also has Bluetooth wireless support but it lacks Dell's integral Wi-Fi capabilities.

Gartner's Cozza added the XDA is another product that has failed to ignite the flat market for PDAs. "They are stuck in the warehouse," she said.