Asus Eee PC 900 Review - trustedreviews.com

Reviewed by Riyad Emeran

Few could argue that Asus created something special when it launched the Eee PC last year. The idea of making a truly mobile, yet very affordable mobile computer was welcomed by the Press and consumers in equal measure. Although the Eee PC 4G 701 that Andy reviewed back in October 2007 was a great machine, there were a couple of issues that took away some of the shine. Now however, I have the Eee PC 900 to play with, and it looks as though Asus may have got everything just about perfect this time.



Anyone who's got a few years under their belt, like myself, will be well aware that the concept of a basic, portable computer with solid state storage and no moving parts is nothing new. About ten years ago I did a significant amount of my writing on a Psion Series 5, which was laughably referred to as a PDA. In the Series 5, Psion created a device so usable, that I was able to write entire features on it while sitting on the train. The company then pushed the boundaries even further when it launched the Series 7 and eventually the NetBook.

What Psion got right with its machines was a balance of essential functionality, small form factor and great battery life. As time moved on, though, fully fledged notebooks became smaller and lighter and end users wanted to run feature rich (read bloated) operating systems on their mobile computers. All this spelled the end for Psion hardware (although it did spin off its EPOC OS as Symbian), and for a long time we simply didn't see machines like the Series 7 and NetBook. Thankfully Asus realised that there was room in the market for a basic, affordable machine that didn't need to run the latest version of Windows - thus the Eee PC was born.



For anyone who hasn't heard of the Eee PC before (where have you been hiding?), let me give you the low down. The Eee PC is a very small machine measuring 225 x 165 x 35mm (WxDxH) and weighing around 1kg. that puts it well and truly into the ultra-portable sector, being lighter than even a Sony TZ31MN, and smaller too. This is a machine built to be used on the move, without the need to make much space for it in your bag. The Eee PC comes in two colours, pearlescent white, like the one I'm reviewing here and black - yes, that does sound very similar to Apple's MacBook range, but that's most definitely where the similarities end.

Although the chassis that houses the Eee PC 900 is pretty much identical to the 701 that Andy reviewed last year, you only have to open the lid to see the first major difference between the two. The screen on the 900 is a huge improvement and one that makes this new Eee PC even more attractive than its predecessor. The 7in screen on the original Eee PC was hampered by the 800 pixel wide resolution, which meant that you had to scroll sideways on the vast majority of web pages. The 8.9in screen on the new model rectifies this issue by sporting a 1,024 pixel wide resolution, which allows it to display the vast majority of web pages perfectly, without the need for sideways scrolling.



The full screen resolution is 1,024 x 600, which means you've got a widescreen aspect ratio, just like the majority of fully featured notebooks on the market. It should also be said that the quality of the screen in the Eee PC 900 is superb. OK, so it's not gloriously bright and vivid like the screen in a Sony TZ, but it is evenly lit, has a wide viewing angle and this sample at least, suffered from no dead pixels. The 8.9in screen actually fills the lid properly too, whereas the 7in display in the 701 just looked tiny, flanked as it was by speakers and surrounded by a large black bezel. As well as offering much improved functionality, the new screen also improves the Eee PC aesthetically.



Considering the overall size of the Eee PC, it comes as no surprise that the keyboard is quite small. Anyone who struggles with a reduced size keyboard on a traditional ultra-portable notebook isn't going to have much joy with an Eee PC, it really is that simple. However, if your hands aren't too big, you shouldn't have any problem typing - I'm currently writing this review on the Eee PC 900 and I can't say that I'm typing much slower than if I was using a full size keyboard on a notebook or desktop.



Also surprising is the amount of travel that each key has, and the fact that there's a solid break at the end of each keystroke, ensuring that your finger bounces back up ready for the next attack. If there's one small annoyance, it's the reduced size Return key, which resembles the flat Enter style key seen on US keyboards. This isn't anything that you won't get used to after a short time, but I'd still rather have seen a larger Return.

Below the SpaceBar is the touchpad, which represents another major change from the older Eee PC 701. Not only is the touchpad far wider than that on the previous model, but it's also multi-touch enabled. OK, so maybe I was premature when I said that the similarities with Apple would end with the colours, but I didn't want to spoil the surprise! Just like on the MacBook Air, you can zoom in and out of images by pinching your fingers together, or pulling them apart. Of course, as with the MacBook Air, I'm not convinced that multi-touch is the killer feature that it is on the iPhone or iPod touch, but it's great to see Asus squeezing such cutting edge technology into such an affordable machine.



If you're the kind of notebook user that has got used to using the right hand edge of the touchpad to scroll through documents, you'll probably be disappointed to hear that the touchpad on the Eee PC 900 doesn't support this feature. But don't despair, because Asus has come up with a far better method. Instead of having to place your finger right at the edge of the touchpad to scroll, the Eee PC 900 will let you scroll from anywhere in the touchpad, as long as you use two fingers. The fact that you're using two fingers tells the touchpad that you're not just trying to move the pointer, and will consequently scroll through your document or webpage instead. The two finger scrolling method can be used for both vertical and horizontal scrolling.



There are some big changes inside too, although the CPU isn't one of them. Despite the fact that many of us were hoping that the Eee PC 900 would be sporting Intel's new Atom chip, unfortunately it's not. In fact the basic platform is unchanged from the original model, with a 900MHz Intel Celeron processor residing in a 915GM based motherboard - hardly cutting edge, but more than capable of the job at hand. The first component improvement over the old 701 is the memory complement, with the new 900 sporting 1GB of RAM as standard, as opposed to the 512MB seen previously. The webcam has also been upgraded from a 0.3-megapixel unit to a 1.3-megapixel model - ideal for anyone who needs their friends to see them in even more detail while chatting on Skype.

The other major component upgrade is the amount of storage on offer. The original 701 had only 4GB of storage, while the 900 comes in two configurations - one with 12GB of storage and the other with 20GB. There's no difference in price between these two versions because the 12GB model comes preloaded with Windows XP, while the 20GB version is running Linux. Basically Asus has used the money saved by installing an open source operating system to increase the storage. Of course if you really are set on Windows XP, the obvious suggestion would be to buy the Linux machine, then just install XP yourself - assuming that you have a spare copy of XP knocking about that is.



It's the 20GB Linux version that I've got in front of me right now, and I have to say that I'm simply not convinced that I would ever need Windows XP on a machine like this. The beauty of the Eee PC is its simplicity, so filling it up with a heavy duty OS, when you simply don't need the majority of the features it offers seems pointless. Unless you absolutely, positively have to run Windows applications like Microsoft Office, when you're out and about, there's pretty much nothing that you can't do with the Linux version.

Performance wise, the Eee PC 900 zips along, without any of the tedious grinding that Windows Vista users will be used to. Unlike with Vista, 1GB of RAM is more than enough for a well configured Linux build, while the fast solid state storage also helps to ensure that the Eee PC 900 responds instantaneously to your commands.



Navigation on the Linux install is unbelievably simple. You're basically presented with a tabbed desktop, and clicking each tab will change the icons on offer to you on your desktop. The first tab is labelled Internet and unsurprisingly, all the icons are linked to Internet access in some way. Highlights include a Webmail button, which opens a page with various Webmail client icons such as Gmail and Hotmail. The Web icon will open the pre-installed Firefox browser, while the Skype and Google Docs icons will do exactly what it says on the tin. The Messenger button will launch Pidgin, which is a multi-protocol instant messenger client, that works very well. I especially like the fact that all your conversations happen in one window, with tabs for each person you're talking to - this is very useful when desktop real estate is at a premium.

The Work tab gives you access to OpenOffice, for all your word processing, spreadsheet and presentation needs - and yes you can save in Microsoft Office format. Here you'll also find a PDF reader, a simple notes program and a shortcut to Thunderbird for all your email needs. This is also where File manager lives, which basically equates to Windows Explorer and lets you search through all your folders.



The Learn tab is clearly aimed at the education sector, which is a big part of the Eee PC market. Here you'll find games and applications to help improve your vocabulary, spelling and even maths ability. There's also a basic Paint program here, which is similar to the identically named application found in Windows, while the Science icon will give you access to a periodic table and a planetarium.



The Play tab brings up all the fun stuff like the Media Player, Music Manager and Webcam utility. There's also a Sound Recorder and a Games icon, which gives you access to a handful of pre-loaded games, including the obligatory Solitaire.



The Settings tab gives you access to all the system utilities and configuration applications. Here you can configure the touchpad, change the date and time, monitor disk usage and implement a virus scan of the system. The Add/Remove programs button also lives here, which not only lets you install or uninstall applications, but also checks for updates on all your installed programs. Finally the Favourites tab is just that, a place where you can store all your favourite links and shortcuts.

Despite the very small chassis, Asus has managed to squeeze in a surprising amount of connectivity. On the right you'll find a D-SUB port for hooking the Eee PC 900 up to an external monitor. Next to this are two USB 2.0 ports, along with an SD card slot. Considering how cheap flash memory is these days, the SD card slot means that even if you do run low on internal storage, augmentation won't be expensive.



On the left there's a third USB 2.0 port, which is one more than you'll find on most fully featured ultra-portable notebooks. Here you'll also find headphone and mic sockets - so you've got a choice of using a traditional or USB headset while taking advantage of that webcam and pre-installed Skype. Of course there is a microphone built into the lid of the machine, but you're always better off using a proper headset.



The final connection on the left is an Ethernet port for the 10/100 network adapter. It's worth noting that the Apple MacBook air doesn't have an Ethernet port, despite being considerably larger and heavier than the Eee PC 900, making Apple's machine look like a lightweight in metaphorical rather than literal terms. Of course you also get 802.11b/g wireless built-in - Draft-N would have been nice, but let's hope that when the Atom version arrives it wll be Draft-N compliant.

If there's one area where the new Eee PC 900 doesn't really improve on its predecessor, it's battery life, and that's a real shame. With the improvements that Asus has made in this new Eee PC model, battery life is about the only chink in its armour worth mentioning, but it's still a significant chink. Asus quotes 2.5-hours battery life for this machine, but I barely got two hours out of it, although to be fair I had the screen on full brightness and wireless running. Perhaps with a bit of a tweak to the brightness and more frugal use of wireless I could have matched Asus' estimate, but even then, two and a half hours isn't much by today's standards.


Ideally I'd like to see at least four hours battery life out of an Eee PC, especially since full fat ultra-portable machines like the Sony TZ can last well over six hours. Of course you can buy a larger battery for the Eee PC, but that will push both the price and the weight up. On the plus side, the power brick is tiny, so it wouldn't be too much of a chore to carry around with you, but that's not going to help you if you want to work out in the garden, or perhaps in a park where there are no plug sockets.


Battery life aside, Asus has thrown enough enhancements into the Eee PC 900 to make it a very attractive proposition for anyone who's thinking of buying a small, thin and light notebook. Of course those enhancements have also pushed the price up, with the Eee PC 900 costing £329 instead of £219. Even so, I can't see too many people being put off by the higher price point. In fact some of the guys in the office have already said that they'll be buying one of these little notebooks as soon as they get paid.


Verdict

Asus has done a brilliant job of updating an already great product. The engineers have clearly listened to all the comments regarding the original Eee PC and attempted to put them right. The 1,024 wide screen makes the Eee PC 900 a joy to use, especially if you spend a lot of your time in a browser window. The extra memory and storage are also very welcome additions, and help make this version of the Eee PC a real alternative to a fully featured notebook.

Yes the price is higher than the previous model, but I personally believe that the Eee PC 900 still represents staggering value for money. Ultimately, if you want a notebook that's small, light and still very affordable, the Eee PC 900 should be top of your list.

Asus Eee PC 900 Review - cnet.co.uk

Reviewed by Rory Reid

The Asus Eee PC 701 has earned a permanent place in history. It almost single-handedly defined the sub-notebook -- a genre of PC that made slow, inexpensive laptops the hottest properties in the computing world. Many have tried to emulate its success, and most have failed miserably, so it's left to Asus to push the envelope with a new version its product.

Step forward the Eee PC 900. This brings with it several improvements including a high-resolution 8.9-inch screen, more storage, more memory, a multi-touch mouse trackpad and an improved webcam. In other words, it's a far more attractive proposition even than the original. But is it enough of an evolution to stave off competition from its rivals? Let us know what you think in our Asus Eee PC 900 forum.

The Asus Eee PC 900 will be available on 1 May for around £329.

Design
The Eee PC 900 isn't too different to its predecessor, at least aesthetically. In comparison to the Eee PC 701, it's still ivory white and is still the size of a hardback book. It is, however, 6mm longer than its predecessor and approximately 100g heavier. The speakers that sat on either side of the screen have been removed to accommodate the larger panel -- an arrangement that immediately makes the laptop more attractive.

The speakers now live at the bottom of the laptop below the wrist rest -- an arrangement that adversely affects sound quality, particularly if you're using the Eee PC 900 on your lap. We'll forgive it this oversight, however, because the quality of the speakers on the original Eee PC 701 was rubbish in the first place.

We rather hoped the Eee PC 900 would have a larger keyboard than that of the 701, but that isn't the case. We still had the same trouble typing on it as we did before and had to adopt a four-finger -- index and middle finger -- approach to typing instead of our standard all-action, all-digit touch typing. It slows you down, but you'll get used to it after extended use.

The mouse trackpad has been improved, and notably so. It now has a wide aspect ratio to match that of the screen, meaning your finger inputs will more closely mirror what's possible with the on-screen cursor. The left and right selector buttons have also been improved. They now sport a silver finish and are easier to press.

Best of all, though, is the addition of multi-finger input, often referred to as multi-touch. The trackpad now lets you scroll horizontally and vertically through documents by swiping two fingers up or down across the surface of the trackpad. You can also zoom in or zoom out of pictures by making pinching or stretching movement with your fingers -- just like on a MacBook Air.

The selection of input-output ports on the Eee PC 900 is identical to that of the 701. The left side consists of an Ethernet port, a single USB port, and mic and headphone jacks. The right is home to a D-Sub VGA video output, two additional USB ports and an SD card reader. The latter can accommodate third-party SDHC cards for up to 32GB of additional storage. Larger cards are expected to emerge in due course.

Features
The aforementioned 8.9-inch display isn't simply for making the laptop look nicer. It's also of a very good standard. It runs at a native resolution of 1,024x600 pixels, which is significantly higher than the 800x480-pixel screen on the old 7-inch model. The quality of the display is also commendable, especially given the price of the laptop. The vertical viewing angle is a little limited, so you'll need to adjust the horizontal tilt to get the picture just right. Still, the horizontal viewing angle is wide enough to allow two users to watch a DivX movie side by side in relative comfort.

Anyone expecting the new Intel Atom CPUs in the Eee PC 900 will be sorely disappointed. This iteration uses the same Intel Celeron 900MHz CPU as the old 701, but it now has the backing of 1GB of DDR 400 RAM -- twice as much as you got in its predecessor. The geek inside us yearns for an Atom -- or similar -- CPU, but we'll have to wait until at least the summer before Asus updates the Eee again. In the meantime, we'll thank our lucky stars Asus didn't opt for a VIA C7-M CPU as seen in the Packard Bell EasyNote XS.

The amount of storage you get in your Eee PC 900 depends on whether you opt for the version containing Linux or Windows XP as an operating system. The Linux model comes with a fairly capacious 20GB of storage, while the Windows XP model has just 12GB. The reason for this discrepancy isn't as sinister as some fanboys might imagine.

Asus wants to keep the price of both models identical. Had the Windows model shipped with a 20GB drive, the price of that model would have jumped significantly due to the cost associated with the Windows user licence. Asus has been able to supply more storage in the Linux edition as a result of Linux costing approximately zero pounds. Sterling.

Both versions of the Eee PC 900 use Samsung flash memory chips rather than an actual off-the-shelf hard disk drive. The only drawback here is that it's not as large as the 32GB or 64GB SSDs in fully-grown laptops like the MacBook Air, but that's not a massive issue. The Eee PC 900's storage is still of the solid-state variety, so you can hurl the machine to the ground in frustration, safe in the knowledge that your data won't be lost. The screen and the keyboard will likely shatter into a million tiny pieces -- the machine is actually quite sturdy, don't worry -- but your data will be safe.

Those who opt for the Linux version of the Eee PC 900 won't be disappointed. It uses the same Linux-based OS as the Eee PC 701, and comes with some 40 applications pre-installed. You can add your own applications as you might expect, but we found pretty much everything we needed was already on the system, including the OpenOffice productivity suite, Firefox browser, a media player and more. Applications are logically arranged in tab groups labeled "Internet", "work", "learn", "play", "settings" and "favourites", so everything is easy to find.

The Eee PC 900 isn't designed to replace your primary PC -- despite what fanboys say otherwise. It's at its best when used as second PC or a Web access tool, and is well-equipped for doing just that. It has an Ethernet port, plus an 802.11b/g Wi-Fi adaptor so you can jump online regardless of whether you're in your lounge, your garden or a local Starbucks. Unfortunately, there's still no support for 802.11n high-speed wireless, but we can't say we really miss this feature.

Performance
The Eee PC 900 feels swifter in everyday use than the previous model -- something we put down to it having twice the memory. The 1GB of DDR 400 RAM also helped the system cope better with running multiple applications simultaneously. We were able to, for example, browse the Internet while watching a movie in a window without it dropping frames. It must be noted that this capability is only possible now that the Eee PC has a larger screen size and higher resolution resolution.

The Eee PC 900 still isn't the ideal candidate for playing games. Yes, there are some titles with modest enough system requirements to be compatible, but these are few and far between. It's also important to note that you'll need to install Windows XP in order to run the vast majority of these, and even then you'll only have a limited amount of space to install your favourite games.

Asus claims the Eee PC 900 will last approximately three hours on its standard battery -- half an hour less than its predictions for the Eee PC 701. In our own DivX movie playback test, it ran for 1 hour 29 minutes, which was just about long enough for us to enjoy a feature-length movie or a couple episodes of our favourite TV show. Your own mileage will vary, but expect it to last slightly longer if you run applications that are not CPU-intensive and with the wireless adaptor switched off.

Conclusion
The Eee PC 900 is a likeable update to the Eee PC 701. We're disappointed its keyboard is still so difficult to use, but the addition of a larger, high-resolution screen, multi-touch mouse trackpad and better storage gives it the edge over just about all of its rivals. It falls slightly short of a wholehearted recommendation due to the mooted touchscreen version and the huge likelihood that Asus will begin using newer Intel Atom CPUs, but for those who can't wait, it's a fantastic purchase.

ASUS Eee PC 900 gets unboxed

Yeah, you already knew what this 9-incher looked like from our time spent with it over in Germany, but there's just nothing like seeing a spotless machine escape from its factory packaging and delight its new owner for the first time. Hit the read link below for more shots, and do your best to withhold that growing pang of jealously, will ya?

[Via jkkmobile]

ASUS Eee PC overclocking looks surprisingly easy

Have an Eee PC? Did your friend's overclocked OLPC get you thinking about just how much more horsepower you can eke out of that little beast? Say no more -- with a little hackery you too can join the 900MHz+ Eeelite with your ASUS cheaptop. Looks like there are apps for both Windows and Linux to get the job done, just don't come crying to us about melted legs or -- worse still -- a busted computer.

[Via Liliputing]

Asus Eee PC Windows Review - notebookreview.com

by JerryJ

The Asus Eee PC quickly became an overnight success after its release last year. Consumers looking for a low-cost ultraportable laptop began buying the Linux-based Eee PC in record numbers. After months of customer feedback, Asus has decided to offer the Eee PC with Windows XP and a couple of extras ... all for close to the same amazing price. Let's take a look.

A Little History Of A Little Laptop

As the editor for a technology website and as a consumer constantly looking for cheap deals on electronics, I was genuinely impressed with the Asus Eee PC 4G. This little low-cost laptop comes dangerously close to being a "disposable notebook" at its current price of $399. Sure, if you spend your time shopping for deals you can find new laptops from other companies that rival this price ... but none are as convenient to carry as the tiny Eee PC.

The editorial staff of NotebookReview.com chose to award the Eee PC 4G with the Editors Choice Award in October of 2007 and I even wrote a follow-up article proclaiming the "perfection" of the Eee PC. Despite all there is to love about these pint-sized subnotebooks, I would be lying if I said the Eee PC is without its flaws. In order to give consumers a mobile laptop at a rediculously low price Asus had to use a small, low-resolution LCD. This 7-inch display isn't great for long-term use, but then again the Eee PC was designed for short-term use such as a short business trip or casual web browsing anywhere you go.

The Eee PC also uses a 900MHz Intel processor that's a little slower than most consumers expect in today's market. In fact, the processor actually runs at a slower clock speed straight out of the box and it's up to the user to set the processor to run at a full 900MHz in the BIOS. That's a little complicated for most consumers ... but again, we're talking about a low-cost travel laptop that's almost disposable yet still manages to rival ultraportable notebooks costing much more.

Still, the biggest criticism from consumers was the use of Asus' customized Xandros Linux as an operating system. The "Eee" in Eee PC stands for "Easy to Learn, easy to work, easy to play." Unfortunately, although the point-and-click Linux interface was indeed simple, most customers didn't find it "easy." In fact, the single most common modification that customers made to their Eee PCs was the installation of Windows XP.

Well, Asus was paying attention, and the Eee PC with Windows XP is here.

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same

This review of the new Asus Eee PC with Windows XP doesn't follow our typical review format because, to be perfectly honest, little has changed with this release of the Eee PC. Basically, the Eee PC 4G with Windows XP is the same notebook as the Eee PC 4G with Linux. The only difference is the operating system and couple of extra accessories (a 4GB SDHC card from A-DATA, and a small wired USB optical mouse).

Why is this attractive to consumers? Well, you get an extra $30-$40 worth of accessories and a $100 operating system for little or no increase over the low price of the original Eee PC 4G: retail prices range from $399 to $469 at the time of this writing.

Performance and Benchmarks

The Eee PC isn't designed for HD video encoding or playing Crysis, but it is designed to be a mobile companion that's perfect for web browsing, working in Microsoft Office, or some light gaming while on the road.

For our standard performance benchmarks we decided to test the Eee PC with Windows XP in both the stock configuration (with the processor running at 630MHz) and using one of the Asus BIOS to set the processor at its full clock speed of 900MHz.

The bottom line is the Eee PC performs well with the Intel processor ... but it performs better when it's running at full speed. The other item of note in these benchmarks is the incredibly poor performance of the VIA processor despite a significantly faster clock speed. This suggests VIA processors may in fact be a poor choice for this form factor. It also means the competition needs to think seriously about alternative processors choices from Intel.

Conclusion

The Eee PC with Windows solves two of the key complaints about the original Eee PC 4G. Adding Windows XP and an extra 4GB SDHC card make this notebook much more attractive to most consumers who need a low-priced notebook that can go everywhere with them.

Although I understand the realities dictating retail price, the Eee PC is already dangerously close to being too expensive for what you get. The original $399 price point is great, but some retailers are selling the new Eee PC with Windows XP for $469. Once we get to $500 most consumers would be better off buying a budget 15-inch notebook and living with the inconvenience of the larger size. The Eee PC is still a great choice for people who want a low-cost travel companion, but the key element to the Eee PC's success has been the low price. The Eee PC concept likely won't succeed if Asus or retailers keep increasing the price.

Overall, the Eee PC 4G with Windows is a great deal for anyone who was considering the purchase of the original Eee PC and buying Windows separately. If you're the type of person who wants a low-cost ultraportable notebook the Eee PC is still the king of the hill.

Pros
• Still a great subnotebook at a great price
• Windows XP is a better fit for this machine
• Extra 4G SDHC card and mouse are nice

Cons
• Still a tiny display
• Still a cramped keyboard
• The processor should be clocked at 900MHz by default

HP 2133 Mini-Note PC Review - laptopmag.com

by John R. Delaney

HP enters the suddenly very crowded low-cost mini notebook space with its HP 2133 Mini-Note PC, and it trumps the competition in a few key areas.

First, despite its compact dimensions, this 3.2-pound laptop sports a full-size keyboard, which makes it easy to take notes and compose e-mails on the go. You also get a sturdy and stylish aluminum chassis that makes this system look like a premium ultraportable, as well as a relatively large and crisp 8.9-inch display. And unlike competing machines, such as the Asus Eee PC and Everex Cloudbook, you can configure the Mini-Note with your choice of processors, RAM, and hard drives. Plus, you can plug in a ExpressCard mobile broadband modem so you don’t have to rely on Wi-Fi hotspots.

The HP 2133 Mini-Note PC (starting at $599 for Windows Vista Basic, $499 for SuSE Linux, and $749 as configured) is a bit more expensive and weighs more than the competition, but the system’s unique strengths make it a good investment for students, mobile professionals, and anyone else looking for an affordable, highly portable computer.

Large for a Mini

Like other mini-notebooks, the 2133 Mini-Note is aimed at the education market, though you wouldn’t know it from the design. Measuring 10.0 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches and weighing just under 4 pounds, the Mini-Note is a tad bulkier than the ASUS, CTL, and Everex models. A brushed silver aluminum case over a magnesium-alloy chassis gives the system a durable foundation, which is augmented by a hard drive accelerometer and a spill-resistant, wear-resistant keyboard. Even the display features a glossy no-scratch coating.

Beneath the lid is a bright 8.9-inch display framed by a shiny black bezel. We didn’t experience any window-sizing problems like we did with the other small notebooks, thanks to the screen’s 1280 x 768-pixel resolution. Overall, color quality and viewing angles were quite good, but users with weak eyes may find text and icons too small. A camera and microphone are embedded in the upper bezel, but the system doesn’t come with a webcam utility. However, Windows Live Messenger immediately recognized the camera, which provided adequate image quality for video chatting. The built-in stereo speakers were loud and packed a punch.

The Mini-Note features a 92 percent—size keyboard treated with a special coating that HP claims makes the keys 50 times more resistant to visible wear than a standard keyboard, and it’s spill-resistant as well. The keyboard deck was comfortable, and the large keys were responsive, as was the wide-aspect touchpad. Unfortunately, the mouse buttons are positioned to the left and right of the touchpad and are oriented vertically, which we found to be awkward. We found ourselves double-tapping the touchpad more often than we did left-clicking.

A power switch, drive indicator, and Wi-Fi switch are located along the lower edge of the keyboard deck, and a VGA port, headphone and microphone jacks, and a USB port are on the left side. ExpressCard/54 and SD Card slots are mounted on the right, along with a second USB port and an Ethernet port.

HP Mini-Note Features and Performance

Our Mini-Note came with Windows Vista Business installed on a 120GB (7,200-rpm) hard drive, but you can configure the system with Vista Home Edition, FreeDOS, or the SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 operating system. HP offers several drive choices as well, including a solid state 4GB drive for the Linux version (starting at $499), a 160GB 7,200-rpm drive, and 120GB and 160GB drives that spin at 5,400 rpm. These latter configurations start at $599.

The system is powered by a 1.6-GHz VIA C7-M processor, VIA Chrome 9 graphics chip, and 2GB of DDR2 memory, which produced a 3DMark03 score of 380; that’s 135 points below average for a UMPC, but the Mini-Note had no trouble handling Vista and ran multiple applications without a hiccup. It did take 1 minute and 18 seconds for the system to complete the Windows boot sequence, though.

Wireless performance was respectable, coming in at 14.3 Mbps at a distance of 15 feet from our access point. From 50 feet away, the 802.11a/b/g radio managed speeds of 13.2 Mbps. The system also came with a Bluetooth option and a six-cell extended-life battery that gave us 3 hours and 20 minutes of power with the power plan set to high performance. That runtime is on a par with other mini notebooks we've tested but it's not as much endurance as we would have liked.

Verdict

While it's somewhat bigger and pricier than other mini-notebooks, the HP 2133 Mini-Note offers a few features that the others don’t, including an adult-size keyboard and a design more suited to business users. If all you need is a low-cost laptop that can run Windows, you may want to wait for the 9-inch version of the Eee PC. But if you require more from your mini-notebook and don’t mind paying for it, the HP 2133 Mini-Note delivers the goods.

HP 2133 Mini-Note PC Review - jkontherun.com

by James Kendrick

The Asus EEE PC woke people up to the benefits that a sub-notebook device brings to consumers, especially if it's priced attractively. HP is releasing their hotly awaited sub-notebook and the Mini is a solid first effort in this small notebook category. I know, we have heard this device called the 2133 or the Mini-Note but HP told me they are going to release it as simply the Mini. I have been using the HP Mini for a week now thanks to the good folks at HP and this hands-on review of the device should answer all of your questions about it. There is an interesting story behind the Mini as I discovered by spending an hour with the folks at HP behind the device. The Mini is the brain child of the group at HP that produces products for the education sector and not the main consumer group. HP found that in discussions with educators that they needed a notebook computer that was small enough for students to easily handle and yet sturdy enough to survive the knocks that they dish out to the gear they use. HP went to work and the Mini emerged to fit those needs and they've done it so well that I'm pretty sure it will appeal far beyond the education sector, especially given the attractive pricing.

Overview

The Mini is a small notebook computer designed to be highly mobile and yet fully functional. The first thing that strikes those who see the Mini for the first time is how sturdily built the device is. The casing is brushed metal in an attractive gray finish reminiscent of the MacBook Pro from Apple. All of the corners are rounded and the attention to detail is evident from the get-go. The Mini is designed to be a highly mobile notebook computer that can be easily carried and opened at a moment's notice to get stuff done. There are several basic configurations that can be ordered from HP and having spent time with the device I am impressed with the attractive pricing that HP is offering. All of the models run the Via C7 processor running at 1.6 GHz, a definite compromise to keep the price low. The basic model will start at $499, a price higher than the EEE PC but the Mini comes with far better hardware components than the EEE and it's hard to make a strict comparison for that reason. This $499 model will sport 1 GB of memory and run SuSE Linux installed on a 120 GB hard drive. I played with this model for an hour at the HP offices and it is extremely snappy and well worth the low price in my opinion. The Mini is also available with Windows, Vista Home or Business initially and XP eventually given Microsoft's easing of the restrictions on OEMs to provide XP going forward. The impressive model is the one I am reviewing here, the top of the line Mini with 2 GB of memory, a 120GB fast hard drive (7,200 rpm), Bluetooth, WiFi, 8.9" screen (1280x768), web cam, trackpad, SDHC slot, ExpressCard slot, 2 USB ports (1 is powered for running peripherals that require power), Ethernet and a 6-cell battery. The price is equally impressive with $749 getting you the whole enchilada which is a great deal in my opinion.

Hardware

The unit I am reviewing has the following configuration: Via C7-M 1.6 GHz processor, Via Chrome9 UMA graphics, 2 GB of memory, 1.3 MP web cam, an 8.9-inch screen running at 1280x768, wide trackpad with two large mouse buttons on either side, 92% scaled keyboard with the HP DuraKey finish for durability, 120 GB 7,200 rpm HDD, a VGA-out port, two USB ports (1 powered), audio in/out jacks, stereo speakers, dual integrated microphones, radio off slider, ExpressCard slot, SD slot, and an Ethernet jack. The two USB ports are split on the left and right side of the unit for ease of use and this is indicative of the thought that HP has put into the entire design of the Mini to make it easy for mobile usage. The system feels very solid in the hands and is one of the best constructed mobile PCs I have used.

Software

The unit I am evaluating is a pre-production prototype so it might not reflect what software might be installed on shipping units but I am happy to report this one was totally free of junkware. Vista Business is installed along with a Microsoft Office 2007 trial but that's about it. The system is relatively free for the user to begin building his dream mobile PC from the outset.
Real world usage usage

Here's the topic that most are probably interested in, how does the HP Mini perform in the real world? Very well, I'm happy to report. The high resolution display coupled with an absolutely awesome keyboard make the Mini a real trooper for field work. This review has been written on the Mini if that helps clarify it a bit. The Mini is about the same size as the Fujitsu P1620 although a tad heavier. I found through usage that since the Mini is not used in the hands like the Fujitsu that the extra weight did not matter to me at all. I find that I am able to open the screen of the mini, hit the power slider and be up and running in a couple of seconds from sleep mode. The screen is very nice and clear and the trackpad is one of the best I have used. That's important as I don't like trackpads as a rule but I am using this one exclusively while mobile. The screen hinges are unique and by design when the screen is opened it actually sits behind the Mini body and not on top like those on most all notebooks. This is because the teachers that HP interviewed found that regular notebook PCs used in the classroom resulted in them becoming barriers between the teacher and the students. The Mini screen thus sits flush with the table or desk and much lower than traditional screens.

Working with the keyboard is reminiscent of working with the 2710p. This is a good thing as I find that keyboard to be a great one and the Mini is more of the same. Going with a 92% scaled keyboard was a good design choice by HP as it allows the Mini to be as small as possible yet without compromising the keyboard for touch typing. I am able to touch type at full speed as fast as on any keyboard I've used and it doesn't feel like it's been scaled down at all. The keyboard stretches all the way to both sides of the device with no wasted space at all. The keys are full-sized and relatively flat on the top with good feedback and the HP DuraKey surface means they will not wear like normal notebook keys. The trackpad is about 1.5 inches wide and feels very natural and "slidy" to use as it’s the same surface as the case surrounding the keyboard. The mouse buttons are on either side of the trackpad rather than above or below it and that took a bit to get used to. It didn't take long before I was clicking with abandon though and of course you can perform a left mouse click by tapping the trackpad anyway. This attention to detail with the screen and keyboard make the Mini a writer's dream machine. It's as small as possible with no compromises in the usage department and anyone who works with documents a lot like professionals will find this a very powerful portable notebook.

The decision of HP to go with the VIa C7-M processor was one I faced with trepidation when I started using the Mini. I am not a big fan of the Via processor especially running Vista but since the unit I have has 2 GB of RAM this has not been an issue. Vista is running nicely and I have experienced no issues with performance due to the processor. I doubt I'd feel the same way with just 1 GB of RAM though so I wouldn't recommend a Vista configuration of the Mini with only the basic 1 GB of memory. The only area the Mini has failed due to the Via is in the area of video Skype calls. Audio calls work fine but once I fire up video using the integrated web cam the system gets very sluggish and both the audio and video get very choppy. It's not usable this way so I've just been sticking to audio Skype calls as a result. It's too bad because the integrated web cam works nicely otherwise, but I've seen Skype video give other systems fits too so this didn't surprise me.

The weakest category unsurprisingly is the Via processor which only clocks in with a value of 2.0. The rest of the categories all have surprisingly high values, especially the graphics. While the prototype I am evaluating had Aero Glass turned off in Vista I turned it on and it runs fine as the above figures would indicate it should. I see no performance hit having Aero enabled.

The Mini can get pretty warm when it’s running plugged into the adapter but not dangerously so. The extended battery helps deal with that by functioning as a tilted stand when it’s installed which raises the Mini up a bit. This actually lets air flow better under the device so it runs cooler with the 6-cell battery than the 3-cell as the Mini sits almost flush on the table when the smaller battery is installed.

The stereo speakers on each side of the screen make playing music and podcasts a real joy. The volume level produced by the Mini is easily the loudest I’ve heard on any notebook and the audio quality is quite good. Listening to podcasts is a real joy on the Mini but I find I have to make sure the volume level is turned way down or it blasts everybody.

I have been able to use a 16 GB SD card in the Mini with ReadyBoost enabled and it works fine. I haven’t had the Mini long enough to tell if the ReadyBoost is making a big difference in the performance though I’m sure it’s working as well in this device as in any other. I have also used the Verizon v740 ExpressCard EVDO modem in the Mini and when I first used it I had trouble maintaining a connection for longer than a few minutes. It looked like the Mini was shutting the modem down so I went into the Device Manager and shut off the ability for the modem to be powered down by the Vista power management and that rectified that problem. It’s pretty cool that the Mini has the ExpressCard slot and users of 3G like me will find this important for mobile usage. This is another area that the Mini is improved over other mini-notebooks on the market and it’s cool that HP was able to fit the slot in the small form.

Battery life

Aside from performance and mobility battery life is probably the next important criteria for mobile workers. HP provided me with both a 3-cell battery and the extended 6-cell battery so I've been able to use both in my evaluation. Battery life has been pretty much what I expected with the 3-cell battery giving me about 2.5 hours under power saving settings and the 6-cell about 4.5 - 5 hours. This is comparable to most portable computers and I found no surprise there. HP put an LED battery strength indicator on the extended battery which is helpful as you can check the charge before swapping the battery which is nice. I found the battery life to be as expected as I said and I have no problems with it on the Mini.

Conclusion

I think HP has a real winner on their hands with the Mini. I find it to be a capable notebook computer that is highly portable and the build quality is outstanding. I also find it impressive that the total price swing from entry level (with Linux) to fully loaded is only $250 and there is no question in my mind that the Mini is the best built UMPC at this price level. I wish HP had put an Intel processor instead of the Via but that is probably my long-time prejudice against the Via rather than any actual observed issue. I find it delightful that HP will allow consumers to configure a Mini exactly as desired on their online store which is unusual for such a low-cost device. I would have no problem recommending the Mini to anyone looking for a highly mobile notebook with few compromises.

HP 2133 Mini-Note PC Review - notebookreview.com

by Jerry Jackson and Tiffany Boggs

ust when you thought you'd never find the perfect small form factor notebook for less than $1,000, HP comes to the table with the all new 2133 Mini-Note. This ultra mobile subnotebook features an impressive 8.9-inch screen, a remarkably large keyboard, a full-sized notebook hard drive, and plenty of impressive specs. Is this the perfect road warrior machine? Let's take a closer look and find out.

Our pre-production HP 2133 Mini-Note features the following specifications:

• Operating System: Genuine Windows Vista Business, Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic 32, FreeDOS, or SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10
• Processor: VIA C7-M ULV Processor (up to 1.6 GHz, 128 KB L2 cache)
• Chipset: VIA CN896NB and 8237S SB
• Memory: DDR2 SDRAM, 667MHz, one SODIMM memory slot, supports up to 2048MB
• Internal Storage: 120GB/160GB 5400 rpm SATA, 120GB/160GB 7200 rpm SATA with HP 3D DriveGuard; or 64GB Solid State Drive; optional 4GB PATA Flash Module with SuSE Linux
• Display: 8.9-inch diagonal WXGA (1280 x 768)
• Graphics: VIA Chrome 9
• Audio: High Definition Audio, stereos speakers, integrated stereo microphones, stereo headphone/line out, stereo microphone in
• Wireless support: Broadcom 802.11a/b/g, b/g, optional Bluetooth 2.0, HP Wireless Assistant
Communications Broadcom Ethernet Integrated Controller (10/100/1000)
• Expansion slots: (1) ExpressCard/54 slot, Secure Digital (SD) slot
• Ports and connectors: (2) USB 2.0 ports, VGA, power connector, RJ-45/Ethernet, stereo headphone/line out, stereo microphone in, optional VGA webcam
• Input device: 92% full-sized keyboard, touchpad with scroll zone
• Software: HP Backup and Recovery Manager, Roxio Creator 9, Microsoft Office Ready 20078
Security Kensington lock, Symantec Norton Internet Security
• Dimensions (H x W x D): 1.05 (at front) x 10.04 x 6.5 inches
• Weight: 2.63 lb (with 3-cell battery and 4 GB Solid State Drive, 3.23 lb with 6-cell battery and 160GB hard drive, 2.86 lb with 3-cell battery and 160GB hard drive.
• Power: 6-cell (55 WHr) or 3-cell (28 WHr) Lithium-Ion battery, 65W HP Smart AC Adapter with HP Fast Charge
• Warranty: Limited 1-year and 90-day warranty options available, depending on country, 1-year limited warranty on primary battery

Pricing for the HP 2133 Mini-Note range from as little as $499 for the 1.0GHz VIA processor, 512MB of RAM and a 4GB PATA Flash module with Linux, to $749 for the 1.6GHz VIA processor, 2GB of RAM and a 120GB 5400 rpm hard drive running Windows Vista Business.

HP will also be offering a version of the Mini-Note with a 160GB 7200 rpm hard drive (which is the configuration we received for review) but that pricing was unavailable at the time of this writing. Still, it's safe to assume the price for this configuration will be more than $750.

Build and Design

The HP 2133 Mini-Note has a great design. Everyone in our office agreed that it has a solid chassis and attractive look. The brushed aluminum and plastic casing is durable and hides fingerprints well. It also keeps the Mini-Note lightweight, only weighing in around 2.86 lbs as configured. It has that sleek business appeal, but is targeted toward students as well. One look at the Mini-Note and I can see why. I mean who wouldn't want an inexpensive subnotebook to tote back and forth to class, especially one that pretty much has a full-size keyboard.

HP didn't go wrong with the design. The 8.9" WXGA display is beautiful and easy to read. It puts off a glare though because of the protective coating. Nothing about the Mini-Note feels cheap. I didn't notice any signs of flex and enjoyed its good variety of ports and features. The Mini-Note also comes with different hard drive options, so hopefully this might help in the performance section considering the Mini-Note sports a VIA C7-M ULV processor.

As I mentioned above, the keyboard is almost full size. It is 92% of a full sized keyboard, which is quite impressive for such a small form factor. It is much more comfortable to type on compared to the Asus Eee PC. The touchpad can be awkward though, especially the placement of the right and left click buttons. As you can see from the pictures below it does have a neat power and Wi-Fi switch that lights up and changes from blue when on to orange when off.

While some consumers might be upset at the absence of a DVD drive in the Mini-Note, that's just one trade-off you have to make for such a compact design. In truth, there simply isn't any room left inside the Mini-Note after everything is said and done. The photo below shows that the only empty spaces inside the chassis are where the hard drive and ExpressCard slot are located.

Screen

Compared to the screens on other subnotebooks priced below $1,000, the screen on the HP 2133 Mini-Note is beyond beautiful. Most notebooks that we review (regardless of size or price) would be lucky to have a screen like this. Contrast is excellent, backlighting is even across the surface without any bleeding around the edges, colors are saturated and crisp, and viewing angles are relatively nice.

The 1280 x 768 resolution is likewise exceptional given the small size of this notebook. Text is a little smaller than what most consumers would prefer, but this is a minor inconvenience considering the fact that you can display a complete webpage on the LCD exactly as it was meant to be displayed.

The only issue that caused concern with the screen on the Mini-Note was the use of an additional protective layer of glossy plastic over the screen. While this extra layer of plastic helps protect the display, the unfortunate side effect is significant reflection. We're not talking about a typical glossy screen. We're talking about a screen with a completely separate glossy layer applied over it.

When viewing the display your eyes naturally shift focus between what is being displayed on the screen and what is being reflected in the glossy surface of the second layer over the screen. Since these images are on a slightly different focal plane you can easily develop eye strain and headaches from looking at this screen. I actually developed a mild headache after less than two hours of using this notebook.

The reflections on the screen aren't noticeable at all in a dark room, but most people don't use their notebooks in the dark unless they're just watching movies. If you aren't sensitive to reflections then the screen is beautiful when viewed from straight ahead.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The keyboard on the 2133 Mini-Note is great. To put it plainly, this is the best keyboard we've seen on a notebook this small. The keys have a silver finish and are smooth to the touch. There isn't a textured feel to the keyboard. The best thing though is how big it is. I mean, it almost is a full-sized keyboard, so writing papers on this thing is a breeze. No spelling errors due to hitting the wrong keys. I didn't notice any signs of flex and really liked that most of the keys were full sized except a few. The tilde key and the number one key are smaller than the rest of the numbers, which was quite odd. The space bar was relatively small too.

The touchpad was awkward. Response time was a little slow sometimes, but it is easy to navigate with. The right and left click buttons are what get you. The buttons are located on the sides of the touchpad, which take some time to get used too. I forgot what I am clicking on sometimes. I would have liked the palm rest area to be a little bigger, so the buttons could have been relocated below the touchpad like on standard notebooks or the Eee PC. The button above the touchpad is a convenient feature that turns the touchpad off and makes it inactive when you are typing.

Input and Output Ports

Of course, one minor compromise you have to make with the ultra-mobile form factor of the Mini-Note is that the laptop cannot accommodate the standard array of ports you'll find on other notebooks. HP did manage to include a reasonable number of ports. The complete list of ports includes:

• 1x ExpressCard/54 slot
• Secure Digital (SD) card reader
• 2x USB 2.0 ports
• VGA out
• Power connector
• RJ-45/Ethernet
• Stereo headphone/line out
• Stereo microphone/line in

Performance and Benchmarks

After the impressive build and design of the HP 2133 Mini-Note we expected to see a likewise impressive level of performance coming out of this tiny titan. Unfortunately, performance is one area where the Mini-Note falls short.

On paper the 1.6GHz VIA C7-M processor should provide excellent speed for general computing tasks. In reality, web pages rendered slower than expected, multi-tasking was painfully slow, and most processor-hungry applications like Photoshop or video encoding software just didn't like the VIA processor.

Our standard range of synthetic benchmark tests likewise didn't play very nice with the VIA processor and VIA Chrome 9 integrated graphics. While synthetic benchmarks don't always give you an accurate measure of a system's real-world performance, these benchmarks do give you a good idea of how the HP Mini-Note performs compared to other laptops currently on the market.

While the benchmark numbers certainly aren't "bad" it's hard to get excited about these numbers when you factor in that this configuration of the HP Mini-Note costs more than $750.

Another factor to keep in mind when judging the overall system performance is the operating system being used. Our pre-production review unit was using Windows Vista Business and, like most notebooks using Windows Vista, performance likely suffers as a result.

While you may argue our justification for comparing a notebook with Vista against a notebook with XP, this is a valid comparison because it demonstrates what consumers will experience "out of the box" with two notebooks targeted at similar customers.

Audio

The built-in speaker performance on the Mini-Note was quite superior compared to other notebooks in this class. The audio is excellent for watching short video clips or web conferencing, but it's also loud enough to enjoy music or full-length movies with distortion-free sound using the built-in speakers.

Of course, for the best possible audio performance you'll want to use external speakers or headphones. The audio output via the headphone jack is quite good and provides excellent, distortion-free sound for headphones or external speakers.

Heat and Noise

The ultra low voltage VIA processor in the HP 2133 Mini-Note generated far more heat than we typically expect from ultra low voltage processors. Temperature readings taken from the outside of the aluminum and plastic chassis spiked above 110 degrees Fahrenheit in multiple locations and the Mini-Note actually became uncomfortable to hold after 30-45 minutes of serious use.

The cooling fan ran at full speed most of the time and clearly struggled to keep temperatures under control. Most of the time the fan is only loud enough to hear in a perfectly quiet environment, but if you work in a relatively quiet office or classroom setting you should be prepared for coworkers and students to complain about the noise coming from the cooling fan.

Below are images indicating the temperature readings from the HP 2133 Mini-Note (listed in degrees Fahrenheit) taken inside our office where the ambient temperature was 75 degrees Fahrenheit:

Battery

Overall, the HP 2133 Mini-Note did a reasonable job in terms of power management. With the Mini-Note connected to a Wi-Fi network and browsing the web on the "balanced" power setting with the display at about 50 percent brightness, we obtained 2 hours and 15 minutes of battery life with the standard 3-cell battery. Using the same settings we obtained 4 hours and 11 minutes of battery life with the 6-cell extended life battery.

Bottom line, the Mini-Note makes an excellent mobile companion with the extended life battery. The only possible negative to using the extended life battery is that the larger 6-cell battery sticks out from the bottom of the notebook adding both size and weight. However, this also provides an advantage since it provides a more ergonomic angle to the keyboard for typing.

Conclusion

The HP 2133 Mini-Note is one of the most impressive subnotebooks we've ever seen. Unfortunately, the amazing design and solid range of features are diminished by a sub-par processor and a price tag that places this notebook dangerously close to far superior 12-inch notebooks such as the HP tx2000.

HP managed to create the single most impressive ultraportable notebook on the market ... and then decided to put a lackluster processor inside.

Despite the poor processor performance, the HP 2133 Mini-Note is a remarkably solid machine that could be a perfect fit for students, teachers, or mobile business professionals. If HP decides to replace the VIA processors with the new Intel Atom processors or alternative processors from Intel, the Mini-Note would become the undisputed champion of the subnotebook market.

Pros • The most attractive 8.9-inch notebook we've ever seen
• Excellent build quality
• Great keyboard
• ExpressCard slot offers fantastic expansion possibilities
• Multiple configuration options

Cons
• VIA processor just doesn't perform well
• Windows Vista might be too much for the VIA processor and graphics
• Strange location for touchpad buttons
• Screen is too reflective due to second glossy protective layer
• Aluminum and plastic casing gets a little too hot
• Price is a little too much for what you get

HP 2133 Mini-Note PC Review - notebooks.com

by Xavier

The HP 2133 Mini-Note is getting official today and I’m really excited to say that real mobile computing is coming to the masses. This tiny notebook can easily slip into a purse, but is easy on the wallet with a starting price of just $499. Its good looks, professional-grade finishes and respectable specs make it a notebook that you’ll want to show off.

I got the chance to sit down with a few of HP’s product managers for a demo and I’ve been using a pre-production HP 2133 for the past week. The HP 2133 blew away my expectations and I’d be comfortable relying on the HP 2133 while on short business trips or on vacation.

Until the HP 2133 there have been two kinds of notebooks in this size range. At the low end is the sub $400 Asus Eee PC, which has a display and keyboard that are too small for adults and an anemic 4GB of flash storage. On the other end of the spectrum is the uber-exclusive Sony VAIO TZ series that can cost upwards of $3,400.
Users who wanted something ultraportable, but were on a modest budget were effectively frozen out of the market. The HP 2133 Mini-Note changes that. There is finally a subcompact notebook that nearly every computer shopper can afford.

Built for Schools, Great for Almost Anyone

The HP 2133 was designed specifically for the education market, but it will also serve nicely as a secondary computer for both families and business people. A lot of the features, including the spill-resistant keyboard, aluminum case, magnesium components and scratch-resistant display, will help the HP 2133 stand up to both rowdy school children and clumsy adults.

I say great for ‘almost anyone’ because it does not have the horsepower to satisfy people who are looking to create multimedia on the go or enjoy even modestly graphically intensive video games. For the average user, who just wants to get online and edit documents the HP 2133 is just fine.

Check out the videos above and below if you’re interested in hearing more about the process of designing the HP 2133 Mini-Note for the classroom.

Specs and Pricing

The HP 2133 Mini-Note comes in four configurations, which range from $499 to $750. An external DVD burner is optional and extra batteries will be well under $100. A 2.5-inch notebook drive and user-accessible RAM means you can buy a mid-level 2133 and upgrade it yourself.

For $499 you get a Linux (Novell Suse) operating system, 512MB of memory, 4GB of flash storage and a 1.0GHz VIA processor. It comes with a 3-cell battery which is rated to last about two hours.

An extra $50 will get you a much more respectable 120GB (5400 RPM) hard drive, 1GB of memory and a 1.2GHz VIA processor. This $549 machine is much more substantial than its cheaper cousin.
Windows users will have to pay $599 to get the same hardware with a copy of Windows Vista Home Basic (1GB/120GB/1.2GHz).

The top of the line HP 2133 costs $749 and comes with a 1.6GHz processor, 2GB of RAM and 120GB hard drive that spins at 7200RPM. It also comes with a 6-cell battery that is rated to last for four hours. Paying the extra bucks gets you a Bluetooth adapter, webcam and Vista Business.

Any of the Vista HP 2133 Mini-Notes can be downgraded to Windows XP at no charge. A license for Windows Vista is included if you chose XP so you can upgrade when you’re ready.

The HP 2133 Mini-Note comes standard with an Ethernet port, two USB 2.0 ports, a headphone jack, microphone jack, VGA output, ExpressCard slot, SD card slot and a Kensington security lock. Of course the HP 2133 comes with a WiFi adapter.

Performance/Real World Usage

HP sent me a 2133 with the $749 configuration, except it had a 160GB 7200RPM hard drive. I used a HP 2133 for blogging and ‘developing’ about 100 photos from my digital camera over the past few days. Internet surfing was speedy, but I had to increase the font size to make reading more comfortable.

Microsoft Office 2007 performed well on the HP 2133 in general, but it did hang from time to time. I installed Google’s Picasa to edit some photos and it did a fine job of importing and editing my photos. This would be a great computer to bring on vacation in order to relay photos back home or stay in touch with work.

The HP 2133 Mini-Note has a relatively slow processor, but it doesn’t feel slow when it’s outfitted with 2GB of RAM and a 7200RPM hard drive.

The 8.9-inch WXGA screen is a bit small for everyday use in my opinion, but my cousin who’s in the 6th grade strongly disagreed. When I showed him the HP 2133 his face as if it was Christmas morning. The 1280×768 resolution helps make the screen seem not so tiny.

Watching web videos was a little choppy until I let Windows run an update.

One of my favorite things about the HP 2133 is its keyboard, which is 92% of the size of a standard keyboard. I have big hands, but found the keyboard comfortable to type on for a couple of hours at a time. I prefer full-sized keyboards, but the HP 2133’s keyboard is the best keyboard I’ve used in a notebook this small.

One HUGE surprise was the HP 2133 Mini-Note’s speakers, which are located in the display’s bezel. They are extraordinarily loud for such a tiny little notebook. This helps compensate for the small screen when you’re watching movies on the road.

The trackpad is flanked by the mouse buttons, which is an unusual configuration. I got used to it after a while, but this layout is not intuitive when you first pick up the 2133. My 6th-grader cousin had no trouble at all using the trackpad and buttons, which is probably much more comfortable with smaller hands.

With the 6-cell battery installed I was able to write and browse the web for just under four and a half hours. The extended battery juts out of the bottom of the notebook and rakes the keyboard forward for a more comfortable typing position, but it’s not as sleek as using the form-fitting 3-cell battery. If you’re going to be on the road I strongly recommend getting a 6-cell battery.

Cons

Like all notebooks, the HP 2133 has its weaknesses.

The HP 2133 runs hotter than I’d like, which means the fans are constantly spinning. HP really needs to address this because while I can deal with a single 2133, it will be a serious distraction in a classroom full of a couple dozen students and whirring notebooks.

I wish the hinges allowed me to tilt the display further back. A lot of notebooks don’t allow you to bend their displays all the way back, but it’s particularly annoying on this notebook because it’s so small. When using it on my lap I can’t get a straight line of site without slouching or tilting the notebook backwards. The problem is worsened because of the extended battery. This wouldn’t bea problem if I was a few inches shorter or I had really buff quadriceps to boost the HP 2133 up higher.

The keyboard is excellent, but to make it 92% of full size there are a few sacrifices. The ‘1′ key is about 30% smaller than the rest of the number keys, which is a problem because my big fat fingers occasionally hit the ‘2′ button.

Of course the ultra-low voltage VIA processor isn’t as snappy as I’d like, but sacrifices had to be made to keep the cost down. I asked one of the HP 2133 Mini-Note’s product managers about using Intel Atom processors and he said they’d consider it in the near future, but the VIA processor helped keep costs down.

Another thing that bothers me is that its SD card slot isn’t deep enough, which means the card sticks out just a little bit when inserted. Because of the positioning of the SD card slot, I’m worried kids will break or dislodge SD cards inserted in the 2133. This is of particular concern on the entry level HP 2133 because users are more likely to use SD cards since it only comes with 4GB of internal flash memory.

Why I’m Excited

I’m really excited about the HP 2133 because consumers will finally have an affordable option in the ultraportable space. More people will get a chance to experience truly anywhere/anytime computing without a backache.

If this product takes off you can expect other major manufacturers to follow suit. In February Mike Abary, told me that if HP introduced such a product it would hurt the PC industry and there’d be a “race to the bottom.” You can check out my post about my lunch with Mike here.

I understand Mike’s concerns because it’ll be much more difficult to justify a $3,400 computer when there’s a $749 alternative, but the HP 2133 is not about high performance and will be relegated to second-computer status for most users.

As with all notebooks, you can expect prices to drop over time, and HP’s sure to have seasonal sales. By Christmas I predict the top of the line 2133 will be available for about $600.

Best Value for a Compact Notebook

The HP 2133 Mini-Note is not the cheapest compact notebook you can buy, but it is the best value hands down. While other notebooks in this category look and feel like they should be sold at Toys R Us, the 2133 comes across as a serious business computer at a price that’s unbelievable.

Yes, the HP 2133 is more expensive than an Eee PC, but you get a true companion notebook that has a lot of features you won’t find on many notebooks that are triple the price.

The HP 2133 Mini-Note looks at home next to my MacBook Pro, which I may soon be leaving behind more often if I get a 2133 of my own. The HP 2133 Mini-Note is a great option for when you need a computer, but don’t want a computer to get in the way of the rest of your life.

HP 2133 Mini-Note PC Review - pcmag.com

by Cisco Cheng

It didn't take long for PC makers to realize the gold mine ASUS struck with its Eee PC 4G. The Eee PC is a sleek, 2.2-pound ultraportable that costs less than $400—something the UMPC platform had promised but failed to deliver. Now, manufacturers are mobilizing to create an Eee PC "killer," so to speak. The HP 2133 Mini-Note PC ($749 direct) has the potential to be just that. It sports a sexy, 3-pound design, has features similar to the Eee PC, and offers a variety of operating systems to choose from. Even more compelling, however, is that this miniature device can be used by kindergarteners or top-level executives alike, and is affordable to most families with schoolchildren. My configuration was relatively expensive; others start as low as $499—a price that HP had to nail down in order for the Mini-Note to fly.

The Mini-Note is designed to look like a $2,000 machine. The anodized aluminum that HP draped all over the exterior is absolutely gorgeous. It makes this tiny laptop look like a darker, miniature Apple MacBook Pro. The Mini-Note is about as well made as the HTC Shift but costs only half as much. Not as light as the 2.2-pound ASUS Eee PC 4G, it weighs 2.8 pounds with the three-cell battery and 3.2 pounds with the six-cell battery that my test unit came with. Although the Mini-Note isn't pocketable like the Fujitsu LifeBook U810, carrying it around the country or the city is still an absolute joy.

The masterful design is carried over to the interior, where a frameless screen and a wonderful keyboard reside. The 8.9-inch screen is bigger and brighter than the Eee PC's 7-inch display. "Frameless" refers to the glossy coating on the screen that extends to the screen's borders, making it look like a miniature HDTV, complete with a pair of speakers along the sides. Further, the size of the screen keeps text or images at its native 1,280-by-768 resolution from looking unbearably tiny. By contrast, the HTC Shift sports an 800-by-480 resolution, but because of the Shift's smaller screen size, HTC had to put in a resolution toggle switch (to 1,024-by-600), allowing users to fit more content on the screen.

HP did a nice job of masking the fact that the keyboard scale is 92 percent, not full size. There's barely any spacing between each key, giving the illusion of a bigger keyboard. Typing up this review on the Mini-Note was almost as comfortable as it would have been on a mainstream laptop with a full-size keyboard and is hands-down better than the Eee PC's keyboard. The placement of the mouse buttons, however, is questionable because they are adjacent to the touchpad. In other words, when navigating with two fingers (with the index finger on the touchpad and your thumb on the left-click button), you have to use a third finger to click on the right mouse button. The other way would be to use two hands to surf (one to left-click, the other for the touchpad and right-click button), which is awkward. I'm surprised HP didn't use a pointing stick as it did on its Compaq 2710p, in which the mouse buttons are properly placed—below the pointing device. HP has informed me that the touchpad was used because the Mini-Note's intended audience—K-12 students—prefer it over a pointing stick.

The two USB ports are one shy of matching the Eee PC's three, but the MiniNote has an ExpressCard slot for devices like a 3G ExpressCard for cellular broadband. Like the Eee PC, it comes with an SD slot for those who will be carrying around their digital cameras. The Wi-Fi on/off switch located on the bezel controls both Bluetooth and 802.11a/b/g (that is, if you put the switch to "off," it turns off both Bluetooth and 802.11 functions). The built-in 1.3-megapixel webcam is a necessary add-on given the prevalence of video chat clients like AOL and Skype. The lack of an optical drive is understandable given the Mini-Note's tiny size, but because of the storage options, most users can easily live without one. For instance, you can rip or download DVD movies onto your hard drive instead of carrying a USB optical drive.

For local storage, you have several options. You can choose 5,400- and 7,200-rpm drives with either 120GB or 160GB capacities. Other options are 4GB (solely for Linux-based configs) and 64GB SSDs. As they are much more rugged, the solid-state flash drives can give you some peace of mind. The 7,200-rpm spinning hard drive on the Mini-Note configuration I tested gives you bigger capacity, but heat issues are an uncomfortable side effect. Temperatures, as measured by my Fluke infrared thermometer, went up as high as 103° F at the bottom of the system.

HP opted out of using Intel technology, which is surprising considering Intel's recent announcement of the Atom Centrino platform (available as of April 2)—the next-generation (and supposedly affordable solution) for UMPCs and ultra mobile platforms. Instead, the Mini-Note runs a VIA C7-M 1.6-GHz processor, accompanied by VIA integrated graphics. Similar to the components found on the OQO model 02, they do a decent job with general-purpose computing tasks. Yet they're not as energy efficient as Intel processors, and there are heat issues.

My configuration runs Windows Vista Business—not the best choice in operating systems, but it ran smoothly—to a point. If you keep workloads light and steer clear of heavy-duty security and graphics applications, it will be fine. It also helped that this configuration loaded 2GB of RAM, which unfortunately is the maximum amount the Mini-Note will take. Still, an operating system like Windows XP Professional would bring a better and smoother user experience.

BAPCo's SYSmark 2007 Preview raw performance tests and the MobileMark 2007 battery test failed to run, not because of processing power but rather due to the limitations of the benchmark tests. (HP is reporting 4 hours for the six-cell 55-Wh battery and 2 hours for the three-cell, which looks about right based on my experience.) The Mini-Note did complete the video encoding test, although its scores lagged behind those of the HTC Shift by more than 10 percent and behind those of the Samsung Q1 Ultra by more than 15 percent. The latter two systems have Intel processors. We didn't try it on the CineBench R10 tests, which we use for dual-core processors, because the Mini-Note has on a single-core processor. Its performance test scores, in my opinion, are comparable with those of the ASUS Eee PC 4G, which has a Celeron M processor. Although the Adobe Photoshop CS3 test installed successfully, the Mini-Note's score (4 minutes 6 seconds) was not flattering.

HP considers my $749 configuration an ideal one for students and business travelers who want to get the most out of the Mini-Note. For K-12 students, the beauty is that HP offers the model at a more affordable $499 with SuSE Linux, a VIA C7-M 1-GHz processor, and 512MB of RAM—very similar to the specs of the Eee PC 4G. A $599 configuration comes with a 1.2-GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and a Windows operating system (either Vista Basic or XP).

There are a wealth of options available for the Mini-Note. You can configure it as you would any HP business laptop, which is not the case with the ASUS Eee PC, the HTC Shift, and the Samsung Q1 Ultra. That's the advantage of being the number one PC distributor in the world. Keep in mind, too, that the price on this system can climb to around $1,000 or more if you tack on features such as a 64GB SSD drive, additional batteries, and other accessories. But at least HP offers them.

Although the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC is not quite the ASUS Eee PC killer, it's still a force to be reckoned with in the ultra-mobile space. It blows past the HTC Shift, the Fujitsu LifeBook U810, and the Samsung Q1 Ultra, with a superior design that's both functional and alluring. Though performance could use a boost, the Mini-Note is perfectly capable of handling various workloads as long as you load the right operating system. This device's most compelling aspect, however, is that you can actually go out and buy it for about $500. Until now, that was a price point only ASUS could pull off.