HP's new netbook has a high-def display, still just $500
HP's Mini 2140 is a netbook that means business. With it, we are assured, one will be ultra-productive.
What I care about, however, is the 1377x768 display resolution on its 10.1" display: allied with a new Atom-based chipset (the original 2133 used an older VIA c7), it makes it a more attractive option than most similar machines, stuck as they are in 600-line v-scroll hell.
Its 1GB of RAM, WiFi, BlueTooth, dual USB ports and 80 gig hard drive are standard fare, but the ExpressCard 34 slot is another unusual feature, good for expansion. The keys have a matte coating to prevent them from going bald, which is nice. If you upgrade to Vista, you can have 2GB of RAM pre-installed.
It weighs 2.6 pounds and comes with a 3- or 6-cell battery, which should be good for 5 or 6 hours on a charge.
HP Mini 2140 [HP]
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Where does this fit on the Mac OS X Netbook Compatibility Chart?
I've always liked the look of HP netbooks, just don't have the £££...
mmm, tasty.
but why did the resolution have to be 1377x768? I guess I'll have to settle for being lett instead of leet.
Looks like a Mac. Hmmmmm.
...HP is starting to show that unlike Dell or even Asus, they actually get what consumers want. They want portability, but they also want the power to do a 3D rendering or an E-sized poster in the field in a very short period of time, and for a reasonable price.
God, there's just so many choices now in the netbook arena, I don't know what to get. I'd like to wait until the form factor becomes perfected, but I don't think that would solve my problem.
10 inch, 6-cell, >600 v-resolution, good keyboard, 720p video playback,
Windows only? Let them keep their crap.
"Windows only? Let them keep their crap. "
...And here I thought all these flavors of Linux were supposed to be easily adaptable to any hardware. Tsk.
@#8 - They are. Ignore the troll.
Two reviews up for it:
http://computershopper.com/laptops/reviews/hp-mini-2140
http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/hp-mini-2140.aspx?page=1
LaptopMag says over 7 hours of internet browsing with the 6 cell. If this thing could playback 720p I'd be all over it.
The Atom + 945 has played back 720p in other configs, it should here. But the 768 vertical resolution is an option, and the 6-cell battery is $30 extra - with both, I'm guessing it's much closer to $600.
The $500 config resolution is actually lower than the current HP 10", 1024x578 or something wonky like that.
If you get vista, you can have the extra RAM, and you;ll blow it all on your OS. If you don't get vista, you can't have the extra RAM, because you might do something useful with it?
@#10, Lonin: I don't see why it shouldn't be able to handle 720p video. My Aspire One has the same CPU and graphics chipset and plays out 720p H264 up to around 6 mbit/sec just fine with the CoreAVC codec.
I _really_ don't like the buttons off to the sides of the trackpad. Very awkward.
The gig of ram option and only getting XP instead of vista has to do with Microsoft licensing.
MS Doesn't want to sell XP any more.
MS realizes that there are valid markets where Vista isn't a good fit- say a "low power computer" that doesn't have the horsies to run Vista.
So in picking an arbitrary limit, MS Says, "You can sell XP on a low power machine- which is a machine that isn't going to have more than a Gig of RAM."
Nothing to stop you from putting 2Gb of Ram into the box by yourself, though. I understand the reasoning and why we're playing this game. But it's still kind of wonky.
I just picked up a Mini 1000. I'd rather have a very useable keyboard and a wonky trackpad than a wonky keyboard and a standard trackpad. I'm getting used to it, afte a few days of use. We'll see how it pans out long term.
I'd like the extra battery life, and I'd like the extra screen- but that bumps me from $400 -> 600, which means that I'm not that far from being able to afford a dual core something or other. So I think the Mini 1000 is still a pretty decent sweet spot.
What I think is most telling- there's two new laptops in the house. One is a Dell 13" XPS machine which is actually a very well put together. The other is the Mini 1000. My wife was very excited about the Dell- Up until the Mini walked in the door- now she's obsessed with the Mini 1000. So it's definitely hitting that sweet spot.