HP 2133 Mini-Note PC

Summary: First let me say I am an EEE 701 (4G) owner and much of my opinion is formed on a comparison between the HP Mini and the EEE. Since I cannot do a formal review (I have never seen an HP Mini in person), take my words with a grain of salt. HOWEVER, I sure have read a lot of reviews on the HP Mini and I feel my opinion is well-informed.

Overall, my suggestion is to wait before buying the HP Mini. HP crippled this laptop by incorporating that VIA C7-M processor. This is the very same crap CPU that is in a Cloudbook and in various other UMPCs with extremely sluggish, weak, miserable CPU performance. Furthermore the onboard VIA Chrome GPU (graphics) blows; this is quite evident in numerous reviews, wherein I read the HP Mini CANNOT support video SKYPE calls. That's pretty miserable. I seriously wonder if there is video conferencing potential for this device, with such poor performance as that.

HP needs to jump board to a better processor immediately if they expect to command a lead in this particular niche in the laptop industry. I will never commit any of my money toward the purchase on a device with a VIA C7-m powering it. Trust me, you want Intel-brand quality.

The best comment that I've seen that pretty much sums it up is a comment I read on the eeeuser.com forums: HP has pretty much released a nice, sleek corvette-class laptop, and then ruined it by using a lawnmower engine under the hood.

For the "premium" version at $750, you are not getting your money's worth with that CPU powering the device. If you doubt that statement, then you probably aren't aware that Dell was selling its D420-series laptop (12", ultraportable, slightly larger/heavier but otherwise superior in every aspect) at just $699 a couple weeks ago. Yeah... and that was for a Intel Dual or Single Core ULV Centrino.

Do the smart thing, wait and demand a better CPU chipset. Intel Atom or better. None of this VIA garbage.

(PS the other thing that drives me wild is the big, fat, obtuse bezel... they could have easily slipped in a larger, 10 or 11" LCD in there, and then Sony would REALLY have something to sweat over.)