After a week of taking the HP Mini Note 2140 for a spin, I’d say HP has finally made a comeback in the fight for netbook market share (and HP doesn’t even want to call the mini a netbook).
The HP Mini 2100 series is the only netbook line I’ve seen that’s wrapped in aluminum all around. This is what separates the HP Mini 2140 from the rest of the netbooks — a body that is made up of sleek aluminum in silver, brushed finish.This also protects the surface from smudges and greasy fingerprints.
Compared to the usual plastic construction of other netbooks, this gives the HP Mini 2140 a classic look that leaves a lasting impression.
The review unit I got has an Intel Atom N270 (1.6GHz), 1GB of RAM and 160GB hard disk drive. It also comes with Bluetooth and WiFi 802.11 b/g for connectivity plus a webcam to boot.
Another big plus point for the HP Mini is the upsized keyboard – that’s a 92% full-sized keyboard of a regular notebook. HP did not spare a single centimeter in the keyboard and squeezed them into the 10-inch frame, an effort that attracted a lot of buyers even int he first generation Mini 2133. By far, the most comfortable keyboard especially when touch-typing and helps avoid that dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome.
On the other hand, the 10.1-inch display panel only has a resolution of 1024×578 pixels. That’s a couple dozen pixels short of the normal screen resolution of most netbooks (i.e. 1024×600 pixels) but not really a serious deal-breaker (apparently, there is a hig-res screen on a different model but hasn’t been seen in stores).
Another consequence of HP’s efforts to maximize on the Mini Note’s reduced size was the re-positioning of the left and right buttons of the trackpad. This odd orientation could turn off others but it is an issue that an external USB or Bluetooth mouse can remedy. The trackpad is a but narrow but the buttons works nicely.
The default configuration of the HP Mini only includes a 3-cell battery which lasts under 2 hours although you can upgrade to the higher-capacity 6-cell battery (sold separately and could set you back about 4 or 5 grand). That should help bump the battery life to around 5 hours but add a couple hundred grams to its weight.
There were some mixed reports that the netbook becomes too hot on prolonged use. My 24-hour burn-in test didn’t show that — the internal temperature hovered between 48 to 53 degrees centigrade.
With a retail price of Php23,990, HP Mini 2140 isn’t the cheapest in the 10-inch category but it makes up all that with a great build and design.
Wow! It would make a nice gadget to store and view videos. Does it have a nice webcam?
that’s a nice, fair review
pag salesman ka lang… baka napabili ako ng di oras! wahaha! jk!
keep it up yuga! da best ka talaga! :thumbsup:
I really like it’s shell. Very dazzling. Much like the Compaq Presario laptop my cousin has.
nice! ganda nga ng design. question lang: are netbooks good enough for heavy programs like photoshop, premiere, etc? thanks!
nice…ganda nga ng design! question lang: are netbooks good enough for heavy programs like photoshop, premiere, etc? kasi 1gb naman yung ram nya eh..? thanks!
man the workers at the coffee shop you go to when you take all these pix of reviewed items probably think you are super rich since you showing up with a NEW laptop EVERYDAY haha
three months later, there will be tons of CULV “review” and “unboxing” , it already makes me disgust
@Ed, the baristas at Starbucks where I hang out already recognized me from one of my TV interviews so they’re very nice every time I drop by.
It’s a joy to use all right
The unit does heat up when your using it & it’s charging. The trick is to slip a small object under the back to elevate it so that the heat vents underneath are clear of any surfaces. I use a rubber door stop & it works great. Units with the 6 cell battery are already inclined optimally.
Well, this is the actual gadget I want when I’m out of town so I can click my Neobux ads and never lose those ten dollars.
Twitter: Pulbobo
says:
the battery life is a deal killer.
@sky: yeah, 3-cell batteries are a deal-killer. I’d go for the 6-cell.
The HP Mini 2140 shares the same basic silhouette as the earlier Mini 1000 and Mini-Note 2133 systems from HP. I think the biggest selling point for HP’s Netbooks has always been the fantastic keyboard.
off-topic.
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The HP Mini 2140 shares the same basic silhouette as the earlier Mini 1000 and Mini-Note 2133 systems from HP. I think the biggest selling point for HP’s Netbooks has always been the fantastic keyboard.
nice design pero that 22 missing vertical resolution is a bit big for me. too much scrolling when playing mafia wars. hehehe.
ahem ahem! royalty fee!!!!
Yep, three cell batteries are only good for remote controls. LMAO!
Hey Neobux, I signed up for your site. I also saw your fan profile on friendster. Thanks for the guide!
i have a friend who just bought the HP Mini 2140 and she is disturbed by the heat coming out of the netbook. have you guys experienced the same? is it normal? on my research, its predecessor(HP Mini 2133) has a temperature that can go as high as 90degrees fahrenheit.
since they basically have the same body(aluminum), logic tells me that they basically spews out similar heat level.
@John Ray Cabrera
90 degrees Fahrenheit is just around 32 degrees Celcius. It’s not that hot.
John Ray, I’ve used the 2133 and the 2140; the latter runs significantly cooler than the 2133. While they may have the same basic body shell, the 2133 runs on a relatively inefficient Via CPU, which generates a lot of heat. My 2140 is cool enough to run on your lap without protection. It’s even cooler than the similarly-equipped Lenovo S10.
@ardz: sorry, that is around 90 to 117 fahrenheit, according to:
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4352
@bon: i just told my friend that aluminum has a higher specific heat ratio than hard plastic, that means it cools faster but similarly heats faster too. tama ba ako?
@John Ray – compared to the other netbooks I’ve tried the HP MIni 2140 runs relatively cooler.
Been using the 2140 for a few months. No problem with heat unless you place it directly on your lap while charging. I suggest you use a small pillow or a book.
My issue with it is that the aluminum casing has a bit of ‘ground’, like very subtle buzz of electricity when plugged. It makes touching the exterior uncomfortable. Abe, did you experience this in your test?
[...] The HP Mini Note 2140 has a retail price of Php23,990. Check out the review here. [...]