If you've never used Linux before, that may make for a daunting first few hours with the 2133. Our test unit came with Novell's Suse Linux 10 pre-installed, but unlike Asus, HP has made zero attempt to customise the installation to make it more accessible to beginners. Both the SKUs have the same core specification, but the Windows Vista version adds a 6-cell battery and makes up for Microsoft's licensing costs with a 50 price hike. In the UK, HP offers the Mini Note 2133 with the choice of Linux, in the form of Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10.1, or Windows Vista Business. The 2133's silvery keys stretch right to the edges of its chassis, but apart from the shrunken Function keys and the diddy little cursor cluster, all the alphanumerical keys are, amazingly, full-sized. We've moaned time and time again about the Eee's tiny keyboard, and it seems someone at HP has been listening. Stop trying to physically assault the Mini Note's hardy little frame and you'll find it continues to impress in other key areas. If there's anything to moan about then, it's that the HP's bulletproof frame isn't matched by the slight wobble in the display's chrome-effect hinges, but it's no deal breaker. Similarly, grab the HP's tiny lid between two hands and, barring a tiny bit of give, it's startlingly resilient. We prodded and poked at the lid as hard as we could, but to no effect. There's a little flex in the base if you really tug at it, but the display is incredibly rigid and offers the 8.9in panel plenty of protection. Compare it to the plasticky, slightly creaky frame of the Asus' Eee, and it's in a different league entirely. Tipping the scales at 1.27kg, the Mini Note weighs almost as much as the likes of fully-fledged ultraportables, such as NEC's Versa S9100 and Lenovo's X300.īut, let's be honest, 1.2kg is still far from overweight, and that weight also serves to make the 2133 feel impressively sturdy. Considering its petite 265 x 165 x 33mm dimensions, though, it doesn't feel quite as light in the hand as you might expect. Pluck the 2133 from its dumpy brown cardboard box and the magnesium alloy immediately feels classy and - more to the point - expensive. It is, without doubt, a simply beautiful laptop. Cue looks of complete and utter disbelief. We handed the 2133 to a couple of our colleagues and let them play with it for a minute or so. And, let's get this over with straightaway, it makes the Eee look and feel positively cheap in comparison. It's been a long time coming, but HP has unveiled its take on the genre with its long-awaited Mini Note 2133. But despite several manufacturers making half-hearted attempts to recreate its success by rebadging VIA's NanoBook design, the Eee's diminutive charms have been enough to help it retain a firm stranglehold on the sub-notebook market.
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