HP Mini 1000

We're dubious of HP's bizarrely proprietary "HP Mini Mobile Drive" slot, which is basically a recessed USB port into which only specially branded HP USB drives can fit. We'd happily trade this slot for a media card reader or ExpressCard slot. Without it, we might have been able to get separate headphone and mic jacks as it is, you get only one shared audio connection. Still, the actual hands on experience is the best of any Netbook we've tested so far, making it well worth a look for anyone interested in jumping into the Netbook arena, especially those who dread spending time typing on cramped keyboards.

Specification

• Price as reviewed or Starting price $549 - $399
• Processor 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270
• Memory 1GB, 533MHz DDR2
• Hard drive 60GB 4,200rpm
• Chipset Mobile Intel 945GM Express
• Graphics Intel GMA 950 (integrated)
• Operating system Windows XP Home Edition SP2
• Dimensions (WDH) 6.6x10.3x0.95 inches
• Screen size (diagonal) 10.2 inches
• System weight / Weight with AC adapter 2.5/3.1 pounds
• Category Netbook
  

The Mini 1000's footprint is nearly identical to that of the earlier HP 2133 Mini Note PC, measuring slightly wider and thinner. It's also a little lighter, thanks to the switch from aluminum to plastic. Netbooks are designed with price and portability in mind, so they're usually not the fanciest designs to come out of a PC maker's lab.

While an aluminum chassis is generally preferred to one made from plastic, the switch to plastic here makes sense because every penny and ounce counts. Overall, we appreciate the Mini 1000's efficient and attractive layout there's hardly any dead space on the keyboard tray. The biggest selling point for the Mini 1000 is its fantastic keyboard, which HP claims is 92 percent of the size of a full size laptop keyboard.

Other Netbooks have been plagued by tiny Chiclet-like keys, which make typing a pain and typos plentiful. By expanding the keyboard right to the edges of the system, HP was able to fit bigger keys into the tray than other Netbooks (and even ultraportable laptops). The result is a comfortable typing experience that beats even Dell's Inspiron Mini 9.

The 10.2 inch wide screen LCD display offers a 1,024x600 pixel native resolution, which is standard for Netbooks. It's certainly readable, but most documents and Web pages will require some scrolling. The display is covered by the same edge to edge glass we saw in Apple's new MacBooks, which adds to the aesthetic, but is also a glare magnet.