HP Mini 5101 – a ‘Business’ Netbook
Scheduled to release by the end of July, the HP Mini 5101 is a stunning netbook that looks set to capture the business audience. With its gray aluminum chasis, it reminds me of my dad’s first MS-DOS running laptop back in 1993. But in a good way. HP promises a lot of durability with the Mini 5101 which is light at 2.83lbs, portable with its 7-8hour battery life (on the 6 cell) and decently priced at $449. Keep reading.
[Rating:7/7]
Features
HP has been referring to the Mini 5101 as the companion PC. Here’s what it has to offer:
High quality secure case – The netbook chasis is made out of aluminum and has a magnesium case. The metals are light but durable, and were deigned to protect the netbook from constant travel and heavy usage.
Gobi powered HP Mobile Broadband - The integrated Qualcomm Gobi chipset works with telecoms worldwide , great for those who travel far and wide for business. The chipset is optional.
Large, Chiclet Keyboard - THe Mini 5101 comes with a 95% keyboard, and the keys are set apart from each other like the new MacBooks. This means there’s les place for dust to sit under and gather. HP’s netbook also comes with HP DuraKeys, a coating applied on the keys to make them more… durable.
Trackpad with buttons underneath - Like they should be. This is a change from most HP models, where there keys are awkwardly located on either side of the trackpad.
Fast Charge – The Mini 5101 promises a 90% charge in 90 minutes. We’ll have to test that out when the netbook comes out. Stay tuned!
Hard Drive Protection - The Mini 5101 comes with a full hard drive at fast 7200 RPM, and also an accelerator for motion protection from sudden drops or falls. Thereby protecting the hard drive – great for travel.
Upcoming: Software Syn with Computers – This is what makes it a companion PC! Come September, HP will release a software (available for download) that will allow the Mini 5101 to be synced with another computer. I’d love to see where they take that and what kind of data (mail, calendar, documents…) will be able to sync between the two devices.
Looks better than the Toshiba NB205 – Really, really better looking.
Anti-Glare Screen – After all, nothing says business like an outdoor meeting at a cafe somewhere in Europe. :) Great feature to have though!
2MP Webcam – An upgrade from all those 1.3 mega pixel web cams! The 2MP web cam is designed to make online video meetings go smoothly.
Drawbacks
No HD video playback - The Mini 5101 won’t won’t support 720p or 1080p HD video playback. Guess HP doesn’t see businessmen playing HD videos when they’re out traveling on those long red-eye flights.
No NVIDIA Ion either – Something HP doesn’t see as relevant to people using the netboko for business. I see their point, leaving out the Ion helps drive prices down too. It’s a feature HP may include in subsequent netbooks if there’s a demand.
HP Mini 5101 Rating – 7/7
- Value for Money – 1
- Speed and Performance – 1
- Screen – 1
- Keyboard -1
- Portability & Battery Life –1
- Looks and Design –1
- Extensibility & connectivity –1
Specs
- Processor – 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280
- Chipset – Intel GMA 945GSE
- OS – Windows Vista, or FreeDOS/Linux
- Memory – 1 GB RAM (optional 2GB)
- Storage – 160GB HD (up to 250/320 HB HDD, also optional 128GB SSD)
- Display – 10.1” (1024 x 600) (optional 1366 x 768 HD size)
- Connectivity – 802.11 a/b/g/n(optional Gobi mobile broadband, optional Bluetooth 2.0)
- Ports – 3 USB, VGA, Kensington lock
- Audio/Visual – Stereo speakers, stereo mic, 2MP webcam
- Battery – 4 cell battery, or 6 cell (8 hours) battery
- Dimensions – 10.3 x7.09 x 0.91 in
- Weight – 2.86lbs
HP Mini 5101 Bottom line
Ratings of 7/7 without a need for bonus points. This netbook really has all bases covered when it comes to business use. It looks great, has great specs and is really affordable. $450 is not expensive for a good quality netbook – you get what you pay for – and most netbooks cost between $330 and $400. I strongly recommend this netbook if you’re looking for a new one to buy around July.
Related posts:
- Dell Mini 9 Inspiron 910, 9″ Netbook Review
- Dell Mini 10 Netbook – Dell’s 10 inch 720p Screen netbook
- HP Updates Netbook Lineup with the Mini 110 and 1101
- HP 2140 Mini Note Review
- Verizon Subsidized HP Netbook now available at $199
Filed under: Uncategorized
[...] Considered HP’s ‘business’ netbook – this is also a great netbook for seniors in both high school and college. It’s a gorgeous durable netbook that combines high powered computing with the form and affordability of standard netbooks. Great if you’re looking for a netbook that offers 3G and 2MP webcam. Also packs in an anti-glare screen and promises a fast charge. Read our review. [...]