HP Mini 2140 reviews – the latest Mini from HP

Thursday, January 8, 2009, 5:41
Laptops
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The Mini 2140 is the latest addition to HP’s line up of 2100 series netbooks. The 2140 is the successor to 2133 and shows some improvements over the predecessor. The 2100 series netbooks look like the grown up version of HP’s Mini 1000. But the price of 2100 series netbooks is also higher than the Mini 1000.

The HP Mini 1000 is known for its large keyboard and the same is also true for 2140 which features a keyboard which 92% in size of the regular size keyboard. The keys are flat and wide which makes it easier to type. But the main issue with the laptop is the location of its mouse which is located on the side. Its predecessor, the 2133, also has the same issue with the mouse location. Moreover both the netbooks features the mouse with same configuration. The mouse buttons are not located below the touchpad, instead they flank the touchpad. As a result, the navigation becomes quite difficult and it also makes the typing difficult. The only good thing about the mouse is its rubberized buttons which slightly rise above the surface. Therefore, it is slightly easy to use the mouse.

The 2140 offers a variety of configuration with different processors. The base level model, which is priced at $499, runs on Intel’s Atom 1.6-GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. It provides a storage space of 160GB on its hard drive, which spins at 5400 rpm. The netbook is powered by a three-cell battery and comes pre-installed with Windows XP. If you pay additional $30, you can get a six-cell battery. The top level model is priced at $629 which is powered by a three-cell battery and is equipped with 2GB of RAM along with 160GB hard drive spinning at 7200rpm. Hp has rated the three-cell battery with 4 hours of usage and 8 hours for the battery with six cells.

The netbooks sports a 10.1-inch LCD display which offers a resolution of 1024×576 pixels. However, another optional display with higher resolution of 1366×768 pixels will be added in February. The current display has glossy finish which is quite reflective.

One drawback of the netbook is the limited number of ports and connectors. There are only a few for connecting external devices and it includes two USB ports, VGA-out, SDHC flash card reader, and an Ethernet jack. The USB ports are located on different edges. So you will not be able to connect the external hard drive.