HP Mini 2140

Key Specs

Processor: 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 Memory: 1GB RAM Storage: 160GB hard drive Optical Drive: None Screen: 10.1 inches Graphics: Intel GMA 945 Weight: 2.6 pounds Dimensions (HWD): 1.1x10.3x6.5 inches Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition

Review

Reviewed by: Jamie Bsales Review Date: January 2009

The HP Mini 2140 keeps everything we loved about the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC—the sturdy aluminum shell, the comfortable keyboard, the compact dimensions—and fixes its shortcomings (SuSe Linux OS, smallish screen). The result is as near a perfect netbook as current technology will allow, at a $499 price that’s right in line with lesser rivals in the class. The Airstream-esque metal skin of HP's earlier Mini 2133 and EliteBook models carries over to the Mini 2140. The casing looks and feels fantastic and makes the Mini 2140 lighter and more impervious to scratches than plastic-bodied models. Measuring 1.0x10.3x6.5 inches (HWD) and weighing 2.6 pounds, the Mini 2140 is both smaller and lighter than our other favorite 10-inch netbooks, the ASUS Eee PC 1002HA and the Samsung NC10. Port selection is typical for a netbook, with one notable addition: Along with two USB ports, Ethernet, VGA, headphone and mic jacks, and an SD slot, you also get a 54mm ExpressCard slot for a wider assortment of expansion possibilities (most notably an ExpressCard wireless-broadband card to augment the machine’s standard 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi). But the real surprise is under the lid: a roomy keyboard (for a netbook) with a perfect layout. The square, flat-top keys are just 8 percent smaller than those on a full-size notebook keyboard. More important, ancillary keys are in the expected places, and the right Enter and Shift keys seem positively huge by netbook standards, making the Mini 2140 a comfortable fit for touch typists and those with larger hands. The keys also have HP’s DuraKey coating, which the company claims makes them less prone to wear. The small 2.5x1.3-inch touch pad is typical for netbooks, though not as roomy or comfortable as the larger gesture-enabled pad found on the Eee PC 1002HA. We have mixed feelings about the Mini 2140’s 10.1-inch display. The 16:9 aspect ratio gives the panel a resolution of 1,024x576—just shy of the 1,024x600 resolution of the Eee PC 1002HA and Samsung NC10. We think those extra pixels would make a difference. When rendering smaller type, like the words in Windows dialog boxes or the application names in its All Programs list, the panel cannot produce fully black text. Instead, the letters have a bluish “halo” effect and seem less distinct and a bit hard to read. This isn't a deal breaker, but it is noticeable, especially when you view the same menus side by side with the machine's Asus and Samsung competitors. Otherwise, the LED-backlit screen is fine, producing rich colors and very good video reproduction. The Mini 2140’s audio system is also pretty good. As is typical of both budget and ultraportable machines, the speakers could use more bass and sound a bit tinny. But there’s plenty of volume, and the Mini 2140 sounds much less like a transistor radio than other budget machines we’ve tested. As for other features, HP includes a 160GB, 5,400rpm drive standard. A 160GB, 7,200rpm model is also available, and under Windows both drives come with HP’s 3D DriveGuard, an active-protection system that features an accelerometer that senses whether the machine is falling or jostling and signals the drive to park the heads to prevent head-to-platter impact (and possible data loss or head damage). It’s a feature we feel should be standard on all netbooks, since these on-the-go companions will likely see rougher handling than their desktop-replacement cousins. HP will also offer a crashproof 80GB solid-state drive (SSD) as an option; pricing is not yet set, but it’s likely to double the cost of the machine. The Mini 2140’s performance is right in line with that of other Intel Atom N270 machines we’ve tested recently. Futuremark PCMark05 failed to return a result (a problem we’ve had with other Atom netbooks), but the machine’s score of 133 on Cinebench 9.5 and 815 on Cinebench 10 are average for Windows XP-based netbooks. The Mini 2140 needed 27 minutes and 11 seconds to complete our Windows Media Encoder 9 test and 22 minutes and 35 seconds for our iTunes test. Those results are in line with others in its class, but as we’ve said before, they’re glacially slow compared with even bargain-basement traditional notebooks. The machine could not complete the Futuremark 3DMark06 graphics benchmark, but given the double-digit scores we’ve seen from other netbooks that use the same Intel 945 chipset integrated graphics, we doubt we missed much. The included three-cell battery delivered 2 hours and 13 minutes of runtime on our video-loop test, which is below average compared with other netbooks we’ve tested (some of which, admittedly, came with extended batteries). HP also offers an optional six-cell power pack, effectively doubling the machine’s AC-free abilities. And speaking of options, HP also offers a USB-powered external optical drive that shares the Mini 2140's sleek look, as well as an optional Bluetooth mouse and Bluetooth headset. You can order the Mini 2140 with Windows XP (Pro or Home), FreeDOS, SuSe Linux, or even Vista Business or Home Basic (at which point you would want to upgrade the standard 1GB of RAM to the machine’s maximum of 2GB). In the burgeoning ranks of netbook portables, each seemingly more impressive than the last, the HP Mini 2140 manages to stand out. It has a winning design and feature set, yet it doesn’t command a price premium. Price (at time of review): $499 www.hp.com