HP Compaq 2133 Mini-Note review

The HP Compaq 2133 is a beautiful piece of kit. Pick it up and the cold metallic lid lends it immediate authority, while the screen is not only high-quality but also high-resolution: HP somehow squeezes 1,280 x 768 pixels into its 8.9in diagonal.

At default settings, this can make SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 tricky to negotiate thanks to the tiny Close button on windows, but we'd be tempted to wipe the 120GB hard disk clean and install Windows XP or Ubuntu instead: SUSE's implementation of Linux isn't the most intuitive, offering obscure options even when you're first setting up the Mini-Note.

Unusually, HP opts for VIA technology rather than Intel. The 1.2GHz C7-M isn't a quick CPU, but coupled with the supplied 1GB of RAM it's enough for basic tasks whether in Linux or XP. You shouldn't expect great battery life, though. To keep the weight down, HP supplies only a three-cell battery, and it kept going for a little over two hours in our tests. Thankfully, you can buy extended batteries if you search online.

The downside to this is that it spoils the 2133's beautiful lines while adding to its 1.27kg weight - slightly higher than the average, although a reflection of the HP's superb build quality. Likewise, the keyboard is an absolute pleasure to type on, with the only frustration being the strangely designed trackpad with "mouse" buttons to the left and right. An acquired taste.

So the Mini-Note has its quirks, but at this price (and note that typically it sells for £50 more) it's something of a bargain.

Author: Tim Danton