HP Mini 5101

HP is hot on the heels of Acer for the top spot in the netbook category. But let's not kid ourselves: Even though HP is very aggressive in pricing, the current Mini 1000 and even the newest Mini 110 (1030us) haven't been able to keep up with the latest netbook trends. Their 92-percent keyboards are dwarfed by the full size ones of other netbooks like the Toshiba mini NB205 and Samsung N120 (12GBK), their decorative patterns are years old, and the mouse buttons are bound like wings to the sides of the touchpad. Change is on the way, though, as the new HP Mini 5101 ($425 direct, as tested) addresses many of its predecessor's shortcomings. The new netbook's sleek metallic frame, a near-full size keyboard, and properly positioned mouse buttons are huge steps forward, but you'll have to wait a while before opting for the additional features.

Hewlett-Packard Company

http://www.hp.com

• Price as Tested: $425.00 Direct
• Type: General Purpose, Ultraportable, Value, Business, Netbook
• Operating System: MS Windows XP Home
• Processor Name: Intel Atom N280
• Processor Speed: 1.67 GHz
• RAM: 1 GB
• Weight: 2.9 lb
• Screen Size: 10.1 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• Storage Capacity: 160 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11n
• Primary Optical Drive: External