There use to be a time when we believed in “Bigger the Better”, today the mantra is “Smaller is Better and Bigger is No More Beautiful”. The Nano-technology has brought revolution in people’s way of thinking and the same goes with Laptops. Osbourne 1 is no more in our preference list, we want Sony Vaio that fits in our pocket. That’s only because mini-laptops are just great and like good things in small packages. Comprising the technology and features of regular size notebook along with ultra portability these smaller size laptops are becoming more and more popular.
However, with market loaded with mini-notebook it becomes tricky for customer to settle on one. Customer get confused on how much portability and battery power that is required or what should be the weight of it? But remember when it comes to mini-laptops everything matters, be it – Operating System, Hard Drive/Software, Keyboard, Screen, Design and Extra features. So, keeping all these features in mind and to assist you decide, here are the top 10 mini-laptops of the year, reviewing their overall features and concluding on which are worth handing over a large sum!
Asus is on top when customer thinks of buying Netbook. You will find two version of Eee PC 1000H – one is with Lunix and other is based on Windows XP. This sexy piece comprise 10 inch screen that supports 1024×600 resolution which standard in most cases. The Intel Atom processor is evaluation unit offered sufficient processing power in turn you will never have problem when sprinting applications or encoding audio video files. Further you get a decent Netbook package that integrates – Card Reader, Webcam, Hard Disk space of 160 GB, Intel GMA 950 Graphics, RAM of 1024 MB, and best of all you get a battery life of 5 hours and weights on 3.2lbs of course including 6 cell batteries.
Pros
- Excellent battery life
- Larger multi-touch trackpad
- Matte screen
Cons
- Bulky to carry
- Speaker Volume is Low
Small, thin and lightweight is all HP MINI 1000. The operating system supports Windows XP Linux (Ubuntu). The screen is basic of 8.9 and could be upgraded to 10.2 inches supporting the standard 1024×600 resolution. The highlight of HP MINI 1000 is the glossy finish that makes the machine look fantastic. Other features of this sleeky Netbook includes – 1.6GHz Atom N270, Memory of 1 or 2GB RAM, 60GB Hard Drive Storage, Intel Integrated Graphics, 3 hours of battery life and weights is just about 2.5lbs
Pros
- Superb keyboard feel,
- Thin and Lightweight
- Audio performance is good
- Wide Keyboard
Cons
- Expansion options are limited
- Touch-Pad placement is poor
If you believe in first impression is the best impression then Samsung NC 10 is your way. This piece looks more like Lenovo S10 or MSI Wind, yet lacks few features of the latter. With operating system supporting Windows XP and screen of 10.2 inches make the piece great for dong small and powerful tasks. The added features would include – 1.6-GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, 3 USB 2.0, SD card reader, Memory of 1GB, Hard Drive of 160GHz, Integrated GMA 950 for supporting Graphics, Battery life of 5 hours and weights 2.8lbs that makes the machine better than average system.
Pros
- Excellent battery life
- Almost full sized keyboard
- Quality webcam
Cons
- No great design
- Small touchpad
This slick 12.1-inch ultraportable has great performance and style than most of the Netbook. Featuring first time AMD Athlon Neo processor, the HP Pavilion dv2 (dv2z) assures to bridge the gap between low-performance netbooks and expensive ultra-portable notebooks. Operating system supports Windows Vista Home Premium including other features – 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo Processor MV-40, 4GB PC2-6400 DDR2 SDRAM 666MHz, Hard Drive of SATA 320GB 5400RPM, For graphics we have ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3410 (512MB), Card reader of 5-in-1, gives you battery life of 3 hours and weights 3.95 lbs.
Pros
- First time New AMD Athlon Neo is used
- Low-priced for 12 inch piece
Cons
- No optical drive
- Boring Battery life
- Heavy in weight
MSI Wind is among the best mini laptops so far because it is comfortable to use and has good display as well. This 2.6-pound system boasts a fairly large 10-inch screen and a full-size keyboard and Intel’s zippy new 1.6-GHz Atom processor. Other features of MSI Wind comprise – 1GB 667MHz DDR2 Memory, Hard Drive SATA of 80GB 2.5″. Plus, the MSI Wind lasts more than 5 hours on a charge and weights is about 2lbs.
Pros
- Excellent battery life
- Comfortable Keyboard
- Boot time is fast
- Handy to carry
Cons
- Single bar mouse button
- Wireless inputs are below average
Acer Aspire One has all quality to be a market leader in the world of Mini-Laps. This one is extremely attractive 8.9-inch, 1,024×600-pixel display is a good one and has operating system of Windows XP or a custom-built Linux Linpus operating system. Performance goes standard with 1.6GHz N270 Atom CPU, and the other usual features would be – Hard Disk of 160GB, SD Card Slot, 512MB of RAM, 02.11b Wi-Fi, 10/100 Ethernet, Bluetooth, 3 USB ports, plus individual mic and headphone ports. Battery will help 2 hours and weights 950gm / 33.5 oz.
Pros
- Amazing Performance
- Built-in 3G modem
- Fast-booting operating system
Cons
- Poor Battery Life
- Trackpad button layout isn’t standard
The X110 is a trendy Netbook from LG offering you stylish portability and awesome optional 3G wireless for internet access. This 10 inch LED backlit system has pink, white, and black color to choose from according to your personality. The operating system supports Windows XP and a standard Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor. Some other exciting features would include – 60GBGB 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive, 1GB of DDR2 RAM (667MHz) non-upgradable, 3 USB 2.0, 1 VGA monitor out, headphone/mic jack, SD card reader (SDHC compatible), Ethernet 10/100, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, Battery life is around 2 hours and weights 2lbs.
Pros
- 3G Modem
- Great Design
- Color Option
Cons
- You might spare battery
- Internal access to components cannot be upgraded without access panels
Apple Macbook Air is one of the biggest that is 13.3-inch in the Netbook field. Yet it’s extremely thin and light, perfect for people traveling often. Intel Core 2 Duo carries sufficient processing power that many fails to offer with Atom. Operating system is Mac OS x and Window Vista Ultimate. This incredible thin Net comes with features – Intel Core 2 Duo P7500 1.6GHz, 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM, 80GB 4200rpm parallel ATA hard disk drive, Intel GMA X3100 graphics, iSight webcam, 802.11a/b/g/n, battery life is 2.5 hours and weight of 4.5lbs.
Pros
- Thin and light weight
- New trackpad gesture controls is useful option
- Remote Optical Drive is impressive
Cons
- Slower than MacBooks
- Battery cannot be replaced by user
Asus N10J-A1 is just like any other Netbook which is small, lightweight and portable. 3D graphics chip is a feature that makes Asus N10J-A1 stands out. We have always seen gamer needs to sacrifice when it comes to portability and upgrading factors, so now we have dedicated graphics chip that is relatively powerful GeForce 9300. Screen is 10.2 inch and operating system is Windows Vista Home Premium / Windows XP. Other features are similar to standard Netbooks including – 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270, Memory of 1GB, 533MHZ DDR2, hard drive of 160GB 5,400RPM, Battery life is 4 hours and it weights 3.5lbs.
Pros
- 3D Graphic Chip
- Excellent battery life
- HDMI port and ExpressCard slot are added benefit
Cons
- Low screen resolution
- Atom CPU may not be ideal for gamer
Sony is well-known for its creativity and building unique devices and Sony Vaio P series is no exception. In P Series you have VGN-P11Z, then the more business-focused VGN-P19WN/Q and a faster VGN-P19VN/Q to make a best choice for yourself. First two includes 1.33GHz Intel Atom processor and 60GB hard drive and business model is in black with Vista Business Installed also comprising a port expander that adds Ethernet and VGA video out. All P-series notebooks has 2GB of RAM, an 8-inch ultra-wide 1600×768 glossy screen, and a port complement of two USB and a headphone socket. You will get webcam with mic, and two card slots – one for an SD Card, the other for Sony’s Memory Stick Battery life is about 2 hours and weights about 638g that makes VAIO P an extremely lightweight proposition.
Pros
- Sexy design
- Ultra thin and lightweight
Cons
- Keyboard has tiny keys
- No option for side grade to Window XP
These mini laptops are just awesome to work around. Not only have they featured of portability but also very fast and easy on our pockets. In fact, you are not compromising on quality for price and many features of Netbook can be easily upgraded by just spending some extra bucks. I think the future of computers lies in these mini Netbook and as the time passes would see more and more people having them.
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