HP 2133 Mini-Note PC on sale now
By Darren Murph 
posted Apr 8th 2008 11:03PM
posted Apr 8th 2008 11:03PM
[Thanks, Tharp]
Please note: If you're a current Engadget commenter, you do not need to re-register. Simply login and you will be prompted to select a username.
This is the first mini laptop in the "race to the bottom" that I've seen that I wouldn't have any qualms buying.
Its the perfect example of why HP is on top. They have great products and great refinement. I've been an HP fan for several years.
I'm in the market for a laptop and I'm facing either the HP DV series or a TX tablet.
Uhhh, yeah... Vista with a 1.2 single core VIA. Please write back and let us know how that works out.
I don't know about VIA but I'm running Vista Business on a 1.2Ghz ULV Core 2 Duo and its speedy for anything other then gaming and encoding. Both of which you wouldn't do on this machine to begin with....however I've heard that the CPU in this thing is slow as hell....soooo
Alot of the people experiencing poor performance of VISTA in their computers are upgraders. Many didn't buy Vista preloaded - and many who did, didn't get it with a high spec PC/laptop.
You woulda ran into the same problems if you tried running Win XP on a Pentium 450 mhz with 128MB of RAM.
Why is it I barely see complaints from those people buying 3GB of RAM in their dual core computers? I'll tell you why, cause their computers aren't OLD.
I manage Mac lab and we've got lots of Vista computers on the side. I've used numerous VISTA laptops and I've never had a single problem with the exception of trying to use old hardware. All of these laptops mind you were HP DV series.
HP, SONY, Toshiba, etc don't sell laptops with an OS that doesn't work. This thing has been well tested I'm certain.
Time for a ultra portable ultra low-cost mac!
Who's with me?
hopefully your babysitter.
You guys probably know that HP designed this for Educational space. They iterviewed this segment and came out with the specs et al. (NO CD/DVD drive so pupils dont install games and stuff, small screen size so that tutors can keep an eye on the pupil indulging themselves glaring at the screen when he/she is lecturing..etc.)
A Low Cost Mac? Thats An Oxymoron.
Like a secure installation of Windows.
Awesome. I'm sitting on my hands telling myself I dont have $549 to spend, but it just looks so nice..
BUT THEN HOW ARE YOU TYPING??? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
You're about to try out "The stranger" technique...Aren't ya?
Why oh why didn't they use the intel dualcore ulv's(hell even a solo core is better than via), it would have been perfect... Why does hp have to crush my hopes and dreams.
I am baffled as to why the $750 model has far better specifications than the $850 model. The cheaper model has twice the RAM, a faster hard drive, and a faster processor. The only difference is the OS (Vista Business vs. Home) and the hard drives (120gb 7200rpm vs 160gb 5400rpm). Am I missing something?
That's the one i'm looking at too. I can't figure it out either.
Oh yeah, and even at $750 for the most expensive model, and having spent a large sum of money on a 15" MBP (2.6ghz Penryn, 4GB RAM, 200GB 7200rpm), I'd definitely get one for school/home/anywhere. That would let me transition completely to mobile computers, with my MBP as my "desktop" and powerhouse, and my 2133 as a mobile workstation.
weird, it even has a smaller battery (3-cell as opposed to 6-cell on the $750 model)
HP must have gotten a hell of a deal on Vista Business and a sucky deal on Vista Home?
So has anyone figured out why the $849 model (with a 1.2ghz processor & 1 gig of ram) is more expensive than the $749 model (with a 1.6ghz processor with 2 gig of ram)?
40 more gb, i know its dumb, but thats why
Thats a pretty pricey 40 GB considering the drop in RPM and all.
The more expensive one has Bluetooth, and the $750 doesn't....but still
wudufxup??
"SmartBuy" featured models offer better pricing as they are target large volume sales.
the practicality of this small notebook is just for a traveler on bizznatch?
its 3 lbs lighter than a normal notebook?
I wish they would've let you pick and choose components. I would've taken a 1.6ghz version with 1GB of RAM and 4GB flash running Suse. Oh well.
I was the 4th one to order the $750 model today, I had to order by phone. I am a bit worried that it is underpowered, but I think if I downgrade to XP, things will be smooth. I am a college student and this will be perfect for notes and work (I work in IT Support).
It won't ship till April 15th, so the wait is on.
Reviews say the fan is very noisy, I hear this can be a problem in quiet classrooms.
no, you upgrade to XP, downgrade to vista
This is so much wider than an Eee -- they've missed the whole point of the Eee, I'm afraid.
$750? Wow! I hope you like it. That price, too, misses the point.
Maybe we should compare this to Dell of some sort instead.
Moo2's comment should not be highly ranked. Vista is a great OS, how many times do we have to go over this?
If only that thing had the atom in it. I'd sell my Eee PC in a heartbeat.
I don't know about others, but personally, I find the width of the screen being smaller than the width of the keyboard, a big minus. It makes it look like a toy.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but with those specs, it is a toy, a nice looking toy to be sure, but a toy none the less.
yeah, but the speakers facing you is a big, big plus... that's why the screen is narrower, to leave space for the speakers.
however, the screen resolution is almost enough, considering the small size and form factor, not to mention price...
still, I can find a core 2 duo Sony Vaio for $700 new @ eBay. I am tempted, though, and just maybe I'll buy this UMPC...
UP AND ATOM!
whatever
whatever??
this is the most intense back and forth i've ever seen.
jah. i shouldn't encourage him. however, it was his first non-whatever comment out of a dozen so i couldn't resist
Anyone else read the 128KB L2 cache on the website WTF?
I just looked those test with different CPU and VIA C-7 is at the bottom, damn 1.6Ghz does not mean that it is that fast, in fact it is as fast as Celeron 500-600Mhz.
PCMark05 Score
HP 2133 Mini-Note (1.6GHz VIA C7-M ULV) - 801 PCMarks
Asus Eee PC 4G (630MHz Intel Celeron M ULV) - 908 PCMarks
Asus Eee PC 4G (900MHz Intel Celeron M ULV) - 1,132 PCMarks
Video card:
HP 2133 Mini-Note (1.6GHz VIA C7-M ULV, VIA Chrome 9) - 93 3DMarks
X3100 - 500-550 3DMarks
In review of jkOnTheRun was told that it was poor with Skype and video chat, video card or something was to weak and video become chopy.
So, this one is so weak... The best design, but the worst heart.
My Eee runs Skype flawlessly. I've had perfect hour-long video conversations on multiple occasions.
In fact, my Eee has handled everything I've wanted it to perfectly, so far.
No complaints whatsoever.
I was looking forward to the Mini-Note but now I'm struggling with why I would get this versus the XP eee. I guess I'll have to wait for a more compelling product.
Besides Via, this notebook really looks great, I love the design, 54mm expresscard slot, large, high-res screen and large hard drive.
Its only the Via processors that are really dealbreaking for me. Why did they have to make everything so right and then crap all over it with this one component?
I may be overdramaticizing here, but I hear their processors have very poor performance, that the C7 1.6ghz is even worse than the 900mhz Celly in the EEE.
If they could put in an Intel ULV Core Duo or even Core Solo at the same price point, I would be so happy.
yeah, and if they could throw in two superhot ladies riding mini horses for the same price point, i'd be ecstatic as well. but therein lies the problem, young padawan. you want better stuff, you're going to have to pay more.
The reason was the price, they wanted to keep in down and the only way how to do that was to use VIA chipsets. But I think that the next model or maybe the 3rd generation will have Atom inside. Right now VIA is a bit drawback at least for those who know what are buying.
For the CPU compare look at my post above and you will see that Celeron 600Mhz does even better than VIA. In Vista VIA C-7 gets 2.0 points and that's the lowest part of all notebook.
I think it has to do with Intel having their own UMPC, (Netbook) which competes directly with this one. The VIA proc is just their way of saying "I don't need you" (even tough they do !)
The CPU is on the same level as the 600 Mhz downclocked celeron M's, and if you believe VIA its even a little better on power consumption. The problem is the graphics side. VIA traditionally excels at bringing graphics to new levels of horribleness.
I gotta agree with Anonymoose, if you wanna play, ya gotta pay.
I think Priper's comment is pretty close to the truth. Think about the AMD Opteron when it first came out, HP was the first major player to introduce the AMD in it's DL585. I've been told by our HP reps that Intel gave them some serious grief over that one...
I doubt they will go to an Intel platform for this guy anytime soon (more development costs, more inventory for the same platform, blah, blah, blah). I'm guessing that HP was/is banking on VIA's new Isaiah chip that's getting released this year to give the 2133 a performance boost since it's supposed to be pin compatible to the C7. From what I've seen the Isaiah could be a very good mobile chip...but I'm not holding my breath...
didn't he have a "first" comment somewhere? he must have. that sly devil might have combined them, though.
first whatever?
i didn't catch that. i was aboard the H.S.S. Shagatzee
d'oh! that's H.M.S.
i'm putting on my dunce cap forthwith
eh? howzabouta what now? methinks two of my posts were deleted and now this is horribly out of place.
anyone know if the 4GB version is flash roms like the EEE or an actual SSD?
why would someone pay 800 for a mini-note when they can get a better loptop for a same price?
let me rephrase that, would does the slower, smaller laptop cost more?
does the law of physic still apply here?
ok, let's look at this the only logical way possible:
which hooker would you pay more to sleep with? big, strong, fast running Bertha or small, lithe, light Holly?
jd, your grammar makes me wet
No, the law (in the singular) of physic (which means medicine) does not apply here, as it isn't remotely related to sub-laptop design.
the law of physics i am talking about is: equal and opposite force; and input is always equal to output.
now lets apply this in the loptp biz. why is it the more money we spend, the less good thing we get from a laptop.(the thing is not even more technically more advanced than its counter part.)
i really do hope you review this one, engadget.
Hands on with AutoTom's reply:
At first glance, you would be tempted to think that this little guy had no substance. And you'd be right. But what it lacks in pure power, it more than makes up for that dearth with a miniscule size that is to die for. For we can all agree: the less we see of his posting, the better off we are.
$749 for bluetooth? Forgetaboutit!!!!
Im actually considering one of these over an Eee.
I would probably get the $550 model, that has Linux, but has the better processor/hard drive/ram.
I have my own licenses of XP, and could buy Vista, if I actually thought it would run.
I would probably put Ubuntu on it though. Im a HUGE fan of it, but since I do alot of gaming on my home computer, it was just taking up space, because I would never boot into it. If Im going to be on the go, with a laptop, there is no need for gaming, so that would be the perfect chance for me to use Linux.
Damn... These things even have gigabit ethernet on them. It's seriously looking like an upgrade from my eee 701 over the 900. Better resolution.. bigger keyboard.. gigabit ethernet.. wireless a.. Express card upgrade port.
Only thing lacking is the touch display and the lack of CPU power. They could have at least gone with the AMD Geode (which I hear beats the c7)
1.19 kilos with the 4GB SSD sounds kinda heavy.
This summer when VIA's Isaiah processor comes out, all the CPU complaints here will be a distant memory.
It's pin compatible with the existing C7-M's so they will be able to switch to the processor immediately. It will be 2x-4x faster then the current C7-M.
I'm an Apple guy. I'll admit it. But this is the first non-Apple product in a REALLY long time that i'm considering buying... I'd definitely want to rock Linux on it though, not freakin' vista...
Looks like it's also available in the UK through an official HP reseller - $900 for the $750 version!! God save the Queen!!
http://www.rm.com/Secondary/Products/Product.asp?cref=PD1164671
1.2Ghz though, If it has been the 1.6Ghz I might have gone for it. But the via sounds awful enough never mind going for the 1.2Ghz .
True, it seems Isiah will be pretty decent, both on performance and battery life. Does anyone know though if there is going to be an equivalent upgrade to the Chrome9 graphics?
For those of you that are having problems purchasing through the section of the site linked to in the article and don't want to have to actually talk to someone, try this link:
http://h71016.www7.hp.com/dstore/ctoBases.asp?oi=E9CED&BEID=19701&SBLID=&ProductLineId=539&FamilyId=2769&LowBaseId=23430&LowPrice=$1,439.00
(I know it's a weird link.. but it works, honest)
Has anyone seen dates / prices for UK please?
(Aside from Clove who haven't stated which model etc their pre-order price applies to)
Ok, I'm confused. I thought by definition a umpc was a small tablet pc, like 7 inches or less screen. This would be more of a sub-notebook.
Anyone had a problem on the hp site, I try to add a mini-note to my cart, but it redirects me to the hp business section solutions page.
Is this available to Canadians? I don't see it on HP.ca
Wow... HP really, really missed the point here. It's a crying shame, because the design is quite gorgeous, and it's the first Eee competitor that I've gotten excited about.
But the price-performance thing sinks it. The only one with a flash hard drive is the cheapest model. No options for an 8GB or 16GB flash hard drive. The best performer they make has quite respectable specs besides the processor, but you'll never know it having to run the pig that is Windows Vista.
Vista... what are they smoking here? They have wide-open access to install XP on this machine - Microsoft threw them a bone to do so just recently - and they pass it up to load Vista. Even if they could get Vista to perform adequately on this - a BIG if - it'll be miserably slow compared to XP.
Other problems:
- no Linux options for the fastest configurations
- no option for the larger battery on the slower configurations
- the pathetic VIA processor
- no optical drive (no problem at sub-$500, but a problem at this price point)
- makes computers like the Dell Inspiron 1525 look more attractive
Perhaps HP will be successful with this piece - it is a pretty computer, but the geek crowd will flock instead to the new 9-inch Eee.
I think it's too expensive for what you are getting.
There are better products out there, which aren't much bigger and pack a lot more.
Toshiba's T series - comes with Core 2 Duo 1.66 and a multidrive AND 13.3" screen AND 250GB harddrive AND a 9 cell batter and costs $900.
I understand that the HP is suppose to be "ultra portable" but check this...
TOSHIBA
Notebook Depth: 22.7 cm
Notebook Thickness: 3.4 cm
Notebook Width: 31.0 cm
Notebook Weight (including Battery): 2.09 kg
HP
Notebook Depth: 16.5 cm
Notebook Thickness: 2.7 cm
Notebook Width: 25.5 cm
Notebook Weight (including Battery): 1.27 kg
As you can see, they are both comparable, except the weight which i feel the HP has a clear advantage, but i would sacrifice the weight for the bigger screen, the DVD drive, more harddrive space, full keyboard and bigger battery....
Who's with me??
Sorry, i meant U series...
It's a valid point that you can get a better machine for not a whole lot more money--or even the same price--but I think you're missing the point, as shown with the comparable weights. Weight and quality keyboard are the killer features here, and why I ordered the $750 one. I don't need to bring a DVD drive on the road. I don't need significant power, so long as it runs fine, which I think it will, especially when I downgrade to XP. Weight is extremely important, as is the ability to type for extended periods, as is the relatively lowe cost. The closest competition, I think, is something like the Lenovo X61, but the X61 is nearly twice the price.
The Toshiba is twice as big, 2392 CCs versus the EEE's 1136 CCs and weighs more than 50% more. I've played with both and the EEE is the one that you will keep with you.
As this system is not meant for content creation, it should be well suited for the basics.
In an interview one of the HP developers said a 64GB SSD will be available, but for $1000.
An XP downgrade is going to be available on May 15th. Don't know why they didn't make it available from the get-go, but it will be an option.
You can buy the larger battery for the lower configurations if you want it.
The processor is the big negative, but it sounds like they were 1) concerned about price and 2) eager to get to market. They are making a big splash here, and getting a jump on Dell and others. Also, how big of an issue is the processor going to be if you switch to XP?
I think a lot of people are willing to sacrifice the built in optical drive for size/weight. How much does an external cost, anyway? $100? No big deal, and I get the sense this will rarely be a users only computer
It's got better specs than the EeePC at the same price point, but it's also quite a bit larger, which is unfortunate. I'm also not sure I like the idea of running SuSE on it.
Is this what the MacbookAir should have been?
The MBA was meant to be this amazing product, but how was it really different from a MB? Thinner and lighter, but lower spec and more expensive, and it didn't really change anything. This, however, could change how laptops are used. And if Apple could work their magic on this form factor with OSX (which can run on an iPhone) and a built in HSDPA modem then they could have something revolutionary.
Managed to find a couple of pages on the UK HP site.
http://h40059.www4.hp.com/hp2133/
which links to
http://www.rm.com/FE/Products/Product.asp?cref=PD1164671
availability showing as end of May 2008
Wow, this is great news, I'm really looking forward to this machine, as a side not it already has a community website, here;
http://mininoteuser.com
Not getting rid of my macbook air yet/