Our top ten mini laptops list as of December 2008. This list compiles the best netbooks based upon cost, size, practicality and how useful they are. On a side note, we've also judged by looks as well in some cases.
Down the bottom is of our top ten mini laptops is...
#10 - Dell Inspiron Mini 9
At the bottom of our top ten mini laptops is the Dell Inspiron Mini 9. It is a simple spec 9 inch netbook with Intel Atom and HSDPA provided by Vodafone (on contract only). The Mini 9 trips up though over its keyboard which has no function keys and is altogether not very large anyway. This is thanks to the battery being pushing right into the chassis in a bid to make it smaller and lighter.
Overall: 2 stars
#9 - Asus Eee PC 701
The original netbook is still functional, although it is now second rate compared to its bigger and newer siblings. It also still has the old, slow Intel Celeron M processor - not the new Atom. It also lacks the storage and memory of the larger models, most of the 701 series are on 512MB of memory and between 2 and GB of SSD. Still true to the netbook roots, it is the smallest, cheapest and lightest mini laptop available - although you can do better.
Overall: 2 stars
#8 - MSI Wind
Whilst this netbook has received praise from many, it being the pioneer 10 inch laptop. But there were reasons why it was not listed higher in our top ten mini laptops. MSI have fitted only a 3-cell battery in the standard version, has a strange keyboard set up and tiny touchpad. Asus themselves were quick to push out the Eee PC 1000, and bigger players have entered the market with their own 10 inchers - Samsung , LG and HP for example. Whilst the MSI Wind is not exactly obsolete, it needs updating to compete with the bigger and better, more familiar brands.
Overall: 3 stars
#7 - Toshiba NB100
The first Toshiba mini laptop is a bog standard 9 inch mini laptop with a big Toshiba name stamped on it. It does have some nice features but overall, not much to fuss over. The looks are appalling, the lid and tray not matching up and the battery kicks out of the back. This is supposed to reverse the problems the Dell Mini 9 had, and not intrude on keyboard space. It has worked to an extent, but it's a far from finished solution. You can buy much better for your money, but the NB100 is a Toshiba, so you're buying expertise and brand as well.
Overall: 3 stars
#6 - Asus Eee PC 1000
The various versions of the Eee PC 1000 were launched to counter the MSI Wind, which took netbooks above 10 inches. The Asus Eee PC 1000 shares a lot in common with the Eee PC 901, although bigger, heavier and more expensive. Whether this is a good thing or not is debatable. Yes, the keyboard is bigger, but you pay around £40-50 for it which is a bit of a blow on the value for money side.
Overall: 4 stars
#5 - Samsung NC10
Samsungs low key entry into the world of mini laptops brings us the NC10, a 10 inch Intel Atom powered, Windows XP (no Linux) netbook which seems to have taken onboard all the lessons learnt by its predecessors. The keyboard is tailored for the writer, the arrow and function keys are shrunk down in favour of larger letter keys. The result is good, a typing performance almost matching the HPs.
Overall: 4 stars
#4 - Asus Eee PC S101
Previously, Eee PCs looked pretty much like toys. The S101 however takes the Eee PC to a whole new dimension. It's sleek (as thin as 18mm) and sexy (brown, no seriously) and features beautifully tapered edges. Underneath the chassis however, it's still just a jazzed-up Eee PC 1000, and with a smaller battery and no real extra features, it's hard to justify the £449 price tag.
Overall: 4 stars
#3 - Acer Aspire One
The Acer Aspire One is a fantastic 9 inch mini laptop which is fantastically cheap - around £200 depending on the spec. The short battery life and badly designed interface let it down a little. But for value for money, its excellent - perhaps more so than the original Eee PC 701. Definitely worth a look if your going down the budget route.
4 stars
#2 - HP Mini 1000
The consumer netbook by HP carry's on with the excellent 92% full size keyboard from the original 2133 mini-note. This is perhaps its best selling point. Of course it has all the standard features, 10 inch glossy screen, built-in webcam, microphone, WLAN, Bluetooth as well as the Intel Atom in place of the slower Via C7-M processor. Prices are competitive too, with the Compaq mini 700 version starting at £299. However, keeping it off the number one spot of our top ten mini laptops is the battery life which remains a 3-cell like its predecessor.
Overall: 4 stars - available from January 2009
#1 of our Top Ten Mini Laptops- Asus Eee PC 901
At number one in our top ten mini laptops is the Asus Eee PC 901। The Eee PC 901 was essentially supposed to iron out all the problems from the previous 900 model (including the old Celeron M process - now the Intel Atom) as well as renewed product in the face of more competition. The Eee PC 901, originally retailed at £319 is now available at much less than that. And now available on contract with Orange - the Eee PC 901 is a truly complete netbook.
Original article at http://www.mini-laptops-and-notebooks.com/top-ten-mini-laptops.html
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