Mini-Review: HP 2133 Mini-Note PC

I wanted to like the HP 2133. I really did. It's extremely travel-friendly, weighing about three pounds and measuring just an inch thick but cramming in an 8.9-inch screen and nearly full-size keyboard. Plus, it's a looker.

Though pricing starts at $499 for a Linux-equipped model with a 4GB solid-state drive (which competes head-on with the Asus Eee PC), I tested the $799 version, which comes with Windows Vista, a 120GB hard drive, and 2GB of RAM.

So, why didn't I like it? Put simply, it's too slow -- wayyyy too slow. It takes several minutes to boot. Applications load like molasses. And watching full-screen video is an iffy proposition at best. Also, my unit came with a six-cell battery, which protrudes awkwardly from the bottom of the 2133. Sure, it'll run longer, but at the price of diminished portability.

I'm still trying to figure out why the mini-notebook category is so popular. For the same price you can buy a full-size, full-featured notebook that's more capable and more comfortable to use. I get the size and weight advantages, but I just can't live with all the compromises.

What do you think? Would you buy a mini-note (or the Mini-Note)? Why or why not? Storm the Comments, fellow BizHackers.