Hp 2133 Netbook Any Good?

[kevc]

Been looking at the HP 2133 netbook, all the reviews say it's nice design but overpriced because of the slow processor, I've seen it in Power Buy Bangkok for 17,000 baht but Fortune Town has it priced 9,900 baht + v.a.t. with Vista installed.

Anybody have any comments on it and if so is it a good buy at 10,000 baht.

Thanks for any input.

[Deke]

What shop did you see these in? I'd think you can't go too far wrong for 10K.

[Veazer]

I'd steer far away from it, it uses the Via C7-M processor which is quite sluggish compared to everything else out there. It's got lower benchmarks than a 630MHz Intel Celeron M ULV. Nice screen though.

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4352

[kevc]

What shop did you see these in? I'd think you can't go too far wrong for 10K.

Theres a few shops on the fourth floor selling them all at the same price, I think one of them had XP loaded instead of Vista, maybe I'll go back tomorrow and try one out, they've got Intel CPU C7 1.2 Ghz, 160g HD, Ram 2048MBDDR. If I can get it preloaded with XP I think i can convince myselk to buy one as one of the drawbacks was that the processor was too slow for Vista.

Be nice to hear from someone using one though.

[Crushdepth]

Best to avoid. Problems are: Small screen (8") with fairly high (1024) resolution = very small and difficult to read text. The other major drawback is the processor which is inferior to the Atom and basically crap, particularly if you want to run *Vista*. Have a look at a few online reviews if you want confirmation. On the positive side, the physical design (apart from the screen) and keyboard are the best available in the market, and the machine is now heavily discounted. One shop in Fortune is selling them for 9,990 baht (no other netbook is discounted to this extent, that should tell you something).

If price is not such an issue, wait for the HP Mini 2400. It has the same excellent case and keyboard, a 10" screen and an Atom processor. It's basically a 2133 with all of the problems fixed. Unfortunately, they don't seem to be available in Thailand just yet, but I think they are on the way.

[sensei]

If price is not such an issue, wait for the HP Mini 2400. It has the same excellent case and keyboard, a 10" screen and an Atom processor. It's basically a 2133 with all of the problems fixed. Unfortunately, they don't seem to be available in Thailand just yet, but I think they are on the way.

I suppose you are referring to the HP Mini 2140 that has the Intel Atom N270 1.6 GHz processor, 1 GB of Ram and a 160GB (?) hard drive.

It is the much improved version that has that brushed metal body.

Can't wait to get my hands on this one.

Edited February 20, 2009 by sensei

[Crushdepth]

Yeah that's the one

[kevc]

If price is not such an issue, wait for the HP Mini 2400. It has the same excellent case and keyboard, a 10" screen and an Atom processor. It's basically a 2133 with all of the problems fixed. Unfortunately, they don't seem to be available in Thailand just yet, but I think they are on the way.

I suppose you are referring to the HP Mini 2140 that has the Intel Atom N270 1.6 GHz processor, 1 GB of Ram and a 160GB (?) hard drive.

It is the much improved version that has that brushed metal body.

Can't wait to get my hands on this one.

At Power Buy they had another HP netbook with Intel Atom, 60Gb hard drive with a larger screen priced 15,000 baht.

Thanks for the comments it's just reinforced what I thought, problem is it looks so good and the price is even better but maybe it's best to pay the extra and get something thats going to be of more use.

[monty]

I have the 2133, running XP.

I really can't say the CPU is much of an issue, I use the machine for e-mail, web browsing and sometimes a bit of office.

Runs perfectly fine doing that. Wouldn't want to do photoshop or something like that, but I wouldn't do that on the netbook anyway, I have a desktop for that...

The screen is 9", but has a whopping WXGA resolution (1280X800).

So yes, if you leave windows in the default settings, the fonts are really small, but if you fiddle around a bit, things get much better. Size and resolution are for me the absolute plus points on the machine, the biggest bummer factor for me is the screen being so glossy, it's almost like looking in a mirror when using it outdoors!

Mine has XP, 120GB HD, 1GB ram...

Paid 10,900 fot it a few weeks ago...

Oh, and one plus point over the other netbooks, it has an express card slot! AFAIK none of the others have one (Acer and Asus)...

[OriginalPoster]

I have the 2133, running XP.

I really can't say the CPU is much of an issue, I use the machine for e-mail, web browsing and sometimes a bit of office.

Runs perfectly fine doing that. Wouldn't want to do photoshop or something like that, but I wouldn't do that on the netbook anyway, I have a desktop for that...

The screen is 9", but has a whopping WXGA resolution (1280X800).

So yes, if you leave windows in the default settings, the fonts are really small, but if you fiddle around a bit, things get much better. Size and resolution are for me the absolute plus points on the machine, the biggest bummer factor for me is the screen being so glossy, it's almost like looking in a mirror when using it outdoors!

Mine has XP, 120GB HD, 1GB ram...

Paid 10,900 fot it a few weeks ago...

Oh, and one plus point over the other netbooks, it has an express card slot! AFAIK none of the others have one (Acer and Asus)...

Did you find it difficult to get used to the touchpad design that HP uses on their netbooks? That machine, as well as the newer HP mini's use a touchpad arrangement were the buttons for left-clicking and right-clicking are on the left & right sides of the touchpad panel, respectively. Most laptops have both of those buttons below the touchpad panel rather than on either side of it. When playing around with the HP netbooks in a computer store that seemed hard to deal, being used to the other arrangment. In the reviews no one seems to be complaining about that so a suspect that you must get used to it quickly, still it concerned me and made the Lenova S10 seem more ergonomic to me.

BTW, the Lenova has an express card slot also, that's not just an HP thing.

Edited February 21, 2009 by OriginalPoster

[OriginalPoster]

Best to avoid. Problems are: Small screen (8") with fairly high (1024) resolution = very small and difficult to read text. The other major drawback is the processor which is inferior to the Atom and basically crap, particularly if you want to run *Vista*. Have a look at a few online reviews if you want confirmation. On the positive side, the physical design (apart from the screen) and keyboard are the best available in the market, and the machine is now heavily discounted. One shop in Fortune is selling them for 9,990 baht (no other netbook is discounted to this extent, that should tell you something).

If price is not such an issue, wait for the HP Mini 2400. It has the same excellent case and keyboard, a 10" screen and an Atom processor. It's basically a 2133 with all of the problems fixed. Unfortunately, they don't seem to be available in Thailand just yet, but I think they are on the way.

The HP 2140 is in stock at numerous shops in Singapore's Funan Centre now at S$799 (18700 Baht). Can't be long before they start showing up in Thailand also.

[Crushdepth]

Cool. I am feeling a bit impatient about this one, can't happen soon enough! And then I will just need to find a way to put Linux on it (or are Linux versions available?).

[monty]

It'll probably become one of the better netbooks around with the proper cpu in it!

I sure like mine, especially the good screen (apart from when using it in outside lights), and it has probably one of the best keyboards I ever seen on a netbook...

[britmaveric]

Have the Acer Aspire - great little work horse for traveling. Picked up DVD burner for it and it prob works as well as my powerhouse G1.

[OriginalPoster]

Cool. I am feeling a bit impatient about this one, can't happen soon enough! And then I will just need to find a way to put Linux on it (or are Linux versions available?).

In the shops in Singapore I only saw it with Windows XP Home but when you price it out on HP's website one of the options that comes up is to use Suse Enterprise Desktop 10 instead (at a cost savings of US$40). Vista Home and Vista Business are also available as options.

For configurations, see http://h71016.www7.hp.com/dstore/MiddleFra...oductLineID=539

[Crushdepth]

I just checked HP's Singapore website - they are only offering it with XP home / XP professional / Vista Business. Rather annoying.

Edit: Is it possible to buy a CD of HP's SuSe Linux for the mininote or download it somewhere?

Edited February 22, 2009 by Crushdepth

[paquito]

Four weeks ago I bought a HP Mini 1001TU in Malaysia (saw it a few days ago in Pantip at 15000B, slightly cheaper than in Kota Kinabalu). I'm quite happy with it, apart from the smallish HD 60GB, but an external HD will solve that problem. I could not install my canon photo software, screen resolution is too low with 600 pixels vertical. All other programs work fine, the Atom 270 processor is just good enough to run movies on VLC player or edit photos with ACDsee. I'm quite happy with the little thing, I really appreciate to only have to schlep 1kg of hardware as opposed to my old 2kg notebook. Until 2005 I had a HP notebook and had a warranty issue. HP service at Rama IV rd opposite Lumphini Park solved that in no time, so I can also recommend an HP product from that perspective.

[Crushdepth]

If anyone sights the HP Mini 2140 in Bangkok, please let me know

[Crushdepth]

I just got hold of someone in HP Thailand. Apparently the HP Mini 2140 is officially 'on market' in Thailand now, although they may not quite have got around to distributing them yet! So basically its here, and should start turning up in the shops shortly.

[Veazer]

I just got hold of someone in HP Thailand. Apparently the HP Mini 2140 is officially 'on market' in Thailand now, although they may not quite have got around to distributing them yet! So basically its here, and should start turning up in the shops shortly.

Depending on your preferences, it might be worth waiting. Although they've increased the screen size to 10.1" they've reduced the vertical resolution to 576 pixels instead of the "netbook standard" of 600. However, they're planning to release a model with a 1366x768 resolution screen later.

http://blog.laptopmag.com/hp-replaces-mini...-with-mini-2140

[sensei]

When will HP Mini 2140 be available in Thailand?

[Crushdepth]

I don't know. It's beginning to aggravate me though:

* We rang HP and asked. They said its 'on market now'. But obviously, its not in any of the shops. However, it is on sale in HK and Singapore.

* I spoke to a moron at BananaIT. He told me 'will not sell in Thailand because it's a Eurozone product'. He also told me that Thailand is 'too hot' for this machine, but according to the reviews, the 2133 (available) has a heat problem but the 2140 (not available) does not.

Grrrrr...weekend in Singapore?

[sensei]

I don't know. It's beginning to aggravate me though:

* We rang HP and asked. They said its 'on market now'. But obviously, its not in any of the shops. However, it is on sale in HK and Singapore.

* I spoke to a moron at BananaIT. He told me 'will not sell in Thailand because it's a Eurozone product'. He also told me that Thailand is 'too hot' for this machine, but according to the reviews, the 2133 (available) has a heat problem but the 2140 (not available) does not.

Grrrrr...weekend in Singapore?

Thanks Crushdepth,

From what I've heard it is even sold in Malaysia for crying out loud! Thailand is too hot? Isn't Singapore in the same region - hugging the equator? We are not going to use that machine under the summer sun, right?

Anyway, have you heard of the 2150? the one with the better screen resolution? I hope they will have that here when it comes out.

What do you think is the best alternative to the 2140?