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- Solid build quality
- Large keyboard
- ExpressCard slot
- Bright and crisp display
- Lower screen resolution than other 10.1-inch netbooks
- Screen prone to reflections
- Price
- Poorly placed touch-pad buttons
Great construction quality and a tough aluminum housing help the 10.1-inch HP Mini 2140 netbook withstand the rigors of travel better than most other netbooks, experts say. Features are typical for top netbooks -- including an Intel Atom Processor, 160 GB hard drive and 1 GB of RAM -- with one notable exception: the inclusion of an ExpressCard/54 slot for system expansion. The keyboard is only 92 percent as large as a standard keyboard, but reviews say it's great to type on nonetheless. The HP netbook's screen is bright and clear, but has a lower resolution than most 10.1-inch displays. A version with a high-definition screen is also available (*Est. $450); while initial reaction is generally positive, some say that those with less-than-perfect eyesight will be challenged to read smaller text on that display. A scratch-resistant screen treatment is reflection-prone, but that seems to bother some experts more than others. For those who plan to be gentler with their netbook, the Asus EEE PC 1000HE (*Est. $385) lacks the ExpressCard slot and aluminum case, but otherwise offers a solid lineup of performance and features at a lower price.
Though NotebookReview.com doesn't rate netbooks, its review of the 10.1-inch HP Mini 2140 is one of the most complete we have seen. The report at Laptop Magazine is nearly as complete and includes ratings. PCMag.com, PC World and CNET offer briefer but still valuable insights. The report at About.com compares features, but does not appear to be testing based. User feedback on the HP Mini 2140 is too limited to be useful.
Our Sources
This comprehensive review puts the HP Mini 2140 through an exhaustive and well-documented series of tests. Jerry Jackson is disappointed with the reduced resolution of the display and dislikes the reflection-prone protective screen coating, but loves practically everything else about the netbook.
Review: HP Mini 2140 Review, Jerry Jackson, Jan. 19, 2009
2. Laptop MagazineDetails/Subscribe
Like others, Laptop Magazine isn't enamored of the reduced resolution of the 10.1-inch HP Mini 2140's display, but that doesn't stop it from awarding the netbook an Editors' Choice award. Top-notch durability, a first-class keyboard and terrific battery life are the reasons cited.
Review: HP Mini 2140 Review, Joanna Stern, Jan. 6, 2009
Cisco Cheng likes the design and features of the HP Mini 2140. He notes the ExpressCard slot and says it offers expansion possibilities -- such as FireWire ports or a TV tuner -- that are available to few other netbooks. Cost and the position of the touch-pad buttons are the most significant negatives mentioned.
Review: HP Mini 2140 Review, Cisco Cheng, Jan. 8, 2009
4. CNET
The HP Mini 2140 gets one of the better ratings among netbooks here, with Dan Ackerman saying "the 2140 is currently our favorite Netbook less than $500." He notes the lower, non-standard resolution of the display, but says that it is "largely unnoticeable."
Review: HP Mini 2140 Review, Dan Ackerman, Jan. 22, 2009
PC World rates the HP Mini 2140 lower than many other reviewers, with poorly placed touch-pad buttons and a high price tag being the primary reasons why. The lower resolution of the display is noted, but it is otherwise called "colorful and crisp."
Review: HP Mini 2140 Review, Darren Gladstone, Jan. 6, 2009
6. About.com
About.com's Mark Kyrnin names the HP Mini 2140 as the best netbook for business travelers. Performance testing is not noted, but comments and conclusions are in line with what we've seen elsewhere. Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.
Review: HP Mini 2140 Review, Mark Kyrnin, Feb. 27, 2009
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