Top Ten Mini Laptops

Our latest Top Ten Mini Laptops as of May 2009.This pretty new laptop is infact based upon the
Once again we've trawled through dozens of ourpioneering 10 inch laptop, the MSI Wind. The corners
own and other peoples reviews and tried out thehave been rounded off to give quite an attractive
models and drawn our conclusions. We've based ourchassis, and the price tag isn't too bad either. The
results on practicality, functionality, cost and looks.addition of integrated 3G allows for connectivity
This month has seen the departure of severalwherever you can get mobile phone signal, not yet
models from our Top Ten Mini Laptops rankings, asavailable on competing models such as the HP
newer models come out. These include:Compaq mini 700 or Samsung NC10.
Dell Inspiron Mini 9Overall: 3 stars - previous ranking February 09: New
The original Dell netbook whilst small and compactranking in this months Top Ten Mini Laptops, but the
was a compromised netbook, lacking the functionMSI Wind hit #9
keys, offering limited battery life, colour choice and#6 - Acer Aspire One
storage and so it has exited our Top Ten MiniThe Acer Aspire One family has grown to include the
Laptops rankings this month. However, the newnew D150 10 inch netbook. We've decided to merge
larger Inspiron Mini 10 solves some of these problems.the two for the sake of rankings. The price range
We've yet to review it, but on the face of it they'vefor new model is similarly good value to its smaller
sorted out the keyboard, which is incidentally quitebrother, significantly cheaper than the £300
large and some other problems.odd you'd expect to pay for the very latest
The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 remains very good value on anetbook.
Vodafone contract however, from aroundDespite the addition to the range, the Acer has
£20 per month. Consider separating the bundleslipped slightly down the rankings as newer and
and buying an Inspiron Mini 9 and USB modembetter models enter the Top Ten Mini Laptops
contract separately and you would be spendingrankings.
around £30 more in total. Definetly worth aOverall: 3 stars - previous ranking February 09: #5
look...#5 - Asus Eee PC 901
Asus Eee PC 1000The Asus Eee PC 901 is a truly complete netbook. It
Asus introduced the Eee PC 1000 after MSI broughtreplaced Asus' earlier 9 inch models, the Eee PC 900
out the first 10 inch netbook, the MSI Wind. With it'sseries introducing 6-cell batteries and Intel Atom
brother, the Eee PC 901 they introduced a wholeprocessors as standard. Now available for FREE on
range of new features to the successful Eee PCcontract with Orange in a variety of colours the
range including large 6-cell batteries as standard andoptions are vast. We consider it the best 9 inch
the now industry standard Intel Atom 1.6GHz N270portable mini laptop.
processor.At the time of writing, the Asus Eee PC is available
However, as larger brands have put together therefor around £25 per month on Orange Pay
netbook offerings, the big Asus netbook has slidMonth Mobile Broadband.
down the tables. Asus have updated the modelOverall: 4 stars - previous ranking February 09: #4
bringing out the Asus Eee PC 1000H, Eee PC1002HA#4 - Asus Eee PC 1002HA
and gorgeous variant - the Eee PC S101.The top end of the Asus Eee PC range comes in the
MSI Windshape of the Eee PC 1002HA. Complete with a
The MSI Wind although loved by some has exitedrestyled chassis with inspiration taken from the
our rankings for two simple reasons. Firstly, there areseductively sleek Eee PC S101 and the insides of the
now bigger brands with better products such as theEee PC 1000H. Unfortunately, they've stopped a hairs
Samsung NC10. Secondly, even if you did want tobreath away from making something quite amazing
buy an MSI Wind you'd be wasting your moneyby failing to offer the 6-cell battery as standard like
buying one. Why? Because you can buy an Adventthe earlier Eee PC 901/1000 models. None the less it
4211 instead! It's the same computer, with differenthit's #4 in our Top Ten Mini Laptops rankings - a new
logos, but about £50 cheaper depending onentry.
where you buy. Even then, you'd be losing out. TheOverall: 4 stars - previous ranking February 09: New
new LG X110 is not in fact that new - it's a restyledranking!
version of the MSI Wind which looks quite attractive.#3 - Samsung NC10
It also comes with 3G embedded.Samsungs low-key entry into the netbook world has
So here we arrive at the Top Ten Mini Laptopsbeen met with overwhelming sales success. The
Rankings... starting at the bottom:keyboard, crafted to make the letter keys larger and
#10 - Asus Eee PC 701the number keys smaller to help with typing is almost
The first netbook unveiled by Asus at COMPUTEXa match for an HP netbook. Recently, O2 have
Taipei in 2007, which kicked off this entire industrypartnered up with Samsung to offer a range of
trend, has once again reappeared in our rankings.laptops on mobile broadband contract including the
Yes, it isn't as powerful as newer models, yes it doesNC10. O2 offers one of the better networks, with it
have a smaller screen and yes it does cost up to halfbeing the sole provider for the infamous Apple iPhone
the price of the newer models. True to its netbookin the UK. As well as providing an excellent network,
routes, it is still one of the smallest, cheapest andthey also offer free Home Broadband for mobile
lightest netbook.broadband customers.
If you were considering going for a budget miniSamsungs confidence in netbooks has become
laptop (fair enough during harsh economic times!)overwhelming, with the larger Samsung NC20 now
there are some unbranded models. But it's alwaysavailable and more models unveiled and waiting in the
worth buying branded particularly with computerspipeline. See and click on 'New Mini Laptops' for details
since you can take advantage of the after salesincluding pictures!
support network. For what it is, the Asus Eee PC 701#2 - HP Compaq Mini 700
is still a bargain!Not shifting from last months Top Ten Mini Laptops
Overall: 2 stars - previous ranking February 09: Backis the HP Compaq mini 700 which boasts the best
in the Top Ten Mini Laptops rankings!keyboard in the netbooking world. You'd think it
#9 - Asus Eee PC S101obvious to stretch it right to the edges woudn't you,
Although we've previously ranked this netbook quitebut few mini laptops do so. Although it does leave
highly, Cnet still ranks it highly at their #3, but underthe trackpad a tad on the slim side, it's a much
it's delicious skin there's not very much there,better interface than other competing models.
especially for the price they're asking - £449.Keeping it high in the rankings is it's price which has
On closer inspection there's a derated battery - 4-celldropped significantly over the last few months to
instead of 6 like it more functionable brothers or notaround £250-260, far less than the Samsung
integrated 3G option like on the Eee PC 901. AtNC10.
about twice the price of similar spec, yet moreThe HP Compaq mini 700 is also available on mobile
powerful models it's harder to justify a higher rankingbroadband contract, with Orange and 3, although all in
anymore.we don't find it as good value on contract as the
Overall: 3 stars - previous ranking February 09: #6providers other offerings. For example, on Orange
#8 - Toshiba NB100you pay a fiver extra for the Compaq over the Asus
The Toshiba mini laptop has climbed the rankingsEee PC 901 for the same service - so it'll cost an
thanks to some incredible price cuts. The Editor hasextra £120 over the duration of the contract.
found Amazon.co.uk shaved £50 off theOverall: 4 stars - previous ranking February 09: #2and
£299 RRP, with LaptopsDirect cutting aour #1 mini laptop is...
further £50 off that during April in a clearanceSony VAIO P Series
sale. The computer isn't as good as someThe new Sony VAIO P Series mini laptop was
competitors such as the Asus Eee PC 901, but theunveiled at CES. Sony's new 8 inch, £849
build quality is pretty solid and the brand holds a lot in"lifestyle pc" (Sony are vary wary to avoid the term
its name so we consider it a safe buy."netbook") is less than 2cm thick and only slightly
Toshiba have also unveiled plans for a larger 10 inchlarger than an office envelope. It comes with a world
model boasting 160GB of storage and 3G embedded.of features including 3G Mobile Broadband, inbuilt GPS,
See New Mini LaptopsWindows Vista, battery life of up to 8 hours, SSD
Overall: 3 stars - previous ranking February 09: #10storage of up to 128GB and amazingly weighs less
#7 - LG X110than 640g!