Main Features of Mini Laptops

1. Weight: 2-3 pounds vs standard laptop’s average 6 pounds.

2. Typical cost: $100-$500 vs. $800-$3500 for a standard laptop.

3. Screen size: 7-9 inches wide and backlit vs. standard laptop’s 15” display.

4. Available with Windows XP Pro or Vista, Ubuntu, Linux, MAC operating systems.

5. Around 512 to 1 GB of memory and around 20 - 80 GB of storage space.

6. Easily upgradable with memory cards and flash drives.

7. Low on battery usage.

8. Green machines - these smaller computers carry with them less impact on the environment.

9. Basic software compatibility - Users can create documents, spreadsheets and presentations, read email, watch videos, listen to music, browse the web, take pictures, instant message, and most any other activity can be done on a mini laptop that is done on a standard laptop. This is one of the small laptops that is surely a winner!

10. Enabled for wireless and Bluetooth.

Important Facts about Mini Laptops:

*Keyboard size is smaller than a standard laptop
*The small screen may take some getting used to
*Look for sturdy casing (usually hard plastic)
*Look for flexibility in upgrading
*Make sure needed software is available for specific models

8 Mini Laptop Models Worth Checking Out:

1. Acer Aspire One

The Aspire One mini laptop runs on Linux, not Windows. It is a competent compact laptop. It is light, small and has a screen size of 8.9 in. Unfortunately, the battery life is is only two hours.

The Acer Aspire One crams a lot into a very slim, very appealing package. It's very small and yet it finds room to house the same Intel Atom processor and a reasonably large 8.9-inch display that has a resolution of 1024 by 600 pixels. Retail - starts at $329. Picture: Acer Aspire One.


2. HP 2133 Mini Laptop. Very high style and extremely well suited for students and light business users. The well-spaced keyboard and bright, 8.9-inch screen indicate that the system's designer actually designed it for adult use without incurring terminal finger cramping or eye strain. It has a rugged metal casing.

Two major problems with this mini laptop are:
1. It uses Via's C7-M processor to run Vista a big mistake, that can be overcome by buying an XP or Linux version of the device.
Second, the retail price--between $500 and $750, depending on configuration--pushes this mini-laptop into the price range occupied by standard laptops. Picture: HP 2133

3. Vye mini-v S18P

With its rotating 7in touch-screen and compact size, Vye’s mini-laptop is an intriguing beast. On the plus side, it’s very lightweight and has a good battery life, but it has limited memory and is prone to sluggishness. 

4.The Asus Eee has a 9 inch screen, runs Windows XP or Linux operating systems and uses flash memory for local storage instead of hard disks, which makes for a lighter laptop and longer-lasting battery. Storage ranges from 4GB to 12GB, or 20GB in the Linux version. While the Eee doesn't offer top-notch performance or tons of storage (although adding a portable hard drive for extra storage capacity can help), it should suit most users' needs.

One warning: The tiny keyboard makes for unwieldy typing. Several models available. Overall Asus makes some of the best laptop computers of all models, styles and sizes.

5. Everex Cloudbook Mini Laptop - Appropriately named the Coudbook weighs in at a mere 2 pounds. 7 inch screen, 30GB hard drive and five hours of battery life. Like the Eee, however, this subnotebook is designed solely for the basics — surfing the web and basic document editing — not heavy-duty graphics applications. If you want to watch YouTube all day, this is not your machine. Retail - starts at $399.

6. HP Mini 1000

Available with 8.9" or 10.1" diagonal widescreen display. 10.1" diagonal display includes flush glass for a smooth edge-to-edge design. Ultra lightweight starting at 2.25lbs.

Easy to use task-oriented visual dashboard developed by HP puts your favorite Internet applications, websites, music, video, and photos right at your fingertips. Supports up to 2GB memory for best performance while staying connected to the Web. Integrated webcam for online chat. Retail - starts at $329.99

7. Fujitsu Lifebook U-820 Mini-Notebook

Intel® Atom™ Processor Z530
Genuine Windows Vista® Business with Microsoft® Office OneNote® 20071 and Microsoft® Office Ready PC:
5.6" WXGA Crystal View display with touch screen
Integrated Webcam and Fingerprint Sensor
1 GB DDR2 533 MHz SDRAM memory (1 GB x 1)
120 GB, 4200 rpm hard drive2
and lots more....

Unfortunately both of the versions offered retail for over $1300, same price with which you can buy a standard laptop.

8. 2Go PC from CTL - 2go PC is definitely kid-friendly. CTL's entry into the low-cost mini-laptop was tested in elementary schools across the U.S. — hence the "drop-proof" sturdy plastic case, water-resistant keyboard and built-in carrying handle.

Features:
Weighs less than 3 pounds

Full QWERTY keyboard,
9 inch screen,
40GB hard drive
WebcamIntel® (INTC: 13.12, +0.30, +2.34%) processors
Available with either Windows XP or LinuxRetail

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