Dec 052009
Cheap Mini Laptop
Posted by: LaptopsArena in Dell, MSI, Samsung
When we refer to cheap mini laptops, we are talking about those small notebooks with displays that vary between 8.9 inches to a maximum 11 or 12 inches. Anything beyond that can be considered a normal notebook or laptop. The big thing about these mini laptops is that they are cheap by definition (except for some really fancy models made by Sony VAIO and HP which are premium mini laptop material).
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These cheap mini laptops are priced between $250 and $500 but you can find models more expensive than that. Some manufacturers would like you to refer to these products as netbooks because they were mainly designed for internet operations. They have weak components which are cramped in a compact chassis. An example of a cheap mini laptop is the Samsung N310 which is a small and elegant gadget the slips just fine into your bag and you can take it anywhere because it's light and you never know when you have some spare time to update your Facebook profile.
The size of keyboard is quite ok considering the size of the laptop. Many people will have trouble adjusting to smaller keys especially if they have big hands. One thing we didn't like and you probably won't like either is the fact that instead of two separate left and right mouse buttons, you only have like a big bar (similar to the SPACE key) which you have to press at the edges to perform the appropriate functions. The 10.1 inch display is big enough not to get you frustrated with constant scrolling when you have to read big documents or web pages. Above the display you will find a 1.3 mega pixel web cam which produces of videos if you use with Skype as this is an application that really broadcasts images in real time. The speakers are located above the keyboard and this is a nice touch because the speakers which are usually located at the bottom of the laptop have their sound blocked.
Just like most similar sized notebooks, the Samsung N310 also has an Intel Atom processor with 1.6 GHz and 1 GB of RAM. As expected, the graphics card is an integrated Intel GMA 950 with 128 MB of shared video memory. You can't expect any marvelous speed or performance from this laptop but these types of computers are not meant to be power horses. You can use them for basic internet surfing and operations (like checking the e-mail or uploading pictures on the internet) as well as for reading or editing documents and spreadsheets. You can also watch movies even if the small screen may be a little uncomfortable. You can choose to listen to music but if you do we recommend you buy a good set of headphones because the speakers won't handle a big room. One very pleasant surprise is the battery life which lasts about 8 hours and 20 minutes which is definitely above average. The price for this unit is approximately $450.
The MSI U123 series is another choice that is worth taking into consideration when you are looking for cheap mini laptops. This elegant silver notebook is also available in other colors like gray, blue and red. You have the same Intel Atom processor which operates at a speed of 1.66 GHz. The nice thing is that you get 2 GB of RAM so this means some more speed for the small beauty. You can use Windows Vista with this netbook but we believe it runs just fine with Windows XP which does not occupy that much free space. You have three choices of disk space (80 GB, 120 GB and the standard 160 GB) and other very cool features. You get an integrated Bluetooth, a 4-in-1 card reader and a 3G mobile broadband support which is only available with the U123H model. As for the ports and connections, you have2 USB 2.0 ports (for the U123T), 3 USB 2.0 ports (for U123 and U123H), D-Sub, microphone in and headphone out.
For $380 you can buy the Dell Latitude 2100 which is a netbook for students. However for $500 you can get your own unit which has a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB RAM (which you can upgrade to 2 GB) plus video card, the Intel 950, with 128 MB of share memory. One of the coolest features of this mini-laptop is the range of colors which have funny names: Blue Ribbon, Ball Field Green, School Bus Gold, Chalkboard Black and School House Red. The keyboard is very spacious and it offers positive feedback when you type. An interesting feature is that Dell has developed a special keyboard which has antimicrobial protection and you can buy it for $20. The touchpad is also pleasant to use even if you don't have a mouse nearby. The 10.1 inch display has a 1024x576 native resolution which means you won't be able to enjoy high quality movies but you can still watch some episodes of Dr. House to help you past the time during that boring airplane flight. If you pay an extra $30 you can buy the Dell Latitude 2100 with a touch screen which is user friendly. Above the display, there is a 1.3 Megapixel webcam which produces clear images and videos during the Skype video chat. This mini-laptop will come with 16GB of disk space which is less than we expected since you can upgrade to a maximum of 250GB. If you install Windows XP operating system it will boot in 35 seconds which is far better than other netbooks on the market. We strongly recommend that you upgrade to a bigger hard drive because 16 GB is definitely not enough to store all your school projects and some other applications.
The Dell Latitude 2100 comes with the 6-cell battery which will last for 4 hour and 45 minutes if you continuously surf the internet with the wireless function turned on. You can also buy a 3-cell battery which actually means you will pay $25 less. Since this laptop will be use in many different places and you will not always have a power outlet in handy, we recommend you go with the bigger battery. Even if at first this laptop will seem a bit expensive just remember that Dell will offer some nice discounts for purchasing large quantities.
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