Wading through all the netbooks, they all seem to have the same underpowered capabilities. HP, however, seems to take a different path with the release of their very capable HP Mini-Note 2133. It is marginally more expensive than the competition, but it makes up for the price difference with functionality and power close to that of their larger, more expensive siblings; the full-sized notebooks.

Like many netbooks out there, the most striking quality of the HP Mini-note is its compact design. Although it is larger than the EEE PC and the other ultra-portables, it’s still noticeably smaller than laptops in general. It also showcases cool, rounded corners, as well as a mostly sleek exterior. The only problem that I have with the design is the fact that the included 6-cell battery. In hindsight, though, the battery raises the netbook up just a bit on the desk it’s placed upon, which helps regulate airflow and makes typing easier for the wrists.

The Mini-Note comes with a QWERTY keyboard that’s 92% of a full sized version. It is quite easy to type on, unlike the majority of mini-notebooks out there in the market today. Touch-typists will find that they have fully-adjusted to the keyboard within 30 minutes of initially trying it out. This is one of the best advantages of the Mini-Note 2133.

If they only extended the roominess of the keyboard to the trackpad directly below, then this would be the dream machine of any touch-typist desiring a netbook. It is cramped and can feel awkward; plus they decided to be different by moving the mouse buttons to the left and right of the trackpad rather than below it. Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder if there will ever be a perfect combination of trackpad and keyboard size with laptops this small. Maybe it just comes with the size with which these units come in.

The screen itself is capable of displaying sharp text and bright colors, thanks to its 1280×800 LCD display. Interestingly, this is a common resolution for the bigger notebooks, and with the 8″ screen of the Mini-Note, the text could get too small for the eyes.

The Mini-Note utilizes a Via C7-M ULV processor; with 2GB of RAM to compliment that, it as able to run on ample power and handle Windows Vista Basic or Business. Note that I said itcan run Vista; running them at desirable speeds is another thing. My recommendation is to wipe the system clean and have Windows XP run on it instead.

Also, note that this is one of the last few units that use the C7. It may be strong, but the new Intel Atom is simply faster. It is, however, configured well; if you manage to get XP rather than Vista in, it is surprisingly one of the more powerful netbooks out there, despite the lack of an Atom.

Battery-life is also important; unfortunately, this is one of the unit’s weaknesses. With Vista, it only runs for four hours with a 6-cell battery. Perhaps this is the price to pay for the increased power of the unit itself.