When netbooks were first introduced a few years ago, people clamored for them, thinking they were basically miniature laptops. Sadly, more often than not, that wasn’t the case. Many netbooks just did not have the kind of processing power to do much beyond checking email, leaving many users disappointed.
That’s not the case with the HP Mini 5102, which is considered to be a cut above the rest of the lightweight netbooks. In fact, many users don’t even consider the HP Mini 5102 to be a netbook, but instead, actually call it a bona fide laptop. With an aluminum chassis that is extremely durable and a hard drive that is 7200rpm, it is accurately considered a business-grade mini computer.
The Mini 5102 has a slightly higher price than other netbooks, but that is to be expected considering the difference in performance. The base price for the Mini 5102 is $415, while the average base for most other netbooks hovers right around $300. The 5102 can reach almost $700 with enough add ons. With the improved materials used for construction, the Mini 5102 feels a lot sturdier than most other netbooks. The case is also a little thicker than most netbooks, almost an inch thick, but that’s still not as big as most laptops. The connectivity is solid, with 3 USB sockets, a VGA output connection, an Ethernet jack, headphone connectors and a microphone, in addition to an SD card slot.
The keyboard takes advantage of a spill-proof design, which is certainly a positive. But just pointing out the basic design isn’t enough. The keyboard on the Mini 5102 may be most than just a good keyboard, it might be the best designed keyboard ever created for a netbook. The sturdiness of the Mini 5102′s construction carries over to the keys and allows for rapid typing without having a feeling of flimsiness.
Wade Hill, January 27, 2011
I am a web designer/developer and it is nice to see the netbooks starting to become a little more useful and less cute. I just invested in my first netbook to alleviate breaking out my full sized laptop for checking analytics and day-to-day small reports, or as an aid in visual presentation for business lunches, etc. Although I hate admitting to using an HP Mini, it has proven useful and beats breaking out the "Big Mac" for all the little things.