The HP Mini 210 HD is a small laptop that's both stylish and a bit more capable than many other 10 inch netbooks thanks to its high resolution 1366 x 768 pixel display. HP first introduced the Mini 210 series earlier this year, but after phasing out the budget model with a lower resolution screen, the HP Mini 210 HD is all that's left.
But with a starting price of just $330, this model isn't exactly going to break the bank, and if you're in the market for a 10 inch netbook there are a number of reasons to consider the HP Mini 210 HD.
On the other hand, the high resolution display is both a blessing and a curse in some cases and it may not be for everyone. The touchpad and keyboard can take a little getting used to. And the base model ships with a 3 cell battery which doesn't provide the same kind of run time I've come to expect from other netbooks.
HP sent me a demo unit to review. It features a 10.1 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display, a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor and integrated GMA 3150 graphics. It has 1GB of memory, a 160GB hard drive, 802.11b/g WiFi and Bluetooth and runs Windows 7 Starter Edition. As configured, this netbook would run $370. The base model comes with Windows XP and has a black lid.
Some models are also available with a Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator, GPS, Windows 7 Home Premium or other features, which will increase the price, but my test unit didn't include this feature.
Design
When the lid is closed, the HP Mini 210 HD is one of the most attractive mini-laptops around. It measures just about an inch thick with a 3 cell battery and the slim design is made a bit more interesting because the lid matches the bottom.
Unlike most laptops which have a black plastic base with maybe a few vents and space for access panels, the HP Mini 210 HD has a single sheet of plastic covering the bottom, and it's the same solid color as the lid.
While this definitely gives the netbook a distinctive look, it means there's no space for vents on the bottom. Instead you find one on each side of the laptop, and while I'm used to hearing a little fan noise from most netbooks when the CPU kicks into high gear and the fan snaps to attention, the fan really seemed to be running most of the time I was using the Mini 210 HD. It's not the loudest computer fan I've ever heard, but it is loud enough to be noticeable if you're in a quiet room.
But back to the base plate for a second. While you might think that a solid base would make it difficult to upgrade the RAM, hard drive, or other internal components, HP has actually made the Mini 210 series one of the easiest netbooks to upgrade.
You don't need a screwdriver at all. Just pop out the battery, press two yellow buttons hidden in the battery compartment, and you can remove the entire base panel.
It takes a little more effort to remove than you would expect, but the plastic is sturdy and odds are you won't break anything unless you really try.
The video below shows how to remove the panel and what you'll find once you get inside.
The netbook is available in black, white, silver, blue, red, or pink. But the sides of the laptop and the keyboard, touchpad, screen bezel, and pretty much everything that's not the lid and base plate are black.
Around the sides of the laptop you'll find the usual array of ports including 3 USB ports, a VGA output, Ethernet jack, and SDHC card slot. HP also placed the power button — or switch, rather, on the right side.
For some reason the HP Mini 210 HD has a combination mic/headphone jack — which works pretty well if you're pl
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