HP's Mini-Note 2133
HP has taken a different approach to the netbook than its peers with the Mini-Note. This netbook is not available on the home/home-office page of the company's website. Instead, it's being targeted more aggressively at business users, with a price tag to match. The 2133 is distinguished by its use of Via's C7-M processor, and the system's 1280x768 display resolution is higher than that of any other netbook currently available. The system itself is also quite stylish, and it features the best keyboard we've seen from a netbook.

Unfortunately, the Mini-Note's Via processor produces mediocre performance compared to the Atom. The screen's scratch-proof but high-gloss coating is also quite reflective, all but forcing the user to run higher screen brightness settings that quickly drain the battery. These flaws are exacerbated by a $499 starting price, with loaded configurations reaching nearly $800.

In the end, the Mini-Note's value proposition is questionable. We like the attractive design, high-resolution screen, and fantastic keyboard, but you're probably better off waiting for HP to slip in an Atom or perhaps one of Via's new Nano processors, which just happen to be pin-compatible with the C7-M.

MSI's Wind
MSI's Wind U100 netbook is a strong competitor, with features similar to its contemporaries and one of the brightest screens on the market. The Wind runs cool and quiet, and its keyboard is a respectable, usable size. MSI has also made it easy to crack the Wind open for upgrades.

The major drawbacks to the Wind have to do with its middling battery life and high price tag. In order to mitigate the low battery life, consumers can expect to shell out an extra $50 for versions that come equipped with a six-cell battery—no small request on a netbook with a price that already sits at the high end of the market. The software loaded onto the U100 is also rife with head-scratchers. It's inexplicable why a netbook devoid of an optical drive would come with Ulead disc burning software, but the Wind does. MSI's documentation for the unit also leaves a lot to be desired.

Dell's Inspiron Mini 9
Dell very recently introduced its entrant into the netbook market. Originally known as the "E" and later as the "Inspiron 910," Dell appears to have finally settled on calling its netbook the Inspiron Mini 9. Boasting a similar platform to its competitors, Dell distinguishes the Inspiron Mini 9 with a keyboard that is either ingenious or ridiculous, depending on whom you ask.


Dude you're getting a Dell! (Source: Dell)

What's so different about the keyboard? The Inspiron Mini 9 doesn't have dedicated function keys, instead relying on the portable computing stalwart "Fn" key to unlock secondary functions for the letter and number keys. While this may be an irritating change for some, the function keys on my keyboard (outside of F4) generally see about as much play as a Jonas Brothers video. Potentially more problematic is the Inspiron Mini 9's awkward placement of the right shift and quotation keys.

As one might expect, Dell offers numerous configuration options with the Inspiron Mini 9, including your choice of operating systems, integrated web cams, and solid-state storage. However, the system can't be configured with a mechanical hard drive, capping internal storage capacity at 16GB.

Everex's CloudBook
Everex's early entry into the notebook market went straight to Wal-Mart stores across America. Based on Via's NanoBook reference design (no relation to the new Nano processor), the CloudBook utilizes similar underpinnings to HP's Mini-Note. The CloudBook is a fraction of the cost, though, and unfortunately a fraction of the quality. Where netbooks we've used exhibit surprisingly solid build quality, user reviews peg the CloudBook as flimsier, louder, and hotter than its competitors. And then there's the system's unique approach to the touchpad. Rather than being located below the keyboard, the touchpad and buttons are instead placed above it, with the touchpad measuring about the size of a postage stamp.


Where's that trackpad again? (Source: Everex)

The CloudBook may be one of the cheaper netbooks on the market, but budget-minded users would be better off with the more affordable options from Asus and Acer.