To help us provide you with free impartial advice, we may earn a commission if you buy through links on our site. Learn more

HP Compaq Mini 110 review

Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £275
inc VAT

The Compaq Mini 110 is HP's latest netbook.

We managed to get a look at a pre-production model; the final version won’t be available until August. It looks very similar to HP’s Mini 2140, except it’s made from black plastic instead of brushed metal, so it’s not as eye-catching or as sturdy. The lid feels creaky and flimsy, so we hope that it will be strengthened in the final version.

We also hope the noisy fan will be silenced. It’s almost always audible, even during undemanding tasks such as web browsing. Surprisingly, its battery life of two hours and 50 minutes is nearly 30 minutes shorter than the Mini 2140’s and is among the lowest here.

The keyboard shares the same layout and large, responsive keys as the 2140, and is a joy to use. The keys have a matt finish instead of the 2140’s glossy, slightly slippery sheen, so they feel even more pleasant to use. The touchpad is small but accurate. Even though the buttons are placed on either side of the pad instead of below it, they feel much more responsive than the 2140’s buttons, giving just the right amount of feedback when pressed.

Unlike the 2140, the Mini 110 lacks an ExpressCard slot, but it does have three USB ports instead of the 2140’s two. You won’t need a USB 3G modem for mobile broadband access, as one is built in.

The 60GB hard disk is one of the smallest here. It’s more than large enough for storing office documents, but it’s inadequate for even a modest collection of media files.

The 10in display has a resolution of 1,024×576 pixels, which is slightly smaller than the 1,024×600 resolution of most of the other 10in netbooks here. This means some windows drop off the bottom of the screen, which is annoying. We were also disappointed by the display’s washed-out colours, and it’s not as bright as the 2140’s display.

Although the Mini 110 is cheaper than the 2140 and has an integrated 3G modem, its small hard disk, noisy fan and short battery life left us wanting more. MSI’s Wind U100 is a better choice.

Basic Specifications

Rating**
ProcessorIntel Atom N270
Processor clock speed1.6GHz
Memory1.00GB
Memory slots1
Memory slots free0
Maximum memory1GB
Size35x265x170mm
Weight1.1kg
SoundIDT HD Audio
Pointing devicetouchpad
Power consumption standby1W
Power consumption idle14W
Power consumption active18W

Display

Viewable size10.1 in
Native resolution1,024×576
Graphics ProcessorIntel GMA 950
Graphics/video portsVGA
Graphics Memory128MB

Storage

Total storage capacity60GB
Optical drive modelnone
Optical drive typeN/A

Ports and Expansion

USB ports3
Bluetoothyes
Wired network ports1x 10/100
Wireless networking support802.11n, HSDPA
PC Card slotsnone
ModemNo
Supported memory cardsSDHC, MMC, Memory Stick Pro/Duo, xD
Other portsnone

Miscellaneous

Carrying caseNo
Operating systemWindows XP Home Edition
Operating system restore optionrestore partition
Software includedMicrosoft Works 9
Optional extrassix cell battery £104, three year extended warranty £82

Buying Information

Warrantyone year collect and return
Price£275
Detailswww.hp.co.uk
Supplierhttp://www.shop.bt.com

Read more

Reviews