HP2133 review
Every day see another hardware vendor jumping onto the UMPC/sub-notebook bandwagon so how long did you think it would take HP to join in the games? There are many rivals to the Asus Eee PC, some crap and some good, but, from first impressions, the 2133 looks like a serious contender. Ok, this device has been in the wild for over a month now but we’re reviewing it now as we’ve only just got our hands on the HP2133. Time to take a deeper look at the ins and outs of HP latest offering.
Design
Like many offerings in the UMPC market the HP2133 comes in two flavours: SuSe linux (about £360) and Windows Vista (around £415).
First impressions were good. Although heavier and larger than the Eee PC the HP2133 looks great. A combination of brushed alumimium lid and magnesium alloy chassis make this device far easier on the eye than the Eee PC. Be prepared for crowds of friends and colleagues surrouding you when they see this sexy piece of tech. Another huge bonus is the keyboard. Most of the devices we’ve seen have been made for people with fingers like a newborn child. Not so the HP2133. At 92% of a standard keyboard, the 2133’s spill-proof is a real pleasure to use. Unfortunately, we can’t say the same of the mouse. You need more vertical strokes than the Eee PC to move the mouse around the screen. The selector buttons have been place either side of the touchpad which takes some getting used to.
The display screen is the same size as the Eee PC (8.9″) but has a native resolution of 1,280×768 pixels, pipping Asus to the post. The problem here lies with the bezel. The speakers are mounted in a wider bezel which makes the HP2133 look ‘oddly shaped’ when open. Also, trying to view the screen in clear daylight was almost impossible no matter how much we tweaked the settings.
There are some variations in hardware spec between the variants. This is based on manufacturers trying to keep the HP2133 competitive. Both versions are powered by a VIA 1.2Ghz C7-M - a poor choice considering the alternatives. The Windows Vista model has 2Gb RAM whilst the Linux based device has 1Gb. Both machines come with a 120Gb platter disk. Buy this device from the US and get the option of an 4Gb SSD - not a huge amount of storage but more resilient to the everyday knocks and drops that are likely to occur.
The HP2133 comes with Wifi a/b/g but not 3G/HSDPA. The Asus Eee PC wins hands down on this count.
The overall performance of the HP2133 is terrible but what do you expect when running Windows Vista on a 1.2Ghz CPU? The SuSe Linux version faired better but could still do with some extra memory to liven it up. The battery life didn’t impress us either - about 1 1/2 hours during testing. Come on, HP you can do better than that.
Conclusion
Looks good. In fact, the HP2133 looks beautiful. Performance is rubbish. No 3G connectivity put the device in a ‘no-win’ situation. It can’t be all bad. The pricing is about right for the market but HP will need to do some serious work to catch up with Asus.
Specifications
- VIA 1.2Ghz C7-M CPU
- Memory - 2Gb (Vista) 1Gb (Linux)
- Display 8.9″ (1,280×768)
- Input/Output Left side: D-Sub VGA port, a USB port, mic and headphone jacks,ExpressCard and SD Card readers. Right side: Ethernet, a second USB port, ExpressCard and SD card readers
Downside
The HP2133 looks oddly shaped when open, Brightview coating makes screen very difficult to use in daylight and the below par CPU makes performance poor. Poor battery life.
Similar posts:
