HP Mini 210-1073TU

I don’t remember if I ever mentioned about this HP Mini.

Our local ISP, TM Net Streamyx, had a promotion called Streamyx Cool UniPack. Well, as the name suggested, the package is targeted at university students.

For signing 2 years contract for homeline and broadband service, you get this netbook for free.

I think this is a great deal since the monthly fee is cheaper, comparing with other packages with the same bandwidth.

Before signing this package, I was using the “homeline + broadband combo” package which costs around MYR140, monthly… The monthly fee for the uni package is only around MYR90. By the way, I’m using 2MegaBits/sec package.

Enough advertisement.. Here’s the spec of the netbook.

HP Mini 210-1073TU

Intel Atom N450 1.66GHz
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150
1GB DDR2 SDRAM
250GB HDD
10.1′ Widescreen display 1024*600px
802.11b/g WLAN & Bluetooth
3-cell Lithium-Ion Battery
Card Reader
Webcam
Windows 7 Starter Edition (32bit)

The spec is pretty standard for the current market of netbooks. It could do most of the daily tasks such as web browsing, word processing, and blablabla.. That’s really convenient with that portability.

But don’t expect heavy multitasking or running resource hungry applications on this netbook, unless you can bear with lagness.

This is my first time having a PC with that size.

Also… do notice the glossy finish which looks classy if you don’t touch it. Once you touch it, the classy feel gone straight into the drain because it is a fingerprint magnet.

Atom inside.

There should be another sticker beside it.. the Windows 7 Starter sticker. But I ripped it off because that edition of Windows 7 is crap.

For just merely few hours of using the netbook, I’m pissed with the Starter edition, and I replaced it with Windows 7 Home Premium.

How would someone thought of putting all those stupid limitations such as 3 software application limit and unchangeable desktop wallpaper. My good-old Windows 98 could do better. Oh wait, Windows95 could do that too…

The side of the netbook, (left to right) Power Jack, VGA port, Exhaust vent, HDD activity LED, USB 2.0 port, headphone jack.

(left to right) 5 in 1 Card reader, Power switch, exhaust vent, 2 USB 2.0 ports, LAN port, Kensington lock slot.

Battery removed.

The bottom of the netbook is flat out, without any screws or vents.

Many people are doubting TM Net would give such a great deal… Low price broadband + free netbook… Most of them suspect there’s an evil scheme behind this package…

I glanced through the contract and did some maths… and so far I’ve used the broadband service for more than a month.. Nothing wrong with it.. in fact I got an extra netbook..

Anyway, back to conclude this article, after using the netbook for around 2 weeks:

Pros: Portable, Convenient, Have all the basic resources for basic needs.

Cons: Windows 7 Starter Edition, Bottlenecking performance, LOW screen resolution, bad design (up/down key) & (fingerprint magnet).

I’m very happy with this netbook because it is performing the way I wanted it to. But the real downside of the netbook is it’s video performance.

With older chipset using GMA3150… 720p video playback is slightly over the limit… Oh noeees… my anime.

and the screen of 1024*600… this causes some application’s [OK], [Cancel] buttons completely disappeared under the screen.