Best Mini Laptop 2011 – A list of best Netbooks and Mini Laptops

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In this era of computing on the go, mini laptops and netbooks are becoming the rage amongst people. To get the dynamic and attractive features of mini laptops it is better to know the features of various laptops. The main advantage of using Mini Laptops is that they provide huge amounts of flexibility; they are inexpensive and highly durable.

Below is a recommended list of the best mini laptops and netbooks available in the markets as of 15th January 2011. The list is compiled with the help of experience and reviews from users who already got the chance to use the devices. I will cover here mainly 10inch notebooks and the 12inch mini laptops. Please also have a look at the list of recommended 11.6inch laptops.

Recommended 10inch netbooks

Asus EEE PC 1015PEM – feature packed at attractive price

It is one of the best selling netbooks from a company which brought the tectonic shift of big laptops to light and small mini laptops. The 1005 series from Asus became the benchmark for high performance, good design and low priced mini laptop computing devices. The Asus Eee PC 1015 is the latest attraction in the Asus Seashell Netbook series.

The laptop has replaced the older Asus Eee PC 1005PE model which made to this list last year. The major update is that the device is equipped with a more preforment and responsive to multitasking processor from Intel namely the Atom dual core N550, while the Asus 1005PE came with Intel Atom N450 processor. Encased in a smooth matte finished, the netbook is available in black, blue, white and red colors. The 1GB DDR3 RAM model(can be extended to 2GB) is available from amazon at an attractive price tag of $395.

One important reason for this model to be rated as one of the best mini laptops is that the model runs efficiently performing most of the required computational tasks, conserves enough power to run for about 13 hours on a single charge, achieves fast data transfer speed with the latest Bluetooth v3.0 technology. Moreover, the device has 250GB hard disk with an additional 500GB of Asus Web storage, a 0.3MP webcam fitted with security lens, 802.11 wireless connections and is extremely light – weighing only 2.76 pounds.

HP MINI 5103 – sturdy for rough usage
Most of the mini laptops in the market share the same configuration in terms of hardware and operating system. The latest HP mini 5103 10.1 inch netbook also shares the common configuration but its overall look and design is what makes it one of the best netbooks available in 2011. The model is also an update of the HP Mini 5102 version which made to my list last year.

HP Mini 5103 is equipped with the low power processor namely the Intel N455 running at 1.66 GHz. HP has recently made the netbooks more configurable before buying. So the current 5103 model can also be bought with an optional touch screen, which would however, make it a little expensive. By Amazon the model with 1GB RAM can be bought at a price of $400 and that with 2GB at $565. This HP model also has a very sturdy keyboard design, making it extremely easy to type and to use the track pad and is most suitable for people who travel a lot. Also it weighs only about 3 pounds. Another plus point for the model is that it includes 3 USB ports against the 2 available with the similar category laptops. Windows 7 starter edition is shipped with this netbook.

Recommended 12inch mini laptops

Asus Eee PC 1215N-PU17 – the mini laptop for entertainment

A complete new entry to the list this time is the Asus Eee PC 1215N mini laptop which with its updated processor and graphics technology removed the limitations of its predecessor due to which it did not make to the list last year. The 1215N model uses the dual core desktop grade D525 1.8GHz processor from Intel. Needless to say the preferred choice would have been the Intel Atom N550 processor which consumes less power thereby enhancing the battery life.

However Asus has made an intelligent decision by choosing the NVIDIA ION graphics which is coupled with the NVIDIA Optimus Technology that enables the system to intelligently choose between NVIDIA graphics and the embedded Intel graphics thereby optimizing battery usage.

The 1215N is one of the select few mini laptops that have an HDMI port. The model comes with a 2GB DDR2 RAM and weighs around 3.2 pounds which is very good for a 12inch mini laptop. One can get the laptop at a discounted price of $480 from amazon. The only negative in the model is that it lacks Bluetooth connectivity.

Lenovo Thinkpad X201is – packed with power

The Lenovo X201i series employs the latest and the most efficient core processors from Intel namely the i3, i5 and i7 which delivers the highest amount of performance for laptops. The basic configuration includes a 2GB RAm which can be increased to 8GB, 160GB hard disk, 12.1 inch display, Wi-FI and Bluetooth. Weighing less than 3 pounds, they are also among the lightest mini laptops.

The Lenovo X201i’s are actually thinkpads and carry a very profession look with their metallic cases. However all this high performance and good looks are also associated with a high price. The basic configuration with Intel Core i3 and 2 GB RAM costs approximately $750 on Amazon while the Core i7 model can cost anywhere from $1200 – $1700.

Conclusion:

If I were asked to choose from among the laptops in the list I would go for the Asus 1015PEM netbook. It is affordable, good performance and capable of performing every task an average laptop user needs with good efficiency. If performance is my biggest concern and money is not a restriction, then I would go for one of the Lenovo X201i. So which laptop will you choose?

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