I’m in search of a good mini-notebook (others call it netbook), one that will give me the most bang for my money. I own a trusty HP Pavilion notebook but it has a 15-inch screen and weighs a couple of kilograms, which make lugging it everyday a real burden. I am therefore in need of a much smaller notebook that can do the simple tasks of word processing and internet surfing, which prompted me to search the internet for reviews on mini-notebooks. Notably, there has been a recent surge in the production of mini-notebooks after Asus became extremely successful with its first Asus Eee PC. By far, the mini-notebook models that caught my attention are the MSI Wind, the HP 2133 Mini-Note, the Asus Eee PC 1000 and the Acer Aspire One. These mini-notebooks create so much buzz in tech sites and forums I was compelled to do my own research on them.

THE HP 2133 MINI-NOTE

The HP 2133 Mini-Note is the prettiest in the bunch. If not for its smaller screen (8.9 inches) and its processor (a Via C7-M processor), i would have easily picked this over the others. The Via C7-M processor used by the HP 2133 Mini-Note, based on almost all reviews I’ve read, is a rather slow processor compared to the Intel Atom processor used by the other mini-notebooks in the pack.

Here are the specs of the HP 2133 Mini-Note:

VIA C7 M 1000MHz

VIA Chrome9

Various DOS Options (Linux / MS Windows / MS Vista)

8.9in. 1280 X 768

1.0Gb RAM-120Gb HDD-USB2.0 (x2)

VGA Ethernet 10/100/1000 Line-out-SD card slot

802.11b/g BT 2.0 (Optional)-Built-in camera

Prices:

PhP 24,950.00-Linux OS, 1.0GHz Processor, 1.0Gb RAM, 120Gb HDD

PhP 29,950.00 -Windows Vista Basic OS, 1.2Ghz Processor, 2.0Gb RAM, 120Gb HDD

PhP 34,950.00-Windows Vista Business OS, 1.6GHz Processor, 2.0 Gb RAM, 160Gb HDD

THE ASUS EEE PC 1000

The Asus Eee PC 1000, a model yet to reach the Philippine market, is comparable to the MSI Wind in terms of specs and performance. It has an Intel Atom processor, a 10-inch screen, and a big hard disk space. It slightly looks better than the MSI Wind but its price tag makes the MSI Wind a more practical choice.

THE ACER ASPIRE ONE

The Acer Aspire One, on the other hand, boasts of an attractive finish, a highly dependable Linpus Linux operating system, and a cheaper price tag. However, it only has an 8.9 inch screen and has a limited disk storage capacity.

Below are the features of the Acer Aspire One:

Intel Atom Processor (1.6GHz, 512Kb cache, 533MHz FSB)

Mobile Intel 945GSE Express Chipset

802.11b/b Wireless Network Connection

Linpus Linux Lite OS

1Gb Memory (512Mb + 512Mb Module)

8.9 in. TFT CrytalBrite LCD (1024×600 pixel)

LED Backlight

8Gb SSD (with One slot for SD card storage expansion)

Webcam

Multiple card reader

89% full size keyboard

Price: PhP 18,800.00

THE MSI WIND

After comparing the specs and respective price tags of all four models, the MSI Wind easily stands out from the pack. It is a well-designed netbook (available in white, black and pink packages) with a lid that features a low-luster finish resistant to fingerprint smudges (according to those who have actually tried the unit). It has a full-sized keyboard (92%), which will make typing a less daunting task (a big improvement from the smaller keyboard of the Asus Eee PC 701). It already employs the Intel Atom which runs at 1.6Ghz and can be overclocked up to 1.9Ghz at a single touch of a button. It has a huge storage capacity (the cheapest configuration has 80Gb of hard disk which goes up as high as 320Gb for the more expensive models) and runs on a Windows XP operating system. There are reports from websites that Windows Vista and Apple’s Leopard OSX runs on the the MSI Wind.

Below are the basic features of the MSI wind:

10-inch 1024×600 LCD display

1.6-GHz Intel Atom processor

80/160/320 Gb hardrive

1GB RAM (up to 2GB)

Intel 965GMS+ICH7M chipset

802.11 b/g Wi-Fi

three USB ports

4-in-1 memory card reader

1.3-megapixel webcam

TurboDrive button (for 20% overclock, or 1.9GHz)

MS Windows XP Home Edition

2.6 pounds overall weight

Prices:

PhP 23,999.00 - 512Mb / 080Gb / No OS

PhP 24,999.00 - 1.0Gb / 080Gb / No OS

PhP 25,999.00 - 1.0Gb / 080Gb / with Windows XP Home Edition, SP3

PhP 26,999.00 - 1.0Gb / 080Gb / with Windows XP Home Edition, SP3 (with external 60Gb Mobile HDD)

PhP 29,999.00 - 2.0Gb / 160Gb / with Windows XP Home Edition, SP3

PhP 31,999.00 - 2.0Gb / 320Gb / with Windows XP Home Edition, SP3

With just the right combination of good looks, great features and reasonable price, there is no doubt in my mind that MSI Wind is the mini-notebook that will give the most bang for my money. I’m just waiting for the black version to arrive in the Philippines.