Brief Review
The HP Mini 1035NR Netbook (aka. HP Mini 1000 line) is HP’s next addition to the growing netbook market. Given the current flood of netbooks, there appears to be some room for vendors to provide a better experience to different users at varying price points.
That said, the HP 1035 is a good performer when compared to it’s predecessor the HP Mini-Note 2133 which was slightly under powered by the Via C7-M (1.2G) processor. The 1035 is powered by Intel Atom 270 (1.6 Ghz) Processor with 1 Gig of RAM, and a 60 GB hard drive running Windows XP Home. Having experienced both the MSI Wind and the eee PC line, I’ll be using my knowledge with those as a reference point.
Product: HP Mini 1035NR running Windows XP Home
Author: Jose Perez
Published on: December 6th 2008
Product cost: Range $449.00 – $500.00
Manufacturer: HP
Spelling and Grammatical editor: Planetx64 Staff
{mospagebreak title=Specifications}
- Intel Atom N270 Mobile Processor
- 1GB PC2-5300 DDR2 Memory
- 60GB 4200rpm SATA Hard Drive
- 10.2" WSVGA (1024×600) LCD Display
- Intel GMA 950 Integrated Graphics
- Webcam
- Ethernet, 802.11b/g Wireless, Bluetooth v2.1
- Two USB 2.0, 2-in-1 Card Reader
- 10.3" x 6.6" x 1" @ 2.4 lbs
- Windows XP Home
{mospagebreak title=Pros and Cons}
Pros:
- Design
- Keyboard
- Display
- Trackpad
Having tried the eee line and the MSI, the trackpad response and sensitivity on the HP was refreshing. It felt very responsive, and none of the jittery tracking, which we tend to get on trackpads of this size. Adding more functionality to the trackpad is a trackpad toggle on the surface. This is a huge help when using a USB mouse & typing. Trackpads this close to the keyboard tend to pop the cursor around when you are typing, via your palm. The toggle helps alleviate that problem by turning off the trackpad temporarily.
The display is crisp, clear and bright, maxing out at the similar resolution of 1024 x 600 for netbooks using 10.2 inch displays.
Something in common with the Wind is HP’s more roomy keyboard. It feels more natural than most cramped netbook keyboards evident on the early models to the market. It would seem that HP, among others have finally found the sweet spot for typing on this small format. The keys have good tactile feedback and yet are both sleek and quiet.
I consider the external design of this HP to be very elegant with a certain thin flare to it, not common with some of the more bulky designs out there. The design on the top cover helps distract from the obvious smudge problem on most glossy surfaces.
Cons:
- Only 2 USB Ports
- Low Hard Disk Space
- Memory
These would be more of a problem to power mobile users. Otherwise, they might come across as nitpicking. For myself, 2 USB ports aren’t enough. However if you travel lite, and all you need is up in the cloud, then this may not be an issue for you.
Likewise, the hard disk comes in at 60 GB. After OS and system formatting you are left with considerably less space. Again, not a problem if your usage will be primarily web-based. However, if you plan on carrying plenty of photos and large files, a beefier 80 to 120GB Hard Drive may serve you better.
Then there’s the 1 GB of RAM. This works well in most cases. Start opening many applications and multitasking, and the shortcomings become evident. You take a performance hit. This is not a problem with this netbook alone, but rather an operating system requirement to begin with. If you want to experience a more satisfying Windows XP performance from this and other netbooks, I recommend bumping it up to 2 GB of RAM.
{mospagebreak title=Conclusions}
The HP 1035NR or HP Mini 1000, is a solid performer in it’s category. With very few shortcomings, the machine does what it’s supposed to do and does it well. wifi, bluetooh and webcam all perform with flying colors. The machine performs just as well as others using the new Intel Atom N270 processors.
However, make sure you know what you are getting here. It’s a lite computing platform for web use, and general computing. You will not be doing any fancy 3D gaming on this or any other netbook.
It comes with Windows XP Home. I believe there is an optional Linux version as well with a simplified UI frontend. If you’re in the market for a lite, sleek, and well equipped netbook, give this HP a look. It may just be what you need.