HP Mini 5102 Review

[Jon Childs]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/16/hp-mini-5102-review/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/16/...ni-5102-review/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"There are netbooks and then there's the HP Mini 5102. Or at least that's always been our impression of the 10-inch business and education targeted laptop, since it isn't every day that you see what's supposed to be a secondary system with a 7,200rpm hard drive, durable aluminum chassis, spill resistant keyboard and capactive touchscreen options. Or you know, a $415 starting price. The Mini 5102 doesn't fall into the same class as those $299 netbooks -- considering our review unit rings up at $668 and all -- but does the extra dough really pay off in a noticeably better shrunken computing experience? We've been on a mission to find out just that over the last few days, so hit the break for our full review."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1271439027.usr486.jpg" style="border: 0;" /></p><p>Engadget has a fairly in depth review of HP's Mini 5102 netbook.&nbsp; It is certainly top of the line for a netbook, but I can't imagine the market for people willing to pay&nbsp;$600-700&nbsp;for a netbook is too large. During a recent sale I was able to get 2 Dell Mini 10s&nbsp;for less than the price of one of these.&nbsp; The&nbsp;touch screen display seems a little gimicky to me,&nbsp;and Engadget seems to agree&nbsp;stating "we'd be lying if we told you we put our fingers to the screen more than a total of ten times in our week of reviewing the netbook".&nbsp; Overall, a very nice computer, but probably a little too expensive for the netbook market.</p>

[Reid Kistler]

I can't imagine the market for people willing to pay $600-700 for a netbook is too large. During a recent sale I was able to get 2 Dell Mini 10s for less than the price (http://forums.thoughtsmedia.com/#) of one of these.

My problem with Netbooks continues to be a combination of Screen Size & Screen Resolution: the former is borderline, and the latter usually simply inadequate for current applications or enjoyable (let alone productive) internet use - and I Strongly Dislike using the touch screen on my Fuze (HTC Touch Pro), so certainly would not want fingerprints all over the screen of a $600 netbook!

So, Yes, would agree that the market for a $600+ Netbook ought to be fairly small.

Still, Leica apparently sells enough $7,000 rangefinder cameras to stay in business: surely HP must have done SOME market research - ? :rolleyes:

[Jason Dunn]

I've owned two Fujitsu 10.6" screen laptops - a P5000 series and a P7000 series - both of which were in the $2500 range. So for me, what matters most is size, battery life, performance, etc...price is down the list. That's not to say that I *like* paying $2500 for a small laptop, but I'd easily pay $600 for a netbook that had excellent battery life, a great screen, great keyboard, etc. There might not be THAT many of us out there, but we do exist...:D