Engadget were just 24 hours out with their information that the HP 2133 UMPC would be launched on the 7th April. As I wake up on the 8th (work-in-progress) I’m seeing a ton of emails and RSS feeds relating to the official release. GottabeMobile, jkOnTheRun, Laptop Magazine, CNet, Notebooks.com and computer Shopper all have reviews and I’m sure there’s more to come (I’ll be adding links below as I find them.)
Lets start with the press release from HP US which confirms that the specs that we got were almost spot-on, thanks to the inside tipster that put us right with the VIA CPU specs. There’s a big educational slant on the PR but it reveals a sub $500 starting price. [more after the break…]
It appears we have quite the Eee PC 900 challenger here but nothing that’s going to kill the base Eee PC. James Kendrick and Warner Crocker liked the keyboard (praise indeed!) and everyone seemed to like the size and styling but there’s one significant point to note here. There $499 entry point only brings you the 1Ghz VIA C7-M CPU which to me, considering the 1.2Ghz CPU would only cost HP a few dollars more, is a corner cut too tightly.
Themes I’m picking up from the reviews.
- Its rugged – Durakeys, spill resistance, tough chassis
- Slightly larger than the devices we’re used to in the traditional ultra mobile PC segment
- Base model is 4GB flash with Linux. No Bluetooth.
- 1.2KG takes it up to the very high end of ultra mobile PC weight.
- Multiple purchase configurations.
- Latest VN896NB is included (VN896NB, 8237S SB) not the latest, combined NB+SB VX800. Performance will be the same though.
- A productivity build with 1.6Ghz CPU, 120GB drive and Vista Business will set you back $750
- It’s not available outside the U.S. yet (not 100% confirmed yet)
- Screen size is 8.9″ 1280×768
- 3-cell battery only returns 2.5 hours. Atom-based devices at 1.8Ghz are going to return better battery life.
Overall, the HP2133 looks to be a solid device for a good price. It’s a unique device right now because there isn’t an 8″ notebook device available for anywhere near this price so if you need a cheap, portable, productive device with the lowest weight, a great keyboard and good, solid build, its a great choice. This won’t hold true for long though. There’s a raft of 7-9″ devices on the way that will but a lot of pressure on the HP 2133, especially in the area of battery life.
At 1.2KG, it’s pushing the limits of ultra mobile but it does fit within the 5-10″ screen limits here on UMPCPortal so I’ll be covering it and updating the product database as time moves on. Hopefully I’ll get hold of one when it comes to Europe but for the time being, there’s plenty of other sites to take a look at. Latest links below.
