With the Mini 210 HP took their popular netbook formula and updated it once again, this time focusing even more on HP’s target buyers. Netbook buyers want good looks, light weight, and a low entry price, and HP was able to deliver, though with some sacrifices compared to HP’s higher end Mini 5102.

The HP Mini 210 1010NR, HP’s mainstream netbook model, starts out at $280 but this unit was configured a bit higher than that. The Mini came equipped with Intel’s Atom N450 1.66GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB of storage (5400RPM), Intel GMA 3150 grpahics, and Windows 7 Starter Edition. It has a webcam, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g WiFi, and not too much else. The 10.1-inch display runs at 1366×768. Exterior ports include a card reader, three USB 2.0 ports, ethernet (hidden under a cover), Kensington lock port, VGA, and a headset jack. The “Sonoma Red” exterior our unit features is a $20 upgrade.

The Mini 210 comes with a new, sleek body design that is a major improvement over HP’s previous low priced computers. HP Mini 210 1010 is thin (just 1.1-inches), curvy, and attractive with satin-feel materials and no hard edges. The system is mostly plastic but it looks well designed, especially with the edge-to-edge display and a small battery that fits perfectly into the contours of the computer. The computer weighs just about 3.0 pounds and feels like it’s put together well. The design overhaul makes the Mini 210 one of the better looking netbooks on the market, thanks to some design cues borrowed from HP’s Envy line.

One of the new perks of the HP 210 is that the bottom cover can be removed without tools so owner can easily access the components inside. It’s a nice feature but it’s probably not something people will use much. It’s a bit tough to put all the clips back in place once they are removed and they are plastic so there is the issue of wear, which means it’s best to use this feature sparingly.

If you want to buy Excellent and Cheap Netbook this year then it has to be the HP Mini 210-1010NR 10.1-Inch Black Netbook – 4.25 Hours of Battery Life

Asus has huge variety of its “Republic of Gamers” gaming laptops, but most of them are variants of the same model albeit with a different model number and (slightly) different specs. The Asus ROG X3 differs in the fact that it comes with a Core i5 instead of the more powerful (and expensive) Core i7s in the G51jx models.

Hardware and Features

The Asus G51jx-X3 belongs is in the upper mid-range compared to other dedicated gaming notebooks, but when looking at the price/performance ratio, most laptops with this kind of hardware will set you back a lot more. The G51jx variant that we spent some quality time with was equipped with the dual-core, quad-threaded Intel Core i5 430M at 2.26GHz (2.53GHz with Turbo Boost), 4 gigabytes of 1066MHz DDR3 memory and a 500GB 7,200rpm hard drive.

The graphics are handled by a GeForce GTS 360M graphics processor with the (currently) fastest GDDR5 memory modules. This GPU fits somewhere between the mid-range and high-end mobile Nvidia cards with 96 shaders compared to 128 in the top cards. Furthermore it’s equipped with a 1920×1080 (Full HD) 15.6-inches screen, memory card reader, n-class Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Altec Lansing speakers. The screen is relatively bright with a glossy surface, and color and contrast values are also OK.

Hardware-wise, the G51Jx more than sufficient as a workstation for photo/video editing thanks to the high-resolution screen. The Core i5 430M is not a true quad-core processor like some of the mobile Core i7 CPUs, but it has the Hyperthreading feature and effectively handles four separate threads. In combination with 4 gigs of DDR3 RAM, this machine is powerful enough to handle any applications you throw at it. In PCMark Vantage it landed on 6 410 points, which is a first-rate score for a laptop at this price level.

Gaming Performance

The Asus G51Jx-X3 is a good choice for gaming enthusiasts. The Geforce GTS 360M ensures that most games trod along without a hitch even at relatively high quality settings, even if you can’t always max out the screen resolution and keep those high settings on some of the latest games.

We tested Crysis Warhead, which is still one of the most demanding games, and it averaged around 30 FPS (the usual target for a smooth playing experience) with medium settings at 1366×768. Far Cry 2 fared much better, and we were able to turn up the details as well as run at native resolution while getting framerates above 30. In 3DMark Vantage it produced a score of 4670 points, which isn’t half bad with no overclocking. On the whole, this machine delivers consistently playable framerates across the board at medium to high framerates – at least without anti-aliasing enabled.

Design and Build, Battery Life

Asus’ trademark “Republic of Gamers” design makes no secret of the fact that the G51jx was built with gamers in mind. The screen is nicely decorated in dark blue shades and a showy Asus logo. Otherwise though, the laptop looks relatively sober, with a thin glossy black frame around the backlit keyboard and matte black for the palm rest. It feels sturdy and there are no unwanted creaking noises or loose hinges

Now could be the time to pulverize your competition. The ASUS ROG G51Jx A1 notebook presents stutter-free visuals and sizzling functionality that take gaming towards subsequent level of realism. Featuring an Intel Core i7 processor, ASUS Devoted Graphics Engine powered by the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M graphics card, 6GB of DDR3 method memory, and an illuminated gaming keyboard, the G51Jx unleashes an array of features to tackle today’s most demanding games.

The G51Jx is specially created for just a better Windows Seven expertise with exclusive time-saving utilities that get you on the battlefield quicker than ever previous to. Get advantage of advanced multimedia or master your favorite game that has a vibrant 15.6-inch LED-backlit Total HD widescreen. The G51Jx does it all with theatre-like cinematics.

Key Features

* Blisteringly quick ASUS DGE driven because of the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M 1GB DDR5 for unprecedented visual clarity and remarkable gaming functionality

* Intel Core i7 quad core processor 720QM with Turbo Enhance Know-how to enhancement base pace from 1.6GHz to a maximum Turbo Enhancement pace of 2.8GHz

* Brilliant 15.6-inch Full HD LED-backlit widescreen for immersive cinematic practical knowledge with resolution as much as 1920 x 1080

* ASUS Super Hybrid Engine that innovatively saves battery existence and boosts overall performance

* 6GB of DDR3 RAM for smooth computing with Windows 7 Household High quality (64-bit)

* 64-bit Windows Seven Home Advanced for just a quicker and much more trustworthy operating technique

* 500GB Seven,200RPM hard drives for quickly, convenient storage and access to all your documents and entertainment

* Wi-Fi networking (802.11 b/g & draft Two.4GHz n) with the Latest Bluetooth connectivity (v2.1)+EDR to game wherever you go

* Integrated Two megapixel webcam and Digital Array Mic for video chatting with your friends and family

* Illuminated gaming keyboard with numeric keypad gives you complete control in any lighting environment

* EAX Advanced HD Audio + CMSS Sound Effect with Altec Lansing speakers for premium gaming sound

* ASUS Infusion Layout casing technology for resilient beauty

* Exclusive ASUS Express Gate enables ultra-fast boot so you can connect to the web in under 10 seconds

* ASUS SmartLogon: facial recognition process detects your face and logs on automatically

* Complimentary Republic of Gamers backpack and gaming mouse

* Warranty: Two year ASUS 360 global warranty and 1 year or so Accidental Ruin Warranty with 30-day Flawless Display Guarantee

Danny has been writing articles for nearly 2 years. Come visit his latest website over at plasticshowercurtain.net which helps people find the best plastic shower curtain and information they need when looking for shower curtains.