Updated with battery test results 11/6, 10:30 PST

An Nvidia GPU lurks inside HDMI out and biometrics in a mini-note

Glossy screen is hard to see in daylight A little on the pricey side

Asus continues its admirable habit of bundling useful software with its mini-notebooks. On the security side, along with the fingerprint reader and Protector Suite QL, you get basic biometric lockdown for your data. Other goodies are a basic color-tweakin...

Except for an abrupt keystroke and uninspired sound, the Sony VGN-NR485 has few flaws. It performs well, looks handsome, and comes fairly loaded for a laptop that you can snag for well under $1000.

Snazzy exterior Good battery life

Unsatisfyingly short keystrokes Hard drive not user upgradable

If keeping to a budget is your top concern, these are small concessions to make. A solid performer with all the most important connections, loads of storage, and an eye-catching dark-blue finish, the Sony VGN-NR485 is a sweet little deal for the under-$10...

Battery test results updated 10/31, 11:50 am PDT

Fantastic Keyboard Surprisingly good sound

Glossy Screen is hard-to-see in daylight Side-mounted mouse buttons

With the Mini 1000, HP does a good job keeping most of the things that worked on the 2133, while upping the performance and managing to cut prices in the process--well, not counting the fashionista-flavored model. Is a Mini 1000 right for you? If you're l...

Lenovo keeps thinking small. Recently the company delivered slim ultraportables such as the ThinkPad X200 and IdeaPad U110. Now it's jumping into the mini-notebook scene with the impressive IdeaPad S10. Despite its "mini" status, the S10 manages to house...

Great backup-utility software Huge hard drive

Slightly loose mouse buttons

If you're looking for a big, beefy hard drive and surprisingly sprightly performance from a mini-notebook, the IdeaPad S10 is a solid pick. If the S10's slightly cramped keyboard and loose mouse buttons are deal breakers for you, Asus's Eee 1000H would su...

Acer's first Aspire One mini-notebook was a Linux-based model that impressed us despite its modest components. Now the Windows XP Home version of Aspire One is here, packed with a larger hard drive and more RAM. Though it isn't superswift, the latest Aspi...

Spacious keyboard for its size Great price

Poor battery life Maddening mouse pad buttons

Despite these shortcomings, the Aspire One is a fine little machine. If you need more hard drive headroom or slightly speedier performance, Lenovo's IdeaPad S10 may be a better choice. But Acer's Aspire One is one of the best category bargains around. Jus...

Ever since the Eee PC 4G opened up the mini-notebook market last year, Asus has been pumping out different flavors of the Eee, including versions of the original with XP and models sporting slightly larger screens and a multitouch pad. With the $460 Eee 1...

Great keyboard and mouse Big, bright 10-inch screen

It borders on ultraportable-sized

Asus' Eee 1000H is among the leaders in the mini-notebook market. This model offers a sizable keyboard, a solid screen, and a clean and comfortable layout, just beating out the MSI Wind. Buyers beware, however: It's a device that's roughly the size of an...

At first glance, the Inspiron Mini 9, Dell's entry into the mini-notebook category, looks like what you might get if you left a notebook from Dell's full-size Studio line of laptops in the dryer too long. But the sub-$500 Mini 9 carries a 1.6-GHz Intel At...

Handy applications included Keyboard is easy to use

Display can be hard to see

Dell has crafted a solid mini-laptop that's good for kids and has plenty to offer anyone looking for an on-the-go system. The Inspiron Mini 9 isn't perfect, but it does offer a terrific design and a good price. I would have a tough time choosing this over...

MSI's Wind NB U100 is one of the first Intel Atom-based mini-notebooks to appear. And like the Acer's Aspire One, it gives a clear idea of what the bargain-priced CPU can handle. Other components include 1GB of RAM, an 80GB 2.5-inch hard drive, and Window...

Hardy construction Reasonably Bright 10-inch display

Puny WorldBench 6 score Not much in the way of extra software

There are some solid reasons to consider MSI's Wind. It's small and fairly light (about 2.6 pounds), and it's sturdy enough to take a beating. But other solidly-built mini-notebooks are just around the corner, including Lenovo's S10 and probably an entry...

The Pavilion dv7t is one of HP's "entertainment powerhouse" notebooks, just one step down from the ludicrously oversize 20-inch HDX. Beyond the 17-inch screen, and under the cool "liquid metal" exterior, lies Intel's new Centrino 2 processor. The res...

Searing speed Sleek, futuristic 'liquid metal' finish

Dull, dim screen Lackluster in-movie audio

If you can overlook those little problems, the dv7t is a handsome, fast unit. For our review it was nicely configured with a 400GB hard drive, a Blu-ray drive, and Windows Vista Home Premium. And if you're looking to replace a desktop, it's a better...

Forget the keyboard, this pricey notebook borders on mini-note size (and performance) and is best left in "Tablet" mode.

An easily stowable ultraportable tablet Good-looking, 8.9-inch display

Unwieldy keyboard Slightly loose display swivel hinge

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