HP Compaq Mini 703EA netbook - first look review

HP’s MiniNote 2133 turned out to be one of our favourite netbooks of the past year, helped by a keyboard that was streets ahead of rivals. Although not the perfect netbook, it was a good foundation for its successor – the HP Compaq Mini 703EA, which looks set to improve on the original’s failings.

Upon initial inspection, styling is the biggest change, with black and glossy patterned plastics that replace the original brushed aluminium finish. It doesn’t feel quite as robust, and the shiny lid is a fingerprint magnet, but it’s still sturdier and more attractive than most netbooks.

The Compaq Mini 703EA keeps the fantastic keyboard from its predecessor, with keys that are actually larger than many full-sized laptops. The keys are responsive and firmly attached, and typing on this machine is a pleasure.

Unfortunately, the touchpad remains flawed, proving shallow and featuring buttons on either side rather than below. It’s usable, but takes some getting used to.

The biggest change is kept for inside the chassis, however. The MiniNote 2133’s Via chipset – the feature that let it down the most – has been replaced by an Intel solution, featuring the same Atom processor also found on most of the Mini 703EA’s rivals.

We’ve yet to benchmark it fully, but the difference in performance is vast – also aided by the swap from the resource-intensive Windows Vista to Windows XP. Battery life also promises to be measurably improved – again a necessity considering the MiniNote 2133’s abysmal sub two hour battery life.

All looking positive, then. To find out how we get on with the HP Mini 703EA, and for a full review, see issue 124 of What Laptop, on sale next month.