HP Mini 5101 business class netbook

HP is launching a new business class netbook that will eventually replace the HP Mini 2140. The new HP Mini 5101 should be available in late July with a base price of $449. As you can see from the images, the HP Mini 5101 features a completely new look. While the HP Mini 2140 and HP 2133 Mini-Note shared a metallic gray brushed aluminum case, the new model is black. The Mini 5101 also has 3 USB ports, including one which is powered, meaning it can provide electricity to certain peripherals, like HP’s optional USB DVD burner. The HP Mini 2140 offered an 80GB SSD that cost a whopping $575. HP says the prices for SSDs has come down, and the Mini 5101 SSD option won’t cost quite as much. Both the standard resolution and higher resolution screen should be available as options at launch.

The netbook is available with up to 2GB of RAM, although the base $449 model which comes with Windows XP Home will only be offered with 1GB. The HP Mini 5101 measures 10.3″ x 7.1″ x .09″ and weighs 2.6 pounds with a 4-cell, 29WHr battery.

HP says the 4 cell battery should be good for about 4.5 hours, while the 6 cell battery should provide about 8 hours of run time.

HP is also offering a few accessories as part of the HP Mini 5101 ecosystem, including a $79 docking station, a $10 slipcase, and the previously mentioned USB DVD drive.

It turns out that was just a rumor, and HP has no plans to release a 3G enabled version of the Mini 2140. Instead, the HP Mini 5101 is considered the follow-up to the Mini 2140.

You can find more photos of the HP Mini 5101, but I’ve saved one of the coolest feature for last.

You can remove the RAM access panel without a screwdriver. The HP Mini 5101 supports up to 2GB of RAM.

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