The Mini 311 uses a 1.60-GHz Intel Atom N270 processor and 1GB of RAM, as is typical of just about every netbook. Where it differs is the GPU: Instead of an integrated Intel chipset, the 311 has an Nvidia Ion LE GPU. HP’s Mini 311 adds a larger, high-definition display and advanced graphics to a basic netbook, while still offering long battery life and reasonable price.

HP created a very nice netbook with an 11-inch screen, reasonably powerful graphics, and a nice keyboard ... and then crippled it with Intel's Atom processor. If all you want to do is very basic web browsing, email, social networking (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and play World of Warcraft then the HP Mini 311 is a great ultraportable laptop. The HP Mini 311 is available from HP.com for $399.99 and up. At the time of this review, the unit I’m configuring goes for about $510.

HP Mini 311 (311-1000NR) specifications

* Operating System: Genuine Windows XP (32-bit)
* Processor: Intel Atom N270 Processor 1.60GHz (533MHz FSB)
* Memory: 1GB DDR3 SDRAM
* Storage: 160GB 5400 rpm SATA HDD
* Display: 11.6-inch diagonal WSVGA+ (1366x768)
* Graphics: Nvidia Ion LE
* Wireless: 802.11a/b/g
* Expansion: 4-in-1 media card slot
* Dimensions (H x W x D): 0.78-1.20 x 11.4 x 8.0 inches (including feet)
* Weight: 3.34 lb (not including weight of AC adapter).
* Power: 6-cell Lithium-Polymer battery
* Warranty: One-year standard warranty
* MSRP: $399.99

HP Mini 311 quick overview:

Design

The HP Mini 311 on Verizon Wireless is a smallish clamshell netbook. It looks more like a shrunken multimedia laptop than a child's toy netbook, with glossy plastic painted like sanded metal on the inside and a pleasant, swirling pattern on the black outer shell. It isn't especially small or light, but it does feel sturdy. The glossy lid will collect fingerpints, but it features an attractive swirly design as well as the usual HP logo.



Measuring 11.4 x 8.0 x 1.2 inches, the Mini 311 is roughly the same size as the Acer Aspire 751h and the MSI Wind U210. HP engineers did a lot of things right with the earlier Minis, and the Mini 311 likewise offers a nearly fullsize keyboard, large touchpad, and acceptable build quality at a low price.

Around the sides of the notebook you’ll find 3 USB ports, an Ethernet jack, VGA port, SDHC/MS/XD card slot, and an HDMI output.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Opening the Mini 311 reveals the best feature on HP's netbook family, the large keyboard. The full QWERTY keyboard is among the biggest you'll find on a netbook, more than 90% as large as a full size desktop keyboard, which makes for very easy typing. Most of the primary keys are the same size as the keys you'll find on a typical notebook and the spacing is likewise normal, but the space bar and some of the keys that are used less frequently are smaller than normal.



The touchpad is nice and wide, features two distinct buttons, and a clearly marked section on the right side for scrolling. But there’s one major problem: The touchpad software doesn’t have a setting for disabling tapping while you’re typing. Unfortunately, the trackpad on the HP Mini 311 is tiny. It's a slim rectangle just below the keyboard, and we wish that HP would have used more of the empty space on the bottom of the clamshell to devote to the trackpad. Using it was difficult, and when you have serious browsing or productive work to do, with Excel, for instance, you'll want to plug in an external mouse.

Screen and Display

The 11.6-inch display on the 311 has a resolution of 1366 x 768, which makes it easier to view Web pages and documents without having to scroll.
The glossy screen surface helps to improve color and contrast, but we noticed the colors look a bit "washed out" or "pastel" compared to what our test desktop background looks like on other laptops.



Although the 1366x768 resolution is a nice step up from the 1024x600 resolution seen on most netbooks the washed out colors made the viewing experience less than perfect. As I mentioned, the screen is glossy and you can definitely see yourself it in it if the display is dark. But the HP Mini 311 display is hardly the worst offender I’ve seen in this area, and the screen looks great when looking at pictures, movies, or video games.

Performance

The Mini 311 uses a 1.60-GHz Intel Atom N270 processor and 1GB of RAM, as is typical of just about every netbook. Where it differs is the GPU: Instead of an integrated Intel chipset, the 311 has an Nvidia Ion LE GPU. The latest version of Adobe Flash Player 10.1 beta also supports GPU acceleration from some video cards. And that includes NVIDIA ION, which means you should be able to stream 720p and 1080p HD Flash video either.

Because the HP Mini 311 uses the Qualcomm Gobi chip, which supports Verizon Wireless' EV-DO technology in addition to the HSDPA networks used by AT&T and others, the netbook makes a fine companion for road warriors, even if you're traveling abroad. You can buy a SIM from Verizon Wireless or local carriers if you find yourself in a country without EV-DO, and the Mini 311 will work on the local HSDPA frequencies.

Battery

The HP Mini 311 comes with a 6 cell, 55Whr battery. Battery life on our HP Mini 311 review unit did not live up to our expectations. Though Verizon Wireless claims the netbook will last up to 6.25 hours between charges, we can't imagine the low power settings required to achieve this feat.
We set screen brightness to 50% and tried casual browsing and word processing work, and the HP Mini 311 couldn't even hang on for 4 hours.

>