HP began taking orders for the HP Mini 1101 in May. But at the time you were left without any major configuration options. Now when you order the Mini 1101 from the HP Small Busines store you can either choose from one of 2 pre-configured models or customize your own. But you’ll wind up paying an arm and a leg to get a custom version.
The cheapest pre-configured version sells for $329 and includes a3 cell batter, 10.1 inch, 1024 x 576 pixel display, 1GB of RAM, and a 160G hard drive. It runs Windows XP Home. For $429, you can get the same netbook, plus an internal 3G module capable of connecting to wireless broadband networks from Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T.
The cheapest customized version will set you back $427, with the price easily topping $600 when you add options like a 6 cell battery, 32GB SSD, or 3G module. There is no higher resolution screen option.
Hopefully HP will add a few pre-configured options to the lineup with 6 cell batteries and other advanced options soon, because it seems silly to pay $$537 for a laptop that’s identical to the $329 version in all respects but the battery.
The HP Mini 1101 doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of HP’s other business-class netbook, like a HD display or DuraKey finish. But it is available with FreeDOS, larger hard drives, and other options that you won’t find on the consumer-oriented HP Mini 110.