HP Mini 311 (Verizon Wireless)

Up until now, we’ve been hesitant to recommend 3G netbooks sold through wireless carriers or retailers. We like the convenience of built-in mobile broadband, but $59.99 per month is a lot pay for connectivity on a secondary PC. The HP Mini 311 is different. This 11.6-inch netbook ($199 through Verizon Wireless with a two-year contract and $100 online discount) not only has a bigger screen than other subsidized models, but it features Nvidia Ion graphics, providing plenty of muscle for Windows 7 Premium. Ion also gives you the ability to enjoy high-definition video and mainstream games, and you can even edit movies at a pretty fast clip. This version of the Mini 311 has shorter battery life than its XP cousin, but if you want a slick ultraportable that lets you connect anywhere, it’s a good choice.

Design

The Mini 311 combines elements from several of HP’s larger notebooks: its black lid (also available in white) bears HP’s Swirl pattern. A black speaker grille unobtrusively lines the front edge of the chassis, and the silver deck, keyboard, and touchpad remind us of the company’s Pavilion Series.

Measuring 11.4 x 8.0 x 1.3 inches, the Mini 311 is roughly the same size as the Acer Aspire 1410 and the MSI Wind U210. We were glad to see that HP’s battery is integrated with the chassis, and doesn’t jut out the back. With a weight of 3.2 pounds, this machine is easy to carry.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The Mini 311’s square silver keys practically abut each other, and are slightly indented to provide a resting place for your fingers. Typing on the keys was comfortable, and we were up to our normal speed almost immediately. Despite the keys’ smooth surface, our fingers did not slip.

Below, the silver touchpad is amply sized for an 11-inch netbook. At 3.3 x 1.5 inches, it’s almost the same size as that on the Toshiba mini NB205. Unlike the NB205, however, the 311’s touchpad has some friction, an issue we’ve had with other HP notebooks. In other words, navigating the desktop isn’t as smooth as it could be. The two mouse buttons are decently sized, but we found them to be slightly stiff to press toward the outer edges.

Display and Audio

The 11.6-inch display on the Mini 311 has a resolution of 1366 x 768, which makes it easier to view Web pages and documents without having to scroll. The glossy display has excellent horizontal viewing angles; we could see the screen clearly from nearly 90 degrees to either side, though tilting the screen forward resulted in a rather quick image reversal.

Along the front edge of the notebook is a black speaker grille that hides Altec Lansing stereo speakers, which provide better sound than we’re used to from netbooks. While listening to Oasis’ “Live Forever,” sound was on the tinny side, but we heard much more bass than is typical of systems this size. Still, we could hear the Mini 311 from a few feet away without straining.

Ports and Webcam

There are no surprises when it comes to the port selection on the Mini 311. On the left side is a USB 2.0 and HDMI port; on the right is Ethernet, VGA, two USB 2.0, headphone/mic, and a 5-in-1 memory card reader.