HP has three new options for anyone who wants to order a pre-configured Mini-Note. The low end machines are pretty much the same, but once you're willing to spend $729 or more you get the option to "downgrade" from Windows Vista Business to Windows XP Pro. I won't get into all the specs, but the prices now range from $499 to $819.

The company has also started to give customers the option of choosing their own configuration. But I have to say, the customization options are a little limited. You can choose Windows Vista Home Basic or Windows Vista Business/XP Pro. There's no option to choose SUSE Linux. You can select a 1.2GHz or 1.6GHz VIA processor. The 1GHz chi is out of the running. And you can select 1GB or 2GB of RAM, but not 512MB.

You can choose from any of the hard drive/storage solutions available. That means you can select the 4GB flash module, a 120GB 5400rpm disk, a 120GB 7200rpm disk, or a 160GB 5400 disk. But the baffling thing is that if you choose the 4GB module, there's nothing stopping you from choosing Windows Vista Home Basic (without the downgrade option) as your operating system. While you can squeeze Windows Vista onto 4GB if you try hard enough, I can't really imagine why anyone would want to do so.

There's also a good chance you'll wind up with a pricier Mini-Note if you try to configure your own than if you go with one of the pre-configured options. I'm hoping HP adds a few more customization options, like the ability to add/remove Bluetooth. And I'm hoping they fix their pricing. Right now if you enter the specs for the $599 model, HP will tell you the PC costs $839.

Update: As lightweight points out in the comments, you can only get a 3 cell battery if you purchase one of the pre-configured units for less than $599. If you customize your order, you'll automatically get a 6 cell battery and integrated Bluetooth, which at least partly explains why the customized units cost more than the pre-configured models.

[via HP 2133 Guide]