You could certainly make the case that the HP Mini 5102 netbook is the smallest HP ProBook you can buy. The 10 inch mini-laptop shares the same basic design as HP’s larger business-oriented models. And it has a number of premium features including a spill-resistant keyboard, hard drive shock protection, and optional solid state disk. But the HP Mini 5102 is hampered by its low power, and relatively low performance Atom processor.
Now HP is introducing a new laptop that sits somewhere between the HP Mini 5102 netbook and the company’s full sized ProBook business laptops.
The HP ProBook 5220m features a 12.1 inch, 1280 x 800 pixel display and comes with a choice of higher performance (but still low voltage) Intel processors. You can configure the ProBook 5220m with an Intel Celeron U3400, Intel Core i3-350UM, or Intel Core i5-450UM processor.
The laptop supports up to 4GB of RAM, and is available with a 7200rpm hard drive or an 80GB solid state disk. It ships with Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7, and a choice of a 4 or 6 cell battery.
The laptop is available in japan for the equivalent of about $760 and up, and weighs about 3.5 pounds. Overall, it seems like a pretty decent business ultraportable. Unfortunately it’s not yet available in the US.