If anyone had asked us to name a laptop manufacturer capable of producing a credible alternative to the Eee PC, the letters “HP” wouldn’t have been the first to trip from our lips. And yet here it is with the 2133 Mini-Note – the first low-cost ultraportable we’ve seen that to look more like a serious business tool rather than a novelty learning aid.

And there’s no ignoring the 2133 Mini-Note’s looks – it is absolutely gorgeous. Asus and Packard Bell may prefer cheap-looking plastic for their low-cost laptops, but not HP. The 2133 Mini-Note is clad in a sleek brushed aluminium case that looks and feels like a million dollars.

HP has clearly drawn inspiration from its equally stunning 2710p Tablet PC for the 2133 Mini-Note and further design cues are apparent when you lift the lid. The screen is covered by a single sheet of plastic that extends across the whole lid interior and although the actual display is framed with a good inch of plastic at either side, the effect is far more aesthetically pleasing than on the Eee PC 701's screen.

The lid feels reassuringly rigid too, and is mounted on a pair of stiff, sturdy hinges. There’s no lid catch, but the risk of damage from objects working their way inside the case with the lid closed is mitigated by the screen’s scratch resistant coating.

At 265mm, the 2133 Mini-Note is quite a bit wider than the Eee PC 900 (225mm), but it’s a shade smaller in the other two dimensions. It’s just as easy to carry in a bag or big pocket, though its extra 200g or so may make you a little more aware of its presence.

Despite measuring having the same 8.9in diagonal as the Eee PC 900’s screen, HP has plumped for a 1280 x 768 panel for the 2133 Mini-Note (the Eee PC 900 makes do with 1024 x 600). The glossy finish won’t appeal to everyone, but it is wonderfully crisp and clear and while the high resolution and means that some website text can be a little hard to read, this is easily remedied by tweaking the appropriate settings in Firefox.

Impressive, yes, but the screen’s brilliance is almost eclipsed by the 2133 Mini-Note’s keyboard. That extra-wide case means there’s room for good-size keys and the keyboard is a mere 8% smaller than full-size, with a completely standard layout. The wide, flat keytops are comfortable to use and while even an 8% size reduction takes a little getting used to, the keyboard is among the best we've seen on any ultra-portable.

If only HP had as much attention to the touchpad. With only 42mm of wrist-rest to work with, no touchpad is going to be perfect, but the one on the 2133 Mini-Note is truly appalling.