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The Hannsnote SN10E1 is the first computer we’ve seen from Hannspree, a company better known for its monitors and TVs. However, rather than being Hanspree’s original design, the Hannsnote is a rebranded version of MSI’s Wind U100, but it’s £40 cheaper and has a few subtle differences. We liked the understated, attravailable, glossy black and chrome design. Build quality is generally sturdy, although the lid flexes and the hinge wobbles more than we’d like, so it’s a netbook you’ll have to treat carefully. The large, chunky battery props up the keyboard at an angle, which can make it more comfortable to type on. It lasted four hours and 49 minutes in our battery test, which isn’t as long as other netbooks we’ve seen, but is impressive at this price and is still more than long enough for an afternoon’s use. The keyboard is identical to the MSI Wind’s, so the keys feel responsive and comfortable to type on. Unfortunately, the Fn and Control keys have swapped their usual locations, while many of the punctuation keys are narrower than the others, which could trip up touch-typists. The small but accurate touchpad is also unaltered, but instead of the single, spongy-feeling pivoting button on the Wind, Hannspree has opted for two separate buttons. Unlike many other netbook displays, the Hannsnote’s 10in screen has a matt instead of a glossy finish, which reduces glare. It’s one of the better screens here thanks to its reasonably wide viewing angles and almost painful brightness. The Hannsnote comes with a 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor and 1GB of RAM, so it can easily handle basic office and internet tasks. The GMA 950 graphics chip isn’t powerful enough for games, but had no trouble playing standard definition iPlayer and DivX videos. The collect-and-return warranty is relatively long at two years.
Hannspree’s Hannsnote is a good netbook with good battery life, a bright screen and a responsive keyboard. It’s great value and a perfect choice for anyone who wants a decent netbook on a tight budget.
