More mini laptops unveiled

NEC and Asus line up new models

More small-form factor laptop systems are set to hit the market with the upcoming release of a Vista-based ultra-portable from NEC and additional Eee PC models from Asus.

NEC's Versa S9100 is aimed at mobile executives and travelling sales staff, and features a 12in SuperShine screen and weighs 1.25kg. It is based on a 1.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo U7600 processor with 2GB memory and ships with Windows Vista Business.

"The ultra-portable Versa S9100 will appeal to sales people and management looking for a highly mobile machine that combines a modern design, durability, with performance and good autonomy," said NEC UK product marketing manager David Newbould.

Despite its small size and weight, the new Versa has one very useful feature - a built-in DVD writer. It also has an additional 1GB Intel Turbo Memory to boost Vista's performance. It has a magnesium alloy frame and up to six hours battery life. The system is available from mid-April at a price of £1,099.

Meanwhile, Asus has extended its Eee PC range with a new model, the 900. Due to ship in May, this features a larger 8.9in display and a choice of either Windows XP or Linux pre-loaded. It still weighs less than 1Kg.

The Eee PC 900 ships with more memory and disk storage than earlier models – 1GB and up to 20GB, respectively – but still has a budget price of £329 that will appeal to existing Eee PC buyers in the education sector.