How does a quality 7" 1024×600 UMPC for 385 Euro ($600) sound? If you’re a UMPC fan in Hong Kong right now you’re laughing because one of the best tablet-style UMPCs is now available in basic 800Mhz, Windows XP (Home) form for just 4690 of the local dollars. The Q1 U-C is part of a special promotion out there.

For the U.S. readers, that might not sound too cheap but in Euro-land, that’s about as cheap as it gets. Sure, you could buy an MSI Wind which is faster and has a full keyboard but it just doesn’t compare if you want to go mobile. Take it from me, a person who has just lost their Q1 Ultra to a broken external battery pack, the Q1 with 800Mhz and XP is a great device. Drop in a the simple SSD mod and you have something that’s as fast as any netbook out there and brings you over 3 hours online battery life.

Hong Kong is a long way away but I hope it kicks off a round of competitive pricing on the Ultra. As we move towards CES and a possible Q1 Ultra update, maybe it’s Samsungs plan to squeeze the last from the device before the new one comes in. Come on Samsung, bring us a sub $500 UMPC.

I won’t put this model in the database. Specifications-wise, it looks like the CMXP version is the nearest but with XP Home instead of TE (yes, some people won’t be happy about this) and I assume, no Bluetooth.

Details and source: UMPCFever.

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