Once upon a time, laptops used to be expensive bits of kit, but netbooks have brought ultra portable computing into the budget market. That doesn’t make it any easier to choose between the netbooks on offer though, so we’ve come up with our top tips to work out which sub-notebook portable you need in your lap.
Whether it’s SSD or 3G, we’ll help you cut through those acronyms and unjumble the jargon to find the netbook that’s perfect to you. Find out how to after the break.
The best way to describe a netbook is to say that it offers everything you’d expect from a full-blown laptop, but it does it in a condensed fashion. The screen and keyboard are smaller, so slightly trickier to use, and because they are intended to be cheap and cheerful, power-wise they tend to feel as though someone has taken their foot off the gas.
You’re not about to swap a full-powered laptop for a netbook. Rather, we’d suggest you see these as your second machine, the one to use when you’re out and about, or simply as an email machine you can use when sat in front of the TV, or when your better half is using the family laptop.
Still want one? Good. This is where we get to grips with what’s on offer:
Step 1: How much are you prepared to spend
Asus all but invented the netbook back in 2007 with the launch of the original Eee PC 701 line with its equally small pricetag. This device was intended for school kids, hence the tiny keyboard and 7-inch screen but it didn’t stop it from becoming the best known netbook. Subsequent releases have seen prices creep up as companies try to squeeze more and more tech inside a tiny case.
You should decide how much you’re prepared to spend, as you can pick up a nifty Acer Aspire One for less than £200. However, you’ll find that if you add screen size and spec to the equation then you’ll quickly be able to spend twice that on the likes of the Asus Eee PC S101. Sat in the middle of these price ranges are devices like the Samsung NC10 – you can see a review here.
Step 2: HD or SSD
The thing about netbooks is that specification is rather limited, for instance most netbooks offer the Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor. This isn’t a drain on the battery, but it’s not up to too much either, so don’t even think of trying to edit video on one. It’s perfect for email, watching DivX movies and general tasks you’d do on a tiny screen, though.
The real spec decision you need to make is whether you want a mechanical hard drive, which is a standard spinning disc like you’ll find in any computer or even your Skybox. These tend to offer more in the way of capacity - 160GB on the likes of MSI Wind or Samsung NC10 – are cheaper, use more power.
The other option is a little more expensive, so offers less in the way of storage and that is SSD (Solid State Disc). This is solid state Flash memory, like in your USB memory stick, so uses less power and takes up less space. You can find it in the budget Asus and Acer netbooks but you’ll also find it in the upper end Sony VAIO P and the HP Mini 2140 models.
Unless you need to store stacks and stacks of photographs, we’d recommend SSD, as most netbooks will let you upgrade storage space with any SD card.
Step 3: Need t’internet?
If you need a netbook for leisure rather than work, you might cope with a cheaper netbook that will let you jump online at Wi-Fi hotspots only. But if you’re a business bod who needs to work on the move, the latest line of netbooks, including the LG X110, Dell Mini 9 Connected and the soon to be released Sony VAIO P, all have 3G internet built in, so you can carry them around, pull them out wherever you are and get full frame browsing with no wires, no plugs and no daftly named “dongles”.
Step 4: Laptop or tablet?
Netbooks aren’t just for suits of course - arty types will be able to make the most of them too as the latest tech headed to netbooks is a screen twist to turn them into tablets. Asus unveiled its first Eee PC Touch in January, the T91, which offers a rotating touchscreen that folds down to doodle on with a stylus.
Others are following suit, including Intel with its new Classmate, while Fujitsu Siemens has had their own version out, the Lifebook U2010, for months. Touchscreens are shoe-horned in so often as gimmicks, but if you’re into animation, these will be a godsend.
100% secured payment
