With all the hype surrounding mini-notebooks, or netbooks, and the slew of manufacturers vying for market share with their own interpretation of the netbook, it’s hard to figure out a-if you need a netbook, and which one best suits for your needs.

First of all, ask yourself the question: Do I plan on gaming or editing video with my netbook?If the answer is yes, then a netbook is not for you. Consider to buy a real notebook.

As you know, netbooks are small, and the name correctly implies they are used primarily to get on the internet. Certainly not a desktop replacement laptop, the netbook is best suited for work on the go, biding one’s time at the doctor’s office, or any other situation where you need a computer, but can’t afford to lug a ten pound laptop in a mountaineering backpack.

What to look for in a netbook? The ideal netbook has the following specs and features:

• High performance, low power consumption processor – the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom is the most common processor.
• At least 512MB of RAM, but preferably 1GB or more.
• Solid State hard drive – lower failure rates than standard (SATA, PATA) drives when dropped, the drawback is you pay more for less storage space.
• Good battery life with normal use – Surfing, checking emails, and editing docs are your main tasks with a netbook, make sure yours gives you at least two hours of playtime before you have to recharge. Also, more cells don’t necessarily mean longer battery life.
• Weight and dimensions – The lightest netbooks weigh just under 1 kg; the heavier ones are nearly 1,5-2 kg. Also pay attention to the width and depth of each netbook if you’ll be using or storing it in cramped spaces.
• Operating System: Linux or Windows? XP netbooks generally take longer to boot, and don’t forget how much space XP will take on the hard drive. Thanks to brilliant software engineers, Linux isn’t the scary command prompt operating system anymore, and many prefer its interface to Windows.
• Network connectivity – Wi-Fi b/g and megabit (10/100) LAN are standard. Newer netbooks come with Wi-Fi N, Bluetooth, and soon 3G and WiMax.
• Keyboard size and spacing – Current generation netbooks have keyboards that are up to 95% the size of a regular laptop keyboard, but pay attention to key spacing and size, especially if you have large hands or sausage-like fingers.

It’s finally your choice whether you need a netbook and if so, which one best suits your needs. I am here to help you. If you have any questions please ask me. Whether related to the choosing a netbook or whatever:)

2 Comments

1. Custom Website Design says:

   October 13, 2009 at 6:49 am

   It’s really good post about netbook i like this because it has great information about netbook thanks for the sharing

   Reply
2. Disney World says:

   October 13, 2009 at 6:51 am

   Nice sharing here thanks a lot

   Reply