- Top 5 Tips When Buying A New Netbook
- Everything You Need To Know About Buying A Netbook
- Why use a Netbook?
Why use a Netbook?
I remember the first time I saw a netbook computer. It was the Asus EEEPC and it was being reviewed on the gadget show. It was a scaled down laptop with a 7" screen, could run windows XP and had wireless connectivity, and was incredibly tough. (Apparently they can withstand being dropped, although I've never put this to the test). My interest was piqued and I decided I'd get one, more as a gadget buy than a serious investment.
That computer, that cost under £150, has proved to be one of the best buys I ever made. Since then, netbook computers have become a niche market in their own right, with dedicated sections at online retailers and in computer shops. I want to write about some of the uses I've found for a netbook computer, and some of the differences between a netbook and a laptop.
Travel, much easier than with a laptop
Like most people, when I make a national or international trip, I used to take my laptop with me. It weighs 4 kg and the battery lasts around 4 hours (although it always seems to be running out). But in my line of work, I have to be able to check emails, my bank accounts and various other websites online. I guess I didn't realise how bulky or awkward carrying a laptop around is until I started using my netbook.
A netbook typically weighs around 1kg and this is a huge difference when carrying around with you. 4kg doesn't sound like a lot but it can be a huge strain over time on your shoulder. Netbooks also take up a lot less space - perhaps as little as a third the size of laptops, so you don't need a special bag. You can simply carry it in any bag you have with you. Battery-life is about the same, although modern netbooks can have as much as twice the battery life.
Start up time
I was amazed how fast my netbook computer starts up compared to my laptop or desktop PCs. Especially if you're sensible with your netbook, and don't overload it with applications and software you don't need, a netbook PC can boot up in a matter of seconds. Mine runs XP and takes around 13 seconds to fully load up. I just want it for surfing, email and so forth and so I keep it 'clean'.
Using around the home
Having both a laptop and a netbook, after a while, the laptop started to feel very clunky around the home. I use my netbook PCs way more than my laptop when I'm at home. It feels a lot easier to use when you're on the sofa, in bed... I've even used it in the bath - which I would NOT recommend! The point is that because netbooks are so portable, and start up so quickly, they're ideal for checking your mail and catching up with news and forums while you're at home. I use my netbook computer a lot more than my laptop.
Cost, netbooks are cheap!
The average price for a netbook is around £250, depending on which model you buy. A decent entry level laptop will set you back at least £400. There's no escaping the fact that netbooks cost far less than a full size laptop.
Downsides of a netbook?
There are of course negatives to buying a netbook vs. a laptop or everyone would be buying netbooks and not laptops. Here's some of the things that a netbook isn't so good at.
Screen size - If you're planning to use your computer for long hours, for your business or for entertainment then the screen size of a netbook PC would not be much use to you. Laptops have large screens that allow you to run applications at their full size. I wouldn't want to work on a netbook for long hours. But they're perfect for hour long sessions.
A further note on screen size: I just wanted to make a quick point for anyone looking into buying a netbook and wondering if using a reduced screen size will be an issue. I have to say that I was extremely surprised when I started using my netbook computer just how readable and easy to work with the screen size was. Most modern netbooks have a screen size of around 10 - 11 inches. You will be amazed how easy it is to read a netbook screen.
Power - Part of the concession you have to make in a trade off for the compact size of a netbook computer is the processing power. Laptop computers can have as much as 4 times the power, in terms of CPU and RAM, of a netbook computer. If you're planning to play the latest games, run intensive applications and need serious processing power, you're going to need a laptop.
Storage - My humble little netbook had a tiny 4GB storage on it, expandable with SD slots. To be honest I've never even filled half of this up as I don't use it for anything other than surfing and email. But if you want to download lots of movies, store large files, keep photos, music and other data on there, netbooks can have less storage than laptops. That being said, there are netbooks available today with 160gb hard drives! Very impressive considering the space that's packed into.
