Netbooks

Skinny Santa · Jul 2, 2009

So I'm typing this on my half pink screened laptop which the backlight dies out on if I turn it up too high. This and the fact that its pretty much needed annual repairs since I bought it has lead me to think I should just give up and buy a desktop (I plan to build my own but thats a topic for another thread)

Anyways I still need a portable computer for school and web browsing and I've been looking at netbooks as a suitible replacement. I prostrate myself before you Halforum Guru's help me decide which is best for me. So far I've been leaning towards http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152093 but am slightly turned off by the fact that it and most of the other ones I've seen package with XP which I've never liked. Should I buy one with that and then install ubuntu later or would it be better to buy one that comes with it. Also it was one of the first ones I saw and I always feel like I don't do enough research on these things. I do know that I would like to have a decent sized (no less then 50-60gb) hardrive to store music and photos etc. Also would buying a more expensive one with a better battery make more sense then getting a cheaper one and then replacing the battery? I can't seem to find prices on 6-cells. Anyone have any other comments/suggestions?

Also I'm planning on spending around $350-$400 maximum on this since I plan to buy a desktop later if that helps narrow down suggestions.

Thanks for any and all comments.

Shakey · Jul 3, 2009

I bought the Acer Aspire One. They look pretty similiar, but the Acer is $50 more. The Acer does have a bigger battery though. The MSI also looks like it would be pretty hard to upgrade stuff in it. The Acer has easily accessible spots on the bottom that allow you to get to the RAM and hard drive. I put in a 2gb stick of RAM and it only takes one screw. The Acer doesn't come with disks, but does have a restore partition on it, so if you want a restore disk you have to make it yourself. Which does require an external CD burner.

I was able to intall the latest Ubuntu on mine and everything installed and worked just fine. I always worry whether the fans are being properly controlled though, so I don't use it much. I probably don't need to worry, but I do.

Otherwise I like my little Acer. It does what it needs to do pretty good.

-- Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:08 am --

Oh, and I love the screen. It looks great and can be really bright if you want it to. I haven't seen the MSI screen, so I don't know if there is a difference there.

sixpackshaker · Jul 3, 2009

Check the comments, there is one at newegg that the boot sector is already set to handle dual booting. I need to go put my hands on one. I have some pretty big meat-hooks and I just don't know how well I'd be able to type on one.

Lally · Jul 3, 2009

Okay, maybe I'm dumb -- but what is the difference between a notebook and a netbook? Is netbook just what we're calling them now, or is there really a difference?

Gurpel · Jul 3, 2009

Lally said:
Okay, maybe I'm dumb -- but what is the difference between a notebook and a netbook? Is netbook just what we're calling them now, or is there really a difference?

i believe "notebook" is used to refer to a compact laptop, whereas "netbook" is used to refer to a sub-compact one.

Shakey · Jul 3, 2009

Netbooks are meant for mainly internet use and light computer work. They aren't going to be very good for games, and will struggle when you try to do too much at once. They are also usually under 3lbs and have a screen size of 10 inches or less.

Gurpel · Jul 3, 2009

Shakey said:
Netbooks are meant for mainly internet use and light computer work. They aren't going to be very good for games, and will struggle when you try to do too much at once. They are also usually under 3lbs and have a screen size of 10 inches or less.

i have a couple games on my aspire

. granted, fallout 1&2 and diablo aren't that processor intensive, but...

Lally · Jul 3, 2009

Ooooh, I see. Thanks

In that case, I don't have much experience with these, but a friend of mine from school had a small Acer (which I didn't realize was a netbook as opposed to notebook until reading this description), but he's had it forever and loves it, and the battery life on it is ridiculous.

Bubble181 · Jul 3, 2009

Netbooks are those even-smaller notebooks without a cd/dvd drive, usually with a 7"-10"' screen, and a mini-keyboard someone with a large schlong can't type on (cause you know what they say about men with big dicks). They fall somewhere between PDA and notebook.

from small to big:

cellphone
smartphone
PDA
netbook
notebook/laptop
desktop replacement
desktop
Big Blue :-P

Shakey · Jul 3, 2009

Games will work, just not as well as one would expect a brand new computer to run them. I always say that they aren't meant for gaming just because I don't like seeing someone drop $300 on something that can't do what they want it to.

figmentPez · Jul 3, 2009

Lally said:
Okay, maybe I'm dumb -- but what is the difference between a notebook and a netbook? Is netbook just what we're calling them now, or is there really a difference?

To me the defining characteristics of a netbook are size/weight and price. In laptops the 3 major characteristics are size, power and cost. 5-10 years ago you got to choose one of the three (small size, lots of power or low cost). Over time high(er) power got combined with low(er) cost, but still remained large in size. Then small size and high(er) power got combined, but at a ridiculously expensive price. The most recent combination was a small size and a cheap price, of course at a loss in power, and the Netbook was born.

Netbooks are under ~4lbs in weight, usually 2-3lbs. If it's heavier, it's certainly not a netbook, even if it uses an Atom processor. Nebooks are also relatively cheap, certainly under $700, usually $200 - $500. If you've got a $1000 device, it's not a netbook, even if it's got a tiny screen and a plastic casing.

Bubble181 said:
from small to big:

cellphone
smartphone
PDA
MID
netbook
notebook/laptop
desktop replacement
desktop
Big Blue :-P

You missed another new category, the MID (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_internet_device]Mobile Internet Device). Not a clearly defined cateogry, but it's somewhere between a PDA and a tablet PC.

and a mini-keyboard someone with a large schlong can't type on

Keyboards are better on some newer models. Some models have keyboards 95% the size of full size.

Also would buying a more expensive one with a better battery make more sense then getting a cheaper one and then replacing the battery?

Based on a quick google shopping search, I'd expect to pay $60 - $100 for a new battery.

I do know that I would like to have a decent sized (no less then 50-60gb) hardrive to store music and photos etc.

Most netbooks with hard drives have a 160GB drive. Those with smaller storage usually use flash/SSD drives and are currently less common.

I'm in the market for a netbook too, though I'm still not certain I'm going to get one, so I'm keeping my eye on Dealnews.com because there are often some pretty big discounts on netbooks to be found. Like this deal on an Acer Aspire One for $240 only a 3-cell battery, but the rest of the specs are good.

-- Fri Jul 03, 2009 12:24 pm --

Shakey said:
Games will work, just not as well as one would expect a brand new computer to run them. I always say that they aren't meant for gaming just because I don't like seeing someone drop $300 on something that can't do what they want it to.

I've heard varying reports of Flash video (youtube, hulu) stuttering when played back full screen. Can anyone confirm or deny that the 1.6Ghz Atom has enough power to Flash based video?

Shakey · Jul 3, 2009

I have 2gb in mine, which is an easy $25 upgrade, and it runs fine in normal res. When you kick it up to high res it can stutter from time to time, nothing too horrible though. My boss has one too and he ripped some DVD's to watch on a plane and he said they worked great.

figmentPez · Jul 5, 2009

For what it's worth, I did decide to buy a netbook for an upcoming trip. I settled on the Asus Eee 1005HA because of it's battery life (~6 hours real world use with the 48Wh 6-cell battery, according to review sites. Asus claims 8.5 hours.) Got it at BuyDig for $346 with a free 2GB memory "upgrade" (it doesn't come installed).

Netbooks

Skinny Santa

Lally

Lally