If you haven’t been in the market for a new notebook computer in a few years, you may be wondering just what in the world a “netbook” is.
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While there is no hard and fast definition, it’s safe to say that a netbook is a low-cost, lightweight notebook. Some manufacturers avoid the term “netbook” entirely and refer to them instead as mini notebooks.
To achieve their slim size and svelte price, netbooks have to make a few trade-offs that their full-sized notebook cousins don’t. Here’s a look at some of those trade-offs, and a few of the distinguishing features of a netbook.
Cost
Netbooks occupy the lower end of the price scale in the portable computer market. In most cases, you’ll pay under $500 and you can find a number of products at $300. Full sized notebooks, on the other hand, can easily range above the $700 mark, depending on the specs.
Sometimes the price of a netbook – like that of a notebook – can be a bit deceiving. Manufacturers usually advertise the base price, but like a traditional notebook, you can customize a netbook to give it better performance specs (a faster processor, larger memory, etc.) for a higher price.
Slender & Portable
Next to the price, the physical size of a netbook is undoubtedly its biggest selling point. Netbooks can weigh anywhere from two pounds to about three and a half, depending on how you configure them. Batteries, in particular, affect the final weight with longer-lived batteries adding a few more ounces. Still, even with a six-cell battery, it’s truly an ultra-portable computer, making it an attractive option for students and road warriors alike.
To achieve this slender figure, a netbook has to cut some corners: Both the screen and keyboard are smaller than your average notebook. While notebooks boast screens in the 14-inch range, netbook screens are considered large at 10-inches. The smaller displays are suitable for YouTube video watching. Many netbooks lack a CD player. In most cases netbooks can’t handle high definition content.
Netbook keyboards are also tiny. It’s not the computer to buy if you intend to pound out the great American novel, although some netbook manufacturers have responded to customer feedback about too small keyboards and are now touting “full sized” (i.e. traditional notebook-sized) keyboards on some of their models – but that’s the exception, not the rule.
Processing Power
While early netbooks (circa two years ago) sacrificed a good bit of processing power to squeeze into their slender frames and tiny price tags, today’s netbooks are packing a much stronger computational punch, particularly at the higher end of the market. It’s common now to find base configurations with 1.6GHZ processors capable of running Windows Vista and Windows 7 (32 bit).
That said, a netbook shouldn’t be your first choice if you’re a hardcore video gamer, or plan on doing any serious image manipulation or video editing. There’s not much in the way of headroom for adding more robust processors and most netbooks offer only 1GB of RAM at the lower price points. It’s better suited toward document work, email, and Web surfing.
Storage Capacity
Opening price netbooks usually offer 160GB hard drives with the option to boost storage space at a higher cost. Some models offer-lower capacity solid state drives (SSD) for faster start-ups and longer battery life.
Connectivity
Like traditional laptops, netbooks offer built-in wireless networking (802.11G/N), flash memory card slots (typically for SDHC cards) and several USB ports. Real estate is at a premium on a netbook, so you won’t have as many ports as you’d find on a full-sized notebook, but there’s enough to handle average tasks.
Given their portability, a number of netbooks come with the option of cellular networking as well, giving you a mobile Internet connection from a wireless provider such as Verizon or AT&T. Some mobile providers have started to subsidize netbooks as they do cell phones, but you’d have to commit to a pricey data contract to get a good deal on a netbook through a carrier.
Kid Friendly
At $299, a netbook is a tempting “first computer” if you don’t want your school-age kids pawing at your more expensive desktop. Because they’re small and low cost, some manufacturers have even developed netbooks specifically geared at kids. Disney, for instance, has teamed with netbook maker Asus for the Disney Netpal. The computer is adorned with Disney themes and inside features parental controls and some pre-loaded Disney content.
A Portable Player
If you’re on the move, short of space or short of cash, a netbook is a good option. They’re not robust enough to handle intense graphics, and they can be too small for those of us cursed with fat fingers, but they still manage to pack a decent processing punch inside a portable package.
