Educate me on netbooks

[Robinhood4x4]

I know nothing about them. What am I missing if I get a lower end one? What features are must haves? What features should I avoid? Any brands I should avoid?

[troyboy162]

i have an old 7" ASUS EEEPC with the celeron cpu so thats an old one now. it has trouble with streaming video like youtube...its often choppy.

must haves:
-windows operating system or ability to change to that(linux dosnt have navigation programs)
-gig or more of ram or ability to upgrade to that(512 works but is a pinch point for the system)
-keyboard that works for you(there all small but your hands might like one better then the other)
-screen resolution you can live with(mines some weird 800x480. it works but 1024x600 would be alot better and more compatable with web pages)

toss ups:
-hard drive vs flash drive. hard drives give you lots of space but flash drives are indestructible. mine is my gps too so throwing it in the truck and the vibrations are never a concern with flash drives. it was tough to make the 4 gig flash drive be enough room for windows but you can make it fit.

the brands are probably all the same by now. look for the what cpu and what graphics chip they provide. there was talk of fancy graphics making its way to net books soon so that may be out by now.

[Robinhood4x4]

Awesome. So is asus a reputable brand? My wife's boss has a refurbished one that gave her trouble and she said it was a pain to deal with customer service.

[Cebby]

Subscribed.

[L33T35T Tacoma]

We have 2 Acer AspireOne netbooks in my house, in fact I'm typing on one right now. Some of you may have seen me at Pismo with my netbook. Most netbooks have some pretty awesome battery life as it is, and i recommend getting the extended battery life battery. I have the extended battery life on mine, I can sit around on battery power for up to SIX HOURS some times.

I'd recommend getting one with Windows XP, its simple and fast. I actually do most of my internet browsing on my netbook. I've grown very accustomed to the smaller screen. I also use Google Chrome for internet browsing because it is very streamlined and allows the maximum viewing area.

http://www.walmart.com/Acer-10.1-Mini-Laptop/ip/10974902

getting the 6 cell battery is key. Choose your color and you're down the road :D

I love these little laptops, I use mine daily and my parents have one for traveling. It is very easy to throw in your carry on, and the power cord is very small also and has Velcro ties to bundle everything up

[CJM]

Asus is what I want and will be getting, I like acer but they just arent as good.

[DHC6twinotter]

My parents picked up an Acer AspireOne, exactly like this model, except theirs is blue:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115662

They love it. They travel almost half the year, so they use it mostly for email, Skype (has built in camera) and maybe an occasional document to print. They are running XP Home and Open Office. They have the larger battery as well, and it lasts a while. It is really light to carry on the plane, and if it gets stolen in some third-world country, they are only out $350 instead of $900+.

Asus is probably a better brand, but it was $50 more for the exact same thing, so they just went with the Acer.

My parents also went with the 160 gig HHD, instead of the smaller SSD. They needed the extra space more than they needed solid state drive. Supposedly, it's really easy to upgrade the RAM on these things too.

I would recommend getting at least a 10" screen. We had looked at a 9" Asus, but even though it was just a bit smaller than the 10" model, it made a huge difference when trying to type. 10" seems to be about the standard now anyways.

Lee got OSX to work on his Dell Netbook:
http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=8096.0

I don't think any Netbooks come with an optical drive, so you will have to install programs off a thumb drive. This threw me for a loop at first, but is actually super easy once you know how to do it. :hillbill:
http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=7554.0

Anyways, just my $.02.

[CJM]

^ Externally powered optical drives are very cheap these days. Downside is they usually need a 110v power source or take up 2 usb ports.

[L33T35T Tacoma]

^ Externally powered optical drives are very cheap these days. Downside is they usually need a 110v power source or take up 2 usb ports.


Not necessarily true. I have a Lite-On external USB drive which has the capability to use 2 USB plugs, but I only use 1 plug and it works fine.

I recommend the normal HDD, I tried one with a SSD and it was soooo freakin slow, unbearably slow. I returned that and got the 160 gig model.

[Robinhood4x4]

I just asked my wife if she meant her boss uses an Acer and not an Asus and it turns out it's an Acer.

Women. :screwy:

[CJM]

Either one will do, but in my experience Asus is top notch. I have always used their components to build my systems and have never had any issues.

[DHC6twinotter]

Yup, I've got an Asus motherboard on this pc. Good products.

[Lee]

I need to redo the OS X install on my dell by the way.

The keyboard goes out, the mouse goes out, it freezes when coming up from sleep...

Not sure what's causing all of this, but I suspect it's office 08 because it was running perfectly until shortly after I installed it.

I'm just gonna format the drive and do it all again, I can redo it in probably 1/3 of the time so why not!

[Lee]

Also, the real low down on netbooks is:

Get one if:
1) you have another computer, and need something portable for light email / web browsing
2) you don't need to use them for an extended period of time away from a power source
3) you don't depend on external media a lot
4) you are patient.
5) you don't want to spend more than 3-400 bucks.

Do not get one if:
1) you don't have another pc to depend on
2) you hate long load times, occasional quirks


my dell was fine as it was, but drove me nuts when it would get sluggish for simple tasks. It was a good classroom note-taker, I really only loaded OS X for the fun of it, and because I love OS X.

If I had to do it again though (and money was no object), I'd go for something more powerful and slightly bigger.

As for external dvd drives, they're cheap and easy to find, especially the ones that don't need the 110v power source. I have a great HP drive that is super fast, it requires the 110v source but it's also about twice the speed as my other one that is usb only.

at home, I use the HP... I bring the other (no name) along with me in my bag.

[L33T35T Tacoma]

Get one if:
2) you don't need to use them for an extended period of time away from a power source
I disagree, the AspireOne with a 6 cell battery will last me 5-6 hours. I have saved full length DVDs to the hard drive with DVDFab HD DVD Decrypter (free, legit program) and watched TWO movies on battery power alone.




Do not get one if:
2) you hate long load times, occasional quirks


I'm going to have to disagree with this also. I have that Acer AspireOne, and its actaully REALLY quick. Loads webpages super quick, boots really fast. Only thing that really slows it down is graphic intensive stuff like google earth. It's definitely not a graphic-processing type of machine, but GREAT with the right intentions.

My main PC I use is a nice Sony VAIO hooked up to my 46" Samsung LCD. Next to my bed is my Acer and it goes with me everywhere I travel.

[CJM]

I would say Lee that your problems stem from OSX and dell itself.

[L33T35T Tacoma]

I would say Lee that your problems stem from OSX and dell itself.
:thumbup:

[Lee]

interesting. I found using word and powerpoint drained my dell's battery in probably 3-4 hours max.

[Lee]

I would say Lee that your problems stem from OSX and dell itself.
my observations were from when it had xp.

OS X has been SO much faster. I think some of the extension files got corrupted when I did the office install, that's all. Just need a reinstall and it should be back to normal :)

[CJM]

Even so its a dell, i had one way back when and it was good. Ones I worked on over the last 5-8 years lack in quality imho.

[Lee]

ok

quality wise its on par or higher than most of the other netbooks I've seen in this price range.

I've never seen one of the Sony's, but they're much more expensive.

I upgraded the ram to 2gb, and it got a lot quicker.

[Seanz0rz]

ive found nothing wrong with dell hardware(the actual bits that have electrons passed through them), and their netbook is (quality of case, etc) far superior to most.

some of dell's recent offerings have been subpar in my view. the laptop i have (purchased about 3 years ago) is one of them that suffered from engineering on a dime. that said, its given me 3 years of trouble free service. sure some of the screws for the hinge stripped out, and the top looks like someone took a belt sander to it. but everything more or less still works the way it did 3 years ago.

[troyboy162]

not to get off post but dell goes up and down on what they give you for the money, but these netbooks are almost all the same so it really dosnt matter much. theres really only 3 cpu options and maybe 2 chipset options.

i did use mine for my only computer for about a year. it was plugged into my tv for a monitor and i had blue tooth keyboard and mouse. worked fine but didnt win any speed records. i did edit most of my videos with it. cant beat there bang for the buck right now considering there portability and battery life

[arjan]

I just used a buddies EEE PC and didn't like the keyboard. Asus generally makes good stuff though.

I have the toshiba netbook myself (NB200), and find I can type with 10 fingers on that keyboard. Battery life is exceptional (5 hrs or more).
My video was choppy also, it came with winxp. I installed the Windows 7 release candidate back in June, and have never looked back. Watching video works perfect now, and Windows 7 makes the whole thing fast.

I would like to upgrade to ssd, intel makes good ones, but very pricey. A good ssd drive will be way faster than a regular harddrive and use far less power.
I am waiting for prices to come down.
I dual boot Windows 7 & Ubuntu. Didn't get around to installing OSX yes, although I left about 25gig on my harddrive for another partition.

[Robinhood4x4]

So what about the different atom processor series that are available? Is it worth it to upgrade to the fastest one?

[slosurfer]

Okay, so is there anything new and cheap out there since the last update or maybe some good deals on refurbished?

I have to go back and reread the thread, but I'm thinking of getting one of these. :)

Anyways, I guess if I got one, it would mainly be used for email/internet, watching instant netflix movies, and possibly gps later on. Also, if possible, it would be cool if I could sync it with my quickbooks for the business that is on my desktop at home. Not sure if this is possible since that's a pretty big program and not sure if I could just use a flash drive or what. (this isn't as big a deal, but would be cool if it could do that)

So, I know nothing about mini netbooks (or whatever you call them), so what are some things to look for and what are some good ones? (preferably cheap and user friendly)

[slosurfer]

What about this one?

ASUS REFURB EPC1000HD-BKTG01 netbook celeron m 900mhz / 1gb ram / 160gb hdd / 10"/ wireless/ xp home premium / 1.3mp webcam
(*refurbished product w/3 month warranty) (http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch_v3.asp?scriteria=3005490)

or this one?

ASUS REFURB 1005HAB-RBLU001X dark blue Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz/1GB Ram/160GB HDD/10.1" WXGA/Webcam/XP Home (http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch_v3.asp?scriteria=BD11152)

[corax]

I'd be really interested in these if you could get one with similar splash proof properties of the Toughbook - shock proof isn't as important, I would think, since these are solid-state with no spinning HD, right?

[Seanz0rz]

I'd be really interested in these if you could get one with similar splash proof properties of the Toughbook - shock proof isn't as important, I would think, since these are solid-state with no spinning HD, right?


some are, some are not. the SSD ones are more expensive and offer much less storage space, around 25%.

making it weather resistant would not be too difficult. pretty much alot of silicone, some electrical tape and some plastic would generally protect it pretty well from moisture short of submersion.

[slosurfer]

I'm not too concerned with shock/waterproofing on this one as it will mainly be used at home or on the road (not necessarily offroad). :)

[slosurfer]

I'm also looking at something like this one

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180463522844

[slosurfer]

bump..... Anyone have any input, yay or nay, on these two? Pros/cons? Thanks :thumbup:



What about this one?

ASUS REFURB EPC1000HD-BKTG01 netbook celeron m 900mhz / 1gb ram / 160gb hdd / 10"/ wireless/ xp home premium / 1.3mp webcam
(*refurbished product w/3 month warranty) (http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch_v3.asp?scriteria=3005490)

or this one?

ASUS REFURB 1005HAB-RBLU001X dark blue Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz/1GB Ram/160GB HDD/10.1" WXGA/Webcam/XP Home (http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch_v3.asp?scriteria=BD11152)

[DHC6twinotter]

I vote for the second one. Better processor. Downside is that it has a 3 cell battery. Rest of the specs look good for a netbook, but if battery life is important, try to find one with a 6 cell battery.

I have no experiance buying refurb Asus netbooks, so I can't really comment on whether or not that is a good deal.

Just my $.02.

[Robinhood4x4]

Asus is supposed to be the one to get but I'm not sure about refurbished ones.

My brother, who works at Intel, said to wait until later this year when a new netbook chip comes out. I ended up getting a Dell before he told me this.

[Cebby]

Sorry, late to the party...

"Santa" brought Samsung N130's to my kids this year. I then added Microsoft wireless optical mice for $19ea shipped.

They are nice machines (after spending hours uninstalling all the crap that comes on them). Now they run OpenOffice, Gmail and Chrome (I like to keep things simple).

[troyboy162]

http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2009/02/intel-debuts-new-atom-n280-gn40-chipset.ars

i think thats the new intel chipset coming. i really dont know much but the hype was it was going to be much more powerful the the GMA950 that most netbooks have now and not use more energy. the nvidia ion chipset has tons of horsepower but it takes its toll on batterys and produces heat

[slosurfer]

We ended up getting the Asus - Eee PC Netbook with Intel® Atom™ Processor (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+Eee+PC+Netbook+with+Intel%26%23174%3B+Atom%26%231 53%3B+Processor+-+Midnight+Blue/9705433.p?id=1218154378164&skuId=9705433) for $299 at bestbuy.

Still waiting for my 8hrs of charge time before I can turn it on. :flipoff:

[DHC6twinotter]

Awesome! :thumbup:

[slosurfer]

I hope it's awesome. :) With the added warranty plan (makes it a two year warranty) and with a case that came with a mouse for it, it came to just over $400

Here are some stats on it:

Intel® Atom™ processor N270
Features a 533MHz system bus, 512KB L2 cache and 1.6GHz processor speed.

1GB DDR2 memory
For multitasking power, expandable to 2GB.

Note: Optical drive not included
Compatible with optional external recordable CD/DVD drives (not included).

10.1" LED WXGA widescreen display
With a 1024 x 600 resolution showcases movies, games and other images.

160GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 rpm)
Offers spacious storage and fast read/write times.

Intel® UMA graphics
Features 224MB video memory for lush images. Built-in stereo speakers.

Built-in 0.3MP webcam
Makes it easy to video chat with family and friends.

3-in-1 media reader
Supports MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital and Secure Digital High Capacity formats.

3 high-speed USB 2.0 ports
For fast digital video, audio and data transfer.

Built-in wireless LAN (802.11b/g/n)
Wirelessly connect to the Internet.

Built-in 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet LAN
With RJ-45 connector for quick and easy wired Web connection.

Weighs only 2.9 lbs. and measures just 1.4" thin
For lightweight portability.

Extended battery life
Of up to 7 hours and 9 minutes to give you more time away from an outlet.

Microsoft Windows 7 Starter Edition operating system preinstalled
Provides a stable computing platform.

Software package included
With Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Works and more.

ENERGY STAR qualified
Designed to use less energy and meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy.

[Tanto]

Chris,

I got the same netbook a couple months ago right before I left on deployment and it was ok. I liked how easy it was to carry it around but eventually I got tired of the small screen and the sluggish response while multitasking. I had to turn down a couple of the Windows 7 display features to help smooth things out but in the end, I sold it and bought a MacBook Pro.

I guess I just missed the performance and I could also never get the brightness high enough to use it outdoors. Hope your experience is going better than mine.

[Crinale]

wish i could afford to do that, just sell it and buy a macbook pro :flipoff: i want one of those so bad..