Netbooks: How to buy the best netbook Choosing your perfect netbook
Netbooks are great for using on the move
What is a netbook?
A netbook is another word for a mini-laptop or mini notebook.
The Asus Eee PC was one of the first netbooks and several desktop and laptop computer manufacturers have brought out netbooks since.
However, netbooks are becoming less popular due to the arrival of tablets - which offer fantastic portability - and more powerful, cheap laptops.
Laptops under £400 and tablet reviews - find a great netbook alternative.
How do netbooks differ from laptops?
Here are the key differences between netbooks and laptops:
Portability
The main advantages of a netbook over a laptop are portability and price. Netbooks are generally cheap, small and highly portable. You'll find netbooks weighing less than 1kg and little more than an inch thick. Most aren't much bigger than a magazine.
However, the keyboard is also small netbooks’ screens are usually 7, 8 or 10 inches - more akin to tablet size. You may find the small keyboard uncomfortable to use for long periods.
There are fewer netbooks available now, but you can still find a small number of netbooks in stores, or you could get a good deal on a refurbished or second hand model.
Netbook reviews - read the full reviews of netbooks tested at our lab.
Specifications
Netbooks have relatively low specifications compared with laptops and they don't come with a CD or DVD drive. While you can pay around £500 for a laptop and get 3GB of Ram, the few hundred pounds you spend on a netbook will get you only 1GB.
In addition, you can now get laptops with separate graphics cards for around £500. Netbooks have built-in graphics so graphically demanding tasks might look jerky. However, netbooks are ideal for surfing the net as well as basic office tasks.
- Tablet Best Buys - the best tablets for hours of web time.
- Buying the best cheap laptop - what to look fir in a great cheap laptop.
- Tablets under £250 - get your hands on a great cheap tablet.
