It's hard to ignore the appeal of the netbook, and we're big fans. They're tiny, with screens from 7 inches to 12.1 inches, and they weigh a light 1-1.5kg, and best of all they're cheap, ranging from under $500 to the majority of recommended models in the $600-$900 range.
But they won't cope with running lots of apps at once, and you're limited to small screens and
keyboards, which is why you should also consider full size laptops. Cheap laptops with 15.4in screens and Celeron chips and can be found for $800, though we'd recommend spending a bit more for a Pentium Dual Core.
CPUs
Look for
For netbooks, the Atom N280 has arrived with a 667MHz front side bus, along with the new "GN40" graphics chipset in place of Intel GMA 950. For 13in and above, Pentium Dual Core T3400 and Core 2 Duo T5600 with 2GB RAM are the bottom line for Vista, and Core 2 Duo T8100 and P8600 are the sweet spot.
Suggestions
Pentium Dual Core T3400, Core 2 Duo T5600/T5800/T8100/P8400/P8600, Intel Atom N270/N280/330/Z530, AMD Neo
Graphics
Look for
Onboard graphics in the form of Intel's X4500MHD for basic Windows applications. Integrated graphics such as Nvidia's 9400M (the GPU used in the Macbook Air) and dedicated GPUs like ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 or 4570 provide better onboard video decoding, but won't handle current games at moderate detail levels.
Suggestions
Intel GMA X4500MHD, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3400/3600 /4500/4750, Nvidia Geforce 9400M/9500M/G110M/GT130M
Sweet Spot
Centrino 2, Core 2 Duo P8600 (1066 FSB), 2GB RAM, 15.4in screen, Windows Vista Home Premium, Nvidia 9400M, 320GB HDD, 8x DVD +/- RW, Intel Wi-Fi Link 5100 (802.11a/g/n), 1.3MP webcam.
Feature checklist
- Pentium Dual Core T3400 or Core 2 Duo T5600 or higher
- Centrino 2
- Intel X4500 integrated graphics for basic Windows, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 or Nvidia PureVideo compatible chip
- for better video playback
- At least 2GB RAM for Windows Vista
- 160GB or more HDD
Also see:
Netbook reviews: Netbooks for 2009: 5 new releases tested and reviewed
Laptop reviews