Aug 01 2009
What’s Up With Netbooks?
Most people who have heard the term Netbook is always curious to know what exactly a Netbook is.
The answer can be summarized into pretty much one sentence. A netbook is a thin, lightweight, super portable laptop computer that has a screen size of 10 inches or less and operates on a very low power processor.
Netbooks are a great alternative to desktop and most laptop computers. However, they are only a great alternative if you don't require anything special in a computer besides the general day-to-day tasks. For those of you wondering if a netbook is for you, here are the facts. You make the decision.
Processors: Today, most netbooks run on an Intel Atom chip. Some run on a processor that was released by Via, but they are not nearly as powerful as the Atom chip. Because the majority of netbooks are running on the exact same processor, you need to take a good look at the different brands and models to see exactly what sets each of them apart.
Battery Size: Almost all of the netbooks that consumers are buying come with a 3 or 4 cell battery. Many consumers want larger batteries to come standard on the netbook. Because of the huge push to get bigger batteries, some netbooks are now coming with up to a 6 cell battery. These larger batteries do add some weight and make the netbook look a bit larger, but some people say it's worth it.
Screen Size: About 95% of all netbooks have a screen size of ten inches or less. Pushing the boundaries that separate netbooks and laptops, some of the newer netbooks are selling with twelve inch screens.
Storage: Most of the netbooks today are coming equipped with a 5400 RPM SATA hard drive. The average size of hard drive is about 160GB.
Keyboard: At one point in time, the keyboards on a netbook computer used to be very small and hard to type on. Today, the keyboards are around 92% of the size of a regular keyboard.
Wrap Up: Netbooks are pretty much here to stay! In 2008, netbooks topped Amazon's sale chart and are much better for users that don't want to lug around a heavy laptop. They can handle easy computing tasks like surfing the internet, sending and receiving email, and word processing. So, why would anyone spend close to $1,000 for a laptop computer when you can purchase a netbook for around $400?