If you like your computers to be highly compact and incredibly portable, you'll want to take a look at a netbook. Netbooks aren't much different from other laptops except that they're designed to be remarkably small and light and to have a longer battery life. To achieve this, netbooks have a reduced hardware level -- and consequently a lower price tag -- when compared to full-featured laptops. If this sounds great to you but you're still not sure exactly what to look for in a netbook, this netbook buying guide can help you figure out how to buy a netbook that will be perfect for you.
All netbooks have things in common, such as compact screens and keyboards as well as processing capabilities that balance performance with low power consumption. Most any netbook will have integrated wireless hardware, so you can get online when you're out and about. This makes netbooks a great choice for taking to school or to the coffee shop, where you just want a portable device that lets you use the Internet for a few hours without having to be plugged in. Of course, there are some specifics to consider when you're looking for a netbook.
Netbooks are fully functional computers, just like laptops and notebook computers are. (You may hear netbooks referred to as mini notebooks or subnotebooks.) Netbooks run on the same operating systems that you're familiar with: A large number of netbooks use the same commercial operating system that you may be using to run your desktop computers at home, while other netbooks are built to run on open-source operating systems. Either way, you can be confident that your netbook won't be restrictive in its capabilities. Netbooks aren't like the proprietary hand-held devices that only do a handful of things and run on an unusual operating system; netbooks are, simply, very compact laptops. However, to keep the price tags low, the sizes compact and the battery life long, netbooks must make certain sacrifices.
How netbooks differ from laptops
All together, these design choices help netbooks be compact and lightweight while using the battery slowly and putting off as little heat as possible.
Benefits of netbooks
Some of the biggest benefits of netbooks come to computer users who spend more time using Web-based applications than they spend running programs on their computer. For example, if you've fallen in love with Web-based email, then you probably haven't fired up your operating system's default email program in years, so a Web browser is all you really need to keep in touch. If your online time revolves around the Websites you visit, then a netbook may be a perfect match for you. Of course, since a netbook runs a full-featured operating system, you can still install and run your favorite programs; just be sure to consider the hardware requirements of those programs versus the capabilities of your netbook.
Hard drives
One of the key ways that some netbooks vary from others is in the choice of hard drive technology. Many netbooks use standard hard drives, just like desktops and laptops. These hard drives are a great choice for when you want plenty of storage space -- meaning hundreds of gigabytes -- on your netbook. Other netbooks, however, use solid state device (SSD) hard drives; these hard drives are physically smaller and lighter than standard hard drives, and they use less electricity, making them a good choice when you want the absolute maximum battery life. However, solid-state hard drives aren't yet available in the enormous capacities of standard hard drives, and even a moderate-capacity solid-state drive can be quite expensive. For example, you may see a netbook with a 16GB solid-state hard drive that costs as much as a similar netbook with a standard hard drive ten times that size.
Decide if you need the storage capacity of a standard hard drive in your netbook. More importantly, consider if the reduced weight and longer battery life of a solid-state hard drive is worth the far smaller storage space. There's no right or wrong with this choice; you're simply choosing between a larger hard drive versus a lighter netbook that may last longer between recharges.
Keyboard and other input devices
As part of the small form-factor of netbooks, the keyboards are smaller than a full-sized keyboard. A new keyboard can always take some getting used to, but you may want to look for a keyboard that's as large as possible; often this means the keyboard that stretches all the way from one side of the netbook to another with little wasted space.
Netbooks typically include a touchpad just like those on laptops. Again, you may want to look for a touchpad that's large enough for you to use it comfortably as well as buttons that are convenient and sturdy. If you like to use a USB mouse with your laptop, you can use it with your netbook as well; most netbooks have either two or three USB interfaces for whatever devices the operating system supports.
Can I use all of my USB devices with a netbook?
Even though netbooks are smaller than typical laptops, they still run on the same operating systems as other computers. If the netbook's operating system supports the USB device, you'll be able to use that device with the netbook, just as with any other computer. If you choose a netbook that includes the same operating system as your other computers, you can be confident that your USB devices will work on your netbook. Even if you use a commercial operating system at home or on your laptop but you choose a netbook that runs an open-source operating system, there's a very good chance that you'll still be able to use all of your USB devices.
Can I upgrade the video hardware in my netbook to make it a small gaming device?
While some netbook manufacturers may offer some degree of upgrades to the video hardware in their netbooks, you're unlikely to be able to upgrade your netbook to the point where you'd want to use it for graphics-intensive tasks like gaming or graphic arts. Power video hardware tends to be large, and it often puts off a lot of heat; both of these things would make it impractical (or impossible) to put inside a netbook. Of course, since netbooks are built around familiar operating systems, you can install and run any program that your netbook's hardware can handle.
How can I transition to more Web-based applications?
Web-based email has been a powerful motivator in leading people to embrace Web-based applications. The appeal of being able to easily access your email anywhere you can get online, even if you're not near your own computer or laptop, is a great reason to try out Web-based email. Also, if your hard drive crashes, your email will still be stored somewhere else, so nothing will be lost. Of course, it doesn't stop with email: There is an ever-growing selection of things you can do online that you may have always assumed you'd have to be sitting at your desktop at home to do. You can update spreadsheets, do word processing and much more, all with the Web-based applications that are available. One of the best parts is that you just need access to a Web browser to get started. Take a look and see what's out there!
Wasn't Netbook a trademarked name at some point?
The name "Netbook" was held as a trademark for several years. It once referred to a specific model of computer that was released in the late 1990s. However, that trademark has since been relinquished and the term "netbook" is now a generic term for low-cost computers that are highly compact and highly portable. It is no longer a trademarked name and it does not refer to any particular manufacturer or model.
Accessorize your netbook
The USB interfaces on your new netbook mean you can use all of your favorite USB accessories. A USB mouse and keyboard are perfect for when you have room to spread out while you work. Of course, don't forget to pick up a carrying case for your new netbook.
Does your desktop computer need an upgrade?
Pair the convenience of a netbook with the power of a great desktop for the ultimate in computing flexibility. If that desktop is getting a bit dated, this may be the perfect time to upgrade.
An in-home wireless network helps all your computers communicate
Once you have a few computers in your home, you'll want to look into setting up a wireless network in the house to easily share files between your computers or simply to let all your computers use your Internet connection. With the right networking equipment, setting up a wireless network can be a breeze.
