Netbook Price Comparison & Stock Check

Netbooks

Netbooks are a fairly recent development in portable computers and provide a nice alternative for most users. They are smaller and less expensive than a standard laptop and offer most of the functionality that users want. There are a variety of opinions as to what the difference between a notebook and a netbook is and it usually comes down to a few factors. The screen size is one indication and netbooks typically have screens smaller than a 12-inch display. Another characteristic that identifies a netbook is the fact that they lack any type of CD or DVD drive. These are removed from their design to make them lighter and cheaper. The last consideration is size and weight. Netbooks are typically a lot lighter than a standard notebook and smaller in size as well. These machines are designed to do most of the tasks a user would normally do on a laptop but make it easier to carry the netbook and are less expensive. Also there are many differences between these models, so be sure to shop around to find a dealer with cheap netbooks that fit your needs.

Screen Size - Most netbooks have screen sizes smaller than 10-inches. The standard screen sizes are usually a 7 to 10-inch screen in most netbooks compared to a full sized notebook model. Most manufacturers have a variety of models at these sizes so you have a choice as to which looks better to you. Obviously the larger screens are easier to read but add to the weight of the netbooks. If you are looking for the lightest possible netbook, you will end up with a smaller screen as a result. Also, most of the screens are LCD and offer very good resolutions. They are easy to read and have the ability to vary the brightness and contrast to suit your tastes. There have been a few models of netbooks appearing lately that use an OLED technology. This type of display offers amazing resolution and uses much less power that a standard LCD screen of a similar size. This means you can use the netbooks with the OLED screens longer on the same battery charge. The downside is that because this is a fairly new technology it is more expensive than a standard LCD display.

Local Storage - All of these netbooks offer local storage for files and programs. Most of them are based on 2.5-inch hard drive technology. These hard drives are available in a variety of sizes and these can be selected as an option when you purchase any of the netbooks. Some standard sizes for hard drives are 80GB, 120GB, 160GB and 250GB. The difference between these choices is not that great so try to get a large enough hard drive for your needs when you purchase one of the netbooks. Some of the netbooks offer solid-state memory as well. This acts like a flash drive and takes the place of the hard drive in these netbooks. The advantage is that this type of memory is more durable than a hard drive and uses less power. This means you get better life out of your batteries than if you had a hard drive in the netbook. The challenge with using solid-state memory is that it tends to be a smaller capacity and costs much more than a hard drive would. When you compare netbooks be sure you are comparing similar storage between them.

Wireless - All of the netbooks offer wireless connectivity and you need to be sure that it has the ability to connect over 802.1b/g which is the new standard for Wifi. Having this built-in to the unit means you can avoid having to use one of your USB connectors for a dongle to connect to this standard in the future. This is pretty standard on all of the netbooks, but it’s still a good idea to check before you make your purchase. Another connection technology that is available for these netbooks is 3G with the use of an external dongle. Most of the mobile phone companies offer a USB dongle that enables you to connect the netbooks to their networks and allows you work on the internet with a high-speed connection.

Keyboards - Probably the most important consideration on these netbooks is the size and the feel of the keyboard. Because the netbooks are designed to be as small as possible, it can be a bit tricky for them to include a good-sized keyboard. Some of the best netbooks on the market do a nicer job than others with making the keyboard close to normal sized. Be sure to check this out before you make your purchase as it is really important for the keyboard to feel natural when you type.

Connectivity - The type of connectors on the netbooks can vary considerably between the different manufacturers. You should make sure that whatever model you consider has enough USB ports for your needs. The USB connection is critical since most of the peripherals you will want to connect to the netbooks work through this interface. Having a number of these available allows you to connect several accessories to the netbook at the same time. Bluetooth is also available on several models of the netbooks, so if you want this for connection to headphones or your mobile phone be sure to verify it’s included. Most of the netbooks offer a wired LAN connection to allow you to connect to a local hardwired network if you want. Several of the netbooks also offer various memory card reader slots to allow you to transfer content to the netbook easily.

Battery Life - Another critical item to compare between the various netbooks is the battery life of the unit. Since these netbooks are smaller than a traditional notebook and they include fewer accessories like a CD or DVD player, they naturally last longer on a standard charge. It is still important to compare their typical use times to be sure you get one with enough power to make it through your day. Some of these netbooks offer batteries that will power the unit up to 6 hours, which will give you plenty of use. Some of the cheapest netbooks skimp on the battery size to lower the price and these netbooks won’t run as long on a charge as others.