Buying a Netbook

Netbooks--small laptop computers that run an operating system--are a great purchase decision. They're incredibly portable, easy to use, and inexpensive. They can range in price from under $300 to just over $600, making them a great option for anyone on a budget. Netbooks used to be solely for Internet and email use because of their size and power, but today netbooks are becoming a more mainstream option for a variety of uses. The popularity of netbooks means that more manufacturers are adding extras and better features.

Netbooks commonly have a wide screen between 8 to 10 inches. They normally lack built-in optical drives and don't have full sized keyboards. Typing on a netbook is very different than using a laptop because the keyboard may be up to 15% smaller. They don't lack the same extras you expect from a laptop, however. Netbooks usually have plenty of USB ports, built-in Wi-Fi, and features like Bluetooth, cellular modems, webcams and card readers. Almost all netbooks use the Intel Atom platform, meaning you'll get the Atom processor along with up to 1 GB of RAM and integrated graphics.

Gone are the days when netbooks were only used for surfing the Internet and word processing. You can now do so much more with these portable devices. They can be used to upload your digital pictures from a camera and edit them with a popular photo-editing software. You can even transcode video to another format or edit footage. Netbooks can also play all types of video from websites or run a movie from an external drive without lag or any distortions. Netbooks are also great options for all business models because they can run many clients, be used on a network, and be secured with antivirus programs.

There are a number of things to look at when buying a netbook. First, try to get a netbook with the Intel Atom processor, which is the most energy-efficient and fast processor you'll get. 1 GB of memory should suit your needs just fine and can later be upgraded to 2 GB. Also take a look at the battery life on your netbook. Because netbooks are made to be portable, battery life is very important. Usually netbooks have three-cell units, which will get 2 to 3 hours of life per charge. You can also find many models with six-cell units, which will allow you between 6 and 8 hours of battery life. You can also find many extra features in netbooks if they're important to you. Try getting a netbook that makes use of cellular networks with mobile broadband. You can also get a degree of gaming ability on some netbooks with an Nvidia graphics chipset. While most netbooks run Windows XP, some even have Windows 7, which is the successor to Vista. Dell makes a netbook with a large 12-inch screen. There are also a number of sleek netbooks with aluminum frames.

Buying a netbook is a great choice for most people because it fits portability, options, and ease of use into a laptop that's very affordable. Netbooks are quickly becoming a popular option as more features are being implemented every day.