Netbooks vs Laptops

Within the past few years, a new breed of tiny laptops have emerged: netbooks. If you’re in the market for a new laptop, a netbook may be a viable option. But, what are some major benefits and downsides in becoming a netbook owner? What would be some reasons to get a netbook over a traditional laptop?

Screen Size

First and foremost, the sheer size between a standard laptop screen (around 15.4”) and a netbook screen (around 8.9”) will be a factor. On the plus side, a netbook’s screen makes it incredibly portable, allowing you to take it just about anywhere. Additionally, the smaller screen size provides less of a drain on the battery, leading to increased battery life.

Conversely, for long periods of viewing, a netbook screen may not be ideal. If your eyesight isn’t great, you may be squinting a lot in attempts to view the screen. Moreover, will this be device that you’ll be taking with you on trips to watch movies or TV shows on? While some people may be accustomed to watching their favourite show on something as small as an iPod screen, you may want something bigger. Finally, if you’re looking for a computer that will be used often for efficient use inside data processing programs (Excel, etc.) then a netbook may not be the ideal option. Smaller screens allow less to be viewed at once, potentially making it frustrating to edit large spreadsheets or other data entry programs.

Weight

In addition to being smaller physically, netbooks also tend to weigh significantly less than their laptop counterparts. This makes them ideal for moving them around the house, taking them to class, or in instances where you’ll be carrying it with you all day.

Keyboards

The size of the keyboard is both a positive and a negative. While again, the keyboard size helps contribute to the small size of the unit, some may find it difficult or frustrating to type on a keyboard this small. Furthermore, there’s virtually no possibility to have a built-in number pad in a netbook due to size restrictions. That being said, it IS possible to buy USB number pads as a separate attachment if needed.

Battery Life

Generally speaking, netbooks achieve longer battery lives than their laptop counterparts due to smaller, more efficient components, as well as smaller screens.
Computing Power (CPU/RAM/GPU)

If you’re looking for a machine capable of intensive program use or the latest and greatest in video games, you won’t find it in a netbook. While the processing power of a netbook is sufficient for most everyday tasks (Microsoft Word, Internet, MSN, etc.) and older games, it simply won’t be powerful enough for intensive video editing or new power-hungry video games.

CD/DVD Drive

Many netbooks do not come with a CD/DVD drive to maintain the small size of the computer. While this initially may seem to be a big downside, consider that quick and easy data storage is moving progressively towards thumbdrives or external hard drives in place of CD-R’s or DVD-R’s. For installation of programs by CD/DVD, emulation using image files exists as a viable option. Alternatively, external CD/DVD burners may be purchased separately for instances where a CD/DVD drive is required.

Hard Drive (Storage space)

The hard drive space on netbooks can vary considerably, and should always be an option you look at when considering a netbook purchase. While some netbooks are using the traditional mechanical hard drive (has more space, consumes more power to run, costs less), more often netbooks contain a solid-state drive (smaller space, consumes less power, costs more). While traditional hard drives often have more than enough space for the average user (Usually ~160 gb), solid state drives have much less (~8 gb), and may require users to have another source for data storage (external hard drive, thumbdrive, etc.).

For me, having the extra space provided by traditional hard drives outweighs the benefit of reduced battery consumption. However, depending on your computer use, the space provided by a solid-state drive may be more than enough.

Price

Perhaps one of the most attractive lures of a netbook is their price. Often priced $100-200 cheaper than low-end laptops, they may be a more reasonable option for individuals on a budget.

So...

While netbooks have both strong and weak points, whether or not a netbook is right for you will be determined by what you want to get out of your computer. As to whether or not the size of the keyboard or screen will be too small for you, the best way to find out is to get some exposure! Check one out at your local electronics store, or find a friend who has one. Good luck!