mini-laptops

Rise of the high-def Netbooks

It sometimes seems as if Netbook makers are engaged in a dangerous race to the bottom, pulling out all the stops to get their products on shelves at slightly lower prices than the next guy. While $499 used to be the Netbook starting price, that quickly slipped to $399, and now $299--or less, if you get a subsidized unit as part of a mobile phone carrier's data plan contract.

Even Netbooks that cost $100 to $200 more than that typically offer only better construction and nicer designs--they're often virtually identical under the hood to the least expensive systems, with an Intel Atom CPU, 1GB of RAM, Windows XP, and a 160GB hard drive.

One new area where Netbooks have been able to offer a clear reason for stepping up to a more expensive system is with a high-definition display. The typical 10-inch Netbook screen is 1,024x600--which is readable, but often cramped for scrolling long Web pages or working on office docs.

A recent trend in Netbooks, available in both 10.1- and 11.6-inch screens, bumps the resolution up to 1,366x768. The difference is clear when trying to read an online article without excessive scrolling, or doing a lot of cutting and pasting on a Word doc or spreadsheet. It also works well for 720p HD video content--although your mileage may vary, depending on the source, compression, and media player app. Netbook hardware can't always handle the strain of smooth HD video.

We've had five Netbooks with 1,366x768 screens cross our Lab bench recently. The Sony Vaio W and Dell Mini 10 (the latter is also available with a standard 10x6 screen) are both 10-inch models, and each cost around $500--a healthy premium over non-HD Netbooks.

Asus' Eee PC 1101HA and Acer's Aspire One 751h were less expensive 11-inch Netbooks, but both used the z520 version of Intel's Atom CPU, which led to annoyingly slow performance (the Asus did offer some onboard overclocking for its wimpy processor, but that's a Band-Aid approach).

We found the most satisfying HD Netbook experience in an unexpected place. Gateway's 11-inch LT 3103u cost only $379, and used an AMD L110 CPU, which gave us a smoother overall experience (albeit at the expense of battery life), along with 2GB of RAM and a larger 250GB hard drive.

Check out the details of each of our 1,366x768 Netbooks below. But beware, as we've pointed out previously, none of these systems include the free Windows 7 upgrade you'd get with a mainstream laptop purchase. … Read more

Google's Chrome OS and Netbooks: Why Microsoft shouldn't worry...yet

While it may not have the same buzz as a new iPhone, Google's announcement of a new computer operating system based on its Chrome Web browser, has certainly set tongues wagging across the Interwebs. It certainly has many of the hallmarks of a hot news story--the bitter fight between Microsoft and Google; the rise of low-cost, low-power computing in Netbooks; free vs. paid software.

But while we're always in favor of more consumer choice and potentially lower prices, it's not quite time for Microsoft to worry about losing its firm hold on the Netbook market.

Microsoft's Windows XP is currently on 96 percent of Netbooks sold in the U.S. by some estimates (up from less than 10 percent in early 2008). When the similar idea of Netbooks running Google's Android operating system was discussed back in April, we said:

The very first Netbooks ran Linux operating systems, usually with a custom front-end to give users easy access to a Web browser and other frequently used apps. But as well-intentioned as that plan was, it wasn't until PC makers added the already archaic Windows XP operating system that the Netbook craze took off.

It wasn't that XP was the perfect solution for small screens and low-power CPUs--it's that consumers searching for a simple, low-cost second or travel laptop value ease of use over almost anything else. XP benefits from looking and feeling familiar to most users.

What we said then is just as true now, even if the OS is called Chrome and built specifically for PCs, rather than the smartphone-based Android.… Read more

Summer 2009 Netbook roundup

It feels like we just rounded up all the latest Netbooks a couple of months ago, but there are already enough new models out to do it all over again. This time around, we're seeing some new players in the market (Toshiba, Fujitsu), as well as some new takes on the genre from old hands (Asus, HP).

Trends we're seeing include thinner systems, bigger keyboards, and a push in toward lower prices. The HP Mini 110and Acer Aspire Oneare $329 and $299, respectively, while the average price of a similar Netbook was around $499 late last year, falling to $399 in the past six months.

Later in 2009, we expect to see a new generation of Netbooks that will attempt to add some lift to falling prices by adding features such as high-resolution screens and dedicated graphics processors.

Click through to see a half-dozen of the newest Netbooks for Summer 2009.… Read more

Latest Netbooks roundup

With no sign of abatement in sight, recession-addled consumers continue to flock towards the small, low-cost, low-power laptops called Netbooks. According to IDC, Netbooks went from essentially zero to a full 8 percent of the portable computing market in 2008, making this a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy economy for PC makers.

Typically, a Netbook means a 10-inch display, Intel's Atom CPU, 1GB of RAM, Windows XP, and a 160GB hard drive--but those lines are clearly beginning to blur. Some of the Netbooks in this roundup include new CPUs from AMD and Via, or larger displays (that some would say disqualifies them from being Netbooks at all--a position we can't say we fully disagree with).

And beyond these current models, we have several potentially interesting new Netbooks on the horizon, including Dell's Mini 10v, which intends to bludgeon the competition with a $299 starting price; and Asus' Eee PC 1008HA, which reinvents that popular line with a slim, upscale design.

See our reviews of all the latest Netbooks after the break. … Read more

Minilaptop CPU showdown: Atom vs. Neo vs. Nano

For a long time, Intel's Atom CPU ruled the minilaptop universe, powering Netbooks from Asus, Dell, HP, Acer, Lenovo, and others. After all, who wouldn't want an inexpensive processor capable of powering an almost-pocket-size laptop? Especially one perfectly suited of handling basic coffee shop chores such as Web surfing, e-mailing, or blogging.

But when you're on top, everyone else wants a piece of your action. Two new potential Atom-killers have launched recently, each looking to steal some market share from Intel with variations on the Netbook theme. The contenders, in brief, are:

Intel Atom The smallest processor currently made by Intel, the Atom is found in a majority of Netbook-style laptops. The most common versions are the Atom N270 (1.6GHz) and Atom N280 (1.66GHz), and popular Atom-powered systems include the Asus Eee PC 1000HEand Acer Aspire One AOD150.

AMD Athlon Neo Intended as a step up from Atom-style Netbook processors, AMD's Athlon Neo will be seen in ultrathin laptops such as the new HP Pavilion dv2. That particular system has a 1.6GHz Athlon Neo MV-40 CPU and a 12-inch display.

Via Nano Chipmaker Via has replaced its older low-power CPU, the C7-M, with the new Nano, specifically designed for Netbooks. The 1.3GHz Nano U2350 was first seen in the Samsung NC20Netbook.

So, how did laptops with these CPUs fare when pitted against each other? To start with, it's important to note that these are different Netbook-style systems from different vendors, so this is not an exact comparison--many other factors besides the CPU affect performance--but it's similar to the choices you'll face when shopping for a low-cost, low-power laptop.

As one might expect, there's no clear winner. We sampled three laptops, one with each processor, and in this particular grouping, the system with the Intel Atom was fastest in our multitasking test (but none of these single-core systems were particular adept at this task), but the one with the Via Nano was the fastest in one of our single-application tests (in this case, our iTunes encoding test), while the Netbook with the AMD Neo was fastest in another single-application test using Jalbum, a photo program we sometimes use in place of Photoshop for low-power or Linux-based systems. The Neo is theoretically the fastest of these CPUs, but it's also running Windows Vista, which has historically been less suited for Netbook-style laptops than XP.

Note: Remember that this is a comparison of three example systems, using data from previously published reviews, and performance scores rely on more than just the CPU.

Note: lower scores are better

Intel Atom N280 (Asus Eee PC 1000HE)

Via Nano U2250 (Samsung NC20)

AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 (HP Pavilion dv2)

Multitasking test (seconds)

3,960

5,257

7,218

Apple iTunes encoding test (seconds)

718

367

589

Jalbum (seconds)

219

228

175

Archos 10-inch Netbook

Archos, a popular maker of Portable Media Players and Mobile Internet Devices, is joining the Netbook fray by releasing one of its own.

Earlier this week, the company announced the availability of its new 10-inch Netbook on its online store. The Netbook was originally slated for release in April, but because it was announced at CES in January, I guess the company felt ready for prime time. Finally, Archos is said to be working on several new versions based on Intel's Moorestown platform, which will replace Intel's current Netbook and MID platform sometime in 2010.

For now, let'… Read more

Handy Netbook Holiday Gift Guide

Economy in shambles? Cutting back on expenses? Then a Netbook might be just the thing you need to round out that holiday shopping list. After all, for around $500 (or less), you can give someone the gift of Internet access, e-mail, word processing, music playback, and even online video streaming -- Netbooks do all of these things fairly well.

In this video, we check out the pluses and minuses of the most important Netbooks to arrive since our last Netbook roundup, including the Dell Inspiron Mini 9, the Lenovo S10, the Samsung NC10, the HP Mini 1000, and the Asus … Read more

Samsung announces NC10 Netbook for U.S.

After months of rumors, Samsung has finally made it official: The company will be bringing its NC10 Netbook to the United States.

The 2.8-pound minilaptop's white case toes the design line established by the Asus Eee PC, Acer Aspire One, and others. So it's no surprise that the NC10's configuration is fairly typical as well, with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB of 800MHz RAM (upgradeable to 2GB), and Windows XP, plus a large, 160GB hard drive. (With computers as with apartments, a lot of storage is always welcome.) The 10.2-inch screen features … Read more

Aspire One, MSI Wind, and more: The week in laptops

Sigh. We were growing weary of all this little-laptop news as early as March. Little did we know that the Eee PC, Classmate PC, and HTC Shift were only the tip of the iceberg. This week's headlines were dominated by news from the show floor at Computex 2008 in Taipei.

Asus introduced its 8.9-inch Eee PC 901 and 10-inch Eee PC 1000. Acer launched its low-cost mini-laptop, the Aspire One; our awesome colleagues at CNET UK paid the little guy a visit and shared a series of Aspire One photos. The $399 MSI Wind got a platform (Intel … Read more

Photos: Computex buzz on mini-laptops, chips

At Computex 2008 in Taipei, the biggest buzz is about the developing new market for mini-laptops, sub-notebooks, "netbooks"--whatever you want to call them. They're smaller than traditional laptops but larger than PDAs. Tech hearts are also going "buh-boom" over the revolutionary new chips running these tiny PCs of joy. To see what's being shown off at the international trade show, click here.