Rise of the high-def Netbooks
(Credit:
CNET)
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.
Gateway LT3103u
The good: Feels faster than an Intel Atom Netbook, but keeps the price low; high-def display.
The bad: Uninspiring battery life; terrible mouse buttons; no Bluetooth.
The bottom line: The 11-inch, AMD-powered Gateway LT3103u does well on price and performance, but drops the ball on battery life when compared with the competition.
Sony Vaio W
The good: High-res display; cool color combos; typical high-quality Sony construction and design.
The bad: Poor battery life; better display adds a $100 premium; smallish keyboard; loud fan.
The bottom line: Attempting to create a premium-priced version of a Netbook, Sony has added an HD display to the Vaio W. It's an attractive step-up package, but the internal components are the same as are in cheaper models.
Asus Eee PC 1101HA
The good: Bigger 11-inch, high-resolution screen; overclockable CPU; great battery life.
The bad: Slightly slower and more expensive than standard Netbooks.
The bottom line: Swelling the ranks of 11.6-inch Netbooks, the Asus Eee PC 1101HA impresses with its design and battery, but having to overclock a slower version of Intel's Atom CPU is a dodgy workaround.
Dell Inspiron Mini 10
The good: High-end extras including a higher-resolution screen and HDMI output; very configurable, for a Netbook, including optional mobile broadband.
The bad: Options drive the price up into mainstream laptop territory; same basic chassis as the sub-$300 version of the Mini 10.
The bottom line: Dell's popular Mini 10 is the most customizable Netbook we've seen. Adding extras such as a higher-resolution display makes it more useful, but also blurs the price line between Netbooks and mainstream laptops.
Acer Aspire One AO751h
The good: Big (for a Netbook) 11.6-inch display; great keyboard.
The bad: Slower version of the Intel Atom CPU makes even basic tasks annoyingly laggy.
The bottom line: Acer's 11.6-inch Aspire One AO751h might usher in a new standard for Netbook sizes, but the slower-than-usual processor can lead to frustration.
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New York native Dan Ackerman, a former radio DJ turned journalist, has written about technology and music for publications including Spin, Blender, The Hollywood Reporter, and USA Today. He hosts the weekly Digital City podcast and the New York edition of Editors' Office Hours. Dan's new album, Tales Out of Night School, is available now. E-mail Dan. 
that's how the world feels about you
Apple crazies: "Oh them netbooks(full keyboards, much bigger screens than the iPod, run full Windows applications), are useless.
Same Apple crazies:" The iPod(with a very tiny screen and no keyboard at all), is the best thing ever for running your applications".
You can always rely on the Applebots to be as inconsistent and sutpid as ever.
I can't imagine anyone trying to watch a high def video on a ten inch screen and caring whether it is 1024x600 or 1366x768
The usual "the grapes are sour" Apple fanboy syndrome.
So what's new?
Depends on the user. I love using hdmi laptops to serve a TV. A dual-core ATOM / ION system netbook, would act as a great media-center to pipe a Hi-DEF TV and/or Projector. Cost of an 11 inch screen is really negligible.
Wrong!
@ SergeM256:" I couldn't think how it might be used in a practical way, perhaps for people who travel a lot and real notebook is too big and heavy"
You answered your own question.
Plus netbooks cost next to nothing, run all Windows applications, have far better screens than the iPhone, have real keyboards(unlike the iPhone) etc etc.
1) Netbooks didn't take off until atom + windows xp became standard. They've tried using linux variants, and they've all failed.
2) NO OPERATING SYSTEM? Are you serious? There are so many things wrong with that single thought that I don't even know where to begin.
First, consumers have shown they want windows on a netbook, as I stated above. Taking away the OS just to satisfy your wild ideology is just ridiculous. What computer has ever been sold without an OS? None that I can think of. And why? Because if you want it without an OS, either build your own machine, or better yet, just wipe the OS off your machine and install what you want.
Second, most people who buy a netbook aren't going to want to go through the trouble of installing a an OS. I doubt most even know how. And furthermore, you don't want to pay extra for an OS, but you think everyone should pay $60+ for an external dvd drive just so they can install an OS? That's just ridiculous.
Many netbooks only come with 1 GB of ram due to Microsoft demanding that any netbook with XP not be sold with more then 2 GB of ram. The OS manufacturer is restricting your hardware options based on their desire to force you onto Vista.... hardly a consumer friendly practice. Any user that wants more then 1 GB of ram with Xp either has to install the ram themselves or by a vista based netbook and downgrade..... hardly consumer friendly.
Well there isn't any reason to install more than 1GB ram on a netbook with 1.6 Atom processor and low end integrated graphics chips on a windows XP machine. And if u really want more power then u can buy a proper Notebook for that. Even if u are looking for something of smaller size with extra power then u can get an ultra portable laptop.
I use my netbook as a substitute for my standard sized notebook. Yeah its speed is kinda pokey, but it still does what I want it to do and it's because of its relative size is what makes it so useful and compelling. If anything the netbook is what the UMPC should've been from the very start. Blame Microsoft for that stupid 'Origami' campaign, but there's no problem on my end with where the netbook formula is now.
One thing that could be improved about these stories where cnet writers refer back to reviews done months prior is to mention that now you can get refurbs of these same units for hundreds less than the new ones direct from the manufacturer with a full year warranty, or more if you like. I bought a hi def Mini 10 from Dell's outlet for $320 incl tax last week (got a 15% off coupon from Dell's outlet Twitter) In June I got a Macbook Pro unibody 15" for nearly $1000 less than the exact same model had cost three months earlier. It'd be nice to see cnet do a story about the computer manufacturers that offer an online outlet/refurb store comparing the price, selection and time you need to wait for the newest models.
I have one that stays in the car and because there are no moving parts in the Netbook, it can handle been thrown around a bit. Whenever I am stuck somewhere with nothing to do, I can use it for the Web, scripting, or even watch a movie.
But I am not interested in a high-end Netbook running Windows. A $200 one is all I need.
I am looking for netbooks running Chrome. Should be a good price and the perfect system for Web access. Why do we need all that extra procesing power to run Paint and MS Word? Those programs are so lame these days compared to what you can do on the Web.
Because they want something smaller, lighter and cheaper. They don't want to lug around a 15-16" laptop even if it's around the same price as a netbook.
If you want to watch HD video (even Youtube HD videos and NetFlix HD video) yoiu need to get something with a better processor than you can get on a netbook..
As for the "netbooks didn't really take off till they started shipping with Windows" meme, it sounds great and all, but the original Asus 7" Eee and the original Acer Aspire One which quickly followed it each sold a couple million and neither of them came with Windows. I'm pretty sure it was the retailers whose Microsoft reps called them and said, "Er, wouldn't you like to have a bigger advertising budget? Here's what you need to do...", and not the consumers, who made the Windows decision.
In fact, there's been a bit of creeping revisionism over the last year, that there's a race to the bottom in netbook prices. The Eee was originally announced at $199, though it ended up shipping at $299. If there's a particular shape to the graph of netbook prices in the 2 years since their appearance, it's a bell curve, not a downward slope.
Of course, if smartbooks ever appear and achieve any kind of success, when the first wave gets old and hits 99 bucks at the end of next year and ends up in blister packs on the shelves at Wal-Mart, Big Lots and the drugstores, that's when the real race to the bottom among netbooks and notebooks will start. Smartphones will continue to drop in price as well and a significant chunk of the population who'd be interested in a cheap laptop will be able to get by with a $49 subsidized smartphone. Any way you slice it, general-purpose computing is either a commodity already or about to become one.
HD Mobile Device Development Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQa9nP4yyms&feature=fvw
On the power consumption and battery life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5sEIf5-FJs&feature=related
in the Zune HD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbP0PNVj8f0
1.2 Ghz core duo, 1.5 GB mem, 4-5 hour battery life, ~3.5lbs, both pointing stick and gliding pad (pointing stick is very imporatnt to me), 1 yr remaining warranty...etc. Only issue is small disk space at 80GB. If you think about the point of the netbook, picking up a few years old used ultraportable laptop is not a bad option.
Dan Ackerman you used to be such an advocate of the 400 dollar price point. Why are you pushing these laptop wannabees now?
- by SamNK August 31, 2009 1:27 AM PDT
- The new Dell Inspiron 11z should have been included in this comparison.
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