Netbook vs. Notebook

hayjessum · 12-02-2011, 04:45 PM

I need a laptop that I can carry around with me all day! I will use it for email, internet browsing, music downloads, powerpoint presentations, writing papers. What so I need to handle all of this and still be portable. I am a small female, so the weight of the laptop is an issue!

IceQube · 12-02-2011, 05:35 PM

Before buying a netbook, make sure to see it in person. You may not like the small - generally 10 inch - screen. And some netbooks have minuscule keys.

My Eee 900 netbook had a keyboard with keys smaller than my pinky finger's fingernail. That did not make for a good typing experience, and from what I understand, college requires a lot of typing

.

MikeSam · 12-03-2011, 11:47 PM

I'm going to have to agree with IceQube on this one. Netbook's are fine for some people, but I seldom see them being used on campus (maybe it's just where I go..). You didn't mention a budget, do you have one. I generally recommend the macbook pro to most people -yes, let's all jump on the bandwagon. Small, light, and easy to use.
I will say this, if you don't mind the size of the screen, the netbook might be a good choice for you.

ALF · 12-03-2011, 11:56 PM

Also, take a look at the MacBook Air, which is amazingly thin and light. I have a friend who carries around her MacBook Air 11" in her purse. You may think that it might be worth the slightly larger size and weight to get the 13" model.

MADad · 12-04-2011, 10:22 AM

Acer makes a netbook with an 11.6 inch screen that has a keyboard a little bigger than the 10 in. netbooks--looks like it would be easier to type on.

FutureWeatherman · 12-04-2011, 11:00 AM

If you can spend the extra money, definitely get the MacBook Pro 15". It's not too heavy (5 lbs.), and has an i7 Intel processor, so it's pretty fast. The Macbook Air is also a good bet, and is much lighter, I think it's 2 lbs.If you can't spend that much money, there are many Windows laptops that you can buy for around $400-$600 dollars and still get a nice size screen and good speed. I would recommend Dell and Sony.

At the very least, DO NOT GET A NETBOOK. They are extremely tiny and slower than a laptop.

Nabian · 12-04-2011, 11:41 AM

Netbooks are good if you use them as your traveling computer, but I don't think in today's world that you can use it as your main computer. In general, they're not as powerful, reliable, or fast as notebooks. I'd suggest trying to find a smaller, thinner notebook.

popsicles · 12-05-2011, 01:09 AM

I have a 11" Macbook Air in addition to a 27" iMac so it works perfectly, but I'm not in college. I would say though, being a huge Apple fanatic, that a Macbook Air or Macbook Pro would be a good choice, especially paired with an external display of your choosing.

popsicles · 12-05-2011, 01:11 AM

FutureWeatherman, for the uses the OP described above, she won't benefit from an i7 processor as much as she would from an SSD, which is why I would recommend a Macbook Air over a Macbook Pro in her case. An SSD offers noticeable speed in normal computing, as opposed to an i7 processor where you only benefit when doing more intensive tasks.

TheJuanSoto · 12-18-2011, 12:00 PM

Netbooks are good as compliment to desktops. I use a powerful desktop in my room to do work and I use the netbook to take notes in class sometimes or do something quickly outside. They are good for that but I would never use them as my standalone computer.

Upgrading the RAM and buying a SSD helps too.

excelblue · 12-20-2011, 05:40 AM

Definitely agreed that the netbook should not be your only computer.

Netbooks have three main features: size, weight, and battery life. For its cost, the amount of power it provides is very low.

They're good for email, essays, and looking up quick facts. They're bad for coding, spreadsheets, and data transcription (i.e. writing a research paper).

The real debate should be netbook + desktop vs laptop.

IeatKids · 12-26-2011, 08:45 PM

Netbooks just appear lesser version of a laptop. Laptops are awesome and I play video games on my desktop, so I'll be taking the combo desktop+ laptop.
please no macs..

mattafer · 01-29-2012, 10:44 AM

For all of the things that you want to do, plus those things that you will use the computer for that you don't even know yet, you definitely want a laptop.

A laptop is capable of so much more than a netbook. There are a few things that will be of maximum importance to you while in school.
-you want speed and you have to have a laptops worth of memory for that.
-you want programs, a laptop will have all that you need plus more.
-you want something that will get you all the way through college, not a net book.

There are options. If you want something to carry around just for fun and keeping in touch then why not an IPad or some other tablet. You can keep that with you throughout the day and then do the more serious college work that you have on the laptop that you keep at home.

jenthames · 01-29-2012, 10:55 AM

The idea of having more than one device is appealing as opposed to one or the other. Honestly netbooks are so low on the totem pole of computers that they should not even be considered. Getting a tablet, one that could possibly be used with the home laptop is a much better idea.

There are absolutely tons of tablets available right now. There is no reason to go and buy a fancy IPad if you don't want to pay so much. Get a cheaper version, there are new ones popping out all the time, and use that for carrying around all day.

You can browse on those things for hours. Take photo's and keep your parents up to date with all that is going on with your tablet and take notes on one too. Then when you settle in at home to do homework, send yourself all the notes and whatnot to the laptop.

Some think that a desktop and a netbook is OK, but that can be limiting. Why bog yourself down with a desktop? If you do occasionally need the laptop, it is so very portable. They are built to be portable too, so there is no worry over jostling the tower like you have with a desktop. If you are worried over using too much memory, store what you can in a cloud and keep your memory free.

anaychi · 02-07-2012, 07:32 PM

None. The "Ultrabook" is what you want. Imagine the portability of a netbook, but the speed of a normal PC. Most ultrabooks are ridiculously thin, making them easy to lug around, they have an extensive batter life, and are capable of running many RAM0intensive programs that netbooks can't, e.g: Photoshop. Examples of Ultrabooks: Macbook Air, HP Envy 14 Spectre, Samsung Series 9.