Cheap Portable Laptops

Summary:

So cheap portable laptops (Netbooks) have been getting a lot of publicity lately for their price and portability. I wanted to know what the entire buzz was about, so I set out on a journey to do some heavy research and pick out 4 models that I feel are the best out there based on price, features and a few other criteria. These babies are easy to setup and work right out of the box without any major configurations and are usually up and running in about 5 minutes! Their are small enough to fit in a purse or small Portable DVD Player Sleeve!

First, I want want to answer a couple of common questions regarding these cheap portable laptops (Netbooks):

"So what is a Netbook?"

• A Netbook is basically a striped down laptop with basic functions for mobility. For example, if you have a job in which you travel and you don’t like to lug around your big laptop, you can get one of these to supplement your primary laptop and still get things done in the areas of internet and office applications such as word processing or spreadsheets.

What CAN’T I do with Netbook?

• The most notable things these cheap portable laptops DO NOT come with standard are:

Optical Drive: All of the models I have seen do not have optical drives and don’t have DVD burning software. If you would want to watch DVDs or do anything that involves media, you would have to get an optional EXTERNAL USB optical drive. This will allow you to do anything with media that you could do with a laptop that has an optical drive.

They are smaller: Another main difference is the size of the screens. Most range from 8” to 11”, with the most popular choice being the 10.1” versions. Usually all models have a VGA-out port, so you can hook it up to your TV or external monitor if you just can't take the small screen size. Some, like the Dell Mini even has an HDMI-out for higher resolution content!

Another thing to point out is just because this is a Netbook does not mean they are not susceptible to infections, so make sure you install a reliable Anti-Virus and Anti-Spy-ware solution.

What CAN I do with a Netbook?

Many things! including: Online Banking, Wi-Fi, Email, Instant Messaging, online video, maps, searching, learning, media player, stay in touch with friends while on the road, access sports, news, anything on the Internet. Skype and Vonage V-Phone capable to make phone calls. You can run Office applications such as Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc. All come with Win XP (except for one (XP pro)). Access to the Internet and stay connected with friends and family.

All are usually equiped with a webcam for video chat or video conferencing.

So how do I know which one is for me? Well, that's where I come in! Here's what I found :

Samsung N310 Netbook with Intel Atom Processor - $479.99


What I like:

• Frame-less Screen
• “Pebble Design” keyboard (more roomy typing area)
• Scratch-proof screen
• Coated with anti-bacterial protection for all you germ-o-phobes
• Rubber-like cover to prevent scratches on the lid/outside of the unit
• Rounded corners give it a sleek, modern design
• Rubber Lid prevents scratches to the outside the lid. This definataly keeps your Netbook looking like new.
• Hard Drive/BIOS password protection for added data security. This works great if you have sensative data on the unit and want to protect that data in case of theft.


What I don’t like:

• Standard battery lasts about 3-5 Hours (it does come with an option for a 6-cell battery that lasts 7-10 hours)

What this has that the other don’t:

• 6-Cell battery option for up to 10 Hours of battery life
• Rounded corners and rubber lid

MORE PICTURES AND SPECIFICATIONS HERE:
Samsung Netbook with Intel Atom Processor N270 - Blue


Asus Eee PC Netbook With Intel Atom Processor - $249.99

What I like:

• Fast
• Large Hard Drive (160gb)
• Audio is better than other notable Net books such as Aspire wind series

What I don’t like:

• It gets hotter than other Net books and from reports, cooling sometimes isn’t efficient enough.

• Battery life: This is supposed to have up to 7 hours of life, but am unable to find a test that has proven this. I read one reviewer that say’s his only last over an hour, but I doubt that low of a charge is common.

• The keyboard is relatively small compared to other units that are either full size or close to it. This is mainly due to the small screen size (8.9"), so it has a smaller screen than the more popular 10.1" models. Using the keyboard will get a little adjusting, but you’ll get it down in no time!

• Only reads 1 memory card type (SD), so if you have a sony memory card or CF (compact flash) card, it will not work with this. You would have to get an external card reader or something like that.

• CPU speed: at 900 MHz, is slower than HP and Dell models

Small enough to fit in your purse and Skype works great right out of the box!

Overall, a very good buy for the most basic of tasks as long as you don't mind the screen size.

MORE PICTURES AND SPECIFICATIONS HERE:
Asus Eee PC Netbook with Intel Celeron Processor 353


Dell Inspiron Mini Netbook (Model: IM10-2886) - $399.99

What I like:

• Almost a full size keyboard (92%) for easy typing
• HDMI out option to hook up to your HDTV. Great for Netflix or watching a movie
• Multi-touch track pad
• Available in a Linux version
• Easy access to the Solid-State Hard Drive, Memory and Wireless for upgrading
• Multi-media card reader
• Inside of the Casing is made of magnesium alloy, which makes it ultra light and helps this withstand much more abuse than other Netbooks.

What I don’t like:

• Price: at over $400, definitely at the higher end of the price range
• The high-gloss lid is a magnet for finger prints
• No F11 or F12 keys
What this has that the others don’t:

• The most upgrade-ability with the SSD Hard Drive, Wireless card and Memory all being upgradable (memory is upgradable to 2 GB)

SEE MORE PICTURES AND FULL SPECS FOR THE DELL HERE


HP Mini 2140 (High-res version) - $429.99

What I Like:
• Aluminum body for light weight
• The biggest keyboard of them all (full size)
• Awsome build quality
• LED-illuminated display

What I don’t like:
• Upper end of the price scale
• It uses a fan, so it’s noisier than other models
• The super glossy screen has a tendency for fingerprints
• The optional 6 cell battery sticks out about an inch and also blocks a full 180 degree opening of the display. If you use the 6-cell battery and put the unit on your lap, it presents a bad viewing angle
• No HD version available
• “Scroll” function is very touchy and seems to only work sometimes, but a wireless or blue tooth mouse will fix this issue.

MORE PICTURES AND FULL SPECS HERE

So, as you can see, it's all about what your going to use it for. These cheap portable laptops (Netbooks) are going to be for someone who's very mobile and doesn't need the full functions of their regular laptop. If you just need internet and a few basic computer tasks, then you can't go wrong with one of these cheap portable laptops. I ended up going with the HP because of the look and keyboard size and I love it. Hopefully this review helps you pick the one that best fits our needs!

Happy Shopping!

-DR