Laptop: Netbook buying advice

jkl1112

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1
What netbook would you pick? Look at the detailed specs?
Here are some factors that are affecting my decision:

Use: Surfing web and writing lab reports for college
Weight: Nothing more than 4 lbs
Screen: Must be above 10'', and no TrueLife, or GLOSSY SCREEN AT ALL! I bought a labtop with a glossy screen and I HATE it, cannot use it except for in dark, dark rooms. I want to be able to watch a movie with the sun at my back.
Battery Life: 8+ hours on normal use, watching movies on youtube or writing reports.
Keyboard: I have big hands, and want something nice

Do netbooks have a CD drive? I have ways around this (.iso files), but am not going to buy a $50 dollar extension.



My first pick, except for the battery life.

Option: First Pick

$279

General
Brand ASUS
Series Eee PC Seashell
Model 1005HA-EU1X-BK
Color Crystal Black
Operating System
OS Provided Windows XP Home
Processor
CPU Type Intel Atom
CPU Speed N270(1.60GHz)
CPU FSB 533MHz
CPU L2 Cache 512KB
Chipset
Chipset Intel 945GSE
Display
Screen Size 10.1"
Widescreen Display Yes
Display Type WSVGA
Max Resolution 1024 x 600
Display Feature LED backlight
Graphics
Graphics Processor Intel GMA950
Video Memory Shared system memory
Memory
Memory Speed DDR2
Memory 1GB
Hard Drive
HDD 160GB
Dimension & Weight
Dimension 10.31" x 7.01" x 1.02" - 1.44"
Weight 2.42 lbs.
Netbook Camera
Camera Type Built-in
Camera Pixels 0.3 Megapixel
Communications
LAN 10/100Mbps
WLAN 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN
Expansion / Connectivity
USB 3
Video Ports 1 x VGA
Audio Ports Audio Jack - Out (3.5mm)
Audio Jack - In (3.5mm)
Audio
Audio Integrated Sound Card
Speaker Built-in stereo speakers
Input Device
Touchpad Yes
Keyboard Ergonomic Keyboard
Card Reader
Card Reader MMC/SD(SDHC)
Power
AC Adapter AC Adapter Output: 19V, 40W
AC Adapter Input: 100-240V AC, 50-60Hz universal
Battery
Battery Lithium ion
Battery Life Up to 4.8 hours
Manufacturer Warranty
Labor 1 year limited
Parts 1 year limited

This looks awesome, but cannot change specs. I want LONGER battery life, 8+ on regular use. I'm assuming I will have to get a 6 cell Li-ion battery, what will this cost? Will it increase the battery life, from 4.8 hours to 9.6 hours (2x as much?). Is this the battery I can buy:

http://www.buy.com/prod/laptop-batt...a/q/listingid/66449306/loc/101/213658066.html




Option 1:
$324.99

Components
* • Genuine Windows XP Home with Service Pack 3
* • Intel(R) Atom(TM) Processor N450 (1.66GHz, 512KB) with Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 3150
* • 1GB DDR2 System Memory (1 Dimm)
* • 160GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
* • 10.1" diagonal WSVGA LED Anti-glare Widescreen Display (1024 x 600)
* • HP Mini Webcam
* • Wireless-N Card
* • HP Color Matching Keyboard
* • 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (over-sized)
* • Microsoft(R) Works 9.0


Option 2:

Inspiton Mini 10 (Dell)
$344

Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition SP3
Intel®Atom®Processor Z530 (1.6GHz/533MHz FSB/512K Cache)
10.1" Widescreen Display (1024x600)
1 Yr Ltd Warranty, 1 Yr Mail-in Service, and 1 Yr HW Warranty Support
Intel®Graphics Media Accelerator 500
Z530 (1.6GHZ) Atom, 1GB RAM
160GB, 2.5inch, 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
56WHr Lithium-Ion Battery (6-cell)
Dell Wireless 1520 802.11n Half Mini-Card
No Mobile Broadband Selected
Integrated 1.3M Pixel Webcam
Obsidian Black

(option for $40 to get
10.1" HD Widescreen Display (1366x768) [add $40.00])
Worth it?


Option 3:
Inspiton Mini 10v
$309

My System Details
Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition SP3
Intel® Atom Processor® N270 (1.6GHz/533Mhz FSB/512K cache)
1 Yr Ltd Warranty, 1 Yr Mail-in Service, and 1 Yr Tech Support
56WHr Lithium-Ion Battery (6-cell)
Wireless 802.11g/n (1510) Mini Card
No Mobile Broadband Selected
Obsidian Black
My Accessories
Microsoft Works 9 DOES NOT INCLUDE MS WORD
McAfee SecurityCenter, 30-Day Trial
My Services & Warranties
Also Included
Inspiron Mini 10v
10.1" Widescreen Display (1024x600)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950
1GB DDR2 SDRAM
160GB, 2.5inch, 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
Integrated 1.3M Pixel Webcam
 
Hi,
Choosing which netbook to buy is easier than picking out a suitable mainstream laptop. This is because your options are quite limited - most netbooks are equipped with the same hardware: one 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, GMA 950 graphics, and 1GB of RAM. There are some occasional variations to the recipe, but the basics of a netbook are essentially the same – they are less powerful than a mainstream laptop but also very affordable and highly portable.

Thanks
 
I'd recommend any ASUS Eee PCs for your needs. I honestly love them and use one as my "portable" partner wherever I go.

I purchased the 1000HE when it first came out. My biggest need was battery life; I wanted something that would last for a long time. The 1000HE lasts me anywhere from 8-12 hours depending on how I use it; it's quite simply amazing. I never have to worry about the battery life, it's slim, portable, and attractive.

Get yourself an Eee. They've got plenty of options, so look around and compare. Get one that doesn't need an extra, bigger battery that will stick out too much.


Chris
 
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