Netbooks, Netbooks, Netbooks...

[DarkBlood]

I'm just wondering, why are netbooks starting to steal the spotlight? They are NOT a replacement to laptops, and never will be in my eyes. Netbooks are just dummed down laptops if you ask me, lower specs cheaper parts.

I thought the future was all about advancing, not... devancing!

[Tracker]

Netbooks are great....

Smaller size easier to carry around

lower cost

They are however more of a mobile computer. Not a replacement for a main computer so think about it. At home you have a desktop to do everything you need. Then while you are away from home you have your little netbook you can carry around with out breaking your back and it can do all the stuff most people need it to. [Email web messengers...ect..ect]

They have there own pros and cons just as any other computer does however....

On the plus side they are a hell of a lot cheaper than most laptops ;)

[DarkBlood]

Basically you said they're a replacement for laptops. As laptops are for when you're away from home, etc.

[Volt.Networks]

Yes, they are laptop replacements. However, they are much weaker than laptops. As a trade, they are much smaller and portable. Some people consider this an advantage.

If you only need a laptop on the go to do some light word processing or internet browsing, then why not get a netbook? It's not like you are developing videos or something intensive on it. This is good for students who have low budgets and need mobility for classes.

[fnixws]

I dont see the big deal with them either. I have an Acer Aspire, and it barely gets any use.
If i want a quick browsing solution on the go, carrying around a netbook is a pain in the ---. You need to get it out, boot it up and hope theres an access point near by. I find myself wipping out the mobile phone in most situations.

Netbooks are however good lil Student PCs, and a good cheap solution for people whos budget is limited and need overly powerful hardware.
Netbooks arent a replacement for Notebooks, they ARE notebooks, just slightly smaller, cheaper and less powerful.

[DarkBlood]

Netbooks aren't meant for word processing.

[fnixws]

Doesn't mean you cant use it for that. IMO they make good student alternatives to Traditional sized laptops.

[Ben]

I could see use for a netbook.

My laptop I usually carry around the house, say into the living room, so I don't have to be stuck behind a desk. I could use a netbook if I go to a friends house to, for example, crack a wireless network because they are too broke to buy a cable/DSL connection (has happened three times in the last week), or if I'm going on vacation or typing notes in class I can toss it in a backpack and it won't weigh it down like a laptop. I tend to use a backpack as my only packing utensil when I go on vacation.*


*When I lived in louisiana, I flew back to Atlanta to buy a car because Hurricane Gustav turned my old one into a boat. I had a one-way ticket to a major city with potential targets (CDC, etc) and all I had was a backpack with one change of clothes and a license plate in it. No checked baggage. I'm really surprised I didn't get "randomly" chosen for further searching, but I thought I did for a minute when security shuffled me into this line on the side that was really short. Not to mention police/security don't like me because I usually end up looking like I'm scheming something when I'm really just zoned out. I've been harrassed by cops so many times ...

[.Bobby]

Since i'm a fan of overclocking computers, I naturally built my own computer, and.. more or less overclocked it to how I wanted it to be. This being said, i've got a darn powerful machine at home. Considering I store most of my files in my 500GB Ext. HDD, a netbook just does fine for me, since I probably won't play much games on it, or do heavy video editing - which I usually do at home.

Notebooks on the other hand, for me at least, is used when someone doesn't have a Desktop at home (which is usually more powerful compared with a netbook or notebook). You need a notebook because you would be running close to everything on that machine of yours, and you've not no other alternatives. The plus side to this is that you are able to, let's say, play Games when you're in a wireless hotspot somewhere outside - when your laptop's with you that is.

[Schmarvin]

Netbooks aren't meant for word processing.

That's when your wrong. Netbooks are the low-budget solutions to replace laptops. A laptop is just a mobile computer basically. But wait, you can't do anything resource intensive on a laptop. Yet, I've seen people spend over $1000 on a laptop just to play games and use them for rendering and such. Why spend $1000 on a laptop? I can spend $500 to get an excellent desktop to do rendering, gaming, and more!

A laptop is meant to be a mobile work place. They were not meant to be used for gaming, nor for anything that is only meant for a desktop.

A netbook goes back to the concept of mobility. It follows the basic standards to allow a user to work and move around with a low budget. But now, people are even wanting the netbooks, at their low price, to have increased specs, such as more RAM and more disk space.

[DarkBlood]

I can spend $500 to get an excellent desktop to do rendering, gaming, and more!

Not when desktops I require are over 1000 USD. (I need 3.0 GHz or more processing power, two cores or better.)


But now, people are even wanting the netbooks, at their low price, to have increased specs, such as more RAM and more disk space.

Exactly, netbooks should never have been made if they didn't want people doing this.

[Patrick]

Not when desktops I require are over 1000 USD. (I need 3.0 GHz or more processing power, two cores or better.)

You're getting ripped off.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103228

You can build a top of the line PC for $1000.

[DarkBlood]

I can't build computers worth a damn, so I have no choice but to be ripped off.

[Dynash]

You're getting ripped off.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103228

You can build a top of the line PC for $1000.
Most people want insurance. You can't get that with self-built systems.

I'd like a netbook, saw the new range of VAIOs, P Series. Lovely machines, but not worth £800. I'd buy one if I won the lottery though. haha

[theraptor]

Here is why i would get a netbook: if i want to browse the web/code or something while traveling and if there isn't necessarily a hotspot there. But if you are going to get a netbook, you might as well get mobile internet from a phone provider, or it is pointless.

[Ben]

I can't build computers worth a damn, so I have no choice but to be ripped off.

It's pretty straightforward, dude.

[Volt.Networks]

I can't build computers worth a damn, so I have no choice but to be ripped off.

My local Fry's offers to put your parts together for around $80. It's still probably cheaper to pay them to do that than to buy a desktop of comparable specs.


Most people want insurance. You can't get that with self-built systems.

True, but how often do desktops break down? Besides, the money you'd be saving should cover any parts that break down.



Exactly, netbooks should never have been made if they didn't want people doing this.

I don't see a problem with this as long as they stay true to their purpose (lightweight and mobile). It won't hurt to try to max out the specs as long as the size doesn't change. I think they'd make a good laptop replacement as long as you have a desktop at home.

[DarkBlood]

It's pretty straightforward, dude.

Believe me, I've tried, in an A+ class. I often misplaced parts, or caused parts to fry, or I didn't put the right parts in place, or I didn't hook up the power button right to the mobo, or I didn't hook up the front panel ports right to the mobo. After about 5+ times doing it over, I got it right -_-

So not as straightforward, FOR ME.


I don't see a problem with this as long as they stay true to their purpose (lightweight and mobile). It won't hurt to try to max out the specs as long as the size doesn't change. I think they'd make a good laptop replacement as long as you have a desktop at home.

I have to rely on wireless hotspots that are free.


My local Fry's offers to put your parts together for around $80. It's still probably cheaper to pay them to do that than to buy a desktop of comparable specs.

We don't have fry's electronics. We have Milwaukee PC and Geek Squad, that's it. Milwaukee PC people are rip offs, so is Geek Squad.

Also, people should realize that 3 GHz processors have been around for a while now (since 2003 (http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=339073))