Advice from Netbook users

[pakopako]

My fiance is interested in getting a netbook. Thing is... I've never used one and I'm not sure if it's worth it over a regular laptop. She'll be using it to do word processing/printing, itunes crap, and internet.

Usually sick gaming rigs are heavy (7+ lbs.). If you can make a light one (5-6 lbs.), offer that to her.

I personally prefer lightweight machines (usually classed as "ultraportable" -- see IBM's X201) with close to full sized keyboards. I always believe a person should pick a laptop because of its usability, portability, and comfort.

Xonticus offers the best advice -- go to a brick-and-mortar retail store and try out the keyboards. It took me a few hours to get used to the small size, and I still don't like 'em because the machine (an Asus EEE) continues to be very warm. A lot of the newer models have bigger keyboards now, so just she should try them all out to find one she likes.

And while you're at the store, close to notebook, balance your camera or something on top and try lifting the notebook off the table. This should be what its like with a battery.

While I did mention warmth, also feel the bottom of the laptop with the back of your hand to see if you can stand the heat it puts out. There are plenty of software programs out there to pump the fan at all times, but they don't work with all models and smaller computers can mean a harder time modding. (Or paying extra for one of those lap-protectors or fan-tables.)

[Breetai]

I have TWO; one for myself and one for my wife. I absolutely love netbooks.

It is small enough to bring with me to classes, on the train (commuting), airplanes, etc. They are very portable. I do not miss a disc drive in the least. I do have an external DVD burner that was probably $50-100 or so for the few times when I've used it, but for the most part everything you need to install can be done over the net or flash drives.

It's basically what a laptop was meant to be; a portable PC. When folded up, but's about the same size as one of those iPads... except it is a fully functional PC.

It has no issues with regular use stuff like the internet, movies, downloaded episodes of Macross, word processing, and emulators up to the N64.

GET HER ONE!!!

[fvgazi]

Building her a game rig was a joke (althought I wish it wasn't). The only thing I can get her to play is tetris on my 360 and angry birds. She hates video games.

You've all solidified our decision to get a netbook!

[fastbilly1]

Ive used one heavily for alittle over the past year and cant imagine not having one anymore. I have two currently, one that is xp and is pretty much a gameboy (GOG and I are good friends), and one that I use as my primary internet pc (running ubuntu/mint). The keyboard does take some time to get use to - the number keys are shifted to the left a key. And yes it is alittle sluggish, but it gets everything Ive needed it to do. Think of it like a giant PDA.

[avrame]

Ditto to the majority of all the comments here. My fiancee let me buy a netbook for myself as an after Christmas gift, and I say, I do love the little sucker. I bought mine at the Microsoft Store for $199 (Dell Inspiron Mini 1018, 1.6 GHZ Atom N450, 1GB ram, and 250 GB hdd).

First thing I did was bump up the mem to 2GB, a little hard to do on my model as you have to rip off the keyboard, but my oh my, after that tiny upgrade, it runs Windows 7 Professional without a hitch. Biggest drop you'll see if you have 1GB of ram is that the netbook will be slow when multi-tasking.

If she plans to chat, browse and iTunes at the same time, I highly suggest you pony up the cash to grab a netbook with 1GB of ram to start with, as Window 7 eats a good 400 MB of ram when idle run for system resources.

My netbook usage:
browse (IE9 beta), download anime (flashget + animeground.com), watch anime (cccp), chat (Live Messenger), download music (zune), emulators (snes9x) and games (steam).

Only thing it has ever bogged down on me with was gaming on steam (which was a giving, though it play Plants vs Zombies like a champ), and watch anime at 720p (doable, but lags when attempting to render abundant subtitles)

Overall, $199 gives it AMAZING value. Frick, I mean to me, it boils down as MP3 player (ala iTouch), or a netbook. Answer was obvious to me... Oh yeah, and don't forget about Android tethering ^_^

[Niode]

Personally I can't stand the bloody things. My ex-fiancée had one because carrying her 17" MBP was too rough on her back when she was going to and from University. I tried using it and just could not get my fingers to type on the keyboard. Way too small. The trackpad was fiddly as well. She seemed to like it and it suited her needs, although all she needed it for was note-taking during lectures.

[avrame]

Personally I can't stand the bloody things. My ex-fiancée had one because carrying her 17" MBP was too rough on her back when she was going to and from University. I tried using it and just could not get my fingers to type on the keyboard. Way too small. The trackpad was fiddly as well. She seemed to like it and it suited her needs, although all she needed it for was note-taking during lectures.

I guess what really matters is the brand that was bought at the time. Assuming it was bought a ways back, Asus was still kicking out their eeePCs with a 8" screen, and made the keyboard as small as possible. The newer netbooks (10" and up) are quite comfortable to type on.

[fastbilly1]

Personally I can't stand the bloody things. My ex-fiancée had one because carrying her 17" MBP was too rough on her back when she was going to and from University. I tried using it and just could not get my fingers to type on the keyboard. Way too small. The trackpad was fiddly as well. She seemed to like it and it suited her needs, although all she needed it for was note-taking during lectures.

I guess what really matters is the brand that was bought at the time. Assuming it was bought a ways back, Asus was still kicking out their eeePCs with a 8" screen, and made the keyboard as small as possible. The newer netbooks (10" and up) are quite comfortable to type on.

Both of mine are ASUS EEE 900 (well one is a 900a) with the 8.9 inch screen. After a month I could type on the keyboard with about 90% accuracy of what I can type on a full size.

[pakopako]

If note-taking is all one needs, may I recommend older tablet (an iPad, but running Windows 7) or hybrid-tablet PCs (iPads with swing-out keyboards)?

They cost the same and are about as powerful than a netbook, but offer a 12-14" screen.

Or if you have the cash, a DS tablet.

[fvgazi]

If note-taking is all one needs, may I recommend older tablet (an iPad, but running Windows 7) or hybrid-tablet PCs (iPads with swing-out keyboards)?

They cost the same and are about as powerful than a netbook, but offer a 12-14" screen.

Or if you have the cash, a DS tablet.

Typing papers is torture on tablets. Plus, she has to be able to print and do presentations.