It can be very confusing when you are in the market for a new laptop, or should that be notebook? And where does netbook fit in? These three terminologies do have different meanings, but the explanation is very simple. They are all computers, and, depending upon your computer needs, you will make a choice between them.
A netbook is the ideal computer for people who want to do email and word processing. Netbooks are very light, several ounces lighter than a laptop, and this makes them very portable. They easily fit into most bags, and packs without taking up too much space. Most netbooks also come with Skype pre-installed, and again, this is perfect for someone who wants to stay in touch while on the go. The 0.3 meg web cam, though small, provides a clear image and is more than enough to see, and be seen.
Most netbooks today have a 250 GB hard drive, and, if you need more space, the addition of an external hard drive still keeps the overall price at the very affordable level. RAM is usually 1 GB but can be expanded to a maximum 2 GB. The screen is typically in the 9-10 inch range and watching movies is easily doable. Netbooks also have a smaller keyboard than a notebook or laptop, but often, it is about 90-95% of a full sized keyboard so you are not losing very much. Surprisingly, some netbooks come with a battery life over 10 hours, and that’s phenomenal.
What you won’t find in a netbook is a DVD/DC drive, nor will you be able to do heavy gaming. A netbook isn’t intended to replace a full sized desk top or laptop, and if heaving gaming is what you want to do, then a netbook probably isn’t for you.
With the advances in notebooks, the terms notebook and laptop can be used interchangeably. Both have larger screens than the netbook and both tend to have full sized keyboards. The hard drive is often quite large and it is not unusual to see one in the 500 + GB range. They also have a DVD/CD drive and naturally are several ounces heavier than a netbook. While this might not seem much, carrying a laptop or notebook for a while soon weighs you down.
Notebooks and laptops can take the place of a desktop computer, and, can be used for heavy gaming. They also can cost three or four times as much as a netbook.
Who Should Buy a Netbook
- Travelers and those on the go who need to stay in touch
- Budget conscious- significantly cheaper than a laptop/notebook
- Students – easier to fit in a pack and take to class
- Light computer users -email and word processing