Netbooks versus Laptops

Published: September 10, 2009Posted in: FAQs
Netbooks versus Laptops

Laptops have changed the way many people use their computers and now allow them to accomplish things while traveling that they used to have to do at their desk. The advent of ubiquitous Wi-Fi and cellular networks means almost universal access to the internet and this helps these mobile users be even more productive. The next step in portable computing is the netbook and it promises to make mobile computing even easier for the traveling masses.

What the Netbook brings to the equation is its smaller size, lighter weight and tremendous battery life. By being smaller, its easier for many users to carry more places and because of the smaller screen, the battery life is extended. Many of the current generation of Netbooks can easily provide 6 hours or more of computing on a single charge, which is twice what most larger laptops offer. The smaller size also makes the Netbook easier to use on a planes tray table, or even a table at the local coffee shop.

In addition to their smaller size and extended battery life they offer several other advantages over a traditional laptop. One of these is their connectivity options. The lastest wave of Netbooks offers 802.11n connectivity standard as well as 802.11b and 802.11g compatibility. This means you can use the highest speed available on your local hotspot. Many of them also provide a slot to add a 3G SIM card right to the Netbook itself. This can be nice if you have a broadband plan from one of the carriers since it allows you to eliminate the need for a USB dongle to connect.

Newer models of Netbooks offer a wider choice when it comes to hard drives and memory. Most of them come with 1GB of memory standard and offer a variety of hard drive sizes up to a whopping 250GB. There are also options for solid state flash drives in many of the models which will give you a faster boot time, better performance and help to extend your battery life even further.

These Netbooks do a great job of packing a lot of connection options into a tiny package as well. They normally offer 3 USB connections as well as a VGA connection so that you can use an external monitor or projector. This makes it easy to connect the Netbook up to a lager screen if you are working in the office for the day or a projector if you are on the road doing presentations for customers. They also include a standard LAN connection in case you want to connect to a local network instead of the Wi-Fi.

The smaller screens are also improved and are crisper than older models. You can easily work on a document or spreadsheet and not have to worry about the print being too small. They also feature a brighter screen than many current laptops and can be seen perfectly well while outdoors in sunlight. The other thing that the manufacturers have concentrated on is the keyboard. Most of the models have a keyboard that is 90% or better as large as a standard laptop keyboard. This is important to many mobile users as earlier models of these Netbooks were tricky to type on. These latest versions are a very natural layout that is easy to use, even when composing long Emails or documents.