Buyer's Guide: Netbooks

For processing power, most netbooks are based on single-core Intel Atom processors running at 1.6GHz or 1.66GHz. First-generation models use the N270 or N280 chip; new ones, the N450 or N455. Netbook makers looking for extra oomph -- like Lenovo with its IdeaPad S10-3t -- will turn to the N470, which runs at 1.83GHz.

Cost and battery consumption have made dual-core CPUs a rarity in the netbook market. Nevertheless, that hasn't stopped Asus from building one of its netbooks, the 12.1-inch Eee PC 1201N, around Intel's dual-core Atom N330 chip with Ion graphics, or MSI from outfitting the similarly screened Wind U230-040US with AMD's Athlon X2 L335 and ATI Radeon HD 3200.

Acer Aspire One 532h

Early netbooks had paltry memory and storage configurations, and the majority are still not exactly lavish -- 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive are common for starters. Today, however, it's easier to find a netbook with 2GB of memory that can be upgraded to 4GB or more. Solid-state drives, which were all the rage when netbooks were first introduced, are pricey options on a few models but seem to have taken a backseat to good old-fashioned spinning platters, with 250GB rather than 160GB hard disks available for some extra dinero. In addition, some makers, like Asus, bundle free online-storage trials with their netbooks.

Almost by definition, a netbook does not contain an optical drive; Asus announced one in the Eee PC 1004DN, but others stick with external (typically USB plug-in) CD and DVD burners as extra-cost accessories.

Just Your Type

Cramped keyboards are a fact of life of netbooks -- most of their keyboards are anywhere from 83 to 93 percent the size of a desktop keyboard. However, some netbook makers have been able to push that percentage up. The Samsung N120, for instance, which is only half an inch longer than other 10-inch netbooks, has managed to fit in a keyboard that's 97 percent the size of the standard typing platform.

Still, even cramped keyboards can feel better if they're designed right. You should try to avoid keyboards that skimp on the size of the Shift, Enter, and Backspace keys. And it's always a good idea, if possible, to tap the old chiclets for yourself before buying a computer.

Like their notebook brothers, netbooks use touchpads to navigate their displays. These, too, are downsized, and can be less responsive than those found on laptops. As with the keyboard, hands-on experimentation is the best way to discover if you're compatible with a netbook's touchpad.

Button placement and design for the pad may also be an issue for you. Many users are accustomed to two distinct keys, for left and right clicking, located at the bottom of the touchpad. Some netbook makers place their buttons at the side, which may save space but can be disconcerting. Others, like the Asus Eee PC N120, use a single rocker button -- mouse clicks are emulated by pressing the left or right side of the button. This, too, can be an unnerving arrangement.

Although currently rare, some netbooks, like the HP Mini 5120 and Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t, allow simple navigation via a touch screen. This technology may gain popularity as it becomes less expensive to implement and as pressure from competing platforms, such as tablet devices and book readers, squeezes the netbook market.

And the Winner Is...Windows!

The operating-system wars that surrounded netbooks when they first appeared on the scene appeared to have abated at the moment, with Windows rather than Linux the clear winner. Older netbook models usually will be found running Windows XP, while newer ones are being sold with Windows 7 Starter or Home Premium.

Toshiba Mini NB300

For quicker starts out of the blocks, some netbooks include what Lenovo calls Quick Start and Asus calls Express Gate -- an embedded mini-Linux dubbed Splashtop by its creator, DeviceVM. Splashtop is designed to boot up a netbook in a few seconds without launching Windows. A number of basic tasks such as Web browsing can be conducted through the software. When you want to tap the power of the full OS, you can do so by launching it from within Splashtop.

Down the road, OS competition may heat up again as hardware makers introduce netbooks based on Google's Chrome operating system, some of which have already been announced or at least forecast for later this year.

As you might expect in a device with "net" in its name, netbooks uniformly provide wired Ethernet and wireless 802.11b/g (and sometimes n) networking. Bluetooth is a popular option, as is 3G mobile broadband.

Webcams, VGA monitor connectors, and headphone and microphone jacks are also ubiquitous, as are two or three USB 2.0 ports (sorry, no USB 3.0 yet). Some models also have flash-card readers for transferring information from cellphones and digital cameras, HDMI outputs for high-definition video, and fingerprint scanners.

Since their arrival on the hardware scene, netbooks have made steady gains in performance and features. While they're still not as powerful as full-sized notebooks -- although high-end netbooks come close -- people who place a premium on mobility and price will be able to find a netbook that will meet their needs.