The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Good NetBook?
Rhino
TheRhinLOLRegistered User regular
TheRhinLOLRegistered User regular
I'm looking to get a net book, the beefier the better. I'd either like something "really good" out of the box or just a stripped down bare bone.
HP won't let me get XP with 3 gigs of ram; due to their agreement with Microsoft they can only sale it with 1 gig of ram. So either I'm paying for a 1 gig dimm that I won't use or paying for Win7 (which again, I won't use).
Also they have horrid HDD options. I'd like one without a HDD because I'm just going to take it out and throw it away anyways.
Thoughts?
Also, what's the deal with the XP license? My gf has a netbook and has OEM key on bottom, but every Win XP disc I've tried (I have about 4 of them, officially from MS) says the key isn't valid. HP Tech support says it can only be installed via their recovery disk, which they would be happy to sale me for $19.99 (which seems like a rip off, considering she already bought and paid for the netbook and XP license)
HP won't let me get XP with 3 gigs of ram; due to their agreement with Microsoft they can only sale it with 1 gig of ram. So either I'm paying for a 1 gig dimm that I won't use or paying for Win7 (which again, I won't use).
Also they have horrid HDD options. I'd like one without a HDD because I'm just going to take it out and throw it away anyways.
Thoughts?
Also, what's the deal with the XP license? My gf has a netbook and has OEM key on bottom, but every Win XP disc I've tried (I have about 4 of them, officially from MS) says the key isn't valid. HP Tech support says it can only be installed via their recovery disk, which they would be happy to sale me for $19.99 (which seems like a rip off, considering she already bought and paid for the netbook and XP license)
Rhino on
0
Posts
Your intended use will effect what system and options are best for you.
Also, "beefy" netbooks are sort of a misnomer, as are netbooks with 10" or 11" screens. At that point, you're edging into small laptop territory, no matter what the manufacturer tells you.
Besides it's like what? sixty bucks for a new stick of ram?
And with the hard drive a lot of them come with large hard drives. But regardless, that's not the point of a netbook. A netbook is supposed to be low power/consumption and is supposed to compliment your existing computing, not be the sole computer in the house.
Satans..... hints.....
I'm hoping Black Friday will have a good deal on one somewhere, but I've never really dealt with netbooks before. She has pretty much used my laptop to play all the flash games on disney.com and nickelodeon.com so she doesn't need anything too fancy.
Thoughts on good brands? Brands to stay away from?
Just get a stripped 14" laptop for $500 and call it a day.
Windows home version. Any home version media should work.
As far as the OS goes, if you're not going with Linux, just get Win7. There are definite benefits, especially with netbooks. The better task bar will be a huge help. Like, huge. I cant imagine using the XP/Vista task bar on a 10" screen. Win7 will be faster all around. Also, you will get better battery life, as Win7 is just designed to use less battery life in laptops in general. Take a look here for more info.
Look for a netbook with the nvidia ion graphics chipset. I think toshiba currently makes one. It's still paired with the less than perfect intel atom series, but it's better than the atom + intel GMA 950 that's like seven years old.
Windows 7 is fine. It runs much better than Vista ever did. Stick with 7 and enjoy it.
Finally, if you can wait till 1st quarter next year, the dual core atom chipsets should be available in netbooks. They came out in Japan earlier this year and look promising
I have no problem typing on it at all. I am a pretty big dude with big hands but I can type on it just fine. Yeah, a little slower than a full sized keyboard, but I'm not annoyed with it at all. I am not sure why people complain about keyboard size so much.
If i was in the market to get a new netbook now I would definitely wait for dual core atoms to come out, because why not.
I also bought an Acer Aspire One just under a year ago, and absolutely love the thing.
I have the 120 gig version, with the 6 cell battery.
I've run XP and various versions of Ubuntu, as well as Win7, and all of them run perfectly fine, even with the 3D effects. Youtube works great (no stuttering on mine), and other video playback is also perfectly fine, but with 720p and above, playback is a little iffy- it really depends on the codec. You won’t be doing any Photoshop or 3dsmax on here, but for office software, note taking, chat/email/watching tv, it is more than capable.
I get about 6 hours of battery life, which, in my opinion, is part of the reason to get a netbook and not a laptop. The keyboard is a little cramped, but typing is rarely affected- the only minor gripe I have is that the mouse buttons on the earlier models are on either side of the mouse touchpad, thus proving annoying and difficult to click both at the same time (to simulate middle click). However, I believe this has been fixed as of the 10.1” versions.
All in all, this is the 4th laptop/netbook I've used, and I think I'm more pleased with it than any other computer, desktop included.
It's a bit pricey at $400, but it's got an 11.6" screen at 1366x768. Don't own one, but I'm tempted to sell the Aspire One I've got and move up.
Plus, you know, shiny black case.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
Just so you know, the Mini doesn't have the true unclipped ION, it won't support DX10. The Lenovo netbook coming out later this year/early next year will though.
Still, the new HP mini runs WOW at close to 20 frames a second, and that's not nothing...
The mini does handle 1080P though without lag, at an estimated 20 to 30 percent processor use
*cough*
Besides, there's a driver hack to enable DX10 on the ION LE already, just change the device ID in the drivers to make it install the standard ION drivers.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
awesome... did not know that... I might get the mini over the lenovo now
Aaaand sigged.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.