Acer Aspire One D250
Quick specs: 10.1 inch (15cm) screen, Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB memory, 160GB hard disk, 1.27kg, wireless g
Netbooks don’t come much more affordable than this. Although a little lacklustre – inside and out, the D250 is still a serviceable netbook with a 10.1 inch screen and a long (7 hour) battery life. There’s also a flash card reader and Web cam built in, and enough power from its Atom processor to run most basic applications (but it will certainly struggle with high definition video).
We like: Low price, long battery lift
We don’t like: Slow-ish processor, basic design
Price: $380
Asus Eee PC T91MT
Quick specs: 8.9 inch (22cm) screen, Intel Atom Z520 processor, 1GB memory, 32GB flash memory, 0.96kg, wireless n
Forget the Apple iPad. Asus already has an affordable touchscreen tablet PC available – and this one will also convert into a regular notebook with a full keyboard. The screen is multi-touch capable and will also accept pen input. It’s still quite thin given its convertible nature and the internal specifications are rock solid. Just be sure to shop around a little – prices on this product can vary dramatically from store to store.
We like: Awesome multi-touch screen, high performance, convertible tablet, light weight
We don’t like: Screen could be a little bigger
Price: $749
Dell Inspiron mini 10v
Quick specs: 10.1 inch (25cm) screen, Intel Atom N280 processor, 1GB memory, 160GB hard disk, 1.14 kg, wireless g
A low cost netbook that doesn’t look or feel cheap, Dell’s Inspiron mini 10v doesn’t quite have the power under the hood that the $649 mini 10 boasts, but is more than capable of running basic applications like a web browser or Skype. It’s also a great-looking little netbook, has a battery that will last close to 6 hours and a keyboard that’s actually big enough to type on. It’s not a netbook you can play high def movies on, but it’s a fantastic bargain.
We like: Solid design, low price, long battery life
We don’t like: Low-ish performance
Price: $449
HP Mini 110-1135TU
Quick specs: 10.1 inch (25cm) screen, Intel Atom N280 processor, 1GB memory, 250GB hard disk, 1.17kg, wireless g
Wonderfully designed for such an affordable netbook, the HP Mini 110 line features a particularly capacious keyboard as well as a quality webcam and card reader. You probably won’t find a better-looking netbook anywhere, though you might find one with better internal specifications for the price.
We like: Fantastic and unique design, excellent input
We don’t like: Price/performance is not that great
Price: $650
MSI Wind U210
Quick specs: 12.1 inch (31cm) screen, AMD Yukon MV40 processor, 2GB memory, 320GB hard disk, 1.3kg, wireless n
Still want a portable netbook, but a 10 inch screen is just too small? MSI’s Wind 12 series fills the gap in many ways between netbooks and full-size laptops. With a 12.1 inch (31cm) screen and a more powerful processor than you typically find in netbooks, it fills that role nicely. It also has HDMI output, which is nice for connecting it to your lounge room television set.
We like: Large screen, faster processor and more memory than most netbooks, HDMI output
We don’t like: Bland design
Price: $760
