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Notebooks Need Netbook Advice - Finding the one apple that isn't rotten.

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by joavery, 7 Aug 2010.

  1. joavery

    joavery Huh. So it CAN burn...

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    Right.

    After spending exhaustive days trying to find a decent netbook to accompany my new PC, I'm no further than I was earlier.

    It seems like there are a couple decent pieces out there (Asus, HP, Acer) and beyond that the rest is trash. However there are very few reviews on these pieces and even fewer customer testimonials.

    I would love a netbook with 2 GB memory, but it seems nowadays that you have to shell out a $150-$200 premium for that feature. Question: How important is that extra 1GB of Memory over the 1GB models?

    Second Question: What netbooks do you Bit-Techer's own? What worked well? What didn't? Recommendations.

    Right now I'm looking at the Asus EPC1000, the Asus 1005, or the Acer Aspire.

    I refuse to pay over $400 for a Netbook. I could buy a laptop for that cost, and I don't want a laptop. I want something ultralight, durable, small, without all the bells and whistles of a normal laptop, as this is meant to be my travel work document / internet computer, nothing more. No gaming. No Movies. Just Pandora, Chrome, and Open Office!

    Third Question: If I own a copy of Windows 7 - is it possible to make a USB Boot Image for a netbook without having to go online to purchase the .iso version? Google did not avail me to an answer for this question.
     
    Last edited: 7 Aug 2010
  2. docodine

    docodine killed a guy once

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    Upgrade to 2GB yourself, the reason why there is such a price premium is that MS doesn't want to sell any netbooks with Win7 Starter that have over 1GB RAM, and a few other spec requirements.

    And yes, if you have a legit copy of Win7 you can make it USB bootable, so no worries there.
     
  3. joavery

    joavery Huh. So it CAN burn...

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    Oh seriously? I thought those babies would be like old Laptops I've owned, where even remotely trying to crack them open results in catastrophic destruction and warranty voiding.

    Nifty, I'll absolutely upgrade the Memory! Thanks!
     
  4. ShakeyJake

    ShakeyJake My name is actually 'Jack'.

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    My good old Eee 900 has just crapped out on me. Really, really nice machine. I'm waiting for the WeTab, if that's a flop I'll be getting the Lenovo X100E.
     
  5. roosauce

    roosauce Looking for xmas projects??

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    The CULV processors are where the power is, but they won't fit in your budget I assume. A dual-core Atom would do, but certainly the 2GB RAM (rather than 1GB) makes a very large difference to usability.
     
  6. joavery

    joavery Huh. So it CAN burn...

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    For me the biggest thing is battery life, and the Asus 1005 comes highest recommended in that sector. I can upgrade the ram (thanks to info from thread!), so that pretty much seals the deal for me. The price is right as well.

    Again, this computer is only for the following:

    Chrome
    Open Office
    Music

    So I don't really feel I need the beefy CPU that runs me 680 bucks or the iPathetic and things in that vein.
     
  7. docodine

    docodine killed a guy once

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    You won't be disappointed, Asus makes some solid netbooks. :thumb:
     
  8. 13eightyfour

    13eightyfour Formerly Titanium Angel

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    Ive got an ASUS S101 lovely looking thing, great for browsing the web and the battery lasts ages but that all depends on the use, ive had over 4 hours just browsing the web but media playback cuts that significantly!

    I run mine on ubuntu as its so much faster than windows on a netbook. I found the default Xp install painful to use.
     
  9. klutch4891

    klutch4891 What's a Dremel?

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    I have the Asus Eee 1000 (with the 8GB SSD and 32GB internal SD card) and I'm fairly happy with it. I upgraded it to 2GB and put Windows 7 Pro on it and I get about 5 hours of battery life with Wifi and bluetooth on. The only complaint I have is that the 8GB seems to be getting slower the longer I use it.

    The extra gig makes all the difference in the world in my opinion; but don't expect to be doing anything too strenuous on it either way.
     
  10. Simon bridgeford

    Simon bridgeford i'm a pc

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    i have the acer a110 16gb ssd with windows xp on it, i had to put some software called flashfire on it to make it faster now it really good i also bought a big battery and i can get 12 hours of use which isnt bad for a £150 refurbs netbook and a £35 battery. it will play web videos perfectly fine and i love using it.

    hope that helps

    a link to the website where i got it from
    http://www.acerdirect.co.uk/box_opened_laptops/prod.asp
     
  11. EvilMerc

    EvilMerc Minimodder

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    Don't rule out AMD based netbooks, they may not have the battery longevity but they have the Atoms beat on performance. Makes browsing a much more pleasant experience, so if you're willing to sacrifice a little battery life it's well worth it.
     
  12. carajp

    carajp What's a Dremel?

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    You really do need to understand how slow they are. Especially if you're the kind of experienced user who likes to do more than one thing at once. In the end I couldn't bear it any more and switched to a CULV - which I'm absolutely delighted with.

    My netbook was an Asus. So impressed was I with build quality, appearance, keyboard and everything else about it that my CULV is an Asus too, which looks far more expensive than its price tag. (The netbook was certainly no slower than any other - the breed as a whole are painfully slow). So if you must have a netbook you can't go wrong with an Asus. Nor with a Samsung, by all I've heard and read.

    Caroline
     

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