Laptop Club

What has pushed netbooks—very small laptops that run a full-blown Linux or Windows operating system—into the spotlight is the fact that they are capable yet inexpensive, with prices ranging from $300 to $600. Early on, they were considered second computers, best for e-mail and Web surfing—thus the netbook moniker. But as manufacturers compete vigorously for market share—slashing prices and tacking on extras—consumers are reconsidering the roles that netbooks could play. Inexpensive and portable netbooks appeal to a wide audience, from businesspeople who travel frequently, to kids and home users looking for a small laptop to carry from room to room, to book-laden students who spend long hours on campus.

What Makes Netbooks Different?
It's easy enough to tell a netbook from other laptops, but the differences between one netbook and the next are getting fewer and fewer. They generally have 8-to-10-inch widescreens and lack built-in optical drives. None have full-size keyboards—they usually range from 89 percent to 93 percent of full size—so expect a more cramped typing experience than with a mainstream laptop. (If at all possible, try out the keyboard before you buy.) You will find an abundance of USB ports, a webcam, a card reader, and built-in Wi-Fi. Some even have bonus features like ExpressCard slots, Bluetooth, and options for cellular modems. Most every netbook has adopted the Intel Atom platform, made up of the Atom processor, integrated graphics, and 512MB to 1GB of RAM.

What Can (and Can't) Netbooks Do?
Don't underestimate the capabilities of these machines. They're not just limited to Web surfing, compiling spreadsheets, or word processing. You can offload your photos from a digital camera and edit them using a program like Adobe Photoshop Elements 7. With some patience, you can transcode video to another format using Windows Media Encoder 9 or edit video footage using Adobe Premiere Elements 7, or run your entire music library off of a program like Apple iTunes. A netbook can play video from sites like YouTube or a movie from an external USB drive, unmarred by distortions and lag. Businesses are considering these pint-size laptops because you can run various e-mail clients on them, put them on a network, install a VPN client, and secure them with antivirus and antispyware suites.

Configuring Your Netbook
To get a netbook that does all that you want it to do, you have to follow some basic configuration guidelines. Start with the operating system. Linux is cheap and very user-friendly, but average users tend to be more familiar and comfortable with Windows. What it comes down to is the support, functionality, and compatibility that Windows offers with an enormous range of hardware and software applications—whereas with Linux, users may not want to take the time to learn a new interface, install a program, or figure out how to get a device to work with a particular driver. And when Windows 7 rolls out, it will be even tougher for Linux to get a foothold in the netbook market. You'll find two types of hard drives: solid-state drives (SSDs) and spinning hard drives. While SSDs have faster transfer speeds, are more durable, and have longer life spans than their traditional counterparts, you pay a premium for these advantages. Most netbooks are available with spinning hard drives that can store up to 160GB worth of data. Shoot for a hard drive that has a capacity of at least 60GB and a rotational speed of 5,400 rpm.

The Intel Atom processor is the fastest and most energy-efficient netbook processor you can get. You may find an Intel Celeron M or a VIA processor in first-generation models like the ASUS EeePC 4G and the HP 2133 Mini-Note, but you're better off skipping these. Many netbooks will run fine on 1GB of memory, and most can be upgraded to 2GB, provided you can make this simple addition yourself. (Microsoft has limited manufacturers to including 1GB of memory on systems with Windows XP Home Edition, and a lot of today's netbooks run XP Home.)

Standard netbook batteries are typically three-cell (less than 30 Wh) units, although netbooks like the ASUS EeePC 1000HE, the Acer Aspire One (10-inch), and the Samsung NC10-14GB have upped their standard batteries to six-cell units. Our testing has shown that the smaller batteries will get you anywhere from 2 to 3 hours on a single charge, while the bigger ones range from 6 to 8 hours. If your activities include trips abroad or all-day classes, you'll want to look for a netbook with a six-cell option.

Specialty features aren't exclusive to larger laptops, either. Already, the HP Mini 1000 is bundling mobile broadband, a modem that makes use of cellular networks to acquire a broadband signal. One can accomplish (though not master) gaming—once thought of as an absurd activity on a netbook—on the ASUS N10Jc, thanks to an Nvidia graphics chipset. (The N10Jc also includes Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics, so you can switch between the two chipsets to enhance graphics power or to prolong battery live.) Several netbooks have already been spotted running Windows 7, Microsoft's successor to Windows Vista, and the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 is currently the only netbook shipping with a 12-inch screen. And some laptop makers have imbued their netbooks with sex appeal, even at the modest price points of these units. Both the HP Mini 2140 and the ASUS EeePC 1002HA have sleek-looking aluminum frames. As for the future, if manufacturers can keep netbook prices down, the sky's the limit.

Featured in this roundup:

Acer Aspire One (10-inch) ($319 street)

Acer's best-selling netbook gets a bigger screen and newly positioned mouse buttons.

ASUS N10Jc-A1 ($650 street)

The ASUS N10Jc's advanced features cater to sophisticated consumers and small-business users with tight budgets.

ASUS EeePC 1000HE ($400 street)

After numerous cracks at the netbook market, ASUS has finally found the winning formula in the EeePC 1000HE.

ASUS EeePC 1002HA ($430 street)

Its metallic finish makes the ASUS EeePC 1002HA the most attractive netbook to date, and its performance doesn't disappoint. However, it could use some help in the features department.

Dell Inspiron Mini 12 ($524 direct)

Currently the only netbook with a 12-inch widescreen, the Inspiron Mini 12 is as light as some of its 10-inch peers.

HP Mini 1000 ($550 direct)

HP's Mini 1000 is a solid second act that could teach other netbooks a thing or two about design. Yet it could stand to learn a few things from its peers as well.

HP Mini 2140 ($500 direct)

The sexy aluminum chassis is carried over from the 2133, but not the VIA parts.

Samsung NC10-14GB ($480 street)

Well equipped for a netbook, the NC10 comes with trimmings that include a six-cell battery (standard) and a 93 percent keyboard. Once its price gets down to the level of the Acer Aspire One or the ASUS EeePCs, the Samsung NC10 will be one of the top-rated netbooks.

I've seen my share of pink laptops, but nothing epitomizes "pretty in pink" like the Sony VAIO VGN-CS190 that I reviewed. Clearly it's aimed at those who can't get enough of the color. (Luckily, it also comes in red, white, and black versions.) Although its drop-dead-gorgeous design is its focal point, the CS190 is also highly configurable. You can dress it up with the best parts and pay a hefty price, or budget yourself and still get a Blu-ray-equipped laptop for around $1,200, as is the case with this review unit.

• Price as Tested: $1,215.00 Direct
• Type: General Purpose, Media
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
• Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo T5800
• Processor Speed: 2 GHz
• RAM: 4 GB
• Weight: 5.3 lb
• Screen Size: 14.1 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• Storage Capacity: 250 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11n
• Primary Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW DL with Blu-Ray

Its keyboard, first seen on the VAIO VGN-X505ZP, was mimicked on Apple's MacBook, and the VAIO VGN-SZ170P was switching between two different graphics solutions long before anyone had heard of switchable graphics. Their latest ultraportable, the Sony VAIO VGN-Z590, breaks new ground once again. The dual SSDs, a Blu-ray drive, and switching graphics are features commonly found on an 8-pound media center, not a 3.2-pound ultraportable. It's amazing that Sony was able to fit the amount of technology it did into such a small frame. With the Z590, therefore, Sony retains the Editors' Choice in the ultraportable category.

• Price as Tested: $4,199.00 Direct
• Type: Media, Ultraportable, Business, Small Business
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
• Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo P9500
• Processor Speed: 2.53 GHz
• RAM: 4 GB
• Weight: 3.2 lb
• Screen Size: 13.1 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce 9300 M GS
• Storage Capacity: 256 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11n
• Primary Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW DL with Blu-Ray

The latest features, look no further than the Sony VAIO VGN-TT190 ($4,345 direct). Sony has always innovated in the ultraportable space, and as this model shows, it continues to do so. The TT190's 11-inch widescreen, built-in optical drive, and mobile broadband are rare finds on a sub-3-pound frame. As if that weren't enough, it's also the lightest ultraportable to house a Blu-ray drive and dual 128GB solid state drives (SSDs). That said, there are some drawbacks—including the ultrahigh price tag—that keep me from getting too excited about the TT190.

• Price as Tested: $4,345.00 Direct
• Type: Ultraportable, Business, Small Business
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate
• Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo U9400
• Processor Speed: 1.4 GHz
• RAM: 4 GB
• Weight: 2.8 lb
• Screen Size: 11.1 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• Storage Capacity: 256 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11n
• Primary Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW DL with Blu-Ray

Reached into his inner suit pocket and pulled out the Sony VAIO VGN-UX180P. At the time, he called this handheld PC, which ran a full-blown version of Windows XP, "an achievement in ingenious design." Little did he know he'd be pulling the same stunt again at a quaint hotel in Manhattan, where I was one of a handful of journalists invited to preview Sony's take on the netbook revolution. He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a clamshell the length of two UX180Ps, not even an inch thick. This, as he described it, is Sony's answer to the surging netbook market, only it's not being classified as a netbook, it's not an update to the UX180P, and the intended audience, interestingly enough, is women. It's the Sony VAIO VGN-588EQ ($1,199 direct), better known as the Sony Lifestyle PC.

• Price as Tested: $1,199.00 Direct
• Type: General Purpose, Ultraportable, Netbook
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic
• Processor Name: Intel Atom Z520
• Processor Speed: 1.33 GHz
• RAM: 2 GB
• Weight: 1.4 lb
• Screen Size: 8 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 500
• Storage Capacity: 64 GB
• Primary Optical Drive: External

The Toshiba Qosmio X305-Q725 ($2,699.99 direct) is probably not for you. Its outlandish design, which conjures up images of fiery balls of flames striking a bloody canvas, seems fit for those who crave bragging rights for their systems. Within this 9.2-pound beast sits a mobile quad-core processor and an Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTX graphics card—parts that will set you apart from casual gamers. Performance, overall, lived up to expectations, but there is a cheaper alternative that turned in better gaming scores.

• Price as Tested: $2,700.00
• Type: Gaming, Media
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
• Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000
• Processor Speed: 2 GHz
• RAM: 4 GB
• Weight: 9.2 lb
• Screen Size: 17 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce 9800M GTX
• Storage Capacity: 384 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11n
• Primary Optical Drive: DVD+R DL

The Toshiba Portégé R600-S4202 is the sum of four years' worth of improvements, polishing an already proven product. It's the thinnest and lightest ultraportable that squeezes in an optical drive and a full-size keyboard—and its 12-inch LED widescreen isn't too shabby, either. The only thing that can potentially stand between you and commuter heaven is the agonizing $3,000 hit to your bank account.

• Price as Tested: $3,000.00 Direct
• Type: Ultraportable, Business, Small Business
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Business
• Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo U9400
• Processor Speed: 1.4 GHz
• RAM: 3 GB
• Weight: 2.4 lb
• Screen Size: 12.1 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• Storage Capacity: 128 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11n
• Primary Optical Drive: Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW

The Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch has been revered over the years by a nation of professional photographers and film editors, not to mention average media folks who can't get enough of this thin-bodied cinematic wonder. When the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Dual Graphics) and the MacBook 13-inch (Aluminum) launched with their "unibody" enclosures—in each case, a heavily promoted slab of aluminum that rids the frame of all detachable parts—a "uni-seventeen-incher" was clearly on the way. The Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch (Unibody) ($2,799 direct) is still the lightest and the prettiest media center laptop to house a maximum-resolution screen, and the changes are significant.

• Price as Tested: $2,799.00 Direct
• Type: Gaming, Media
• Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5
• Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo T9550
• Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz
• RAM: 4 GB
• Weight: 6.6 lb
• Screen Size: 17 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce 9600M GT, nVidia GeForce 9400M GT
• Storage Capacity: 320 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11n
• Primary Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW (Plus Minus)

The ASUS N50Vn-B1B ($1,250 street) is an all-purpose desktop replacement laptop that could become your next family PC. Whether your spouse uses it to edit family photos and videos, for example, or you run various applications to manage the household's finances, its 15.4-inch widescreen and fast processing parts are blessings for multitaskers. Your kids can use it to play the latest 3D games and take in high-quality movies with its excellent Nvidia graphics card.

• Price as Tested: $1,255.00 Street
• Type: Gaming, General Purpose, Media
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
• Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600
• Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
• RAM: 4 GB
• Weight: 6.7 lb
• Screen Size: 15.4 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce 9650M GS
• Storage Capacity: 320 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11n
• Primary Optical Drive: DVD+R DL

The open-source operating system may seem intimidating for the uninitiated, but a well-designed Linux build doesn't have to be. Linux offers plenty of advantages as a netbook platform: It requires less memory, taxes your processor less, and brings the cost down, to boot. (The base price for an XP system with the same specs is $20 more.) On a blind test, even the most code-phobic user might mistake HP's custom Ubuntu build for any old Media Center interface. Providing a seamless, user-friendly Linux experience is exactly where the new Mi (Mobile Internet) edition of the HP Mini 1000 ($424.99 direct) excels.

• Price as Tested: $425.00 Direct
• Type: Gaming, Ultraportable, Value, Netbook
• Operating System: HP Mobile Internet (Linux)
• Processor Name: Intel Atom N270
• Processor Speed: 1.6 GHz
• RAM: 1 GB
• Weight: 2.5 lb
• Screen Size: 10.1 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• Storage Capacity: 60 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11g