If you’re on the lookout for a new portable PC, it pays to pay close attention to the specifications on offer before you get out your credit card. Not all laptops are equal, and we’re not just talking about the inherent differences between different laptop formats, such as netbooks and more powerful desktop-replacement laptops.
Check out our laptop buying advice below to get to grips with the specs on offer and learn the bare minimum requirements for today’s portable computers, and then head to our laptop reviews to check out the latest models.
Portability and a lower price tag are the netbook’s main attraction. Speed and comfort are their main problems.
Initially conceived to run Linux from a small internal solid-state drive, the netbook category was soon overrun with near-identical designs locked-down by processor and OS suppliers Intel and Microsoft.
Essentially all netbooks now take an Intel Atom, run Windows 7 Starter; and have a 10.1in low-resolution 1024×600 screen, 1GB memory, 160GB/250GB hard disk, and three USB 2.0 ports.
Following the success of the Apple iPad since its launch in 2010, the category is on the wane, and may decline further, especially if other types of tablet PC prove popular.
Processor: Intel’s Atom is the de-facto netbook processor. It consumes little power and gets the job done eventually. Expect sluggish navigation and slow startups. Look out for AMD’s new APU chipsets in 2011, a combined CPU/GPU solution that fianlly promises competition for Intel in this low-power processor class.
Storage: Early models had small flash-based drives up to 8GB. Now, effectively all netbooks come with either 160GB or 250GB 2.5in SATA hard-disk drives.
Memory: Windows/Intel (Wintel) netbooks are restricted to 1GB of RAM, but you can easily upgrade this yourself to 2GB for around £25. That’s our recommended minimum for running Windows 7, and will help prevent the netbook slowing further as apps are opened.
Wireless: 802.11b/g was the original standard wireless card in netbooks, but most newer models support 802.11n now too. Faster Wi-Fi technology won’t affect browsing speed but will come in handy when transferring large files. All the models currently in our chart support 802.11n
Bluetooth can be useful but is not always a standard fitting. Some netbooks also include built-in 3G modems, needing just a 3G SIM card to gain wireless internet outdoors.
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