(Oct 03, 2008)
Dan Ackerman
Senior Editor
Whether you call them Netbooks, mini-laptops, or sub-notebooks, these small, low-cost, low-power systems are the hottest thing to hit laptops since the touchpad. We suggest an Intel Atom CPU, 1GB of RAM, a 16GB or larger SSD drive, and Windows XP, with Bluetooth as a preferred option for tethering a smart phone for mobile broadband access.
Dell Inspiron Mini 9
Dell's entry into the Netbook market means it's time to take these low-cost, low-power PCs seriously. The Inspiron Mini 9 is an excellent example of the form, if not radically different from the competition.
Price: $349.00 (check prices)
Review date: Sep 5, 2008
Excellent
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HP Mini 1000
HP may have arrived late to the consumer Netbook game, but by lifting the generous keyboard from last year's business-oriented model, the Mini 1000 easily joins the category's top tier.
Price: $359.99 (check prices)
Review date: Oct 28, 2008
Excellent
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Asus Eee PC 901
The long-awaited Asus Eee PC 901 is the best version of this inexpensive Netbook yet, but it's facing increased competition from the likes of HP, Dell, and MSI.
Price: $437.99 - $458.46 (check prices)
Review date: Jun 30, 2008
Excellent
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Lenovo IdeaPad S10
Lenovo's "me, too!" entry in the Netbook sweepstakes, the IdeaPad S10, gets the price and features right, but falls behind on battery life.
Price: $349.00 (check prices)
Review date: Sep 30, 2008
Very good
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