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Small laptop computers have been the craze in consumer electronics for the past two years. Five years ago, we were just scraping the surface of using laptops as everyday devices. Although we love the portability that current laptops offer, today’s lifestyle demands smaller, sleeker, and more affordable computing devices.
Small laptops are a misnomer to many because of people’s different tastes. The main question for consumers is, how small is small? In a fast evolving industry where new laptop models are released every week, finding small cheap laptops has become much easier.
What Defines Small Laptops
Small laptops weigh less than 4.5 pounds and can even go smaller just like a 2-pound netbook. At this weight, you can carry your laptop in your bag without feeling physical strain. Another characteristic of a small laptop is its small footprint. A laptop’s footprint answers the question; how much space does it take? Regular laptops measure as much as 19 inches, which will take up the space of a large bag. Two years ago, you would need a separate bag to carry your laptop. Today, 12-inch laptops will give you a lot of space in your bag, and smaller netbooks can fit in one of your bag’s pockets.
A small laptop is necessary if you live a mobile lifestyle and you need a constant computing companion. Usually, these laptops are used for business presentations, portable office documents, note-taking, and mobile entertainment. Small laptops should have sufficient connectivity that can take advantage of Wi-Fi and 3G networks. Most importantly, small laptop computers should have excellent battery life, so you won’t have to bring your power cord wherever your laptop goes.
Netbooks As Small Laptops
Netbooks are a class of laptops usually described as laptops with 7 inch to 10 inch screens. Netbooks is also the term used for cheap laptops with as much as 12.1 inch screens. These laptops are not as powerful as their bigger counterparts, but they are just as well suited for daily tasks. The netbook market paved the way for affordable and small laptops. Manufacturers have found a way to cram decent computing power in a small footprint and sell them at a lower price.
The market for small laptops has grown exponentially since the market broke open in the last quarter of 2007. Today, netbooks and small cheap laptops are the fastest growing sectors in the laptop market. Since the cost of these laptops ranges from $250-$400, they increasingly have become the popular choice for many users especially in the current state of the economy.
Things To Consider When Buying A Small Laptop Computer
If you are planning to buy a small laptop, there are critical factors that you have to consider before you can commit to your preferred laptop. First, be sure that you can live with the size of the screen and the keyboard. Many users are fine with the small sized screen and keyboard in the first few weeks. As time goes on, some will long for a larger screen and keyboard after a few months. If you are a fast touch typist, you may have to adjust your typing style, which can limit your productivity. On the other hand, many users have no problem with the small screen and keyboard, which is a compromise they are willing to make for portability. Another feature that you have to consider is the optical drive. Small laptops without optical drives can be a pound lighter. Meanwhile, having an internal optical drive means that you always have a media drive handy to play movies and install programs.
The battery life of laptops is slowly approaching the efficiency of cell phones. The best netbooks have a battery life of ten hours, which is more than enough for daily use. However, longer batteries also mean heavier batteries which could add to the bulk of the laptop. As we can see, deciding between portability versus functionality is always a compromise, and it all depends on the preferences of the user.
Small cheap laptops and netbooks paved the way for the mass usage of Linux in laptops. Linux is a free operating system and the alternative to Windows XP. The most popular variant of Linux are Ubuntu, Fedora, Open SUSE, and Xandros. Laptop manufacturers have adapted the use of small Linux laptops to sell their products at a much lower price. Since it is free, buyers do not have to pay for a Windows OS license, thereby saving money for consumers. A small Linux laptop can do basically everything that Windows XP can do including editing office files with Open Office, browsing the web with Mozilla Firefox, watching movies with Linux media players, and more.
Top Small Laptop Brands
The 5 of the best cheap small laptops in today’s market are the Asus 1000H and its other variants, the Acer Aspire One™, Samsung NC10/NC20, Lenovo S10, and the Dell Mini Inspiron. The top selling small laptop computers from 2008 to 2009 are the Asus EEE™1000 and the Acer Aspire One™. These laptops are also the best selling laptops of any class, mainly because of their very competitive prices.
The Acer Aspire One™ is the top selling small laptop computer today. The first generation of this model features an 8.9 inch screen, spacious keyboards, the latest Intel Atom processor, and 1GB of RAM. The second generation, which was released recently, features a 10 inch screen and a better body finish.
The ASUS EEE™ is the first generation of small and cheap laptop computers. The best model as of the moment is the Asus EEE™ 1000HE, which features a glossy 10 inch display, elegant design, and the first chiclet keyboard in a netbook. The Asus EEE™ class of small laptop computers includes the EEE™ 701, EEE™ 900, EEE™ 1000, EEE™ 1000H, and more.
Other laptop manufacturers that made waves in the cheap small laptop market are HP, Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba, and Samsung. Today’s cheap small laptops follow a standard range of specifications. Although Acer Aspire One™ is the top choice because of its price, the market for netbooks and small laptop computers is very competitive.
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