Today's Netbook Market: Current Trends and Our Take Discussion

[Luscious]

I think Chaz's opinion on netbooks is somewhat biased.

In 2008 I bought my first netbook, a HP 2133. Even back then, you could get netbooks with resolutions above 1024x600. Mine was 1280x800, but today with panels at 16:9 you would be looking at 1366x768. HP has offered high-resolution panels in most of it's netbooks since 2008, and they are not the only manufacturer. Do a little research online and you'll see that 1366x768 is becoming a popular option on many models. But don't say that 1024x600 is it for netbooks - that is wrong.

The keyboard on my 2133 was the best at the time, and has made it's way onto many other netbook designs since 2008. It was large, comfortable, had wear-resistant keys, showed no flex and was perfectly usable. I was able to work for hours on that keyboard and not experience any discomfort or ever wish I was using a larger keyboard. Dell and Toshiba have also produced netbooks with similar great keyboards, so it is highly unlikely that shoppers looking for a netbook today should have to suffer with an ergonomically poor typing experience. Again, do your research online, go to stores and "test drive" what's on display. The days of Fisher-Price keyboards are no-more.

As for performance, I'll say this - the VIA C7M on my 2133 was able to run 720p WMV-HD video at smooth frame rates with no stuttering, lag or jerkiness whatsoever. Uncompressed VOB files played off the 7200rpm hard drive flawlessly. I used the same system to run FF with multiple tabs open, and never had any slowdowns. I in fact used that netbook to run Office, Windows Media Encoder, Cool Edit Pro, Acrobat and several other software that I have with no problem. Again, this was a netbook purchased in 2008. Yet the latest Atom N470 is much, much better than the C7M. In fact, today's Pinetrail platform paired with a Broadcom Crystal HD hardware video accelerator makes for a very compelling alternative to a much larger/heavier CULV notebook. If you still think netbooks today are slow and skimp on features, then take a HP 5102 for a test drive - N470, SSD, 2GB RAM, Win 7 Pro, HD display, multi-touch, hardware video acceleration, full wireless, aluminum chassis, etc... Wait a few more months and ION2 will arrive on Pinetrail as well.

Considering what they were originally designed to do, netbooks being sold today are quite capable devices and fill a lot of uses that the original EEE model would have never been capable of. With feature-rich business models such as the HP 5102, you could go as far as saying that the netbook can now replace a notebook altogether.

While some folks want to think netbooks are only a style fad and would rather dismiss the segment as a goner in the next few years, their explosion in sales numbers and advancement over the last two years says exactly the opposite. Their size is attractive, their price is easy to swallow, and they make a perfect companion device. This is now 2010 - Pinetrail and Windows 7 are the norm, high-def is in, we have 10-hour batteries and no longer need to type on poor keyboards.

If netbooks lack your performance hunger or feature set, buy a M11x Chaz, but please don't knock netbooks off as a failure segment - millions of users around the world will disagree with you.

[Charles P. Jefferies]

If netbooks lack your performance hunger or feature set, buy a M11x Chaz, but please don't knock netbooks off as a failure segment - millions of users around the world will disagree with you.

Nowhere in this article did I say netbooks were a failure. I'll quote myself:

These miniature laptops have limited capabilities, but they fit the role they were designed for: staying connected on the go. Consumers are attracted to them because of their low price, small size, and long battery life. The PriceGrabber survey shows the netbook market continues to grow at a rate faster than the regular notebook market, and that they are being used as complementary devices to customer’s main computers, not as replacements. The netbook market will likely stay where it is in the near future because of the introduction of “Ultra Thin” notebooks, which have more or less capped netbooks as 10.1-inch devices with limited capabilities. Regardless, netbooks continue to be an ideal choice for consumers who want an affordable, "on-the-go" companion.

I agree with you that netbooks are capable, but only for certain things.

[coreshooter]

But those "certain things" are pretty much what the majority of computer users need and use day to day (email, browsing, text input). Most can handle video (who cares about any video above 720p on those resolution screens?), older games, and light photo manipulation. They can easily be upgraded to being quite capable everyday machines if you put in 2 gigs of ram instead of the 1 they usually come with (or 4 gigs in the few that have 2 memory slots), put a full version of windows on it (not starter editions) and switch out the stock hdd to a 7200 rpm one or even a ssd. And this isn't even taking into consideration dual core atom netbooks with ion (or ion2 in the near future). The only problem I have with these is that they are getting more expensive than laptops. But that's the new dilemma as I see it. You can get a faster and more feature packed laptop or you can get a lesser machine but still capable (unlike the earliest netbooks), with a longer battery life and much smaller for a similar price.

[Ahbeyvuhgehduh]

But those "certain things" are pretty much what the majority of computer users need and use day to day (email, browsing, text input). Most can handle video (who cares about any video above 720p on those resolution screens?), older games, and light photo manipulation. They can easily be upgraded to being quite capable everyday machines if you put in 2 gigs of ram instead of the 1 they usually come with (or 4 gigs in the few that have 2 memory slots), put a full version of windows on it (not starter editions) and switch out the stock hdd to a 7200 rpm one or even a ssd. And this isn't even taking into consideration dual core atom netbooks with ion (or ion2 in the near future).

I had problems with browsing on the single core atom cpu, but in general I agree with you.

The only problem I have with these is that they are getting more expensive than laptops. But that's the new dilemma as I see it. You can get a faster and more feature packed laptop or you can get a lesser machine but still capable (unlike the earliest netbooks), with a longer battery life and much smaller for a similar price.

Agreed - I personally like the latter option.

[James]

I have always been a 1 computer kind of guy (why not own just one fairly powerful computer that does everything?), but my XPS m1710 stopped functioning, and I had to wait a month for a replacement laptop from dell. My iPod touch was my only computer like device during this period! Never want to go through that again, haha.

Anyways, I decided to purchase a Lenovo S10 as a portable backup PC. I fell in love with this thing as soon as I took it out of the box. For now, I have it running 24/7 as a torrent PC, but it's so nice not having to put wear and tear on my new XPS m1730 just to do stuff like check my email. My XPS is now able to serve as mainly my multimedia and gaming PC, while my netbook serves as everything else (email, surfing web, itunes, etc.)

I do completely agree with most of what was said in the article btw, but I personally found that a netbook is a very useful addition to my computing needs.

[Han Bao Quan]

I think the they should just get rid of netbook, once and for all.

Now people misunderstand between ultra portable laptop and netbook. They are two different things.

[MidnightSun]

I think the they should just get rid of netbook, once and for all.

I think netbooks fill the sub-$300 pricing gap very nicely. The $350+ "netbooks" are the ones I don't understand...

[Han Bao Quan]

I think netbooks fill the sub-$300 pricing gap very nicely. The $350+ "netbooks" are the ones I don't understand...

It was nice before when the price was <$300, but that means you get some really slow ones with less features.
The ones that are above $350 or $400 with only an Atom CPU, (now maybe dual Atom), are way overpriced. Might as well get a laptop.

[Metamorphical]

I think the usefulness of a netbook is subjective. It all comes down to if you can live with the small, low resolution screen, and slower load times. I personally could live with using mine as a primary computer if I had to (Which is always a possibility in my household and given my luck).

When I first got my netbook I was very skeptical about it. I initially didn't take them seriously at all and thought them pretty useless. I am ordinarily a resolution junky. But I found myself needing a secondary computer and I desired something that could be easily taken anywhere and stashed away easily. I didn't have the funds for a real ultraportable and actually in Bestbuy I observed a EeePc 1000 while thicker had a smaller footprint and was lighter than a Sony TZ also on display. I bought my EeePC 1008Ha because at the time I thought it was the thinnest and lightest netbook available. It pleasantly surprised me as a secondary computer to my Thinkpad. Still using the stock configuration except for upgrading it to XP Pro it handles just about anything I throw at it and I don't have a problem with mulitasking. Granted most of my day to day usage is very light stuff (IM, Web, Music, and Word) and its fast enough for that. The screen resolution is a hinder but for me its livable. Most websites render fine. My Thinkpad's 14.1 WXGA+ screen is always my first choice if I require it. I've even played Sims2, used Photoshop CS4, and done video editing in Sony Vegas Pro 9 with it when I was in a bind and though slow, it works. Best of all it fits in the glovebox and comes anywhere with me.

[VZX]

Reciting what I've said in ASUS forum;

I don't know why, but maybe the raise of netbooks in these recent years could be one of the factors. These days, it's really hard to find a notebook with WXGA+ resolution or higher, regardless of their form factor (especially in 13-16" range).

I own a ASUS A8Js which I purchased 3 years ago. One of the deal breaker was the screen resolution (1440x900), which I think is pretty good during that time. But why is it so hard to find a 14.1" notebook with that high screen resolution (or better, since we are 3 years over that time now)?

1366x768 is probably an acceptable for 13.1" size notebook, but a good 14.1" should provide at least a 1440x900 resolution and 1680x1050 minimum for 15.4-15.6".

I'm still holding back my notebook purchase due to this (extremely) limited option. I don't want to get a notebook with a downgrade in work space (resolution). There must be some middle ground between portability & quality with performance, Because gaming notebook is too heavy for me.