Looking for a new netbook

Shad

Shad

Shad

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1 Dec 2005
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I've got an Asus Eee PC 1018P at the moment which has been great, but I need something that will run just a bit faster and happily cope with H.264 at 720p and 1080p. I chuck it in my ruck sack and use the machine for Visual Studio and Photoshop while I'm not at home so please don't suggest a tablet or a larger device, the 10" netbook is the perfect form factor for me ;)

Anyway, the new (ish) N2800 chipsets look good with 4Gb memory support and hardware video decoding. But after having a look around, the Asus 1025C[E] only comes with 1Gb ram and isn't exactly easy to upgrade, and the HP Mini 210 looks to fit the bill especially with the optional 1366x768 display, but that display doesn't seem to be available on the UK models (which is daft).

The other thing I'd really like is an SSD since the mechanical HDD in my current Asus is one of the slowest things about it. But I can't find any netbooks with an SSD at the moment.

So - any suggestions? :)
 
I'd prefer a 10" but 11.6" isn't out of the question. But the quoted 4 hours battery life on that Inferno is I'm afraid!
 
I've been looking into some of these recently and I read that nearly all the 10" ones can't handle 1366x768 and webpages/documents end up looking pretty cramped in 1024x600, so I was only really looking at 11.6" models.

Without spending crazy amounts, these are the best options I could find:

Acer Travelmate B113 - comes with a Core i3, 4gb RAM, a matte screen but only a 4 cell battery so it's unlikely to have amazing battery life. However, for the best balance between speed, battery life and price, this one sounds the best to me.

Acer Aspire V5-171 - this is practically the same as the B113 above but has a glossy screen instead of matte. As far as I'm aware, there aren't any other major differences.

HP DM1 - this is the one to buy if you're looking for big battery life, however you'll miss out on the Core i3 (it's got an AMD E-450 on most models, it CAN have a Core i3 but I've not seen any available in the UK.)

Lenovo x121e - also a strong contender but I think the HP DM1 just about pips it on the battery life. This can also have a Core i3 but it's not that cheap for what it is since Lenovo stopped selling them directly. (:()

Of course, these will all benefit from having a SSD installed and excluding the Lenovo with a Core i3, you should be able to get one of these and the SSD for under £500.
 
Thanks zenf1, really helpful :)

What did you go for?

Acer Travelmate B113 - can't find anywhere that stocks it at the moment, plus as you say the 4 cell is probably a bit limiting.

Acer Aspire V5-171 - damn those glossy screens! Got one on my Asus and it's impossible sometimes :(

Lenovo x121e - omg Lenovo prices!! £700+?!?!! Most shops seem to keep the lower spec variants :(

HP DM1 (specifically the HP Pavilion dm1-4175sa) - I like it! Great spec, sensible price, will look into whether or not I can fit an SSD but it looks quite promising :)
 
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