Cheap Netbooks Deals

If you’re wondering about this, I suspect you already own a netbook or you are planning to get one very soon. If so, let me congratulate you. The netbook is an excellent mini laptop that’s great for unconventional uses. Not only that, it has a good screen, hardware, touchpad and keyboard, not to mention a long-lasting battery.

But there are some flaws in the netbook that should be pointed out – and of course, considering how inexpensive they are, such flaws should be expected. So I would suggest you get a couple of accessories to make life with your netbook just a little easier. Some of these accessories are essential buys, others are up to you.

From the essential netbook accessories category:

~ The right case and a sleeve. The case is an important item to have – it fits tightly around the netbook and offers great protection. And be sure to see what it’s made of; you want a high-quality model that can handle even minor bumps and shakes.

~ The correct type of external mouse. I recommend a wireless mouse – Logitech and Microsoft both make good models. The average cost is about $40, but occasionally you can get a good deal for about $25.

~ Upgraded RAM. In general, netbooks come with only 1GB of RAM, so you’ll need to add at least one more GB. The majority of netbooks support this type of upgrade and are made with a back bay in which to insert the extra RAM module. However, some netbooks don’t have the back bay and aren’t made for upgrades like this.

There are many other upgrades and accessories which are optional, so I’ll just mention the most essential ones.

~ An external DVD player. Costing only about $60, this is a nice accessory to have for a netbook, because there is no optic drive in these mini laptops. In addition to DVD drives, you can add Blu-ray players and even DVD-WR. These items will be unnoticeable in your bag, since they’re so sleek and compact.

~ A mini notebook skin. Many people prefer to use skins to protect their netbooks. This is a useful accessory for the glossy model netbooks that scratch easily. For only about $5, you can find great-looking skins.

~ A flash USB or external hard-drive. Even though there’s plenty of storage space in modern netbooks, it’s a good idea to keep a flash USB or an external hard-drive in your bag, just in case the need arises.

As the slow migration to mobile computing continues, many computer manufacturers are beginning to create products that are designed specifically for portable applications and allow users to receive and create content for the internet while out and about. This has been the spark that began the netbook boom. Netbooks are handy devices that are both easily transportable and easy to use. Where as many laptops weigh between 5 and 7 pounds, most netbooks now weigh 2-4 pounds.

This is one of the big drivers behind the success of the netbook market: the devices can be taken and used anywhere easily. The devices are created with the users that want to use them on the go specifically in mind. They are very convenient for everyone from college students to businessmen and allow all different types of work to be done without worrying about lugging a heavy laptop around. As the market continues to grow, many new and interesting variations are being introduced to the market.

This is still a fledgling market so many of the new releases are similar to each other. Because the offerings are so similar, it is even more important than usual to carefully perform a netbook comparison to make sure you get what you need.

• Power: There are several options and ATOM CPU’s are widely considered to be efficient but powerful. The two most frequently employed CPU’s are the N450 and N470 on recently released models.
• Portability: an important consideration will be finding a device that is light enough to carry around, probably less than 3.5 pounds.
• Battery Life: keep in mind how much life you expect to get out of the battery; if you expect to go long stretches between charging, make sure to get an energy efficient version that will last 8-15 hours.
• Display: when the devices were first introduced many had small screens, but now you will find models with up to 12.1 inch screens (like the Dell Mini).
• Price: make sure to not overpay for your netbook. The whole purpose of the market was to deliver cost-effective computing for price sensitive consumers. When shopping, do not encourage manufacturers to continue eroding the differences between netbooks and more expensive laptops.

Some of the better manufacturers to look at as you start out are Asus, Acer, Samsung, and HP. When shopping, it is helpful to find 5 or so models that fit your needs and then eliminate options based on what best suits your needs. If you are diligent with your netbook comparison, you will benefit in the long run.

If you would like to have a laptop that you can carry with you that isn’t large and bulky, you may want to take part in the latest computer craze, netbooks. However, there are some steps that you should take when purchasing a netbook.

1. Identifying What You Need From Your Netbook
The first thing you should do is decide what you need your netbook to be able to do, and what kind of programs you plan to run on it. You will need different specs and capabilities if you plan on using your netbook for video editing than if you only planned to use things such as Microsoft office and internet programs like Internet Explorer. Netbooks are best when being used for only small tasks like web browsing, and checking email, as well as using various office applications. If you plan to use it for things that are very processor intensive, you will probably want to get a full sized notebook instead of some of the smaller ones.

2. Features That Make The Netbook Portable
You will also need to decide your weight limit for carrying the netbook. The netbook weighs a lot less than a laptop, however, it does come in many sizes. Because the netbook is much lighter than a regular laptop, it is a favorite for those who need to carry it with them almost everywhere they go. One thing to consider in how portable your netbook is, is the adapter because while many come with smaller adapters, some have very large heavy adapters.

3. Types Of Storage For The Netbook
You have many options when it comes to how much, and what types of storage you can use with a netbook. Typically you will see two kinds of storage, HDD and SSD, which the Solid State Drives are sometimes favored because of the amount of time it takes them to process and boot, but are often lacking in the amount of storage space. On the other hand the Hard Disk Drives will store a lot more data, in some cases as much as 250GB, but they can’t withstand as much impact as the SSD. The buyer has to consider what is most important to them when choosing between a slow boot-up time and or a low storage ability.

4. Choosing Between netbook Brands
With a market that is packed with brands of netbooks, it is very important to consider which brand of notebook you purchase. The most popular brands of netbooks are ASUS, MSI, Dell, Lenovo, and Acer, because of the reputation of the manufacturers. Each of these brands have their own ways of differentiating their product from other competing brands, one example being the small keyboards with the ASUS brand. If you do plenty of research on the various brands and the kind of features that they offer, you will be sure to find a netbook that will suit your needs.

5. Various Operating Systems
Netbooks have competing operating systems, just like other larger computers do, in particular the two competitors of netbooks are Linux and Windows 7. You will find that every netbook will be loaded with one of those two operating systems. When you look at the two, you will find that the Windows 7 netbooks tend to be the more popular one, while the Linux netbooks tend to be the one with better security. It is very important that your netbook operating system can be compatible with the programs that you will be using. Many buyers opt for Windows 7 just because of this reason as many application out there are designed only to be able to run on Windows.

6. Importance Of Reading Reviews
When it comes to purchasing netbooks, it can be very useful to read the reviews of the various products and how they have worked for other consumers. Manufacturers will often allow consumers to post their reviews on their sites as an opportunity for others to rave about their product. However, the reviews that are left by others can be very helpful in deciding whether a netbook will reach your expectations. You can also find many reviews posted by users on other sites and in some magazines that will provide you with even more information about a particular netbook. It is also because of this reason that we posted customer reviews together with each netbook deals on this site.

7. Do Comparison
You should never settle for a netbook on the first site that you come to. You might be able to find the same netbook much cheaper on the fifth website that you come to, or you might find one for the same price that has even better reviews and specs. The reason that there can be such a price difference between sites is because some dealers have access to wholesale prices, or purchase their goods straight from the manufacturer. Finally, you should always check out the website and company from which you plan to purchase your netbook.