Cheapest netbooks discussion

rcthelp

I don't know whether it's worth paying for brands, but the Samsung and MSI Wind brands generally get good reviews.

luci

I'm not very techie when it comes to specs, but I am happy with my Toshiba NB200.

It had 1GB RAM which I upgraded easily to 2GB and a 250GB hard drive. It has an up to 9 hour battery life which was important to me, a really nice keyboard and the bonus of a webcam which I've never had before.

The others I looked at had a much lower battery life and smaller hard drives.

I use it mainly for surfing forums like this and Gmail. I have stored my photos on it as a back up.

Samsungs seem to come highly recommended on here, but I couldn't see one with such a long battery life.

doberryfirkin

kiranj wrote: »

I bought a 'refurbished' laptop from these guys a couple of months ago.... nightmare!
......
Be prepared for a lot of hassle if you get a dodgy one! And be preapred for what you get to be 'second hand'... NOT refurbished!!!
K

I have no doubt there are going to be exceptions but I bought a MSI Wind U230 from them two weeks ago and experience was first rate. Ordered Sat and arrived Mon morning. machine looks 'as new' out of box and so far every thing OK (touch wood). Only issue is warranty. MSI Wind have a 'void if removed' sticker over memory cover so if you want to upgrade this is broken. According to web if you register machine with MSI before hand then this is covered, BUT, on MSI website they point you to Argos Clearance for warranty issues. If you ring DJ Henry then they point you back to MSI. Do I get a feeling of 'passing the buck' here? Does anyone have experience of dealing with this issue, upgrading memory on Wind without voiding warranty?

Donnie

Actually the warranty is with Argos Clearance. You won't be sending it to MSI if there is a problem.

Miroslav

Will any of these be enough for simple tasks such as e-mail, facebook (including their games), twitter et al? No downloading of files (other than the security updates etc) expected.

Roger_Rampant

Miroslav wrote: »

Will any of these be enough for simple tasks such as e-mail, facebook (including their games), twitter et al? No downloading of files (other than the security updates etc) expected.

Virtually all of them

(as long as it doesn't run Windows CE, which this one does for example: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2222381).

Miroslav

Sounds good - it's not for me, so as long as it does all that is required.

The person who requires one wants one of these, will either go for one of these or a laptop. If money is not an issue, would a netbook still be better value for money than a laptop, based on what the requirements for use are?

Donnie

If the requirement is for mobile use, consider a Netbook with a long battery life. Netbooks can be fun, but the small screen and keys can be a handicap.
Personally I would get a laptop every time. If weight is an issue, you get something in between. A larger screen Netbook.

Miroslav

I think the idea is for something that can be taken away from the home if need be, but it will just be another option within the home to use anywhere in the house as opposed to being stuck at a desk.

The other worry will be how to get internet access too it, but we'll come to that later. Maybe i'll start a thread over the weekend.

Thanks

Donnie

I take my Netbook with me whilst travelling. Useful for researching and booking hotels along the way, watch a film on an aircraft journey if there's no entertainment and as a music system(together with speakers) once settled.

Once I'm back home it's packed away. Too annoying for normal use at home compared to a full sized laptop or PC.

So if you are likely to be needing it for travelling and have a limited budget, say £200 and under, then a Netbook is your option. Similarly if long battery life is of utmost importance.