Netbook recommendations

[Nick1911]

I'm looking for a netbook to replace my aging Dell Inspiron 1150.  This PC is 6 years old, and can no longer play flash based videos on the web without clipping. 

I'm thinking about getting a netbook, because I want something less bulky.  I always have my desktop PC for heavy lifting, so absolute raw power isn't as important as size and battery life.  It'd be nice to have a machine I can put in a backpack without weighing me down so much.

I'm leaning towards a Samsung N150.  I'd like to keep the price under $350.

Requirements:
Decent battery life
800x600 or better resolution
Wireless G or better
2x usb out ports
Video out
Ethernet port.

Thoughts?  Suggestions?

[zahc]

http://alwaysinnovating.com/touchbook/

[mtnbkr]

I think any netbook will meet your requirements.  My 1yr old Acer Aspire One meets them.  There is a newer version of the Aspire One and several other companies have introduced netbooks as well.

Chris

[zxcvbob]

I don't think any netbook with play Flash video without skipping frames, because they all use the Intel 945 chipset for graphics, and it just doesn't handle Flash very well.  They all easily meet your other requirements.  (make sure you get a 6-cell battery)   You might want to look at 12" laptops, that way you get better graphics and an optical drive, still in a small package.

I get about 9 hours of battery life with my Asus netbook (Atom N280 processor, 1GB of RAM, 10" display, WIN7), and that's with the wireless turned on.  Go offline and the battery life is even higher.

[roo_ster]

I don't think any netbook with play Flash video without skipping frames, because they all use the Intel 945 chipset for graphics, and it just doesn't handle Flash very well.

This.  I have a lightweight OS that is easy on hardware, but flash video still lags.

Meets all other reqs, though. 

[zxcvbob]

I have another slightly older netbook running Linux, and Flash video is even worse on it.  Same processor, same graphics chip, and same amount of memory.  (must be a video driver thing)

[makattak]

You could do as I am and wait for the new Tablet PCs coming out:

http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/24672/page2/

I'm wanting a better IPad (as in, I like the concept, but am not satisfied by the functionality enough that I will buy it), but these Android tablets are looking very tempting.

[BrokenPaw]

I just bought an Asus Eee netbook (1005HAB-RBLU005S) a week ago, and I'm very happy with it.

It came with Windows 7 on, which I may have to do something about, but in terms of the specs you've listed, it's right there:

I took it to a conference last weekend (I actually bought it in anticipation of taking notes all weekend).  After 8 hours of conference day, closing it and letting it sleep during breaks and lunch, it had 30% battery left when I got back to the hotel room in the evening.  I was impressed.

1024x600 WXGA, Wireless G, 3 USB, VGA-connector output, and 10/100 Ethernet, 1GB, 160GB SATA.

I paid 300 for it, and I'd buy it again, having used it.

-BP

[Bigjake]

I have a Dell Inspiron Mini.  It's nice, but I wish it had an SSD.  And it's a dog on anything flash related.   light web browsing and word processing (once you get your hands adjusted to the tiny-ass keyboard), all work well.

[BridgeRunner]

My husband has an HP something-or-other, cost iirc, $350. 

It is crap. Avoid.

Or perhaps my MacBook has me spoiled. 

[lee n. field]

I picked up Walmart's after Christmas Emachines netbook deal.  Same as (so I read) Acer's netbook.  

OK so far.  I use it all the time, but a lot of it is with an external keyboard and mouse.  Ubuntu 9.10 installed without a hitch, and everything works without fiddling.  "Win 7 Starter" and the recovery partition will get nuked the day after the warranty is up.  

Screen is typical netbook (1024x600), and usable for most things if you're mindful of screen real estate (do remote desktop full screen, minimal toolbars in web browser, etc.).

One of the shift keys popped up.  It snapped back down, and I'm keeping a careful eye on it.

The Acer version can be had with a (I think) 6 cell battery.  Get that.  

My husband has an HP something-or-other, cost iirc, $350.  

Walmart had their display HP netbook on clearance.  One key was popped off.  The only reason I didn't get that, was that I did not want to deal with HP tech support to get it fixed.  My last experience with them left me with a years long aversion to dealing with anybody's consumer tech support.

[sanglant]

I don't think any netbook with play Flash video without skipping frames, because they all use the Intel 945 chipset for graphics, and it just doesn't handle Flash very well.  They all easily meet your other requirements.  (make sure you get a 6-cell battery)   You might want to look at 12" laptops, that way you get better graphics and an optical drive, still in a small package.

I get about 9 hours of battery life with my Asus netbook (Atom N280 processor, 1GB of RAM, 10" display, WIN7), and that's with the wireless turned on.  Go offline and the battery life is even higher.

there is ALWAYS an exception, in this case the battery life is proablely measured in minutes.

[Iain]

Flash is an issue, but with the new Flash expected to bump some of the processing requirements to the GPU (as the present beta does) then getting a netbook with better graphics will help.

I'm probably going to get a net-top in the next few months, the Ion set-up allows 1080p playback and when Flash is updated, should allow for very decent flash performance. So, look at Ion equipped netbooks.

[Ben]

So, look at Ion equipped netbooks.

I was going to mention this. Are there any out there yet? I've only seen the Ion in nettops. Everything I've read has been thumbs up on Atom/Ion, but I'm guessing Ion and battery life in a netbook will be an inverse equation.

[Iain]

It does hit battery life, but not that badly I think. A review of the (very expensive) Samsung N510 got just under 6 hours of standard definition video playback out of a 6 cell battery, there's an 11.6" screen in that though. In reality the Ion isn't a particularly powerful set-up, not really being up to much in the way of games but easily managing HD playback.

The HP mini 311 comes with Ion, with a US list price of $399 when it launched in September.