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How well do Atoms-type notbooks run?

H

Herradura

Member
I need to get a cheap latop but one that can also download torrents and watch AVI files as well as play DVDs. OF course it needs to smoothly handle web surfing and video watching.

 
Well the only thing that most of the Atom-type netbooks lack is screen size. If your willing to deal with the smaller screen resolutions and size than you should be able to do what you like. I have seen these netbooks in action and they are just basic computing systems. You can watch AVI's, surf the web, work on documents, and download whatever files you like. Playing DVD's will either require using an external DVD drive (usb connection) or you'll need to get some of the more recent (and more expensive) netbooks available. It's up to you, but these netbooks are handy for 2nd/3rd computers that you may want to tote around or for you to sit on the couch with.
 
Have you ever used a computer from around a decade ago? That's how an atom computer will perform.
Take any 1-2Ghz computer, and that's what an atom is like.

If you need a computer that has a dvd drive, most netbooks don't have one. The atom computers that do start getting into the price-range of low-end notebooks, but aren't nearly as fast. (but still have battery life through the roof I suppose)
 
I dont think the performance is equal to a computer from a decade ago. Unless you mean a top of the line gaming computer from a decade ago.
 
Originally posted by: Fox5
Have you ever used a computer from around a decade ago? That's how an atom computer will perform.
Take any 1-2Ghz computer, and that's what an atom is like.
Click to expand...

That may be a bit exaggerated. I have a HTPC built on an Atom 330 board (1.6 Ghz Dual Core with Hyperthreading) and it runs everything I ask of it. I cant offer any personal advice on netbooks but Id imagine one would be up to the task.

If your still iffy buy one from some place that has a return policy and take it back if its too slow. Or simply go some place that has display models and give?m a go.
 
They're ok for the price. Know what you're getting and you'll be fine.

It handles most everything I do well enough, but that's AIM, webbrowsing, maybe some flash videos. And starcraft. It is slow and laggy at times, but I think that may be either RAM or the touchpad (really shitty touchpad on mine).
 
i have been playing with an acer aspire one (atom N270) all weekend. it plays xvid avi files just fine. it watched a few movies in bed streaming them from my main pc over wifi. no problems at all.
 
Originally posted by: unfalliblekrutch
I dont think the performance is equal to a computer from a decade ago. Unless you mean a top of the line gaming computer from a decade ago.
Click to expand...

A top of the line gaming computer 1 decade ago would be what, a 1Ghz Athlon and a Geforce 2? Yeah, that sounds about in-line with the performance of a netbook.
Recall that this was also around the time people started saying computers were fast enough for any common purpose, besides gaming.
 
a top of the line gaming computer from a decade ago would be more like a PII-450 (or celeron 300a) with a TNT2U.

atom n270 performance is said to be around a 1ghz chip on the pentium III or pentium M architecture. which should indeed be fine for anything but gaming and software-decoded HD playback. standard dvd's (which look fine on a 1024x600 netbook screen) work fine.
 
My Acer Aspire One (1.6GHz Atom N270) overall runs slightly slower than my four year old Toshiba full-sized notebook, which had a 1.6GHz Pentium-M (Dothan) and the Intel 915 chipset (with GMA900). Technically the Intel 945 with GMA950 is faster, but you really wouldn't know it - it's all slow compared to anything more recent.

I actually have a computer from 1999 sitting in my parents basement somwhere... a Dell Dimension XPS B733r, which had a Pentium III 733EB and used Rambus RDRAM. Yeah really. Graphics wise, it had a Diamond Viper V770 AGP which is a nvidia TNT2 Ultra. It could play Quake III Arena pretty well back in the day. Actually ran Win98SE pretty well.
 
Originally posted by: brblx
a top of the line gaming computer from a decade ago would be more like a PII-450 (or celeron 300a) with a TNT2U.

atom n270 performance is said to be around a 1ghz chip on the pentium III or pentium M architecture. which should indeed be fine for anything but gaming and software-decoded HD playback. standard dvd's (which look fine on a 1024x600 netbook screen) work fine.
Click to expand...

Geez, not exactly a decade, but close to it.
AMD hit 1Ghz in 2000, and Geforce was out in 1999 so that would be the top of the line video card in 99, Geforce 2 was out in 2000.
 
In terms of watching video:

DVDs are fine.
Non-HD Xvid/Divx are fine.
720p is not fine. Dropped frames and audio.
1080p is impossible.

The new ION chipset/Atoms should be able to handle HD video much better.
 
ATOM based on single core CPU work at a level similar to a Pentium III 1GHZ.

The double core ATOM is similar in power to 1.6 GHz Cel.

For Internet. email, Word processing, music playback, and similar simple without multitasking applications it is very good.

They do Not ,meant to do more, and thus One should Not deceive himself wasting time in useless complaining.
 
basically its a cutrate laptop.
don't expect performance... and yea multitasking is lols🙁
anyways its minimal, for minimal price. being used to 3ghz+ as u are i think u can just buy something better. beyond a certain power portability difference is minimal when it no longer fits in your pocket.
 
You're better of getting a netbook equipped with Nvidia Ion or a MID with Nvidia Tegra. It can play HD videos, play games like WoW, etc.
For more information read here:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/0...laims-the-mobile-comp/
http://www.engadget.com/2009/0...indows-ce-on-tegra-ro/
http://www.engadget.com/2009/0...wered-by-nvidia-tegra/

Plus Google Nvidia Ion netbooks to know more about them. New models 'are' being launched/showcased as Computex is 'on'.

Do read Engadget for more info about models @ http://engadget.com/
 
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
basically its a cutrate laptop.
Click to expand...

People like us that spend many hours a day on Enthusiasts forums do not realizing that we do not really represent the World.

90% (probably even more) of common users need something that surf the Net, retrieve email, and does few other simple Internet routine.

For them the NetBook is a great tool. Small, does not weight much, and hold long to the Battery. :thumbsup:

For enthusiasts it would serve as a good purpose too.

They would be able to spend 15min more every week complaining and "Baby Crying" about something that does not meant for them (and yeah it probably would Not do Torrent so well). 😛

I have two powerful Laptops but eventually I am going to buy a NetBook too. I am getting tired of "Schelping" with me a 7lb Laptop to meetings, and other outside functions.

Honest analysis shows that a Netwbook would function well enough for what I do outside 99% of the time. :light:

Otherwise for a similar price this is an excellent Choice, http://www.staples.com/office/...0051_FEATURED:SC3:CG71
 
my netbook has no issues. i can browse with multiple tabs open. i use photoshop 6 on it (surely CSx would be a bit bloated for it). anything but game, really.

people forget that we used to use 500-1000mhz PC's on damn near the same OS a lot of us are using now. it worked fine.
 
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