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looking for a new netbook

Z

ZippyDan

Platinum Member
I want

1. A good processor
2. Graphics chip good enough for decent gaming and HD video
3. HDMI out
4. Hi-res screen (at least 720p)
5. Decent battery life
6. No larger than 11"
7. Webcam
8. Upgradeable memory (4 - 8 GB)
9. Upgradeable HDD (I will put in an SSD)
10. Backlit keyboard
11. Bluetooth

I'm finding the most difficult thing to search for is the backlit keyboard. Any suggestions?
 
Tough mix.

1) Look for a Haswell CPU, basically a Core i3/i5/i7-4XXX.
2) At 11.6" screen size (the typical 11" size) you will be using integrated graphics. Haswell integrated graphics can play games depending on what you play. Battlefield 3 maxed out? Nope. Starcraft II, League of Legends, Counterstrike: GO at 720p medium? Sure!
3) Not that rare - you just have to make sure your choice has it.
4) 720p (1366x768) is fairly standard. Pretty much everything on the market will have this resolution or better.
5) This is somewhat iffy, because the super thin ultrabooks usually have small batteries. For example the Acer Aspire S7-191 series of 11.6" ultrabook weighs 2.3 pounds and is under a half inch thick, but has only 5 hour battery life because it trades battery capacity for slim and lightweight.
6) 11.6" would be your target screen size.
7) Pretty much all consumer notebooks will have webcams.
8) Avoid the Macbook Air and you should be good for RAM upgrades.
9) Some of the thinner ultrabooks may use somewhat proprietary SSD "sticks" while others will use mSATA. Otherwise, you may be looking at a slimmer form factor so besides "upgradable" don't shop for SSDs until you get your notebook. "Standard" 2.5" drive thickness is 9.5mm, but 7mm is becoming quite common and 5mm have shown up in order to make thinner notebooks.
10) Ahhhh, tricky.
11) Somewhat common in all but bargain basement notebooks.

Haswell (4th gen Core series CPU) based notebooks are still pretty rare right now as the market is still intransition. I haven't seen anything with the exact specs. Close, but some are 13.3" screen, others have non-upgradable RAM or storage.
 
I have an Acer Aspire One from 2 years ago which matches all these requirements except 10 and 11. It had a dual-core AMD CPU and Radeon graphics and I put in a 4GB DDR3 stick and a 2.5" SSD.

Surely there is something better now... I don't need ultra-thin.
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834231001

Meets most of your requirements except for the screen size (14 inches). The laptop has bluetooth (as most buyers have verified), but strangely, it doesn't show on the system specs. Also, some people may argue about the processor (Ivy Bridge; 2.4/3.1 GHz), but IMO it's more than enough for gaming and HD video (My laptop has the same one 😛)
 
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I've heard some weird reviews from the G46VW, like the screen bugging out due to GPU problems, but it seems that most buyers are happy. Also, I've heard that it's a hard job to remove the HDD. However, for $700 and a GTX 660M, who can complain?
 
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lehtv said:
Here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...=1&srchInDesc=
Click to expand...

Close. Alas the RAM is soldered in and cannot be upgraded. To get 8GB you have to either find one in-stock somewhere, or custom order it from Sony. Interesting thing is that Sony may finally be using "standard" format SSDs. One reviewer stated this notebook uses an M.2 format SSD, which is the eventual replacement for mSATA. However, I don't yet see any M.2 SSDs on the market for separate purchase.

This notebook is one sexy beast, though.
 
Zap said:
Close. Alas the RAM is soldered in and cannot be upgraded. To get 8GB you have to either find one in-stock somewhere, or custom order it from Sony. Interesting thing is that Sony may finally be using "standard" format SSDs. One reviewer stated this notebook uses an M.2 format SSD, which is the eventual replacement for mSATA. However, I don't yet see any M.2 SSDs on the market for separate purchase.

This notebook is one sexy beast, though.
Click to expand...

I think upgradable RAM is something you're just have to live without in the ~11" thin and light space. The Z-height of SO-DIMMs and connectors is just too much.
 
RayTheKing said:
Are you sure you can't get a slightly larger netbook? Or even a netbook at all?
Click to expand...

Blain said:
"Netbook" or ultrabook?
Click to expand...

mfenn said:
I think upgradable RAM is something you're just have to live without in the ~11" thin and light space. The Z-height of SO-DIMMs and connectors is just too much.
Click to expand...

It seems like many of you are trying to tell me I can't find these features in such a small form factor ("netbook"), but I'm telling you that I have an Acer Aspire One TEN INCH SCREEN netbook that is ALMOST THREE YEARS OLD that meets all of my requirements EXCEPT the Backlit Keyboard (and Bluetooth ... but there were versions of that same netbook that came with Bluetooth). It had a dual core processor, upgradeable RAM, a high definition screen with HDMI out and an ATI GPU, etc. And on top of all that, IT ONLY COST $300. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834215021)

I DON'T NEED ultra-thin.

I would expect that in three years the situation would get better, not worse. I just want something like my old Acer except with a faster processor, maybe some more memory, bluetooth, and a backlit keyboard. 🙁
 
Netbooks have been executed and expunged by most manufacturers because they suck in almost all facets except battery, weight, and size. A proper netbook with an Atom and 10.1" inch screen, etc, is a rare find these days. What you will find are those 11.6" that have an E-350, whose iGPU sucks compared to even an HD4000. And no manufacturer with a brain would put a backlit keyboard on such a low-end product when the margins were too small even when they were "popular"(I suspect there were many returns due to buyer's remorse).

And that Acer has upgradable RAM? The specs listed on Newegg says it can support on 1GB of RAM and it has only one slot. The resolution on it unlikely to be widescreen 720p, as netbooks are typically stuck with a 4:3 resolution.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=netbook+dead
 
What Torn said. Almost everyone has bailed out of the netbook market and into the ultrabook market. Its not easy to find 15.6" laptops for $299 at this point, much less the more expensive smaller form factors.
 
Torn Mind said:
Netbooks have been executed and expunged by most manufacturers because they suck in almost all facets except battery, weight, and size. A proper netbook with an Atom and 10.1" inch screen, etc, is a rare find these days. What you will find are those 11.6" that have an E-350, whose iGPU sucks compared to even an HD4000. And no manufacturer with a brain would put a backlit keyboard on such a low-end product when the margins were too small even when they were "popular"(I suspect there were many returns due to buyer's remorse).

And that Acer has upgradable RAM? The specs listed on Newegg says it can support on 1GB of RAM and it has only one slot. The resolution on it unlikely to be widescreen 720p, as netbooks are typically stuck with a 4:3 resolution.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=netbook+dead
Click to expand...

I appreciate your response, but I owned that netbook. It did come with a single 1GB SODIMM and by the official stats it only supported a 2GB stick max but I googled some before I bought it and found that this was a software limitation of Windows 7 Starter and not a hardware limitation. It did support 4GB and with a single 4GB SODIMM and Windows 7 Pro 64bit, it did a great job, though I always found the CPU to be a little sluggish despite being dual core. The resolution was 1280 x 720 ... I'm not sure if that qualifies as widescreen, but I actually don't care about widescreen. I just like having more usable space for multitasking.

http://www.amazon.com/Acer-AO522-BZ8.../dp/B004GILTB6
 
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Anyway, I appreciate all of you helping me, it looks like I might have to compromise on the size. What about a 13" laptop/ultrabook? I see some at the range that do have a backlit keyboard, and it is still reasonably small. Now I just need the best value for the money.
 
The Asus UX31A has been popping up a lot lately in the $500-750 range, both new and refurbished. Its pretty hard to beat in that range as its usually equipped with an i5 or i7, 1600x900 or 1080p screen, backlit keyboard, and a ssd.

Just set up alerts on slickdeals.net and techbargains.com
 
SithSolo1 said:
The Asus UX31A has been popping up a lot lately in the $500-750 range, both new and refurbished. Its pretty hard to beat in that range as its usually equipped with an i5 or i7, 1600x900 or 1080p screen, backlit keyboard, and a ssd.

Just set up alerts on slickdeals.net and techbargains.com
Click to expand...

I doubt it comes with a dedicated GPU.
 
SithSolo1 said:
The Asus UX31A has been popping up a lot lately in the $500-750 range, both new and refurbished. Its pretty hard to beat in that range as its usually equipped with an i5 or i7, 1600x900 or 1080p screen, backlit keyboard, and a ssd.

Just set up alerts on slickdeals.net and techbargains.com
Click to expand...

nice ... except for the integrated video, the price, and the lack of upgradeable memory

sigh 🙂
 
ZippyDan said:
nice ... except for the integrated video, the price, and the lack of upgradeable memory

sigh 🙂
Click to expand...

That is the closest you will find to what you want at the lowest price you will find it.


Price
Size
Features

When it comes to laptops, choose one.

What you want is the Lenovo 410p but smaller and cheaper and it doesn't exist.
 
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