Notebook or Netbook? How to Decide What to Buy

From the processor to RAM, HD display, optical drive, connectivity ports,

things keep changing in the world of notebooks. And with the introduction of

Intel's Atom processor in 2008, mobile computing devices have seen a new avatar

in the form of netbooks. We do a comprehensive lowdown on this most important

component for Mobile Computing, to help you choose the right one

Before we start dissecting the vital elements of a notebook, we want to

remind the uninitiated about the key difference between netbooks and laptops.

While both look the same, they are purposefully built for different needs.

Laptops are powerful computing devices and can be used for running heavy

software while netbooks on the other hand are meant to support basic

productivity tasks such as browsing, email, running office apps, etc. You can't

run any complex application on them so if you are a professional working with a

large organization, these are not meant for you. With this important

clarification, we now get to the key parameters that should be kept in mind

before you shell out your money.

Screen size and weight



These matter only for laptops as netbooks usually are build to be carried around
easily and usually come with a screen size of around 10” with average weight

below 2 Kg. Notebooks on the other hand are available in different screen sizes,

ranging from 12.1” to 17” widescreens. The weight of a notebook is in direct

proportion to the screen size and so their average weight varies between 2 to

3.5 Kg. Another important point aspect is that the weight mentioned by the

vendor is the weight of the laptop alone without the carry bag, adaptor and

other accessories that you have to lug around. Also when buying a widescreen

notebook, check for its compatibility with external display devices such as a

projector or a monitor.

Battery backup



Battery backups of most notebooks vary between 2.5 to 5 hours with a 6-cell

battery which can further be increased with a 9-cells battery. It is advisable

to go for a 9-cell battery if you travel a lot. However, upgrading to a 9-cell

battery would also mean added weight.

I/O ports and optical drive



Other key considerations are the optical drive and the number and type of

connectivity ports such as USB, HDMI, etc. As netbooks miss out on an optical

drive, this feature is exclusive to laptops. Go for Blu-ray or DVD drive

depending on your needs, keeping in mind that a Blu-ray drive adds a lot to a

laptop's overall cost. As for I/O ports, laptops should have at least three USB

2.0 ports, one FireWire, a VGA out, S-Video out, Ethernet (RJ-45), modem (RJ11),

headphone (line-out) and microphone ports.

A CD/DVD writer is being offered with all current models. In case you buy a

laptop that doesn't have it, you can always attach a USB/FireWire based drive.

These days Blu-ray format for high-def video is making headlines. Some of the

high-end notebooks come equipped with a Blu-ray drive and vendors also offer it

as an option to buyers for extra cost. The added capacity that Blu-ray (25GB per

layer) discs offer over standard DVDs (4.7 GB per layer) shall be an advantage

for those who want their notebooks to be future ready.

Security features



Most notebooks have a feature or two for security and privacy. These could

be TPM (trusted platform module), biometric fingerprint or face recognition and

HDD security. As the name suggests, the finger print or face recognition system

stores the image of the finger or the face of the authorized user, which is used

to authenticate access to the notebook. These features can also be applied to

individual files/folders on a notebook. Some notebooks also have a one touch

data recovery button for retrieving lost data which could be very



helpful incase of data crash in the middle of travel or meeting.

TPM chip is a feature which can be used along with hard drive encryption

software such as Windows BitLocker, etc and can be used to store the public key

for encryption. This makes sure that the hard drive only works when connected to

the laptop with the key sitting inside the TPM chip. So if someone tries to take

out the drive and plugs it into a different machine it will not be readable.

Even changing the bus of the hard drive in the same machine will make the data

unusable.

Points to keep in mind when buying netbooks



Netbooks have gained popularity ever since Intel Atom, the smallest processor
designed on 45 nm CMOS process. Though it's based on an entirely new

architecture, Atom has been developed for low power consumption while

maintaining compatibility with Intel's CORE micro architecture instruction set.

If you look at the trends in this proliferation of netbooks, you'll find that

almost all notebook manufacturers have their own netbook models, but Atom is the

dominant processor in all of them. It's only now that ARM is planning to

introduce an alternate processor. Moreover, even if you look at the form factor,

netbooks offer the same comfort as an ultra portable laptop minus the higher

cost and the rich features the latter offers.

A relevant question at this point is who have these laptops been targeted at?

The simple answer is anyone who wants a no-nonsense device that he can move

around easily with. Also, it is meant for people whose work revolves only around

Internet surfing, checking mail and basic office applications. Smart phones can

be an alternative as Internet surfing devices, but their screen is not optimized

for browsing; this enhances the appeal of netbooks. Another important factor to

keep in mind before buying these devices is that if you are designer or

developer who works on heavy design software like CAD or development IDEs like

Visual studio, then don't even look at these! They are good for executives on

the go such as the sales force, as secondary computing devices for leisure and

travel, school and college students, etc. Because of their size, battery backup

and design, netbooks can easily fit in your backpacks, making them easy to lug

around.

However, the biggest challenge for these devices is to create a space between

a smartphone and a laptop. In the subsequent sections, we look at all the

features you should keep in mind before buying one for your need.

Each netbook at this point comes loaded with Intel's Atom processor with

minor differences in frequency and version. Therefore, most of these computing

devices perform almost similarly. And as these netbooks are meant for people on

the move, they are all portable. Let's look at some of their key features:

Battery backup



Being powered with a low energy consuming processor with a small screen

size, the battery backup of netbooks is more as compared to conventional

laptops. They give a good battery backup of 5 to 8 hrs with a 3-cell battery,

therefore you should only go for a higher 6-cell battery if you are ready to

carry a few hundred grams more.

Price



Today one can buy netbooks for 16k, but there are others whose price is

comparable and at times higher than laptops. A key point to keep in mind is that

netbooks are competing with smart phones on one side and laptops on the other,

making them price sensitive.

Going for high value netbooks does not mean a jump in performance as all are

Atom-based, the only difference would be in quality of material used in building

these devices and a few extra features.

Ergonomics



A small form factor makes it imperative to check if you are comfortable

typing on it. Checking the touchpad response and comfort is also advisable. As

these machines would be used by professionals and students alike, check for

sturdiness.

Features common to both laptops and netbooks



Despite being targeted at different class of users, there are a few features

common to both.

Webcam plus speakers



A good quality web-cam and optimally placed speakers are also important.

Both these options come handy not only as entertainment features but are also

critical for video conferencing, which in turn is an integral part of your

organization's unified communication solution.

Connectivity



As netbooks have been built as Internet surfing devices, this makes

connectivity options an important pre-requisite. While buying netbooks and

laptops, check whether they are packed with a Gigabit LAN card for optimal wired

connectivity and whether they support 802.11n standard for high speed wireless

connections. Another issue to check out is WiMAX and 3G support in your netbook

as both these are slated to become quite popular wireless connectivity standards

in the near future. For local wire free data transfer, check out support for

latest version of the Bluetooth standard (Bluetooth 2.1).

HDD & RAM and expandability



Most of the netbooks we received for the shootout came with 160 GB of hard

disk space with 1 GB RAM. On the other hand, in laptops, HDD capacity can go up

to 500 GB while RAM support can go up to 4 GB. The figures for netbooks seem to

be enough for Internet surfing but as we all know, with time HDD space shrinks

(thanks to increasing data) and on top of it applications are becoming heavy. To

counter these issues check for expandability. See if you can upgrade your RAM

and if possible even your HDD for elongating your netbook's life. There is no

point of buying a device which cannot be expanded to incorporate your needs as

expandability can save you a lot of money.

Support



No matter how sturdy a notebook or netbook you might buy, with passage of

time you could face problems such as virus attacks to the OS or disk crashes and

other not so pleasant things. Just check on support provided by different

vendors. See if the warranty is onsite or if the manufacturer expects you to

carry it to the service center. Also enquire whether the service is restricted

to the hardware only or for the OS and other apps that it comes pre-loaded with.

Find out how much does the vendor charge for each visit after the product is

past its warranty and how much time do they take to respond. You could be better

off checking with your peers on the efficiency of support by a particular

vendor. Before buying, ask the vendor about the type of warranty and not just

its period. Is it on-site or carry-in? Does the warranty cover both parts and

labor charges if something goes wrong with the product? Also whether there are

options of extended warranties and insurance available for your purchase? Most

of this information can also be found on the vendor's website.

Expert Advice on Laptop Purchase

CIOs look for a combo of cost, reliability, & comfort, accompanied with a

worldwide domestic service model. Mobility is a huge factor, so laptops should

be lightweight with great processing power.

N Nataraj, CIO, Hexaware Technologies

If you are on the move, buy a laptop with spill-resistant keyboard and

shock-resistant hard disk to ensure that your HDD doesn't crash and cause data

loss if the laptop falls. Do check for writing speed in laptops that come with

DVD writers.

Soundararajan, Head-IT, Dr Batras' Positive Health Clinic

Being a tech company, we need powerful laptops for our developers who run web

and DB servers on them. We look for lots of RAM, processing power, and high

speed HDDs. For other teams, mobility becomes priority, and we choose 13"

laptops that are lightweight and can run most office apps.

Warren Brian Noronha, CTO, Bigadda.com Health Clinic

I consider weight, battery backup, processing power & other specs, warranty

and other support conditions/easy availability of support at the base location

of the user, OS, brand and finally price.

Vijay Sethi, CIO, Hero Honda

Usage profile is important. Sales people and other frequent travelers need

lightweight, compact laptops. Finance people and others who handle heavy amounts

of data need good processing power and memory. For special functions like video

editing, DTP and other graphic intensive applications, video memory, resolution,

display specs and large disk space become important.

Nilesh Sangoi, CIO, Meru Cabs

I consider price, processing speed, WiFi capabilities, size and weight,

battery life & warranty. It's good to be with a reputed brand, so you don't

worry about companies shutting down.

Anup Badhe, CTO, Yureekah Software Technologies

Next :



Shootout: 26 Netbooks and Notebooks for professionals