Do you believe that netbooks are dead?

[Twiggy]

I've noticed that they pretty much stopped selling netbooks and there doesn't seem to be any new models in the horizon, or for the long term these days.

I would not miss them in any way, then again. Extremely underpowered CPUs make them easy pickings for even not-too-vintage desktop CPUs circa early-to-mid 00s. Add to the usually unusable graphics, barely enough RAM, and... yeah. Slow disks didn't help, either. Low resolution screens OR PPI too high, neither are ideal, either.

Or do you believe that they've become something else entirely?

[Yoshi648]

Yeah, they're dead since they have been replaced by tablets. The main problem was people were buying them expecting to do everything with them but not being aware of their limitations and buying into the fad *looks at Cat*.

For their purpose, they are good systems. In my case I just needed a small light system to carry around school to type up notes during class and browse the internet during time off (and they were the cheapest systems you could buy at the time, which was a nice bonus for me ) . For what I need it for, my netbook is just fine. Yes there are a few times when it acts a bit laggy (90% of the time when watching videos on my school's sluggish internet) but I'm still happy with it.

Now they have been replaced by tablets with even smaller form factors and touch screens. My favorite part of all this is most tablets actually have WORSE specs then netbooks (for example: most tablets only have like 1-1.5GHz processors while most netbooks had 1.66GHz and most tablets have 1GB of RAM while most netbooks could be upgraded to 2GB) but they just run faster due to more stream-lined OSes. If Android were able to work fully on a netbook, that thing would certainly have some performance increases over the tablet. The problem there is most netbooks were shipped with Windows 7, which can be a bit of a resource hog. I have Lubuntu Linux (a "lighter" version of Ubuntu) installed on my system and I certainly got some performance increases.

If given more of a chance and had a more of a faster OS, they certainly could have lived on longer.

[Twiggy]

Originally Posted by Yoshi648

Yeah, they're dead since they have been replaced by tablets. The main problem was people were buying them expecting to do everything with them but not being aware of their limitations and buying into the fad *looks at Cat*.

For their purpose, they are good systems. In my case I just needed a small light system to carry around school to type up notes during class and browse the internet during time off (and they were the cheapest systems you could buy at the time, which was a nice bonus for me ) . For what I need it for, my netbook is just fine. Yes there are a few times when it acts a bit laggy (90% of the time when watching videos on my school's sluggish internet) but I'm still happy with it.

Now they have been replaced by tablets with even smaller form factors and touch screens. My favorite part of all this is most tablets actually have WORSE specs then netbooks (for example: most tablets only have like 1-1.5GHz processors while most netbooks had 1.66GHz and most tablets have 1GB of RAM while most netbooks could be upgraded to 2GB) but they just run faster due to more stream-lined OSes. If Android were able to work fully on a netbook, that thing would certainly have some performance increases over the tablet. The problem there is most netbooks were shipped with Windows 7, which can be a bit of a resource hog. I have Lubuntu Linux (a "lighter" version of Ubuntu) installed on my system and I certainly got some performance increases.

If given more of a chance and had a more of a faster OS, they certainly could have lived on longer.

PS: On a related note, anyone looking for one? I'm actually selling Cat333Pokemon's netbook on eBay. If anyone here buys it, Cat will totally sign it so you can hang it on your fridge or something.

Then again, if it weren't for Windows being available at all, Netbooks would be Linux-land.

I've always wondered how well Windows 7 actually runs on netbooks, to be honest. I never had a netbook, which might be a good thing.

Ships to:

United States

Looks like I won't be getting that netbook! Not that I'll need it with my thin-and-light, anyway.

Also, today, even the average Atom Inside tablet running Windows 8 actually runs better than their Windows RT equivalents for some reason.

That said, how does a modern Atom compare to a Pentium III-level processor for a MHz per core basis?

P.S.: Would anyone be aware that it's Cat's?

[teamplasma]

It seems that most companies that make computers (laptops, netbooks, etc) are going mobile or have some kind of tablet or oversized smartphone. So since the thing now-a-days is to have one of these tablets they are probably going to focus on those and continue to try to make a profit from them. Yeah, they are dead right now (IMO), but who knows, they might come back from the dead. (Haha, like with a touchscreen netbook thing...)

[Twiggy]

Originally Posted by teamplasma

(Haha, like with a touchscreen netbook thing...)

Too bad the closest thing we're ever going to see for that are Windows 8 Ultrabooks. They're in a completely different league, though, when it comes to their specs, build, and, well, price.

I've always wondered, what if my first laptop was a netbook? My first laptop was a crummy Acer that always overheated and looked as generic as it could, too. "Vista Capable" debacle also hit it, seriously, 512 MB? For reference, it was 2007, and I'm fuzzy about whether the concept of netbooks running Windows existed back then.

I've always wondered whether the compatibility trade-off of running Linux instead of Windows XP/7 is worth it.

[teamplasma]

My first computer was a netbook. It gave out after 2 years of good use. Now it was a little pitiful on size and durability,so I doubt I would buy one any time soon just because my last one didn't last.

Another thing, since tablets are basically (Yes, with a few minor differences) netbooks when they have a pop-on keyboard, I don't think I would buy a new one. I would buy a tablet since that would be easy and a new experience.

[Twiggy]

Originally Posted by teamplasma

Another thing, since tablets are basically (Yes, with a few minor differences) netbooks when they have a pop-on keyboard, I don't think I would buy a new one. I would buy a tablet since that would be easy and a new experience.

This is actually a good idea unless the netbook is your only computer. If so, your tablet will have to run Windows non-RT if you don't want to end up without computing for real... or get an actual laptop.

[teamplasma]

Originally Posted by Twiggy

This is actually a good idea unless the netbook is your only computer. If so, your tablet will have to run Windows non-RT if you don't want to end up without computing for real... or get an actual laptop.

This feels like when I said that Windows is trying to go mostly mobile.

Yeah. It would bea hard decision going from only a laptop to only a tablet or staying with just a laptop. I would probably but a tablet when my current laptop gives out.

[Twiggy]

Originally Posted by teamplasma

Yeah. It would bea hard decision going from only a laptop to only a tablet or staying with just a laptop. I would probably but a tablet when my current laptop gives out.

You probably will want to ask yourself what apps you want to run then and see if a tablet is best for you. Sometimes, tablets work better than a laptop, and vice versa.

Me, I need a proper computer, but I also need to be somewhat portable, so I'm now using a thin-and-light, which you can consider a mainstream computer. 2 KG isn't a lot anyway. The power brick's on the tiny side, too, but I can still frag well with the proper graphics inside.

When you get a tablet, you need to remind yourself that you're giving up massive amounts of computing power for the ultimate in portability, as well as some usability, due to the nature of touchscreen keyboards. Touchscreen keyboards, to me, don't work well when you need to use your entire hand, as is on tablets, compared to real keyboards or a smartphone.

[teamplasma]

I use a basic Dell Inspiron with Windows 8. Since a lot of the things I need are in the Store I can just go there and download that on a windows tablet. So I know what I am using right now is a lot like a tablet, but isn't.

I do think a tablet would work just a well as one a laptop.

[The Spirit of Time]

Tablets are the new cliché of this generation, although I don't like them myself. They are more portable and stylish (I think this matters the most to most people nowadays). But laptops are now more efficient to buy; they can be as small or a bit larger; better capabilities and at a relatively cheep price. Plus, operating systems and other software are more demanding in terms of capacities and such.

[hinorashi]

Netbooks are probably going the way of the dodo since its minimalist concept is easily fulfilled by tablets. Even more extreme, I've been hearing people make predictions that tablets will eventually replace laptop and desktop computing.

The serious problem I see with tablets is that they're more of a toy and it's somewhat difficult to get actual work accomplished with one. If there's one thing I dislike, it's trying to type using a touch screen: it lacks the tactile feedback a keyboard offers, so hitting the wrong keys and smudging up the screen is a given. There is no way I could see myself typing out a paper on one. I'm aware you can have keyboards for tablets or covers similar, but I shouldn't have to lug more things around if it's supposedly offering the convenience of mobility.

It might be that I'm always late to trends, but I've never been too big of a fan of tablets.

[Cat333Pokémon]

Yoshi is indeed correct. I got tired of my netbook because it was far too slow for me. I think the hard drive might have been what really held it back because I'm currently running on a laptop with a similar-specs processor. Heck, netbooks were mostly released about five years after similar laptops (which were top of the line at the time).

They really are great for folks who only (don't stretch the meaning of that!) need one for:

• Typing documents (main advantage over tablets)
• Light web browsing
• Minimal interest in playing any type of game
• Quick banking
• E-mail
• Long battery life

If you have a smartphone or tablet and don't need to type much of anything, save yourself the money.
If you have a full-sized laptop from the last eight years but will stay near an outlet enough that the battery isn't an issue, also save yourself the money, or get a new battery.

Regarding streamlined OSes, I honestly wonder how a netbook would handle Windows 8 (or the lesser RT) if its screen met the minimum resolution of 1024x768. (Most netbooks are 1024x600.)

Originally Posted by hinorashi

The serious problem I see with tablets is that they're more of a toy and it's somewhat difficult to get actual work accomplished with one. If there's one thing I dislike, it's trying to type using a touch screen: it lacks the tactile feedback a keyboard offers, so hitting the wrong keys and smudging up the screen is a given. There is no way I could see myself typing out a paper on one. I'm aware you can have keyboards for tablets or covers similar, but I shouldn't have to lug more things around if it's supposedly offering the convenience of mobility.

I know the joke has been made a million times for these, but I might as well provide the link.

[Twiggy]

Originally Posted by Cat333Pokémon

Yoshi is indeed correct. I got tired of my netbook because it was far too slow for me. I think the hard drive might have been what really held it back because I'm currently running on a laptop with a similar-specs processor. Heck, netbooks were mostly released about five years after similar laptops (which were top of the line at the time).

They really are great for folks who only (don't stretch the meaning of that!) need one for:

• Typing documents (main advantage over tablets)
• Light web browsing
• Minimal interest in playing any type of game
• Quick banking
• E-mail
• Long battery life

If you have a smartphone or tablet and don't need to type much of anything, save yourself the money.
If you have a full-sized laptop from the last eight years but will stay near an outlet enough that the battery isn't an issue, also save yourself the money, or get a new battery.

Regarding streamlined OSes, I honestly wonder how a netbook would handle Windows 8 (or the lesser RT) if its screen met the minimum resolution of 1024x768. (Most netbooks are 1024x600.)


I know the joke has been made a million times for these, but I might as well provide the link.

I wonder what is meant by "similar spec laptop". Even a ULV variant of a Core i3, even the old ones, are going to smoke an Atom. Heck, even a modern Pentium or Celeron will be better. Then again, Atom is designed for very low TDPs...