New Netbook

Current Netbook

Previous Netbook

Requirements and Resolution

Mandatory

  • Battery Life > 5hrs
  • Keyboard with large enter key
  • Lightweight
  • Rugged enough for travel

Optional

  • SSD (replace HDD with SSD at later date)
  • Webcam
  • SD card
  • 3G
  • Bluetooth

Result

  • Acer Aspire A150, 120GB HDD, 512MB RAM
  • Added 1GB RAM
  • Added 6600mAh battery
  • Large enter key not an option
  • HDD allows space for fast SSD in future
  • £142 refurb from dabs.com

Models Considered

Make Model Weight CPU SSD/HDD Battery Screen Other Price
Asus 901 1.10 Atom N270 20GB 6-8 8.9", 1024 x 600 Cam, SD Card, BT, 802.11n 299
Asus 1000 1.33 Atom N270 40GB 5-6 10", 1024 x 600 Cam, SD Card, BT, 802.11n  
Acer A110L 0.99 Atom N270 8GB 3, 6-7 8.9", 1024 x 600 Cam, SD Card 129
Acer A110X 0.99 Atom N270 16GB 3, 6-7 8.9", 1024 x 600 Cam, SD Card  
Acer A150-BGw 0.99 Atom N270 0/160GB 3, 6-7 8.9", 1024 x 600 Cam, SD Card, 3G 199
Acer ZG5 ?? Atom N270 16GB 6-7 8.9", 1024 x 600 Cam, SD Card  
MSI Wind U115 0.94 Atom Z530 8GB/160GB 10 10", 1024 x 600 Cam, SD Card, BT, 802.11n  
MSI/Advent U100/4211-c 1.12 Atom N270 0/160GB   10", 1024 x 600 Cam, SD, BT refurb 180

Alternatives

  • Nokia N810
  • Advent rebranded MSI?

Replacement 2014

Make Model Compatibility Weight (kg) CPU SSD/HDD Battery (hours) Screen Other Price
Samsung Chromebook 2 XE503C12     ARM Exynos 54?? 16GB eMMC >7 11.6"   $299
Acer Chromebook C720 good 1 1.25 Intel Haswell 1.4 (2955U) 16GB SSD 8.5 11.6" 1366x768 1 USB3, 1 USB2, HDMI, SD 199
Lenovo X131e   1.80 Intel   7.5 11.6" 1366x768 2 USB3, 1 USB2, Eth $399+2
HP Chromebook 11 excellent 1.04 ARM Exynos 5250 1.7GHz 16GB SSD 6 11.6" 1366x768 2 USB2 229
Samsung Chromebook XE303C12   1.10 ARM Exynos 5250 1.7GHz 16GB SSD 7 11.6" 1366x768 1 USB3, 1 USB2 229
HP Chromebook 14   1.84 Intel Haswell 1.4 16GB SSD   14" 1366x768   299
Asus Transformer T100 poor 3 1.10 Intel AtomZ3740 1.33GHz 32GB SSD (or 64) 10 10.1" 1366x768 Touch 1 USB3, 1 USB2, sensors 349
Apple Macbook Pro 13"               1099
Lenovo X240               ~1400
Lenovo Carbon X1               1439
AArch64 ?                  

 

1 suspend works with patches

2 Education only?

3 no wifi, no sound

Purchased : Samsung XE503C12-K01UK on 2014-06-03 from Amazon, £250.

Replacement 2015

The Samsung XE503C12 sucked. Dodgy SDcard slot, no 2D accelerated graphics, 3D acceleration via OpenGLES only (Wayland still too immature).

Make Model CPU RAM SSD Bat Screen Ports Price £
Acer Chromebook C720 Intel 1.4 (2955U) 2GB (UK) Any 8.5 11.6" 1366x768 1 USB3, 1 USB2, HDMI, SD ?
Dell Chromebook 13 Core i5005 2GHz 4GB-8GB Any   13" 1080p   550
Toshiba CB30-B104 N2840 4GB 16GB   13.3" 1080p IPS   219
Toshiba CB35-C3300 Celeron 3215 4GB Any M.2 NGFF 42mm   13.3" 1080p IPS   ~2921
Toshiba CB35-C3350 Core i3 5015 2 4GB Any M.2   13.3" 1080p IPS    

 

1 Including shipping and import duty

2 AES acceleration

Purchased : Toshiba CB35-C3300 on 2016-01-07 from Amazon.com, £297 including postage and import VAT.

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