Are Netbooks The Ideal Companion PC For Students?

Netbooks are seen almost everywhere nowadays. It’s as if this little laptop has just popped out of nowhere and became the star among students overnight.

What makes a netbook a netbook?

Netbooks usually have screens of 10 inches or less, runs Windows or Linux and generally sell for well under $500. As its name indicates, the netbook’s main purpose is to keep its owner conveniently connected to the net – anywhere, anytime.

First introduced by Asustek when it launched the first Eee PC in the fall of 2007. But it was only in the last year when we saw the explosive growth of these so-called mini-laptops. Now we have many computer companies such as HP, Dell, Lenovo… all jumping on this craze for a small portable laptop. So much so, that netbooks now is the fastest growing segment of the laptop industry and is expected to reach 139 million units by 2013.

There is a reason why netbooks received an instant popularity. One reason is because of the hunger for mobility. Most people want a portable device that can keep them connected with the Internet wherever they go and they want something that is light and small too, as much as possible. Most of them crave for a convenient portable device that can keep them connected with their family and friends.

Now the next good question would be this: is netbooks good for students? Well if the stuff above did not convince you then here’s more:

Size – Students would have to carry along their school stuff, books, notebooks and many others, additional weight is a big deal for them. Having a very handy netbook along with the other school stuff will not be a burden at all.

Portability – Netbooks are so small and handy you can bring it along all the time with no hassle, and this means you can connect to the Internet anywhere.

Sturdiness – Almost all netbooks are designed to be tough. As we all know students are mostly careless when it comes to their school stuff. Having a netbook would be perfect since it can withstand more pressure than those regular laptops.

Battery Life – Since netbooks are small in size, they do have longer battery life compared to regular laptops. This is also vital for students who spend all their time in school and don’t have a chance to re-charge.

Performance – Despite its size, netbooks do have a very impressive and competitive front to be proud of. Some models have solid-state hard drives that are very durable. Most models make use of Windows XP, which is much recommended for smaller laptops as compared to Vista.

Storage – While storage on netbooks is constantly increasing, it is still nowhere near the kind of storage you will find on a regular sized laptop. Usually, most devices have around 30 or 60 Gig hard drives which should be adequate for most student’s needs. Many newer netbooks have 160 Gigs of storage.

Price – One of the many reasons why netbooks are great for students is because the price is very affordable. Most students do have limited budget and a laptop that has a price of $300-$500 makes a great deal for them.

As you may notice, netbooks do carry a lot of features that respond to every student’s need. It is small, lightweight, portable, sturdy, has a long battery span, quality performance, great Internet connection, enough storage capability and of course affordable. Thus, netbooks are really great for students and classroom use.