Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Netbooks
By Paul Miller 
posted November 24th 2009 3:16PM
posted November 24th 2009 3:16PM
Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! The team here is well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties of the seasonal shopping experience, and we want to help you sort through the trash and come up with the treasures this year. Below is today's bevy of hand curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season.
The term "netbook" is such a moving target that it's hard to tell if it'll even be relevant at all in a year or two. But for the moment at least it's a handy bit of shorthand for a laptop that sacrifices performance in exchange for a small form factor and cost savings. Usually. Of course, you've got to weigh the sacrifices when gifting one of these: if your target is a power user who can't get anything done on that smaller screen, slightly-cramped keyboard and low-end processor, then you might want to look elsewhere, but if they've got an unhealthy passion for portability and things in miniature, you might just make their year.
Acer Aspire One D250 - The sub-$299 range is a dangerous place to be with netbooks. The gap in quality between $199 and $299 has traditionally been filled with the most truly mediocre examples of the category. But this year things are different, with Acer's highly popular Aspire One D250 dropping to $199 for a couple retail promotions. With Windows XP, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB HDD and a 10.1-inch screen, the AOD250 is really the quintessential example of a "2009-style" netbook, and if you're gifting to a hacker this is basically a blank slate to let their wild Linux imaginings run wild (for those new to the concept of Linux: that's a good thing).
$256 to $299 - Shop for Acer AOD250
$199 - Retail Target stores
Samsung N130 - With ultra-standard internals (see above) and a fairly bland exterior, the N130 might have a hard time sticking out like its fancy rubber-clad Samsung Go older brother, but the N130 makes up for it with strong battery life for the price (5.8 hours) and telltale Samsung quality. It's just not going to win any awards for "world's most surprising netbook" when you stick it under the tree.
$299 - Shop for Samsung N130
Dell Vostro A90 - The cheapest one of the bunch if you go by "regular" pricetags, the Dell Vostro A90 can be specced for as low as $219 if you opt for Ubuntu pre-loaded -- tech enthusiasts only, but you save a nice wad of cash. The Dell hardware is as minimal as it gets, with a mere 8GB of internal storage, and the 9-inch screen is stretching the limits of usability, but it is a "real computer" for a pretty unreal price.
$219+ - Buy from Dell
HP Mini 311 - This is where things get very interesting. For a mere $399 the Mini 311 steps up nearly every aspect of traditional netbook power and usability. It has an 11.6-inch screen, a great keyboard and HP's classy netbook styling, but the real kicker is the NVIDIA Ion graphics chip within that makes the laptop powerful enough to play back HD video and even some video games like World of Warcraft. Yeah, that's right, a mere $399 could reclaim the family PC from the significant other's WoW addiction.
$399+ - Buy from HP
$149 on contract - Buy from Verizon
ASUS Eee PC 1005HA - ASUS started the netbook craze, and while the release of Windows 7 and graphics chips like Ion have made "traditional" netbook guts a little passe, the 1005HA "Seashell" Eee PC is perhaps the best example of that passing form. For the price you'll have trouble finder a better looking laptop, but where things really get crazy is battery life: 10 hours of constant use isn't out of the question. Of course, it's up to you whether or not you actually want that loved one of yours working 10 hours straight.
~$359 - Shop for ASUS Eee PC 1005HA
Toshiba NB205 - A little surprising, but one of the best reviewed netbooks of the year isn't from ASUS, Acer of HP: it's from Toshiba. The NB205 is an expert at the little things like a comfy keyboard, large trackpad and unique design, but the real triumph comes with pairing a long-lasting battery with a friendly price tag. Up against the 1005HA we suppose it's primarily a question of taste, but if you're shopping for a critic, there's little to nitpick about the NB205.
~$330 - Shop for Toshiba NB205
$399 - Buy from Toshiba
HP Mini 5101 - Another example of a seasoned netbook vet just getting everything right aesthetically, though with less battery life than the 1005HA, the HP Mini 5101 is priced a bit high. Once you start adding on some of the available premium options, things start to get a little silly, but there's still no denying the quality of this product. Great for a well-compensated professional, or someone who's big into typing.
~$399 - Shop for HP Mini 5101
ASUS Eee PC 1201N - It won't be released until just before Christmas, so we're recommending this one blind, but if history is any indication we have no doubt that ASUS can get this thing right. Specs-wise it's quite similar to HP's Mini 311, with that same NVIDIA Ion graphics chip providing the magic, but the screen is slightly larger and the aesthetics are all ASUS Seashell goodness.
$499 - Shop for ASUS Eee PC 1201N (pre-orders only at time of posting)
Nokia Booklet 3G - You might be familiar with Nokia as the brand atop your very first cellphone, back when you still had physical buttons on the front and the high score in Snake. Now they're trying their hand at netbooks, and have managed to build an incredibly nice one. Unfortunately it's a tad spendy, but if classy materials or misplaced brand loyalty mean anything to you, the wireless internet-friendly and battery life replete Nokia Booklet 3G is worth a look.
$599 - Buy from Best Buy
$299 with contract
Lenovo IdeaPad S12 - Another Ion-powered rig, this one comes at a real premium, but brings with it a 12-inch screen, Windows 7 Home Premium and just about anything else you might want in a "netbook." Of course, at this size, price and power we're pushing the boundaries of the definition, but we know a few rebels on our gift list that certainly wouldn't mind.
$599 - Buy from Lenovo
Sony Vaio X - Remember when we said that netbooks usually sacrifice performance in exchange for a low price and improved portability? Well, Sony only got half of that memo. The Vaio X is truly a marvel of portability, and its carbon fiber chassis is one of the better examples of laptop case engineering this decade (if you could even call this sliver of a laptop a "case"), but it's actually running very standard netbook guts -- which makes the incredible $1,300 price tag truly insane. Sure, you could almost get a MacBook Air for the money, but there's just something so much more decadent about giving someone a Vaio X-style work of art, and the 10 hour battery life doesn't hurt.
$1,299 - Buy from Sony
Stocking stuffer
$256 to $299 - Shop for Acer AOD250
$199 - Retail Target stores
$299 - Shop for Samsung N130
$219+ - Buy from Dell
Oh, you shouldn't have
$399+ - Buy from HP
$149 on contract - Buy from Verizon
~$359 - Shop for ASUS Eee PC 1005HA
~$330 - Shop for Toshiba NB205
$399 - Buy from Toshiba
~$399 - Shop for HP Mini 5101
We can't afford the rent now, can we?
$499 - Shop for ASUS Eee PC 1201N (pre-orders only at time of posting)
$599 - Buy from Best Buy
$299 with contract
$599 - Buy from Lenovo
$1,299 - Buy from Sony
Can ya'll do something with the Ultraportables? Netbooks are so last summer.
Also....I must say, it's taking a while to get used to the new Engadget. Specifically, there's so much black...it's depressing. I used to check this site 5-10 times a day, and was always greeted with this nice happy blue/white combo. Now I hesitate to click on the fast dial bookmark. I am considering signing for the twitter feeds as an alternative though.
@jackbravo www.engadget.com/headlines
@jackbravo Well I got my mom a HP mini 311 and installed Win7, and 2GB DDR3 ram, and she loves it. Especially since she can hook it up to the TV via HDMI
@jackbravo
I'm not noticing the black so much as I more miss the big ol'engadget logo looming at the top of every page.
What happen boys?! Was the water too cold in the wash and the logo came out shrunk?
As for the list of netbooks; what about the MSI X-Slim series?
I know they can be hard to track down but they didn't even get an honorable mention?
i just bought a Samsung NC10 from PcWorld UK, 240 pounds, i would highly recommend, id love to have most of the ones above!
@OliverHenry how is it a netbook at 240 pounds? thats super-computer weight! haha. kidding!
@Joshua Topolsky
link takes me to the engadget homepage .. ?
@Joshua Topolsky
Made my day. Thanks, that link makes my speed dial for Engadget look as it used to: Newest/latest post visible. Much appreciated!
Given that you included 12" models in your list, I think you should have mentioned at least the Acer AS1410. Once you get to $400 it may be very attractive for some people. If you want a 10" netbook, this may well be too big for you. But if you're buying only on price, the CULV processor and 1366x768 11.6" screen in this thin-'n-light laptop will completely dominate the Atom CPU in the other netbooks here. It won't play games as well as the Ion-based netbooks you've got here (though better than the rest of them), but it will do just about everything else better. And its thin, and light, has great battery life, and a better keyboard than most of these.
@Fanfoot
+1
How in Hell do you say Ubuntu is "tech enthusiasts only"? Like you can't open it up and click the bigass Firefox icon unless you're some sort of Linux guru? My mother has been running Netbook Remix for a year. She's over 60 and I've never got a call for help from her. You know why? Because she uses her *netbook* to GET ON THE GODDAM NET.
*whew*
@rbj my school has ubuntu on all of our new netbooks. I haven't heard anymore complaints than with our other xp running machines. although, the smoothness of the scrolling is pretty bad.
@rbj Ubuntu IS for tech enthusiasts only. They can't make this stuff up, it's the Interweb.
@gonintendo
What version of Ubuntu are they running? The Intel graphics drivers were atrocious in 9.04 but have improved somewhat in 9.10. Scrolling performance in particular has seen a huge improvement.
No mention of the Dell Mini 10v huh? Even with its hackintoshability???
You also must consider that the 10v has a black friday sale price of $149.
No it can't play HD vids but it can handle netflix and the like PERFECTLY. I LOVE having it just for that. I load up a couple movies I burned with Handbrake and have the Netflix handy and you are ALL SET. Great for travel or even home use. Just plug it into an external monitor.
Oh well I guess its because netbooks are "so last summer" and it seems like most people on here have a bunch of money to spend on better machines anyway.
Good little laptop if you ask me and you can't beat $149.
@(Unverified) Where are you seeing the $150 Black Friday ad for the Mini 10v? All my searches are claiming $249. Thanks
@(Unverified)
If you're talking about the 149 price at officemax, that's a hoax. That being said, you can get the vostro a90 through dell small business for 189.
I'm about to buy the mini 311 for a 5 day trip to LA and good to know this is still the cheapest ION out on the market currently. Thanks Engadget!
one that's outside the range in terms of size but is a stellar machine, the Toshiba T135-S1309 or S1310. 13.3" screen and full size keyboard.
I picked one up the other day for a tick under $500 at Best Buy and it's very slick and light. Plus is has 4GB of ram, Dual-core CULV processor and Windows 7. Not a bad package for the price point.
@Cheesus Crust
yea...the mini311 is pretty much the only exception because it'll run run hulu/youtube after 10.1 (which was my biggest complaint about the msi wind u100). the other ION machines I know nothing about ... but they're more expensive anyway.
@Village
My apologies! I typed 1 twice when I meant to type 2. The price is indeed $249.
I STILL think it is a pretty good deal though. :) I have been more than happy with mine. And I got it when it was $320!
http://gizmodo.com/5403891/dells-black-friday-ad-leaks-a-few-good-laptop-deals
One netbook I believe should be on this list is the Aspire One's big bro the Acer 1410. The new revision ships w/ 11.6" lcd, Win7 Home Premium, 2GB mem, about a 5 hour battery life, dual core celron proc, and the intel 945gsm video chipset which is able to do atleast 720p video. I bought this for my girl for a very reasonable $400 and she is very happy with it. The keyboard is almost great but more like very good and with the snappy performance of the dual core celron chip it is a very pleasant "netbook" Check it out
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115655&cm_re=acer_1410_su2300-_-34-115-655-_-Product
@jackbravo
No I missed typed it twice. It is in fact $249. Still a good deal though if you ask me. The ONE thing that could be better is the battery life.
@ceilingcat FINE! £240 HAPPY NOW :)
Your reply appears to be misplaced btw... But I for one understood what you meant the first time, not all Americans refuse to accept the existence of forn parts...
The Asus 1201N is not quite the same spec-wise as the HP mini 311, because it features a dual core Atom 330 instead of a boring single core Atom n270
@inimicus
ahhh..that's what it's for. i'm keeping my link unrefreshed, so I can keep the pic of the old homepage.....ah, memories
Also look at the Acer 1410/1810 and its rebrand, the Gateway EC1400/1800.
You can an 11.6" version with a dual core Celeron with 160gb HDD or single core Celeron with 250gb, these are way better than the Atom, comes with Intel X4500 graphics with HDMI, step above GMA 950 though below ION, 4-6 hour battery life and for only $400. They are netbook killers!
Do you think the Ion computers are able to play Team FOrtress 2 ? I'm looking for a cheap computer to play to this game.
RIP Netbooks 2007-2008
@sellerba
They haven't changed much. THe Vostro is exactly the same as the Mini 9.
BTW, the Mini 9 has ana amazing screen, despite it being slightly smaller than the others. It looks better than any other display I own.
No mention of the eee tablet?
Seems like it would stand out in one of these categories. What gives?
No MSI Wind?
The HP Mini 311 is right up my alley. I watch shows on Hulu (provided they don't jump ship with free offerings they have now) and this notebook would be perfect for that. Even games such as WC3 (i know its old and ancient but i still love it!!) can run a little better now that this notebook has the ION graphics on board (i never pay attention to those negative reviews about NIVIDA anyways) i'm willing to pay a little more (around $400 pushing it I know, but worth it IMO) for more horsepower under the hood. My only thoughts are could it play HD video on sites such as CBS.com or FOX.com, if i does, then would be a great alternative to a notebook, and besides, I like things small anyway (takes less space, less weight, etc.). - BLUEBOY
@blueboy09 sorry i meant netbook, apologize to all the readers in Engadget land. - BLUEBOY
I'm not sure if you're going to be happy with the EEEPC. I had mine for only 16 months before the left trackpad mouse button broke, and the company wouldn't fix it for me since it only had a 1 year warranty.
Asus 1201N = Amazing. The keyboard, studded trackpad, slim design, is just great. Dual core Atom CPU and ion graphics is even better. I am going to wait 6 months for the price to drop.
The thing that bothers me about netbooks is that they all started with Negroponte's One Laptop Per Child Initiative, which was pretty well undermined by Intel. Now look at it objectively: instead of one laptop per child we have 2 laptops per yuppy. OLPC---->TLPY
That said, boy don't they look juicy.