A netbook retains certain laptop features like Internet connectivity and basic mobile computing.  It fits the needs of a travel-hungry computer user just as well as it fits in a small luggage.  More importantly, most netbooks come at prices below $400, which can easily fit anyone’s budget.

With netbooks dominating the mobile PC market despite the worldwide economic downturn, computer manufacturers have started venturing into creating faster and bigger capacity small thinking machines.

Aside from the absence of an optical drive, a prevalent disadvantage of a netbook is its lack of storage space.  It is understandable that netbooks’ disk space is only a fraction of laptops and notebooks since bulky data download and large file storage are usually done not on the run.  The general public would rather have cheap but very portable PCs that contain the essentials rather than bring expensive laptops that serve as desktop replacement or gaming machines or graphic editors.

Below are five must have netbooks that we think have topped the small thinking machine category in 2009.

5. Dell Inspiron Mini 10

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 is one of the netbooks that fall in the upper price range of more than $500.  It may be priced higher than the other dell laptops but the extra hardware explains the additional cost – it comes with a TV antenna and tuner that allows its users to watch shows while traveling.

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 comes with a Z-series Intel Atom processor, which features a chipset that supports better video playback.  This netbook is run by an Intel Atom Z530 processor clocked at 1.6 GHz.  This processing power is supported by an installed memory of 1 GB DDR-800.

Weighing 3.4 lbs, the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 has dimensions of 10.3 inches x 7.2 inches x 2 inches.  Despite its size, this netbook has a small and light layout that makes it stylish.  The Dell Inspiron has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, higher than most netbooks’ 1024 x 600 pixels.

4. Acer Aspire One AO751h

While most netbooks have 10.1 inches of display, the Acer Aspire One AO751h is bigger by an inch-and-a-half at 11.6 inches.  This beefs up the resolution size to 1366 x 768 pixels, which is slightly larger than its competition. It is also a bit more expensive than other netbooks in the market.  The Acer Aspire One AO751h has full dimensions of 11.2 inches x 8.5 inches x 1.3 inches. It weighs 3.6 lbs.

Due its larger size, the Acer Aspire One AO751h features more media slots than other netbooks at three.

The Acer Aspire One AO751h is powered by an Intel Atom Z520 processor that runs at a speed of 1.3 GHz.  It is  backed by 1 GB of DDR2-667 SDRAM.

3. Asus Eee PC 1005HA

The Asus Eee PC 1005HA can pass off as the twin of the slightly older Asus Eee PC 1008HA.  The Asus Eee PC 1005HA contains almost the same technical specs, namely: a processor of Intel Atom N280 clocking 1.6 GHz, a memory of 1 GB of DDR2-800, a display size of 10.1 inches and a maximum resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels.  Both also have the capacity to store 160 GB of digital files.

The difference comes in size and price.  The Asus Eee PC 1005HA is slightly bigger at dimensions of 10.3 inches x 7 inches x 1.5 inches.  The reason for this is the location of the VGA port – the older Eee PC has it on a space-saving dongle while this version has it grafted on the side.  This is why the Asus Eee PC 1005HA is designed to be slightly bigger than the Asus Eee PC 1008HA, and why it’s cheaper too.

The Asus Eee PC 1005HA comes with a Bluetooth, 802.11n, a three-cell battery, and two USB ports.

2. Asus Eee PC 1008HA

Like its predecessors, the Asus Eee PC 1008HA comes in a sleek, stylish and fairly solid design.  It is powered by an Intel Atom N280 that clocks at 1.6 GHz and is supported by 1 GB of DDR2-800 SDRAM.

With a display measuring 10.1 inches, the Asus Eee PC 1008HA offers a maximum resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels.  The Asus Eee PC 1008HA weighs just around 2.9 lbs, thanks to its sleek dimension of 10.3 inches x 7 inches x 1.1 inches.

However, unlike its small-capacity ancestors, the Asus Eee PC 1008HA comes with a higher disk space of 160 GB, which is more than enough for storage for typical office files as well as a moderate amount of multimedia files.

The Asus Eee PC 1008HA also comes with a Bluetooth, 802.11n, and a three-cell battery that has a life of four hours. This makes it ideal for people who frequently  travel with their mobile PCs.

1. HP Mini 5101

The HP Mini 5101 is a netbook that almost feels like a laptop to most users. Aside from being powered by an Intel Atom N280 that clocks at 1.6 GHz, this netbook’s 1 GB DDR2-800 SDRAM support could be upgraded to 2 GB, giving it a faster performance when switching between applications.  That speed is relatively good for a netbook, and is actually not that much different from a laptop in that aspect.  Other netbooks offer only 1 GB of memory.

Another feature that makes the HP Mini 5101 comparable to a laptop are its layout and design.  It has a sleek aluminum-magnesium alloy frame with a box measure of 10.3 inches x 7.1 inches x 1.5 inches.  With a weight of 3.6 lbs., the HP Mini 5101 also offers a near-full size keyboard, and neatly positioned mouse buttons.

The HP Mini 5101 comes with a 10.1-inch anti-glare display and a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution.  It has a storage space of 160 GB.  All these features and its similarities to a laptop are what makes the HP Mini 5101 number 1 in our list.

Related posts:

1. Top 5 Netbooks of 2009

Also read about: Core i7 laptops.

A quad-core processor is the best and the fastest processor currently available. Even considering the rate of evolution of the computer industry, it remains certain that the quad-core is here to stay for at least the three or four years. Some may argue that the choice of a laptop isn’t really about the latest technology but when there is a processor of this caliber bearing advanced capabilities; it is very difficult to ignore. The quad-core is especially appealing to those who are into high-end gaming or deal with graphics and video editing on a regular basis.

So here are the most prominent quad-core laptops or notebooks in the market today, presented in no particular order:

(1) Asus G51VX-A1 15.6-inch

The drawing factor to this laptop is that you are getting a complete system but it still retains its portability. Its keyboard and its display are backlit; it has palmrests and a full number pad in the keyboard, allowing for ease of use. Not everyone may like the aesthetics due to its eye-catching and unusual design but no one will argue with its solid performance as a desktop replacement. For more details, check out this review.

(2) Alienware M17x 

It is known for its efficiency and the comfort it provides for its users. There are plenty of reasons why Alienware considers it to be its flagship model. It is the ultimate powerhouse. It should be mentioned that unlike others, the M17x gaming laptop could never be mistaken for another notebook due to its unique display lid or its illuminated logo. If you want to find out more, please read this review.

(3) Gateway P-7808u FX 

It’s mind-boggling how this laptop got all these features fitted into it. It boasts of having a large keyboard with attached numeric keypad. Battery life is impressive. While the screen isn’t as glossy as the other gaming laptops and can’t compare with its rivals in terms of resolution, it still is passable. You can view tweaktown’s opinion here.

(4) Acer Aspire 8930G-7665

Unlike the gaming laptops that have loud designs, this laptop is sleek and business-like. It is a very competent multimedia laptop and would work well on any activity, whether it’s games, business applications, or graphics. For more information, take a look at this product review.

(5) HP Envy 15

Aside from being significantly thin and light, it boasts to have a performance that’s unsurpassed in its category. The 15-inch laptop may only be an inch thick but it is loaded with quad core processors, 16 GB of RAM, dual 128GB SSD drives in a RAID configuration and dedicated ATI graphics with 1 GB of video memory. Isn’t that just amazing? For more of this laptop’s astounding features, view this article.

(6) Dell Precision M6400 Covet

Brace yourself for the high cost of this mobile workstation. The price is well deserved however, since it has been proven to be extremely capable of running CAD and other design software. It is a dependable machine specifically built for advanced applications involved in video editing for instance. It looks jaw-droppingly gorgeous as well to match its performance. To make a decision on whether this laptop is for you, view this Dell Covet review.

(7) Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds

This is definitely one laptop for professionals. It is also meant for those who have larger-than-average budgets. It does have an imposing appearance and you would need to be quite strong to lug this laptop around but its features are worth their weight. It can accomplish complex tasks, such as applications related to audio-visual production, with the greatest of ease. Its most interesting feature — a secondary display – is an incredibly convenient accessory. It has plenty other innovations that are sure to delight anyone. Guess who else agrees with our Lenovo Thinkpad review.

(8) Asus G71 quad-core

This is one of the first gaming laptops to be introduced to the market. As with any model that runs on a quad-core processor, it runs at an impressive speed. The screen is benefited by an nVidia GeForce 9700M GT GDDR3 512MB graphics card and 4GB of DDR2 SDRAM running at 1333MHz. The processor can be tweaked to only work as fast as the user wants it to work. Also programmable are its lighting effects that perhaps only gamers could appreciate. To see how another site has assessed this laptop, check out this Asus laptop review.

(9) Gateway P79003FX

Although this laptop is newly launched, it has already created a lot of buzz. It is a 17” (1440×900) laptop with a Core 2 Quad Q9000 (2GHz), 4GB of RAM, 500GB of HDD, Blu-ray Drive, eSATA, HDMI, WIFI, and Bluetooth among other features. The laptop is intended for high-end games or multimedia use. It is a bit pricey but it does have high-specs so if this sounds like a fit to your requirements.

(10) HP Pavilion DV7-2180US

What’s remarkable with this laptop is its widescreen display that goes well with HP MediaSmart for access to videos, photos, or any type of streaming. This laptop features Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q9000, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 with up to 1 GB dedicated memory, 6 GB DDR2 RAM (2 Dimm) (8 GB Max), 500GB (5400RPM) Hard Drive (SATA), and SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with LightScribe and Double Layer Support. See what slayo.com has to say about it.

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1. Quad Core, now Core i7 laptops.
2. Dual-core or Quad-core?
3. Core i7 Laptops