Have you decided that you want to purchase a new computer, but you aren’t sure whether a netbook or a laptop is better suited for your needs? The answer depends entirely on what you plan on using your laptop for, as well as where you will be using it. What’s the difference between a netbook vs. laptop? Despite how similar they might appear at first glance, there are many features that distinguish a netbook from a laptop.
Size matters
On the outside of the machines, the most visually defining difference between the two is the screen size. Netbook screens range between seven to 12 inches, while laptop screens are anywhere from 13 to over 18 inches long. Screen size isn’t the only difference between netbooks and laptops. The resolution also varies from 1024 x 600 WSGVA to 1366 x 768 HD.
Keyboards on a netbook are also smaller than those on a full-sized laptop and often need to configure the keys in different positions in order to make them all fit. Many laptops offer CD-DVD or Bluray drives, making it possible to watch movies, listen to music, play games, and install software, which also saves space on the hard drive. Another important difference between full sized laptops vs. netbooks is that laptops also contain better speakers, often stereo or Dolby, for audio playback, whereas netbooks usually have only mono and sometimes stereo speakers.
The most significant difference can be found inside the machines themselves. The power and capabilities of a laptop surpass that of a netbook. While netbooks are increasing their capabilities with every new generation, the power of a full laptop, which can handle up to an i7 core processor, is much higher. This is due largely to the smaller size of a netbook compared to a laptop. Since it is smaller, there is less room inside of it to include the necessary specifications to match full-sized laptops.
A laptop can provide space for larger hard drives, meaning more space to hold your information and more ram, which contributes to a faster, smoother operation of the machine and dedicated graphics capabilities which renders images more quickly and easily than the integrated graphics that a netbook is limited to.
No matter what the device you’re using, you need to find a size that fits. If your Mac is a little book then why not look at selling your Macbook Air online to make extra cash? You can always put this money towards buying a more compact laptop or netbook.
Holding the edge
There are two areas in which netbooks hold a distinct advantage over laptops. The first is portability. Netbooks are smaller and lighter. They are more capable of being transported faster to more locations than full-sized laptops. The second area is the matter of cost. Netbooks offer less impressive specifications and fewer features. However, this allows them to sell for less than full-sized laptops. The difference in netbook vs. laptop prices vary from around $250-500 for netbooks compared to anywhere around $450-2,000+. If you want to spend only what you need, think about how much you want to do with your computer, how quickly and where you would like to be able to work. If you are more interested in surfing the web, checking your email and other, simpler tasks, then you can save your money by purchasing a netbook. However, if you are looking to use more intensive programs, then it would be worth it to spend the extra money on a machine that can live up to the job you need it for.
Author Bio: Colin Fry is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Denver. He is a passionate writer and is always looking to perfect and expand his craft. No matter the subject, Colin enjoys communicating new ideas and information to his audience – whether that’s comparing a laptop and netbook or offering advice on where to sell Macbook Air and other unwanted models to purchase newer versions.