Best 10 inch netbooks(mini laptops) at the moment

With so many new netbooks entering the market these last weeks, it was finally time for a new list with the best netbooks in the 10 inch class, based on my personal experience with them and reviews from buyers all around the world.

However, having so many good choices on the market, it was pretty difficult to make a top, that’s why i divided the article in 3 parts: cheap netbooks, mainstream and “money are not a problem” devices. You can read about each of them below.

Also, i have to add that prices might vary for each model in time, and you should check the links for the updated ones at the time you read this post.

And last but not least, i have to mention that only the new generation PineTrail netbooks have been included in this top (there might be exceptions when older gen devices get extra-hot prices).

If you happen to live in the UK, you can also read this other post about the best netbooks available on the UK market these days (updates for the Canadian and German market will be available soon too).

Best netbooks for budget oriented customers

If budget is your main concern but you’re still looking for a nice device, than these laptops in here are the ones for you. They come with the new hardware and improved autonomy, but in most cases will come with 3 or 4 Cell batteries, poorer keyboards and no Bluetooth.

Asus EEEPC 1001P – $299- see full review

Matte Asus 1001P

While usually Asus netbooks are not known for their competitive prices, with the new 1001P series built on PineTrail, they tried to show us that good netbooks can also be very affordable.

Thus, this 10 inch device is one of the best mini laptops if budget is your first concern. It has almost no noticeable flaws, although the small storage space (only 160 GB) might be an issue. Besides that, it just offers all the features you’ll need from a small portable computer, with even a battery life of up to 11 hours (on paper, more like 8 in practice). The nice Seashell design we already now, good build quality and software package are here too. For more details, please read the more thorough review of the 1001P.

Prices start from only $299 $279 and uou’ll notice that you can get them in various colors, by clicking that link. If you want this mini laptop in a black/white non glossy, you can get it for $329 (also with bigger 250GB hard-drive and Bluetooth). All these with Free Shipping included within US boarders. Click the links for more details about each of the products, reviews, pictures and the option to buy them, if you want to.

Acer AO532h – from $279 – see full review

Glossy Acer Aspire One 532h

Like Asus above, Acer too offers a cheap version of their AO532h line, for only $279. You get the same PineTrail hardware and 160 GB hard-drive as, but a smaller up to 8 hours autonomy. Besides these, the 1001P and the cheap AO532 are almost identical in terms of features, with a small bonus to the Acer machine that offers fast Wi-Fi N wireless connectivity (while the Asus only offers Wi-Fi b/g).

Overall, this affordable 10 inch netbook is fairly appreciated and benefits of very good reviews and marks from previous buyers, mostly because it is a reliable computer and one of the most affordable on the market.

Speaking of prices, the AO532 sell for around $279 in the States right now, with some of them even cheaper. That’s with Free Shipping included and some nice discount; plus, you get a couple of different color themes to choose from: Matrix Silver, Onyx Blue, Amethyst Purple or Ruby Red. Click the links for more details, pictures, reviews from buyers or the option of buying one yourself.

All in all, the Asus 1001P and the Acer Ao532 are fairly similar devices. Picking one of the two will only depend on taste; as both devices are nearly identical in terms of features, there’s only the aspect to differentiate them (matte – Asus vs glossy – Acer). And perhaps build quality, which i consider a little better for the Asus.

For more options of fair-priced mini laptops, you should check out this post with available PineTrail netbooks under $300.

Mainstream netbooks – best in terms of performances/price

Want a netbook overall good that won’t leave a hole in your wallet? Than one of the mainstream netbooks in here is what you need. They provide the standard hardware based on PineTrail Atom platform, decent performances and excellent autonomy, while looking good and having price tags around $400, but enhanced with some extra goodies: chiclet keyboards, ergonomic touchpads with multi-touch, Bluetooth, etc.

Toshiba NB305 – $399 from $349 – see full review

Toshiba NB305 - overall, my personal choice

This is in fact at the moment my favorite 10 inch netbook. It’s not the best in every aspect, but overall is the perfect choice and the most comfortable on a daily base use. These without being too expensive.

And speaking of the price, you’ll reckon that this one just makes it in the under $400 category, with a tag of $399 (in the meantime it got cheaper). But, it has its strong points over the competition: the best keyboard+touchpad in the class, matte body with excellent construction quality and noise-free operating are only some of them. For more, i’d advice you to read my full review of the NB305 series.

This Toshiba is also offered in many versions and different color options, with prices varying right now between $350 and $380. You can see more info about  them via this link, where you’ll also find more technical details, pics and reviews+marks from previous buyers.

There are even some options with the new N455 processor and support for DDR3 memory between those you can see via the link above, so if you dig the new technology, you could go for these. But there’s not really a big difference between the two in terms of performance.

You’ll also notice there’s a cheaper NB305 that only sells for around $299, but if i were you, I’d ignore it (see the review for the reasons).

Asus 1005PE-P – $399 from $299 – see full review

Asus 1005PE with its two versions

The 1005PEs are Asus’s top netbooks series in the 10 inch class. They provide everything Asus has to offer best and do come with very good price tags. In fact, their only flaws are the glossy exterior and display and the single-click button touchpad, and even these are pretty minor.

Especially if you consider that they are compensated by the best battery life in the class, ergonomic chiclet keyboard, excellent construction and connectivity options, plus a fairly rich and useful software package.

The 1005PE is offered in two distinctive versions, the top one being the 1005PE-P, that sells for $399 in the US and comes with 14 hours autonomy and lots of features. You should see my complete review on it for more info.

If it caught your interest, you should know this is one of the most popular netbooks on Amazon right now, with very good reviews and marks from those who already own one.

However, the top version is pretty expensive at around $380 bucks. Also, the 1005PR, which is the same device, only with a HD display (1366 x 768 px) and Braodcom 3D accelerator for better multimedia performance, goes for $399.

Still, if you can live with poorer battery life (only around 11 hours) and no Bluetooth, there’s the 1005PE-M versions the currently sell for $299 (for some color schemes) and that is really a great deal.

All these devices are available in Black, White, Pink or Blue, and by clicking any of the links above you will see more details, reviews and get the option to buy one of these great Asus EEE PCs for perhaps the best prices you can get in the States (and from Amazon.com, which is a very reliable source).

Asus 1015PED/PE – $379 , the new generation of Seashells

This is a very fresh device and one we’ve been expecting for a while. It is the successor of the 1005PE line and comes with some improvements and upgrades.

Asus EEE PC 1015PED

First, Asus finally decided to dump that glossy finish for a complete matte one, so the 1015PE come with soft matte plastic covers, that allows better grip and are a lot better when dealing with smudges and scratches. Then, they’ve worked on the trackpad, replacing it with a new one, bigger and clearly separated from the palm rest area. Plus the brought a new webcam, rearranged ports more ergonomically and slightly improved the materials used for the entire chassis. Too bad that screen is still glossy though.

Of course, the biggest changes are inside, as the 1015PED brings a new faster processor (1.83 GHz N475) and DDR3 memory, alongside the standard storage (with free EEE Storage included) and top notch connectivity. Battery life dropped a little bit, to only up to 13 hours for the 6 Cell battery option, but hey, we get better performances so that’s well worth it.

All in all, the Asus EEE PC 1015PED/series will be a bestseller in this second half of 2010, managing to combine the pros of the previous EEE PCs and fix the problems customers complained on them.

Right now the 1015PED goes for $379 in the States, with Free Delivery included, and that’s actually a fair and affordable price, based on what it offers. You can get it in 4 different colors: White, Black, Blue or Red, all for the same price for the moment. Check the link for more details, pictures, reviews or the option to buy one.

I’m looking forward to get this machine for tests as well. But based on early impressions and feedback available online, this seems like the machine to buy right now in the 10 inch mainstream class.

MSI Wind U160 – from $349

MSI Wind U160 - the newcomer

One of the latest entries in the 10 inch class, and quite an entrance it was, is the MSI Wind U160, the fanciest of their new line of netbooks built on PineTrail.

This one comes with improved looks and similar features as the above (including the chiclet keyboard, connectivity and nice hardware), but promises an even better battery life than the Asus 1005PE-P, up to 15 hours on paper. However, expect it to be around 10 hours tops in practice.

It is available in two different colors, Black or Gold and offers standard specs and features: N450 processor, 1 GB of RAM, 250 GB storage, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi N, Windows 7 Starter. In fact, it is pretty much comparable  to the similarly priced mini laptops above. However, i have to admit i really like the design, which seems to be inspired from the Vaios.

Right now, the Winds U160 go for $379 for the Gold version, while the Black one is discounted and sells for $349. Both with Delivery included. By clicking this link you’ll be able to see more pics and technical details, plus reviews from previous buyers.

Dell Mini 10 – $349

Although not a particular fan of the Dell Mini 10 series, i could not let this netbook out of this list, as it’s fairly popular and appreciated in the US. It’s main advantage is the possibility to configure it just the way you want it. So, while prices start from $279, a decent device will run for at least $349, with the new N450 processor, 1 GB of RAM, 250 GB hard-drive, 6 Cell battery and Windows 7 Starter as an OS (similar features as the other premium netbooks in this class offer). However, even with these equipment levels, the Mini 10 is not a rival for the Toshiba or Asus device, that can outperform it in nearly every aspect: looks, autonomy, ergonomics, etc.

However, the Mini 10 can be upgraded with some extra parts the opponents won’t offer, with the mobile broadband module being only one of them. Still, these upgrades will make for some very high price tags, and they are just not worth it.

Update: There are however a couple of pre-configured Dell Mini 10s I consider worth the money, you can check them out below (in the mean time they might have become unavailable, but I’ll add other if i spot anything interesting):

• Dell Inspiron iM1012 – $389 + Free Shipping – available in a multitude of colors (black, pink, white, green, red, blue, etc – Update: actually, only the Black/Blue models are in stock for now), this Dell offers a new look and superior build quality over the previous generation, while still providing good performance for an even better price. As you can see, it can be tours for only $389 from Amazon (the black version is even cheaper), and that with Free delivery included. In fact, it’s the best price I could spot online on every US based store.

And there are some other interesting devices you should check out in this class and in this price range. You will find them listed below, with links towards more detailed posts, as i come in contact with them. The Lenovo S10-3t tablet ($489) and matte Samsung N150 in Blue ($299) and rugged and tough Samsung NB30 built for the road are just some of the netbooks i’m currently considering adding to the list.

Fancy and exclusive netbooks – best money can buy

If all the above are just not enough for you and you’re prepared to pay $400-$700 bucks for a 10 inch mini laptop, than the devices in this category are the ones for you. They are just the best money can buy and offer some fancy features and aesthetics, like touch-sensitive HD displays, metallic cases and stellar battery life.

However, i will not insist too much on this category, mainly because in the 10 inch class, you can hardly find anything above $400 really worth that kind of money. You do get the HP 5102 with a metallic casing and lots of customization options (touch display, carrying handle, fast 7200 rpm HDD, extra memory, big battery), which can easily jump even to 1000 bucks, but you will still end with the same level of performance offered by other cheaper netbooks. So are you really sure you want to pay that much extra for “details”?

Of course, if you’re looking for exclusivity and fancy looks, you can try some of the options for designer netbooks, like the Asus 1008P-KR signed by Karim Rashid (costs around $490 and is available in Coffee Brown or Hot Pink . Comes with 2 batteries and a very sleek matching leather case). Or even better, the extra-feminine HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam, which is something every girl would love to have (I’ve seen it too and I must say it’s impressive, with high quality finishing and solid construction. Still, the color and the design make it a clearly a mini laptop for a girl.) This one has a list price of around 700 bucks, but you can find it on Amazon.com for $570 (also check here pics and reviews from owners). And there’s a matching mouse for it too, from the same designer, available for 25 bucks. Plus a matching case, for around $10.

Fancy netbooks - HP 210 Vivienne Tam (left) and Asus 1008P Karim Rashid (right)

That’s about it for now. If the post was useful, please tell your friends about it or leave a comment. And like i already said, as time passes and new devices will enter the market, you’ll see changes. So make sure you check this one periodically. Also prices and availability might change in time, so be sure to check the links for each product for up-to-date details.

If you liked the products in this list but don’t quite have the budget for them, keep an eye on our section of deals were we periodically add the interesting offers we might spot online (they are only available for limited periods of time in most cases, so the best way to keep in touch is to subscribe to this site via RSS or email).

In the end, i can only hope i could give you a hand in deciding which of the current 10 inch netbooks is the best for your needs and budget. Once again, I have to say that is a list of recommended mini laptops you will be able to find on the US market. They might not be available in some other countries or have different names, that’s why I’ll also put together a similar post useful for you guys in Canada, Europe (will be available soon) and hopefully for the Asian market too.

Thanks once again for your time and don’t forget, feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Tags: best netbook, best netbook deals, best selling netbooks, Pine Trail