Best 10″ netbook computers right now

At this moment, the 10 inch netbooks’ segment has already reached maturity. And with the new bigger 11.6 inch versions getting right now on the market, I’m pretty sure there will not be too many new 10″ such mini laptops that could outperform the ones I’m going to enumerate in this list, a list of the best 10 inch sub notebooks on the market at the moment.

I have to say that all the things wrote in the lines below are based on my previous experiences with the devices, features and their popularity between current owners on forums and big online stores that allow reviews. Also, you might notice that some of the netbooks in this list are exactly the ones in my other top, with the best $400 netbooks on the market. That’s mostly because some of the best 10 devices cost under $400 , but not all of course.

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Update – Feb 2010: This article is outdated. A new generation of 10 inch netbooks is now on the market, and i’d advice you to read the latest version of this top with Best 10 inch netbook computers in here.

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Asus 1005HA – just good all-round

There are many things to say about the Asus 1005HA, but i’m going to try to be short. The 1005HA is one of the best sold 10 inch netbooks on the US market, mostly because it comes with a couple of unbeatable pros:

• offers up to 10.5 hours battery life
• comes with a nice finish, especially for those looking for a glossy device
• there’s no important feature missing: Bluetooth, Wi-fi draft N, Webcam, card reader, etc etc
• price is very good for the specs, although you can get other 10″ netbooks cheaper. But none as good.

I could say more about this Asus 1005HA, but I’d better leave you with the review, where you could find more it.

Nokia Booklet 3G – the new tough guy

Nokia just entered the netbooks’ segment, and they did it in style, with their new Booklet 3G. It comes with a 10″ display, but this one is HD ready, unlike most others that come with a 1024 x600 px resolution. Also, it’s a lot better looking, with a nice metallic like finish and a lot slimmer, as you can see in the picture on the right.

The Nokia Booklet 3G will have similar hardware specs to the other netbooks in this class, but besides Bluetooth and Wi-Fi n, will also bring an integrated 3G module. As for battery, Nokia claims the new toy will provide up to 12 hours of juice.

Of course, all these will make the Booklet 3G quite pricey. It is expected to enter the market later this year for around $799, and that’s twice the price of a regular 10 inch netbook. But besides that, there’s almost nothing you won’t like about this new tough guy.

More details about it once it launches and hopefully, i will get my hands on it pretty fast for a review.

Acer Aspire One AOD150 – the unbeatable price

Acer made it once more with their successful policy of cheap devices with decent features, without stuffing them with tons of extra features. This way they can keep the price 10 to 20% bellow what most competitors can offer. That’s also the case of the Aspire One AOD150, that you can get for $299 (the ruby red version), a device that became a best seller during this recension times.

The Aspire One AOD150 still offers you almost anything you would need from a netbook: decent hardware, Wireless connectivity and good construction quality. Yeah, you won’t get Bluetooth or Wi-fi n and battery life is only around the 6 hours mark, but these are not remarkable flaws.

There’s one more thing to add: for what it offers, the Acer Aspire One AOD150 is as good as it gets. Reviews and marks from current owners prove it (above 4.5 out of 5 on Amazon). More details you will find in my review of the Aspire One AOD150 .

Lenovo Ideapad S10 – just a toy, for kids

Although Lenovo are known for their professional sober looking Thinkpads , in the netbooks’ world they have a different face. Their most known line of such sub notebooks, the Ideapad S10, is mostly famous because of its price, construction and overall good performances/price ratio.

These days you can get the white version of the Lenovo S10 for just $297, while the other colors are just a couple of bucks more. Weighing just 2.7 pounds and being just about one inch thin, this device is one of the most portable on the market. Unfortunately, although the hardware is pretty standard, there’s only a 3 cell battery available for it and that means battery life is pretty poor (around 4 hours).

I for one would recommend the Ideapad S10 as a good choice for kids, because it’s very well built and the plastic exterior make it look somewhat like a toy anyway.

So, if you’re looking for a cheap durable netbook that’s good enough for any day use and you can get passed the autonomy problem, then the Lenovo Ideapad S10 might be just the solution for you. Here you can find some more details about it and see price options too.

Toshiba Mini NB205 – the matte one

I for one am a very big fan of the Toshiba Mini series, just because it contains some of the only good matte netbooks you can get these days in the 10″ class. It comes with both a matte body and a matte screen, so bye bye fingerprints and hello using it outside during the day.

In terms of features, the best one is this NB205-N311, that comes with good hardware, 9 hours battery life, Bluetooth and chiclet keyboard. It’s available in 4 different colors and comes for around $390. There are some other cheaper versions though, you can read more about them and the other characteristics of this device in my short review of the Toshiba Mini NB205 line.

Still, i for one consider the extra bucks are well worth paying for the matte part. It’s true there are better options in terms of features, but all of them are glossy, and the guys at Toshiba are just trying to profit from that. If others would offer similar matte gadgets, prices would surely drop a bit.

Samsung N120 – multimedia netbook

Last but not least comes a Sammy, the N120 netbook. Samsung makes some very good mini laptops and this is perhaps one of the best.

In terms of looks, there’s nothing you won’t like about it (except the glossy finish, of course): it’s well built, durable and quality is overall high class.

On the inside, you get the standard specs. Actually, the only things missing are the Wi-fi draf n (you do have the regular 802.11 b/g wireless) and the 3G module. Screen is good, and especially the viewing angles. And so are the 97% full-sized keyboard and touchpad, although Samsung implemented quite a strange layout on the keys, one that would require you some time to get used to it.

There’s one thing Samsung tries to get in front for their N120 netbook, the SRS 2.1-channel speaker system that is supposed to offer way better sound performance levels than the ones of other netbooks. I for one didn’t have the chance to test it, but others did and seemed pretty impressed.

All in all, the Samsung N120 is a good netbook, and that is proven by the 4.6 out of 5 mark received from buyers on Amazon. Here you can read some of the reviews. Price however is pretty high, around $400 for the black version and $370 for the white one. It’s just up to you if it’s worth it or not.

Conclusion

All in all, there are quite some good choices you can get in this segment. However, is hard to claim that one of these devices is the best 10 inch netbook on the market, because that’s not something you can do. You can however find the best one for you, according to your needs and budget. I for one consider the Toshiba NB205 my favourite right now, although i’m waiting to get my hands on that brilliant Nokia Booklet 3G.

And like i said in the beginning, i doubt there will be too many new 10 inch netbooks in the future. Sure, there will probably be some on the new Intel Pinetrail platform, but most producers are turning their attention to the bigger 11.6 inch class. And it’s there where we’ll see lots of activity in the next couple of months.

Tags: 10" netbook, cheap netbook, good autonomy, good netbooks