Best 11.6 inch netbooks – top deals at the moment

Quickly after the 10 inch netbooks became popular, people became to realize that they are still too small for every day use. Something with just a little bit bigger screen, increased resolution and better keyboard/touchpad and hardware was needed. And if autonomy and battery life could be kept as good, things would have been even better. The answer for their problem were the 11.6 inch netbooks.

There aren’t quite many on the market right now, but more and more are announced each week. They’re just in their early days, but there are already some very good options available. More are expected to come later this year and early into 2010, just after the new Intel PineTrail platform gets official and netbooks will be able to benefit from quite a boost in performances.

In the lines below I’m going to tell you a couple of words about the 11.6″ netbooks I consider best right now (early fall 2009), based on my encounters with these devices, features, price levels and reviews from other owners available online. This is just a preliminary list though (not a top with positions, a list, as i can’t really say some of them are better than others, it really depends on what you’re looking for) and we might see quite some changes in here in the next two quarters.

Update: This article is outdated. A new generation of 11.6 inch netbooks is due out, we’ll update with a new post soon, when they’ll hit the market. Subscribe via the options on your right to keep updated.

Asus EEE PC 1101HA

Asus EEE PC 1101HA - the popular SeaShell, but bigger

This is the 11.6 inch exponent of the Asus EEE PC Sea-shell line. But, unlike the smaller 1005HA or 1008HA models, it uses the low powered ATOM processors line: Zxx. The version I tested earlier this year came with a Z520 CPU (1.3 GHz), 1 GB of RAM, 160 GB hard-drive, good connectivity etc.

The device is a good pick, although i would have preferred a better CPU (the 1.3 GHz one can’t really face Windows 7 Ultimate, but should do just OK with Windows 7 Starter Edition). ASUS claims this netbook can run for 11 hours. I only managed to squeeze only 9 hours, but that’s still more than enough.

Anyway, the Asus 1101HA is a definitely a good 11.6 inch netbook and quite affordable (although there are some cheaper options), as it runs for around $380 right now. More details and pictures can be found in this comprehensive review written by me in August.

Acer Aspire One AO751h

Acer AO751h - just $299, most affordable in the list

But what if I would tell you that you can get a netbook almost as good as the above, but 20% cheaper? That’s the Acer Aspire One AO751h. This devices comes in many different versions, the most popular one offering the Atom Z520 CPU, 1 GB of RAM, 160 GB hard-drive and a 6 Cell battery (rated for 8 hours of work on paper – probably more like 6 in practice).

You don’t get the looks of the Asus or Bluetooth and you will have to accept only a 802.11 b/g wireless card (no n). But I for one am pretty sure these lacks are well worth the price, as Acer offers this version of the Aspire One for just $299. It’s available in several different colors, with the red one being around $20 more expensive.

Since this netbook is so cheap, you would expect to have some hidden faults (i would too). But that’s not really the case, as Acer used us with incredible prices for their portable notebooks lately and reviews from buyers on Amazon are actually great (4.5 out of 5). More details about these reviews, plus pics and the option ot buy can be found here.

Dell Inspiron 11z

Dell Inspiron 11z - powerful, but way too expensive

When Dell announced the Inspiron 11z, I was pretty stunned by its simple, but yet classy design. Initial specs were not that great, but since most Dell notebooks can be customized to your own desire, i was pretty sure i could “build” an 11z for my needs.

And i wasn’t wrong, i could, as Dell Inspiron 11Z can be equipped with a dual core CULV processor, 4 GB of RAM, 250 GB hard-drive, Wi-fi/Bluetooth and a 6 Cell battery. However, graphics remain kind of poor, with the GMA 4500 integrated chip inside (this might be changed by the soon to come Nvidia Ion 2 ). Still, better than what the Atom powered netbooks can offer.

So, the 11z is one of the best 11.6 inch netbooks on the market in terms of performances. However, all these come with pretty steep prices. For more details check out this post here (there’s a link there to the configurator that allows you to customize an Inspiron 11z yourself).

Acer Aspire AS1410

Acer AS1410 - potent hardware for once again unbeatable prices

Unlike the Acer presented above, this version is way powerful. It doesn’t use the ATOM platform anymore, but comes with a CULV processor (the 1.4 GHz Core2 Solo SU3500), 2 GB of RAM, 250 GB Sata drive, Wi-fi n, etc.

Battery life is not as good as other portable 11.6 mini notebooks can offer, just around 5 hours (6 on paper), but don’t forget this device packs up more potent hardware, that could easily run an OS like Windows 7.

Once again, price is unbeatable for the specs: Acer Aspire AS1410 retails for $429 at the moment, and price will surely drop in the future. I expect it to go for around $400 or less during the Black Friday Sales 2009 period.

So I would advise to keep an eye on this netbook, and the best source for more more details, pics and reviews for the Aspire AS1410 is here.

HP Mini 311

HP Mini 311 - the only one with decent graphics in this list

All the above mini notebooks severally lack graphic power. Although some offer decent CPUs, the graphic sollution that comes along is poor at best.

The HP Mini 311 however is built on the Nvidia Ion platform, that packs the 1.6 GHz N270 CPU with the Nvidia 8400M card, along with 1 GB of RAM, 160 GB hard-drive and decent connectivity (wireless 802.11 b/g and no Bluetooth).  Although CPU is not as powerful as a CULV, this netbook can even play some modern games, like Call of Duty 4, Quake 4, etc.

Of course, you can’t expect much in terms of battery life, but with 6.5 hours on paper (5 in practice), the HP Mini 311 still offers a decent autonomy.

So, if you’re looking for a netbook with some graphic abilities, that can play HD content (even 1080p) and run some games, HP Mini 311 is one of your best options. It will cost you around $450 Now comes discounted and costs only $399, and that’s a pretty fair price. You should check out this link for more pics, reviews and details on this mini notebook.

Conclusion

There are some other interesting 11.6 inch netbooks, like the Nvidia Ion powered Samsung N510, with great looks and battery life, or the CULV powered Gateway EC1803u, available for the US market. Also, I’m pretty sure we’re going to see some new devices in the near future, most of them with Windows 7 and also, some of them with fancy features, like a touchscreen.

Still, there are enough good options available right now for you to make a decision, especially since I expect significant price drops in the next two months.

If i were to buy a new 11.6 netbook right now, I would probably choose between the Acer AS1410, HP Mini 311 and the 11Z Dell. But since i got charmed by the Asus UL30A, I’m waiting for the top version on that one.

But how about you? What 11.6 inch netbook do you like best (it doesn’t necessarily have to be from this list)? Please share your thoughts. opinions and questions with us.

Tags: 11.6" netbooks, Acer, Asus, Dell, HP Mini netbooks