Are Netbooks Better for Teenagers?

Netbooks are small, low-cost laptop computers that companies often market to students and other consumer groups that either do not require the power of -- or do not want to pay the higher price for -- full-sized laptops. Although netbooks lack the power necessary for processor-intensive activities such as modern 3-D games, a netbook is sufficient for a teenager who needs a machine that she can use for research, completing homework and chatting online.

Price

Netbooks are among the least expensive computers available, usually costing under $400 as of this publication in September 2011. If your teenager wants to bring her netbook to school or use it in public where theft may be a concern, a netbook may be a safer choice than a standard laptop, which would be more costly to replace. A netbook may also be a good choice for a teenager who tends not to care for his expensive items, causing them to break or fail prematurely.

Weight and Size

A netbook has a diagonal screen size of 12 inches or less, with most models having 10-inch screens. The small size gives a netbook a weight of approximately three pounds. The light weight and small size of a netbook may make it a good choice for a small teenager who might have difficulty or experience muscle strain carrying a more bulky laptop -- especially if she might carry it to school with her books. While some adults may have difficulty typing on the small keyboard of a netbook, a teenager may find its size ideal.

Performance

Part of the low cost of netbooks is attributable to the fact that they tend to have slower processors and less memory than standard laptop computers. For example, the Asus Eee PC 1015PW netbook comes equipped with an Intel Atom N550 processor running at 1.5 GHz and 1-2 GB of memory, while the more expensive Asus A53E-XA2 -- a full-sized laptop -- has an Intel Core i5 processor running at 2.3 GHz and 4 GB of memory.

Older Netbooks

Many older netbook models include small solid-state drives rather than conventional hard drives. These SSDs, which have capacities of 4-8 GB, are insufficient for storing the Windows 7 operating system. Therefore, these netbooks include Windows XP or Linux. Although many Windows programs are also available for Linux, some of the programs that your teenager prefers to use may be available only for Windows. In addition, Microsoft no longer offers mainstream support for Windows XP, and some new software may require Windows Vista or Windows 7.

References

• Computer Shopper: Asus Eee PC Seashell 1005HA; Denny Atkin; June 2009
• HP: Netbooks vs. Laptops: What's Right for Your Needs?
• Computer Hope: Laptop vs. Netbook
• ZDNet; How Long Will Microsoft Support XP, Vista and Windows 7?; Ed Bott; August 2010
• PC Magazine; Asus A53E-XA2; Brian Westover; July 2011
• CNET: Asus Eee PC 1015PW Specifications