Windows 7 brings more confusion to notebook tagging

If someone asked you to explain what a netbook is, what would you say? The answer would vary greatly based on whom you asked, as well as whether you were asking a person or a corporation. With so many categories of portable computer available, from notebook to netbook to ultraportable to ultrathin and more, the lines are going to be blurred, especially without an industry-standard of what is what.

Read the whole story (http://www.techspot.com/news/36647-windows-7-brings-more-confusion-to-notebook-tagging.html)

many manufacturers HOPE that netbooks are more of a fad....... not much money in it for them.

I really dig my netbook. I bought a brand new Acer AAO150 for £150.00 in the UK. It handles all of my day to day computing (general browsing, email, impromptu googling to settle arguements, etc.). Cheap, light, quiet and extremely useful PC.

I save my 17" monster C2D laptop for the heavy duty music & video work when I'm feeling creative. I need that big screen for the serious stuff.

Mevi

I would suggest that all laptops and the variations that follow them have the windows performance score highlighted to the user. This would give the user some idea of the capability of the machine.

I would categorise them like so:
Netbooks:
- under 13.3"
- cheap (under $1000)
- high battery life
- typically Atom-based

Notebooks:
- varying dimensions, from 13.3" to 20.1"
- better performance than a Netbook
- can become a desktop replacement
- can become a workstation replacement (only few models apply)
- usually not very great battery life
- typically heavier than the rest of the categories

Ultraportables:
- from 10" to 14"
- higher quality build
- better performance than a Netbook (optional)
- similar performance to a Notebook (optional)
- usually overpriced (clearly optional :p )
- high battery life

Ultrathins:
- from 13.3" to 15.6"
- better performance than a Netbook
- similar performance to a Notebook (optional)
- low profile: under an inch thick and low weight
- cheaper than Ultraportables, but lacking aluminium body frames (optional)
- high battery life
- typically CULV-based

As it can be seen, some categories slightly overlap others.

Personally, I have an Acer Timeline 15.6" 5810TG that comes with a dual-core ULV, 4GB RAM, a hybrid dual-GPU system and has some 5h+ of battery.
I like to use my powerful desktop with the big screen for serious work (and gaming :p ).

The way I would set the categories

Netbooks:

- under 12"
- under $500

Notebooks:

- over 12" under 17"
- thicker than 1"

Desktop Replacements:

- over 17"

Ultraportables:

- under 12"
- over $500

Ultrathins:

- thinner than 1"