A to Z of netbooks: every major netbook tested

ACER

Founded in 1976, Acer is one of the world's most successful laptop manufacturers; strengthened by its acquisition of both Packard Bell and Gateway in 2007.

Despite such success, however, Acer still remains a far less well-known brand than rivals such as Sony or Toshiba. Acer's first netbook, was the Aspire One, released last year to limited critical acclaim, but huge commercial success. Since then, Acer has continued to broaden its netbook range with far greater praise from the press and equally strong sales.

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Acer Aspire One D250 - £279 (inc. VAT)

The Acer Aspire One D250 is an extremely portable machine. Not only is it one of the thinnest netbooks we've seen but, for a system boasting a 10.1-inch screen, it's also very light. Weighing just 1kg, this a great netbook for frequent travellers.

Read: full Acer Aspire One D250 review

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Acer Aspire One 531 - £299 (inc. VAT)

Although the Aspire One 531 doesn't significantly move the netbook market on any further, it is a smart and well-made choice. It's just a shame the battery life is merely average.

Read: full Acer Aspire One 531 review

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ADVENT

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Advent is PC World's in-house brand and is available in all PC World stores, as well as online at www.pcworld.co.uk. The first netbook to be released under the Advent brand was the 4211.

This was in fact not a new netbook at all, but was merely a re-branded MSI Wind. Advent soon followed it up with the newly designed and wireless broadband-compatible 4213, and has since also released the Advent 4214.

All three netbooks are strong in their own right and are great additions to the market.

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Advent 4214 - £250 (inc. VAT)

Wireless networking is limited to 802.11g Wi-Fi. As the Advent 4213 is similarly priced, yet features built-in 3G Mobile Broadband, you may find it a better choice for travel use; and this is what prevents the Advent 4214 from a higher accolade – it is a good netbook with many redeeming features, but the added 3G connectivity of its sibling makes it a better choice.

Read: full Advent 4214 review

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Advent 4211 - £190 (inc. VAT)

Despite the fact the Advent 4211 is a re-packaged version of the MSI Wind, its lower price and immediate high street availability put it a notch above the MSI model. As the netbook market continues to flourish, PC World has taken a confident step into the fray, and we can heartily recommend the 4211 as one of the best and most affordable netbooks we've seen so far.

Read: full Advent 4211 review

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Advent 4213 - £250 (inc. VAT)

While it doesn't quite match the quality of its predecessor, this is still a high-quality Netbook. The improved storage and connectivity compensate for its minor ﬂaws, and although you can buy cheaper Netbooks, the Advent 4213 has a lot to recommend it.

Read: full Advent 4213 review