Netbook supertest: which one is the best?

Who could have guessed netbooks would be so successful? In these days of quad-core powerhouses, gaming desktop-replacements and expensive thin and lights, it seems incredible to think that there's a market for underpowered, low-cost systems.

Key to their success is the abundance of surprisingly capable low-power components. Intel's Celerons first found a perfect home in the machines, until the Intel Atom N270 processor became synonymous with the term netbook.

This processor, when combined with with Intel's own chipsets boasting integrated graphics, is capable of decoding HD content and has quickly become the mainstay of these affordable machines.

Generally, you'll find it accompanied by 512MB to1GB of RAM, small hard drives (although with the likes of the NC10 packing 160GB drives, they're getting bigger) or SSDs, and basic screens. The resulting machines are low-powered, but reasonable performers.

What's interesting about this latest round of machines is that style is increasingly becoming a defining factor.

The Asus S101 and Dell Mini 12 have clearly had a little more time spent on their looks than the first generation devices, and there's no denying they're more attractive for it.

But there's a premium to be paid for that extra style. The cool colours of the S101 will set you back a good £100 more than the almost identical Eee PC1000H, for instance.

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Battery Life

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For most of us, battery life is still one of the keys to a worthwhile netbook. The machines may be tethered to a plug in the home, but any netbook's small chassis makes it an easy choice to drop in an overnight bag or take on that morning commute without weighing yourself down too much.

And should you be in a position to offer the machine a power point at your destination, or on the train on the way, the accompanying power packs are significantly smaller than their laptop counterparts.

There's something to be said for supplying the machines with a large battery pack though and while we have seen units ship with larger capacities, the standard seems to be settling at around 2,200-2,400mAh for smaller devices.

This generally equates to around an hour and a half to two hours of constant use with everything turned up to maximum. Larger machines pack 4 to 6 cell batteries, which almost double the stamina on offer.

The Samsung NC10 is the star of this latest round of machines in terms of battery life, managing just under four hours of constant use, thanks to its 5,200mAh battery - this is a machine for those long commutes in more ways than one.

Asus has always focused on better than average battery life, and its S101 managed closer to three and a half hours of constant use, which means you could probably leave the ludicrously tiny power pack at home.

The Dell Mini 9's 4-cell 32mAh batteries managed just over three hours during constant use, while its bigger sibling, the Mini 12, let the side down at just under an hour and a half. There are no larger battery pack options for the Dells though, which is disappointing

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Battery results:
Dell Inspiron Mini 9: 8
Dell Inspiron Mini 12: 6
Asus Eee PC S101: 8
Samsung NC10: 9
Asus Eee PC 1000H: 8
Acer Aspire One: 7
HP Mini-Note: 7
Asus Eee PC 901: 10
MSI Wind U100: 7

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Operating systems

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The whole Linux versus Windows debate is an ongoing hot topic, and the netbook has unwittingly found itself become the forum for the shouting match.

Linux advocates are quick to point out the failings of Microsoft's patchy security history and expensive licensing, while quotes of high return rates for Linux machines and a requirement for a higher-level of technical knowledge ensure that this argument isn't going to end any time soon.