Follow us on TwitterFor a long time, it seemed every new netbook looked the same as the last: 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor, 10-inch screen, 160 GB hard drive, etc. But recently, there have been a whole wave of netbooks featuring bigger screens, faster processors and other features unique to netbooks.
Here are the ones that we like best:
- HP Pavilion dv2
- Asus N10J
- Dell Inspiron Mini 12
- MSI Meron VR220
Read more about each in the tabs below.
I am really intrigued by the HP Pavilion dv2. It certainly stretches the concept of a netbook to encompass a whole range of enhanced features.
| HP Pavilion dv2 320GB 6-Cell VistaHP | |||
 | 12.1" Display (1280x800), 1.6 GHz AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 Processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3410 graphics accelerator, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, SuperMulti 8x DVD+/-R/RW, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, 6 Cell Battery, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit | Today's Best Deal Expresso  $629.00 | |
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For example, it does not come with the standard Intel Atom processor. Instead, there is a AMD Athlon Neo underneath the hood.
Then there is the graphics processor. HP has packaged the dv2 with an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3140 GPU that contains 512MB of memory. That’s as much memory soley dedicated to video as many netbooks have for the entire system!
Speaking of memory, the dv2 sports a whopping 4GB!
How could I have gotten this far into the article without mentioning the 12.1″ display? With a maximum resolution of 1280 x 800, it is sure a treat for those accustomed to the netbook standard of 1024 x 600. The dv2 has a display that manages to be glossy without creating a lot of distracting glare.
All this does not come without some tradeoffs. The battery is a 6-cell battery. For many netbooks, a 6-cell battery will last for 5 or more hours. In the dv2, it lasts only about 2 1/2 hours.
Still, the dv2 comes packed with such a rich assortment of features that you might be willing to charge more often or pack an extra battery.
There are a lot more unique features that I have not mentioned, like a 320 GB hard drive, a rewriteable DVD drive, 802.11n Wifi… (Excuse me while I clean the droll off my keyboard.)
All this for only $729.95 (today’s best price)! I know that $700+ dollars is outside the normal netbook buyer’s budget. But it’s an attractive alternative than spending $500 for a top-end “standard-feature” netbook.
| HP Pavilion dv2 320GB 6-Cell | |||||
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| Preferred Merchants | |||||
| Merchant | Rating | Price | Shipping | Stock | Action |
| $629.00 | Free! | In Stock | Go! | |
 | $759.97 | Free! | In Stock | Go! | |
| Other Merchants | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merchant | Rating | Price | Shipping | Stock | Action |
 | $754.99 | $15.59 | In Stock | Go! | |
The Asus N10J series packs a whole lot of power into a traditional 10-inch netbook size (10.8 x 7.6 x 1.4 inches) weighing only 3.4 lbs.
| Asus N10J A2 320GB 6-Cell VistaB+XP | |||
 | 10.2" Display (1024x600), 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor, 2 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS/Inte; GMA950 (switchable), 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, 6-Cell Battery, Microsoft Vista Business+XP Downgrade | Today's Best Deal Silver  $826.95 | |
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While the processor is still a 1.6GHz Atom N270, it has two graphics accelerators. The NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS accelerator provides a big boost in graphics performance. When conserving battery power is important, you can switch back to the traditional Intel GMA950 adapter. (Switching adaptors does require a reboot.)
Asus has also packaged the N10J series with 10.2″ display that LaptopMag.com calls bright and glossy and a solid audio system.
The N10Js come with 6-cell batteries which get good life (about 4 1/2 hours in real-life environment). The 802.11b/g/n support is better than b/g support offered in most netbooks.
One of the most unusual features of the N10J netbooks is the inclusion of an HDMI port – signifying the strength of the video system.
The N10J is available today in two versions.
The N10J A1 will appeal more to home users. It is packaged with a 160 GB hard drive and Windows XP Home Edition.
| Asus N10J A1 160GB 6-Cell XP | |||||
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| Merchant | Rating | Price | Shipping | Stock | Action |
| $726.95 | $17.00 | Not In Stock | Go! | |
 | $701.99 | $79.99 | Not In Stock | Go! | |
 | $701.99 | $94.56 | Not In Stock | Go! | |
The N10J A2 offers features that are, perhaps, more geared to corporate users. The A2 comes with a 320 GB hard drive and Vista Business (downgradeable to XP).
| Asus N10J A2 320GB 6-Cell VistaB+XP | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merchant | Rating | Price | Shipping | Stock | Action |
| $826.95 | $17.00 | Not In Stock | Go! | |
MSI also offers a top-end netbook call the Meron VR220. While the Meron netbook does not get the fanfare that the Wind netbook line receives, it certainly is not due to the set of features.
| MSI Meron VR220 250GB 8-Cell Vista P | |||
 | 12.1" Display (1280x800), 2.16 GHz Intel T3200 Dual-Core Processor, 2 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, DVD-RW, 802.11n, Bluetooth, 8 Cell Battery, Microsoft Windows Vista Premium | Today's Best Deal Green  $676.99 | |
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The Meron VR220 offers a 12.1-inch display in an attractive case that is only 1.2″ thick.
The 2.0 GHz dual-core Intel Pentium processor is a big step up from the typical 1.6 GHz Atom procesor found in most netbooks.
The Meron comes with 2GB of RAM as standard. A 320 GB hard drive provides double the storage space compared to a typical netbook. 802.11n Wifi + Bluetooth support is a nice step up. In additon, the Meron VR220 comes with a built-in DVD drive.
The 8-cell battery adds the extra power required to drive these enhanced features. In real world use, the battery lasts about four hours.
The weight of the Meron VR220 is quite a bit hefty for a netbook. At 4.4 pounds, it is significantly heavier than the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 which weighs only 2.7pounds.
All this for about $700. A lot more for a little more money…
| MSI Meron VR220 250GB 8-Cell Vista P - Blue | |||||
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| Merchant | Rating | Price | Shipping | Stock | Action |
 | $754.95 | See Site | Not In Stock | Go! | |
| $754.95 | $17.00 | Not In Stock | Go! | |
The Dell Inspiron Mini 12 is a little less ostentatious than the other netbooks mentioned in this article. It is more like a traditional netbook with a really big display.
| Dell Inspiron Mini 12 40GB 3-Cell XP | |||
 | 12.1" Display (1280x800), 1.33 GHz Intel Atom Z520 Processor, Intel GMA500, 1 GB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.1, 3-cell battery, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition | ||
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The first you will notice when you look at a Mini 12 is the how thin it is. At 0.92 inches, the thinness is striking. It reminds one of the Apple MacBook Air (at a lot less money).
The 12.1-inch, 1280 x 1024 pixel display is a significantly larger than a typical netbook. This makes showing two pages side-by-side practical.
The keyboard is much larger than its smaller sister, the Inspiron Mini 9, making touch-typing a cinch.
The larger case permitted Dell to locate the speakers across the top of the keyboard, which produces a much better sound.
The standard processor in a Mini 12 is a 1.33 GHz Intel Atom Z520, which is a bit slower than the typical netbook’s 1.6 GHz Atom N270.
On the downside, the 40MB hard drive is rather diminuative and somewhat slow.
As always with Dell, you can upgrade almost all of these features. With the price of the “basic” Inspiron Mini 12 only $434.00 (currently), you can add a few features without breaking the bank.
I like the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 so much, that I bought one ( a Linux version). It arrived yesterday. We shot an unboxing video last night, which we will post later today. I’ll be writing more after I have a chance to use it for a while. Stay tuned.
Summary
These new netbooks offer features well outside those typically offered by netbooks. It is really refreshing to me to see products that break the mold.
Some argue that these are not true netbooks. At Netbook Scoop we are *not* purists, we don’t care what you call them, we just want one.
What do you think?
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