[Phieta]

So I have $500 which is technically mine but which isn't directly mine, and is probably going to be spent in part on a laptop. (My mom bought one for her to use around the house and me to use for school as-needed, but loved it so much her desktop has been collecting dust for months and months.)

After doing some hunting around I think I've settled on a Dell Inspiron Mini 9, configured as such:

• "Dell Mini OS powered by Ubuntu" (just a customized version of Ubuntu Netbook Remix 8.04 LTS)
• 1 GB DDR2 at 533MHz
• 16 GB Solid State Drive
• Intel Atom N270 Processor (1.6 GHz/533 Mhz FSB/512 K cache)
• Glossy 8.9 inch LED-lit LCD (1024x600)
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• Wireless 802.11g Mini Card
• Integrated 0.3 Mpixel Webcam
• ~3.5–4 hour battery life
• 1-year warranty

$469.32 with all fees (shipping, tax, eRecycling) if it's ordered by Thursday. I'd also get it with only an 8 GB drive, for the same price after Thursday or $442.50 before.

Anyone have another they'd recommend? I also like the Eee PC 901, but it's more expensive and I don't really need the extras (bluetooth, 802.11n, 1.3 Mpixel cam).

[Bespetna]

I would try to get your budget to $700, becouse laptops at that price range are way better then the Dell you mentioned. If you are looking for good brands I guess Dell is decent, Sony, HP/Compaq are also very nice brands.

[Phieta]

I'm not looking for something with power; I'm looking for something small and portable with decent battery life that I can use for web access, IM, word processing, whatever.

I don't anticipate sitting around Starbucks messing with Photoshop or playing Guild Wars.

[Red Sentinel]

I'd never use that, it's like the things they made in 1990.

I'd go more for 700 dollars, that thing would crash when trying to open MSN..

[Aaron]

Looks good to me for those purposes. Same processor clock speed as the MacBook Air.

[Bespetna]

I'm not looking for something with power; I'm looking for something small and portable with decent battery life that I can use for web access, IM, word processing, whatever.

I don't anticipate sitting around Starbucks messing with Photoshop or playing Guild Wars.

I understand, its just that a laptop at the $700 price range will last you a lot longer and you will like it much better. If you really can't spend the $200 more then I guess that Dell is decent.

[vams1001]

i like the product but its not one i would recomend
Hard Disk Space, for example the NFS (Need For Speed) game takes like 5 GB for hard disk and the thingy can give around 16GB , u pretty much have around 11 GB and one DVD is like 4.7GB worse HD-DVD is like 28GB, wht will anyone can do with 16GB?
If u want to install Windows Vista it might take around 20 GB!!!
IF u want to install Windows Visual Studio it will take around 13GB!!
Seriously u got no space

[Phieta]

ty for missing the point, following the crowd and recommending stuff I won't need for what I plan to use it for. Or rather, what I have been using it for for a month or two. No complaints so far except the usually laptoppy niggles with suspend not working 100% of the time.

[Ratty]

Lol. fail.

So all good, Phieta? I'm thinking of buying a netbook for use at uni, for programming and whatnot. Would you recommend the dell?