When it Comes to Screens and Keys…

If you’re thinking about buying a netbook, the chances are you’re considering one of these models because of their cheap price-point and much smaller size than that of the average laptop. Because of this, some of the teeny, tiny models of netbooks may attract you, especially with sizes that can fit right in the palm of your hand! But it’s important to remember that while you may be impressed that they can pack it all into something so small, you still need to be able to use this machine and have that experience be easy and simple. Here are some things to consider….

You need to be able to see the screen.
Most netbooks come in 3 different sizes – 7″, 8.9″, and 10″, which is what most netbooks feature today. While the 7″ screen certainly looks cute and helps make the whole netbook much more portable, actually being able to see anything on these small screens is extremely difficult and can become very frustrating. It probably won’t be long before the cuteness of the 7″ wears off and you’re willing to trade it in for a bigger model. 

The keypad is only as big as the screen.
If manufacturers could, they’d pack as big a keyboard as possible into their netbooks and the truth is that they do. But for obvious reasons, they can only make the keypad as big as the screen. A netbook with a 7″ screen also has a 7″ keypad, which is extremely difficult to type on, without doing the two-fingered peck. Larger models of netbooks, even those with a 8.9″ screen, generally feature keypads that are 90% the size of desktop keyboards and so, will be much more comfortable to work with.