All About Desktop, Laptops, Notebooks, and Netbooks

Hello Everyone,

The following article appears in the June 2009 issue of Consumer Reports Magazine. Links and images appearing in the original version have been omitted here. To see the entire article complete with live links, images, and ratings charts, go to:
http://www.consumerreports.org

Enjoy,

Mark

LAPTOPS AND DESKTOPS
By Chris Lam and Antonette Asedillo

Netbooks offer a lighter, cheaper alternative to traditional laptops.

RUNNING THE GAMUT
It has long been a truism that a laptop can never be too thin or too light. And it has been just as true that such a slim-and-light model would set you back at least $1,500. But now, in the nick of time for cash-strapped consumers, netbooks have come to the rescue.

You've probably started seeing netbooks in airports, coffee shops, and just about anywhere people on the go congregate. Here's why: Although some netbooks are thicker than many 13-inch slim-and-light laptops, the typical model weighs just 3 pounds, is about 10 inches wide, and costs $330 to $450—little more than a high-end iPhone.

These compact laptops are increasingly being positioned more as an additional mobile network-connected device than as a supplemental computer. AT&T, for example, recently began offering subsidized netbooks from Acer, Dell, and LG for $50 to $250 in a few markets. The catch: You have to sign up for a two-year wireless plan for the netbook. Verizon is planning a similar promotion.

The six netbooks we tested for this report all performed well enough for Web surfing and e-mail, but we found some major differences in battery life among them. One new netbook, the Dell Mini 10, arrived too late to test for this report. We'll test it in the near future.

In addition, we've rated 31 conventional laptops and 27 desktops, and we offer a First Look at two of the smallest and cheapest desktops on the market, built with the same technologies used in netbooks.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN A NETBOOK
Unlike a smart phone, most netbooks have keyboards big enough for touch typing, and their displays are big enough to render a legible Windows desktop. (Some netbooks run Linux, but those models aren't as popular.) True, typing on such a keyboard and sliding fingers across a small touch pad might strain your hands a bit, and focusing on the smaller display might take some getting used to. But for many people those compromises are worth the extraordinary price and portability.

Battery life is also surprisingly good, ranging from 3 to 9 hours, comparable with or better than a full-sized laptop. Most netbooks don't have built-in 3G communications. That's a costly extra. If you don't have it, you'll need a Wi-Fi connection to get online. The hard drive is usually 160 gigabytes, much smaller than most conventional laptops. The HP netbook in the Ratings came with a 16GB solid-state drive; it ran more slowly than the other netbooks we tested.

To use a netbook, you'll do without a built-in DVD or CD drive, live with just 1GB of memory (some models can be upgraded to more), and settle for less than blazing processing speed. But routine applications such as Web browsing, e-mail, and word processing should run fine. Forget about 3D gaming and video-editing, though. For those, you'll be much happier with a full-powered machine.

Netbooks first appeared under lesser-known brands, such as Asus. More recently, well-known brands such as Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung have also gotten into the act.

The same inexpensive Intel processor, called the Atom, that made netbooks so compact and inexpensive is now finding its way into desktop computers, promising a new generation of cheaper home computers. (For a First Look at two of the first so-called net-tops—the $270 Compaq Presario CQ2009F and the $500 Averatec D1130—see Net-tops: Small, Affordable Desktops.)

Because their designs differ so much from conventional laptops, we rated the netbooks separately. We considered portability to be very important because it's a key reason for choosing a netbook over a conventional laptop. We also did not hold ergonomics and performance to the same standard as we do for larger, heavier, and pricier laptops.

Thus, the netbook Ratings are intended to help you choose among netbooks, not to compare a netbook with a full-sized laptop. Keeping such limitations in mind, we found all of the netbooks quite usable for light work. Differences in areas such as battery life and features are noted in the Ratings.

MICROSOFT PREPS NEW WINDOWS
Windows 7, which pundits have dubbed "Vista done right," is the next version of Microsoft's operating system for desktops, laptops, and netbooks. Slated for release late this year, it's similar in many respects to Vista, but with some rough edges smoothed over and some performance gains. According to reports from Windows 7 beta testers, it should be faster, require less processing power and memory, and have fewer application crashes than was the case with Vista.

If the past is any indication, Microsoft will offer a free Windows 7 upgrade to those who buy a Vista-equipped PC after an as-yet-unannounced date, probably sometime this summer.

Our first look of the "public beta" release found many of the built-in programs and system utilities more effective and simpler to use than with Vista. At the same time, it's easier to replace some Windows 7 features, such as Media Player 12 and Internet Explorer 8, with non-Microsoft alternatives. Windows 7 can more easily integrate with Microsoft's Windows Live cloud-computing services, which run applications installed on remote computers called servers, rather than on the user's PC. A new feature called HomeGroup provides an easier way to network computers in your household. And there are lots of visual and navigational enhancements to the desktop and Windows Explorer functions.

Microsoft says netbooks sold today will be able to run all versions of Windows 7, but netbook vendors haven't released upgrade plans yet. We expect some version of Windows 7 to be pre-installed on netbooks.

HOW TO CHOOSE A COMPUTER
Pick a type and size
If portability and price are paramount and you do mostly light work, a 10-inch netbook is fine as a secondary system. For heavier work and a larger keyboard and display, a conventional laptop is better. A 14- to 16-inch model offers the best balance of portability, usability, and price. A 17-inch model is a better desktop replacement. A slim-and-light laptop with a 13-inch screen costs more but can weigh as little as 3 pounds.

There are three choices among desktops: A basic design with a separate case and a 17- to 22-inch LCD monitor costs the least but takes up the most space. Slim desktops such as those offered by Dell and HP are also inexpensive but have a smaller footprint than those with a basic design. All-in-ones, which pack everything into a single unit that sits on your desk, are compact but can cost more than $1,000.

Decide on power
Make sure your new computer has at least 2GB of RAM, especially if it's running Windows Vista. If it's just running routine applications, you need only a dual-core processor. But if you often use your computer for editing video or gaming with complex 3D graphics, choose a system with a faster dual-core processor and a graphics card with at least 256 megabytes of memory, as found in our multimedia category. You'll need a high-end desktop with a quad-core processor and an even more powerful graphics card only if you're a videographer.

Consider tech support
Our user surveys have found major differences in the quality of tech support. Apple has been the best for laptop and desktop support. Dell and Lenovo were among the better tech-support providers for Windows-based laptops. Dell was an above-average problem solver for laptops. Factor those differences into your choice, as we have in our recommendations.

Weigh reliability
Computers aren't especially reliable; roughly one in five has needed repairs within a few years' time. But don't run out and buy an extended service plan. Our survey data suggests that on average, computer repairs cost about the same as a plan, which you might never use.

Think about an extended battery
Battery life on most Intel laptops is 3 hours or more, and Apple's MacBook, MacBook Pro 15-inch, and MacBook Pro 17-inch all lasted 5 hours or more in our tests. The 17-inch MacBook Pro had a battery life of 6½ hours.

If you want to squeeze more battery life from Windows laptops, choose a model that offers an extended battery as an option. We tested a 15.4-inch Dell Studio, for example, with a 9-cell battery that lasted 7 hours. A 15.4-inch HP Pavilion laptop with a 12-cell battery ran for 6½ hours.

Models with an extended battery will cost you more. The 12-cell version on the HP system added $50, for example. Extended batteries also weigh more than regular ones and might stick out beyond the edges of the case. If you're interested in an extended battery, check the specs carefully. It's not always obvious whether it's included.

Shop smart
To assess the ergonomics of a laptop or netbook, try it out in a store. Make sure the keyboard and pointing device are comfortable to use. Also note whether the glare on the display is bothersome and how heavy the laptop feels. If you want to customize a desktop or laptop, shop at a manufacturer's Web site. On most, menus show you numerous options and how a change affects the overall price. You'll often find choices you wouldn't get if you bought off the shelf in a retail store.

As a rule, prices for off-the-shelf retail models tend to be lower than those for configured-to-order models. Because of that, and to present a more current selection, we've been buying more models from retail stores. Most can also be purchased from the manufacturers' Web sites, but the configurations might change.

You can save money by using coupon sites such as Techbargains.com or deal forums such as FatWallet.com and Ebates. Those sites also tend to provide information on rebates.

The best deals on Apples usually occur when the company makes new product announcements. That's when other retailers, such as Amazon.com, MacConnection, and MacMall, clear out older stock. Apple also often offers free iPods to students buying its computers during back-to-school season. Dell has lots of coupons for its Web site, and prices change frequently.

This year, June might be a good time to shop for a computer; indications are that manufacturers plan to introduce new models in July. If they do, prices on existing models are likely to be cut.

NET-TOPS: SMALL, AFFORDABLE DESKTOPS
The same economies that have produced small, cheap netbooks are spawning a generation of small, cheap desktop computers: net-tops. We tried out two with very different designs:

Compaq Presario CQ2009F, $270
This sleek machine is the more traditional of the pair because it doesn't include a monitor or speakers. Its small case (9½x10x4½ inches) includes most of the connections you'd expect: four USB ports, dedicated wired keyboard and mouse connections, front-mounted mic and headphone jacks, a slot for almost any digital camera memory-card format (except Compact Flash), and an Ethernet and modem port. There's also a DVD burner.

Inside, the Presario looked like a budget desktop from three years ago, with a 160-gigabyte hard drive, 1GB of RAM (upgradable to 2GB), and Windows XP Home. It also performed like a budget desktop from 2006. That is, it choked while running CPU-crunching games and applications but did a more-than-adequate job tackling word processing, e-mail, Web surfing, and many of the other routine tasks of home computing. There's no spare drive bay, so for more storage you'll need an external drive. The keyboard was somewhat cramped.

Bottom line
This Presario is small and inexpensive, but for a little more, you can get a far more capable standard desktop computer.

Averatec D1130, $500
This all-in-one is about half the price of conventional all-in-one desktops. Although it's as slow as the Compaq, it holds more promise. Its 18-inch display was sharp and bright enough for most tasks. An adjustable arm floats the display above the tiny desktop (10x8x1½ inches), which serves as the base. It's easy to adjust the display's viewing angle. You can also fold the display down onto the desktop so that you can hang the whole computer on the wall, with an optional VESA wall mount (about $20 to $30). Built-in Bluetooth lets you trade the included wired mouse and keyboard, which we found cramped, for a more suitable wireless set, though that will cost you about $100 to $200. And the built-in Wi-Fi lets you easily move the Averatec around the house if you have a wireless network. Like the Compaq, the Averatec has a DVD burner and accommodates most memory-card types, but it adds a webcam and microphone. You can also upgrade its 1GB of RAM to 2GB.

Bottom line
This is a low-cost all-in-one, but performance and features fall short of standard desktops. Unless your demands are modest, buy a conventional desktop or wait until you can find a good deal on a higher-performing slim desktop or all-in-one.

HOW BRANDS COMPARE ON TECH SUPPORT

There are clear differences among some computer manufacturers when it comes to technical support. The Consumer Reports National Research Center surveyed Consumer Reports subscribers on their most recent experiences with tech support, including support provided by manufacturers' extended plans. Respondents might not reflect the general U.S. population.

BACKING UP: NO EXCUSES
According to our new State of the Net Survey, 12 percent of U.S. online households lost important files in the past year because they weren't backed up. Yet only half of the online households we surveyed routinely made backup copies of such files. Many people might avoid this important chore because they consider it tedious. But that's no longer the case; new products make backing up your files virtually effortless. Here are two we recently tested:

The ClickFree Portable Backup Drive-HD701, $90, requires little more than plugging the hard drive into your computer's USB port. It quickly and automatically recognizes and backs up only important files, such as photos and word-processing documents. (It comes in capacities ranging from 120 gigabytes to 1 terabyte.)

The 160GB Rebit Drive, $136, is similar, but it backs up your entire hard drive, including the operating system files. It isn't compatible with certain versions of Windows, so check compatibility before you buy it.

If your backup needs are modest, you can get up to 2GB free backup storage from online services such as Mozy and IDrive.

CANADIAN COMPUTER INFORMATION
HOW TO USE CANADA EXTRA
The Ratings on this page are based on our June 2009 report, but they list only the products that are sold in Canada. To find out more about these models, see our June 2009 Ratings of desktops, laptops, and netbooks, which have been updated to note discontinued models and current prices. (For some products, the Canadian model differs slightly from the one used in the U.S.)

In most cases, the prices we list here are the approximate retail, in Canadian dollars. Manufacturers' list prices are indicated by a black asterisk (*) next to the price. "NA" means that information wasn't available from the manufacturer. If a product is high in overall quality and relatively low in price, we deem it a CR Best Buy.

We also offer a list of agencies and organizations that Canadians can turn to for help with a variety of consumer problems.

In previous reports of computers, we’ve found that most brands we test are sold in Canada. In lieu of a Ratings chart, we list here the brands of computers we tested with phone numbers and Web sites where you can reach the manufacturers for information about models and prices.

RECOMMENDED NETBOOKS
Although all netbooks are suitable as secondary systems for performing routine tasks, you'll have to make compromises. The best offer better battery life.