Cheap Laptop Computers for School Going Kids

It is no secret that schools nowadays are all going digital. Assignment submissions are as simple as uploading it to the school network server and sending it to the desired lecturer. Lecture slides, notes, handouts and tutorial questions are all stored on the internet or via a school intranet network. Untidy penmanship and unreadable handwriting are mostly a thing of the past. If you are a young undergrad seeking a cheap laptop computer for your assignments or your son or daughter is pestering you to get a new laptop, netbooks are the way to go for students. We take a look at five of the value for money netbooks available in the market, laptop computers that are the best bang for your buck.

Asus is the grandfather and pioneer of the netbook craze that started just a few short years ago. While their original EEE PC design was boxy and unimaginative, the 1005HA, the latest netbook on offer by Asus looks sleek, well-finished and very top-of-the-line. Asus EEE PC models are best known for their masterful battery life and the Asus EEE PC 1005HA does not disappoint with its laptop-equaling six hours plus of battery life. Priced at just under USD400, the 1005HA is a definitive choice for students needing the most at the least price.

With its extreme advertising campaign and almost guerrilla like ads, the Mini 10 has now become the new poster boy of netbooks. Priced mid USD300, the Dell Mini 10 will definitely appeal to the younger crowd as Dell, in a smart business move, has allowed hugely customizable and colorful skins to be pasted on the cover of the Mini 10. With an inclusion of a 1.3 megapixel webcam, hardcore netbook enthusiasts looking for a serious netbook may give the Mini 10 a pass but younger crowd will lap up its offering.

With its monster six cell battery, the MSI Wind promises battery life as long as the Asus EEE PC series. Netbook critics have often hit on the how keys on the keyboards of netbooks are tightly packed and are not ergonomic for use. MSI has hit back at these critics, the keys on Wind are edge-to-edge and placed slightly deeper than usual so users get a wide-spaced apart feel like any other keyboards. Priced at the low USD300 range, MSI Wind also comes with features like Face Locker, face recognition software that works with its in built webcam so other users who attempt to use the netbook other than the owner will be faced with a netbook that has smartly locked itself down.

Lenovo, known best for purchasing the pedigree of IBM, scores high marks for its foray into netbooks with its S10e. With its sub-USD300 price tag, the Lenovo Ideapad S10e was made for school students in mind so with its Quick Start feature, students can check e-mails or view popular videos at YouTube within mere seconds. With its RAM module upgradeable to 1.5GB, the S10e is a robust netbook for students who are always on the move and need quick access to the internet or basic computer applications anywhere.

While it is slightly more expensive than other netbooks in its range, priced at USD370, the Samsung N110 is definitely a home run when compared to its other netbook competitors. With its much boasted about seven hours of battery life, it has triumphed the Asus line of netbooks and is the new king of budget laptops. The N110 looks like a full-sized laptop with its sleek design and has a much improved keyboard that puts other netbook keyboards to shame. Whether you are a student or a business white collared individual, the N110 will look good in class or in a business meeting, making it the best bang for your buck, in the highly competitive world of budget laptops.

While there are a lot of budget laptops to consider since the inception of netbooks, it is important to do some research before making the purchase for yourself or for your textbook-totting son or daughter. Some features offered in netbooks are mostly gimmicky and priced for features that you or your child will not put to use. It is crucial to set out the features and characteristics you need in a budget laptop, happy hunting!