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Acer’s growing line of netbooks, the Acer Aspire One, has slowly gained more and more popularity, catering to the ever-growing market of netbook consumers with various configurations, and a sleek style.

For those of you who don’t know what a netbook is: it’s basically a laptop, and as its name suggests, usually have exclusively web functions.

Because of the more specialized function, the laptops are often much smaller than traditional laptops, and require less high performance parts, making it a cheaper alternative for those who seek solely web browsing and e-mail.

Keeping all of that in mind, in this article, we will go over the slight variations in configuration of the Aspire Ones and hopefully help you decide which configuration works best for you.

Screen Size

As of now you have two different choices, the 10. 1” and the 8. 9”, which basically comes down to do you really need the bigger screen or would you rather save money. The 10. 1” laptops tend to be more expensive, but never underestimate the value of a slightly larger screen. If you are a multitasker at heart and want several windows open, or prefer viewing things slightly larger, then go for the 10. 1”. If you prefer a small screen for portability (weight and size issues), or want to save an extra buck, go for the 8. 9”.

Operating System

Your two basic choices here are XP and Linux. If you’re a more advanced user, or surf the internet enough, you’ll know you can hack the operating system in order to use OSx86, but we won’t get into that now. There are two determining factors here: familiarity/ease and compatibility. Most users have had experience with the Windows OS (OS = Operating System), and not as much with Linux. There aren’t huge differences here, but if change is not something you like, stick with XP. Next, make sure you don’t need any applications that are Windows specific, and/or your company/organization doesn’t require a Windows OS. Applications like Microsoft Word, iTunes, etc install much more readily on the Windows OS. If you’re still open to either option, here’s the key: Linux is less intensive than XP, thus can usually perform a better faster, and crash less (plus you have to pay for software).

Hard Drive

Two options here: size and SSD vs HDD. If you go with SSD you have either 8GB or 16GB options; so if you have lots of musics/photos/application data, go with the larger size, otherwise you’ll be fine with the smaller size. Same applies for HDD, except here your options are 120GB or 160GB. Usually you won’t need the extra 40GB on HDD. SSD, or Solid State Drives, basically have no moving parts, making them less likely to crash, faster to start up, and safer for your data, but the tradeoff is that they are considerably more expensive. Generally if you’re not moving around a lot while using your netbook, HDD, or Hard Disk Drives, are a good option, but if you want to be extra careful, and have the money, go with SSD.

Memory (RAM)

Three options on this one: 512MB, 1GB, and 1. 5GB. RAM, or Random Access Memory, is important for starting up applications and opening files. Obviously, more RAM means more money. If you just plan on using the internet and e-mail, 512MB will do fine, but if you plan to run several applications, go with the 1. 5GB. If in doubt, more is always better with RAM – it’s one of the more important aspects.

Battery

The last aspect we’re going to cover, and as you guessed it, you do have choices here: 3 cell or 6 cell. 3 cell lasts 2-3 hours, 6 cell lasts 5-7 hours. So if you plan to be away from an outlet for extended periods of time, go with the 6 cell. If you want to save some money and weight, go with the 3 cell.

And there you have it, the major differences in Acer Aspire One models. We left out one major thing, namely color, but we left the hardest choice for you, alone. Good Luck!

To make your netbook buying experience a little less stressful, we have compiled a list of the top netbooks to date. Of course, this is our own opinion, but hopefully we can at least narrow down your options. Also, the following list is not in order of performance, rather just alphabetical.

Acer Aspire One

The Aspire One is a sleek and compact notebook, coming in either an 8.9” or 10.1” configuration. Plus, one of the benefits is you can have either Windows XP or Linux OS installed, making it very versatile. Combine that with the several other configuration options of the laptop, and you can cater to virtually any need. Plus, it comes in 4 different colors, all of which with a polished finish, which is sure to draw attention to your new netbook. Check out our article on the Acer Aspire One for more details.

Asus EEE PC 1000H

This netbook is much more different than the rest of its class, bordering on actual notebook than netbook. But for all intents and purposes, it is a netbook. It boasts 10” screen, with an almost full-sized keyboard (for those of you who hate the smaller ones), plus has integrated Bluetooth and a variety of other notebook-worth options. If you’re not quite into the hardcore mini-netbooks, and are afraid to let go of the functionality of a classic notebook, this is definitely the way to go. Look for a future article on the Asus EEE PC 1000H.

Dell Inspiron Mini 9

If you love to choose, then this is the netbook for you. You can come up with a, virtually, endless amount of configurations for this netbook, so mix and match to your needs. You can choose whether to add-on a CD/DVD-RW, or even a larger hard drive, and various amounts of RAM, among other things. Careful: though the base price seems to be on the cheaper side, adding on these extra available options can skyrocket your price quickly. The one thing you don’t get to choose is the battery: its strictly 4-cell. Look for a future article on the Dell Inspiron Mini 9.

HP 2133 Mini-Note

This netbook is another which doesn’t seem quite like a netbook. Here you have versions of Vista Business, larger hard drives, and a memory option of 2GB of RAM. HP didn’t leave anything out on this one, so if you’re looking for one of the most powerful netbooks, this is definitely one to consider. Ergonomically though, the netbook’s design may be a little disastrous, so be aware. Though it boasts an almost full-sized keyboard, there is a split in the middle, making it a little awkward. Look for a future article on the HP 2133 Mini-Note.

Lenovo IdeaPad S10

If a smaller size is what you’re looking for, then look no further. The S10 has one of the most compact designs of all netbooks, without skimping on the features, so you’ll get all of the netbook functionality. Downside is that it is definitely not one of the notebooks where you get to choose, plus it only comes with a 3 cell battery. Probably not the notebook of my choice, but if your biggest issue is size, maybe its right for you.

We’ve provided the basics of, what we consider to be, the top netbooks out there. We’ll try and provide articles reviewing the laptops more in depth eventually, which we hope to ease your buying experience. So, remember to check back soon.

Being an Alienware owner, I have been asked this question by several people, some being random people that see the bright glowing alien on the front (or back, depending on how you wish to orient it), or close friends who know I own one. So, I’m sure several people that are reading this article have either A) looked at the Alienware website and been awestruck by the flashing lights and fancy marketing, or B) read hundreds of reviews about Alienware laptops on the internet. So, now down to business, should you get an Alienware or not? Well, my first instinct is to say yes, I love my blue glowing alien, we’re good friends. But, in order to better answer the question for the rest of you, I decided to do some research. After reading hundreds of reviews on blogs, dedicated opinion sites, and shopping sites, I have come to some conclusions.

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