Top 5 Affordable Netbooks for Back to School

Netbooks are ideal for students on the go. As long as there is access to an Internet connection, netbooks can be taken anywhere to complete homework, surf the Internet and check email. Netbooks are also smaller and lighter which lightens the load of any student already carrying a load of school books. While there are a variety of netbooks available in retail stores and online, it can be difficult to choose which one will work best for a student's lifestyle. By analyzing your budget, and researching the features that you would like to have available for a laptop, it can help you decide which netbook you should purchase.

The Acer 10.1" Aspire Netbook PC is available at Wal-Mart for under $300. It comes equipped with Windows 7 Home-Starter and wired Ethernet. There is also a built in webcam for online chatting to keep in touch with family and friends. Its small 10 inch size makes it easy for carrying and travel. Students may also choose their color of silver, blue or red. The Aspire Notebook also offers 160 GB of hard drive space for storage, trial software for McAfee Internet Security and a 60 day trial to Microsoft Works Home and Student.

Another affordable netbook product for students is the Dell Mini 10. One exciting feature available on the Dell mini is a built in HD TV tuner for students to watch their favorite television programs. The TV feature is useful for college students living in small areas such as dorms or apartments. The netbook could act both as an educational device as well as for entertainment purposes. Other features of the Dell Mini is 160 GB of hard drive, Microsoft Works 9, wired Ethernet, 1GB DDR2 system memory and a 1.3 mega-pixel webcam. It is also available at Wal-mart for just $278.

Available at Buy.com is the HP Mini 311-1000NR 11.6" Netbook (refurbished) at $360. It comes preloaded with Windows XP Home with service pack 3. Surfing the Internet and watching videos can be seen clearly with its HD LED Bright-view display. Students may also sync their other tech gadgets with the netbook by using the HP Quick-Sync app. The netbook may also be connected to a HD TV via the HDMI port. For storage, there is 160 GB of hard drive space and the battery can last up to 6 hours when it is not plugged into an AC outlet.

For younger computing students, they can enjoy using the Internet on the ASUS Eee PC Disney. It is available online and offline between $300-$400. The interface and set up of the netbook is user-friendly for children and offers applications and games that younger techies will enjoy playing. For safe Internet browsing for children, the browser and email applications is preloaded with parental controls. The netbook has been designed for use of children ages 6 through 12. Other features of the netbook include a 8.9 inch display screen, 0.3m pixels camera, 160 GB of hard drive storage, Windows XP with Disney themes and the color is available in princess pink.

Computer users with a need for speed will enjoy using the Acer Ferrari One 200-1799 11.6" Netbook. It makes multi-tasking on the PC much easier and faster with its high speed. It is available in a bright Ferrari red color with metallic-red LED buttons and elevated keys on a fine-tip keyboard. Its operating system has been pre-installed with 64-bit Microsoft Windows® 7. Its memory offers 4GB DDR2 and the hard drive has 250 GB of available storage. Other features include a low-light-enhanced Acer® Crystal Eye webcam, Dolby® Home Theater® surround sound and 802.11b/g/n wireless LAN for efficient Internet connectivity. Prices begin around $600 and it is available at online stores such as Buy.com.

With the rising popularity of mini netbooks, the prices, features and functions will be competitive. As long as a student has in mind what is best for their lifestyle and budget, finding the perfect netbook should be simple and fast.