Netbooks – Does Technology Make Them Unique?
There are a number of netbook computers with Intel Atom processors that run at 1.6GHz with a 8GB a SSD (solid state drive) hard drive or an 80GB-160GB rotary drive. Although some manufacturers have additional options, you should consider their similarities when deciding if a netbook is the right choice for you and which netbook you should buy.
Netbook CPUs
Via Nano and Intel Atom are the two most common CPUs found in netbooks, and they both run at 1.6GHz. Neither CPU has a Duo Core architecture; that with the clock speed does not appear make these netbooks an attractive choice. However, both Intel and Via have taken a processor that was developed for cellular phones and modified it to function in very small laptop computers,
Intel beat its competitors by designing a processor that has a chip smaller than a thumbnail. While Via uses 94 million transistors, the Intel needs only 50 million, and it was designed to run on significantly less power. Via focused its efforts on improving efficiency instead of simplicity to reduce the power curve of its product.
There is another important contrast between the systems. The Atom can support true hyperthreading, while the Via uses a single-threaded method of program processing, an older technology. This may appear to be an obscure observation. However, it is an important difference, because the OSs most widely used in minibooks, Windows XP and Linux, run less efficiently with the Via than with the Atom. Linux, though, performs a little better in theory because it processes instructions out of order.
Netbook Storage
Another significant difference among netbooks is the storage options that are offered.
An 8GB SSD is offered by some as a standard feature. Speed and impact durability give solid state a distinct advantage over other options. The full potential has yet to be realized by many in either category when put in practice. Hands-on evaluation is the most effective means of discovering their true capabilities.
An array of rotary hard drives, technology has been in laptops and desktop computers for many years, is offered by other manufacturers. Drives with a high-end rpm are offered by one or two manufacturers, but a 5400 rpm drive is usually the standard. The Intel Classmate even has a lower-end drive at 3600 rpm. Capacities range from a paltry 30GB to a generous 160 GB (the Mac Mini offers 320 GB but isn’t a true netbook).
Greater speed means better overall performance with all other factors (and there are a surprising number) considered to be equivalent. The read-write heads zero in on the data locations as the platters spin and either read or write it. The data are organized in memory and are displayed normally on the monitor. When the platter spins faster, the data locations reach the heads more quickly.
Summary
Do not expect a netbook to operate at the same performance level as a high-end laptop, let alone a desktop computer, when shopping for a netbook. The reduced capacity of the memory in a netbook, the CPU, and the hard drives cannot compete at that level.
However, it’s a very portable option, and its speed and capacity are comparable to those found on laptops just a few years ago. For a computer that’s built off the concepts of a cell phone, it’s pretty impressive.
Originally posted 2009-08-29 00:14:56. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
