Dell Poweredge

With the start of another school year just around the corner, most of the big players in the notebook manufacturing industry will surely be coming up with their own line of new laptops that are specifically catered for the returning students. There will be a lot of makes and models to choose from – perhaps even too much for most of the consumers.

Most students will not need cutting edge technology when it comes to their laptops. The basic uses of most student notebooks include research, writing term papers, preparing presentations, and of course taking notes in class. Because of this, they most likely won’t require notebooks with top of the line features; functional netbooks should do the trick. 1GB of RAM, an Intel Atom processor, and Windows XP should be an appropriate combination that could fit the purposes of a majority of students. Also, extended battery life and some wear and tear durability are some other features that should come in handy.

Below are some of the best new netbooks of the year that should help students on their way to that much coveted “A”.

Aspire One AOD250 (Acer)

With a price tag of only $247, Acer has exhibited its sympathy for most students’ economical budgets in the release of the Aspire One AOD250. This is currently one of the cheapest netbooks in the market that sports the standard 10-inch screen. The AOD250 is a slimmer version of its predecessor, but it is still equipped with the same basic combination – 1GB of RAM, the Intel Atom processor, and Windows XP. If one is not too happy with the 3-cell battery included in the kit, he can choose to buy an upgraded version with a 6-cell battery for $349.  

Eee PC 1005HA (ASUS)

The Eee PC line has gained a formidable reputation among student circles and the PC 1005HA should be no different. Priced at a reasonable $389, this newest addition to the Eee family should be able to live up to the high standards set by its predecessors. Similar to Acer’s AOD250, the ASUS 1005HA will also have 1GB of RAM and a pre-installed Windows XP OS. However, the discrepancies begin with the latter’s Atom N280 processor, which is Intel’s newest. It will also come with a 160GB hard drive as well as a very impressive 9-hour maximum battery life – the longest we’ve seen in a netbook yet.  

Latitude 2100 (Dell)

With the release of the Inspiron Mini line which is catered to the mid-level consumers, some might think that Dell may have forgotten about the student market. All doubt will be set aside once they encounter the Latitude 2100. Coming in a multitude of attractive color schemes (School Bus Gold, Chalkboard Black, and Ballfield Green), the Latitude 2100 will also be equipped with a tough exterior that sports a rubber coating and an antimicrobial keyboard. Users will also have the option to upgrade the Latitude 2100 so that it will have additional features such as a 6-cell battery and a fully optimized touch screen display.

Inside a Dell PowerEdge 2950