Should I purchase an Advent 4211?

[NightshadowUK]

So I've been pondering over getting a netbook for a while now and the latest Hexus article has helped me in deciding which one I should go for, so the question is do I buy it?

I'll mainly be using it for my final year at uni as a browser and word processor but to help me fully make up my mind I'd like to hear from other net/notebook users. Is taking notes going to be harder with a laptop? Will using it on the train annoy the pants off me? Is a 1.6GHz Atom CPU going to make me weep quietly as Microsoft Word takes an age to load? That kinda thing. I guess I just need convincing that buying the Advent 4211 will have a positive effect on my life and that the cool factor isn't the only reason I'm considering it.

[Note: I will be buying a 6-cell battery and an extra GB of the good stuff.]

Thanks as always chaps and chapettes.

[jimbouk]

From a note taking point of view I found a laptop to be not worth it, pen and paper all the way. But having a light laptop at uni with a reasonable battery life was great for everything else. Not having to wait for a computer of find a stray power socket to plug in was bliss, and watching movies on the train really passes the time.

I think I was net-booking before the word existed. £1200 for a Samsung Q30; 1.1Ghz processor, 512Mb base ram and a 30Gb 1.8" hdd, you kids have it good with sub £300 net-books. Only weighing 1kg and being the size of a A4 notepad did mean I could just pop it in my bag every day though.

I'd have a good typing test in a shop though, see if the keyboard size is a problem. The smaller screen and keyboard will probably be the thing to consider rather than having to wait an extra 5 seconds to load word.

[Pob255]

Well back when I did my degree a laptop was well out of my budget and my degree being art/media based ment I really didn't have much in the way of note takeing to do (pure project based no written exams to revise for )
I'd agree with nightshadow that pen and paper is probably best for note takeing and then type it up later if you want it neat and electronic.

Sort of off topic here,
Depending on course and commute a desktop might be better, "small" case for eaiser shipping back home at the end of term.
Also students can be major targets for robbery, mugging and burglery.
So it's a good idea to look for one with a security loops at the back. ( cannot thing what they are called) and get a security cable to go with it (I used to use a bike cable lock), you can then tie your pc down (looping the cable around a radiator pipe works well)

Here an image of the sort of thing I mean
http://www.chieftec.eu/images/highlights/bg/bg3.jpg
Halfway down you'll notice two loops sticking out of the back, one going through the side pannel. once a security cable is feed through that it's not going to walk off in a hurry and it also effectively locks the side pannel.
While you can get security cable with locks for laptops, they aren't that hard to break off with a bit of brute force.
Speaking from experience here I've managed to rip out a laptop security cable used on one of our projectors for which the key was lost and had to take a hack saw to one of thoes chieftec cases after someone jammed up the padlock we had through it with chewinggum

Only problem is thoes security loops are fairly rare these days compromise would be drill a couple of hole in the case to feed the cable through, locking the side pannel is a good idea as well as locking it down, that way someone cannot open up the case and nick the innards ether.


Back to the minlaptop, go for an xp system if you're not familier with Linux.
I've got a eeepc 901 and the basic version of linux on there is fine for web and office work and such, however if you want to install additional software then you'll have to learn how to use linux and play around with commond lines.
That said I'm notsure what xp is like on these sort of minilaptops, if it's just a standard windows install then there a ton of additional crud which is going to bog it down a bit, so you might want to look up how to nlite windows to slim down the install.
I'd also advise getting a exturnal usb dvd drive to make installation of additional software eaiser.

These things are great to carry around but I'd not rely on one as my only pc.

[philpem]

Ye gods no. And I'll tell you why:

* The Eee 1000H is just as good spec-wise -- 1.6GHz Atom CPU, 1GB stock RAM (though I've upgraded mine to 2GB) and an 80GB hard drive. Bluetooth and draft-N wireless as standard, 10in screen and a keyboard that's actually quite nice to type on.
* You also get a 6-cell battery as standard.

It's a nice little machine that'll fit in most backpacks and is ideal for commuting - I bought it to use on the train to and from university. Can't say I've found much wrong with it, and it runs Kubuntu quite nicely too.

Oh and one last point - those Kensington locks are useless. Seriously. They're only good to stop the opportunists (and only the stupid or inept ones) -- I guarantee that just about every career thief or burglar knows exactly how to defeat them. The Youtube videos say it all really...

[NightshadowUK]

Cheers guys some good advice. Just to clarify I commute to uni each day (about a 40 minute train journey) so for the past two years I've been using my home desktop and carrying a pendrive around with me.

And thanks for the tip on the 1000H Philip, I'll look into it.

[format]

They are great except for one thing : the battery.
It's only 3 cell and you get around an hour give or take 15 mins depending on usage.
Apart from that i'd recommend it.

[AdamAnubis]

I'm toying with the idea also, but am usnure if i will find use for it at 6th form. I have a feeling it might just end up being an expensive toy.

[Flibb]

If you can get a 6 cell at a resonable price I would go for it, CPU wise they have more than enough ummph for office stuff. I run an original advent and have upgraded the ram and shoved a different wifi card in it for OSX compatability. Price wise you can get a 4211 for £250, and a 6 cell batt is £50. Personaly £250 is around the right price for this kind of kit for me, just hang on and see if they do a cheap 6 cell.

Update time
http://forums.msiwind.net/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=3574
4213 with 6 cell and built in 3G HSDPA, but £350. They were offering quidco and 5% codes earlier in the year.

[Powderhound]

Adam; you only want one because that long haired guy was sitting there feeling all smug with his Acer. Let me ask you one thing. How many girls were sitting around him? Get my point?

[AdamAnubis]

Yeah powderhound, but I have been thinking about one before that aswell, it's only since the hexus article that i've actually considered it seriously. Like I say, I doubt I will get one as I think it will just be an expensive toy. I need that £200 for a X58 and a i7