Little laptops are everywhere now, they seem to be following the trend that mobile phones took a few years back, which was becoming smaller and smaller. Most people wonder just what exactly are the pros to having such a small computer, while other users simply wonder why everyone does not have one of these cute little machines. This mini computers review will list the pros and cons to these delightfully small computers and will hopefully help one to make an informed purchase.
The Pros
Most people are quite familiar with the pros, but let me explain each one to you. The most important one of these is that it is cheap. You can get a mini laptop with a decent configuration for about $100 less than a regularly sized piece. This price makes it affordable to students, children and pretty much everyone. Battery life, or lack of it, is something that frustrates most conventional laptop users extremely, as the portability function is useless if you always have to be plugged in. Most mini laptops have a battery life of 4+ hours, and many last for up to 8 hours, which means you are ready to move on the go.
The miniscule size of the computer makes it uber portable, coupled with an 8 hour battery life and you are set to go. Mini computers are lightweight and easy to carry, which is a huge pro in their favor. Depending on the brand and model, cost and battery life will vary, but it will be easy to carry around. However, all is not hunky dory with these dwarven PCs, as any mini computers review will tell you.
The Cons
Even though most people like the fact that these are small and easy to carry around, the actual size of the machine can be quite off putting to most people. The keys on most of these laptops are very small and difficult to type with. Most mini laptops have a 10 inch screen, which is very small and makes many websites and documents difficult to view. Although the prices can at first seem to be very cheap, if you look at the specifications, you can see what you are missing, and you will feel the difference too.
As electronics are progressing, so are computer configurations. While 1-2 GB of ram was sufficient for most games and programs 4 years back, this is simply no longer enough. With the advent of Windows 7 ®, most laptops need a minimum of 2 GB just to function normally, let alone run heavy games and programs. Larger laptops now have very powerful configurations nowadays, with i7 Intel ® processors and 4GB of RAM, not to mention large hard drives. Smaller laptops, in comparison, have a maximum capability of 2 GB RAM and achieve their power saving abilities through the somewhat incapable Intel ®Atom processor.
The lack of a DVD drive in the typical 10’’ computer is off putting to some. This is not a huge problem, as DVDs are becoming less popular as a method of data transfer as opposed to the USB thumb-drive, many of which are capable of storing the same amount of data (8-16GB) as a typical DVD. An external DVD drive can also be purchased in order to make up for this.
In summary, mini computers are useful, lightweight machines that can be ported about easily and have a low cost. However, the configuration on most of these laptops make it useful to only the casual computer user. If you enjoy gaming or use large programs, you are better off using a computer more suited to your needs. If you, like most people reading this mini computers review, are a typical computer user who surfs the web, reads and watches videos, a mini computer will be perfect for you.