Netbook or laptop?

[changeforthebetter]

I only have a PC upstairs and would like something I can use around the house, emailing, MNing keeping up to date with current affairs, letting the kids go online while I keep an eye on them. I'd also quite like to use iPlayer to watch things in bed. I've got Wifi already as I used to have a laptop which died a couple of years ago. I can't really afford a laptop. Would a netbook be enough for browsing, email and iPlayer?

For those things you mention, yes.

But I find often people's requirements change and later their kids want to play a game which netbooks are not very good at.

If you are clear what you are expecting from a netbook then it seems like it would suit you. They are more portable and battery lasts longer than a laptop but the tradeoff is horsepower.

I really like my netbook - find it much more portable than a laptop. Have had it two years and still has pretty good battery life. When I do need to use it to do something where I need a larger screen, I connect it up to an external monitor (I do that when marking exams online). I have got an external CD drive for when I want to put CDs onto itunes - not sure whether that would work for DVDs or not but haven't ever needed/wanted to try.

I've had this debate recently and settled on a small laptop because looked at netbooks and find them hard to type on. The screens really are small too.

Have a look at the HP 1100sa, small and lightweight but nice size keyboard and a bargain for the spec. Only currys sell them tho

I bought dd a toshiba netbook last year and she won't use it as she says it's too slow and that YouTube keeps freezing. It is a bit slower than my laptop but it's not terrible. However I do wish now I'd got her a laptop, she's used it about 4x total.

I've got both (well the netbook is ds's). I prefer the laptop as the screen size annoys me on the netbook. Ds is 7 and the netbook is perfect for him. You can get an external dvd drive so he uses it to watch films when we are away rather than taking a separate dvd player.

The only issue I had was the operating system. It comes with Windows 7 Starter which doesn't work with the external dvd drive (despite being told at John Lewis by two separate salesmen that it would). It comes up with an error message saying you have to upgrade to the full Windows 7 version. However you can download a piece of software from the internet that makes the dvd player work despite Windows. Think it is called VLC Media Player and works very well.

Ds got a Samsung one with an LG dvd player. The dvd player fell apart very quickly (internal connector fell out - only used twice) so JL refunded and I bought a cheaper Samsung dvd player from Amazon.

Sorry, it was Comet , not Currys.

It does sound like a laptop would be better overall

Thanks everyone, you've probably saved me spending £200 on something which wouldn't be that great.