Despite the fact that Linux represents a stable, free, open-source operating system with a simple, friendly interface, requires only lightweight hardware, and seems to be just perfect for the netbooks, at the moment the great majority of them are shipped with Windows (generally Windows XP). There is no reason to explain this fact; moreover it’s not the topic of this post because it’s written for those who have already decided to get a netbook with Linux, i.e. budget-conscious technically oriented users.

So why have I mentioned that? Just to emphasize that buying a netbook with Linux is not an easy task as it may seem to be. However there is quite a decent amount of machines to choose from.

Before we start reviewing the specs I would like you to pay attention to the fact that all the netbooks listed here have very comparable characteristics, i.e. it’s really up to you which one you are going to get.

Asus Eee PC 1000HD

This netbook is one of the largest models of the Eee series with a 10″ backlit LED display (1024×600 resolution).

It has 1.6 GHz Intel® Celeron M 353 Processor, 1 GB DDR2 RAM, 80 GB SATA hard drive, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, a 6 cell battery for 4.6 to 5.4 hours of battery life and the weight of 1.45kg.

This model easily functions in any connected environment with fast and complete connectivity (Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g) and can be connected to external devices via three USB 2.0 ports.

It has Bluetooth (optional), HD Audio, and a MMC/SD(SDHC) card slot, VGA output, Stereo speaker and Digital Array Mic.

In addition to that it goes with 10GB Eee Storage – ASUS provides 10 GB of online storage for the first 18 months after the purchase of this netbook.

There is a full range of applications to enhance communication and computing experiences.

Just for the Linux version there is a special Eee Connect feature for an easy way to connect two or more users through a remote desktop for easy troubleshooting.

For any additional info please visit the official web site.

Lenovo IdeaPad S10e

This model runs on SUSE Linux version.It goes with 1GB of DDR2 memory, almost netbook-standard 1.6GHz N270 Intel Atom processor, 160GB Hard Drive and Intel GMA 950 Graphics that easily handles your image processing needs whether you’re managing family photos or creating impressive presentations for work.

It’s pretty light and portable weighting 1.3kg and being 22-27.5mm thin.

The notable difference between the previously released S10 and the S10e is the inclusion of Lenovo’s “Quick Start” that represents a rebadged version of DeviceVM’s SplashTop, which is included on several Asus motherboards and its Eee Box desktop. SplashTop is a lightweight Linux distribution that can boot in a matter of seconds to give access to the web, music, photos, Skype or IM.

Thus as soon as you press the power button, it takes around 23 seconds for this netbook to get into a web browser. It has 802.11g Wi-Fi, so you’ll need a few more seconds to connect to an access point – altogether around 30 seconds for being able to start working.

In addition to that IdeaPad S10e has a recovery partition to return to the factory settings.

You can learn more here.

HP Mini 1000 Mi 10″

The HP Mini 1000 Mi is a compact and lightweight netbook. It has an Intel Atom N270 processor, 512 MB, 1GB or 2GB of RAM, an Intel GMA 950 graphics processor, integrated 10/100 BASE-T Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector), and Wireless-G card. In addition to that you can find HP mini webcam, built-in stereo speakers, a 2-in-1 integrated digital media reader, 2 USB Ports, and a 3 cell lithium polymer battery that lasts up to 3 hours.

There are two ways to store the data – flash based Solid State Drive (8 or 16 GB) or a 60 GB 4200RPM PATA hard drive. This model has a 10.1″ diagonal SD LED BrightView infinity widescreen display, and weighs only 1.02 kg.

It runs on HP’s Mobile internet (Mi) software which is a user-friendly interface built on Linux. There are a lot of applications installed, including a Web browser, Thunderbird for e-mail, Pidgin for instant messaging, OpenOffice.org, the HP MediaStyle music and movie player and etc. It should be mentioned that Linux shell is not directly linked from the Mi user interface – to access the Linux command line hit ALT+F2 and launch xterm.

HP offers free 24 x 7 service and support in the first year after the purchase.

Please check the official page for details.
Acer Aspire One 8.9″

This is a netbook made by Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Acer Incorporated. It has a 8.9″ CrystalBrite LED Backlit LCD screen with a resolution of 1024×600, a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 512 KB L2 cache, Mobile Intel 82801 GBM chipset, 1 GB RAM, 8 GB of flash-based solid state storage, a 3-cell (or 6-cell) battery. The One is also available with a 2.5″ 120 GB hard disk drive.

The first release of this machine was in July 2008 and now it’s one of the most popular mini notebooks currently available, because of its comparably low price, a high-quality keyboard, a bright screen, the good build quality, and, admittedly, a lot nicer looking than most netbooks.

It has pre-installed Linpus Linux Lite version which is based on Fedora 8 offering, thus, a simplified user interface and features applications like the Mozilla Firefox Web browser and the free office package OpenOffice.org.

Acer provides a one year Warranty, upgradable to two years through Acer Advantage.

You can read more here.

Dell Inspirion Mini 9

This nice looking netbook is equipped with an Intel Atom Processor N270 1.6 GHz, 1 GB DDR2 at 533MHz, up to 32GB configured with a Solid State drive, an external portable CD/DVD-RW drive, 4-cell 32WHr Li-Ion Battery, a glossy 8.9 inch backlit LED display, an integrated 0.3M Pixel webcam, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950, Integrated 10/100 LAN (RJ45), 3-in-1 Media Card Reader, 15-pin VGA video connector, Bluetooth®  Internal (2.0) mini-card, and 3 USB 2.0. As regards the OS it runs on Ubuntu Linux version 8.04.1.

Due to its ease of use Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions. This Ubuntu Version is optimized for the netbooks which have the restricted screen size. The pre-installed applications include the followings: Firefox Web browser, the E-mail client Thunderbird, Pidgin for instant messaging, the photo viewer F-Spot and the office suite OpenOffice.org.

To get more detailed specifications please visit the manufacturer’s web site.

Although all of them are very decent, I’m more than sure that you will choose the one that suits you the most.

Related posts:

1. Lenovo Linux Laptops
2. Ubuntu Notebook
3. Linux ThinkPad
4. Linux Based Internet Tablet From Nokia is Coming

Tags: Acer Aspire One, Asus Eee PC 1000HD, best netbook, buy netbook, Choose A Netbook, Dell Inspirion Mini 9, Eee Connect, Lenovo IdeaPad S10e, netbook review, Netbook With Linux