Need a new netbook

[Odin Bravo One]

Alright computer guru's, thanks to my little man and his newly found ability to self-propel from a vertical position, I am in need of a new Netbook.

Don't want a tablet.
Don't want a Mac.

My requirements are pretty standard for a Netbook, as well straight forward, so just looking for recommended model/brand/vendor. I don't even know what is what in terms of RAM, Hard drive size, etc., so would prefer a make/model/vendor recommendation, since comparing won't do me any good. My current (broken) is an Acer Aspire One with 40GB hard drive, and that is all I know about it. Would like to have a capability increase over this, and the following:

10-11" screen size.
3/4 or full keyboard.
Plenty of storage for music, videos, pictures, and large Microsoft Office type files
Windows 7 OS
USB, SD, & HDMI ports
Enough memory it doesn't bog down trying to open a simple picture while I am on the internet
Wireless capability
6-8 battery life
Camera (Skype)
Under $350.

Thanks. Appreciate the help!

[JodyH]

Look in into a Chromebook if you think you can get by with using cloud storage and Chrome office apps.

[BaiHu]

Love my chromebooks. Perfectly compatible with my SGS3 phone and I love the convenience of google drive.

ETA: The chrome office apps learning curve from OpenOffice or Excel, etc was a piece of cake. Although there are some things it can't do, it'll do the core things you'd expect.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[SeriousStudent]

I'm not familiar with any Chromebooks that run the Windows 7 operating system. If you are listing that as a definite requirement, then a Chromebook will not work for you. And will the Internet always be available where you are located?

Sean, do you want for this to be an off-the-shelf purchase, or are you willing to have something built for you?

How "rugged" does this need to be? Sturdy enough to handle the young'uns or sturdy enough for a deployment?

I have honestly had very good luck building up used Lenovo T60 or T61 laptops with an solid-state drive (SSD) and fresh RAM (memory). They are built very solidly, and have specs you require on the budget you listed. If you wish some followup on that, I will be happy to assist. I just built one for my daughter that had a 128-GB SSD, plus a 1TB hard drive for all her music, movies, games, etc. I got it done for just under $350.

If you are looking to hit the nearest Worst Try and walk out with one, I can help with that as well.

Good luck on whatever you choose, and stay safe.

[JodyH]

The best Windows 7 "Ultrabook" I own is my Macbook Air running Win7 in Bootcamp. But it blows your budget.
For your specs and price range go to Costco and pick something. There are no hidden gems in sub-$350 laptops.

[Tamara]

Buying new now, you might be boned on a Win7 machine. They were already getting thin on the ground when I bought this desktop last year.

If you're stuck with buying a Win8 machine, try and get one that has a touch screen; the Win8 interface doesn't really make sense without one.

[TORCH2J]

I'd hit a pawn shop. You can get some crazy deals now on Win7 machines. Wipe everything and reinstall and you should be GTG for much less than $350.

[JV_]

For security reasons, I wouldn't buy a used laptop, especially one from a pawn shop.
http://www.extremetech.com/computing...every-computer

It's almost a 0% chance he'd run in to something like this, for many folks almost isn't good enough.

[Sheep Have Wool]

For your specs and price range go to Costco and pick something. There are no hidden gems in sub-$350 laptops.

This is generally a true statement, and if you need something right now, this is the way to do it. If you can hold off a bit, you can monitor Slickdeals (or a similar site) and check out the stuff that comes up there on sale.

You can get a look at some stuff that meets your specs here.

I don't recommend a Chromebook unless you'll always have internet access, but if you're comfortable with that limitation, they're great.

[ranger]

How about a refurbished unit from a dealer like TIGERDIRECT. I have bought multiple used, refurb PCs from TIGERDIRECT with no issues. You may be able to get WIN7 that way.