Netbook hunting

[X@nder36]

I'm looking to buy a netbook as a birthday present for myself/before I go to france/"laptop" for college, and I had a question about the Atom processors.

After some research, most of the netbooks that I'm looking at either have an atom 455 (Single-core @1.66) or 550 (dual-core @1.5), both offer HT. I'm wondering if the 550 is worth the bump in price (>$40, can't order off the egg). Plan on using the machine for mostly web-browsing, movies, email, skyping, word processing/office applications, playing and DL-ing music and some emulators.

I plan on replacing the slow 5400 rpm drive with one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...162&cm_re=kingston_SSD-_-20-139-162-_-Product
And this won't be my main machine when I go to college (1 year, senior in HS), I plan on bringing my sig rig for (hopefully) studing computer science/engineering. Would a single-core netbook be able to last me through (most) of those years?

Also, if anyone has any experience with any brands in particular, that'd be nice to share! thanks all

 

[rxtrom]

Yes it is worth the ~$40

 

[X@nder36]

that bench really shows it, but thats what I figured. Gonna have to scrounge up the extra cash. Thakns rxtrom! Any netbook experience yourself?

 

[rxtrom]

that bench really shows it, but thats what I figured. Gonna have to scrounge up the extra cash. Thakns rxtrom! Any netbook experience yourself?

I did have a netbook when they first come out. We used it in the dining room/main living area fro surfing the net and writing emails, recipes in kitchen etc. I have since moved to an ipad though. If I need to type alot I use a bluetooth keyboard.

I have not looked back. For my purposes anyway.

GL

 

[X@nder36]

currently typing from my new aspire one with the n550. That coupled with the SSD and a clean install of Ubuntu makes me a happy camper. Thanks for the help!