Budget ultraportable buyers guide

Choosing which low cost ultraportable to buy is difficult. There are simply so many options in the market. I do have some favorites:


Php15,990 - Asus Eee PC X101CH with Windows 7 Starter

Pros - It is a thin 0.86 inches and a light 2.2 pounds.

Cons - It is really a netbook with a 10.1-inch, 1024 x 600 resolution display and cramped keyboard. The Atom N2600 processor really is not faster than the dual core netbooks you have been using the past two years, but it can now play HD video. RAM limited to 1 GB.

More details on the Asus Eee PC X101CH at this link.

Php18,900 - Samsung NP305U1A with Windows 7 Home Basic

Pros - AMD Fusion E-450 accelerated processing unit gives true ULV like power and the 11.6-inch display has the industry standard 1366 x 768 resolution. Lightest of the AMD Fusion E-450 laptops at 2.7 pounds, with a slim bezel around the display giving it the size more like a 10-inch laptop. Decent 4000 mAh battery.

Cons - Smaller form factor means smaller keys, and I just cannot get to liking the keyboard on this unit. AMD Radeon 6310 graphics instead of the 6320 graphics usually paired with E-450's.

More details about the Samsung NP305U1A at this link.

Php21,500 - HP Pavilion DM1-4000AU with Windows 7 Home Basic

Pros - The right price. No compromise 11.6-inch AMD Fusion E-450 laptop packing with the expected AMD Radeon 6320 graphics with Beats Audio as a bonus. Decent 4400 mAh battery.

Cons -  A bit heavy at 3.4 pounds. Now comes with Windows 7 Starter. The E-450 version of the Asus Eee PC 1215B could actually be better, but that laptop comes in so many configurations both C-60 and E-450 version, and with either Radeon 6250, 6310 and 6320 graphics, and with or without USB 3.0 so it becomes hard to recommend since the buyer may buy the wrong set-up. If you are diligent about checking every component, check it out.

More details about the HP DM1-4000AU at this link.

Php19,500 - Lenovo ThinkPad EDGE e125 with DOS (so about Php24,250 with Windows 7 Home Basic 64-bit)

Pros - Like the HP DM1 but lighter (3.1 pounds) and thinner (0.93-inches) with a better keyboard. If you plan to run Linux, it comes without an operating system so it become a great deal.

Cons - If you plan to install Windows, it gets kind of expensive compared to the HP DM1. 

More details about the Lenovo ThinkPad EDGE e125.

I type a lot and don't mind using Linux so....

With give the edge to the Lenovo ThinkPad