Best 11.6 inch netbooks and mini laptops – top deals right now

Quickly after the 10 inch netbooks became popular, people realized that they are still too small for every day use. Something with just a little bit bigger screen, increased resolution and better keyboard/touchpad and hardware was needed. And if battery life could have been kept as good as on those small notebooks, that would have been even better. The answer for their problem were the 11.6 inch netbooks.

11.6 inch notebooks - portable, just a bit more ergonomic

During the last years, I’ve seen hundreds of small computers and although I own a 10 incher and a 13.3 incher as well, I get to use the most my 11.6 inch Acer Aspire 1825PT. I’ve chosen it because it packs good power (enough for my daily activities), top connectivity and decent keyboard/display, but is still compact and light enough to get along when traveling.

In the lines below I’m going to tell you a couple of words about the 11.6″ netbooks I consider the best picks right now, based on my encounters with these devices, features, price levels and reviews from regular buyers like you and me, available online.

Like all similar posts here on the site, this is not a top, it is a list, as all the devices mentioned in here are great, but they are each meant to satisfy different needs and cope with different budgets. So it’s really up to you to pick the one best for you.

Budget 11.6 inch netbooks

If on a budget and consider a 10 inch netbook too cramped for your needs, you could go for a cheap 11.6 inch notebook. With most devices in this segment starting at around 400 bucks, we can consider cheap any 11.6 incher under $350.

For the moment though, only older generation laptops can meet this criteria. You could take a look at the Dell Inspiron i11Z, Gateway LT3119u or Acer Aspire One 721, or some other devices with single-core Intel Celeron or AMD Neo processors, but all these suffer in terms of power and battery life when compared to the new devices.

Acer AO721, Dell Inspiron i11Z and Gateway LT3119u are some of the nice cheap picks

Acer Aspire One 722

The Acer AO722 is in fact one of the few ultra-cheap 11.6 inchers we can recommend these days. It’s built on AMD’s new Fusion platform and unlike other devices built on similar hardware found later on this post, it uses the APU meant for smaller 10 inch netbooks, the AMD C-50.

That comes with pros and cons: it’s not that powerful (will cope well with light everyday use and will be able to run Full HD content and even some light games, but don’t throw too much at it) but offers decent battery life (around 5 hours during everyday use) and has an amazing price tag.

On the outside, the Aspire One 722 brings the same look we saw on Acer 10 inchers lately, only a bit oversized: the case is slim and sleek looking, but it’s glossy so with scratch and catch fingerprints. The keyboard is good enough but not impressive and the 11.6 inch 1366 x 768 px display is glossy as well, so using it outside might not be that pleasant.

All in all though, the AOD722 does offer excellent value for the buck, as it sells for only around 300 bucks online, with a hefty price cut and Free Shipping included. Of course, it’s only suited for light use, but will prove a nice inexpensive computer for kids or for school, bringing a bigger keyboard and better screen than you usually get on smaller 10 inch devices.

Acer Aspire One 722 - the best mini laptop you can get for under $300, available in a multitude of colors

If you want something more powerful, check the rest of the post.

In the near future look for more mini laptops rocking the AMD Ontario platform, probably for under 300 bucks, with single-core C-30 and C-50 APUs.

Also check the post on cheap netbooks and mini laptops for more options on such budget computers.

Mainstream 11.6 inch notebooks

Mainstream devices are the ones most of you would want. They provide the best balance between performances, looks and price and should be enough for the majority of users.

You’ll notice that AMD powered machines rule this category now, since those with Intel on board, although faster and with better battery life, are quite expensive.

Lenovo ThinkPad x120e – the fancy pick, from $399

The ThinkPad x120e is Lenovo’s take on an 11.6 inch AMD Fusion powered laptop. A successor of the successful x100 line, this one brings the new hardware, the solid and classy ThinkPad casing and a couple of extra goodies for a very good price.

On the outside, there’s a sober black plastic casing, available in other color options. Still, the case is sturdy, offers good grip and will deal fine with scratches and smudges, making the x120e a reliable travel companion. Opening the lid, you get an 11.6 inch 1366 x 768 non-glare display, amazing chiclet keyboard, plus the known TrackPad and TrackPoint we all love so much on ThinkPads.

Inside, you get to choose between two different AMD platforms, the standard E-350 Zacate APU, with a dual-core 1.6 GHz processor and integrated AMD 6310 graphics, or a lower power E-240 APU, with a slower processor. Prices start at $399 for the x120e with e-240 on-board and at $449 for the others. For that, you also get 2 GB of memory, 320 GB 7200 rpm HDD, Wireless N (no Bluetooth), a 6 Cell 57 Wh battery (will last around 6 hours in everyday use) and Windows 7 Home Premium. So pretty much all you’ll need.

Personally I would not go for the cheap version because that APU is quite slow, and you also get a 32 bit OS, while the $449 version comes with 64 bit Window 7, thus you can easily upgrade it to 4 GB of memory and unleash the full-potential of this mini notebook.

In fact, the ThinkPad x120e is so popular it will only ship after 4 weeks from your order, based on the estimations we get right now from Lenovo’s Official Shop. Still, go ahead in configure your own notebook via that link.

But, if you want this mini laptop right now, there’s a premium option available on Amazon, with 4 GB of RAM, AMD E-350 APU and Windows 7 Professional going for just around $500. A similar configuration will be more expensive on the official store, so this is for sure an offer you should at least check out.

Lenovo ThinkPad x120e comes with its casing, non-glare screen and excellent keyboard as strong points

HP dm1/dm1Z and 3105m – from $449

HP offers 2 models in this segment, the HP Pavilion dm1Z (a successor of the older dm1, but also called this way on some markets), meant for the everyday user, and the HP 3105m, targeted towards small business owners, always on the road.

With the exception of some minor details, they are both the same. On the outside there’s a nice plastic case that feels quite sturdy and is solid built. Opening the lid you get an 11.6 inch display, 1366 x 768 px resolution and an ergonomic full-size keyboard with island keys. That trackpad with integrated click buttons ain’t as good though.

In terms of hardware, both devices use the AMD Fusion platform, with an E-350 Zacate APU and AMD 6310M graphics, 3 GB of memory and 7200rpm fast 320 GB hard-drive (it usually ships with only 2 GB of memory and standard 5400 rpm storage drive, but right now those two are offered as extras for the dm1Z in HP’s store, for free). You also get, Wireless N, Bluetooth and a 6 Cell battery rated at 9.5 hours of life on paper, which means like 6 hours in practice.

As for the differences between the HP Dm1Z and the HP 3105, the later comes with two extras over the first: Computrace LoJack anti-theft service and an affordable option equipped with Windows 7 Professional by default.

Both devices start at $449 and you can configure your own system on HP’s site. Here’s the link for the dm1/dm1Z and here’s the one for the 3105m . Windows 7 Professional version of the 3105m goes for $499. Of course, HP offers a lot of accessories and software add-ons for them as well.

Also, you can find nice discounts on some of these laptops on sites like Amazon.com , sometimes better than what you get on HP’s store, like this one for instance.

HP dm1/dm1Z and 3105m - almost identical twins, both great 11.6 inch laptops

All in all, both are excellent devices, with enough power to handle your daily tasks and even HD multimedia content, good battery life and a solid and nicely designed body. So no wonder these laptops are quite popular now, with reviews and marks received from buyers standing also as proof of how they good they are.

Acer Aspire TimelineX AS1830T – from $530

Unlike most devices above built on an AMD platforms, this one brings Intel Arrandale ULV hardware. That easily translates in power, power, power and good battery life as well. However, this new Intel platform doesn’t come cheap, so the TimelineX As1830T starts from around 550 bucks, with prices going up for the best versions.

On the outside, this TimelineX looks nice, with a classy metallic finish and a slim body. You get a glossy display though and a keyboard that some of you might not like, as space between keys is quite narrow (got the same keyboard on the 18125PT and I must admit, it ain’t great).

Inside though, you get a couple of different options for processors, like Core i3-380UM or Core i5-470UM (both with 3 MB L3 cache and TurboBoost technology) . There are also 3-4 GB of DDR3 memory, 320-500 GB HDDs and Intel HD graphics, plus good connectivity options and high-quality speakers.

This means snappy experience in Windows and all your daily apps, including hungry for resources ones, like video/photo editing software. Graphics are capable of dealing with HD content, but not with games. Plus, there’s a 6 cell 5800 mAh inside this TimelineX, enough for around 7-8 hours on a single charge.

Last but not least, there’s the price matter. Like I’ve said, the “cheapest” TimelineX AS1830T goes for $599 $530 now and comes with Core i3-380UM processor, 3 GB of memory and 320 GB hard-drive. More details about it in here.

The top version packs the faster Core i5-470UM, 500 GB HDD and 4 GB of memory as standard for $699 $679, while all the other features are identical. See the links for more details about both of them, plus pics, reviews and the option to buy them if you want.

Acer Aspire TimelineX AS1830T with new ULV Intel hardware - goodies rest inside

Sony Vaio YB – the stylish one – from $599 $529

The Sony Vaio YB is a fancy 11.6 inch mini laptop with the same AMD Fusion platform inside. Respecting the good Vaio tradition, it is better looking than its competitors. However, unlike more expensive Vaios, this one dos not impress with the quality of its casing: it’s made of plastic, a nice looking one, but still plastic.

Opening the lid you get an 11.6 inch glossy display, an ergonomic keyboard with independent keys and a decent trackpad, although a little bit cramped.

Inside, there’s the AMD Fusion E-350 APU, 2-4 GB of RAM, 320-500 GB hard-drive, top connectivity (Wireless N and Bluetooth) and Windows 7 Home Premium. You get however only a 4 Cell battery that will last for 4-5 hours tops.

Cheapest version goes for  $529 these days, with a small discount and Shipping included. You get 2 GB of RAM, 320 GB hard-drive and 32 bit OS. For 35 bucks extra you can have the better equipped version, with 4 GB of memory, 500 GB HDD and 64bit Windows 7 Home Premium, which is definitely the smarter pick. Both these prices are discounted online, in retail stores each model will go for around 50 bucks extra.

All in all, this is a Vaio and not a bad one at all. Still, there’s nothing to justify the increased price over the Thinkpad x120e or HP dm1, which are actually better at some aspects. And while a good pick, if you can live without that logo on the hood, this Vaio would should not be your first pick in this class or price range. See my full review for the Sony Vaio YB for more details.

Sony Vaio YB - the fancy option, just too expensive to be your first pick

These are all very good options available in this class. You get three versatile AMD Fusion based devices and they are pretty much similar (except for cases and some details). The ThinkPad x120e does offer the best keyboard and a matte display, the HP dm1z/3105m comes with the best autonomy and the Sony Vaio YB is the most stylish of all.

But if raw CPU power and battery life is what you need the most, the Intel powered Acer is perhaps the best pick, just don’t expect to play games on it.

Top of the line 11.6 inch mini laptops

If money aren’t a problem, these are the devices to get. They bring the best in terms of hardware, build quality and looks, but with appropriate price tags, of course.

Apple MacBook Air – from $999 $939

A true Apple netbook was long awaited and we finally got it during Fall 2010 . As expected, the new Air is an amazing piece of machinery, but it does come with some lacks and a hefty price tag.

I’m pretty sure you saw pictures with this ultra-portable, one of the thinnest (0.7 inch) and lightest (2.3 pounds) in this class. It’s just amazing what the engineers at Apple managed to achieve with such a sleek laptop. And what’s even better is the fact that the device is actually solid built and does not feel flimsy.

Inside you get previous generation ULV Intel processors (from the Core 2 Duo line), and those were chosen in order to get some decent graphics on board: Nvidia 320M . This hardware will allow the Air to run pretty much all the apps you would need, including multimedia ones and games. You also get 2 GB of memory and SSD storage, which help making this Apple product even faster.

Of course, being so slim comes with cons: you only get around 5 hours of battery life in everyday use, there are only 2 USB ports and there’s no card-reader. But you do get a nice HD display and those great MacBook keyboard and huge multi-touch trackpad. So there are cons and pros, but I do feel pros are winning here.

Still, like every Apple product, the Air is pricey. It starts from $999 $939 , that’s for the version with 64 GB storage space, while the top version with 128 GB storage goes for $1199 $1139 . Both prices are slightly discounted and you do get Free Shipping included as well, within US boarders.

Can find more about this one in my MacBook Air review, with pictures and video.

—-

There’s a newer version of this one, launched in 2011, and that’s the one you should consider. Prices are identical to the one we had for the previous generation, starting at $999, but with discounts online.

MacBook Air - astonishing looking, but expensive

Alienware M11x – the gaming mini laptop – around $849

I don’t know if you guys are familiar with Alienware as a brand, but they are renowned for their gaming machines.  What we have here is in fact such a device, the first and only true gaming mini laptop on the market: Alienware M11x.

There have been several iterations of this device, each more powerful than the earlier one, although the exterior has been kept more or less the same since launch (with an aggressive design, Alienware logo on the hood and red or blue backlit keyboard).

Alienware M11X - aggressive body and powerful hardware

Latest version is built on an Intel Sandy Bridge platform, with 2nd generation Core i5 and i7 processors, dedicated Nvidia GT540M graphics with 2 GB of memory, 4 to 16 GB of RAM, up to 750 GB Hard-drives or up to 256 GB SSDs, top connectivity and a high-capacity 8 Cell battery. But despite the big battery, autonomy ain’t great, given the powerful and energy hungry hardware: around 2-4 hours on average.

Alienware M11x - the gaming mini laptop

These specs will allow you to run all of the recent games on that 11.6 inch 1366 x 768 px display, even with details set to maximum. Plus all of your daily apps and programs.

Of course, packing all that power in a 11.6 inch machine wasn’t easy. That’s why the M11X product is a lot thicker and heavier than the other laptops in this post, weighing at least 4.4 pounds (better equipped versions are heavier).

Of course, all these features and power don’t come cheap: latest generation M11X starts at $999 for the Core i5-2537M, 4 GB of RAM, 320 GB 7200 rpm hard-drive version, plus the blue theme. More powerful versions can get to 1500 bucks, or if you just want the best, you can easily go over $3000. Go ahead in play with the configurator on Alienware’s site.

Older versions though can be found cheaper, with prices starting at $599 for the first generation M11X. Still, if you want true gaming power in a compact body, I would go for the Sandy Bridge option or at least the previous Arrandale version.

Acer Aspire 1825PT- the tablet PC – ~700 EUR (not available in US)

I also have to mention this machine, as this is the 11.6 inch mini laptop I own and picked (in April 2010) after a long debate. Unlike all others in here, this is actually a tablet netbook, as it comes with a convertible capacitive multi-touch display. That’s in fact its main attraction. But all the other features aren’t bad either, for a device launched in early 2010: dual core Intel SU7300 processor, 4 GB of memory, 320 GB hard-drive, Wi-fi N and Bluetooth, 6 Cell battery (around 5-6 hours of life), Windows 7 Home Premium. Specs might seem obsolete these days, but for everyday use, this one has served me well and I don’t really see why I would change it yet.

It’s not available in the States and I don’t know when or if it will ever be. In Europe goes for around 700 euros, which ain’t cheap, but I consider it a fair price, as that touch-display is just great and I can’t see myself using a mini netbook without such a feature anymore. In fact, ever since I got it, my old Toshiba NB205 and Asus UL30A now sit quiet in their boxes and I only power them from time to time, for tests or comparisons.

Of course, the machine ain’t perfect. First, it’s very glossy and that lid cover is already filled with scratches. Also, like most Acers, build quality ain’t that great. Especially the hinge that holds the screen in place is pretty wobbly. And there’s the speakers matter, which are fine in terms of quality, but poor in terms of volume (not to mention that they are placed facing downwards). More details in my mini video Acer 1825PT review in here.

Anyway, this Acer Aspire 1825PT is a device I do recommend, as no computer is perfect. And if you don’t feel like spending 700 euros on it, there’s also a cheaper version, but that ones comes with a slower CPU and less memory and I doubt it will be able to offer the same touch experience as this one.

Acer 1825PT - tablet netbooks with convertible touch display

Samsung Series 9 – the ultra-stylish 11.6 incher – from $999

If style and looks are what you’re looking for in your ultra-portable laptop, the Series 9 Samsung notebook is a good alternative to that MacBook Air above.

The sleek 11.6 inch Series 9 from Samsung

In fact, the MBA is this one’s main competitor, as they both come with ultra-stylish cases and good hardware, plus hefty prices.

In terms of looks, the Series 9 11.6 inch Samsung is astonishing, with an aluminum covered body. Measures only 0.6 inches, so it’s thinner than the Macbook Air and weighs 2.3 pounds (same as MBA). Opening the lid you get an 11.6 inch 1366 x 768 px display, ergonomic chiclet keyboard and a proper sized trackpad.

Inside there’s a Core i3-380UM processor which should be faster than the one on the MBA, but the integrated graphics are poorer. There are also 2 GB of memory and 64 GB SSD storage drive. Plus USB 3.0 slot, microSD card slot, 1.3 Mpx webcam, Wireless N, Bluetooth 3.0 and WiMAX + 4G. These make the little Samsung a truly ultra-portable device, and that 7-hour battery inside helps as well.

All these do add up and get the list price for the Series 9 at $1199. You can get it for only $999 on Amazon.com, with Shipping included, but that’s still 200 bucks more expensive than the cheapest MacBook Air, with similar storage space and overall comparable hardware. The Samsung does get however a faster CPU, more ports and connectivity options, which must be taken into account when deciding between one or the other.

Samsung Series 9 - top pick if mobility and style are the things you crave for

Conclusions

As you can see, there are actually quite a couple of good options for 11.6 inch netbooks and mini laptops.

Like I’ve already said, for the average user, those machines listed as mainstreams are the best, with good features and performances/price rapport. The AMD Fusion options can really offer good everyday performance and handle multimedia content or some games, while having good price tags. If you need more power for your everyday tasks, those Intel Core iX devices should be the ones to focus around. Last but not least, there are the devices in the latest class, which impress in terms of features or/and design.

I for one still use my 1825PT Acer as I found its touchscreen incredibly useful. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love to have some of the laptops in here.

Of course , changes will occur and there are already a couple of new devices announced and not yet available, so look for updates of this post in the next months. I’m trying to keep everything up to date, but you should know that prices might vary, so if you want to always get up to date info, check those links posted for each product.

Last but not least, you can also take a look at the lists of 10 inch netbooks or 12 inch mini laptops, perhaps you can find there something more suitable to your needs and budget.

That’s about it for now. As always, replies and comments are always appreciated, so don’t hesitate to post if you have anything to say or ask.

Popularity: 33% [?]

Tags: 11.6" netbooks, best netbook, best selling netbooks, cheap netbook

Last updated: January 16, 2012 | Published: January 11th, 2012 | See the comments or add yours!