Netbook for Outdoor Field Use

[biswarup]

Hi friends,
I want to buy a netbook for my long outdoor field trips. I have to go out in archaeological excavations and work in dirt, so I can not take my HP-G4 laptop. Well, my requirements are-
at least
2Gb DDR3
Atom N550/N570 or AMD C-50
320Gb HDD
6 cell battery
Durable and rugged build
Inbuilt 3G modem+GPS will be welcome addition.
Budget- within 22000 rupees.
I intend to use ArcheOS (Ubuntu based Linux) for as long as possible unplugged. So, please suggest one that I can use roughly for long hours outdoor for as less expenditure as possible.
Thanks in advance.

 

[vickybat]

@ biswarup

Well i've got a perfect solution for you mate.

ASUS X53U –SX013D @ 18.7k

Its based on the c50 dual core brazos cpu which is the younger sibling of E-350 based systems (eg-HP DM1). Check the above link and you'll find all details about it. Besides , it has a 15.6 inch screen and looks like a full fledged notebook. It also has a optical DVD writer built in just like a notebook.

 

[biswarup]

Thanks, but I already have a full-size laptop and I need a Netbook which is small and easy to carry around. So 10.1" or 11.6" will do. I have read reviews about HP Pavilion dm1 and HP Mini 110-3600 series, Toshiba NB520 and NB550D, Samsung N150 Plus, N110, N100 MeeGo version, Asus Eee PC 1015 series, etc. But now I can not decide, if any one actually have one of these and can give feedback, that will be much helpful.

 

[red dragon]

Are you talking about Arch linux?

 

[Ishu Gupta]

Are you talking about Arch linux?

DistroWatch.com: ArcheOS

@OP
HP DM1z is good. Check out the review on TechEnclave.

HP DM1-Z -- The FUSION intervention!

 

[vickybat]

^^ That's a good one and has the e-350 APU. Op can go for it.

 

[biswarup]

Are you talking about Arch linux?

No, ArcheOS is a special Linux distro for Archaeologists. I deal with old stone age archaeology and application of Open Source Software in that field (Computational Arcaheology). This is a very new and emerging field of research. To process the huge data we need huge computational power.

DistroWatch.com: ArcheOS

@OP
HP DM1z is good. Check out the review on TechEnclave.

HP DM1-Z -- The FUSION intervention!

Thanks Ishu, It is really an in-depth review, but I've heard from my friend that the battery drains quickly and lasts only around 5hrs max. Here comes the dilemma of performance and battery backup (they are inversely proportional). Can you suggest me a 10 incher, please?

 

[Ishu Gupta]

Flipkart.com: HP Pavilion DM1 Series DM1-3014AU: Computer
People are claiming a battery life of 8+hrs.

 

[Krow]

HP-dm1 3014au can be bought for around 21-22k. Build quality is good, although it is not bulletproof.

Keep in mind that HP dm1-3210au comes with a slower 5400rpm hdd while the 3014au comes with a 7200rpm hdd. Other than that both models are similar.

Battery life that I am getting is close to 4-5 hours. 8+hours may be with wifi off. 6 hours is the max one can expect with regular usage I think.

 

[biswarup]

Today I've tried my cousin's HP dm1 since morning and really its GOOD. Its not much small than my 14" HP G4. After fully charging it I tried MS Office, Foxit reader, surfed net and then played songs in background in VLC in optimal setting- and the low battery warning showed off after 5.25 hours.
Now I realize that I should settle for 10.1" netbooks. I've tried an old Samsung N150 model few days ago and it was just like a diary and battery backup was much more. So I've decided to go for an ultraportable netbook with 10.1" matte screen, 2gb RAM and optional 3G.
Anybody used Toshiba NB520/550D, HP Mini or Samsung N150Plus ?