We won’t be tackling individual models here, because there are so many. Rather, we will discuss the things to look for in a laptop, things that can hopefully help you assess which one is perfect for your needs.

Having a gadget that keeps us connected to the internet is certainly a must-have. Especially given our propensity to be addicted to social-networking sites like Facebook, and Twitter, WiFi-equipped netbooks and laptops have become necessary gadgets.

With so many choices out on the market, many prospective netbook buyers are simply addled. There’s no need to be confused; all you’ve got to remember is that each model is designed for easy Internet access on the go. If you find yourself itching to log on to your favorite sites while idle at coffee shops or waiting for your appointment, then a netbook is your best friend. If you’re thinking of gaming or doing graphic design work, then stop reading and look for something else.

Netbooks cover a certain range of specs, and these aren’t very different between models. You’re assured of Wi-Fi on a lightweight and relatively small laptop, a measure of hard drive space, Intel Atom processors, and a webcam.

Your deal-breakers will come in several forms. You could be getting added features like BlueTooth and bundled products with your purchase, such as preinstalled licensed operating systems or free mobile broadband USB modems.

Price is, as always, an important factor. This makes purchasing a relatively-more-expensive netbook with more hard disk space better than getting a cheaper model with very limited memory. Personal preferences for brands, design, and other aspects also figure into the equation.

Battery life should also be taken into account, since you won’t always have an available electrical outlet with all the other laptop users around. Take note of the ones with 6-cell batteries, because these ones will get you better battery life than models with 3-cell batteries.

Also, keep in mind that you can buy some netbooks with a Linux operating system instead of Windows, and that should make your purchase considerably cheaper. However, Linux isn’t really for your average computer user, and it will be harder for a good number of people to get around the operating system or add programs later on.

There are also higher-end netbooks like the Acer Ferrari One, equipped with sleek looks, a hands-down better graphics card, more memory, and a faster processor all packed in netbook form—while also costing twice as much as your common netbook. These netbooks will net you better gaming capability as well as faster programs. If you want gaming mobility and can afford this baby, this is the netbook for you.

For most people looking for netbooks, though, all they really need is something that isn’t bulky and will last several hours for surfing the net, checking e-mails and working on documents and presentations. Netbooks are absolutely perfect for working on the go, whether it’s at your favorite Starbucks or while waiting for your thesis adviser or your boss to call you into his or her office.

I am here to tell you that when you are buying a new computer or looking to upgrade or speed up an old computer, you need to place the most emphasis on the amount of RAM (computer memory) in the system. If you follow this simple instruction you will end up with a computer that runs faster and better than ever.

Let’s consider a simple story to understand the logic behind this statement: Bob and John are both incredibly smart engineers with the same level of intelligence. They are both equally capable of solving a given problem. Bob has the gift of being able to process data very quickly, however, he has a small brain that can only handle a limited amount of data at any given point in time. John on the other hand processes data a little slower than Bob, however, his brain capacity is extremely large. In other words he can process a lot more data at any given moment in time.

Throw the same problem at both of them. One that entails a lot of data processing. Who do you think will solve the problem faster? You guessed it – John is going to have an easier time as he can process and store a lot more data at any specific moment in time. So while Bob is working hard to transfer the data in and out of his brain, John handles it more efficiently and more than makes up for the slightly slower processing time.

Your computer works exactly the same way. If you have a lot of RAM, i.e. A larger brain capacity, it will thank you each and every time it is processing data or solving problems. Problem solving or “grinding” is when computers tend to slow down in the first place.

So the next time you are trying to decide between spending the money on extra RAM or a faster processor, go for the extra RAM and look forward to a faster and more efficient computer.