Samsung’s NC-10 carries a small premium over similar netbooks, currently retailing for ~$380 vs. $330-350 for similar products from Asus and Acer. The extra expense provides you with a laptop bearing the Samsung name and instilled with the company’s high-end sense of design. As Samsung is one of the world’s foremost manufacturers of LCD screens, it’s not surprising that the laptop has a stellar screen as well. The 1.3 megapixel webcam is relatively high resolution, a nice benefit when videoconferncing over a high speed connection.

Whether the Samsung NC-10 is right for you will depend largely on how you value the Samsung brand and a high quality netbook. This computer has a stellar keyboard, screen, and design, but that comes at a price. Combined with Samsung’s outstanding reputation, that is a price that may well be worth paying.

The NC-10 is available in blue, white, pink, or black.

To check current prices or buy the netbook, please check its page on Amazon and ebay.

The Vaio W series should represent a much more competitive entry on Sony’s part. To start, it has some of the standard netbook features. These include a 160 GB hard drive, 1 GB of RAM, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, a web cam, and Windows XP Home.

In addition to these regular features, the Sony Vaio VPC-W has some more high-end specs. The display is at 10 inch LED backlit screen running at 1366×768 resolution, notably higher than most netbooks, making it possible to fit more onscreen. The processor is an Intel Atom, but it is the faster N280, running at 1.66 GHz. The laptop also has strong networking options, supporting up to 802.11n (along with b and g) and Bluetooth 2.1. Finally, the netbook comes in at a svelte 2.62 pounds, and with great style. Initially, the laptop will be available in brown, pink, or white.

Lots of good stuff – what are the downsides? There are 2.

• It’s pricey – Like most Sony computers, this comes with a premium price tag, running $499 at launch.
• Small battery – Claimed battery life is 2-3 hours, which is sad for an ultra-portable computer (although it is part of what keeps the weight so low).

So is it worth the price? That will depend on how much you want some real style and Sony’s confidence-inspiring name part of your netbook. If you can stomach the battery life (or buy a spare), the Sony W series is probably the most attractive netbook on the market, and highly portable.

To purchase the Vaio W, please check out its page on Amazon.

Unlike most netbooks, which look like they are targeted squarely at the consumer market, Toshiba’s netbook has a sleek, matte-black case. This professional appearance makes it perfect for if you are looking for a business netbook, or just prefer your laptops to have a serious appearance.

The Toshiba features a fairly standard 1 GB of RAM, 160 GB hard drive, 1024×600 pixel display, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and the usual set of ports. It also features the slightly upgraded, 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N280 and a .3 megapixel webcam for teleconferencing. A more unique feature is the 3D-accelerometer, which detects falls and shocks, preparing the hard drive and helping to protect it from damage.

Toshiba’s NB205-N210 netbook is perfect to use on the go, featuring a sub-3 pound weight and up to 9 hours of battery life. Whether you are meeting with clients, running presentations, or just watching movies on the plane, the computer is easy to carry and can keep up with you all day.

The Toshiba Mini runs ~$350.

You can find or buy the netbook on its Amazon and eBay pages.