High School graduation gift: Netbook or Laptop?

My daughter is graduating from High School soon and planning to attend a local University (Go MIZ-ZOU!!). She currently has a desktop I built a couple years ago, but is asking for a laptop for college.

We bought my son a MacBook 3 years ago, but I don't feel it was a good value (we paid almost $2k for it and it's having issues!) He was a PC guy and I don't think his "Mac experience" will convert him!
I'd like to keep her purchase around $800 (she has other needs as well! a high-maintence girl) and I've seen some very good laptops advertised, but I've also seen some high-end NetBooks that look like a good alternative (if they have some of the same options (ie: USB connections, DVD-RW, external monitor connections, and larger HDD & RAM).

What would you recommend and what are the disadvantages of the NetBooks (comparably optioned)?

Thanks! :D

MPTech--Google to the rescue
http://www.google.com/search?q=disad...e7&rlz=1I7ADBF
And ask the University. They may require certain performance to accomodate their class requirements.
I would not think a netbook would be a good replacement for a laptop or a desktop. Now, a netbook plus a desktop...

Find out what the school requires.

Save yourself some headache and money by doing so first.

Typically, NETbooks do not include an optical drive, (in order to keep it under three pounds).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netbook

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Train

Find out what the school requires...

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Ditto.
If school has wireless net capabilities, may have mandatory security requirements and such...

If all she needs is a bit of note-taking, and email and web-surfing ability, then a netbook would be ideal IMO. They tend to be more robust, and are certainly easier to carry around. If she needs the ability to run more serious software, such as spreadsheets or photo-editing, etc. then I'd go for a full-sized laptop.

I love my Eee PC, but it does have it's limitations, and it certainly wouldn't do as my only computer. However the university will probably have plenty - Mrs SS has gone back to uni for a couple of years, and she says that she can't move for fear of tripping over computers :D