They're stripped down versions of notebooks, giving users just what they need to surf the web and email, run a few programs like photo editing and word processing, upload images and watch videos online - you know, the basic things the majority of us use our computers for.
The ability to do essentially everything we do on larger computers all on this shrunken down device sounds wonderful, but begs the question - are netbooks greener than notebooks? Yes! And no.
3 Reasons Netbooks are Greener Than Notebooks
1. Netbooks are smaller and use fewer materials than notebooks
Netbooks are tiny versions of notebooks, weighing usually from 2 to 4 pounds, with smaller batteries, screens ranging from 8.9 to 10.1 inches and keyboards shrunk down to 89-93% of standard notebook keyboards. They're still highly usable once the owner gets used to to the smaller screens and slightly scrunched typing surface.
2. Netbooks use less energy than notebooks
Netbooks typically come with 3-cell or 6-cell batteries. They require power supplies of just 30 Watts, versus the 65 Watts of notebooks. The batteries are also long lasting, considering the netbooks are made to be stripped down and ultra-efficient, often lasting 2-3 hours on a charge for 3-cell batteries and 6-7 hours on a charge for the 6-cell batteries.
Factoring in even more variables like getting a solid state drive for higher efficiency (which is a trade off since it has slower read/write speeds), netbooks blow right past notebooks when it comes to power consumption. And the efficiency is only getting better as netbooks become more popular among manufacturers and consumers.
3. Netbooks get us back to Less Is More thinking
Most people have notebooks that are far more powerful than really necessary. The majority of us use laptops for basics - surfing the web, watching videos, email, word processing, photo editing, listening to music, and other basics. Yet the notebooks we buy are capable of far more than we require them to do.
Returning to devices that are simplified yet can accomplish the things we need them to without additional bells and whistles - and the associated energy consumption and carbon footprint - reminds us that, really, less is more; less bulky devices, less money spent, less consumption of materials, and thus achieve more overall satisfaction.
It all sounds pretty great, right? Well there are a few cons, too.
3 Reasons Netbooks Are Not Greener Than Notebooks
1. Netbooks could be considered disposable devices
Because netbooks are so inexpensive compared to notebooks - priced at anywhere from $200 to $600 on average depending on the model - they run the risk of being considered a disposable device along the lines of cell phones or digital cameras. When devices like these break, too many people rush to replace, rather than repair them.
The same can be said of notebooks, but when we lay down closer to $2,000 for a notebook, we're more apt to take care of it and repair it rather than just buy a new one when we experience a problem. We've seen a slow shift back to a repair culture of late when it comes to electronics, but that doesn't mean netbooks are immune from getting replaced before their time is really up.
2. Netbooks are still considered secondary devices
Netbooks are wonderful travel companions. But most people aren't using them as a replacement for their home computer or notebook. That means they're an additional electronic device in a household, adding to the number of gadgets in a home and not necessarily taking away from the power consumption of notebooks and desktops in households. They're likely not being run at the same time and so not adding to a home or business's energy use, but they are adding to the big stock pile of electronics out in the market, and therefore the e-waste headed into landfills or e-waste dumps if not properly recycled at the end of their life.
Because they're so new, we don't have numbers yet on their rate of being recycled, but with estimates of 25-30 million units being sold in 2009, and 40-45 million units being sold in 2010, the impact won't be small.
3. Netbooks are not made more greenly than notebooks
Manufacturers don't have any more push to make them without toxic materials, make them any more recyclable, or even make them any more upgradable than notebooks. For instance, we recently pointed out that ASUS made a netbook with a non-removable battery. Even something as simple as a battery that can't be easily removed and replaced by the consumer shows un-green design trends.
There's a definite opportunity here for manufacturers to roll out super energy efficient, upgradable, repairable and recyclable netbooks, but we aren't really seeing them flood the market, unfortunately.
Conclusions: Are Netbooks Greener Or Not?
Well, that really comes down to you. No, the manufacturers are not making what we'd consider a green gadget when it comes to netbooks, but they're certainly greener.
If you use it in a greener way - as in don't have both the netbook and your other computer running simultaneously, charge with renewable energy when you can, repair and upgrade it yourself whenever possible, recycle it properly when it kicks the bucket, so on and so forth, then yes, netbooks are definitely greener than notebooks. If they're used simply as an extra toy for a year or two before getting something newer, then....not so much.
They certainly do have a great leg up over laptops, though, right off the bat.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/08/are-netbooks-green-6-pros-and-cons.php
No comments:
Post a Comment