By Oo Gin Lee

NOW is a good time to buy a new laptop because range and price are on your side.

There are four categories - netbooks, thin-and-lights, mainstream and desktop replacements.

Get the one that best suits your needs.

Netbooks

As its name suggests, netbooks are meant for browsing the Internet and accessing Web applications.

They sizzled when Asus launched the world's first netbook - the Eee PC - at the end of 2007.

And they have sizzled ever since for their price (about $600) and weight (under 1kg).

Netbooks trotted out since early this year now run on the new Intel Atom architecture called Pine Trail. (Check the specs sheet for Intel Atom N450 1.66GHz)

Pine Trails are touted to offer better graphics, longer battery life and smaller size.

This is possible because Intel has integrated the graphics and the processor onto a single chip to make it smaller and more power efficient.

Graphics are better though netbooks with the new Atoms still cannot handle mainstream games.

A generic netbook with the new chips should cost just about $700.

Look for interesting options like the Lenovo S10-3t, which comes with a touchscreen and the Asus Eee PC Seashell Karim Rashid Collection, which has a nice pink design.

With the new Atoms unleashed, netbooks running the older Atoms are going for a song.

If you want a handy aid mainly for surfing the Web and checking e-mail, the older models will suffice.

Whether old or new Atom, these are the minimum specs for smooth computing: 1GB RAM, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

A 3G slot for a mobile broadband SIM card is a plus.