The perfect student laptops are small, light and cheap - exactly what a netbook is. Mini laptops were originally designed for educational purposes, there smaller size and relatively low cost ideal for schools and students.

However, studies show that 70% of the netbook market is likely to be consumers. None the less, there are mini laptops specifically developed for education, most child-orientated models weighing less than a kilo and being no bigger than the average textbook.

The first netbook produced, the Asus Eee PC 701 is available in several different variants. The ‘2G Surf’, is the lowest spec and cheapest model available in the entire Eee PC range, but is still very good value for money, retailing at beneath £200.