Test Center: Which OS Is Best In Netbooks?

When Intel introduced the Atom processor last year, the chip's primary function was for implementation into what the company called MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices). Instead, the chip became one of the foundational technologies behind a new category of portable computers: netbooks.

Built with the latest Atom 330 processor and Intel's 945GC chipset, the D945GCLF2 is a Mini-ITX form factor motherboard designed with Internet-centric uses in mind. Smaller than a penny, the CPU comes already mounted on the motherboard, complete with heatsink and fan. Also integrated are Intel's Graphics Media Accelerator 950, 5.1 channel HD audio and Gigabit LAN support.

With the intention of building a testbed to approximate the functionality of a netbook, reviewers installed the D945GCLF2 into a Mini-ITX case and added a 2GB Kingston memory module. We installed multiple operating systems on it, and each installation went fairly quickly. Using Primate Labs' Geekbench2 benchmarking application, reviewers set out to see if any one particular operating system worked better than another on the system. Theoretically, with the same components, our system should obtain the same results as a netbook.

Although a scant 82-point difference separated the first- and last-place contender, Linux-based Ubuntu's Geekbench2 score of 1104 was the lowest of any of the five tested operating systems. We were a little surprised by this, as it appeared to install faster than the others. Nevertheless, it was up and running without a glitch and is still considered a strong performer.

The fourth-place finisher was Microsoft Windows Vista Home Edition. Scoring 1134, Vista is typically a dog on netbooks because of the limited resources. We suspect the larger cache of the Atom 330, paired with the 2GB of RAM (current netbooks usually come with 1GB), is what made the OS a viable option. As expected, installation was among the slowest we encountered and had to be followed up with numerous driver installs and the accompanying reboots.

Just above Vista, Good OS (aka gOS) eked out the third-place spot with a score of 1138. Touted as "Linux for the rest of us," gOS is another Linux-based operating system that features a number of widgets powered by Google Gadgets. As with Ubuntu, the installation was quick and painless, with full functionality following completion.

Surprising to some, but probably not to others, the second highest scoring OS was Microsoft Windows 7 Home Edition (beta). At 1150, this beta took the lead over all but one of the entries. As with Vista, installation took a while and was followed by a series of driver installations, but the final outcome was worth the effort. If the expected pricing didn't cost the same as the total of the system's hardware, Win7 would have a chance of being the preferred netbook operating system.

The operating system that many believe was Redmond's best work to date, Microsoft's Windows XP, in this case, Home Edition, which holds first place with a Geekbench2 score of 1186. Old reliable showed us why it is the only current alternative to Linux when purchasing a netbook. As with the other Windows versions, installation was slower than the Linux options, and driver installs were necessary, but who can argue with the results?



In actuality, the difference among all the systems' scores was minimal to the degree a typical user would probably not notice in normal usage. Although the top two scoring operating systems were Windows-based, the no-cost nature of Linux is something to heavily consider. Especially "netbook friendly" is gOS with its mostly graphical interface reducing the time spent using the keyboard. If the end user is comfortable with one of the open-source options, it would be beneficial to the wallet.







For those who remain loyal to Windows (and are willing to pay extra for it), they can be rest assured that the performance impact is negligible, especially if Microsoft continues to tweak its latest iteration before launch.