I never had one, but I want one now.
Netbooks—small laptops—were basically only good for getting online in the late 2000s and 2010s. They were underpowered, very small, and quite cheap. People were not huge fans of them because they were so underpowered they kind of became worthless a little too fast with operating systems of the time. But now, with Arm processors and Linux maturing, you could have a netbook today that would scream.
First off, I just want something simple to carry around that is a more 'proper' computing device. I talk about how I like using desktop browsing over mobile browsing because I just have so much more control on my YouTube channel.
Also, I want to be able to write on the go using an actual keyboard and editor. I like distraction-free, modern 'typewriter' devices such as the King Jim Pomera, but that thing is $499! That just doesn't even seem remotely worth it. Plus, when I write, I like to use editing tools or fact-check things online, etc.
Apple is actually rumored to unveil a new sub-13-inch MacBook early sometime next year. It is supposed to be $499–$799 (I really hope it's closer to the first number) and feature an A18 Pro chip. This is the same chip as the one found in the iPhone 16 Pro. Compared to an M1, it's honestly quite close in terms of performance; even an M1 Pro isn't off the radar. It is close enough to where, for basic tasks, you couldn't tell the difference. This is exactly what I want.
Apple has been able to make incredibly powerful, efficient, and portable laptops with the Apple Silicon line of Macs. The 12-inch MacBook was a fantastic idea for a portable laptop cursed with an Intel chip. Putting an iPhone chip inside of one now makes so much sense it hurts. Imagine having an almost 'nothing there' laptop with as much power as an M1 Mac—computers that are still crushing it.
But Apple will be Apple. What about other computers? Well, the Snapdragon X Elite chips are looking quite good. Stick that in an Asus 12-inch laptop with a nice OLED screen and badda bing, badda boom—you've got a competitor on your hands. In fact, you could make it even more appealing if you got rid of Windows and put an Arm-supported Linux distribution on it. Then you could have a lightweight, not-in-your-way OS with incredible hardware.
Especially as phones have come closer to laptops in performance, and with desktop OSs being far better choices for actual computing, now is the time for netbooks to shine. The 2000s were a time to test the product; now is the time for it to sell.