[jyl]

A few years ago, I bought my then 8th grade daughter a HP mini netbook, beefed it up with a SSD and extra DRAM, and she used it happily through half of high school. But mini has sustained some damage and much wear and tear, so it is time to buy a replacement.

The parameters are: PC or Mac, an actual computer able to run Windows or MacOS applications, not a "tablet", very small and light (netbook or thin&light size), suitable for a high school kid to carry around in a backpack with heavy books, and $500 or thereabouts. I'll put another SSD in it. Needs to last two years at least. Doesn't need much horsepower.

What's interesting out there? Ultrabook? Netbook? I haven't kept up with PCs. I doubt a MacAir will be cheap enough and a standard MacBook is too big/heavy.