Introduction
Around a year ago there was no such thing as a netbook ... this might seem bizarre considering the market is literally saturated with these popular little computers. Asus were the manufacturer who started the whole craze with the diminuitive 701 EEE comprising a 7 inch screen with a tiny, uncomfortable keyboard and an underclocked celeron processor. Battery life wasn't much to write home about either.
I quite liked the first EEE, but despite its appealing and useful abilities as a portable tool, the usability aspect proved to be killer... my hands are just too big. I would go as far to say that unless you are a female, or a dude with dainty girlie hands, then the 701 was only useful for short term use or webbrowsing on the move.
Asus took the criticisms onboard and started to produce slightly larger models with bigger keyboards, clearer screens and more connectivity. Most of these have Intel's Atom in the driving seat, a processor which consumes very little power but proves nippy enough to handle the majority of everyday tasks.
The model on test today is possibly the best model they have produced, it has a large 160GB hard drive (twice the 80gb model released earlier), a 10inch screen with 1024x600 display and an almost full sized keyboard (around 92%). To top all this, we have bluetooth, wifi, 3 USB ports and VGA out. Last month we looked at the MSI Wind, which proved to be a great little machine, with one exception - the appalling battery life from the 3 cell unit. The Asus model we are looking at today retails for around the £330 mark but comes with a high powered 6 cell battery, hopefully we can get more than a meagre 2 hours out of it.
| Processor |
Intel Atom N270 1.6ghz |
| Memory |
1GB DDR2-533 (1 dimm) |
| North Bridge |
Intel 945 GSE |
| South Bridge |
Intel ICH7M |
| Graphics |
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 |
| Display |
10.2" TFT with SWGA (1024x600) resolution and LED backlight |
| Storage |
160GB Samsung Hard Drive |
| Audio |
RealTek HD Audio |
| Ports |
3 USB 2.0
1 VGA
1 RJ45 10/100 Ethernet
1 analog headphone output
1 analog microphone input
Multi Card Reader |
| Communications |
802.11n Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 2.0 |
| Input devices |
92% horizontal/87% vertical keyboard
Trackpad with two-finger scrolling |
| Camera |
1.3 megapixel webcam |
| Dimensions |
10.5 x 7.5 x 1.5" (266 x 191 x 38mm) |
| Weight |
2.9lbs (1.3kg) |
| Battery |
6-cell Li-Ion 6600mAh |
Packaging and Contents
The Asus EEE is supplied in a rather understated box, but inside the packaging and contents are first class. You get a cleaning cloth, reinstallation DVD's with drivers (remember the unit has no optical drive so you will need an external unit). There is also a useful little carrying case as well as a glossy printed user manual and some other Asus related printed media.
All in all the contents are more than adequate and aid the overall value aspect of the unit, especially additions such as the cleaning cloth.
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