Over the past few years, the popularity of laptops has only increased. Manufacturers began to massively develop models designed for different audiences. This is how gaming, media, office and just work laptops appeared.
But just 10 years ago, the laptop market wasn't so diverse. Each model turned out to be special, and was noticed by everyone who followed the production of devices. At that time, users preferred compact and autonomous models.
This device appeared on the market in 2008. At that time it was announced as an innovative solution. Its main features were its compact size, budget cost and versatility.
The specs of the Asus EEE PC 4G weren't outstanding, and in this day and age they would turn off any buyer. But in 2008, the device’s power was enough for all everyday tasks. Office workers and students bought a netbook as an assistant.
Now, looking at modern models, the Asus EEE PC 4G would be called mobile, since even some smartphones have already acquired a 7-inch diagonal, not to mention tablets. But at that time such luxury as autonomous and compact laptop, not everyone could afford it. Therefore, the release of such a model at a low cost turned out to be the best option.
Supply
Asus EEE PC 4G comes in a soft blue box. Everything looks very beautiful and attractive. On the front there is a photo of the Asus EEE PC 4G netbook, while the characteristics are indicated on the side. It is immediately clear that the model is focused on work, study and play. This is exactly what the manufacturer wrote on the box.
The front also indicates that the netbook is running Windows XP. On the back of the package are the main characteristics of the Asus EEE PC 4G. Since the device is compact, the box is also small in size, so they didn’t even attach a handle to it for transportation.
By the way, you can also understand from the packaging why the netbook has three letters “E” in its name. The manufacturer mentions the word “easy” - “easy”. He wants to convey to the buyer that this device will be easy to operate, easy to learn and easy to play.
Equipment
But the fun begins with unpacking. The visual characteristics of the Asus EEE PC 4G can already be seen upon opening the box. Inside, in addition to the device itself, there is a battery, a power supply, and documentation for the netbook. The manufacturer also offers a CD with a manual, a software license from Microsoft, and a warranty card.
Many users noted the presence of a folder for transportation. This is a fabric case with no handles or locks. It looks like a folder and closes with Velcro. It is made in black, and the Asus logo is on the tongue.
Appearance
Description of Asus EEE PC 4G should start with the appearance. Nowadays such a model would not attract attention: the body is too thick and at the same time small. Rough lines are no longer in fashion, and the lack of graphic elements makes the design unremarkable.
The body is made of matte black plastic. There is a silver logo in the middle. Also visible are large hinges that hold two parts of the device. Next to one of them the series is indicated - Eee PC.
The case does not have rounded corners, so the appearance seems more businesslike. Most likely, because of this, many people think that the device is designed for businessmen. But if someone didn’t like this color scheme, they could buy a netbook with a white body. In this case, the model looked brighter and more stylish.
There are several ventilation holes on the bottom of the netbook. There is a cover in the middle that provides access to the processor. To get to the rest of the system components, you need to use a screwdriver. Thanks to it, you can easily unscrew the lid. The battery is hidden in a small plastic roller, and you can open it using a spring lock.
Body parts
The characteristics of the Asus EEE PC 4G netbook include the presence of various parts on the body. For example, it’s immediately worth noting that the device does not have an optical drive. However, this is not surprising, since the dimensions of the case are so small that it is impossible to install a disk reader inside.
But on the right side you can find two USB ports, a VGA connector for connecting a monitor, as well as a card reader for various memory card formats. There is a Kensington lock on the edge.
On the left there is a grille through which warm air exits the housing and cool air enters. There is also a network port for connecting an Internet cable. The user has access to a third USB port, as well as two slots for a microphone and headphones.
Working surface
If you just open the Asus EEE PC 4G, you won’t be able to appreciate its technical characteristics; to do this, you still have to turn on the device. But you can look at the workspace of the netbook and understand how ergonomic it is.
The keyboard takes up the most space. It is made of plastic, does not have an island design and a separate digital unit. Since the device is compact, it was not easy to recreate a full-size keyboard. Therefore, some had to get used to the absence of some keys for a long time.
The Latin alphabet here is painted white, but the Russian layout is green. Function buttons are indicated in blue. There is a number pad on the very edge, but it is inconvenient because it is not highlighted. The Enter button was also reduced in size.
But the manufacturer did not forget about the Fn function key, which in combination can help adjust screen brightness, sound volume, wireless network operation, etc. There are 80 buttons in total.
The keyboard takes up two-thirds of the working area, so the touchpad feels a little cramped. It is placed in the middle. In addition to the touch area, it has acquired a silver button, which is responsible for the operation of the right and left mouse buttons.
To the left of the touchpad there are stickers that describe the technical characteristics of the Asus EEE PC 4G. On the right are indicators of the operation of various system options: battery charge, wireless network, Caps Lock and turning on the device.
As mentioned earlier, the keyboard took up almost the entire working area. If in conventional devices there is a place on top where the manufacturer places volume controls, player buttons and, finally, the power button, then in the case of this model everything turned out differently: the power key was moved to a plastic roller in which the battery is located. Next to the right hinge that holds the screen in place, you can find a silver power button.
Display
Since the characteristics and features of the Asus EEE PC 4G imply a compact device size, it was not possible to accommodate a large display. The user received a 7-inch diagonal screen. Now even tablets with similar sizes have ceased to be popular.
The display resolution can be of two options: 800 x 600 and 800 x 440 pixels. Since mirror coating had just been developed at that time, budget model They decided not to install it. And in many ways this helped the netbook become popular. Even now, glossy screens receive a lot of negative reviews, since they oblige the user to constantly be in the building and not work outdoors.
The matte display does not collect glare or reflections. It’s comfortable to work with him, so this model received positive reviews about the characteristics of the Asus EEE PC 4G. The viewing angles were also quite good.
Audio system
Of course, netbook speakers cannot be called such a big word. If you visually look for them, you might think that the manufacturer forgot about them, because their location is rather unusual.
It was decided to place the acoustics in the lid on which the display is located. This helped save space in the base of the cabinet, but had little impact on sound quality and appearance.
The speakers were placed to the left and right of the screen. They stand out and visually make the display even smaller. Due to the fact that the cover of the device is relatively thin, the speakers turned out to be compact, which affected the sound.
But despite this, the sound of music and other sounds of the system seems decent, especially if you perceive the situation objectively. The sound is loud and clear.
Specifications
It just so happens that in the Asus EEE PC 4G review, the characteristics and description of the device may vary. This is due to the fact that this is the name of the entire series of models. In fact, several netbooks with this name were sold at once. Some of them received certain “tricks”, others seemed to be absolutely ordinary office devices.
The most budget version was the Asus EEE PC 4G 701. The characteristics of the model generally remained the same, but the netbook was deprived of a number of useful options.
Processor in the system
This version ran on the Mobile Intel Celeron M processor. This chip operated at a frequency of 900 MHz. All models of the Eee PC series ran on this processor. All chips had a second level cache memory of 512 KB. Also, all devices were equipped with the 910GML chipset from Intel.
Netbook memory
RAM could vary depending on the modification. The characteristics of the Asus EEE PC 4G 701 assumed the presence of DDR2 RAM modules with a frequency of 400 MHz and a capacity of 512 MB. In other models you could find RAM of 1 and 2 GB.
There was also a working hard drive inside. The most remarkable thing is that the manufacturer decided to use not a classic HDD, but a newfangled SSD. At that time, this was a real innovation and significantly added to the overall performance of the device.
Although it’s worth saying right away that the internal memory was only 4 GB, which today seems completely unrealistic. Even the 8 GB versions seem completely ineffective now. Nevertheless, at the time this was a good indicator, but the statement that the user will be able to “play easily” with this model seems to be just a publicity stunt. However, let’s not forget that games back then weren’t so “heavy”.
As mentioned earlier, there was a card reader on the right side. Its peculiarity is that it was a 3-in-1 module. It worked with all flash cards that supported Secure Digital.
Other device characteristics
It is worth mentioning that the system was paired with a graphics adapter. This is an integrated Intel GMA 900 video card with a memory capacity of 64 MB. The adapter made it possible to connect a third-party monitor to a netbook, and also switch the resolution from 800 x 600 to 1600 x 1280 pixels.
We continue our review. The Asus EEE PC 4G had higher display specifications. As already mentioned, the display has a diagonal of 7 inches. LCD matrix installed. Standard resolution can be 800 x 600 or 800 x 480 pixels. In more expensive modifications the situation does not change.
The built-in sound system from Realtek was responsible for the sound. The fact that the manufacturer provided two speakers at once is a great bonus.
Network technologies
To work on the Internet, it was necessary to equip the Asus EEE PC 4G with network technologies. The manufacturer installed a network card that worked on the new controller. There was also a wireless adapter. It coped with its tasks, although it sometimes slowed down the loading of browser pages. It was necessary to place an adapter on the board to access wireless networks of the new standard.
In more expensive versions it was possible to find built-in adapters operating at speeds of 10/100/1000 Mbit/s.
Multimedia capabilities
A netbook can hardly be called a multimedia device, since it is equipped with simple components. Very rarely, buyers considered it as a device for watching videos or listening to music. But thanks to two speakers, it became possible to enjoy the sound of your favorite songs.
There is also a built-in microphone, the hole of which can be found on the top frame of the display. You can also see the webcam here. It has 0.3 megapixels. Considering that current devices are equipped with 5-8 megapixel camera modules, this figure seems completely deplorable. But at that time even it was enough for calls on Skype.
Testing
Not only reviews about the characteristics of the Asus EEE PC 4G netbook, but also test results can help you understand everything about performance. Despite the poverty of the netbook market in 2008, it was easy to find competitors for the model under review. For example, the Asus UMPC R2E laptop was quite good at that time.
There is a difference in the hard drive and more memory, while the processor and graphics adapter there is practically no difference. To ensure fair testing, the second netbook model was equipped with the resource-intensive Vista operating system.
Performance testing, again, hints that not everything is so easy for the Asus EEE PC 4G. A netbook is definitely designed only for office work and study. He copes with other tasks very difficult. Its performance is extremely low.
The video system also did not show good results and turned out to be weaker than the chipset. The video card can't handle 3D. Therefore, in general, the system is saved only by RAM and a processor at an acceptable frequency.
The device's disk subsystem uses solid state drive 4 GB. This is confirmed not only by the manufacturer, but also by analysis of the components. The SSD works like a charm. Takes only 4% of the CPU.
Ultraportable series ASUS Eee PC has been known since 2007. This includes not only consumer netbooks, but also tablets. The three letters “E” in the name indicate that the owner will not experience difficulties, neither in learning, nor in games, nor in work (“Easy to learn, Easy to play and Easy to work.”). In addition, the models in this series are generally affordable, which attracts a wide audience of users. The ASUS Eee PC X101CH is a typical representative of the legendary series; it is universal and extremely easy to use. In principle, such a netbook will easily cope with simple tasks, so you should not neglect such a purchase.
Specifications
| CPU: | Atom N2600 1600 MHz |
| RAM: | 1 GB DDR3 800 MHz |
| Data storage: | 320 GB 5400 rpm SATA II |
| Display: | 10.1" 1024x600 WXGA LED |
| Video card: | Intel GMA 3600 |
| Drive unit: | absent |
| Wireless connection: | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 |
| Interfaces: | 2xUSB 2.0, VGA, HDMI |
| Additionally: | 0.3 MP webcam, mono speaker |
| Battery: | 3-cell Li-ion 2200 mAh |
| Dimensions, weight: | 263x188x22-13 mm, 1 kg |
| Operating system: | Windows 7 Starter |
Design
The appearance of the ASUS Eee PC X101CH netbook simply cannot leave any user indifferent. The first thing that catches your eye is the dark red color of the case (Matte red) in combination with classic black. Thanks to this color, the mini-laptop not only looks mesmerizing, but also incredibly elegant and stylish. It is worth noting that the manufacturer did not stop at just one color, so users will be able to choose between a case of brown (Matte brown), white (Matte white) and black (Matte black). In general, there are suitable options for literally everyone.However, it is not only the color of the case that arouses interest in the Eee PC X101CH netbook. The lid actually contains a nice texture. From a distance it resembles a scaly pattern, but upon closer inspection you can clearly see a miniature pattern consisting of small rectangles. In addition to the texture, the outside area is decorated with a small chrome ASUS logo.
If you pay attention to the shape of a netbook, they are no different from similar devices. The corners of the body are not sharpened, but rather smoothed; The netbook's panels are not characterized by excessive clarity and rigor; rather, they are streamlined; the side ends are noticeably beveled towards the front edge. The thickness of the laptop ranges from 13-22 mm, and the width and depth are 263 and 188 mm, respectively. The weight of the netbook is light. With a three-section battery it does not exceed 1 kg.
Unlike the lid of the netbook, the inside is not only red, but also black. Moreover, a black transition is provided between the dark frame around the display and the red working area. Same texture except for the keyboard area. Flat black keys go well with it.
The case does not have a single glossy element, with the exception of the key under the touchpad. This is a big plus, since the matte surface is very practical. Even if you use your netbook for a long time, you won't be bothered by fingerprints because they will be almost invisible. By the way, the ASUS Eee PC X101CH case is made of plastic, which, however, does not prevent it from being quite resistant to deflections.
It is worth considering that when closing the netbook, the lid does not fit completely, so you should be careful when transporting it so that small foreign elements do not get inside. Well, touching the working platform and the display can be avoided, since thin rubber feet are located on the display frame and on the keyboard. By the way, at 9 degrees the auto-close works and the netbook closes completely. The X101CH cover is attached using two small and relatively tight hinges. It opens easily, and there is also a small protrusion for convenience. By the way, the maximum opening angle of the laptop is 150 degrees, which is enough for any work and in various conditions.
As already mentioned, the bottom is made of matte plastic. There are no compartments on it, except perhaps the place where the battery is located. On the bottom panel you can see only two large round legs, while the other two, rectangular, are located directly on the battery. They are small in size compared to the first two. Be that as it may, thanks to the rubberized feet, the mini-laptop will stand firmly on any flat surface.
It is worth noting that on the bottom there is a small grille behind which the speaker is hidden. The rest of the area is practically empty, only mounting holes with deep-set screws are visible here.
Display and sound
The ASUS Eee PC X101CH netbook has a 10.1-inch AU Optronics B101AW06 V4 LCD screen with a resolution of 1024x600 pixels and an aspect ratio of 4:3. The display performance is quite good. For example, when watching a movie, the image was bright and clear, and while working with documentation, texts were clearly readable, not only indoors, but even outdoors. In our opinion, the color rendition was rich, but not too rich.
By the way, I was incredibly pleased with the matte surface of the screen, because most netbooks have a glossy finish, which glares a lot in street lighting conditions. In our case, there will be no such problems and nothing will interfere with watching videos or web pages. But the viewing angles of this netbook are not good enough. True, this applies more to vertical ones. For example, when the display was slightly tilted towards itself, the image faded. When we tilted the screen in the opposite direction, the inversion was insignificant, but still noticeable. The horizontal viewing angles of the display are much better. In any case, three people sitting next to each other will be able to watch videos or photos without problems.
The ASUS Eee PC X101CH netbook is equipped with an integrated VGA camera with a resolution of 0.3 MP. The camera transmits a fairly clear and moderately bright image, which should be enough for video conferencing. There is a microphone next to the webcam.
As for the sound, it is not only loud enough, but also clear. During playback, it comes out through a single high-quality mono speaker located on the bottom. Despite the fact that there are no stereo speakers, as in many netbooks, the volume is quite high. And at maximum there was no audible distortion or wheezing, and the sound itself filled a medium-sized room. Although the predominance of high and mid frequencies was quite noticeable. However, if you connect headphones to the netbook, you can hear surround sound with bass. Although, even without this, the sound in the netbook is quite good.
Keyboard and touchpad
The ASUS Eee PC X101CH netbook is equipped with a keyboard built on the island principle. This means that the buttons are located separately from each other, which reduces the number of erroneous presses on adjacent keys to a minimum. Note that each of the 83 keyboard buttons has a square or rectangular shape, as well as a pleasant rough surface. The plane of the keys is not concave, however, this does not affect typing comfort in any way.
It is worth noting that there is only one power button above the keyboard area. When the netbook is turned on, it is illuminated in blue, matching the function key markings. By the way, the rest of the buttons are marked almost identically; the difference in color (only a few tones) is visible only up close. But the sizes of the symbols differ. The Latin alphabet is larger, and the Cyrillic alphabet is correspondingly smaller.
Since we paid attention to the size of the buttons, we note that, in general, they are not small. Only the arrow block keys, the right button and [Ё] were narrowed. This does not create any particular inconvenience, just like a single-row one. What you really have to get used to is the proximity of the , , and keys to the arrow block buttons.
As for the key travel, it is shorter than average. There is a clear feedback when pressing each button. By the way, while typing texts, a distinct click is heard. In general, I personally liked typing, although sometimes while typing quickly, my fingers often slipped along the flat surface of the buttons.
Another input device is a touch pad. It is located in the center of the wrist rest. The touchpad is slightly offset relative to the spacebar and deepens quite interestingly - at the bottom by two millimeters, and closer to the top it is on the same level as the under-palm pad itself. From the side, this touchpad resembles a slide.
The touch zone itself is small, so positioning will take some getting used to at first. In principle, everything is standard here: the touchpad surface is matte, textured, and responds well to finger touch. The functionality is no worse. In particular, among the supported gestures one can note not only vertical and horizontal scrolling, but also support for other multi-touch gestures, for example, rotating images, zooming, swiping with several fingers. The touchpad is disabled by pressing the + buttons.
I'll add a few more words about the functionality of the netbook. At the top of the display there is a tab with an arrow, thanks to which an additional ASUS proprietary Eee Docking menu is displayed, containing a number of useful applications. For example, in Access you will not only have access to various online entertainment (radio, games, etc.) when you select ASUS@Vibe, but also ASUS WebStorage. In addition, there is Sharing, for quick access to the webcam, Experience, which offers to change the font size, and finally Tools, with automatic updates as well as various settings.
Finally, returning to input devices, we’ll devote a few words to the key under the touch field. In this model, it hides two mouse buttons. The rocker key is convenient to use. It presses easily, almost without any effort. It's just that when you press it, it makes an annoying loud clicking noise.
Performance
The sample that came to us for testing runs on a pre-installed 32-bit operating system Windows systems 7 Starter. She rated the system performance 3.2 points. At the same time, graphics for games scored the lowest number of points. The processor, which received 3.3 points, is almost at the same level. It is noteworthy that all other components were rated much better. In particular, the leader, the hard drive, scored 5.9 points.
Based on the results, we can conclude that the ASUS Eee PC X101CH is suitable for general computing and will also help in processing simple graphics tasks. Let's see what kind of “stuffing” is on board this model.
The “base” of the netbook is the dual-core Atom N2600, built on the Intel Cedarview-M platform. The processor has a clock frequency of 1.6 GHz and a second level cache of 512 KB per core. It is worth noting that the CPU is built using 32nm technology, but the main thing is that it is energy efficient with a low TDP ratio not exceeding 3.5 W. Among other features of the processor is support for Hyper-Threading technology, thanks to which four streams of information are processed simultaneously.
The Intel Atom N2600 is complemented by a built-in GMA 3600 video card, which does not have its own memory, but uses part of the system one. This is not to say that this graphics is the best option for games, because with support for DirectX 10.1, it can handle mostly undemanding old games. But the presence of an HD video decoder will allow the GPU to play video without problems, including Full HD without delays. And for everyday office tasks, this is generally an excellent video card.
Technical characteristics of Intel GMA 3600 can be seen in the screenshot. They were obtained using the GPU-Z application.
To better understand the capabilities of the integrated graphics and processor, we tested them in the 3DMark06 application. The results were not high: SM2.0 – 190 points, HDR/SM3.0 – 151 points. The processor scored the maximum number of points – 829.
The performance level of the CPU and GPU can also be found in Cinebench R10. In it, the system is loaded with different scenarios, single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering tests are used. In addition, graphics performance is measured in the OpenGL viewport test. The results showed that the processor received 551 points in the single-threaded test, and 1404 in the multi-threaded test. In OpenGL, the graphics capabilities were rated 860 points. For example, the same HD 6310 graphics from AMD, which is successfully used in other netbook models, showed twice as many points, and the AMD Radeon HD 6250 - 1334 points. However, if we compare the GMA 3600 with other, earlier video cards from Intel, then in the Cinebench R10 test it shows higher results (Intel GMA 3650 - 1176, Intel GMA 4500M - 687, and Intel GMA 3150 - 285).
But performance depends not only on the processor and video card. RAM, or more precisely its volume, also makes its contribution. In our model, the memory stick is soldered into the motherboard - it is a 1 GB Hynix (DDR3-800 MHz standard). However, there may be specifications with twice as much memory. In any case, you will not be able to increase the amount of system memory. Note that the performance of a netbook with this capacity will not be very high, although you will be able to edit photos and other images. But when loading several applications, your system will not respond as quickly as you would like.
The circle of important hardware components is completed by the Hitachi HTS543232A7A384 hard drive, which has a capacity of 320 GB and a spindle speed of 5400 rpm. Connecting a hard drive via a SATA-II interface will provide a throughput of about 300 Mb/s.
HDD we tested using several applications. Thanks to CrystalDiskMark 3.0.1, read and write speeds were determined. The screenshot shows that the sequential read speed was 94.75 MB/s, and the write speed was 91.98 MB/s. The speed of reading and writing random blocks is no less important for the operation of the system. In this case, it is 0.464 Mb/s and 0.913 Mb/s, respectively.
As for the second test – HD Tune Pro, the following results were obtained: minimum read speed 38.1 Mb/s, maximum – 94.5 Mb/s, average – 72.7 Mb/s. In addition, the program determined the access time, which was 18.9 ms. If we compare it with the performance of other tested ultraportable devices, the time it takes to search for the desired track on the HDD in our model may differ. For example, in the ASUS U36SD it is 18.3 ms, while in the HP Mini 210 netbook the access time is less - 15.5 ms. True, in the latter the spindle rotation speed is higher, not 5400 rpm, but 7200, which affects the overall performance.
Note that you can use not only hard drive space to store data, but also ASUS WebStorage web storage. A 3 GB capacity is offered free of charge, on which you can store archival documents or other data. If suddenly your personal information on the netbook is somehow destroyed, everything in the storage will remain safe and sound.
To measure overall system performance, the netbook was tested using PCMark 7, where it received a score of 662. In the Storage subtest, which evaluates the performance of the hard drive, the system earned the highest number of points - 1445; the result in Creativity came in second place with 1080 points. This test assessed performance with images and videos.
In order to comprehensively assess systemic ASUS components Eee PC X101CH, we ran another PCMark Vantage test. In it, the netbook received 1346 points. As in other tests we conducted, the maximum number of points was obtained in HDD Suite - 2745 points. It tested the hard drive's ability to edit video, download various programs, and import images. For comparison, the lowest result was obtained in Memories (730 points), where the simultaneous operation of two streams, transcoding and video editing were tested.
Ports and communications
This model has few interfaces. All of them are located on the side faces. On the left side of the Eee PC X101CH netbook there are two ports for outputting content to an external display in analog and digital format. Between VGA and HDMI there is one USB 2.0 port and a power socket. Closer to the beginning of the edge you can see a 3-in-1 card reader that reads SD/SDHC/MMC formats. It is worth noting that all communications are at an optimal distance from each other, so when several devices are connected simultaneously, confusion is avoided.
The connectors on the right side are also not tightly located. There is enough space between them, however, we see only one USB 2.0 port. By and large, all you need to do is connect a mouse and, for example, a flash drive. In general, that's all. In addition, on the right side there is a combined jack for connecting a microphone and headphones. Again, one, not two connectors. And finally, this end ends with a Kensington lock hole and an RJ-45 network port.
To connect to the Internet, the owner of this netbook will be able to use Wi-Fi module 802.11 b/g/n (Atheros AR9002WB-1NG). The list of wireless communications includes bluetooth module version 3.0.
Heat
Undoubtedly, few people will like a laptop or netbook whose case will become very hot. As a rule, this causes considerable discomfort, regardless of whether you are holding the device on your lap or working at a desk. In order to feel aware of this issue, we checked the heating of internal components using the CPUID Hardware Monitor application. The results showed that sensors located on the processor recorded a maximum temperature of 76 degrees Celsius. The heating of the hard drive was also low and amounted to 42°C.
At the same time, the heating of the external surface of the netbook was measured at an absolute temperature in the laboratory of 24 degrees Celsius. The results showed that the average temperature of the Eee PC X101CH without load was 35.5 degrees on the platform and 34.4 degrees on the bottom. At the same time, the center of the bottom heated up to a maximum of 41.2 degrees, and the coolest place was the upper right corner on the bottom panel, where the temperature did not exceed 26.8°C. This heating is not critical, but is noticeable.
Under load (Furmark + AIDA stress test), within an hour the temperature rose in places by two to three degrees, and in some points by 7-10°C. The greatest increase was, again, on the bottom from 26.8 to 36.6 °C and from 36.5 to 42.9 °C, but in the keyboard area there were no significant jumps (within 1-2 degrees).
Battery
ASUS Eee PC X101CH has a 3-segment lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 2200 mAh (23 Wh). Manufacturers claim that with such a battery, the mini-laptop will work for about five hours, and the ASUS Super Hybrid Engine energy management system will help achieve longer battery life. Moreover, this technology will increase system performance by approximately 15 percent.Conclusion
Of course, such a netbook is ideal for anyone who leads a mobile lifestyle. Taking the ASUS Eee PC X101CH with you will not be difficult, because it is small in size and weighs no more than one kilogram. Most likely, the owner will use this netbook for sending emails, working with documentation, surfing the web, in particular in social networks. However, there are enough opportunities for other tasks, for example, viewing photos, movies or simple games. At the same time, you will not be annoyed by the glare of the display, since it has a matte finish. By the way, there are other advantages to a netbook. For example, a small but comfortable island keyboard, a non-staining outer surface with a simple texture, and quite good sound, especially considering that there is only one speaker.Apparently, the netbook's impressive appearance, choice of body color and relatively low cost with good functionality will attract a large audience of users, including students or office workers who often have to go on business trips.
We thank the ASUS representative office in Ukraine www.asus.ua for kindly providing the laptop for testing.
The next addition to the Eee PC family could not go unnoticed. At the annual CES 2012 exhibition, a model from ASUS was presented - the Eee PC 1025CE Flare series. This series is the successor to the Eee PC Seashell line, in which we could see netbooks that captivate at first glance with their body colors and stylish appearance. Most likely, the new 1025CE Flare, which has replaced it, will join the ranks of similar devices designed for everyone who needs a functional and relatively inexpensive “machine” on business trips and other trips. But the main thing is that such a netbook will appeal to connoisseurs of style and elegance, since it has smooth body lines and generally looks fashionable and will be remembered, as they say, by anyone.
Specifications
| CPU: | Intel Atom N2800 1860 MHz |
| RAM: | 2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz |
| Data storage: | 500 GB 5400 rpm SATA II |
| Display: | 10.1" 1024x600 WXGA LED |
| Video card: | Intel GMA HD 3600 |
| Drive unit: | absent |
| Wireless connection: | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, |
| Interfaces: | 2xUSB 2.0, USB 3.0, VGA, HDMI |
| Additionally: | 0.3 MP webcam, mono speaker |
| Battery: | 6-cell Li-ion 5200 mAh |
| Dimensions, weight: | 262x179x21-38 mm, 1.16 kg |
| Operating system: | Windows 7 Starter |
Design
Most recently, we tested the ASUS Eee PC X101CH netbook, a little earlier than the HP Mini 210. At first glance, the ASUS Eee PC 1025 CE is very similar to these models. In fact, these devices are different, although not so radically. Here the difference in color and, if we take the same PC X101CH as an example, the lack of texture are barely noticeable. Let's see what makes the Eee PC 1025CE attractive?Let's start right away with the fact that users are offered three colors: blue (Mysterious Blue), pink (Addict Pink) and purple (Plucky Purple), unlike the 1025C model, which also has classic colors. Therefore, ASUS Eee PC 1025 CE will most likely appeal to young girls rather than boys.
Having examined the netbook's body from the outside, we noticed that it is made of plastic. Although, some parts from a distance look like metal. For example, side ends. The lid of the device bends slightly, the bottom, on the contrary, is more rigid. By the way, the lower panel, like the upper one, is practically not decorated with anything. Except that the ASUS logo is located on the lid.
The bottom of the netbook has the same matte finish as the outside. The bottom panel is solid, there is not a single screw visible on it, not a single compartment to get to the internal components. On the bottom there is only a 6-segment battery protruding beyond the body, and two grilles. Behind one of them, the longer one, you can see a mono speaker. Note that the manufacturers have not forgotten about the rubber feet on which the netbook will stand. They are located around the perimeter and have a rounded upward (convex) shape.
By the way, when deciding on the shape of the ASUS Eee PC 1025CE case, the designers deviated a little from the traditional design. In particular, streamlined panels “tend” towards each other on all sides. Closer to the edges, the distance separating the upper and lower parts of the body becomes very small. In general, this solution makes the netbook seem thinner than it actually is. Although, of course, its dimensions are not too large - 262x179x21-38 mm. Note that the official ASUS website indicates a thickness of 34 mm, so most likely the discrepancies in measurements are a consequence of the installation of a protruding 6-cell battery. And one more nuance - the “folding” connector of the network controller. Undoubtedly, this is a kind of “contribution” to reducing the thickness of the body.
The interior is quite interesting. The designers here chose to use three colors at once. The main one, of course, is pink. Against its background, the steel-colored keyboard buttons and the black frame around the display look great. Although, probably, the same gray color on the frame would be appropriate. By the way, the bezel around the display is quite wide, and it also visually looks like polished metal. The frame at the top has beveled corners.
As for the use of gloss and matte surfaces, preference is clearly given to the latter. In any case, on the work platform only the key under the touchpad is mirrored, and on the outside there are the right and left ends, the logo. By the way, all these parts are chrome, so the netbook looks very impressive. All other surfaces are matte, on which fingerprints are not visible at all. Interestingly, even scratches on such a surface are not so noticeable. So the model is not just fashionable, but also quite practical.
Display and sound
The ASUS Eee PC 1025CE netbook is equipped with a 10.1-inch M101NWT2 R3 LCD display with a resolution of 1024x600 pixels. Note that the LED-backlit screen is bright, has good contrast and reproduces colors at a decent level. The screen also has an undeniable advantage - a matte surface, which is so important especially when working outdoors in bright daylight.
As for viewing angles, this is a problem with most laptop and netbook displays. Our model also suffered from this fate. Horizontal viewing angles, like vertical ones, are not wide enough. For example, tilting the screen of the Eee PC 1025CE back a little reveals color inversion and darkening of the image. If two people try to view the same photos, the one sitting off-center will see a slightly distorted picture. And as you move away, you will eventually see an image that is too dark and unclear.
On the display frame you can see the lens of the built-in smart camera. It has a resolution of 0.3 megapixels and four times digital zoom. Using the shutter, you can open or close the lens, as well as zoom in or out. It is worth noting that the picture will be clear until you start scaling up. Then it will become more blurry.
Note that on one side of the camera there is a built-in microphone, which will help with Skype calls and chats, on the other there is an indicator showing when the webcam is on.
Like the one who visited us for testing earlier ASUS model Eee PC X101CH, this netbook has good acoustics. It is noteworthy that the ASUS Eee PC 1025CE also has one speaker, but we hear very decent sound in both volume and quality, of course, for a netbook. It is worth noting that the high-quality mono speaker is located on the bottom, so the volume is partially lost during playback. This is especially audible on the street, where there is a lot of extraneous noise. However, such an audio system will be enough for background sounds, but for more comfortable listening you will need to connect headphones.
Keyboard and touchpad
Note that, despite the small size of the working platform, the keyboard buttons turned out to be quite large, as for a netbook. For comparison, the keys on a standard 15.6-inch laptop measure 15x15 mm, while the keys on the Eee PC 1025CE are 14 mm. True, not all buttons have such dimensions. For example, the pointer block of a netbook is highly compressed. Moreover, there is no separate function key panel, so , , , and are adjacent to the arrow buttons and work in combination with the key.
A few words should be said about the surface of each key. Firstly, it's worth knowing that you will have 83 buttons at your disposal. They are all clearly labeled and have a matte flat surface. Our test sample did not have a Russian layout, but all other models, of course, will have both Cyrillic and English characters.
By the way, there are practically no keys above the keyboard itself, only one – the power button located on the right. When the netbook is operating, it lights up in a pleasant blue color. On the left side there is only an inscription indicating that this netbook belongs to the Flare series.
The ELAN PS/2 touchpad is located barely noticeable to the left. Its surface is smooth, deepened by a couple of millimeters, the boundaries are observed only on three sides. The touchpad area is small - 79x37 mm, but quite consistent with the size of a netbook. In practice, such a manipulator turned out to be quite sensitive. Moreover, I was pleased with the responsiveness not only during normal positioning or vertical scrolling, but also when scaling, scrolling and rotating images. In any case, when performing multi-touch gestures, you didn’t have to wait for the touchpad to “figure out” what to do with the picture, but quickly did everything that was required. The only thing I had to deal with was when my fingers got stuck on a smooth surface, which reduced the speed of cursor control. In fact, it is typical for wet fingers to glide more slowly. However, if you do not want to use the touchpad for work, you can disable it using the + key combination.
Separately, I would like to say about the operation of the “rocker” key. It is as small as the sensory area. It is convenient to use because it is pressed very clearly. True, you can hear a characteristic clicking sound, and the button only works when you press the edges. By the way, the key differs from the touchpad in its glossy surface, but this does not affect the ease of use.
Immediately below the touchpad button are LED indicators. This group contains the battery charge status indicator, work hard disk, wireless network. Finally, a traditional indicator showing the operating status of the netbook. Note that when the netbook is closed, the LEDs are clearly visible, so you will always know whether, for example, your Eee PC 1025CE needs charging or not.
Performance
Let's start with the fact that the ASUS Eee PC 1025CE netbook runs on a pre-installed 32-bit Windows 7 Starter operating system. In addition, technology from ASUS – Express Gate – is also used. This function will help you gain access to the network literally within five seconds from the moment you turn it on. Thanks to the launch of this proprietary shell, you can always quickly view the weather forecast, read or send emails, and watch videos online. Note that when you turn on the laptop, you are offered a choice: run Windows 7 or Express Gate.
After starting Windows, we did a performance index test. This operating system rated the netbook low - 3.4 points. At the same time, graphics earned the least number of points. However, the processor is not far behind it. Its capabilities were rated at 3.6 points. But other components received higher ratings. You can see detailed results in the screenshot.
In general, this performance index indicates that the system will not only cope with all basic operations, such as web browsing, video, office tasks, but will also allow, for example, image editing.
Let's look at the hardware of the ASUS 1025CE. This netbook has an energy-efficient Atom N2800 processor with a clock frequency of 1.86 GHz and a 1 MB L2 cache. Let us immediately note that this processor is aimed at installation in netbooks. It is built using 32-nanometer technology on the Cedar Trail platform and has two computing cores. In general, such a CPU can handle most operations that do not require a lot of processing power. By the way, the TDP coefficient is small, it is 6.5 W.
The technical characteristics of the Atom N2800 can be seen in the screenshot.
The processor is complemented by RAM (Hunix HMT325S6CFR8C-H9), the volume of which in this netbook is 2 GB. The RAM is DDR3-1333 MHz standard. By and large, this is the best option for ensuring productive operation of a netbook.
But the graphics in this mini-laptop have very limited capabilities. In principle, the integrated Intel GMA HD 3600 is ideal for standard computing operations, can decode video, and play Full HD. But games and more complex graphic tasks are unlikely to be capable of this video card. Although, I don’t think that the owner of this netbook will engage in video editing or, for example, play modern demanding toys. Most likely, the matter will be limited to web surfing, viewing photos, videos or regular work with documents. And in this case, you must admit, “great intelligence” is not required from the video card.
By the way, the low potential of the built-in video card is confirmed by a test in Cinebench R11.5. This application provides its own assessment of CPU and GPU, which is based on measuring 3D graphics performance in complex scenes using textures, effects. As a result, in OpenGL mode the HD 3600 video card received less than 1 fps (0.59). The processor earned almost the same number of points – 0.61 pts.
Let's look at another important hardware component - the hard drive. If you are going to store a large amount of information, you can completely rely on it. The package includes a 2.5-inch Hitachi HTS547550A9E384 hard drive connected via SATA II. It has a capacity of 500 GB and a rotation speed of 5400 rpm. You can fill this HDD with your favorite photos, movies, and other documents. Of course, there will still be room for software. The only thing is that having a higher speed of 7200 rpm would not only improve throughput, but also reduce access time.
Those who want to protect their most important data from loss can additionally use web storage resources. ASUS provides 3 GB for this. And you can access the storage thanks to Eee Docking - a panel for quick access to various services and the necessary set of applications.
In order to measure the performance of the hard drive and obtain information about it, we tested Hitachi using the HD Tune Pro 5.00 application. As a result of the diagnostics, the following data reading speed results were obtained: minimum – 21 Mb/s, maximum – 84.3 Mb/s and average – 57.3 Mb/s. Access times were also determined. It was 18.5 ms.
In addition, the HD Tune utility provides detailed information not only about the serial number of the hard drive and its size itself, but also about the buffer size.
In addition, CrystalDiskMark 3.0.1 was launched, testing the performance of drives. In particular, the speed of performing various operations is tested here. For example, sequential or random copying and recording. By the way, the screenshot below clearly demonstrates the result of the sequential read speed - 71.12 MB/s and write speed - 70.64 MB/s.
If we compare the results with the performance of other hard drives installed, for example, in the HP Mini 210 and ASUS Eee PC X101CH, then their sequential read and write speeds are much higher - 108 and 106.7 MB/s and 94.75 and 91.98 MB/s.
And this is what a comparison graph looks like, showing the data transfer speed of hard drives installed in other netbooks.
In addition to separate testing of the hardware, a comprehensive PCMark 7 test was carried out, the results of which can be used to judge the capabilities of each component separately and the operation of the system as a whole. So, the final score was 806. The highest number of points, 1514, was obtained in the Storage test, which directly assessed the performance of the drive. The Productivity test ended with a minimum score of 524 points. But the ability to work with graphics “turned out” in an honorable second place with 1269 points.
In general, testing confirmed that the netbook's performance is good only for standard tasks that do not require complex computing operations.
Ports and communications
Quite often in netbooks there is such a set of interfaces that you involuntarily understand: “Manufacturers saved money.” Our case is different. The ASUS Eee PC 1025CE has enough ports and connectors, although, again, they are not very diverse.Let's start looking at the ASUS Eee PC 1025CE from the right side. There are two USBs “gathered” here. One of them has the 2.0 standard, the second is the faster 3.0. Also on the right side there is a combined connector for connecting a microphone and headphones, and a built-in card reader that reads SD, MMC, SDHC formats. It is noteworthy that the Kensington lock hole is not at the end of the right edge, but between the RJ-45 network port and USB 3.0.
If we compare the level of filling with interfaces, there are slightly fewer of them on the left side. First you can see a digital HDMI port, a USB 2.0 port, and an analog VGA video output. At the very end there is a connector for connecting the power supply. It is worth noting that on the left there is also space for a ventilation hole through which warm air exits.
It should be noted that you can recharge via USB ports various devices. This is possible thanks to USB Charge+ technology. Charging occurs while the netbook is in sleep mode and even if it is completely turned off.
In principle, all interfaces in the ASUS Eee PC 1025CE are distributed relatively evenly, so there are no inconveniences when connecting to it external devices there shouldn't be.
Note that with the exception of the side ends, there are no other ports anywhere, neither front nor back.
The range of wireless communications is presented in full. To transfer data over a short distance, you can use Bluetooth 3.0, and to access the Internet there is Wi-Fi Atheros AR9002WB-1NG standard 802.11 b/g/n. By the way, support for DLNA technology also contributes to the functionality. Thanks to it, you can transmit data or receive content. The main condition is device compatibility (each must support the DLNA standard).
Heat
Working on a very hot netbook, and even on a hot summer day, is not a pleasant pleasure. Therefore, the potential user will not ignore the heating level, so as not to blame the unstable operation of the system and discomfort during operation later.We tested the ASUS Eee PC 1025CE at 28 degrees Celsius. Without a doubt, this, one way or another, affected the heating of the case. As a result, temperatures below 31 degrees were not recorded during measurements either at idle or, naturally, under load.
To confirm this: during idle time, the working area heated up to the maximum in the lower left corner to 34.3 degrees, and on the bottom the hottest “spot” was the lower right corner, where the temperature was 38.5°C.
When compared with heating under load, the increase was small - by 1-3 degrees. As in idle time, the lower right corner on the bottom heated up the most. Here the temperature rose to 41.5 degrees Celsius. But the bottom left corner turned out to be the coolest - 33.8°C. In fact, such heating is felt, but not so much that it bakes your knees or palms.
By the way, comparing it with the heating of the same ASUS Eee PC X101CH, it can be noted that the average temperature of the working area under load for the Eee PC 1025CE was lower - 33.8 degrees, the bottom - 37.2, while for the X101CH 36.1 and 37.9 degrees, respectively.
Battery
The netbook is equipped with a 6-cell lithium-ion battery. It has a capacity of 5200 mAh (56 Wh). Manufacturers claim that with this ASUS battery Eee PC 1025CE can work up to 12 hours. Undoubtedly, the maximum time the battery will “show” in standby mode is up to 3 weeks, according to ASUS. By the way, if your netbook is not in standby mode, but in hibernation, then Instant On technology allows you to wake it up in literally 3-5 seconds.
We tested the battery using the Battery Eater app and got the longest idle time of 9 hours and 6 minutes. This is not to say that in other tests it was too low. In contrast, the battery lasted 7 hours and 58 minutes in Read's mode on the Energy Saver power plan. And in “High Performance” we also saw a good result – 6 hours 18 minutes. Undoubtedly, the battery life under load will be shorter in both power supply plans.
notice, that ASUS company The netbook also ships with 3-cell batteries with a capacity of 2600 mAh (28 Wh). It is clear that the operating time from such a lightweight battery will be shorter, but you will get another plus - less weight. By the way, the weight of a netbook with a 6-segment battery is 1 kg 16 grams, although in reality it feels more. This is not too much for a trip, however, it is worth considering that if you take with you a 30-watt charger, which looks like charging a regular mobile phone, another 156 grams will be added to the weight.
Before talking about power consumption, it is worth noting that the ASUS Eee PC 1025CE uses the Super Hybrid Engine II control system. Using this proprietary utility, you can increase the operating time of the battery by selecting the desired mode: either energy saving or high performance. We took measurements in the latter mode and obtained the following results. The average power consumption of a netbook is quite low. Almost all indicators are approximately the same. For example, when idle, the ASUS Eee PC 1025CE consumes only 13 W, a little more when surfing the Internet via Wi-Fi - 15 W, and, finally, the maximum power of the netbook when running FurMark and the AIDA stress test - 18 Wh. We saw similar power consumption when testing the HP Folio 13, where the power during idle and web surfing was 13.4 and 16.5 Wh.
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Conclusion
Having examined the ASUS Eee PC 1025CE netbook, we can first of all note its youth style and its belonging, most likely, to a female audience. Although, despite its very attractive appearance, the mini-laptop has other advantages, including the presence of USB 3.0, an ergonomic island keyboard, energy efficiency and a long battery life. Of course, we must remember that this is a netbook with its own specific equipment, so you shouldn’t expect “crazy” speed from it when performing various tasks, incredibly high-quality acoustics, or support for complex graphics programs. In fact, such a device is not purchased for this at all, but, for example, for periodic trips in which there is a need to check email. And during a long flight, the Eee PC 1025CE will be needed to brighten up several hours of watching movies. The main thing is that this netbook can become one of the brightest and most memorable purchases.We thank the ASUS representative office in Ukraine www.asus.ua for kindly providing the laptop for testing.
A very beautiful 10.1-inch netbook based on the Intel Cedar Trail platform. The manufacturer has once again managed to create an impressive, lightweight (1.008 kg) and practical netbook. The new product is available in several colors, but the red and black version given to me for testing looks the most impressive. It will be a great gift for your daughter, wife or girlfriend.
A very beautiful 10.1-inch netbook based on the Intel Cedar Trail platform.
Design
The manufacturer has once again managed to create an impressive, lightweight (1.008 kg) and practical netbook. The new product is available in several colors, but the red and black version given to me for testing looks the most impressive. It will be a great gift for your daughter, wife or girlfriend.
The new Eee PC does not have a single glossy panel, and this decision makes the computer more practical. The owner will not have to remove dust and fingerprints from it every day. The convex battery protrudes slightly beyond the dimensions of the case, and thanks to this solution, the closed netbook is very comfortable to hold with one hand. Another design feature is a barely noticeable bulge at the top of the display frame, which will help you open the netbook with one hand.
Display
The 10.1-inch screen of the netbook has a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels and is of great interest due to its matte finish. Why? Lightweight and compact netbooks were created primarily for remote work: in a cafe, in a school classroom, on a park bench.
This means that the owner of a netbook must work comfortably regardless of the location of the light sources, and this can only be achieved using a display with a matte finish, since gloss will always cause glare.
Ergonomics
I liked the keyboard and touchpad. All the buttons on the main layout are separated and made quite large, and the touch field has a textured coating, which significantly improves tactile sensations during operation. At the same time, the touchpad navigation buttons are for some reason made glossy and quickly become covered with fingerprints.
The opening angle of the netbook is close to 180 degrees, so when working remotely you can easily find the right angle. There are two rubber protectors attached to the display frame, which will help avoid contact of the matrix with the keyboard, which could result in scratches. By netbook standards, the sound of this model is good. In any case, the built-in speakers allow you to listen to music and watch YouTube videos without the help of an external audio system. We also note that the new product supports Instant On technology, which helps the computer wake up from sleep mode in just two seconds.
Performance
The main intrigue of testing was hidden at this point. After all, the netbook runs on Intel Cedar Trail, and we haven't had to tinker with devices based on this platform before.
ASUS Eee PC X101CH is equipped with a dual-core Inel Atom N2600 processor with a clock frequency of 1.6 GHz, 1 GB of RAM (this figure should be increased), an Intel GMA 5600 video card and a 320 GB hard drive. We were unable to run the 3DMark 06 test, but in PCMark 05 the computer scored 3112 points, and this result looks much better than the results of previous generation netbooks. Visually, the model based on Intel Cedar Trail began to work faster and, first of all, this will be reflected in the loading speed of Internet sites.
Software
The laptop comes with a licensed Windows 7 Starter operating system pre-installed Microsoft Office 2010 Starter, Windows Live services, and used for data protection free antivirus Microsoft Security Essentials.
In addition, there is a proprietary ASUS utility, which is called up by clicking on the tab with an arrow at the top of the display and provides quick access to web services, including ASUS WebStorage, a web camera, applications, and also changes the size of characters.
Communications
The X101CH communications suite is standard for most netbooks.
There are two USB ports (one of them supports USB 3.0), VGA and HDMI ports, a card reader, a connector for a network cable and an output for connecting standard headphones.
Working hours
The 2200 mAh lithium-ion battery will last only 3 hours 17 minutes in text reading mode and an hour less when using the Internet with the Wi-Fi module turned on.
For an ultra-light model, this is a very low result, and we can only hope that the new product will be available at retail with a high-capacity battery.
Advantages: Successful design, thoughtful ergonomics, increased level of performance;
Flaws: Glossy touchpad buttons, short battery life;
Grade: 4.
Testing:
PCMark 05 3112
Battery Eater Pro 3:17
Specifications:
- Model: ASUS Eee PC X101CH;
- CPU: Intel Atom N2600, 1.6 GHz;
- Weight: 1.008 kg;
- Dimensions: 26.2 x 18.4 x 2.3 cm;
- Display: 10,1”;
- Permission: 1024 x 600 pixels;
- RAM: 1 GB;
- HDD: 320 GB;
- Video card: Intel GMA 5600;
- Communications: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, web camera;
- Ports: USB 2.0, USB 3.0, HDMI, VGA, Headphones Out, card reader;
- OS: Windows 7 Starter.
Introduction As events have occurred during the first half of this year, computer hardware manufacturers seem to have hit on a new idea that can pay big dividends. The essence of this idea is to offer users a new family of mobile devices, which can be roughly classified as additional, “second” laptops, which are a cross between full-fledged mobile computers and handhelds or smartphones. According to the first impression, the concept was successful, the demand for such products, as it turned out, exists, and in the near future a boom awaits us in the nascent market. This will be facilitated not only by the zeal of mobile device developers, who expect revenue growth due to demand for new products, but also by the interest of such giants as Intel, NVIDIA and VIA, which have prepared specialized hardware solutions for use as part of “second laptops.”
The main driving force in the new market, obviously, should be the imminent appearance of Intel Atom processors, specially created by the engineers of this company for use in portable devices, the size of which is smaller than that of conventional mobile computers, and the battery life is significantly longer. When announcing Atom processors, Intel representatives talked about netbooks - inexpensive small laptops and mobile tablet computers, capable, however, of offering a full range of communication, office and multimedia capabilities.
The first devices based on the new Intel processor should appear in the second half of this year. It is at this point that engineers are going to complete the development of the Centrino Atom platform, which will become a full-fledged basis for a new generation of portable devices. An alternative solution from VIA, the Nano processor (Isaiah), may also appear on sale at approximately the same time. At the moment, hardware component developers cannot offer a sufficiently powerful, but at the same time economical, specialized platform for netbooks. However, this is not an obstacle for everyone. Seeing the promise of the new market, some laptop manufacturers tried to “get ahead of the curve.” Such attempts became the topic of this review, in which we will get acquainted with an extremely popular miniature laptop that has almost all the features of a netbook today - ASUS Eee PC.
To be fair, it should be noted that miniature laptops are far from a new trend. At different times, many players in the mobile computer market offered such products. However, unlike ASUS Eee PC, all such offers turned out to be niche products and did not gain widespread popularity. This happened mainly due to the fact that ultra-portable mobile computers turned out to be too expensive, which was determined by the desire of their creators to make a kind of full-fledged laptop in a miniature design. As a result, there was a well-founded opinion about such products as expensive and fun high-tech toys, but they did not receive widespread recognition.
ASUS's merit lies in the fact that this manufacturer, apparently drawing inspiration from the ambitious OLPC project ("One Laptop Per Child"), has prioritized not size and capabilities, but size and price. Eee PC became a reflection of this plan, ahead of the netbook generation by at least six months. At first, ASUS wanted to ensure that the low-end Eee PC models would fit into the $200 budget. To achieve this goal, the manufacturer was ready to equip its computer with a small screen, a low-power processor and a minimum amount of RAM, and also replace the hard drive with a small flash memory. Naturally, this would also impose restrictions on the software, which was proposed to use the free Xandros operating system of the Linux family. However, subsequently the minimum price still increased to three hundred dollars, and more expensive models even acquired the ability to work with the Windows XP operating system familiar to many. And, as a result, ASUS managed to achieve unprecedented success: their miniature laptop, the Eee PC, has become a truly mass device, interesting not only for high-income enthusiasts and technomaniacs, but also for a wide range of users with different income levels and qualifications.
Naturally, our laboratory could not ignore such a phenomenon as the ASUS Eee PC. Unfortunately, the path of this “toy” to the Russian market turned out to be quite difficult. Faced with unprecedented demand for its new ultra-portable laptop, ASUS decided to push non-core markets into the background, so Russian users had to wait quite a long time for the Eee PC to appear in stores. However, in mid-May, Eee PCs became appear on sale, which we took advantage of. So, we have in our hands an Eee PC 4G (from the Eee PC 701 series) with a pre-installed Windows XP operating system - the older model of the device that can be bought in Russia.
First look
ASUS Eee PC even begins to surprise with its packaging. We are used to the fact that laptops are delivered in fairly massive boxes. However, the miniature Eee PC is unique: it comes in a box that is smaller in size than most motherboard packages.Inside this compact box you can find a dwarf laptop, a power supply, a thick fabric case, the necessary minimum documentation and an auxiliary DVD.
The Eee PC itself makes an indelible impression with its dimensions and weight. It can hurt a person accustomed to living in a world of ordinary, even 14-inch laptops, to the very heart. To imagine the dimensions of the ultra-portable new product from ASUS, it is enough to compare it with a book: the latter will be no more than 2-3 centimeters in size in both main dimensions. Thus, the Eee PC works very well as a portable device. With all its intelligence, it is quite capable of fitting even in a jacket pocket, which will not weigh much, since the weight of the laptop does not even reach a kilogram.
Along with the laptop itself, the power supply is also striking in its toy size. In this case, it looks more like a phone charger, since it is made in symbiosis with a plug, and not in a separate case. This, by the way, makes the Eee PC, which weighs less than a kilogram, even more mobile, because the power supply often travels with the laptop, and here it not only takes up little space, but also weighs only 110 grams.
The ASUS Eee PC makes a good impression even upon closer examination. Despite the low price and rather modest filling, the manufacturer did not skimp on plastic, for example. The case has sufficient elasticity for high-quality protection of the internals. Moreover, the Eee PC can even be classified as a shockproof laptop (within reason, of course), since it has no moving parts at all. In particular, for obvious reasons, it is deprived of an optical drive, and the hard drive is replaced with flash memory that is not afraid of overloads. So perhaps the Eee PC could become good choice and for not the most careful owners, for example, those same schoolchildren.
So, externally, the body of the machine does not give a cheap impression: it does not creak or rattle, and all its parts fit tightly together. We tested the black version of the device and can confirm that its exterior is on par with most mid-priced mobile computers. The plastic has a pleasant-to-touch roughness that successfully hides small scratches and greasy stains.
However, the unbridled delight that a visual inspection of the Eee PC causes is easy to nip in the bud. Simply lift the lid of this ultra-portable notebook, which is held closed by a flexible spring. After all, the 7-inch screen with a resolution of 800x480 located there, in its parameters, is more reminiscent of a digital photo frame than a means of displaying images of a modern mobile computer. Additionally, the negative impression is reinforced by the fact that there is enough space in the case cover for a 9-inch screen, but that’s the downside of the low price. If you want an inexpensive computer, be content with a photo frame, not a screen with normal characteristics. It’s difficult to say how relevant discussions about the image quality on this tiny screen will be, but perhaps it’s still worth mentioning that the matrix used in it is far from ideal. And if everything seems to be in order with the brightness level, then the viewing angles, especially vertical ones, clearly let us down.
In order to somehow justify the small size of the screen with a much larger lid, ASUS placed two flat speakers covered with fabric at its edges, providing quite decent sound in both volume and frequency range. Of course, you shouldn't expect powerful bass from them, but compared to the speaker systems usually installed in laptops, the Eee PC speakers make a good impression. Above the screen there is a webcam with a resolution of 640x480, but, unfortunately, the quality of the image it produces cannot even be called satisfactory.
Directly below the screen, on the bend of the case, there is a power button for the laptop; for some reason it remains accessible even when the lid is closed. LED indicators for computer and battery status, hard drive activity and wireless network are located on the front edge of the case so that they remain visible even when the laptop is closed.
The second sore spot in the ergonomics of the Eee PC after the screen is the keyboard. The fact that key size would become another victim of miniaturization was clear from the very beginning. But the quality of their mechanical parts, at a minimum, raises questions. Perhaps we were unlucky with a particular instance, but on our laptop the keyboard sagged unnaturally and creaked suspiciously when pressing the buttons. It is difficult to predict what can happen to it after prolonged use.
Natural inconveniences during work may also arise due to the dimensions. Although the manufacturer tried to use all the available space for the keyboard to the maximum, certain typing problems will inexorably haunt everyone who is used to using full-size keyboards. To make typing on the Eee PC more or less comfortable, ASUS resorted to a rather controversial solution - increasing the size of the main alphanumeric buttons by reducing the size of the remaining keys. If for the Latin alphabet such an approach could be called acceptable, then for the Cyrillic alphabet it leads to very strange results: some of the buttons with such legendary letters as X, Ъ, Ж, E and Yu, as well as the main punctuation marks, have a surface area of almost not half the size of the others. But the already long-suffering letter E is especially unlucky; it won’t be able to be found on the keyboard right away. Against this background, even the sparkling humor of ASUS engineers fades, who decided to clearly demonstrate that Russian users can easily do without the letter P. Of course, you can get used to everything, but there is no doubt that the number of errors when typing text on the Eee PC will exceed the statistical average. . This will probably be helped by the location of the “up arrow”: it is awkwardly squeezed to the left of the right Shift.
The exhibition of miracles of miniaturization is complemented by a touchpad with a working surface smaller than a “ghost” matchbox: 45 by 30 mm. But such a tiny space is enough to navigate on a screen the size of a photo frame, provided that the native resolution is used. So there's not much to complain about here. The touchpad buttons are made in the form of a single panel, pressing the right and left parts of which carry different functional loads.
From the above, it becomes obvious that the ease of use of the ultra-portable laptop in question raises at least some doubts. In other words, when closed, the Eee PC looks much more advantageous than when it’s working, so let’s hasten to slam it shut and return to looking at the outside of the new product – on the left and right, where all the slots and ports it has are located. There is one USB 2.0 port on the left edge of the Eee PC, next to it is a connector for a 100-megabit network card. Next door are two analog audio jacks for connecting headphones and a microphone. On the right there are two more high-speed USB 2.0 ports and an analog D-Sub connector, allowing you to connect an external monitor with a resolution of up to 1600x1200. There is also a card reader slot that supports MMC and SD cards.
There are no noticeable details on the front and rear ribs of the body.
Much more interesting is the bottom surface of the laptop. In addition to the built-in microphone, there are ventilation slots on it, and the exhaust air is discharged through the grille on the left side of the laptop.
Right there, exactly in the center, there is a compartment cover in which there is a SODIMM slot with a DDR2 SDRAM module. Thus, Eee PC owners have the opportunity, without losing the warranty, to increase the amount of RAM, which in the standard package is 512 MB, and also to supplement the disk space by installing additional flash cards in MMC or SD formats. Other upgrade options for ultra-portable ASUS computer does not provide.
Of the wireless interfaces, the Eee PC only supports WiFi standard 802.11b and 802.11g. The lack of compatibility of this miniature computer with the 802.11n standard, as well as with a gigabit wired network, should hardly be considered a serious drawback. This laptop does not have a capacious hard drive or high-performance processors capable of decoding HD content in real time - so it simply does not need high speed network interfaces.
However, the insufficient capabilities of this computer for connecting with other devices still raise criticism. So, although ASUS engineers did not skimp on USB ports, they forgot about Firewire - an interface that developers of ultra-mobile computers usually do not neglect to support. But this is a small thing compared to the fact that the Eee PC lacks support for Bluetooth, the main wireless interface used to communicate with cell phones and other gadgets. This flaw is hard to forgive for an ultra-mobile computer, since it actually puts an end to the ability to use the Eee PC as an Internet device away from WiFi access points. The only possible solution in this case is to stock up on an appropriate USB key in addition to your laptop.
Hardware filling
So, the first impression of the Eee PC 4G has been made, it’s time to pay closer attention to what lies inside this little one. At the very beginning of the review, we already said that in order to reduce the price of its ultra-mobile new product, ASUS sacrificed performance. This means that it is pointless to look for not only high-speed, but also modern components in the Eee PC.So, this laptop is assembled from three main chips - the Celeron M 353 processor, the north bridge with an integrated graphics core i910GML and the south bridge ICH6-M.
All these components have been available on the market since mid-2004, so today, four years after their appearance, they are not enough stars from the sky. However, contrary to expectations, their power turns out to be quite enough to solve the main tasks that arise in front of an ultra-mobile laptop, even in the Windows XP operating system.
Speaking about the main components in more detail, it should be noted that the Celeron M 353 processor is based on the 90-nm Dothan core (second generation Pentium M). This single-core CPU boasts a 512 KB L2 cache and a base clock speed of 900 MHz. Since the Celeron M 353 is an Ultra-Low Voltage modification, its standard supply voltage is 0.94 V, and the typical heat dissipation fits into a 5-watt thermal package. However, the creators of the Eee PC thought this was too much by modern standards (the heat dissipation of the same Intel Atom would be approximately half that), so the processor frequency in the Eee PC was reduced to 630 MHz.
Reducing the processor clock frequency is done in the most elementary and straightforward way - reducing the FSB frequency from 100 to 70 MHz. However, since the Celeron M does not support SpeedStep technology, this is the only available method, although, of course, it also has a very unpleasant side effect, expressed in a decrease in the operating frequency of the memory.
Actually, this is why the single-channel DDR2 SDRAM used in the Eee PC 4G only operates in DDR2-280 mode, although the 512 MB module installed in our laptop, according to the standard specifications, is capable of operating at frequencies up to 667 MHz.
Thus, the artificial limitation of performance in the Eee PC occurs, as they say, on all fronts. I would like to hope that this is not all in vain, and such a decrease in performance will have a beneficial effect on the battery life of this laptop.
The fact that the main components underlying the Eee PC operate at values lower than their nominal frequencies involuntarily suggests the possibility of overclocking this laptop. Indeed, the first BIOS versions for the Eee PC allowed increasing the FSB frequency to 100 MHz, which led to an increase in the processor frequency to 900 MHz and memory to 400 MHz. But in later BIOS versions, overclocking capabilities were, unfortunately, removed. However, such overclocking did not cause any negative side effects, other than a reduction in battery life. The processor did not overheat, and the system remained absolutely stable even at 100% load.
Therefore, it is completely natural for utilities to appear that allow you to control the frequency of the Eee PC processor directly from the operating system. In particular, we can recommend the eeectl program, which allows you not only to switch FSB frequencies between 70, 85 and 100 MHz, but also performs temperature control and, if necessary, makes it possible to increase the rotation speed of the laptop cooling system fan.
By the way, this cooling system is interesting in itself. Since it was problematic to place full-fledged coolers, albeit laptop ones, inside a small case, ASUS engineers simply placed an aluminum plate under the keyboard, in contact with all the heating chips. The air flow along this plate is created by a small fan located at the left edge of the laptop. The fan turns on when necessary, and its rotation speed in normal mode is apparently very low, since it is practically inaudible. But the keyboard, through which a fair amount of heat is dissipated, on the contrary, heats up noticeably during operation.
ASUS Eee PC uses the Intel GMA 900 graphics core built into the northbridge of the chipset.
Unfortunately, the modest characteristics of this accelerator are aggravated by the fact that it takes away part of the RAM for its work. However, it is capable of hardware acceleration of 3D graphics and MPEG-2 video. Of course, the performance of this solution with four pixel pipelines is low by modern standards, but in some cases it is quite enough for a screen with a resolution of 800x480. In other words, many games of previous generations on the Eee PC 4G are not only fully functional, but also demonstrate acceptable speed: for example, we tested Age of Empires II, Diablo 2, Max Payne 2, Need for Speed Porsche Unleashed, Quake 3 Arena, Trackmania Nations and Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne.
Below are the results of the popular tests 3DMark 2001 SE and 3DMark03
obtained at the standard Eee PC 4G resolution of 800x480
The 4 GB mini-SSD used in the Eee PC 4G also deserves attention. Interestingly, it connects to south bridge via the Parallel ATA-66 interface, however, a faster interface is not needed in this case, since the maximum reading speed from the selected SSD is no more than 30 MB per second.
It should be noted that this disk is not made in the usual form factor; it is soldered onto system board laptop, so it is impossible to find a replacement for it.
Speaking about the composition of the Eee PC hardware, we only need to mention two Atheros chips responsible for supporting Fast Ethernet and 802.11b/g WiFi, plus dual-channel AC97 Realtek codec ALC662. As we can see, here too ASUS has chosen some of the most inexpensive microcircuits, but, nevertheless, they have good driver support for various operating systems and cope well with the role assigned to them.
One of the most painful places in the hardware of the ASUS Eee PC 4G in the configuration provided to us for testing is the battery. While it's obviously chosen for weight and size reasons, ultra-mobile laptop users always expect relatively long battery life. However, the ASUS Eee PC 4G variants sold in Russia, and in many other countries, are equipped with a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of only 4400 mAh, which is not enough for three hours even according to the manufacturer itself. Unfortunately, best batteries with a capacity of 5200 mAh are not yet imported into our country through official channels.
Detailed Specifications
Below we present the basic characteristics of the laptop in question. It was in this standard form that it arrived in our testing laboratory.
Impressions from ASUS Eee PC with Microsoft Windows XP
The first versions of the Eee PC that went on sale came with pre-installed system Xandros family of Linux with an extremely simplified user interface. In addition, the laptop already had the basic software configured. In other words, the original concept of the Eee PC assumed that this ultra-portable laptop would be aimed at inexperienced and novice users, who, by and large, are the least concerned about the operating system: the main thing is that it works. However, the experience of the first sales showed that such positioning is not the best option. The fact is that many potential buyers of the Eee PC with a higher level of qualification and who, for various reasons, prefer the more common Windows, postponed the decision to purchase this extremely interesting device, if only because they did not want to deal with the rather problematic process of changing the operating system manually. ASUS itself undertook to solve the problems of this part of users, in April it began shipping Eee PC models with Windows XP Home Edition pre-installed.
At the same time, some delay in the release of Windows versions of the Eee PC turned out to be completely justified; it was caused by the selection of the most suitable hardware configurations. The fact is that Windows XP, compared to Xandros, is a “heavy” system that requires more powerful system resources. Therefore, it is offered exclusively in the crowning model range of ultra-portable laptops with a 7-inch screen, Eee PC models with at least a 4-gigabyte flash drive. And even then, out of 4 GB of disk space, only a little more than 2 GB is available to the user immediately after purchase. True, along with Windows XP Home Edition, the Microsoft Works package (a kind of Office in miniature) and Windows Live (a set of interactive services that make working on the Internet easier) are installed on the laptop.
The operating system itself, as standard, is quite skillfully configured; it occupies approximately 210 of the 512 available MB in memory immediately after loading. Of course, its loading time, which exceeds half a minute, is somewhat frustrating, but practical work no serious problems are observed. The system reacts quite quickly to user actions and does not “slow down” when starting the main utilities (unless, of course, we are talking about some heavy software products).
The lack of free disk space can be compensated by deleting unnecessary components operating system and programs. However, it is not possible to achieve as much as we would like in this way. In particular, through standard dialogue“Add or Remove Programs” in the Control Panel, we were able to clear no more than 2.7 GB on the disk - and this was after removing Microsoft Works, Windows Live and unusable parts of Windows XP.
Therefore, for serious use, we would recommend reinstalling the operating system from scratch, removing all unnecessary components from the beginning. The seeming obstacle of the Eee PC lacking a drive for reading optical discs is actually easily overcome, since external bootable flash media can be used for installation, both in the form of MMC and SD cards, and in the form of USB key fobs. The simplest and most affordable option for most is to install the operating system on the Eee PC Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PC. This system, based on the Windows XP kernel (and fully compatible with it), is designed specifically for computers with limited hardware resources and allows you to avoid adding some components at the installation stage. But even in a typical configuration with all the necessary drivers for the Eee PC, this OS takes up just over 500 MB of disk space.
More experienced enthusiasts can even create their own Windows distribution XP, using the nLite utility, which allows you to cut down the distribution of this OS even more. Thus, during testing, we were able to minimize the disk space occupied by the operating system to 300 MB while maintaining all the necessary functionality. At the same time, the system occupied no more than 120 MB of memory, and loaded in 19 seconds.
In other words, the Eee PC opens up enormous scope for creative software optimization for sophisticated users with experimental inclinations. So, instead of Internet Explorer, you can install the increasingly popular Firefox, instead of Microsoft Works, we would recommend using the more compact and more functional free office suite OpenOffice.org, and as a graphics editor, opt for the compact but feature-rich program Paint.NET. The Windows Live package offered by ASUS generally seems to be of little use as software that can be completely painlessly not installed at all.
Thus, the most significant problem facing Eee PC 4G owners is the rather low resolution of 800x480. It is obvious that Microsoft, when developing its operating system, did not count on such screen sizes at all, so often even standard dialog boxes do not fit entirely in the visible area. Similar difficulties can arise when working in familiar programs and even when visiting websites, most of which are currently optimized for a screen width of at least 1024 pixels.
In part, these troubles can be circumvented by the specialized utility AsTray Plus, which allows you to set resolutions on the Eee PC higher than the standard one, determined by the characteristics of the LCD matrix, up to 1024x768. However, it should be understood that this is a kind of “stub”; we cannot talk about full-fledged operation in such modes, since the image quality in this case is below any criticism.
If you close your eyes to the insufficient screen resolution and the noted problems in ergonomics, then it is not so easy to make any complaints about the operation of the ASUS Eee PC in Windows XP. It handles with dignity the typical tasks that may arise from an ultra-portable computer. The performance, disk space and amount of RAM are quite enough not only for simple surfing of web pages and viewing electronic documents, but also for full-fledged work in office applications, and for decoding DVD-resolution video files, and for Skype conversations, accompanied by receiving and transmitting video. But for playing video high resolution The power of the Eee PC is no longer enough. However, given that this ultra-portable mobile computer lacks an optical drive and has a small screen, watching HD video is unlikely to be considered a typical workload for it.
While testing the hands-on capabilities of the Eee PC 4G, we tried to recreate a typical (from a technical writer's point of view) work environment. To do this, we launched OpenOffice.org Writer on the laptop, in which the text of this article was edited, and also opened several Mozilla Firefox windows, loading Gmail and a number of information materials from technical sites into them. During this experiment, in the background, in parallel with the main load, Winamp was running, broadcasting Internet radio, Miranda IM, Skype, uTorrent and avast antivirus! Home Edition. And surprisingly, in this case, the Eee PC did not have any critical problems. Even without overclocking, the processor load level did not exceed 50-60%. A much more in-demand resource turned out to be not CPU speed, but the amount of RAM, which, in our case, was almost completely occupied by running applications. So increasing its capacity beyond the standard 512 MB may become a priority for those users who plan to use the Eee PC quite actively.
However, in any case, the ASUS Eee PC 4G, running the Microsoft Windows XP operating system, proved to be a well-balanced solution - in the sense that its range of capabilities and level of performance are quite consistent with the size of this ultra-portable computer. All typical tasks that a laptop of this size may face are perfectly solved using the Eee PC 4G.
But, perhaps, with one offensive exception. The fact is that, given the hardware of the Eee PC, you expect that this laptop will be able to please its owners with a relatively long battery life. However, in practice the situation is completely different: we were never able to get battery life from the Eee PC 4G for more than two and a half hours. However, these tests were carried out with the screen brightness set to the maximum level, and the WiFi adapter was used to establish a connection to the wireless network. The built-in USB camera was disabled.
Testing with Battery Eater 3 in standard mode(under load) allowed us to achieve only a very modest result of 2 hours 13 minutes. In Reader mode, which puts little load on the system, the laptop worked a little longer - 2 hours 35 minutes. Separately, we measured the battery life of the Eee PC 4G when playing DivX video: it was 2 hours 21 minutes. In other words, in terms of autonomy, the Eee PC is frankly disappointing.
conclusions
Despite the fact that the impression that the ASUS Eee PC left behind turned out to be very mixed, it is impossible not to praise the developers of this ultra-portable solution. The fact is that with its Eee PC, ASUS turned out to be a pioneer; it opened a new promising market for inexpensive and small laptops. And from this position, the Eee PC can be described as a real breakthrough. Such small laptops, the cost of which is not deterred by the number of zeros on the price tag, can be useful for both beginners and experienced users. The fact is that there are a lot of possible applications for such a computer, which explains its growing popularity.ASUS did the right thing by releasing several varieties of Eee PC with different operating systems. It was with this step that the manufacturer managed to significantly increase the reach of the target audience. As a result, the Eee PC's promised sales of 5 million units by the end of the year seems quite achievable, unless, of course, the dominance of ASUS's offerings is shaken by the imminent arrival of a motley squad of netbooks based on Intel Atom processors.
However, along with the undoubted success of the innovative Eee concept, one cannot help but note the shortcomings of the specific implementation - the 4G model we examined. Especially now that the Eee PC has been on sale around the world for more than six months and the euphoria about this product has already subsided. After all, it turns out that this model is far from flawless. For example, it makes a winning impression only when it is closed - under the lid of the laptop hides a miniature ergonomic nightmare, the main components of which are a too small screen and an inconvenient keyboard, especially in the Russian layout. The insufficiently thought-out hardware capabilities are also frustrating: the lack of Bluetooth support and the amount of RAM that is too small to fully work in Windows XP.
However, some of these shortcomings have been corrected in the next Eee PC 900 model, which is already being sold with all its might in priority markets for ASUS. Unfortunately, the Russian market is not one of them; in the situation with the supply of Eee PC, ASUS deliberately demonstrates its disdain to domestic buyers. And this applies not only to new models of ultra-mobile laptops, but also to configurations of older models. For example, the same Eee PC 4G reviewed in this review was equipped with the weakest of all possible batteries, with a capacity of only 4400 mAh. As a result, it is not at all surprising that during testing we received an indecently short battery life, significantly falling short of even three hours.
Thus, despite all the attractiveness of the Eee PC as an idea, we would recommend not rushing into the purchase and waiting. At least when ASUS releases the Atom-based Eee PC 901 with a nine-inch screen and a gigabyte of RAM, a larger flash drive, Bluetooth support and longer battery life. Well, in addition, numerous ASUS competitors are about to enter the market for inexpensive ultra-portable laptops, many of which will probably not be classified as Russian market as a secondary matter. So, in any case, the appearance on store shelves of netbooks that are more advanced and convenient than the Eee PC 4G is not far off.
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