Over the three years of netbooks' existence, we have become accustomed to the fact that most of them are small and “weak.” In a sense, they are not particularly different in productivity. However, this does not prevent them from remaining at the forefront of progress. Of course, not in all respects, but still. Yes, they migrated to DDR3 memory only this year, but they don’t really need it. But the latest generation Intel Atom processors (those that were introduced at the beginning of 2010) are so far the only x86 chips with a “truly” integrated graphics core - it forms a monolithic chip with the CPU, and is not included in the same package with the processor.
The USB 3.0 bus is used today mainly by motherboard manufacturers, and the corresponding controller is installed on mid- and high-cost models. In laptops, this occurs in single copies. But ASUS is not shy about equipping its netbooks with this. More than one model has already been released, and among them there are those whose cost falls into the below-average category.
We believe you have already guessed that today we will talk about one of the new ASUS products, namely the Eee PC 1015PD. It features support for another new standard, which recently reached version 3.0 - Bluetooth. So in terms of functionality, this netbook is one of the most advanced on the market. Apparently, ASUS wants to regain its primacy in this segment - it’s still a shame to not be the first when it became the founder of the entire trend.
Design
The very first ASUS netbook (also the very first netbook in the world), Eee PC 701, looks like a very small laptop with an unassuming appearance. Additionally, the impression was spoiled by the large “ears” on the sides of the very small screen with a diagonal of 7". The next generation model, Eee PC 900, was made in almost the same body, but since the screen became 9-inch, it looked much better, although nothing special There were no design delights there either.
Only when ASUS began to lose leadership in the market it had created did the Seashell series appear (translated as “sea shell”). It’s not difficult to guess from the name that the body of such netbooks is curved in a special way to resemble a shell. The modifications in the white case look very impressive, especially if you look at them a little from below and from behind - the resemblance to a shell is very strong.
ASUS Eee PC 1015PD is a classic "Seashell". It's just a pity that we received a model in black. But even this looks great. The body gradually tapers towards the front, while the back is additionally thickened with a battery. The reverse side of the screen cover also has a corresponding shape - in its rear part it is curved more smoothly, and the bend itself is not so deep. In general, all the glorious traditions of ASUS “shells” have been observed.
I am very glad that the designers of the Eee PC 1015PD did not limit themselves to a body shape with “marine motifs”. The netbook was further distinguished by the coating of the case. No, they didn’t make it glossy, as is now fashionable and, to be honest, it’s already pretty boring - it doesn’t look original, but the tattered body is far from ideal from an aesthetic point of view. A relief texture of small lines is applied to the entire surface of the computer, drawn along the back of the screen cover in the form of arcs cut from an ellipse, which is also somewhat reminiscent of the texture of a shell.
Moreover, a similar texture, only from even smaller segments, is drawn in the form horizontal stripes along the inside of the case, where the wrists are placed, along the touchpad and even along the bottom. Only the battery and the spaces between the keys remained “unstained.”
As a result, the appearance of the laptop turned out to be very original. Usually black color hides the curves of the body and small parts(which is why white Seashells look better), but the raised texture partially corrected this shortcoming. Moreover, it attracts more attention than the unusual shape of the case. The netbook is not at all glossy, but the unusual coating is clearly visible.
However, some problems with aesthetics remain. It seems that the majority of the case is not glossy, but fingerprints remain on it and they are more noticeable than on glossy ones, since they are visible from almost any angle. You can see what it looks like in the bottom shots below. Fingerprints can be easily wiped off with a soft cloth, but why not rub your computer after every touch?
The Eee PC 1015PD has an island-type keyboard, so the spaces between the keys are covered by a case that has a glossy finish. It extends to the very edges on the sides and top. The same goes for the screen edge. Of course, all the disadvantages of such a surface are also relevant for this netbook.
By the way, the case in front of the keyboard is slightly recessed relative to touchpad- it smoothly goes down a few millimeters. Also quite an interesting design solution.
In general, ASUS Eee PC 1015PD looks stylish and original - it is immediately noticeable that this is an extraordinary model. It remains to mention the high build quality here. When you pick up the computer you immediately feel that the plastic is strong and reliable - there is no play or creaking, the gaps are very small.
Equipment
The netbook's delivery package did not stand out in any way. It comes in a small brown box with a handle, inside which, in addition to the laptop itself, there was a power supply, a set of documentation and a CD with drivers and proprietary software. In general, the required minimum to get started.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the weakest point of netbooks. Of course, if you compare them with laptops, they “tear up any smartphone like Tuzik’s hot water bottle.” However, for the sake of user convenience, the production of models with a screen diagonal of less than 10" has long been discontinued, but even such display sizes do not allow the installation of a keyboard without flaws. Our ASUS Eee PC 1015PD was no exception.
However, the netbook's layout is quite good. As we have already written, it is of an island type, which protects it well from pollution. At the same time, the keys turned out to be quite large - there is no sharp discomfort after using a normal keyboard. Separately, we can note the long left, and. Almost all character keys are of normal size, only [/] (or [.] in the Russian layout) has a slightly smaller width. So typing is, although a little unusual (and even then at first), but overall very convenient.
However, there are a couple of drawbacks. First of all, it is a short right one. In principle, its short length is not a disaster, but everything is aggravated by the fact that to the right of it there is the [Up Arrow] key from the arrow block. When typing quickly out of habit, your finger periodically presses on this “neighbor”. The pointer block itself cannot be called comfortable - its keys are narrow and “squeezed” into the main layout without any demarcation. As a result, when working with it blindly, every now and then your fingers press adjacent keys. The good news is that these most often turn out to be , or , which rarely lead to the launch of a particular operation outside of a combination with another key.
With the 1015PD touch panel, too, not everything is as great as we would like. First of all, it's big. For a netbook, of course. Its area is more than enough to work with a low resolution 10.1-inch screen. Below it are two narrow buttons with a tight press. They are hidden under a solid plastic plate disguised as metal. There is a partition in the center, and pressing occurs with the application of a certain force and with a characteristic click.
As for the shortcomings, there is only one - the coating. It would seem that the raised texture (the same as on the surrounding body) would allow you to control the touchpad quite accurately, but this is not the case. The mouse pointer does not move as well if the surface were matte or rough. At least in the subjective opinion of the author, the latter is more convenient, although it does not look as “glamorous”.
Additional buttons on mobile PCs are not common these days, but the Eee PC 1015PD has them. There are two pieces on the right above the keyboard. The one located to the left leads to the launch of the proprietary ASUS ExpressGate Cloud shell, which is a very lightweight version of Linux. It starts almost instantly, in 2-3 seconds, and then offers some applications like a browser for use (special Firefox version), photo cataloguer, Skype, player. The second button turns the wireless controllers on and off.
To the right above the keyboard there is a button to turn on the computer. It has a rough textured finish, and to the left of it there is a bright blue LED, signaling the operation of the laptop.
At the front end on the right side, right on the corner, there are four more LEDs. One informs about the operating mode (sleep, standby or normal operation), the second about the battery charge level, the third about work hard disk and the fourth about active wireless controllers.
The bottom of the Eee PC 1015PD looks unusual due to the textured coating. More often than not, manufacturers do not pay any attention to this and the bottom uses ordinary, slightly rough black plastic. There are almost no ventilation holes on the bottom - only a couple of slots under the memory module, in the front, and the rest on the sides. It should be noted that under load and after long work the heating was felt. It couldn't be called very strong, but the surface was definitely warm.
The netbook's upgrade capabilities are quite modest. The manufacturer allowed to replace only the memory module, which is installed in a single copy. However, more than 2 GB random access memory The platform itself does not support it.
Connectors, screen, sound and camera
There is not much “room” on the sides of netbooks to accommodate a large number of connectors. But ASUS Eee PC 1015PD found something to distinguish itself.
On the left are the power connector, D-SUB and USB, as well as a small block of ventilation holes. Note that the power connector is thin and the power supply plug can be bent if you pull it hard.
On the right are all the other connectors: RJ-45, two USB, audio output and microphone input, Kensington Lock and a card reader with a plug. Let's start with RJ-45 - it is ordinary, but to match the design, it is closed with a small slide. It folds down when inserted network cable. This is purely a design idea, and not a means to make the connector more compact, similar to how it is implemented in Sony VAIO X. Then USB - they seem to be “ordinary”, but the blue color is a little confusing and alarming. That's right - this is used to designate ports that support the USB 3.0 interface. That's exactly what they are - all two pieces. It’s very nice that it seems like not the most expensive netbook is equipped with such functionality, but we note that Windows 7 (and, of course, earlier ones) refuse to work with them without a special driver.
The front and back are empty. Except that behind the battery there was a slot for a SIM card, which was covered with foam rubber. This means that no contacts are displayed there, but there is a version of a netbook with a 3G module.
Nothing special besides USB 3.0 ASUS connectors Eee PC 1015PD is no longer equipped. However, even a couple of these ports cannot be called unique - they are still the same USB, but with support for more new version standard In terms of variety of connectors, our laptop is quite ordinary.
A pair of stereo speakers were found in the front of the computer. They are located on a steep part of the case and constantly “look down”, that is, it turns out that the sound is reflected from the surface on which the netbook stands. As a result, it is slightly muted and distorted. However, its quality is already not the highest, like most mobile computers. We would recommend using headphones.
Eee PC 1015PD is equipped with a 10.1-inch LED-backlit screen. We liked its quality - the brightness reserve turned out to be quite good, you can comfortably work at half the maximum. We were pleased with the viewing angles - the usually observed problems with vertical angles are not typical for the display of this netbook. Of course, with a strong deviation, the image is noticeably distorted, but, in our opinion, the situation is better than many other models of mobile computers.
As for the resolution, it is standard - 1024x600 pixels. For a 10.1" diagonal, this is a common occurrence. The characters are not very small, but there is still not enough space on the desktop. However, this is a problem with all such netbooks.
The 0.3 MP webcam has a very interesting feature - above it there is a lever marked “On” and “Off”. It is exclusively mechanical - by moving it left and right, the camera's peephole will close or open with a special slide. In our opinion, it is a very useful addition if you do not want to be accidentally seen by your interlocutor. True, at first you have to get used to it - you don’t always immediately realize that the reason for the lack of an image is a closed valve.
As for example pictures, here they are:
Nothing outstanding, as always.
Configuration
There’s no need to introduce the ASUS Eee PC series, but here’s what’s available within it... Let’s just say there’s a lot of choice. There are many models, but there are not many differences between them. So we counted eight Eee PC 1015. One does not have USB 3.0, another has a dual-core Atom N550 chip, the third (in particular 1015T) is generally built on AMD platform. And this is not to mention other “numeric” notations. But the configuration of our 1015PD may not change within very wide limits - a stronger processor and more memory may be found inside.
Before us is almost the most ordinary netbook based on Intel platforms Atom of the latest generation. The processor is Atom N455, an updated version of the chip introduced in the summer. It differs from the N450 only in supporting DDR3 memory instead of DDR2. This will not give any increase in performance - the potential of a faster type of RAM will not be revealed on such a slow processor. But manufacturers of RAM modules were able to gradually curtail the production of DDR2 sticks. Optionally, the Eee PC 1015PD can be supplied with the faster N475, operating at 1.83 GHz.
There is 1 GB of RAM installed. Let us remind you that its volume can be doubled independently. And we would recommend doing this if you plan to work in Windows 7 - even in its minimal edition it consumes quite a bit of RAM.
The video card used is a regular one - integrated into the Intel GMA3150 processor. There are no surprises in terms of the hard drive either - a capacity of 250 GB is average for netbooks.
But the communication capabilities seem to be standard, but, firstly, LAN card Ethernet provides speeds of up to 1 Gbps, the Wi-Fi controller supports the 802.11n standard, and the Bluetooth adapter is compatible with version 3.0, which is already quite common in modern devices, but still not widespread.
There is support for another standard, version 3.0 - this is the USB 3.0 interface mentioned more than once here. Probably, owners of a netbook will not be able to fully appreciate its advantages, but in any case, even for such weak computer it won't be superfluous. There are more and more hard drives and flash drives supporting this bus, and when copying large amounts of information, the difference in operating speed compared to USB 2.0 will be noticeable.
Otherwise, ASUS Eee PC 1015PD is a fairly compact netbook with low weight (especially if you install a 3-cell battery). The only thing is that he came to us without operating system. However, this allowed us to reduce its cost to $420. With the OS it will cost about $450-460.
Testing
Measuring the performance of netbooks, as a rule, does not give much effect - most of them are built on the same processor, equipped with the same amount of memory, so the results from model to model often fit into the measurement error. We compared our ASUS Eee PC 1015PD with the MSI U135DX and Toshiba Mini NB305.
All three netbooks are almost identical in terms of configuration. The Toshiba Mini NB305 is equipped with an Atom N450 chip, which differs from the N455 in supporting only one type of memory - DDR2, while the second can also work with DDR3. However, this did not prevent us from installing a DDR2-667 module in the MSI U135DX. More importantly, the NB305 has twice the amount of RAM, although this didn't have a major impact in our tests.
We don't see anything unexpected in office applications and the rendering task - the speed of all three netbooks is equally low, no one has a special advantage. Except that the ASUS Eee PC 1015PD hard drive turned out to be somewhat more efficient.
The graphics subsystem of netbooks is traditionally weak. They hardly show a more or less “digestible” result in the ancient 3DMark 2001 test, not to mention those released later. And again, all the differences fit into the measurement error.
The same goes for games. Our test games cannot be called new, but even in them all three mobile computers show FPS levels that are far from comfortable.
The Eee PC 1015PD power supply has a very low power - 40 W (19 V, 2.1 A). However, the netbook doesn’t need more.
As for the battery, we received a computer version with a 6-cell battery (47.52 Wh; 4400 mAh; 10.8 V). By netbook standards, this is pretty good. Both other laptops whose results are included in the test have more modest 3-cell batteries.
The ASUS netbook, as expected, showed the best result. In reading mode, he worked for almost 7 hours, and video playback was good for him - even a file in 720p format, when the processor was loaded to the maximum and the image slowed down, he was able to “rotate” it for more than four and a half hours. The rest showed more modest results, although I was surprised by the Toshiba computer, which, having a battery with almost the same capacity as the MSI U135DX, lasted significantly longer.
Conclusion
ASUS Eee PC 1015PD turned out to be an unusual netbook. Having considered all its features, the characteristic “budget hi-end netbook” is on the tip of your tongue. Budget because it doesn't cost very much. Yes, there are cheaper models, but not significantly. And “hi-end” comes from functionality, good design and good quality execution.
The appearance of the Eee PC 1015PD is truly extraordinary. And, although the design a la “shell” will not particularly surprise anyone, a certain zest is given to the laptop by a special relief coating of the case, which extends over its entire surface, which also does not happen often.
The “special” functionality is, of course, support for USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 3.0. The latter standard, however, is no longer so rare and is found in a good half of modern mobile devices. But USB 3.0 is still not widespread and we strongly welcome its appearance in a netbook, although, of course, the additional controller has increased its cost somewhat.
As for ergonomics, the keyboard layout of the Eee PC 1015PD, although it has some flaws, is still quite convenient to use. We didn't really like the touch panel - it's big, but it wasn't worth using a smooth coating (even if it's textured). Perhaps these are all shortcomings. Apart from them, this netbook is an excellent representative of its class.
It is already clear that the initiative to bring the ASUS Eee PC to market has been very successful. And what speaks most about this is not even the success of the EEE PC on the market, but the zeal with which other manufacturers began to create similar solutions.
There has always been some demand in the sector of small home devices with a screen diagonal of 6-10 inches. The problem is that there have always been few enthusiasts willing to pay big money for such a device. Cheap electronic devices cannot be mass-produced, and non-mass devices cannot be cheap. Respectively, for a long time the market for such devices remained a small market for enthusiasts, and only niche products were released on it.
ASUS, with the idea of a two hundred dollar laptop, managed to break a hole in this vicious circle. Even despite the fact that in reality the cost turned out to be at least twice as high (now the average Eee PC 701 costs about $400 in the USA or about 10,000 rubles here, the cheapest is about $300 in the USA), the Eee has potential The PC is still very large, which is proven by very good sales. Now ASUS is introducing more and more new models to the market, rapidly filling this market.
This time we tested the ASUS Eee PC 900. But in order not to consider one device, we paired it with the just released MSI Wind - a new creation of the Taiwanese manufacturer and, in principle, a rather interesting competitive product. Let's see how the devices relate to each other, and how convenient each one is individually.
Internet resources
ASUS has launched its own website at . The site is designed simply, but at the same time it is convenient and attractive. And most importantly, it harmonizes well with the product itself. The only thing is that there is no information about the 900th model there.
MSI has it on their website. The design is also simple but attractive. The main page contains all the essential and interesting features new items Everything is collected here necessary information on a laptop.
We would like to note that a live discussion of both products with a lot of technical details, setup tips, etc. is taking place on our forum.
This is where a lot is collected useful information about MSI Wind.
A . The branch is huge. And this is already the second episode!
Finally, we were dedicated to comparing these two laptops. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with it; it shows a very clear comparison of cases and functionality.
Testing
Housing and connectors
Externally, the ASUS Eee PC 900 has almost the same body as the Eee PC 701, especially since the model we tested was again white-pearl color. By the way, the Eee PC will now only come in two versions, black and white; there will be no multi-colored cases for the 900 series.
The body of the 900th model is 2-3 millimeters wider (relatively speaking, the vertical size of the screen) than that of the 701, just so that a larger screen can fit in; the remaining dimensions remain almost the same. Thanks to the design of the case with beveled corners and a cylindrical insert in the middle (this is found on modern Sony laptops), the Eee PC 900 subjectively looks very small and really resembles a toy rather than a full-fledged laptop. At the same time, it is quite thick (especially in the back due to the battery). The laptop is comfortable to carry, especially on the back edge; the battery protrudes from the bottom, making it easy to grasp with your fingers. The laptop weighs 1 kg.
MSI Wind was tested in black version. On this moment three colors were announced: white (called “angelic white”), black (called “royal black”. How could we miss the opportunity to call it “devilish black” - we don’t understand. And that’s what it would sound like!) and pink (called “romantic pink” ).
Wind is slightly larger than ASUS in width, and much longer in length, looks much larger and, due to this, thinner. But objectively, they are almost the same in thickness; ASUS can be a little thicker due to the battery.
Laptop lids open differently: ASUS has hinges made in the form of rings in a cylindrical insert, MSI has L-shaped hinges. Therefore, in ASUS the matrix rises up on ring hinges and is located quite high relative to the body, while in MSI it leans back and falls slightly down on L-shaped hinges, the bottom edge of the screen is located slightly higher or level with the keyboard. Because of this open laptops They are absolutely identical in height. The lower height of the open matrix can be a plus, for example, on an airplane, the laptop can be more conveniently placed on a folding table.
The lid does not open 180 degrees (sometimes, especially when reading, the laptop is not very comfortable to hold).
Both laptops, if you tilt the lid to the maximum (and when you type while holding the laptop on your lap, you have to do this), they try to lean back the matrix outweighs the lightweight body, and the battery is located too close to the center of gravity, plus the bottom edge of the case, on which it rests The laptop is not located where the battery and matrix are, but slightly in front, so the matrix outweighs it. By the way, this effect only appears on your knees or on soft surfaces (for example, on a blanket or on a sofa); laptops are stable on a table and other hard surfaces.
The laptops are similar in the number of external connectors: 3 USB, a card reader, an RJ-45 network connector and an output to an external monitor.
Let's look at the location of the connectors on both laptops.
Both the Eee PC and the Wind do not have connectors on the front edge. From an ergonomic point of view, this is good, because if the laptop, for example, is on your lap, using the connectors on the front edge is extremely inconvenient. At the same time, you can evaluate the position of the indicators in the housing.
On the left side of the Eee PC there is a network connector, one USB slot, a ventilation grille (note that it is relatively small) and audio connectors.
For comparison, on the left side of the MSI there is a hole for a Kensington lock, a connector for the power plug, a large ventilation grille (the case should be much better ventilated) and two USB ports.
On the right side there is a card reader, two USB slots, an output for an external monitor and a port for a Kensington lock. In principle, the location of the connectors is convenient for a right-handed person, the only thing is that if you connect an external monitor, the thick cord will go next to the hand with the mouse; this is not very convenient.
On right side- one USB port, card reader, audio connectors, output to an external monitor and a network connector. Here, as you can see, there will be much more thick wires in front of the hand with the mouse.
On the back of the Eee PC there is only a connector for the power supply; it is not very conveniently located; you have to look for it.
With MSI, since the matrix tilts back, back panel empty.
It seems to us that the location of the ports is more convenient during operation on the EEE PC.
Separately, it is worth noting the location of the power supply plugs, since they are the ones you encounter most often. The MSI plug is made on the side and is not angled, that is, the wire goes to the side of the laptop. But it is convenient to insert and pull out.
In ASUS, the plug is inserted from the back; insertion is much less convenient than in MSI - as a rule, you have to feel it. At ASUS, the plug stays in the socket disgustingly; any attempt to move the laptop threatens to fall out of the groove. For us, it fell out even if we simply moved the laptop on the table.
At the bottom of the Eee PC 900 there are some ventilation grilles (and the rectangular grilles in the corners are the speakers located at the bottom).
MSI has much more ventilation grilles, which should provide better ventilation of the case. The speakers are hidden under small round grilles in the corners of the case.
The indicators on both laptops are located in the same inconvenient place - on the right on the front edge of the keyboard panel.
The indicators are difficult to see when the lid is closed (visible only if you look at the laptop from the front; if it is lying on the table, the status of the indicators is not visible).
MSI has twice as many indicators, but we don’t think it’s more convenient. For example, four Eee PC indicators were enough for us. At the same time, in both models, when printing, all indicators are blocked by the wrist; to look at them, you have to remove your hand.
The ASUS power button is located on a cylindrical insert. The button is flush with the body, but we had no problems turning it on.
MSI has it on the panel above the keyboard. The button contains a laptop operation indicator in the form of a five-pointed snowflake.
Configuration
The conversation about configuration is interesting.
We are against numbers in the review of such devices, since users are usually interested in the subjective impression “is it fast enough or not?” However, it’s worth saying at least a few words about the configuration and its impact on performance.
During testing, we did not have the 901st Eee PC model (which should be on Intel Atom), but the 900th, built, like the 701st EEE PC, on the old platform with a 900 MHz Celeron processor. And the Wind prototype was already on Intel Atom.
The problem is that the Intel Atom processor was “specially optimized” for use in devices where performance is not very important, but battery life is important and, apparently, they were further optimized, since in many cases the Atom platform shows lower performance (sometimes significantly lower) than the same Celeron 900. In this regard, it seems that ASUS will continue to install Celeron in various modifications of the Eee PC. It was not possible to directly compare energy consumption - the devices are different, and so is the battery capacity. Comparative data is provided later in the review.
A few words should be said about the information storage subsystem. In the original concept, Linux was installed on the EEE PC, and the total disk capacity was a very modest 4 GB (in the most powerful model - 8 GB). But it quickly became obvious that even a device like the Eee PC would be much more popular if equipped with the Windows OS that most users are used to. And then it became obvious that 4 or 8 GB of SSD flash memory for a Windows device is very little. Therefore, the latest models come with capacities of 12 and 20 GB, and more capacious solutions may appear in the future. Moreover, as we understand, the flash memory is divided into two arrays, a main disk of 4 GB in size and an additional one - 8 for Windows variants and 16 for Linux variants. And in the future, ASUS promises to introduce devices with conventional hard drive. Moreover, the ASUS SSD used shows rather modest (relative to flash) results in both operating speed and access time. They are at the level of ordinary hard drives or slightly better.
Wind is more universal in this regard: it installs a standard HDD form factor 2.5" with a capacity of 80 GB. And users who need a large amount of disk space can easily change it to any available on the market, even 250 GB, immediately getting rid of all problems with disk space. But in conditions of shaking and possible drops, the Eee PC 900 looks preferable.
Another important point. The Eee PC 900 does not have Bluetooth, only the 901 will have it, but the MSI does have it. It seems to us that Bluetooth is necessary in such a mobile device, since it is used to communicate with mobile devices, for example, with telephones (which can also be used as modems to access cellular networks via GPRS) or GPS adapters. Until ASUS acquires Bluetooth support, using it in some cases will definitely be less convenient.
Both computers are equipped with webcams and microphones, and are suitable for use in telephony.
By the way, both already have Skype installed (even the EEE PC model with Linux has it), subtly hinting at the possibility of such use.
| ASUS EEE PC 900 | MSI Wind | |
| CPU | Intel Celeron 900Mhz | Intel Atom N270 1.6Ghz |
| Platform | Intel 945GSE+ICH7M | |
| RAM | 1GB RAM (up to 2GB) | 1GB (DDR2 667) |
| HDD | 12GB (in the Windows version) or 20GB (in the Linux version)SSD, 4 GB + 8 or +16 GB | 80GB SATA |
| Nutrition | Output: 19V DC, 65W | |
| battery | 6-el. | Li-Ion 3 elements |
| Display | 8.9", 1024×600 | 10", 1024×600 |
| Communications |
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| Ports |
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| Card reader | 4-in-1, SD/MMC/MS/MSpro | 4-in-1, SD/MMC/MS/MSpro |
| Sound | HD audio, stereo sound | |
| Dimensions | 22.5 × 17 × 2~3.38 cm | 260(L) × 180(W) × 19–31.5(H) mm |
| weight | 990 gr. | 940 g (3-cell battery), 1.1 kg (6-cell battery) |
| web camera | 1.3M | 1.3M |
| OS | MS Windows XP/Xandros Linux | Windows XP® Home Premium |
Impressions of use
Keyboard and touchpad
We found the keyboard more comfortable in MSI. It is also smaller than the usual one, but larger than in ASUS; you can try touch typing on it, whereas on ASUS we couldn’t do this at all.
The keyboards are almost identical in layout. On the left side, the difference is that MSI has Fn in the corner, while ASUS has ctrl. And on the right, the main difference is that their cursor is organized differently. In ASUS, the cursor keys are full-size, in MSI they are narrowed vertically, so the cursor is more convenient to use on the Eee PC, but on ASUS it is inconvenient to use the right Shift. Both models have compressed keys, but since they are not very suitable for touch typing, we think we can live with this.
The MSI keyboard feels much better - the keys sit firmly, the press is more elastic, the keyboard is quiet. At ASUS everything creaks and rattles. Plus, the keyboard itself moves around in the case, making typing unpleasant. Even in the photographs you can see that some keys are crooked relative to each other. As far as we remember, there were no such complaints about the 700 series. Apparently, the copy was of poor quality, or it was dismantled.
The size of the touchpad on the ASUS 900 is much larger than on the 700 series, while on the MSI Wind it is the same as on the 700 series. However, when used with the default settings, the ASUS touchpad is too hard - very often light hits on it are not perceived as a click, and you have to use a very hard key. MSI's touchpad, although small, is adjusted as it should. And the keys are pressed softer. According to forum posts, ASUS can accept some additional gestures (for example, if you swipe with two fingers, the scroll mode will work), but we have not tested this.
Temperature
It seemed to us that the MSI ventilates much better; the fan is quiet, but blows strongly. Therefore, the Wind case is cooler. ASUS is warm at the bottom, the ventilation grille is small, the fan operates with a quiet hum, reminiscent of the hum of a transformer. The exhaust temperature was 31 degrees for Wind and 37 degrees for Eee PC.
Screen and sound
MSI has a full inch larger screen. However, the resolution is the same. Therefore, all the characters on the Wind screen look larger and the screen is more convenient to use. The angles of both screens are small, the colors float at almost any deviation. In order for both light and dark tones to be visible, their position must be carefully adjusted.
Both laptops have diode backlighting for the matrix. In terms of behavior, this seems to be true - the backlight can be adjusted within a very wide range. For example, if you read on an Eee PC in complete darkness, then the backlight can be set so that the screen glows very faintly and does not hurt the eyes, but the characters are clearly readable. At maximum brightness, the screens are well lit to work in any ambient light (except direct sunlight).
Battery life
ASUS won our test. Measurements were taken at maximum brightness using the usual method for Windows systems. It is only worth noting that the Wind tested had a “half battery” with three cells, which should not provide a very long battery life. With a larger battery, this laptop will probably take the lead (but it will also weigh significantly more).
ASUS battery life is 2h 45m when reading, and 2h 15m when watching movies, MSI - 2h 15m and 1h 47m, respectively. The difference in modes for both laptops is almost exactly half an hour.
ASUS has an unusual battery connection. The battery does not inform the system constantly, but in 10% increments (that is, the system always shows capacity 100-90-80). Sometimes this leads to not entirely correct operation of the system; it turns off before it can go into sleep mode (including according to messages from the forum).
During testing, both laptops “failed” several times, that is, after the batteries were discharged, they did not go to sleep, but turned off. The remaining charge was not enough to maintain the “standby mode” - this must be taken into account so as not to lose data.
Battery life is average for a gadget. Both devices can be used, for example, to check the calendar or read for half an hour, but, for example, you can “hang out” in a cafe with Wi-Fi for a maximum of an hour and a half, and then the laptop needs to be recharged somewhere. We think that offline time work for a full-fledged business use of such equipment should be about 5 hours.
And for sitting at home, this battery capacity is quite enough, especially since the power supplies in both laptops are small and light. By the way, our copy of the Eee PC had a very short power cord, while the MSI one had a much longer one (but in an American format, since this is a sample).
Conclusion
Making a choice is quite difficult. We liked the Wind better, since it has a larger screen, a more comfortable keyboard, and, in our opinion, it is prettier in appearance. Plus, we like its configuration better.
However, the Eee PC has a lot of fans, plus it boasts smaller size and weight (which is especially valuable in such a device), plus it has a slightly longer battery life. Plus, new Eee PC models will soon appear on the market, which will be completely similar in functionality to Wind, and users will have significantly more more choice within the Eee PC line.
I remember that morning in 2009 well. I was 14 years old, and once again I slept through school - thanks to FIFA 2009 on PSP, which I played all night. It became clear: either I would give up on games and restore the regime, or I would simply become stupid and undermine my health.
Then I made a strong-willed decision and put up for sale the console, which was not even a year old. It came with one disk, an expensive memory card (by the way, I bought it with the first money I earned), a plastic case, a charger and a box - it’s not surprising that a buyer was found on the same day.
There was no need to bargain - after a quick check, I was handed six thousand, and the PSP, along with the FIFA, flew off to some guy. At first I was going to just put the money in the piggy bank, but in the end I realized that I needed to buy another, more useful gadget.
Decent phones for six thousand did not exist then (there are few now either). I already had a player. Cameras never excited me. I went to look at the laptops - they passed by, all from 15 thousand. And then I saw the column “netbooks” on the “Market”.
I poked it purely out of curiosity, but found myself in a world of hellishly cheap devices. For 10-12 thousand you could already get a good computer - with Windows, a 10-inch screen and 3-4 hours battery life. But I only had six thousand, that is, half of the required amount.
My parents refused to help - they were not satisfied with my monstrous grades. I had to pick out the most budget option - I found it in some lame online store.
It was Asus Eee PC 701, and in the most flawed modification. 2 GB of internal memory (a nightmare), a slightly shameful blue case, a 7-inch screen, but most importantly - unfamiliar Linux instead of Windows.
But the netbook was worth it 6700 rubles. Somehow I begged seven hundred square meters from my dad, ordered delivery, and sat down on the sofa to wait. A courier arrived who stank of sweat, like a company of soldiers - it seemed that the guy didn’t even know about the existence of deodorant. I didn’t want to check the gadget in such conditions, so I quickly put in the bills and said goodbye.
There was a tiny laptop in a small box. Before that, I had never seen him live, so at the first second I thought that they had planted a toy on me, and now I would not prove anything. But no - after I inserted the battery, the device obediently turned on.
The keyboard buttons and touchpad were designed either for gnomes or for hobbits. The screen is for patient people: due to the non-standard resolution, the sites were displayed in such a way that you had to scroll not only vertically, but also horizontally.
At the same time, there was still practically no negativity - I was extremely happy that I had my first computer of my own.
That's what What excited me the most was:
1. A cover was included in the package. A nice and soft folder in which the laptop fit just perfectly. It seemed that even if you dropped a netbook packed in a case, nothing tragic would happen to the gadget.
2. Linux has been incredibly optimized. Built-in applications (Skype, ICQ, Mozilla browser, Open Office, video player) did not slow down or freeze. During all this time I rebooted my EeePC 2-3 times. Warm greetings to sluggish Windows laptops with an Intel Atom processor.
3. The netbook handled social networks fantastically and cheerfully: VK videos (of varying degrees of frankness), applications on the same social network. I almost didn’t play Happy Farmer, but I came up with a cheating tactic in online darts: I drew two dots on the screen, hovered the cursor there and knocked out 180 points 10 times out of 10. Two weeks of such gaming raised me to first place in the ranking out of several thousand Human. Then I calmed down with the games, remembering the fate of the PSP.
4. The computer charged in 2 hours and held the charge for strictly 2 hours under any load. Surfing, cinema, text, regular standing on a table - it doesn’t matter, he still lasted 120 minutes.
On that netbook I constantly did three things: chatted (either on ICQ or VK), watched movies (just in batches) and enjoyed pirated football broadcasts.
I even watched the great match “Liverpool” - “Arsenal” (4:4, Arshavin’s poker) using a small 7-inch screen.
Unfortunately, there were things that were terribly annoying about the netbook. I didn’t like that applications had to be installed through some kind of repositories - it was easier on Windows. I was also angry that I couldn’t play FIFA on the Asus – sometimes I still wanted to kick a virtual ball.
It is logical that after a year of use I have matured to Windows installations. I followed the instructions from some fan site, but Windows started and froze. I decided that I needed to reboot and the netbook would come back to life. I took the battery out, put it back in - nothing. Just a black screen and a light on.
No procedures helped the patient - even after two repairs, after diagnosis they admitted that they did not understand what the problem was. There is only one scenario left - to put the netbook in advertisements. My little friend paid 2,000 rubles for spare parts. I sold the nicest case for another 700 rubles.
It turned out that a year with EeePC cost me 4,000 rubles. Did the gadget work for the money?
Definitely. 100% .
I still sometimes remember that computer and think how great it would be if they released something similar now - ultra-affordable, but compact, fast and reliable.
There is this one, but it costs $400 and is still far from our market.
It turns out that all hope lies in Chromebooks, but they are also in no hurry to hit Russian shelves.
Overall, EeePC 701 legendary and unique– it’s a pity that this Asus line has been closed for 4 years.
Please rate it.
Many members of the species homo sapiens, especially men, believe that “more” automatically means “better”. However, there are exceptions to this rule.
Take, for example, such a thing as a laptop: the smaller and lighter it is, the better. (Whoever disagrees can put a 17-inch monster in a bag and run around the city with this load for at least a couple of hours.) The small size of a laptop can erase all its shortcomings, especially considering that the range of tasks solved on the road is usually quite large poor: most users, including employees gg, enough text editor, email and Internet access so you don’t feel left out. (That is, of course, for complete happiness we need another 100 million dollars and a personal island in the Mediterranean Sea, but this is not relevant.)
That is why, in our opinion, the miniature ASUS Eee PC is a revolutionary device, the appearance of which will have serious consequences for the entire market. In fact, ASUS decided to revise traditional ideas about mobile computers. Combination of sizes, price and open software platform capable of turning the Eee PC into a real hit.
Specifications
- CPU: Intel Celeron M ULV 900 MHz (actually 630 MHz)
- Video: Intel GMA900
- Display: 7 inches, 800x480, LED backlight
- RAM: 512 MB
- Storage device: 4 GB flash memory + SD/SDHC card slot
- Communications: Wi-Fi b/g, Ethernet 10/100 Mbit/s, 3xUSB 2.0
- OS: Linux (Xandros distribution variant used)
- Weight: 920 grams
First impressions
ASUS Eee PC makes a very strong impression thanks to its incredibly miniature size. When closed, the laptop is comparable to a couple of DVDs or a small book. Weight - about 1 kilogram - also applies to strengths devices.
ASUS Eee PC is comparable in size to a VHS cassette or a pair of DVDs
We came across a black laptop, the body of which is made of high-quality plastic, pleasant to look and feel. This, unfortunately, does not apply to the white Eee PC, which we also had the opportunity to twirl in our hands: it is made of glossy plastic with a “pearl” coating, which not only resembles cheap Christmas tree decorations, but is also instantly covered with fingerprints. If ASUS had firmly decided to make a white computer, it had to follow the example of Apple, which uses durable and non-staining polycarbonate for these purposes. By the time official sales begin in Ukraine, other color options will be available, including orange, pink and green. We sincerely hope that they will be made of high-quality matte plastic, like the black sample.
In general, there are no complaints about the build quality of the Eee PC: it looks almost monolithic. The hinges, unlike large ASUS laptops, firmly hold the screen in a given position, and the cover reliably protects the matrix from damage. The battery fastening also did not cause any complaints - it sits in its place like a glove.
We also liked the convenient location of the USB ports - they are located on the side edges of the case, which provides easy access to them. The Eee PC comes with a small case that protects it from scratches when carried in your bag.
Keyboard and touchpad
In our opinion, ASUS keyboard The Eee PC is its main drawback. To reduce the size of the device, the manufacturer naturally had to sacrifice convenience text input. The keys on the Eee PC are much smaller than those on a typical laptop, which may not be to the taste of people with big hands. The layout generally corresponds to the standard one, although there are some oddities in it: for example, the tilde key is located next to , and all the number buttons are shifted one to the left (that is, the two is in the place of the one, and so on). I made a lot of typos in my first few hours with the Eee PC, but over the course of a week the number of errors decreased and the speed increased. However, I never managed to get used to the unusual arrangement of numbers.
The touchpad, like the keyboard, is quite small in size - you need to get used to it. Below the touchpad there is one large key that is used for both left and right clicks depending on which side the user presses. The touchpad natively supports scrolling function.
Screen
ASUS Eee PC is equipped with a 7-inch screen with a resolution of 800x480 pixels. The screen, by the way, is not quite ordinary - it has LED backlight, which has a good effect on both image quality and power consumption. Brightness and contrast are simply excellent; The Eee PC is the first laptop I've seen that can be used more or less normally during the day outdoors. For indoor work, the brightness can be safely set to half the maximum. Unfortunately, the low screen resolution makes the work not very convenient. Personally, I really hope that in the future ASUS will release an update to the Eee PC with a resolution of at least 1024x600.
Software shell
ASUS Eee PC runs a modified version of Xandros - a popular Linux distribution, based on Debian.
By default, the laptop boots in the so-called easy mode, which is designed to make communication with the laptop as simple as possible (and also increase the speed of the system). In this mode, the user sees several bookmarks on the screen, which contain shortcuts for launching pre-installed applications. At the bottom of the screen, as in the usual operating room Windows system, there is a taskbar on which buttons for running applications are displayed, as well as a system notification area (analogous to the Windows system tray). The notification area by default contains a clock, battery charge indicator, status network connection, volume control and current Caps Lock/Num Lock status. When you launch a resident program (for example, Skype), its icon also appears in the notification area.
The set of pre-installed applications, in our opinion, is very good. Used to view web pages Firefox browser, for exchange instant messages- Pidgin (multi-protocol client supporting ICQ, AIM, Windows Live Messenger, Google Talk and other networks), for working with documents - OpenOffice.org (for some reason old version 2.0). Multimedia tools include the Amarok music manager, SMPlayer video player and GwenView photo viewer (similar to ACDSee). From others useful programs we can mention FBReader (reader e-books), Skype and, of course, the evergreen Solitaire game "Klondike". In general, the set of functions provided by the Eee PC out of the box significantly exceeds any PDA we know of and is close to full-size laptops.
Hacker's Corner
No matter how convenient and thoughtful the software environment is, there will always be people who want more. This section of the article is intended specifically for them. I would like to immediately warn you that you make all changes to the ASUS Eee PC configuration at your own peril and risk: editors gg will take absolutely no responsibility if anything goes wrong. In addition, you need to have good skills in the Linux operating system.
The first necessity for any advanced Linux user is access to command line. Fortunately, on ASUS Eee PC this is as easy as shelling pears: just press + + [T] to launch xterm. If you, like me, prefer another terminal - Konsole, for example - you will have to edit the ~/.icewm/keys file. To do this, type the command sudo kwrite ~/.icewm/keys on the command line and edit it as follows: key "Ctrl+Alt+t" konsole You can set other "hot keys" for calling programs in the same way. In our pre-sale copy, Cyrillic text input was not configured by default. This unfortunate omission needed to be corrected. First we got rid of SCIM using the command sudo apt-get remove scim-xandros . Then we edited the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file:
Section "InputDevice"? Identifier "keyboard" ... Option "XkbLayout" "us,ru,ua"? Option "XkbOptions" "grp:ctrl_shift_toggle" ... EndSection
And finally, we installed a simple and convenient kkbswitch layout indicator. Unfortunately, it is not in the official Eee PC repository maintained by ASUS, so we took the package from Debian Etch and installed it using dpkg. To make kkbswitch automatically start when you boot your Eee PC, open the /usr/bin/startsimple.sh file as superuser and add the line /usr/bin/kkbswitch & somewhere before the exec icewm line. We then adjusted the system font sizes because the default size (10 pixels) looks too large on a screen of this resolution. To change the font size in KDE applications, open the kcontrol utility and in the Display/Themes/Fonts section set the required size (8). For GTK applications you will have to edit the ~/.gtkrc file. You need to enter the following lines into it: gtk-font-name = "Sans 8" gtk-toolbar-style = GTK_TOOLBAR_ICONS Well, for complete happiness, we enabled the full desktop mode, although, in our opinion, on such a small the screen is absolutely useless. To do this, just one command is enough: sudo apt-get install ksmserver kicker After this, another button will appear in the computer shutdown menu - Full Desktop, after clicking on which the Eee PC will reboot in full KDE desktop mode.
It is worth understanding that ASUS Eee PC from an architectural point of view is full-fledged computer, so if you wish, you can install any operating system on it, including Windows XP. However, we think the pre-installed software is good enough that you don't have to bother with anything else.
ASUS Eee PC in full desktop mode
Performance and expansion options
ASUS Eee PC uses low voltage Celeron processor M ULV with a nominal clock frequency of 900 MHz and a 1 MB L2 cache. However, it is worth noting that at the moment the system bus frequency in the Eee PC is 70 MHz, and the effective processor frequency is 630 MHz. Despite this, in basic mode The laptop responds to all user actions instantly. In full desktop mode, responsiveness deteriorates somewhat, but still, communication with the Eee PC does not cause irritation for the user. Availability is comparative powerful processor allows you to watch almost any movies in MPEG-4 format on ASUS Eee PC without preliminary transcoding (these are DivX, XviD, WMV codecs and others). The SMPlayer player mentioned above does its job perfectly, it’s just a pity that it doesn’t allow you to watch files over the network. High definition video (HD), of course, is out of the question. The only pre-installed application whose performance raises serious questions is the OpenOffice.org office suite. It’s very easy to speed it up - just install a gigabyte module instead of the standard 512 megabyte RAM stick.
The memory is hidden under a cover at the bottom of the laptop, but the cover, unfortunately, is sealed, so upgrading the memory will most likely void the warranty. In addition to the RAM connector, under this cover you can find a slot PCI Express Mini Card, into which you can install any expansion card of this form factor (however, at the moment their choice is small and limited mainly wireless adapters). In our opinion, the most obvious upgrade for ASUS Eee PC is to buy a fast 4-8 GB SDHC memory card and install it in the appropriate slot. This will allow you to use the subnotebook not only for work, but also for entertainment.
Nutrition
ASUS Eee PC is equipped with a lithium-ion battery capacity 5200 mAh (or 38.5 Wh). Despite the relatively low capacity, the battery provides sufficient battery life. The laptop lasted 3 hours when watching DivX video at maximum screen brightness and almost 5 hours during office work with Wi-Fi turned on.
The included power supply is one of the smallest and lightest laptop power supplies we've ever seen. It is quite comparable to chargers from some mobile phones. This reduces travel weight and makes the Eee PC even more portable.
Block ASUS power supply Eee PC (bottom left) next to the PSU IBM laptop and charging from mobile phone Motorola
Bottom line
In our opinion, ASUS Eee PC is a truly revolutionary device that can completely change the approach to using mobile computers. Possessing sufficient power for work and entertainment, it is distinguished by its unprecedentedly small size and attractive price (it is expected that the cost of the model we visited in Ukraine will be about $500 or 2,500 hryvnia). At the same time, inexperienced users will certainly be satisfied with the functionality provided out of the box, especially since the set of pre-installed applications is very good, and Linux gurus will be able to thoroughly customize the system “for themselves.” It is worth understanding that ASUS Eee PC will never be able to replace a full-fledged large laptop or desktop computer - however, it is not intended for this. This device is designed for accessing the Internet, working with texts and simple entertainment like watching videos, but it copes with these tasks exceptionally well. Frankly speaking, the author of this article, who often has to travel around the expanses of the former USSR, himself thought about purchasing an Eee PC as a small, light and convenient travel laptop. It seems to us that it is difficult to come up with a better recommendation for this device.
Few could claim that Asus company created something special when it launched the Eee PC series. But the idea of making a truly mobile and very affordable computer was positively received by consumers. Although the Eee PC 4G 701 released in 2007 was a success, there were still issues that marred the overall experience. By creating the Eee PC 900, Asus coped with its task almost perfectly.
Model history
The concept of a simple laptop computer with solid state drives and no moving parts is nothing new. With the 5 Psion series, the company introduced a convenient device that could be used, for example, for typing while sitting on a train. Then the manufacturer expanded the boundaries by introducing the world to the 7th series - a netbook.
Psion netBook managed to balance the main functionality, small sizes and long battery life. Over time, however, full-fledged laptops became smaller and lighter, and end users wanted feature-rich operating systems. All of this led to decreased demand for Psion (although its EPOC OS continued to live on as Symbian).
For a long time there were no devices like the 7 series and NetBook. Luckily, Asus realized there was room in the market for a simple, affordable machine that didn't have to run latest version Windows - this is how the Eee PC netbook was born.
Frame
For those who have not heard of Eey PC, some explanation is in order. This is a very small device measuring 225x165x35 mm and weighing about 1 kg. With such parameters, the model truly belongs to the ultraportable sector. The device is designed for use on the go and does not take up much space in your bag. The netbook comes in two colors: pearl white and black, like the MacBook Apple. But this is the only similarity that connects them. The assembly of the case and hinges is of high quality, but there is no transport lock, so the device requires careful handling when carrying.
Display
Although the Asus Eee PC 900 has the same chassis as the 701, you only need to open the lid to see the first significant difference. The screen took a huge step forward and gave the Eee PC an even more attractive look than its predecessor. The original netbook's 7-inch display was 800 pixels wide and forced the user to constantly scroll sideways on the vast majority of web pages.
The PC 900's 8.9" screen has corrected this problem by increasing the image resolution. 1024 pixels wide allows you to display web pages without the need for additional manipulation. The full display resolution is 1024x600 pixels. This means it uses a wide format, like most full-featured laptops on the market.
According to user reviews, the screen quality of the Asus Eee PC 900 is excellent. The display, while not as light and bright as the Sony TZ, is evenly lit, has wide viewing angles and does not suffer from dead pixels. It fills the lid of the netbook much better than before - back then it looked tiny, with speakers on the sides and surrounded by a wide black bezel. Along with the improvement in functionality, the aesthetics of the model have also improved.
Keyboard
Considering the overall size of the Eee PC, it's not surprising that the keyboard is quite small. Anyone who can barely cope with the reduced key size of traditional ultraportable laptops will not enjoy the Eee PC. If your fingers are thin, then there should be no problems with input. The good travel of each key is surprising and Feedback after each press, which ensures that the finger bounces back and is ready for the next press. If there is a significant drawback, it is the reduced size of the enter key. Although it can take some time to get used to, users would prefer to have a normal sized button.
Touchpad
Below the spacebar is the touchpad, which is another change from the Eee PC 701. Not only is it much wider, but it also supports multi-touch. You can zoom in and out by spreading or pinching your fingers. Laptop users who are accustomed to using the right edge of the touchpad to scroll documents will likely be disappointed to learn that the Eee PC 900's touchpad does not support this feature. But you shouldn’t despair, because the manufacturer has come up with much more The best way. Instead of moving your finger along the edge of the touchpad, the Asus netbook allows you to do this anywhere on the touchpad - just use two fingers. Scrolling works in both vertical and horizontal directions.
Speakers
Asus was criticized for the huge speakers on the edges of the screen on the original model. This time, the display frame has narrowed significantly, and the speakers have moved to the base of the netbook. The sound quality is good, but if you place the device on your lap, it becomes muffled.
Asus Eee PC 900: specifications
There are some big internal changes too, although the processor isn't one of them. Despite the fact that many hoped that the model would receive Intel Atom, this did not happen. The main platform remains unchanged. Intel Celeron 900 MHz and motherboard on the 915GM chipset do not demonstrate miracles of performance, but they do their job without any complaints. The RAM has been upgraded - it has doubled and reached 1 GB. The webcam has also been upgraded from 0.3 to 1.3 megapixels - ideal for those who want their friends to see them better when chatting on Skype.
Another important update was the data storage capacity. The 701 model's 4 GB of internal memory is now offered in two variants - 12 and 20 GB. There is no difference in price between the two versions as the 12GB version comes with Windows XP pre-installed on the Asus Eee PC 900, while the 20GB version comes with Windows XP installed on the Asus Eee PC 900. Linux system. The manufacturing company used the money saved by installing an open source OS. source code, to increase the ROM capacity. Of course, there is the option of purchasing a device with Linux and then simply installing Windows yourself.
Software
Users who have been running the 20GB version running Linux are not sure they need Windows XP. The beauty of the Asus Eee PC 900 lies in its simplicity, so there is simply no need to load it with a heavy OS, and most of the features it offers will be unclaimed. Except in cases where it is necessary to run such Windows applications, How Microsoft Office, there is nothing that cannot be done using the Linux version.
Asus Eee PC 900 handles tasks with lightning speed where operating system users Microsoft accustomed to the heavy work of the processor. Unlike Windows, 1 GB of RAM is enough for a well-configured Linux build, and a fast solid state drive ensures that the netbook will respond instantly to all commands.
Working with Linux
Navigating the Linux GUI is incredibly easy. The user is faced with a desktop with tabs; clicking on each of them changes the icons on the desktop. The first is called “Internet” and contains icons related to access to the World Wide Web. Among them there is also an email shortcut that opens a page with various icons mail clients, such as Gmail and Hotmail. There are pre-installed Firefox, Skype and Google Docs. The messenger button will launch Pidgin, which is a multi-program instant messaging protocol. Users especially like the fact that all conversations take place in one window with tabs for each interlocutor - this is very convenient when desktop space is at a premium.
The Work tab gives you access to OpenOffice, which allows you to edit text, tables and presentations, which can be saved in MS Office format. There are also applications for reading PDF files, writing notes and Thunderbird, which will satisfy all your needs. e-mail. There is also a file manager, which basically corresponds to Windows Explorer and allows you to search all folders.
The Education tab is clearly aimed at the education sector, which is a large part of the Eee PC market. Here are the games and software, helping to increase vocabulary, improve spelling and even mathematical abilities. There's also a basic graphics application called Paint, which is similar to the Windows program of the same name, and the Science shortcut gives access to the periodic table and planetarium.
The Game tab contains entertainment programs such as a media player, audio file manager, and webcam utility. There's a voice recorder and a shortcut that will give you access to several pre-loaded games, including the obligatory Solitaire.
The Settings tab contains everything system utilities and application settings. Here you can set touchpad settings, change the date and time, monitor disk space usage and the operation of the anti-virus system. The button for removing and adding programs is located right there and allows you not only to install or remove applications, but also to check for updates for all existing programs. Finally, the Favorites tab is where all your favorite links and shortcuts are stored.
Equipment
Asus has supplied the netbook with a small neoprene case that will help maintain the glossy surface of the device while carrying it. There is also a network adapter, a user manual, entire sections of which are devoted to working with Windows, a system recovery DVD with drivers for XP and a Linux installer.
Connectivity
Despite the very small body, the manufacturer managed to place a surprising number of ports in it. On the right is the D-Sub interface for connecting external monitor. Next to it are 2 USB 2.0 connectors and an SD card slot. Considering the cheapness of flash memory, it should be noted that the presence of such a slot means that even if the Asus Eee PC 900 runs out of memory, increasing it will not cost much. On the left is the third USB 2.0 port. That's more than most full-featured ultraportable laptops.
There are also jacks for headphones and a microphone. You can choose which headset to use: traditional or USB when working with a webcam in the preset Skype application. Of course, there is a microphone built into the cover, but the headset will always be best choice. The last port on the left is the Ethernet connector for network adapter 10/100. It is worth noting that MacBook Air does not have it, despite its significantly larger size. Of course it supports wireless connection Asus Eee PC 900. WiFi is implemented according to the 802.11 b/g standard.
Battery life
One area where the Eee PC 900 doesn't really outperform its predecessor is in battery life. With the improvements the manufacturer has made, battery life remains the only dent in the otherwise great design, but it's still a significant one. According to the manufacturer's statements, Asus battery The Eee PC 900 allows the netbook to work for 2.5 hours. According to user reviews, the charge is barely enough for 2 hours. However, at full screen brightness and with the wireless communication. Perhaps optimization of energy consumption could extend the operating life to the time declared by the manufacturer, but even 2.5 hours is very little by today’s standards.
Ideally, users would like to see at least 4 hours of battery life, especially considering that the Sony TZ ultrabook is operational for more than 6 hours. On the other hand, the Asus Eee PC 900 has a very small power supply, so it will not be too burdensome to carry it with yourself. But this will not help much if you want to work in the garden or in a park where there is no outlet. Of course, you can purchase a more powerful battery, but this will increase the cost and weight of the netbook. Asus Eee PC 900 Charger universal and designed for voltages of 120 or 230 V with a frequency of 50 or 60 Hz.
Conclusion
The manufacturer has made enough changes to make the netbook very attractive to those who are thinking about buying a small, thin and light laptop. Of course, these improvements increased the cost of the Asus Eee PC 900 - the price of the device increased to 23 thousand rubles from 15,000.
The manufacturer has done a brilliant job updating an already excellent netbook. The engineers listened to all the comments regarding the original Eee PC and tried to satisfy them. The 1024 pixel wide screen makes it easy to use, especially if you spend a lot of time using the browser. Additional operational and inner memory were a welcome change and allowed the Eee PC to be real alternative full-fledged laptops.
Despite the significant price increase, Asus's small, light and affordable netbook is still a bargain.
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