Asus eee pc year of manufacture. ASUS Eee PC X101CH

ASUS, having launched its first netbook model ASUS Eee PC 701, became a pioneer in this market segment. Many famous manufacturers followed her example and released their own products. This was the right decision, since today the market share of ultra-compact laptops (netbooks) is rapidly increasing. Moreover, this is the only direction of the computer market whose growth rates were practically not affected by the global economic crisis.

But entering the market and staying in it are different concepts. Therefore, ASUS is rapidly expanding its product range, promoting new, more modern netbook models to the market. One of them was a netbook ASUSEeePC 901 which is a more powerful and technologically advanced replacement ASUS Eee PC 701.

The practice of using the latter has shown that for all its advantages, the main one of which is low cost, it also has serious disadvantages. So, many users complained about very small size screen and its low resolution. There were also comments about insufficient performance for some office tasks and viewing several pages on the Internet at the same time. And, of course, there is the eternal problem with hard drive space, since there is only 4 GB of it, and most of it is already occupied by the operating system and software. The hero of our today's review, the netbook, is destined to correct all these shortcomings. ASUSEeePC 901.

Specifications

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the technical characteristics of both netbooks to make it easier to assess the degree of progress.

Manufacturer
CPU	Mobile Intel Celeron M ULV 353, 900 MHz (9 x 100) (FSB 533 MHz, 512 KB L2 Cache).	Intel Atom N270, 1.6 GHz (12 x 133) (FSB 533 MHz, 512 KB L2 Cache)
	North Bridge: - Mobile Intel i910GML; South Bridge: - Intel 82801FBM (ICH6-M)	North Bridge: - Mobile Intel i945GSE; South Bridge: - Intel 82801GHM (ICH7-MU)
	512 MB DDR2-400 DDR2 SDRAM.	1024 MB DDR2-667 DDR2 SDRAM.
HDD	SILICONMOTION SM223A SSD 4GB	ASUS-PHISON SSD 4 GB ASUS-PHISON SSD 8 GB
Optical drive	Not provided
Card reader	3-in-1 module for working with flash cards, supports Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), MultiMediaCard Plus (MMCplus).	3-in-1 module for working with flash cards, supports Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC)
Graphics accelerator	Intel GMA 900 (8-64 MB)	Intel GMA 950 (8-128 MB)
	Digital Flat Panel, 7" LCD, 800x480/800x600	Digital Flat Panel, 8.9" LCD, 800x600/1024x600/1024x768 (scrolling)
	Realtek ALC662 @ Intel 82801FBM ICH6-M - High Definition Audio Controller.	Realtek ALC269 @ Intel 82801GBM ICH7-M - High Definition Audio Controller. Dolby Sound Room Certification
Interface connectors	3 x USB 2.0 1 x VGA port 1 x line out 1 x microphone jack 1 x Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45) port 1 x AC adapter connector
Networking capabilities	Network card (Atheros L2 Fast Ethernet 10/100 Base-T Controller). - Adapter for accessing wireless networks standard 802.11 b/g.	Network card (Atheros AR8121/AR8113/AR8114 PCI-E Ethernet Controller). - Adapter for access to wireless networks standard 802.11 b/g/ n. - Wireless bluetooth adapter
Expansion cards	Not provided
Multimedia	Two speakers. - Built-in microphone (mono). - Web camera (0.3 Megapixel, CMOS).	Two speakers. - Built-in microphone (stereo). - Web camera (1.3 Megapixels, CMOS).
Safety	BIOS password. - System password. - Secure and secure Kensington lock.
AC/DC power supply	- Output parameters: 9.5 V DC. e.g. 2.5 A. - Input parameters: 100~240VAC eg at 50/60 Hz.	Universal Power Adapter: - Output parameters: 12 V DC. eg 3 A. - Input parameters: 100~240V, 1 A, AC. eg at 50/60 Hz.
Battery	Li-Ion 7.4 V, 4400 mAh	Li-Ion 7.3 V, 6600 mAh
Dimensions, mm	225 x 164 x 21.5-35.0	225 x 170 x 20.0-33.8
operating system
Products webpage

As you can see, there is almost nothing in common between netbooks. This is a completely new model, the main difference of which is the use of a new, more energy-efficient Intel Atom processor. Its clock speed is much higher than the previously used Intel Celeron, therefore, you can expect better performance from it. In addition, the new processor supports Hyper-Treading technology, which allows for improved multitasking in applications.

In addition to the processor, the installed 1 GB will help increase performance random access memory. This amount of memory is enough for full operation of a home PC running Windows XP, and even more so for a laptop.

The graphics accelerator has changed slightly - instead of the Intel GMA 900, the Intel GMA 950 is used. You should not expect a special increase in performance in 3D applications, since technically both accelerators are almost identical.

In addition to increased productivity, the new model should also bring increased ease of use. To achieve this, the 7-inch screen was replaced with a more convenient 8.9-inch diagonal. It supports resolutions of 800x600, 1024x600 and 1024x768, though last mode involves the use of on-screen scrolling.

There are now 2 “hard drives”, which are actually SSD drives on Flash chips. The first, as in the previous model, is 4 GB in size and is used to install the operating system. The second “hard drive”, with a capacity of 8 GB, provides users with enough free space to store personal files. Also, there is another version of the ASUS Eee PC 901 netbook, the only difference of which is its increased size second hard disk up to 12 GB and a pre-installed Linux operating system.

The wireless communications subsystem has also been improved. Added Bluetooth adapter and support for standard networks IEEE 802.11n , which provides data transfer rates up to 480 Mbit/s. The webcam has also been slightly improved - now its resolution is 1.3 megapixels.

Supply

Delivery is carried out in a single box made of white cardboard. The packaging contains images of the laptop, as well as logos and the slogan of the laptop line “Easy to Learn, Easy to Play, Easy to Work”.

On back side The main differences of the device are listed. The box itself is small in size, convenient enough for transportation even without a special handle.

This model can exist in four body color variations: white, black, red, and light green.

Equipment

In addition to the ASUS Eee PC laptop, the box contains:

• Battery;
• Power unit;
• Folder for transporting a laptop;
• A cloth for wiping the screen and body;
• User guide;
• Quick start guide;
• Quick setup guide for Windows XP;
• Small multilingual battery usage guide;
• Disk tech. support;
• Warranty card.

Appearance and ergonomics

It’s worth saying right away that the dimensions of the new model have remained virtually unchanged. This is very pleasing, but it now weighs a little more than its predecessor.

The design style has also changed slightly - still the same solid black color, but this time glossy. It looks nice, but it shows fingerprints instantly. The body lines have become rounded, which gives the netbook sophistication and elegance.

On the right side there are two USB 2.0 connectors, a Kensington lock slot, an AC adapter connector and a card reader that reads information from SD, SDHC and MMC memory cards. Also, there is a VGA connector, thanks to which you can connect your netbook to an external monitor. This feature has become more convenient with the transition to the Intel GMA 950 graphics accelerator, as it supports 3 modes of displaying images on an external display.

The "extend desktop" mode works as it should - we are not interested in it.

“Dual” mode allows us to display the same image on the screen of an external monitor as on the laptop screen. Since its resolution is non-standard, many LCD monitors will show the picture cloudy and illegible. The third mode, “Intel Dual Display Clone,” corrects the situation, which slightly compresses the image vertically, but at the same time making it clear and easy to read on a large LCD monitor. It is worth noting that when switching the primary device to “monitor” mode, the netbook allowed us to display a high-resolution image on an external display (we tested it with a 22-inch ASUS VK222H LCD monitor in a resolution of 1680x1050).

The left side contains: an RJ45 network port, a USB 2.0 connector, two mini-jack connectors (line output and microphone connector). In addition, there is a ventilation hole through which heated air is exhausted.

There is not a single connector on the back of the netbook. This is very convenient when working in the “laptop on your lap” position.

From below, the new model looks exactly the same as its predecessor.

Matrix, input devices, web camera

Having reduced the size of the plastic frame as much as possible, ASUS engineers still managed to fit an 8.9-inch matrix into the netbook without increasing its external dimensions.

The screen resolution can be set in three positions – 800x600, 1024x600 and 1024x768. Unfortunately, the latter mode uses the screen scrolling function and is of little use for work, but was most likely made for compatibility with some applications.

Working on a netbook with an 8.9-inch screen is much more convenient and enjoyable than with a 7-inch one, but at first you still need to get used to it. The coating of the matrix remains traditional, matte, which eliminates the appearance of glare. The viewing angles are quite large, both horizontally and vertically.

There is a built-in webcam above the display. Its resolution has been increased to 1.3 megapixels, which should improve the quality of the image it transmits. Unfortunately, the webcam has a fixed position, so you will need to change the position of the entire laptop lid in order to get into the frame.

The microphone is located under the display. Since a wideband stereo microphone is used, there are two holes on the panel.

The keyboard is no different from the keyboard of the previous model, so its description is unnecessary.

The touchpad is made in a metal frame, the lower part of which has two separate buttons. The ability to scroll vertically is not indicated in any way. At first glance it may seem that it is completely absent, however, this is not at all the case.

In this model, ASUS has used new Multi-touch technology. We will try to tell you about it in more detail.

This technology is implemented by a touch panel from Elantech, which is registered as a Smart-Pad. It provides, in addition to the usual mouse button capabilities, a wide range of useful functions, which make the user's work easier. These additional features include rocker switch function, multi-finger gestures, scrolling, etc.

For full use Smart-Pad needs to install the appropriate driver and software. You will find both applications on the included disc. During a successful installation, the following will be added to the Mouse Properties dialog box: new inset Smart-Pad.

The principle of operation is as follows: the Smart-Pad detects contact with a finger through capacitive measurement (it is insensitive to heat and applied force). When your fingers reach the panel, they change the electric field of its surface. The Elantech Smart-Pad sensor is a special printed circuit board with an array of very thin capacitors printed on its surface. A special chip on the back of the Smart-Pad constantly monitors changes in the capacitance of these capacitors, which occurs due to changes in the magnetic field when touched, and determines the position of your finger.

One of the main functions of the Smart-Pad is Multi-Finger Gesture. When this feature is activated, a one-finger click is equivalent to a left mouse button click, a two-finger click simulates the function of a middle mouse button (wheel), and a three-finger click simulates the function of a right mouse button. However, this is only basic capabilities Multi-touch technology. In addition to them, the Smart-Pad touch panel offers us a number of additional functions, namely:

Button. Like other standard laptop touchpads, the Elantech Smart-Pad also has two buttons that act like regular mouse buttons. The functions of these buttons can be changed using a drop-down menu so that they will perform several parallel tasks. In fact, there is only one left and one right button, and pressing the middle button is simulated by simultaneously pressing the left and right buttons.

Hit. ABOUT Dean finger- one-finger swipe always performs a point/click/select function, which is equivalent to pressing the left mouse button. Two fingers- By default, tapping with two fingers simulates the mouse scroll wheel, known as the middle button. In addition, other options are available, for example, the “Expand”, “Page Down”, “Run” functions. Three fingers - By default, a three-finger tap simulates the operation of the right mouse button. In addition, other features are available, for example, the functions " Context menu", "Expand", "Run"....

Scroll. Vertical and horizontal scrolling of the window is performed by moving two fingers on the Smart-Pad. This feature works in most applications that have scrolling windows, such as text/graphics editors, spreadsheets, presentations, etc. It is also useful when scrolling through long lists of files. Two-finger scrolling provides the simplest, easiest and most convenient way moving around the window. Simply hit the bar and drag the window you want to scroll, move your fingers up or down to scroll vertically, and similarly move your fingers right or left to scroll horizontally.

Scale. The Elantech Smart-Pad features two-finger gesture recognition for proportional zooming. This gesture can be used to perform other tasks, such as Page Up/Down, Expand/Collapse functions. To zoom in, place two fingers on the panel and spread them apart, and, conversely, pinch them together to zoom out.

Rotation. Using a two-finger gesture, the panel allows you to rotate any pictures or objects around its axis. In addition, it can be reconfigured to perform the “Page up/down” or “Expand/collapse window” functions. You can rotate by touching the panel with two fingers and rotating them in the desired direction. You can also tap and hold one finger on the pad to set the rotation axis, and use the other finger to rotate in the specified direction.

Drag and drop. The Elantech Smart-Pad also has a "drag and drop" function, which is similar to clicking and holding the left mouse button. This can be done by double-clicking on the panel and without removing your finger from it. The cursor must point to the object being dragged.

Magnifier. The Smart-Pad has a screen magnifier feature that can be used to magnify a selected area of ​​the screen. It is activated by a specific movement of two fingers and can be easily scaled and resized. First, click and hold the panel with one finger, and then double-click the panel again with another finger. When the rectangular magnifying glass appears, move the area of ​​the window that you want to enlarge. Click the panel again to turn off the magnifying glass.

Change page. The Smart-Pad offers a 3-finger gesture for flipping pages up and down. This feature will be useful when viewing web pages, file folders, documents, presentations and photos. To view the next page (page down), simply swipe three fingers once from left to right. Likewise, swipe in the opposite direction to go to the previous page. Be sure to lift your fingers after moving to another page.

Shortcut keys. Using 3 fingers on the Smart-Pad, you can navigate to the Windows desktop by minimizing all open windows, switch between active windows, open pop-up menus, and open the My Computer dialog box. To perform this command, press the panel with three fingers at the same time, hold them a little, and then move your fingers up to the border of the panel. This is equivalent to clicking on the My Computer icon on your desktop. Switching windows in Windows - to perform this command, press the panel with three fingers at the same time, hold them a little, and then move your fingers down to the bottom edge of the panel.

The power button has migrated from the cylindrical mount to the main part. It's now on the silver stripe, along with four hotkeys.

The presence of these hot keys greatly simplifies working with the device. The first one turns the display off and on with one click, thereby allowing rational use of electricity. The second button helps you quickly change the screen resolution. The third and fourth buttons are programmable and can be defined by the user at their discretion. By default, the third button is assigned to manually switch between different operating modes, and the fourth opens the Skype program.

Speaking of operating modes, there are three of them: maximum battery saving, high performance and increased productivity.

The first mode allows you to use all available energy-saving technologies, such as: reducing the system bus frequency, processor multiplier, processor voltage, etc. As a result of using this mode, we get slightly reduced performance compared to the nominal, but increased time battery life.

The second mode allows the netbook to operate in normal mode. But by switching to the third mode, we get a bonus of a slight overclocking of the processor in the form of an increased system bus frequency from 133 MHz to 140 MHz, however, power consumption in this mode also increases. There is also a fourth mode, “Auto Power Saving,” which is an automatic (intelligent) switching of the first three.

On the right side of the touchpad there is a block of LEDs responsible for: network connection status, battery charge, hard drive access, network connection status.

Acoustics

In this model, 2 speakers responsible for playing sounds are located on the bottom of the netbook. Because of this, the sound is a little muffled, but at the same time it is loud enough to watch a movie.

Power supply and battery

To charge the device, a power supply made according to a classic laptop design is used. Unlike the ASUS Eee PC 701, in which the charging voltage was 9.5 V, the adapter used produces a current of up to 3 A at a voltage of 12 V. It is very convenient for using a laptop powered by a car battery - there is no need for any voltage conversion.

And here is the highlight of this model: ASUS Eee PC 901 is the only netbook today that is equipped with a very capacious 6600 mAh battery. This is a really big number, especially for such a compact device.

In addition, in online stores you can find and order a battery with an even larger capacity, up to 10400 mAh.

Such a battery, naturally, has larger dimensions than a standard one and, when placing the netbook on a table, acts as a kind of stand. However, it allows you to significantly extend battery life. This feature should appeal to people who value portability and battery life most in laptops. Well, testing will show how tough this “nut” will be.

Testing

In comparative testing, we tried to check the advantage of the new model over the ASUS Eee PC 701 and its competitiveness with its closest “enemy”, the Acer Aspire One AOA150.

Before starting the tests, we provide technical information in the form of screenshots of the well-known CPU-Z and GPU-Z utilities.

As you can see, the netbook has 1 memory stick installed, so it works in single-channel mode.

The GPU-Z utility once again confirmed the improvement of the video subsystem in the form of the Intel GMA 950. Compared to the Intel GMA 900, it has at its disposal 1 vertex pipeline and a clock frequency increased to 400 MHz.

In both tests, netbooks based on the Intel Atom N270 processor show significant superiority over old model with Intel Celeron processor. However, the netbook from Acer shows better results when working with the hard drive and memory subsystem. The fact is that it has a classic hard drive installed, rather than a solid-state drive, which works faster, but also consumes more electricity. The advantage in the memory subsystem is due to the presence of two 512 MB sticks operating in dual-channel mode. Although the advantage is more formal than practical, since in real work you're unlikely to feel much of a difference.

Drives

To obtain information about the laptop's disk subsystem, the HD-Tune program was used. The laptop uses two solid state drive on flash memory (SSD) of 4 GB and 8 GB. Technically they are the same.

And tests confirmed this. The myth that the first drive is faster than the second and that is why it is worth installing an operating system on it has been destroyed. The second drive even showed slightly better results than the first, so you can safely use it as the main partition for the OS. Pay attention to the access time - it is extremely short and amounts to 0.5-0.6 ms. This is one of the advantages of the new solid-state drives (SSDs) over traditional hard drives (HDDs).

However, 12 GB disk space not so much. After all, you need to install an operating system, a set of office applications and other things there. necessary programs. I also want to “throw” in there a couple of favorite songs, some old but well-loved computer games, an archive of photographs and a couple of films to watch at leisure or on the go. Yes, anything can be useful on the road, and to avoid a situation where you urgently need some document, but it is on your home PC, we suggest you familiarize yourself with the range of compact portable hard drives, one of which is... your passport.

WestarnDigitalMyPassportElite No, this is not a joke, but a new series of portable hard drives from Westarn Digital MyPassportElite. This drive is supplied in a transparent plastic box, so it is immediately visible. The capacity of this model is marked in very large numbers on the front side - in our case it is 400 GB. There are 500, 320 and 250 GB models. Included with the hard drive you will find: warranty card; quick instruction manual; USB 2.0 cable; carrying case. Specifications: The advantages of this Elite series include: the case is made of a material that is pleasant to the touch - it’s not a sin to boast about this attractive drive to your friends: it has a luxurious case made of a material that is pleasant to the touch, which is comfortable to hold in your hand; Full indicator - connect your My Passport drive to your computer and you can see at a glance how much free space is left on it; large capacity in your pocket - this compact drive will easily fit in your pocket or handbag and will give you the opportunity to always have a huge mass with you different files, photographs, films and music. We tested the speed of the WD My Passport Elite WDML4000 external hard drive, take a look at the results: Unfortunately, its speed is most likely limited by the speed of the built-in SATA=>USB adapter. But 26 MB/s is quite enough for comfortable work with any type of data. WITH similar drive The scope of application of a compact laptop is expanding significantly.

Autonomous operation

Using the Battery Eater program, we measured the laptop's battery life. Measurement took place in the following modes:

at maximum load

and minimum load.

And, also, the battery charging time was determined.

Test results: the battery charge (6600 mAh) at maximum load was enough for 203 minutes of continuous operation, but during minimum load the laptop turned off after 514 minutes of operation. It takes 192 minutes to recharge.

Well, the “nut” turned out to be quite tough. It showed record battery life. None of the laptops we tested previously could withstand more than 8 hours of idle time, nor more than 3 hours at maximum load.

conclusions

ASUS never ceases to delight us with more and more new models of its laptops. The netbook market was no exception, in which it also has a strong foothold thanks to its wide range of products.

Each buyer will definitely find exactly the netbook model that suits him best. ASUS Eee PC 901, described in today's review, is suitable for those people who value high mobility and long battery life. "Die Hard" demonstrated unprecedented endurance and ease of use. Combining an elegant look, small dimensions and performance sufficient for many tasks, it will become an indispensable digital assistant for modern man. Speaking of performance. When working with office applications, we did not feel any difference between the netbook and desktop PC. All programs “work very quickly, there are no glitches or slowdowns.” We were even able to watch HD Video on it as a 720p movie.

Advantages:

• record long battery life;
• the ability to install a high-capacity battery;
• compact dimensions and light weight;
• built-in web camera with a resolution of 1.3 megapixels;
• Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11n and Bluetooth support;
• high-quality 8.9-inch display.

Flaws:

• lack of optical drive.

The site team expresses gratitude to the author for the personal equipment provided for testing.

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2012 has already ended, and the final victory of tablet computers over netbooks, as most experts predicted, has not yet happened. Of course, tablets have squeezed out competitors, but there is no talk of completely ousting them from the market. Tablets are more convenient for surfing the Internet, watching videos and photos, but when it comes to use for work purposes, netbooks have a design advantage - a keyboard. Writing articles, drawing up reports and graphs, in general, one way or another, working with text on any netbook is more convenient, even taking into account the fact that modern tablets have options for external keyboards. Why invent something when it’s ready? working solution, which will also be cheaper?

It is not surprising that major market players continue to produce “workhorse” netbooks, devoid of external gloss and glamor, crazy graphics, but very convenient for long business trips and trips due to their low weight, relatively compact dimensions and power, which is enough for office applications. .

In this article we are looking at the ASUS 1015, a 2012 device that opened a new series and gave the company a chance to lead in the compact netbook segment. The model is available in two versions - with the letters C and CE. The second is a little more advanced and expensive. We got acquainted with the simple version, but there are not many differences between them. This allows us to talk about two models at once in one article.

Specifications

CPU: Intel Atom N2600 or N2800 (1.6 or 1.8 GHz), 2 cores.
Display: 10.1 inches, 1024x600 pixels, matte.
RAM: 1 GB or 2 GB, DDR3-1333.
Storage device: 320 GB or 500 GB.
Video adapter: Intel GMA 3600 (integrated graphics).
Communications: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n.
Battery: 6 cells, 5200 mAh, or 3 cells, 2600 mAh.
Ports and connectors: 3xUSB 2.0 (there are options with 1xUSB 3.0), combined microphone and headphone jack, network port, HDMI, VGA, card reader.
Webcam: 0.3 megapixels
Operating system: Windows 7 Starter.
Dimensions: 262x178x21~34 mm.
Weight: 1.08 kg.

Housing, appearance

Design for a modern netbook is almost the most important thing. In conditions where the hero of the review and his competitors from Acer and HP have identical power characteristics, buyers have to make a choice based on other criteria. And appearance is the most important of them. ASUS has its own style, and almost all of the company's computers look like twin brothers. Knowledgeable people can identify the brand even without a nameplate on the lid.

But it was with the 1015 model that ASUS launched a new Flare series, which finally received a slightly modified design. The body of the netbook has become flatter (although the side in which the battery is located is still wider), the corners are not rounded, but rather cut off. The sides received a chrome finish and were more carefully designed. The general style is businesslike and laconic, which, given the purpose of the netbook, is a plus: you don’t go to the club with it, but work.

However, there are color options. If the model with the letter C is available in calm colors (black, white, gray, red, brown and blue), then the CE has more “playful” shades (pink, lilac and sea green). Plus, in some color variants of this modification the battery is painted silver. True, it’s unclear why.

The dimensions of ASUS 1015 are quite modest. For clarity, we photographed a netbook next to an ordinary book. It turned out to be a little larger and thicker (especially in its wide part), but it still easily fits in a woman’s bag, not to mention traveling suitcases. The weight - just over a kilogram - is also pleasing: such a computer can be carried with you all day without any problems.

The build quality is traditionally high for ASUS. The gaps between the panels do not play a role, and the lid opening mechanism inspires confidence. The only pity is that the lid itself does not tilt 180 degrees: the maximum opening angle is 130 degrees. Considering the characteristics of the display, this may not be enough for working on your knees.

The most pleasant thing about the appearance of the netbook is the finishing materials. Finally, the bright and terribly impractical gloss has received a matte finish. It doesn't shine as much in the light, but it's comfortable in Everyday life. The most important advantage is resistance to pollution. Of course, anything can get dirty, but to work with this netbook, you don’t necessarily need to wash your hands with soap to avoid leaving fingerprints on the case. For the most part, this applies to the top cover, but the plastic interior is not easily soiled. Top cover, in addition to relative cleanliness, can boast of good tactile sensations. The netbook feels good to hold in your hands, which is a good thing anyway.

The rear plastic is rougher and more grooved. In appearance, it should resist well not only dirt, but also scratches. We did not check the latter on a test sample.

Continuing the theme of design, let's say a little about the charger. It turned out to be very modest in size and harmonious in appearance. From a distance it can be confused with charging a mobile phone. This adapter is very convenient to take with you on a trip.

Ergonomics and interfaces

If the design of the ASUS 1015 has changed a little compared to its predecessors, the keyboard has remained exactly the same as we saw, say, in the 1215 model. The ASUS keyboard is quite specific. In terms of the location and purpose of the keys, it is very good. Perhaps the right Shift is a little smaller than usual, but there are full-fledged arrows, for which special respect. The keys themselves are not small and do not require much getting used to. It is only necessary for their operating mechanism. Some people like the small stroke and specific sensations from pressing, but others do not. These features are preserved from model to model, so if you have already encountered ASUS keyboards at least once, you have formed an opinion about them. There is no point in conveying impressions in words - it’s better to try it once.

The touchpad is also made in the company's traditional style - the material does not differ from the rest of the panel. The boundaries of the touchpad are indicated by only two edges, but this does not cause any problems. There are no complaints about the operation of the buttons. True, some users complained that the touchpad was too small, saying that they had to be “aimed” very precisely. The author of this material did not experience any problems.

There are practically no keys above the keyboard itself. Only in the upper right corner is the power button. When the netbook is operating, it is illuminated in blue, and this does not depend on the color of the case.

The interfaces on the sides are quite traditional. On the left side there are HDMI, one of three USB, D-sub, charger socket and cooling system radiator. The right side contains an SD card reader, a combined audio jack, two USB ports, a Kensington lock and an RJ45 network. There are modifications in which one of the USB pair supports data transfer standard 3.0. There is no disk drive in any version.

Accessories

Like all its main competitors, ASUS 1015 is built on the Intel Atom platform, codenamed Cedar Trail. Intel produces two third-generation Atom processors, N2600 and N2800, and both of them can be installed in the ASUS 1015. The difference between them is like between two engines in a car of the same model: the N2800 is a little more powerful, a little more power-hungry and a little more expensive. The last “slightly” is what makes it more interesting compared to the N2600. The model we tested had an N2800, and we didn’t want to exchange it for a younger brother, even if it could potentially last a little longer on battery power.

The amount of RAM on board can also vary. There is an option with 1 GB, and there is with 2 GB. Let’s dismiss the first: one gigabyte of RAM for a modern computer is not enough even for normal work on the Internet and office applications. 2 GB is already enough. Another thing is that in this option there is a certain imbalance in resources. The author of this material worked on a netbook equipped with an N2800 processor and 2 GB of RAM and monitored the use of resources. In most tasks, the processor power ran out before the RAM was fully occupied. This is confirmed by the Windows Experience Index. The processor is almost the bottleneck (after graphics), but RAM is in the lead. But this is hardly a serious minus. “RAM” is such a thing that it is better to have an excess of it than a shortage.

Overall, the performance of the version we tested is quite good: the system not only copes with all basic operations, such as web browsing, video and office tasks, but will also allow, for example, editing images in Photoshop.

The subjective feelings of the author of the material coincided with the assessment of Windows: the video card here is the weakest link. It is integrated - Intel GMA HD 3600. Its capabilities are enough for working with video and playing HD format, but Full HD is already slowing down (on the other hand, why play Full HD on this netbook with its screen resolution?). You should also forget about resource-intensive games. It is clear that ASUS price 1015 requires savings even compared to the class of expensive netbooks, and it is logical that the video card fell under this savings. You don't need an expensive one to work.

One more pretty weakness ASUS 1015 is a display. The ten-inch screen provides a resolution of 1024x600 pixels. For this size, this seems to be the norm, but this is little consolation. If you don't have a lot of experience working with monitors of this resolution, then having to frequently use the scroll bar will be annoying. Even in Word you have to change the usual scale so that the A4 page fits completely in width.

This, however, is nonsense. The real problem is in the viewing angles. Everything is really bad here. What can I say if even viewing photos and videos together is already uncomfortable. You need to look only at a right angle and nothing else. The screen has only one plus - it is matte, so it has less glare than its competitors. However, we tested the version of the netbook with the letter C. The CE modification, according to reviews, has a slightly better screen.

The model is equipped with two hard drive options: 320 and 500 GB. They differ only in price.

The netbook uses a six-cell lithium-ion battery. It has a capacity of 5200 mAh. The manufacturer claims that this volume will be enough for owners to work for twelve hours, but this, of course, is a very optimistic forecast: if you really work, then even in economy mode you will get ten hours, which, however, is still a very decent result. By the way, there is a package with a smaller three-section battery. It is lighter, but we didn’t see much point in it.

Above the display is a webcam with a resolution of 0.3 megapixels. In various modifications the camera is the same, only the CE has a mechanical shutter for closing, while the C does not. Did you save money? CE is also distinguished by the presence of Bluetooth.

The functionality of both modifications of the netbook is reduced in the audio aspect: they have lost the second speaker, although all competitors have exactly two “speakers”. This affects the sound quality, but not the volume: the ASUS 1015 has one speaker, but it’s loud.

As a feature of the netbook's operation, we note minimal noise. The company's engineers managed to find a compromise between the temperature and volume of the coolers. They can only be heard in complete silence.

conclusions

ASUS 1015 is a worthy representative of the class of compact netbooks, designed for work when separated from the main computer. Considering its class and price (about 10 thousand rubles), both performance and build quality can be considered quite good. Separate advantages are the design and matte finish of the case and screen, which does not get very dirty and glare. The main disadvantage of this netbook is the screen. At least in modification C, which we tested. Whether this is a serious drawback and whether it can force one to abandon the model is up to the buyer to decide.

http://site/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IMG_0799.jpg 559 1024 Alexander Nechaev http://site/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/logo_AN-1.pngAlexander Nechaev 2013-05-07 09:00:30 2016-05-24 20:06:40 ASUS Eee PC 1025 netbook review

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, all you need is a word processor, 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 - is also one of the strengths of the device.

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 it started official sales Other color options will be available in Ukraine, 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 the convenience of text input. The keys on the Eee PC are much smaller than those on a typical laptop, which won't appeal to people with large 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. There is one under the touchpad big key, which is used for both left and right clicks depending on which side the user clicks on. 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 familiar Windows operating system, there is a taskbar, which displays buttons for running applications, 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. To view web pages, the Firefox browser is used, for instant messaging - Pidgin (a multi-protocol client that supports ICQ, AIM, Windows Live Messenger, Google Talk and other networks), for working with documents - OpenOffice.org (for some reason, an old version 2.0 ). Multimedia tools include the Amarok music manager, SMPlayer video player and GwenView photo viewer (similar to ACDSee). Other useful programs include FBReader (an e-book reader), Skype and, of course, the evergreen Solitaire game. 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 the 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 it following lines: gtk-font-name = "Sans 8" gtk-toolbar-style = GTK_TOOLBAR_ICONS Well, for complete happiness, we enabled full desktop mode, although, in our opinion, it is absolutely useless on such a small screen. 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

The ASUS Eee PC uses a low-voltage Celeron M ULV processor with a nominal clock speed of 900 MHz and a 1 MB L2 cache. However, it is worth noting that on this 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. The presence of a relatively powerful processor allows you to watch almost any movie in MPEG-4 format on the ASUS Eee PC without prior 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 is mainly limited to 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 an IBM laptop power supply and a Motorola mobile phone charger

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 former USSR, I was thinking about purchasing an Eee PC as a small, light and convenient travel laptop. It seems to us that best recommendation This device is difficult to come up with.

IntroductionOur laboratory has long had a sample of the ASUS Eee PC 900 subnotebook, the next model after the Eee PC 701 reviewed in June. However, we deliberately delayed reviewing this product, since we expected a more progressive modification of the Eee PC 901, which is based not on Celeron M, but on a more economical specialized Intel Atom processor, to soon appear on the market and in our hands. However, the wait was too long. Despite the fact that the Eee PC 901 is on sale in ASUS' priority markets, this miniature laptop has not yet been supplied to Russia. This appears to be due to a shortage Atom processors, which Intel promises to cope with no earlier than the last months of this year. That is why we decided not to wait any longer, but to get acquainted with the ASUS Eee PC 900 separately from the Eee PC 901, despite the fact that these solutions are very similar. Moreover, as it turned out, ASUS is not yet planning to curtail supplies of subnotebooks based on 90 nm Celeron processors. The company even announced another new product, the Eee PC 904HD - a kind of analogue of the nine hundredth model, made in a larger case and equipped with a traditional mechanical hard drive. In other words, in light of the latest realities, the Eee PC 900 is destined for a long life, and therefore it deserves a separate article, which, in fact, we bring to your attention.

Since the ASUS Eee PC 900 is a further development of the Eee PC subnotebook series, the ancestor of which was the Eee PC 701 we reviewed earlier, in this review we will focus primarily on the differences between the older model and its predecessor. That is why we recommend that our readers be sure to read our previous review, dedicated to the first revolutionary ASUS subnotebook.

Let us remind you that in general the Eee PC 701 made a favorable impression on us. The very idea of ​​​​producing miniature, lightweight and inexpensive laptops turned out to be very fruitful: as a gadget, the Eee PC 701 can be an excellent addition to a desktop computer, a traditional laptop and a smartphone. However, a detailed acquaintance with Asus's first-born in the Eee PC line revealed a number of unpleasant problems. The main disadvantages relate, naturally, to ergonomics. Thus, the Eee PC 701 keyboard turned out to be inconvenient, especially in the Russian layout, and the seven-inch screen with a resolution of 800x480 is far from ideal. Also, some disappointment was caused by the hardware: to work with the Windows XP operating system familiar to most users, the Eee PC 701 was sorely lacking disk memory and not catastrophically - RAM memory.

From this position, ASUS Eee PC 900 can be considered as a “work on the bugs”. Many of the problems of the 701 model have been eliminated in this representative of the ASUS subnotebook family. The new modification has a screen increased to 8.9 inches diagonally, a larger disk based on Flash memory, and an increased amount of RAM. Are these changes enough to make an ultra-portable mobile computer running Windows XP more usable? It is this question that we will try to answer below.

Specification

First of all, let's take a look at the specifications of the new model. For testing, we received an older modification of the Eee PC 900 with a 20 GB hard drive, so we included its characteristics in the table below. For clarity, this table shows next to the characteristics of the ASUS Eee PC 4G - the older model of the previous generation 701 with a seven-inch screen, which is already was reviewed by us earlier.

It should be added to the contents of the table that all the numerous improvements made to the ASUS Eee PC 900 did not come to potential buyers for free. Currently, prices for the models compared in the table differ by approximately 4.5 thousand rubles. That is why the appearance of the new model did not lead to the displacement of the old one from the market: both the Eee PC 701 and the Eee PC 900 are widely available in retail sales at the same time.

Supply

Despite the fact that the ASUS Eee PC 900 is, one might say, a new subnotebook (or, as it is fashionable to talk about similar products lately, a netbook), very different from its predecessor, the package contents have remained virtually unchanged: both the box and its the contents are the same. The laptop comes with a manual, a set of software for Xandros Linux and Windows XP, a thick fabric laptop case and, of course, a power supply.

By the way, among this entire set, it is the power supply that deserves special mention. The fact is that the previous modification of the subnotebook was equipped with a unit combined with a plug, similar to the power supplies of mobile phones. The Eee PC 900 has a separate power supply, made in a more traditional design for mobile computers.

At the same time, not only the power of the unit has increased, but also its weight, which now amounts to 150 grams. So travelers who choose the Eee PC 900 as their companion will have to carry a total of 100 grams more than adherents of the younger model.

External changes

If you do not pay attention to the power supply, then when closed, it is almost impossible to distinguish the ASUS Eee PC 900 from the Eee PC 701. These models are very similar both in terms of workmanship, size and appearance, and in the location of the connectors. And although the new modification has become half a centimeter larger in one of the dimensions, it is completely impossible to notice this without placing one laptop next to another.

Just like the Eee PC 701, the Eee PC 900 can offer three USB 2.0 ports, a 10/100-megabit network port, a microphone input and headphone output, a D-Sub connector for connecting an external monitor and an MMC/SD card reader.

The only noticeable difference between the Eee PC 900 and the previous model is the absence on the case of a hole for a modem connector, which the previous version of the Eee PC had, but was not used.

The main changes are hidden under the lid: there is a new improved screen, the diagonal of which is now not 7, but 8.9 inches.

At the same time, it should be noted that the dimensions of the lid of the miniature laptop have hardly changed: the dimensions of the matrix have become larger due to the reduction of the edging around the screen and due to the removal of the columns, which in the 701st model framed the screen on the left and right. Increasing the size had virtually no effect on the quality of the screen. Like the 7-inch model, the screen in the new 900 Eee PC has visual characteristics that are consistent with the dimensions and purpose of this miniature laptop. So, among the advantages, we should note the brightness of the backlight, which is adjustable within a very wide range (even greater than before), and at its maximum level the screen remains readable even in direct sunlight. As for viewing angles, here, as in the previous model, there are certain complaints about image fading even with slight deviations of the view in the vertical plane from the normal to the screen. The color rendering quality also leaves much to be desired.

However, the listed shortcomings of the 8.9-inch matrix should hardly be considered critical, despite their apparent seriousness. A laptop of the size of the ASUS Eee PC 900 is not intended to be used in situations where the accuracy of colors and their shades is truly of decisive importance. When working in typical office applications or Internet surfing, the screen performs more than decently. Especially when you take into account its increased resolution, which has increased to 1024x600. Now Windows XP (not to mention Xandros Linux) looks quite organic on the ASUS Eee PC 900: the vast majority of standard dialog windows fit on the screen without any problems. The display of the vast majority of websites can also be called adequate: a horizontal resolution of 1024 pixels is now considered the minimum for which websites are optimized.

As noted, the enlarged screen forced the Eee PC 900 developers to remove the speaker covers from the inside - now they are located at the bottom of the case and point down. Naturally, this negatively affected the quality and volume of the sound they reproduced. However, it is obvious that acoustic system any subnotebook – and not only “sub” – will not satisfy music lovers by definition. To listen to standard operating system notifications or to provide sound accompaniment to YouTube videos, the existing speakers are quite sufficient. So, as in the case of the screen, we must state that the sound system of the ASUS Eee PC 900 is fully consistent with its mission.

The same words can be said about the webcam, traditionally located above the screen. Although its resolution has been increased to 1.3 megapixels compared to the Eee PC 701, the lack of sharpness adjustment allows it to be used only, perhaps, for video conferencing. But the microphone built into the laptop is now placed next to the webcam and picks up the voice of a person sitting in front of the computer much better than the microphone in the Eee PC 701, which had an output on the bottom surface of the laptop.

We were really expecting ASUS to provide its Eee PC 900 with a different, more comfortable keyboard. But nothing like that happened: the updated model of the ASUS ultra-portable computer is equipped with the same awkward keyboard as the Eee PC 701: with letter buttons of different sizes and no dedicated cursor keys. Even the Russian letter “P” is again printed on the corresponding button in a distorted style. The mechanical part has not changed either: during operation, the buttons rattle slightly, and the keyboard itself flexes and creaks unpleasantly.

But the touchpad has undergone serious changes for the better. In the new model, it has not only become larger - its dimensions have increased to 63x37 mm, in full accordance with the increased screen resolution - but also more convenient. The keys are now softer and more comfortable, but most importantly, the touchpad now supports multi-touch technology (support for processing simultaneous touches with several fingers). In other words, like an Apple iPhone or MacBook Air, ASUS Eee PC 900 understands a basic set of two-finger gestures, including scrolling, zooming and enlarging a portion of the screen.

Hardware changes

There haven't been many changes in the hardware of the ASUS Eee PC 900 compared to the Eee PC 701. The next Eee PC with model number 901, based on Intel Atom, looks like a much more advanced solution in terms of hardware. The miniature computer considered in this review is based on exactly the same Ultra-Low Voltage processor Celeron M 353 generation Dothan, produced using the old 90-nm technology, like the Eee PC 701. The nominal frequency of this processor is 900 MHz, the supply voltage is 0. 94 V.

As you can see from the above screenshot, in the ASUS Eee PC 900 the processor operates at its nominal parameters, and not at a reduced frequency, as in the ASUS Eee PC 701. However, this is only true as long as the Eee PC 900 is connected to the network. When switching the power supply to autonomous mode, the processor frequency drops to 630 MHz - the value that was standard for the previous modification of the Eee PC.

Since the multiplier of the Celeron M 353 is strictly fixed at 9x, and this processor does not support any energy-saving technologies, the processor frequency must be reduced by reducing the bus frequency from 100 to 70 MHz.

RAM capacity new modification Eee PC doubled in size to 1 GB. However, the DDR2 SDRAM used again does not operate in the most productive single-channel mode.

Some increase in bandwidth is provided by the increased memory frequency, which now operates at a fair 400 MHz when using 3-3-3-8 timings. However, we should not forget that the SDRAM frequency is always synchronized with the bus frequency. Therefore, when switching to battery power, when the FSB frequency is reset to 70 MHz, the memory frequency is also reduced to 280 MHz.

The interaction between the processor and memory is ensured by the Intel 910GML system logic set; there are no differences here from the Eee PC 701. Accordingly, the Intel GMA 900 core built into the northbridge of this chipset is responsible for graphics output. But, despite the use of the same video accelerator, the Eee PC 900 shows in practice a higher speed with graphics due to the increased frequency of the system memory, which is used by this graphics core and as video memory. This, given higher resolution Eee PC 900 screen could not have come at a better time.

However, expect from the built-in graphics core four-year-old performance acceptable by modern standards is clearly useless. Its power is only enough to run old games that do not require a 3D accelerator, the list of which is, nevertheless, very impressive. The main advantage of the GMA 900 in this implementation is the ability to connect external monitors with a resolution of up to 1600x1200 to the Eee PC 900 (however, the laptop’s video output is unlikely to be able to provide clear images at resolutions higher than 1280x1024).

The south bridge of the chipset is ICH6-M. Its IDE controller is connected to two SSD drives, with a capacity of 4 and either 8 or 16 GB. It should be noted that the first of them is physically soldered on the motherboard, and the second is made in the form of a daughter board with a Mini PCI-E interface and can be replaced. It is due to this that ASUS offers modifications of the Eee PC 900 with a second disk of different sizes (depending on the preinstalled operating system). Access to the SSD card, which acts as a second disk, is possible through a hatch on the bottom surface of the case.

In this compartment, in addition to the SSD connector, there is also a SODIMM slot with a memory module installed in it, which can also be replaced with a more capacious one. Please note that despite the fact that the i910GML chipset supports dual-channel memory mode, the Eee PC 900 only has one SODIMM slot. Therefore, the memory in a laptop will in any case only work in single-channel mode.

The rest of the hardware is of little interest; it does not differ from the contents of the Eee PC 701. This, unfortunately, means that the new product inherited from its predecessor another significant drawback- absence Bluetooth support. Thus, the connection of this modification of the Asus ultra-portable computer with cell phones and many other devices without a separate USB key is impossible. The initial support for this wireless interface implemented only in Eee PC 901 and newer models.

The Eee PC 900 sold in Russia has one more flaw that is simply impossible to ignore. Most of these subnotebooks, like the one we received for testing, are shipped to our country with the weakest battery of all. possible options: with a capacity of 4400 mAh.

And if for the Eee PC 701 such a battery will still allow it to work for more than two hours, then the newer and more productive modification with a large screen loses a lot in autonomy because of it. And although the supply of Eee PCs with such defective batteries is a forced measure, due to the consequences of a fire at the LG Chem plant, which produces batteries for ASUS Eee PC under an OEM contract, this does not in any way justify ASUS. Not only are laptops with the worst batteries supplied precisely to our market, but also this unfortunate fact is not reflected in any way on the packaging, while on the company’s official website data on battery capacity and battery life are bashfully omitted.

Testing

We received it for testing ASUS model Eee PC 900 equipped with a 16 GB hard drive. This means that the Xandros operating system (a Linux clone) was pre-installed on this subnotebook. This fact should not frighten potential Eee PC buyers at all, since this system has a convenient graphical interface and is already equipped with about forty applications, including the OpenOffice office suite, the Firefox browser, a media player, and more. In addition, there are a lot of programs that can be installed additionally. Applications are sorted into groups “Internet”, “Work”, “Learn”, “Play”, “Settings” and “Favorites”, marked with yard-sized icons that appear on the screen immediately after turning on the Eee PC. As a result, the pre-installed Xandros gives the impression that this system is even easier to learn inexperienced users than the Microsoft products familiar to most.

To test the Eee PC 900, we installed the Windows XP operating system on this ultra-portable computer. It's almost certain that most Eee PC owners will do the same. Moreover, contrary to popular belief, on the laptop in question, Windows XP runs no slower than Xandros, and if you spend some time optimizing Windows XP, you can even achieve a noticeably more responsive response from this operating system to user actions.

In our previous material on the Eee PC 701, we established that the performance of this machine is quite sufficient for typical tasks: working in office suites, Internet surfing, video conferencing, watching videos, and so on. Now let's take a look at the specific numbers. To evaluate the speed of the Eee PC 900, we used the popular Futuremark PCMark05 test. Performance evaluation was carried out in two modes: productive, when the processor and memory operate at full frequency, and in energy saving mode, with lower frequencies. Let us remind you that the latter turns on automatically when the ASUS Eee PC 900 switches to battery power. By the way, in this state its performance is practically no different from the performance of the Eee PC 701, which uses processor and memory frequencies reduced to the same values ​​in normal mode.

The results obtained show that the Eee PC 900 is a fairly balanced system, with a clear failure in terms of graphics performance. However, many older 3D applications will be able to run on this laptop, as evidenced by the results of 3DMark2001 SE and 3DMark03. We tested the Eee PC 900 at its native resolution, 1024x600, so next to the data obtained in the tests are shown similar indicators produced by the EeePC 701, using a resolution of 800x480.

In performance mode, the EeePC 900 outperforms its predecessor, despite the increased screen resolution. Thus, we can say that the EeePC 900 has become not only more convenient than the EeePC 701, but also faster in all respects thanks to the increased frequency of the memory and processor.

It should be noted that the speed of the first SSD (with a capacity of 4 GB) has also increased in the new subnotebook, which was achieved by changing the controller that serves the flash memory chips. This is clearly visible in tests, for example, in HD Tune.

At the same time, the second, 16 GB drive, unfortunately, has slightly worse practical characteristics.

During the tests, we again encountered quite strong heating of the EeePC 900 case. The fact is that, as in the previous model, the heat generated by the processor and chipset components is dissipated by an aluminum plate located under the keyboard. To further create air flow inside the subnotebook, a small centrifugal fan is used, which has an exhaust on the left side of the case. However, the surface of the keyboard and touchpad may become hotter than 40°C during operation. The remaining parts of the case, when the laptop is working intensively from the network, have a temperature of about 35-37 degrees. As for internal temperature Eee PC 900, then, if you believe the readings of the built-in sensor, it does not exceed 71 degrees, much of which is due to the timely activation of the fan.

And finally, the most interesting thing is the measurement of battery life. We performed these tests at maximum screen brightness. The built-in webcam and wireless network adapter were disabled during tests. For testing, we used the BatteryEater program, which simulates two typical scenarios: standard loading and text reading. To these two tests we added a third one, during which we measured the battery life of the Eee PC while watching DivX video recorded on the built-in SSD.

Oddly enough, the Eee PC 900 turns out to be able to work on a standard 4400 mAh battery for deliveries to Russia for significantly more than two hours. To be honest, we did not expect such results, especially in light of the fact that the first tests of this modification of the subnotebook revealed much lower battery life. However, ASUS engineers have done a great job and significantly improved the netbook's battery life with simple BIOS updates. Thus, it was the new firmware versions that began to reset the FSB frequency by 30% when switching to battery power, and in addition, the algorithms for determining the battery state were adjusted. As a result, the battery life of the 900th Eee PC model has increased to values ​​that can no longer be called deplorable, although they are still insufficient for a full-fledged ultra-portable solution.

However, the main problem with running the Eee PC 900 on battery power is not the insufficient battery life. Much worse, in this mode the laptop behaves completely unpredictably, reporting strange and misleading information about the remaining battery charge. For example, below is a graph of battery discharge based on the information reported by the laptop when viewing a DivX video file.

As you can see from the graph, more than half of the time the battery shows 20 percent charge remaining. But despite this, it continues to work properly until it turns off without additional warning. This battery behavior is unforgivable even for an inexpensive mobile device, since user misinformation can easily result in the loss of vital information. That's why the battery of the Eee PC 900 greatly spoils the impression of this, in general, good product. Batteries of higher capacity, although found on sale separately from the Eee PC, are sadly rare.

conclusions

The first representative of the Eee PC line, equipped with another seven-inch screen, which we reviewed a couple of months ago, left behind many positive impressions. The inexpensive ultra-portable computer won favor with the idea itself, forcing one to turn a blind eye to the not-so-successful details. This is precisely what determines the abundance of positive reviews about the Eee PC 701, even reasoned objections to which hopelessly drown among the general rejoicing of fans of ASUS subnotebooks. However, we must remind you that the ASUS Eee PC 701 was far from perfect: in our review we made quite a few complaints about it. And in this sense, the new model, the Eee PC 900, is of great interest, since it is an update of the previous model, correcting many of the unpleasant shortcomings of its predecessor.

It is obvious that the manufacturer assigned the Eee PC 701 the role of a kind of pilot product, the main role of which was to test the waters for creating a new market niche - inexpensive low-power ultra-portable laptops. And that model coped with this role perfectly. It not only gained unprecedented popularity, but also became a role model for many other manufacturers who began to copy the Eee PC and try to develop this direction in their own way.

However, ASUS developers drew other conclusions from the popularity of the first Eee PC model. As practice has shown, low cost is not a very important characteristic for this breed of laptop. After all, initially the price of laptops with a seven-inch screen should not have exceeded $200, but as a result it ended up being between 300 and 400 (currently in Moscow retail – about 9.5 thousand rubles). However, this did not prevent the subnotebook from becoming a bestseller. Therefore, ASUS quickly realized that there was no point in worrying too much about the price, and there was no need to sacrifice functionality too much for the sake of a favorable price - the price gap between the Eee PC and regular “full-fledged” subnotebooks would in any case remain large enough to attract a buyer.

This is precisely the marketing soil that lay under new model Eee PC 900. As a result, the developers made it what, in their opinion, a computer of this class should be. And the fact that the price of this ultra-portable computer has risen to $550 ( about 14 thousand rubles in Moscow retail) - this is, excuse me, a side effect. But the new option certainly cannot be called a victim of compromises.

As a result, the Eee PC 900 retains all the positive qualities of the model with a seven-inch screen: first of all, its compact size and low weight. In addition to this, the Eee PC 900 has become more productive due to an increase in processor frequency and RAM capacity, and is more convenient thanks to a new 9-inch screen. The matrix resolution is now 1024x600, which allows you to finally comfortably visit websites and work without problems in the Windows XP operating system. The added disk space turned out to be very useful, allowing you to install on the laptop not only an uncut operating system, but also a complete set necessary applications along with all the necessary data. It is impossible not to note another huge advantage of the new modification - the touchpad, which now supports two-finger gestures, thanks to which it is not an attempt to replace a traditional mouse, but a fully-fledged navigation tool.

However, the new 900th model still hasn’t solved all the problems of the Eee PC. The laptop remains deprived of the support necessary for an ultra-portable device Bluetooth technology. Its keyboard, with its layout and quality of execution, causes more complaints than positive emotions. And it’s hard to call the standard battery with a capacity of 4400 mAh other than a mockery of the user. The Eee PC 900 is not only depressing because of its low battery life for ultra-mobile devices in “heavy” modes, but it is also frightening because the battery charge end time is completely unpredictable, since the standard diagnostic tools are simply misleading.

So ASUS has room to improve the Eee PC. There is also some freedom for this company's competitors, who can still bypass the founder of a new class of mobile products, as they say, “at the turn.” In addition to addressing the above shortcomings, we would be happy if the Eee PC gained support for e.g. touch screen. Well, we don’t need to mention that we are looking forward to the opportunity to try netbooks based on the new Intel Atom processor in practice.

In other words, the appearance of the ASUS Eee PC 900 does not put an end to it yet, so we continue to closely monitor the development of this concept and will soon introduce you to new similar solutions offered by both ASUS and its competitors.

Check availability and cost of ASUS Eee PC 900

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On the eve of netbooks: review of the ASUS Eee PC 4G laptop

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.

The Psion netBook manages to balance core functionality with small size 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 MacBook companies 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. What's surprising is the good travel of each key and the feedback after each press, which ensures that your 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 touchpad scrolling documents will likely be disappointed to learn that the Eee PC 900's touchpad does not support this feature. But don't despair, because the manufacturer has come up with a much better 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. The Intel Celeron 900 MHz and the motherboard based 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 price difference 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 Linux operating 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 Like Microsoft Office, there's nothing you can't do with 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, 1GB of RAM is enough for a well-configured Linux build, and the fast SSD 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 one is called "Internet" and contains icons related to Internet access. World Wide Web. Among them is an email shortcut that opens a page with various icons for email 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 through all folders.

The Education tab is clearly aimed at the education sector, which is a large part of the Eee PC market. Here are games and software that can help you improve your vocabulary, spelling, and even math skills. There is also a basic graphics application called Paint, which is similar to the program of the same name in Windows, and the “Science” shortcut will provide access to periodic table and a 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 all 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 an 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. There is a third one on the left USB port 2.0. 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 pre-installed application Skype. Of course, there is a microphone built into the cover, but a headset is always the better choice. The last port on the left is the Ethernet connector for the 10/100 network adapter. It is worth noting that the 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 wireless communication turned on. 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. The Asus Eee PC 900 has a universal charger and is 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. The additional RAM and internal memory were a welcome change and allowed the Eee PC to be a real alternative to full-fledged laptops.

Despite the significant price increase, Asus's small, light and affordable netbook is still a bargain.