Review Asus Eee PC 1016P

When people think of netbooks, something very much like the 1016P is what they imagine. Asus has taken the concept of netbooks and produced a product that gets as close to what people imagine as possible. This netbook is small but usable, not too heavy, and features a long battery life. Asus once again sets the netbook standard with this device. Most of the innovations in the world of netbooks come from Asus; they practically pioneered these lightweight, compact, portable computers from their inception.

In that light, it's not surprising how versatile the Asus 1016P is.Since the advent of netbooks, Asus has been the standard bearer.

Design

The purpose of a netbook is to give you mobile computing power. A nifty little feature is the slide switch above the camera which closes and opens a shutter over the lens. While netbook keyboards tend to be more cramped than those of laptops, this is the smallest keyboard we saw. The smaller keyboard on the 1016P may be difficult for some people to use. However, with a display resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, the 1016P seems to have fallen behind the pack a bit.

At 81 pounds, this netbook is the lightest among our lineup of products. As far as dimensions go, this little netbook is one of the smallest we looked at. Of course, nobody would want to carry a heavy netbook around, and Asus understands that very well. Many new netbooks have HD-quality screens at 1366 x 7 The lack of HD is a bit of a problem.Looking forward, it probably won't be too long before HD is the standard resolution not only in netbooks, but in many other viewing devices.

The chiclet keyboard is visually appealing, despite the fact that it is only 92 percent of a standard-sized keyboard. Asus should be planning ahead.The 1016P has a 3MP camera for video conferencing.This can be very useful for people on the move. If you're used to concave keys, the flat keys of the chiclet keyboard may take some getting used to. The 1016P is only 3 x 7 x 93 inches. The arrow keys in particular are rather small. This netbook can provide you with so much more than word-processing on the go. The 1016P is exceptionally light. The 1016P is ultra portable and can easily fit into most backpacks, travel bags and even some purses.In order to be one of the smallest and lightest netbooks, sacrifices had to be made somewhere. If you need to attend a web conference, you can do it while sitting at your favorite cafe. While a 3MP camera is not the best on the market, it is certainly enough to do the job.

User Interface Features

One of the best things about the 1016P is the USB 0 port that comes standard.

Windows 7 is an overall pleasant experience. USB 0 is quickly becoming a standard and you don't want to be left without it. USB 0 is the latest and greatest.Well, Windows 7 is much prettier and more user-friendly than Vista (thank goodness), and such an attractive, powerful interface requires significantly more memory. Windows 7 improved on its predecessors in many ways.Overall, the processor does a good job. If you weren't already aware, there are different versions of USB ports.Ideally, the 1016P would use a dual-core processor that uses the same amount of power as a single-core processor. Intel Atom processors are the dominant force in the netbook world.The 1016P employs the processing power of the Intel Atom N4 The N455 is a single-core processor and the model in this netbook clocks in at 66 GHz.Asus made a smart compromise with the N4 This netbook is by no means under-powered and still has an amazing battery life. Most current netbook models use Windows 7, and the 1016P is no exception. But we don't really live in a world where ideal gets its way all the time. In fact, USB 0 can be up to 10 times as fast as version That means files transferred from a 0 capable device to the 1016P's 0 port require much less time.While only a single-core processor, the N455 provides this netbook with enough juice to make everything run smoothly.

You will need 1GB of RAM just to satisfy Windows 7's needs.It is easy to use, yet powerful.What, you may ask, does Windows 7 need all that RAM for?One thing you will need to know is that Windows 7 requires more memory (RAM) than any of its previous iterations.

Memory/Battery Life

But if the battery provides just enough juice for the processor's needs, then we get optimal performance and battery life.The Super Hybrid Engine does just that. If the processor is given too much juice from the battery, the battery will run out much quicker. Asus did everything they could to get the battery to last as long as possible. The netbook was built around the battery life.

Most current netbooks boast a 250GB hard drive, and the 1016P follows this trend.In fact, Asus developed a new technology to help out. That means if you buy a 1016P, you'll be able to save files to the Asus online cloud. Netbooks are meant to be super portable, and that means having a battery that lasts as long as you need it to.As mentioned earlier, the compromise between a single-core processor instead of a dual-core processor certainly extended the battery life. How did Asus manage to get so much out the 1016P's battery?Essentially, it's like watering a plant. While 1GB isn't necessarily a lot, many current netbooks have stuck with it. How many files?This means that when the netbook is idling (not doing anything), the processor doesn't run at 66 GHz; It doesn't need to. For example, your system might get choppy if you're trying to watch a DVD at the same time an image editing program is running in the background. That's bound to be enough for most people.It monitors the watering of the plant, so to speak. However, it has plenty of memory for browsing the internet, using a word processor, playing music and almost anything else you want to use it for. But that's not all (to quote every infomercial since time immemorial) Asus also offers one year of complimentary cloud storage. It's enough memory to run a few programs simultaneously, as long as you aren't running multiple resource-intensive programs at once. The 1016P has the requisite 1GB of RAM, which gives you enough memory to do pretty much anything you would want to do on a netbook. At a projected 13 hours, the 1016P has the longest-lasting battery of all the netbooks we looked at, by a long shot. For many users the most important thing about a netbook may be how long its battery will last. In this regard, the 1016P outstrips the competition. So, in total, you will have 750GB of storage space.

As it turns out, up to 500GB worth of files.The Super Hybrid Engine adjusts your power settings to control the flow of juice to the processor. Without enough water, the plant will die, but too much water can have detrimental effects too.
Summary

This is a netbook worth your time and consideration. While there can be room for improvement in the display and processor department (namely, an HD display and a dual-core processor), there will be no complaints from us because the battery life is astonishing.

Compact size, light weight and extreme battery life all make this a super portable netbook.

The Asus 1016P fits the description of the ideal netbook better than any of the other netbooks we looked at.

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Review Asus Eee PC 1215N

However, the 1215N's performance comes at a price: the battery doesn't last nearly as long as its lighter counterpart. The 1215N features the Nvidia Ion graphics card and Nvidia's Optimus technology. As far as power and versatility go, the 1215N is arguably the better netbook. The Asus Eee PC 1215N is a powerful little netbook.

In many regards, it is similar to the 1015PED. These Nvidia products provide most of the punch behind the 1215N's multimedia capabilities, but the dual core 8 GHz processor doesn't hurt either.

Design

The 1215N's 1-inch screen takes full advantage of all of those pixels, creating a pleasing image and allowing more content to be displayed on-screen at one time than with lower resolutions.

HD displays are becoming more popular in netbooks, but are not yet fully incorporated into the market. This netbook sports a high-definition display that boasts 1366 x 768 pixels.

User Interface Features

All of this is fine if you do most things on your computer in a web browser.The 1215N comes with Windows 7 Home Premium.

With the Home Premium version, you'll be able to upgrade the amount of memory in your netbook and the option to improve your experience is there if you want to spend a little more money. The upgrades can blur the line between netbook performance and laptop performance.

Many netbooks are packaged with the Starter version of Windows 7, which lacks most of the nicer features of Windows 7 that depend on Aero. The starter pack also has a 2GB limit for memory.

Memory/Battery Life

While the battery life of this netbook is somewhat shorter than the rest of the products on our lineup, the components the battery powers make it a worthy trade.The size and HD quality picture of the display can certainly put a strain on battery life, but if you want an exceptional experience, less battery life may be worth it.

The powerful 8 GHz dual-core processor and the stock 2GB of RAM make this one of the best-performing netbooks we looked at. The 1-inch display is also the largest of any netbook in our lineup.

Summary

The 1215N is a netbook with some force behind its name. The size and performance of this netbook rival those of small laptops in some cases, but its light weight and substantial battery life place it snugly into the netbook category.

If you need a mobile platform, yet feel that most netbooks don't provide enough punch in the hardware department, the Asus Eee PC 1215N may be just the right netbook for you.

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Review Acer Aspire One AO722-0022

Where some netbooks brands focus on long battery life, Acer strives to bring good processing power, along with decent battery life and portability. Acer is a strong contender in the netbook world.

The Acer Aspire One AO722-0022 is a powerful netbook.If you want the portability of a netbook but aren't willing to sacrifice performance, the AO722 may be just the netbook you are looking for.

It has a small enough form factor to be considered a netbook, but some of its hardware resembles that of full-sized laptops.

Design

While this netbook may be on the heavier side compared to other machines in our lineup, it makes up for the weight with performance. In fact, we were impressed that Acer was able to stuff so much hardware into this netbook without pushing it into the laptop weight category. We were happy to see that the AO722 sports a bright and clear 1366 x 768 pixel display. Whether you're playing games, watching a video or simply surfing the web, an HD display will make your experience more enjoyable.

With more pixels on the screen, you can view more information at a time while browsing, or see more details in videos and games. This netbook's 6-inch screen takes full advantage of its HD capabilities. High definition is the standard for computer displays.

User Interface Features

Thankfully, this Acer netbook can take advantage of Home Premium's better offerings. If you want it to perform the best it can, you'll want the Home or Professional versions. This Acer netbook ships with the Home Premium version of Windows If you're not sure whether you need Windows 7 Starter Edition, Home Edition or Professional Edition, think about what you want your netbook to do. The Starter Edition of Windows 7 only supports up to 2GB of RAM.

Actually, since this model of the AO722 comes with 4GB of RAM, you will need Windows 7 Home to take full advantage of it.

Memory/Battery Life

The only downside to the AO722 is its comparatively short battery life. Most netbook users will likely find the hardware on this sleek Acer more than enough for their needs.Add to the RAM a 1GHz dual-core processor and you get a netbook that takes its business seriously. There are not many netbooks that can boast 4GB of RAM. This netbook is meant to perform. At only seven hours, it shares the spot for the shortest battery life in our netbook lineup. As if a powerful processor and a significant amount of RAM weren't enough, this netbook also comes with a 500GB hard drive.

Most netbooks feature hard drives only half that size.This netbook uses an amount of RAM that is quite astonishing in a netbook.

Summary

The Acer Aspire One AO722-0022 is a largely successful attempt to marry performance and portability. With a strong processor, an ample amount of RAM, a large hard drive and sleek looks going for it, you may be hard pressed to deny the AO7 Instead of focusing on portability only, it appears that Acer did its best to create a netbook that can outperform the competition while maintaining a compact form factor.

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Review Asus Eee PC 1015PX-PU17-BK

To see side by side comparisons and objective reviews of other products in this category, check out our netbooks review site.

Netbooks tend to be about the same size and have more or less the same look.The price for a computer this competent is a bargain. Asus practically invented the category of netbook computers; nonetheless, others have followed so closely that it can now be difficult to tell one from another. The 1015PX, however, is one of the first to be released with the Intel Atom N570 processor, which is a notable step up from previous Atoms. The Asus Eee PC 1015PX is a powerful netbook that pays homage to Asus's rich history in netbooks.

Even prices don't vary dramatically, especially with the advent of the cell phone providers subsidizing prices for many basic models.

Design

As with any netbook, extreme portability is a major factor and at 1 inches wide, we're talking about something that is small. We found that the touchpad took a little bit of getting used to but it does feature multi-touch technology so functions like zooming in or out or rotating an image can be accomplished with gestures that have become familiar on well-known cell phones. Best advantage has been taken of the relatively limited keyboard real estate by utilizing tiny function keys, squashed up and down arrows and multi-function keys for numbers and some letters. The computer includes an integrated webcam and digital microphone to support video conferencing and video phone calls. For better audio there's also a standard 5mm headphone jack and stereo Bluetooth. That notwithstanding, the Asus Eee PC 1015PX really is a terrific, tiny computer. The 1024 x 600 pixel screen resolution is certainly adequate but could be crisper. Even with its diminutive size, the 1 inch display screen will suit most users and the keyboard, while small by desktop or full-sized laptop standards is still quite usable for most purposes. Unlike many other such devices, it sports a pair of stereo speakers which, though they certainly won't rock the house, are far better than expected. While all of those attributes are worthwhile, it sure seems like a waste of a potentially great acronym.The device supports high speed wireless networking with Wi-Fi b/g/n running on the 4GHz frequencies.

For the longest time, we were convinced that the Eee designation just had to stand for something significant some combination of electric, electronic, eclectic, esoteric, electromagnetic it really didn't matter what, it just seemed like it had to mean something worthy of the capable little computer.

Alas, we had to swallow our disappointment when we learned that the moniker came purely from the marketing guys and apparently is merely a combination of Easy to Learn, Easy to Work and Easy to Play.

User Interface Features

The computer comes standard with a generally adequate 1GB of RAM and 250GB of hard drive space. The most critical workings of the Asus Eee PC 1015PX are centered around the improved power that's provided by the 66 GHz Intel Atom N570 processor.

Memory/Battery Life

Additionally, Asus offers a unique hybrid storage system with their WebStorage feature. Storage is provided by a 250GB hard drive, which is the netbook standard. It's a 6-cell Lithium Ion unit that the manufacturer rates at a pretty impressive 11 hours.The battery for this little powerhouse is a real standout.

The engine allows the user to select a faster processor speed for greater performance or to prolong battery life by conserving speed. The efficiency of the Intel N570 processor combined with the Asus Super Hybrid Engine is a major contributing factor to the standout battery life.

It provides 500GB of online data storage at no cost for the first year.

Summary

In the world of netbook computing, there is often not much separating one device from another. Such is not the case with the Asus Eee PC 1015PX, which distinguishes itself in a number of ways.

The exceptional battery is likely the single best reason to choose this netbook but all in all it offers a good deal.

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Review Asus Eee PC 1001PXD

If you are a heavy multitasker, you might become frustrated with this netbook.

The 1001PXD is part of Asus' line of "seashell" netbooks. It seems Asus has a knack for making netbooks. According to the Asus website, the frame and form factor of these netbooks were inspired by seashells. The Asus Eee PC 1001PXD is evidence of that knack. While the 1001PXD certainly looks nice, there isn't a lot of power under the hood. The 1001PXD is a stylish netbook that delivers the extended battery life expected of netbooks, but just barely squeaks by with the hardware specifications.

Design

This netbook, unfortunately, does not follow that trend and retains the old netbook standard of 1024 x 600 pixels.

Is it worth the trade-off?If you aren't used to small keyboards, the 1001PXD will certainly take some getting used to.This enables the netbook to continue running longer.

The 1001PXD has a keyboard that is 95 percent of the size of standard keyboards. Lower resolution means less power consumption. The trend in netbooks is to push the pixel count up to 1366 x 768, into the high-definition range. Lower resolutions don't look as nice, but there is something to be said for them. That's entirely up to you. Some people feel like their hands are cramped even on full-sized keyboards. Small keyboards can quickly become problematic if you have hands that are any bigger than a chipmunk's. Jesting aside, small keyboards do tend to feel cramped and can cause you to commit a fair amount of typos through simply hitting two or three keys at once.

User Interface Features

This is not really much of a concern for most netbook users. The important differences between them pertain to what your hardware and software is capable of.Windows 7 Starter limits your computer to 2GB of RAM. Windows 7 Starter also disables access to any of the Aero features in Windows This means that nifty features like the see-through borders on windows are disabled. The 1001PXD ships with the Windows 7 Starter.

If you're wondering what the difference is between the Starter and Home versions of Windows 7, you're probably not alone.

Memory/Battery Life

Windows 7 requires a minimum of 1GB of RAM.This means that most, if not all, of the 1001PXD's RAM will be allocated to running Windows The Intel Atom 455 processor can help alleviate the stress on the RAM, but they do two different jobs. With only 1GB of RAM, the 1001PXD can feel bogged down if you try to do too many things. While a 66 GHz processor is enough to run applications one at a time, or maybe two at a time, real multitasking might bog the netbook down.

Summary

The 1001PXD is a pretty netbook that simply can't deliver satisfactory performance.

You won't have to worry about plugging in to do your homework. With nine hours of battery life, the 1001PXD is very portable. However, you may become frustrated with the hardware limitations of the Asus Eee PC 1001PXD.

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Review HP Mini 5103

Not because they aren't pretty or don't perform well, but because they don't have any outstanding specifications to draw your attention. The HP mini 5103 is a lightweight, small and capable netbook.

While there are some flaws, this product has nothing to be ashamed of.Netbook users are likely to swoon over the 5103's form factor and will be elated to hear about the impressive battery life. The 5103's biggest shortcoming is that it doesn't stand out in any particular area. In a competitive market like netbooks, products like the 5103 can be overlooked. The 5103 is, however, a product worth consideration.

Design

The 5103 weighs less than 3 pounds. With most netbooks trending towards high-definition displays, it is unfortunate to see that the 5103 has not adopted a higher-resolution display. The 5103 is one of the smaller netbooks in our lineup.This can be very important for multitaskers. That just doesn't make sense. While this may not be a big deal for some people, we feel strongly that higher resolutions are better. That's light enough that you won't notice much of a difference if you place it in your backpack. Imagine trying to carry around a netbook that weighs as much as a couple of textbooks. If you have a higher resolution, you can fit more information on the screen at a time than you can with lower resolutions.

Due to their nature, netbooks should be ultra portable.With only 1024 x 600 pixels, the 5103's display is not considered HD.

User Interface Features

As with many current netbooks, the 5103 uses the Intel Atom N455 processor. However, the N455 is not a dual-core processor and multitaskers may become frustrated with the processor's limitations. The N455 conserves power as much as possible, which translates directly into longer battery life. This processor excels at providing enough processing power to get the job done without using excessive amounts of power.

Memory/Battery Life

The 5103's hard drive gives you enough space to save and store any important documents or pictures.

While that isn't the longest advertised battery life in our netbook lineup, it is certainly impressive. The 5103, however, claims a 25-hour battery life. Some people may think that 250GB isn't enough, but if you're going to fill a hard drive of that size, you probably don't want a netbook anyway.

The 5103 also sports the netbook standard 250GB hard drive. Many netbooks boast of a seven- or eight-hour battery life, and that's a good amount of time to work, play or surf the internet.

Summary

It can be difficult to decide which netbook to get because there are so many options.

The small size and lightweight design enable you to take the HP mini 5103 wherever you want it to go.Even though some netbooks may have a longer battery life, or a better processor, there aren't many netbooks that will give you a strong and consistent experience like the 51 With this netbook you can do what you want to, when you want to and where you want to.

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Review Acer Aspire One AOD257 - 13685

Despite some flaws, the Acer Aspire One AOD257 - 13685 is a good choice for those who want a portable computer that can travel pretty much anywhere.In the world of netbooks, smaller is usually better; however, some things are never better in smaller form.

The Acer Aspire One AOD257 - 13685 is a well-made netbook that will appeal mostly to those who want a very lightweight computing option. Acer produces some really good products. A small keyboard and a single-core processor are some limitations of this netbook.

Design

This means that if you have large hands, you might feel constricted. The display on the Acer Aspire One AOD257 - 13685 is 1 inches, measured diagonally. While most netbook keyboards feel cramped, the Acer Aspire One AOD257 - 13685's keyboard is 92 percent of the size of a standard laptop keyboard. We were disappointed to see that the maximum resolution is 1024 x 6 Many netbooks are moving on to HD displays. Another side effect of small keyboards is the increased chance of typos.

At 6 pounds, it is the lightest netbook we reviewed.

Even correcting typos can create more of them.Unfortunately, it is not high definition. What's worse is that when you hit the backspace key, you're almost as likely to press another key at the same time. There is some close competition, but the Acer Aspire One AOD257 - 13685 is arguably the most portable netbook in our lineup. The small keyboard aside, the Acer Aspire One AOD257 - 13685 features a great form factor. If that's all we looked at, the 257 would be in the number one position. When the keys are close to each other, it's easy to mash two or three of them instead of the one that you want.

User Interface Features

If you want something with a little more processing power, you're probably going to get less battery life. However, if you are a heavy multitasker, you might notice a lag in performance.

The processor clocks in at 66 GHz, which provides you with enough to handle most tasks that netbook users care about. Ultimately, you have to decide if extended battery life or performance is more important to you. The Intel Atom N455 is the preferred processor for many netbooks because of its low power consumption.

Memory/Battery Life

Because there is only 1GB of RAM, the power consumption is reduced, which grants the 257 a battery life of eight hours. With only 1GB of RAM, the Acer Aspire One AOD257 - 13685 may have some performance issues if you try to do too many things at one time. Due to this netbook's portability, you can take those important documents with you wherever you go.The 250GB hard drive gives you enough space to store important documents.

Eight hours is a long time and will probably satisfy most netbook users.

Summary

But be aware that if you want to multitask, there might be some performance issues. The small form factor and sleek design won't disappoint you.

While the Acer Aspire One AOD257 - 13685 may not be the best-performing netbook in our lineup, it certainly is the most portable. If you want a portable computer that is lighter than most, look no further.

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