 Elegant little travel companion |
| Review Date: February 12, 2010 |
| Reviewer: D. Bacon, |
The overall build of this netbook feels very solid and keyboard is firm, no flex. I love this keyboard, touch typing is no problem. This is a very personal preference though; you should try out the keyboard on any netbook before you buy it.
Cover and palm rests have textured finish that hides fingerprints. My husband asked, "Is that carbon fiber?", and thought it looked cool. The textured surface also provides a better grip than a shiny surface.
The Synaptics trackpad works great. Two-finger scrolling works smoothly, which is good because the up/down keys on the keyboard are pretty small. I don't use the trackpad rocker button very much, I just use tap gestures to simulate the left and right button clicks.
I'm really glad I went for the matte non-glare screen. It is easier to read in less-than-ideal lighting conditions while traveling. The 10.1" screen is clear and sharp, and easy to read at 1024x600, no squinting. The screen swings back and down when open, so that it sits low; it's good to have a low profile when working on an airplane tray.
Windows 7 starter edition ran without lagging, but I can live without all the extras provided by Asus. So, having an extra upgrade license handy, I promptly did a clean install of Windows 7 Home Premium on the C: partition, leaving the D: data partition, the ExpressGate partition, and the restore partition intact. I was able to download all necessary drivers and utilities from the Asus support website. Windows 7 Home Premium runs amazingly well with only 1 GB of ram! I'm going to wait and see if I really want to upgrade to 2 GB.
I was concerned that the wireless card was only 802.11g, and not 802.11n, but I really don't notice any difference when surfing the web. I was also concerned that the webcam was only 0.3 megapixel (640x480), but it looks fine and works well with Skype, as does the built-in microphone.
I agree with others that the connector on the A/C adapter is very thin, but it seems strong enough. I'd rather have the pin on the A/C adapter break (which I can replace for a few bucks) than the power receptacle on the motherboard.
When I'm working from home via VPN and Remote Desktop, I like to connect my netbook to an external monitor, keyboard and mouse, and wired ethernet. The EEE PC 1001p had no trouble with the 1280x1024 resolution on my monitor. The wired ethernet and USB keyboard work fine. Logitech doesn't provide a Windows 7 driver for my old bluetooth mouse, but I just put the netbook bluetooth into discovery mode and it found my mouse with no problem. Windows 7 had the bluetooth mouse drivers I needed built in.
I inserted a 256 MB SD card into the memory card slot and it was recognized instantly. I'm trying out the Windows Ready-Boost feature with this SD card, but since most of the things I do are not memory intensive (surfing the web, remote desktop, VNC), and it's a fairly small memory card, I haven't noticed much of a difference.
It would have been nice if Asus had included a neoprene slipcase for this netbook. I recommend the Case Logic VLS-110 Sleeve for 7-Inch to 10-Inch Netbooks.
The 1001p has everything I wanted in a netbook: good performance, a reasonable weight, nice screen and keyboard, slick design, and a great price.
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Excellent Quality! Surprising Features.
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| Review Date: January 26, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Ron Gonzalez, Boston |
I was absolutely surprised by how well fabricated this little netbook is.
The Quality is excellent, the keyboard, takes almost zero getting used to from a full size keyboard. I am typing this review from the unit itself, and I can type to 95% full speed.
Most surprising in order:
1. Speed! I wouldnt have imagined with a gig of ram and an N450 ATOM that windows 7 would run this fast. My wireless downloads come in as fast as my athlon multicore desktop. IE launches quickly, as well as other applications. Windows 7 Starter runs superbly. I don't imagine that a CAD CAM or any heavy duty graphical app will run fast on this at all but this is a netbook, and it is surprisingly snappy.
2. Component Quality: I was so happy to find that the touchpad is a synaptics brand touchpad, everyone knows that the synaptics touchpad is the best and the driver software allows you all the advanced touchpad features.
3. USB Ports: I can hookup a Smart Card Reader, a USB Logic Analyzer, and a 4gb Sandisk cruzer all at the same time. I imagine that if you owned a bluetooth mouse or a bluetooth smart phone you can also get that up and running simultaneously.
Overall, an amazingly capable netbook.
One more thing, the aesthetics were just what I was expecting, it is a sharp looking netbook.
Good Job asus, 5/5! |
5 Star Performance, but 4 Star Rating due to Lack of User Upgrade Options
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| Review Date: March 10, 2010 |
| Reviewer: A reader, Berkeley, CA |
3/18/10 Edit:
This 1001p with the 250gb hard drive just got an "Editor's Choice" award from the Anandtech technology review blog - you can read the review here by substituting the usual . for DOT:
[...]
Anandtech echoes my concern that it is tough to upgrade anything on this Asus 1001p beyond memory (which is ridiculously easy to do), but they like everything else so much that I have upgraded my original review by one star (4 star to 5 star). Lest you think I am slavishly following Anantech's reviewer's lead, please note that Anandtech had the technical resources to check performance of the LCD monitor screen and run a host of benchmarks and the LCD screen performance simply blows away everything else out there while the benchmarks are mostly BETTER than the more expensive ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005PE-MU17-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook (Up to 11 Hours of Battery Life) - the contrast ratio on the 1001p LCD panel is superb (and it's the preferred matte finish). The one caveat is that their reviewer believes ASUS artificially throttles back the maximum screen brightness to save battery life - something I agree with. (There used to be a utility program to "uncork" the screen brightness on Asus netbooks, so at some point we may be able to regain the brightness.) I haven't had any problem with the current factory brightness level in a brightly lighted office, however.
Anandtech also praises the rigidity and quality of the construction of this Asus 1001p.
GIVEN THE DIFFICULTY IN UPGRADING THE HARD DRIVE on this Asus 1001p, be sure to order THIS ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1001P-PU17-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook (Up to 11 Hours of Battery Life) version with the 250 gb hard drive if you have a large music and/or video collection you want to haul around with you (the bargain priced 160 gb edition is plenty for almost all other purposes, however, if you are on a tight budget, and keep in mind it's not impossible to upgrade the hard drive, just harder than on some other netbooks like HP and Acer).
IF 48OP FULL-SCREEN HULU PLAYBACK IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, wait a few months more for some Asus edition with a Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator card or, better yet, with an Nvidia Ion 2 gpu (graphics chip processor) which should also have an HDMI out (this one doesn't) if you want to try driving your HDTV via a netbook.
The edition under review WILL play Hulu "in browser screen" at 360p resolution, which may be enough while you are on the road, and WILL play even 720p for DVD's you convert (via Handbrake and VLC, or in some cases via Windows Media Player or Quicktime). Also please note that Google and Apple are both pushing hard for HTML5 to be accepted as an alternative streaming video player to Flash, and I have, in fact, been able to run YouTube videos 480p fullscreen on this Asus by opting into the HTML5 beta test program at yahoo (youtubeDOTcom/html5).
Original review:
In some ways I like this netbook better than the HP Mini 210 which is my favorite, but the HP Mini 210 (and also the Acer ao532h) are much easier to upgrade.
Before you take this one star downgrade as a negative sufficient to scratch this netbook off your shopping list, PLEASE NOTE that a MEMORY upgrade is VERY simple since there IS a two-screw panel giving easy access to the 800 mhz memory module (you must use 800 mhz memory for an upgrade even though theoretically the N450 Atom processor in this and similar netbooks is supposed to run on 667 mhz memory - if you drop in 667 mhz memory it either won't run or you'll have buggy behavior - read one of the other reviews). This machine MAY require the 800 mhz memory to run in Super High Performance Mode accessible via Fn+spacebar, but I have not been able to confirm, details are hard to come by.
The overall performance, build, and quality of this netbook, are 5 star otherwise - the screen is sharp, glare free, has good contrast (Asus sometimes has the best contrast), and displays websites and videos with high quality. The keyboard is easy to use, but it requires a simultaneous Fn key press to access the common Page Up/Page Down commands. The top row function keys are a little hard to read. Skype worked fine with no speaker or microphone problems if you use the built-in speaker and microphone in "speakerphone" mode. Not too much bloatware. Easy to remove the "D" partition using the built-in tool in Win7 control panel.
GREAT PRICING - getting the upgraded Bluetooth/250gb "package" add less to the base $300 price than other makers. If you get the base $300 model, which is probably more than adequate for most users, you still get a good 6 cell battery unlike the HP Mini 210 which comes with a wimpy 3 cell. Do note, however, that I believe that Asus's unusually high battery life rating is based on their SHE (super hybrid engine) utility program which allows you to slow down the processor, which gives Asus an edge over other makers who merely dim the screen. Some online reviewers, notably at engadget, run battery tests and they are worth Googling if maximum battery life is essential for you. For me, 3-4 hours of full screen brightness, "Performance mode" watching videos (which is very power demanding) is plenty, and other than 3 cell netbooks all of them will deliver this much performance,
So why the 4 star rating? Two reasons. Except for memory, it's not easy to access the hard drive (to upgrade) or the PCI-e mini slot (to add a video accelerator). For that matter, since I can't get the back panel off, I'm not even sure there IS an open PCI-e mini slot - HP, Dell, Acer include one, but I know MSI often doesn't, and I haven't hear anything about Asus. If these types of do-it-yourself upgrades are important, stick with Acer or HP instead.
BTW, Asus has announced two models which will include the Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator card for stutter free 480p full screen video; Acer has announced a budget priced Ion2 video powered netbook (ao532g) which will do the same. So if high rez streaming video is a must, wait for one of those models in a month or two. (High rez converted video, played using Windows Media Player or VLC, is not a problem, and playing DVD's via an external drive is not a problem either, the new N450/GMA 3150 netbooks can do those easily - but you are limited to 480p in full screen mode due to screen resolution limitations).
Finally, toggle the SHE function (Fn + space bar) and run your Asus 1001p in Super High Performance mode for the best performance. It is noticeably zippier than other makers in this mode.
If you have any questions, please comment and I will answer if I can. |
Just what we wanted
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| Review Date: February 6, 2010 |
| Reviewer: JT, Fayetteville, AR |
We read lots of reviews online and looked at the specs for what was available, and we ultimately chose this brand and model for price and specs value.
We are casual users, mostly for office, photo, and some video. I've not installed any heavy software yet. I'm not a gamer.
We followed the instructions and had no problem getting it charged and up and running. I've only had to remove a little bloatware and found most of the features I need. So far, it looks like we made a good choice.
1. Like other reviewers, we think the keyboard is fine. And I have larger hands.
2. The web cam works and the quality is not fabulous, but satisfactory.
3. The splash top feature to circumvent the windows OS set up easily, though it didn't seem much of an advantage except signing on easily to the internet. I'll have to experiment more to see if it's faster or not.
4. The SD slot is a great feature, and I was able to play my mp4 videos with no change of settings. This is also in part due to having windows 7. I've had problems with video in Vista.
5. The fit and finish is great. I like the textured lid, subtle and hip. The keys, hinges, buttons, etc. are good.
6. The computer fit easily in the smaller of the 10.2 netbook cases we tried. We went with a simple Targus neoprene cover.
7. The mouse pad works nicely, smoothly.
8. I understand what people are saying about it feeling top heavy, like it wants to tilt back, but it is no issue on a flat surface.
9. We're very glad we got the new processor and larger harddrive.
Overall, it looks like a good purchase for us. The size, shape, weight, and features meet our needs.
Good luck finding the right one for you. |
Outstanding netbook
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| Review Date: February 9, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Jon P, California |
Despite having this netbook for a short amount of time, so far so good. It's a great netbook. Everything was expected. Perfect for college students like me who don't want the hassle of bringing huge laptops and want to work on school work while at school. I'll list the pros and cons here:
Pros
-No more glossy finish which means no more finger print problems
-Pretty lightweight and small being super portable
-Despite lacking features, the Windows 7 starter OS is not bad, the lacked features are not 100% required so I don't need to upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium anytime soon
-At full charge, I saw a maximum of 13 hours and 7 minutes but I don't think it actually lasted for that long, it seemed more like 8-9 hours, but depending on your power settings in the netbook
-ASUS was nice enough to provide a program so you can change the desktop background which Windows 7 Starter lacks on other netbooks
-Keyboard feels comfortable and isn't too loud when you type
-Price feels like a bargain since these netbooks are one of the newer models especially containing the new Intel Atom 450 Processor
-I still never received a 3 program usage limit notification that some say Windows 7 Starter had; I had yahoo instant messenger, disk cleanup, anti virus, internet browser with 4 tabs, Microsoft Word, Windows Media Player, and My Documents opened at the same time
-Webcam is good
-Some say Windows XP is still faster, but to me, they're both the same when it comes to performance; Windows 7 Starter boots a little more quickly however
-2GB memory upgrade is not necessary
-So far no charger/charging problems like many other ASUS netbooks have
-Bluetooth is a plus
-The netbook's fan is pretty quiet, almost makes me think there isn't one in it but again, your power settings play a factor
-Netbook does not get hot
-Sound is amazing
-Does not take long to fully charge
-There's actually 2 OS' (Express Gate & Windows 7 Starter) with each of their own power button
-SD memory slot is a plus
Cons
-Netbook easily tilts back, best to keep it on a flat surface
-Despite its long battery life, I constantly check the battery meter, and sometimes it changes from 9 hours, down to 6 hours instantly, but it comes back to 9, but this depends on how you use your computer I assume, I got freaked out at first and thought the 11 hours was bull...
-I don't like the silver touchpad button(s), it requires you to press hard and despite being 2 buttons, it seems like it's only 1 whole button plus it's a finger/smudge magnet
-Not sure why ASUS provided a CD in the package when the netbook doesn't have a CD drive
-Cannot bridge my Wireless Network connection with Local Area connection, so I was not able to use the netbook as a wireless Ethernet adapter especially for my XBOX 360, however on other Windows 7, you can; just another feature the Windows 7 Starter lacks
-A netbook sleeve included would of been nice but too bad it does not come with one
-Outer screen is glossy and is a fingerprint magnet, I chose to leave the clear sticker on however
-Other OS besides Windows 7 is not complete, only uses to play games and internet browsing, it would be nice to have another OS besides Express Gate in the netbook such as Linux or Ubuntu.
-Netbook is not fully flat when you fold it
-Requires both hands to open the netbook properly, meaning when it's folded, it's a tiny hassle to open
Overall this is a great netbook. Clearly the pros overwhelm the cons, which is why I gave it 5 stars. I would highly recommend this netbook to anyone wanting a portable laptop with a good price. Even though it's still early to write a review, I will update this in the future to see if I experience anything new. |
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Why can’t Asus come out with a different design?