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Conclusion The Eee PC 1215N is the latest 12.1-inch netbook from Asus. The greatest improvement of this netbook compared to its predecessor (1201N) is that it has the Nvidia ION 2 graphic chip with Optimus technology which helps to prolong battery life by automatically switch between integrated and discrete GPU. In terms of processing power, the 1215N features a dual core Intel Atom N525 CPU which puts it somewhere between the performance level of a single-core Atom netbook and a CULV notebook. The combination of Nvidia ION 2 and Atom N525 CPU gives this netbook a strong performance as well as great battery life. Streaming 1080p videos from YouTube, which most netbooks on the market can't handle well due to limited processing power, is not a problem for the 1215N. With its superb netbook performance and excellent battery life, the $499 (MSRP) ASUS Eee PC 1215N provides the best bang for the buck compared to other netbooks / ultraportables at this price range. |
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Design
The Eee PC 1215N looks pretty similar to its predecessor, the 1201N, with a few improvement. The first improvement is that instead of a glossy lid, it has a matte, rubbery-feeling lid that doesn’t pick up fingerprints as easily as the 1201N. The large 3.5 x 2.2-inch touchpad is another great improvement over the one found on the older 1201N. It’s no longer dimpled like the one on 1201N and the other Asus netbooks… rather, it has a smooth plastic surface that’s soft to touch and easy to maneuver. The mouse button below the touchpad however is pretty stiff, making it hard to right click.
The keyboard is the same island style found on the 1201N which is a near full-sized keyboard, providing enough space between each key to prevent excessive typos. The keyboard looks quite nice but it somehow suffered from a great deal of flex or “bounce” under heavy typing pressure.
Performance And Graphics
System and graphic performance of the 1215N is currently the best among all netbooks on the market, thanks to the dual-core Atom processor and Nvidia ION. PCMark Vantage score is 1921 (600 point higher than 1201PN) while 3DMark06 score is 2692 (800 point higher than 1201PN).
With the dual-core processor’s extra horsepower, the 1215N is noticibly faster when opening applications and run perfectly smooth when playing 720p video and running several other applications simultaneously.
One limitation for majority of the netbook is that it’s not powerful enough to play 1080p video smoothly from video streaming website like YouTube. This does not apply to the 1215N. When playing back a 1080p YouTube clip, the Nvidia’s Optimus automatically turn on the GPU, resulting in some really smooth picture even when outputting to a 40-inch HDTV through HDMI. Besides HD video playback, the Nvidia ION also helps in gaming performance.
Battery Life
The Eee PC 1215N gets 5 hours and 40 minutes of battery life when looping the same standard definition video at 65 percent brightness (GPU turned off). When GPU is on, it lasted for 2 hours and 45 minutes. The overall battery life is longer than its predecessor, as well as other AMD-powered ultraportables such as Dell Inspiron M101z and Acer Aspire One 721.
Pros:
- Excellent netbook performance
- Nvidia Ion graphics with Optimus graphic-switching technology
- Good gaming and video playback performance
- Good battery life
- Improved design with matte finish lid, larger touchpad, and webcam privacy cover
Cons:
- Bouncy keyboard
- Stiff mouse buttons
Jerry Jackson from Notebook Review says:
If you want an ultraportable netbook with a good screen and good performance for less than the price of a CULV-based notebook then the ASUS Eee PC 1215N probably belongs at the top of a very short list.
Dan Ackerman from Cnet says:
The Asus Eee PC 1215N combines Intel’s dual-core Atom CPU with Nvidia Ion graphics and Optimus GPU-switching for an impressive overall package, but one that still feels a bit too much like a Netbook.
Cisco Cheng from PCMag says:
You won’t find a faster netbook or one with better graphics chipset than the Asus EeePC 1215N. It combines a dual-core Atom processor and an Nvidia Ion graphics chip that other netbooks haven’t even attempted yet. The user experience and design need a little work, and battery life isn’t going to be anywhere near our Editors’ Choice for netbooks—the Toshiba NB305-N410. But it might be worth the $100 premium if the run-of-the-mill netbook is too slow for you.
Michael A. Prospero from LaptopMag says
There are now a plethora of options for those who want to buy a sub-$500 notebook they can take anywhere, and the ASUS Eee PC 1215N provides the best bang for the buck. While AMD-powered 11.6-inch ultraportables offer comparable processing power, they don’t last as long on a charge as this machine and don’t provide as much graphics muscle. That’s the difference Nvidia’s Optimus technology makes. Yes, you could get a similarly sized Intel ULV laptop that offers more pep and even longer battery life (like the Acer Aspire Timeline 1830T), but you’d have to cough up at least $200 more. Call it a supercharged netbook or a notebook. The bottom line is that for those on a budget, the Eee PC 1215N can’t be beat.
| Weight (lbs) | 3.21 |
| Display Size | 12.1 |
| Resolution | 1366 x 768 |
| Display Type | Glossy |
| CPU | 1.8 GHz Intel Atom D525 |
| RAM | 2 GB DDR3 |
| Hard Drive | 250GB + 500GB Free Web Storage |
| Graphic Card | Nvidia ION 2 + Optimus |
| Battery | 6-cell (56Wh) |
| Max Battery Life | 6 hours |
| Webcam | 0.3MP |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Operating System | Windows 7 Home Premium |
