Go To Latest Video ReviewsRefine search for Laptops
The Ultimate Netbook Buyer's Guide
| Author | Andy Vandervell |
| Published | 20th Nov 2008 |
19 comments
Email
TrustedReviews NewslettersAsus Eee PC 900
UK Price: £205.34 for Linux
US Price: $349 for Linux
Brief Description:
Asus' much anticipated follow-up to the original Eee PC, the 900 brought several revisions to the specification and design. These included an 8.9in, 1,024 x 600 resolution screen, a 20GB SSD and a multi-touch enabled touchpad. It also marked the introduction of Windows XP to the Eee PC stable.
Vital Statistics:
- CPU: Intel Celeron M 900 MHz
- Memory: 1GB DDR2
- Storage: 20GB SSD (Linux); 12GB SSD (Windows)
- Display: 8.9in, 1,024 x 600
- Ports: 3xUSB 2.0; VGA; Headphone & Microphone; Ethernet; Memory Card Reader
- Internet: 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi; 10/100 Ethernet
- Bluetooth: No
- WebCam: 1.3 Megapixel
- Operating System:: Xandros Linux or Windows XP
- Dimensions: 225 x 165 x 35mm
- Weight: 0.99kg
- Colours: White & Black
- Battery Life: Up to 2hrs 30mins
The Good:
- Screen is good for web pages
- Multi-touch touchpad is kind of cool
- More RAM
- Larger hard drive storage
- Windows option
- Better WebCam
The Bad:
- Retains old Celeron processor
- By recent standards keyboard is cramped
- Stiff competition from newer models
The Ugly:
- Battery life arguably worse than original
What We Said
"Asus has done a brilliant job of updating an already great product. The engineers have clearly listened to all the comments regarding the original Eee PC and attempted to put them right. The 1,024 wide screen makes the Eee PC 900 a joy to use, especially if you spend a lot of your time in a browser window. The extra memory and storage are also very welcome additions, and help make this version of the Eee PC a real alternative to a fully featured notebook."
- Asus Eee PC 900 Full Review
What We Think Now
Its 8.9in screen makes it less of an anachronism than its predecessor, but there are still plenty of reasons why the Eee PC 900 falls short. Though it's available quite cheaply now, the Acer Aspire One in particular offers a compelling alternative around this price. That Asus made the screen bigger but didn't upgrade the battery means battery life is worse than the original, too.
The Bottom Line
Fine for tooling around the house browsing the Internet and taking out occasionally, it still represents reasonable value and is very portable but it's worth looking at the cheapest Acer Aspire One model first.
Newsletters
Register to receive the latest Reviews and News Headlines directly to your Inbox every day, and enter our regular competitions. More Info.
Latest 4 of 19 Comments
Have your say: Leave a comment below about this article.
pw said on 9th December 2008
Prospero said on 22nd December 2008
Very useful review - one question please: Can I replace the custom o/s with Ubuntu without losing any functionality?
Chupakun said on 11th May 2009
Loved the feature. I really wish a company would come out with true netbook customisation options--so all we'd have do was pick 'n' mix as opposed to making it a gam... more
modus said on 13th July 2009
The Asus EEE PC 1000HE (http://www.trustedreviews.com/laptops/review/2009/02/12/Asus-Eee-PC-1000HE/p1) has a few significant improvements over its predecessor, the EEE PC 1000H -- ... more
See all 19 comments on this article.
Add your comment
You must be logged in to comment. Login or register here.
I'm a bit new to netbooks. I've got an old laptop and am about to upgrade and so after a few clarifications.
I mostly just use the laptop for browsing int... more