The 1000HE comes with the Intel Atom N280 processor, which is marginally faster – though perhaps hardly noticeable – than the N270 chip in most netbooks. Given that netbook life is all about on-the-go, this is a key factor. The six-cell unit runs for more than six hours. This unit’s 10.1-inch screen is among the widest in the netbook world.Īnother major plus: the ASUS 1000HE is known for its long battery life. Unlike some small units, the 1000HE has a decently sized touchpad.
Plus, a series of function buttons above the keyboard helps you make changes quickly. And the all-important right-shift key is moved to an ergonomic position.
Major plus: this version of the Eee PC has an improved keyboard, 92 percent of full size, with keys more comfortably spaced. In the same way that Honda and Toyota own the car market, and Nike says “athletic shoes,” ASUS sits supreme in netbooks, as this very hot 1000HE attests.
You’d think that a bigger vendor – one that’s a household name in the U.S., unlike Asustek – would have pulled out all the stops to offer a better selling unit.īut no. It’s odd that Asustek, having kicked off the netbook trend in 2007, still holds its grip on the top spot. HP 2140 Mini // Lenovo IdeaPad S10/S10e // MSI Wind // Sony Lifestyle PCįor many netbook fans, the ASUS Eee PC 1000HE netbook is the top netbook: it’s the bestselling netbook on the market. The question: which netbook is best for you?ĪSUS 1000HE // Acer Aspire One // Samsung NC10 // Dell Inspiron Mini 9/Mini 10 Based on the excitement, netbooks make you happier, healthier, even sexier they’re as essential as fruit and vegetables – and far more fun and soon, four out of five dentists will be recommending them. (Alas, it’s so far available only in Philadelphia and Atlanta.)īut no, you can’t wait for the offer to come to your town. AT&T, an unlikely radical, has already breached the barricades: a netbook for a measly $50 if you sign up for Net service. It’s estimated that by 2010 netbooks will comprise a whopping 12 percent of the laptop market – from zero just a few years back. That, in a nutshell (or should it be ‘netshell’?) is the back story to the Netbook Revolution.
Or, actually, what they really want – and here’s where PC makers begin to cry – they want a great portable and they want it super cheap. Instead they want a zippy hyper-mobile unit that delivers for cheap. Zooming netbook sales taught the Dells and Toshibas of the world a sobering truth: consumer aren’t hungering for the old school, souped-up laptop. By the end of 2008 users bought somewhere between ten to fourteen million netbooks, depending on who’s counting. Other PC makers saw the party and soon introduced a profusion of netbooks. The funky 7-inch machine flew off the shelves – more than 350,00 sold in mere months. When Asustek debuted the groundbreaking Eee PC in the fall of 2007, students and professionals alike responded like the second coming of Elvis. While early netbooks were designed for Third World children, these cheap portables quickly attracted more affluent users. Or not, if reports of Windows’ growing netbook market share are accurate.)Ĭonsumers, meanwhile, face a blizzard of new netbooks. (Yes, the netbook might be the platform that finally delivers Linux to the masses.
The dominant Windows XP (which now runs about 80 percent of netbooks) will be challenged by Linux and Google’s Andriod OS. The dominant Intel chip will soon be threatened by cheaper chips, like the cellphone ARM chip or Qualcom’s Snapdragon. Why? Because netbooks are prompting a revolution that just might topple giants. The netbook market is changing – by the moment.
The factors that comprise the top netbook – for you – are less-than-huge differences in keyboard size (chiclet or almost full size), price (around $350), and a category loosely described as “special netbook options.” These include options like a slot for a TV tuner if you simply must watch Simon Cowell while you’re on the train.īut these simple options might not be so simple for long. After all, most of the bestselling netbooks offer remarkably similar features: the Intel Atom chip, a screen about 10 inches wide, and a low price that makes PC makers sob uncontrollably. Picking the top netbook is a matter of choosing among small differences. ALSO SEE: Top Netbooks Compared: the Eight Best Netbooks (May 2010)Īmong the top netbooks, which one is the very best? Leave your comment below.