CNET Editor's rating: 7.5 out of 10
Reviewed by
Dan Ackerman
Review date: 10/29/07
Release date: 11/01/07
The good: Small, light, and inexpensive; solid-state hard drive is fast and efficient; well-thought-out preinstalled software package.
The bad: Cramped keyboard; very little hard drive space; low screen resolution.
The bottom line: For less than $400, the Asus Eee PC 4G offers an impressive package for portable Web surfing and basic productivity, as long as you keep expectations tempered. The incredibly approachable price outweighs any shortcomings; it's a near perfect choice for a highly portable second or backup laptop.
For several months before its release, the Asus Eee PC was one of a handful of small, inexpensive PCs that had tech types buzzing with anticipation. While the other systems, the Intel Classmate and the One Laptop Per Child XO, are aimed at the educational needs of children around the globe and not generally available to consumers, the Eee holds no such highbrow pedigree--it's for sale directly from Asus to the laptop-buying public.
The initial buzz on the Asus Eee had the 7-inch, Linux-based laptop coming in as low at $199. In the end, the price is a more realistic $399, which includes a low-end Intel Mobile CPU, 512MB of RAM, and a 4GB solid-state flash hard drive (versions with 2GB and 8GB hard drives will also be available). The obvious limitations of the tiny hard drive, low-power CPU, and lack of the Windows operating system may be enough to scare away many potential users, but despite the system's budget origins, we found it hard to dislike when viewed as a highly portable Web surfing and office productivity machine.
The Asus Eee is certainly worth a look as a second laptop for travelers, or perhaps a first laptop for kids--one you won't be afraid to leave in accident-prone hands. It's certainly a more attractive option than any of the UMPCs (which have screens of 5 inches or less) we've seen this year, which we generally found to be high in price and low on usability, and much less expensive than recent ultraportable laptops (which generally have 11- or 12-inch screens).
The Asus Eee looks like a fairly conventional ultraportable laptop, shrunk down by about a third. With a small 7-inch screen, the laptop weighs 2 pounds and measures 8.8 inches wide by 6.5 inches deep by a little less than an inch thick. In all, the Eee PC is about the size of a trade paperback book; it can fit in a large jacket pocket without too much trouble. The pearlized white look is attractive, if generic, and the typically understated Asus design keeps the system from looking too cheap.
Cramming all the things one expects from a laptop into a package this small presents some difficult design questions, and the Asus Eee answers most of them about as well as can be expected. The biggest challenge is the keyboard. Tiny keyboards, as on ultraportable systems such as the Toshiba R500 or Sony VAIO TZ150, are hampered by both Chiclet-size keys and unfortunate compromises in key placement and double-mapped keys. The Eee takes it a step further, with some of the tiniest keys we've ever had to deal with. At least most of the space is saved for making sure the actual letter keys are a usable size, which makes typing at least possible, if not entirely easy. Other keys, including the backspace, tab, and control keys, are smaller--mere slivers of their usual selves, and especially hard to hit. The tiny touchpad measures 1.75 inches by 1.25 inches and works well on the whole, but there's only a single mouse button--click on the left side for the left mouse button, and the right for the right mouse button. We'd prefer two separate buttons. Overall, the keyboard is easier to use than any UMPC we've seen, but far more cramped than any other ultraportable PC.
The 7-inch screen looks even smaller than it is thanks to the large black screen bezel that frames it. At least the extra space around the screen serves a purpose: a Webcam sits above the screen and tiny speakers reside on the left and right sides of the display, emitting tinny but passable sound for things like YouTube videos. With a resolution of 800x480, there's not a lot of screen real estate to spare, but the combination of low resolution and a tiny screen make for letters that don't (usually) require squinting. One niggling annoyance: at 800 pixels wide, many Web pages are too wide for the screen and require horizontal scrolling. We'd happily trade the thick screen bezel for an extra inch or so of screen real estate and a 1024x768 resolution, even if it meant we'd lose the Webcam and would have to get along with even smaller speakers.
The biggest adjustment most users will encounter with the Asus Eee is trading Windows for the Linux operating system. While this machine is technically capable of supporting Windows, and Asus plans to sell a version with the Microsoft OS in the near future, right now, Linux is the only option. While the scant 4GB hard drive and unfamiliar (to many) operating system might make it hard to get the software you need, the Eee actually sports a very user-friendly custom Linux installation, and many of the apps you'll want are preloaded and easy to access through a series of tabbed desktop pages.
Firefox is there for Web surfing and OpenOffice 2.0 for working with word-processing documents and spreadsheets. Both should already be familiar to Windows users (and OpenOffice is an especially appealing solution, as it reads and writes the popular Microsoft Office formats, and is worth checking out even for dedicated Windows users). There's also a generic media player, an instant messaging client that works with AOL, Yahoo, and other popular IM systems, and a handful of preinstalled casual games. Under the settings tab, you can check system information, add and remove programs, and perform diagnostic tests. It's a reasonably useful selection of software, and for Web surfing and working with documents, perfectly acceptable. You may, however, miss some popular software that won't run on Linux, such as iTunes or Photoshop.
Asus Eee PC 4G
Average for mainstream category
Video
VGA-out
VGA-out, S-video
Audio
Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks
Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks
Data
3 USB 2.0, SD card reader
4 USB 2.0, mini-FireWire, mulitformat memory card reader
Expansion
None
PC Card slot
Networking
Modem, Ethernet, 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi
Modem, Ethernet, 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi, optional Bluetooth
Optical drive
None
DVD burner
With three USB ports, a VGA out, and standard headphone and mic jacks, the Asus Eee offers decent connectivity. FireWire is the one missing standard element, aside from the obvious absence of an optical drive. The SD card slot offers a good opportunity to boost the hard drive space, allowing you to pop in your own flash memory, easily doubling the system's 4GB drive (only about 1.3GB of which is actually free), with your own 4GB SD card, which you can get for around $50.
Without the common frame of reference we get from our standard benchmark tests, including iTunes and Photoshop, it's difficult to judge the Eee's performance, especially as it comes with its own set of preinstalled software, doubtlessly tuned to the limitations of the hardware. We can't imagine 512MB of RAM or a 900MHz Intel Mobile processor would results in a pleasant Windows Vista experience (maybe the stripped down Vista Basic version in a pinch), but these meager specs suffice for lean Linux. We were able to surf the Web and work on some office documents with absolutely no stuttering or slowdown, which was a pleasant surprise. Gaming is a no-go, beyond the strictly casual variety (our favorite preinstalled game: Crack Attack). For its intended purpose of getting online while on the road, we found the Eee PC to be more than up to the challenge.
We were not able to run our normal DVD playback battery test, but in anecdotal testing, we were able to use the Eee for a little under 3 hours while running a mix of Web browsers, OpenOffice documents, and playing MP3 files. Asus says the 4-cell battery is rated for 3.5 hours, which is decent for an ultraportable laptop, especially one this inexpensive.
Asus covers its laptops with a standard one-year parts-and-labor warranty, and it offers online Web-based help and a toll-free phone number. The company's support Web site includes the expected driver downloads and a brief FAQ but lacks useful features such as user forums or the chance to chat in real time with a technician.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Excellent small size function-specific laptop
Since the Asus Eee was first announced I wanted one. This device precisely fits my needs above and beyond any ...
Since the Asus Eee was first announced I wanted one. This device precisely fits my needs above and beyond any electronic I have ever owned. For years I have wanted a small, low cost laptop I could use at the coffee shop to handle my business issues. I go to the coffee shop three times a week, and I need something very portable, with wifi, that could connect to the internet easily.
Up to this point I have been using a small pocket pc with a collapsible keyboard. Very portable but not very practical. I thought about purchasing a used ultraportable computer on eBay. Probably a Fujitsu Lifebook P1120 for $350 or so, but the prospect of getting a used questionable laptop was not attractive to me.
A few months ago Asus announced a groundbreaking device. A $200 laptop with a 7" screen running Linux only on a SSD drive (a flash drive essentially). The initial prospect was wonderful. It had OpenOffice which had programs all compatible with Microsoft Office, it had Firefox, a browser in my opinion MUCH BETTER than Internet Explorer and it had Wifi.
However as the months went on, and the release date kept being pushed back the price kept rising. From the initial announcement in June till it was finally released on November 1, the price literally doubled. The basic model went from $200 to about $350 and the one I got which included a larger battery, more memory and a camera was $400, well $450 if you include tax and shipping.
The units sold out in minutes in Taiwan, and sold out in a couple days here. Supplies are better but they are still in hot demand.
What do I think now that I own one? I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. The small size is wonderful. It is exactly what I wanted. And performs what I need of it without problems.
Weight is about two pounds. The unit has a slick pearl white exterior. It boots up in about 25 seconds, and immediately recognizes external mouse even without driver installs. It's internal WiFI finds most hotspots instantly and connection is a snap. I was able to install my USB broadband modem without drivers in about five minutes which was significantly easier than windows XP which the unit was designed for!
The keyboard is pretty small, but with a little practice I can manage 50wpm no problem. The screen quality is excellent but could have been a little larger as they framed it with speakers that take up real estate that could have been populated by a 9" screen rather than the 7" that is installed. The unit has 3 USB ports which is better than many more expensive laptops. It has speaker and microphone ports and an SD card slot. The installed drive is 4GB of which about 1GB remains for files. If you install a 4GB SD card you can essentially double your memory. The unit has a touchpad with scrolling but I prefer installing a mini-USB mouse. The AC adapter is pretty small, compared to the usual power bricks most laptops come with. Sound and music sound crystal clear on the suprisingly good speakers.
First off, this unit is small. It is about the same size as a portable DVD player. Or to put matters into perspective, its about the size of a DVD case closed and about twice the height. Very small. It attracts attention. On one recent coffee shop trip I felt like a rockstar as so many people asked me about the unit and where they could get one. I sealed the deal by showing them Star Wars III on the unit and playing some other music and videos. When I told them it was $400 I could tell at least three or four new customers were born. Too bad they are sold out right now. Try eBay....
So many good points. I love the unit but what are the downsides?
A unit this small does not have a DVD or CD drive. You will have to install one externally. I don't really need one but others might. The battery which is rated at 3.5 hours does NOT last that long. The most I have gotten is about three hours but 2.5 is more real. You can plug it in with the very small adapter it comes with, if an outlet is available though.
Since it runs a custom Linux, you will not be able to run most Windows programs but the good news is you can install Windows XP on the unit and the company does provide drivers if you intend to do that.
Also the 900Mhz processor and 512MB memory is not the fastest or the best. It is meant for light use, not gaming or graphics intensive activity. You can easily push the unit to its limits if you are a power user. A small example of this is, try scrolling through large photographs while also playing music. The music will skip occasionally letting you know that the processor/memory is being taxed trying to play the music and show the photos at the same time. Not a big deal for me because my needs are not in that area.
Bottom line is, you cannot go wrong with this unit as long as you know what its limitations are. If you want a gaming laptop with gobs of memory and a sick video card for Halo 3 or whatnot, this is not the laptop for you. If you want an ultraportable solution for basic business needs then the Asus Eee will very pleasantly surprise you. It comes with its own carrying case and when you walking with it, it looks like are carrying a small satchel not a laptop. It is such a stealth unit its really great. It is so portable and so easy to carry that you can take it many more places than you would a traditional laptop. Instead of a 6 pound laptop with a huge bag and shoulder straps that dig into your side, you have a paperback size unit that goes anywhere anytime.
The Asus Eee is my favorite device. I highly recommend it to anyone with a portable computing need. Specifically though, I would not recommend it as a full time use home computer unless the user is a child or an older person with reduced needs. It is an excellent portable second computer but is underpowered for home needs for most people. That being said, go out and get one, people! Asus has a winner here. It is a groundbreaking device, and maybe years from now will be on display at the Smithsonian. By then, laptops will come with 1TB flash drives, and 4GB of RAM will be standard (I hope). Take care and I hope this review was helpful to your buying decision.
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by leemcc (see profile) -
November 12, 2007
36 out of 36 users found this user opinion helpful.
6 out of 10 - Good Defects Ignored by ASUS
The unit I received has a bright pixel. This is annoying. ASUS customer service refuses to replace or repair this ...
The unit I received has a bright pixel. This is annoying. ASUS customer service refuses to replace or repair this unit because it is not considered a "high end" product. They assured me this policy is consistent with other notebook manufacturer's policies. The representative's advice to me is wait a couple of months for replacement parts to become available and then have the unit repaired at my own expense.
The Linux OS (tailored Xandros) is extremely limited. The ability to add software is limited to a rudimentary software management application which only connects to the ASUS eee repository, which apparently has no software in it.
The wireless connection works very well, but the management application forces you to type the hexadecimal WEP key ever time you connect.
Aside from the LCD defect which ASUS refuses to acknowledge, and the locked down OS, I like this unit very much for the compact and quality feel of the hardware. The many USB ports, SD card slot, and the integrated wireless, and the processing power give this unit a great deal of potential.
I intend to install Xubuntu to install Ubuntu and repair the LCD at my own expense at the nearest opportunity.
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by ddoxey (see profile) -
November 15, 2007
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Great Little Computer
This is an excellent little computer package at a great price. The media player included seems to play EVERYTHING right ...
This is an excellent little computer package at a great price. The media player included seems to play EVERYTHING right out of the box (a little like VLC only more user friendly). I had planned to install XP after purchasing it, but the UI and included software with the OS (Debian?) are far better than XP for basic usage. WiFi works perfectly. Perhaps the nicest feature is that it has lightning fast startups and shutdowns. The only disappointing feature is the battery life. You would be lucky to get 3hrs with normal usage; for me it gets 2.5hrs MAX just surfing the internet. Sure, it's not $200 as suggested before, but even with the $400 price tag is is definitely worth it.
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by dizzyastad (see profile) -
November 4, 2007
10 out of 10 - Perfect What The World Wants
I love it. Out of nowhere ASUS has built the device I've wanted for five years -- a laptop ...
I love it. Out of nowhere ASUS has built the device I've wanted for five years -- a laptop which you can actually carry around without getting a hernia.
Not a PDA. Not an "iPhone". Not a "mobile device".
A PC. A computer that you can type on. With a real OS: Linux.
8 out of 10 - Excellent Very good, but there are compromises....
I received my black 4G unit yesterday. My goal was to use this strictly for travel (I have an HP ...
I received my black 4G unit yesterday. My goal was to use this strictly for travel (I have an HP nw8440 15.4" notebook as my main pc).
The pros are easy: Very light weight - excellent build quality - and a very decent spec.
The cons are what you might expect: The keyboard is rather cramped - making typing a bit difficult (although I suspect you would get used to the size after some time with the unit), and the location of some keys, specifically the page up / page down / shift buttons. Again - one could get adjusted to this over time -- but how much time?
The other con is the screen -- while bright, it's resolution of 800 x 480 just doesn't provide enough 'viewing space' for me. The forthcoming 8.9" (or larger) screen may address this issue -- we'll see sometime in 2008.
If you're interested in checking the Eee out, purchasing from Costco will give you more than ample time to do so (90 days).
Overall, depending upon your requirements, the Eee might be the perfect super-subnotebook available....
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by barry41561 (see profile) -
January 11, 2008
8 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Simply Spectacular
Excellent bang for the buck. Perfect for taking notes in class and simple everyday tasks. Intel Celeron processor is sufficient ...
Excellent bang for the buck. Perfect for taking notes in class and simple everyday tasks. Intel Celeron processor is sufficient enough to run the Linux (Xandros) OS preloaded with the Eee PC. Limited storage space means you will have to buy usb flash drives or additional SD cards for your files. Windows XP doesn't come pre-installed yet, but Asus' graphical user interface which works on top of the Linux environment may be the best solution for everyday use. The screen and keyboard will present a problem for many as they are both tiny; those who have trouble reading small text best keep away from this product. At $399 CA, its a great buy for many users new to computing or those looking for a great little laptop; however it isn't for everyone.
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by nix714 (see profile) -
November 9, 2007
6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Definitely not for those who is looking for a desktop replacement.
As a student, I was looking for a laptop mainly to take notes in. I considered UMPC's, small laptops (...
As a student, I was looking for a laptop mainly to take notes in. I considered UMPC's, small laptops (that cost 2k+), and even basic tablet pcs. All these costed at least $900, and what i was looking for mainly was a portable laptop. I literally spent the same amount of money on a dell 15" laptop that weighed almost 8lbs, and i ended up not using it because of that reason. The asus eee is definitely suited for someone who mainly wants basic notetaking, email, internet, or messenger functions, and although you can get a more powerful laptop for 100$ more or so, you definitely won't get the weight factor.
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by rennette (see profile) -
November 9, 2007
6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Eee PC (4G)
Ok, I only know the basic computer stuff and that is about it. The last notebook I got (2 months ...
Ok, I only know the basic computer stuff and that is about it. The last notebook I got (2 months ago), I spend about an hour just to clean up what I don't need, since I am "not" a computer wiz, prep work to understand the notebook's complicated computer language is always needed.
Eee PC is my 3rd notebook, and I received it yesterday, and is suppose to be a X'ms gift for my daughter.
My first impression, light weight (2 lbs), plastic don't look cheap at all. I turn it on and the desktop look so clean and all tabs are easy to understand (thank god is all in normal english). Click Wi Fi to link with my home network and I started to surf the web. yep, just like that. I am amazed how quick I have it all start up and go. Startup 9 sec is what I got. Shut down 3 sec. Learning curve (for me) 5 mins. The home office is so easy to use (to me, it feels just like microsoft office & word) and preload game is ok (don't really care) and a bunch of other stuff.
It will not replace my regular size notebook, but going on a trip, as a secondary or on the go to whatever places...... is perfect for me. The price, $350 will be ideal but for what I have seen so far, I guess $399 is ok too. I am sure you can get a better equip notebook but price is a going to be much higher too.
I love it so much, I think I will keep it and get a cheaper version (2G) in Jan (may be around $250-299?) for my daughter instead. I now have to look for another gift for her.
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by tc8888 (see profile) -
November 13, 2007
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 out of 10 - Excellent Psion Series 5/netbook users know
Having long used the Psion Series 5, 5mx, and netbook in past, along with Revo, and currently a NEC780, the ...
Having long used the Psion Series 5, 5mx, and netbook in past, along with Revo, and currently a NEC780, the power of instant-on, Office compatibility with a usable keyboard put you worlds ahead -even with a ultraportable Vaio, I still had to boot, deal with updates, all kinds of XP junk. Too bad Foleo never happened, as I was going to get one. With blue tooth and treo-sync software, it could be turned into a eeeFoleo.
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by docpark (see profile) -
November 7, 2007
7 out of 10 - Very good This is a higher priced mode!
I normal don't believe in giving reviews if you don't own a product but seeing some of these ...
I normal don't believe in giving reviews if you don't own a product but seeing some of these reviews, I decided to. Alright, everyone is complaining that this is to expensive but there will be cheaper models! There are actually two models that will be cheaper then this one that are supposed to come out later this month (november). Do you all seriously not know this? Even cnet didn't mention this! Proof: eeepc.asus.com/en/product.htm
Updated Btw, if you want the $399 version it's available on Newegg right now. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220244
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