Asus EEE-PC 1005HA Netbook
Introduction
Published: 1st February 2010 | Source: Asus | Price: £253 |
Laptops by definition are computing solutions that are built with portability in mind. This is truly where netbooks shine. Yes they might be small and lack the sorts of virtual real estate that your desktop monitor at home might have, but they offer burden free portability in terms of weight and size that conventional laptops lack as well as the computational usability that smart phones could only dream of having. Most importantly, these laptops are very affordable and so it's no surprise that they're flying off the shelves like beer kegs at spring break.
The netbook has filled an almighty gap in the market, consisting of budget conscious users that simply want basic and convenient computer usage. That’ll be those who don’t need a high performance notebook that for all intents and purposes are not that practical. The netbook also targets the sort of individuals that are less keen on conventional entry level laptops and also those who can’t justify the price of today’s Macbooks.
Since the advent of the Intel Atom embedded CPU platform, the market has been inundated with a ridiculous number of netbooks. What’s good? What’s not? The internal hardware is often much of the same and very few even have a unique selling point. Let’s take a look at one of today’s popular options, the Asus EEE-PC 1005HA.
For those of whom are wondering why we're testing something quite so "basic", please do not panic and may I urge those who are currently rubbing their eyes and slapping themselves awake to stop doing so. Yes, Overclock3D’s roots do lie with the testing of predominantly “performance” hardware, but do not be mistaken as this really is a netbook review. No, we have not been sniffing legal/illegal highs and no we have not lost our minds. The netbook has found a place in the homes of millions worldwide since it's conception and so it only makes sense for us too, to find out what the fuss is about!
Specifications
|
Processor |
Intel Atom N270 1.60GHz 533FSB |
| Memory | 1GB PC2-5300 RAM |
| Hard Disk Drive | Samsung 250GB 5400RPM SATA II |
| Graphics |
Intel UMA |
| Battery | 6 Cell 4400mAh |
| Operating System | Windows 7 Starter |
| Wireless | 802.11n |
| Bluetooth | None |
| 3G | None |
|
Webcam |
0.3MP Camera |
| Colours | Black/Blue/White/Pink |
What's initially clear is that the EEE-PC 1005HA doesn't have anything particularly unique in it's feature set, so it is unlikely to shine amongst other models. It is however a proven specification and as such there's little reason to change something that isn't broken. Regardless, let's get our sample product out of it's box and may the testing begin!
Most Recent Comments
If i was to by one for my self id got for the dell easly.Quote
What was word processing like on the machine? I'd like to use one for MS Word and MS Excel for my university work. Is an A4 page easily readable and workable on such a small panel?
Currently have my eyes on the Asus Eee-pc 1001P. It's got the new atom, and a 6-cell battery, and is very similar to the 1005HA. Asus quotes 11hrs (!!) of battery life, which although obviously optimistic, can't be miles from the truth. The basic version (160GB, Win XP - although reports are both have 7 starter for some reason) retails for $299 in the states, which is about £180-£190 in GBP. Amazon.de has it up for pre-order at 249 euros, more like £218, so I'm wondering what sort of price it will hit the UK at. If it manages to get to £199, it's a done deal, but often it seems we pay a premium on this kind of kit, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was £229+. The only release date info I've seen was 8th Feb, but with no sign of it on UK sites yet, I think it may be a little while longer. It's been out in the US for a little while.Quote
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