Netbook-plus performance
Beyond Optimus, the 1215N feels like most other Asus Eee netbooks. There's the typically curvy case, decent keyboard and too-stiff-for-comfort trackpad buttons. The battery - a 5200mAh job - is removeable and well integrated into the chassis, though it makes this a fairly thick machine at the back.
Netbook ports plus a sub-notebook's HDMI jack
Like other Eees, the 1215N comes with 500GB of online storage, though it's free for no more than 12 months - you'll have to pay a fiver a month to maintain it after that time.
Other features of note include a shutter that you can slide over the webcam's lens "to protect you privacy", as Asus has it. Presumably, it fears malware capable of spying through the camera while you're otherwise occupied. With your pr0n collection, perhaps.
The 1215N comes with Express Gate Cloud, a new version of Asus' fast-boot OS - it's ready in ten seconds, or a little bit longer if you wait for the Wi-Fi to connect up. Yes, it's quick, but its slow and clunky, and doesn't run at the display's native resolution. It's a nice idea, perhaps, a fast access system for surfing, but I can't see many folk using this one.
Lacking the simplicity of a netbook spec, the 1215N likewise lacks a netbook's low cost. It retails for £450, but you can find it for a little over £400. That puts it firmly in the sub-notebook band, but here it's up against comparatively priced but more powerful machines from the likes of Dell and HP.
Those are USB 3.0 - aka SuperSpeed - ports there
From a netbook standpoint, you get something for the extra you pay. Running PCMark 05 and comparing the numbers with those of other Atom-based machines shows the 1215N to be well ahead of the pack when it comes to processor performance - 35 per cent faster than the average - and memory speed. It's hard drive is merely par for the course, mind.
Next page: Benchmark Results: Netbooks
COMMENTS
Re: If....
Turn your computer off, and it'd be an even greater saving.
Turn your computer off, and it'd be an even greater saving.
Ah, but the AC is right, in my books anyways.
I too wanted to know immediately what the battery life and cost was :) Not likely to buy this thing as my current Eee probably boasts better endurance than it,and quite likely runs cooler. And cost less, apart from upgrades. Slower, for sure, but ... compromises...
Nevertheless, you get an upvote from me for the snappy comeback.
Pointless
When they cost £449 there just isn't any point. Especially when the size of the device is creeping up.
The next one will have a 13 inch screen, then 15 inch and then it will just be a laptop.
Netbook
If you said that this is not a netbook due to COST - then I might be with you.
A netbook is a low cost, relatively low powered machine that can handle light web-surfing and such but cannot tear though multiple power-apps at once, like editing high res imgs whilst your vid edit encodes whist, you capture a clip of a game whist another core works on a distributed computing project. Screen size has little to do with it other than helping to reduce the cost to make them competitive against real lappies despite relatively low power and therefore useful life.
And to extend battery life
Under $500 - thats DOLLARS - is the fig usually floated for those that care about definition.
More here: http://news.cnet.com/what-is-a-netbook-computer/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5
m
Netbooks came with Linux cos otherwise M$ instantly added such a whack to the price, that it became hard to keep the cost down within the range that got people excited. Linux (esp Ubuntu) is finally ready for your avg user and so should be an option here. Would make this machine more attractive to me - if I did not already have v powerful (yet efficient) lappies and custom build desktop.
Wish one could fully custom build lappies too. Building desktops is just lego. And many parts of lappies are like that too (drives, memory, CPU etc). It`s the chassis that`s the problem.
If I could pick a lappy chassis and then fill it w parts like I do w desktops, that would be great.
So much better performance/value and always all the features I want in one package.
I spend longer looking for new lappies with all the relevant card slots and specs at a decent price than it would take to fully build my own. Often you find almost everything you want but then a deal breaker like a glossy screen or a non-ATI card sends you back to square one.
