MSI Wind U123 and ASUS 1000HE Show Netbook Evolution
by Wesley Fink on July 17, 2009 12:02 AM EST- Posted in
- Laptops
ASUS 1000HE Hands-On
Notebook keyboards and pointing devices are at best an acquired taste. When talking about netbook ergonomics it helps to constantly remind yourself that the comparison is to other netbooks, notebooks, PDAs, and smart phones and not to the best separate devices available on a desktop system. Given that perspective the ASUS 1000HE is very successful from an ergonomic point of view.
Comparing all the Eee netbooks that came before the 1000HE it is clear the 1000HE is the best keyboard yet from ASUS. Keys are clearly labeled and there has been some logical reorganization of special purpose key locations from the earlier Eee models. Typing feel and tactile feedback are very good.
The larger 9.75" width that comes with a 10" display is much easier to use than the smaller keyboards on the 9" PC 901 and the earlier 7" PC 4G. The touchpad is large with a clear positive click feel on the selection buttons. Touchpads remain in our thinking a low-cost pointing device relegated to notebooks and netbooks, but the ASUS 1000HE touchpad is the best of the 5 netbooks tested in this comparison.
Ports are pretty standard for a notebook with an MSRP of $399. There are a welcomed three USB ports instead of the more common two, which is very useful. Other ports include external video, an SDHC card reader, microphone/headphone jacks, an Ethernet jack, and the power adapter port. Stereo speakers, a 1.3MP webcam, Windows XP Home, and a 160GB hard drive complete the package. The battery pack is removable for easy upgrade or customization, with 3-cell and 6-cell battery options. Wireless options include both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
ASUS points out that the bottom of the 1000HE is relatively smooth and flat compared to the bulges on earlier Eee models. A large port door provides easy access to the hard drive and memory, and it is held in place with two non-captive screws that are unfortunately easy to lose. Yes, the bottom is smooth, but the ASUS is still one of the heftier netbooks and thicker than many of its competitors.
It is easy to recognize the 1000HE as the best netbook yet tested from ASUS, which is high praise since ASUS essentially invented the netbook market. MSRP is $399 but we have seen the 1000HE selling in the $350 range at several e-tailers.
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JackPack - Friday, July 17, 2009 - link
Will AnandTech consider updating this article with the 1005HA Premium/Value?Honestly, this article feels a little outdated given the 1000HE is EOL.
Wesley Fink - Friday, July 17, 2009 - link
We mentioned in the article that the 1005HA was replacing the 1000HE, which might make the 1005HE a bigger bargain as it is closed out. We have received a 1005HA in the lab for testing.Wesley Fink - Friday, July 17, 2009 - link
I think I created a new Asus model in the reply. The model that may see close-out pricing is the 1000HE.goinginstyle - Friday, July 17, 2009 - link
Is there any reason why wireless tests were not run or performance not even mentioned. I have to depend on a wireless connection and without a DVD drive, it is really important to know how well the wireless setup works and if there are any compatibility problems hooking into a router.Maybe it was on the hands on pages but my eyes hurt after looking at the background colors on the pics. It could just be me but red and pink just seems out of character around here.
Both units have what appears to be nice webcams and once again no mention on how well they work and the quality or if still pictures are a choice. Is the wireless connection or even the machine fast enough to handle skype video?
I know these units are not built for gaming but can you run WoW or Company of Heroes on them and how well do they run the multitude of flash games, especially the card games.
How good is the video quality on the VGA port and do the drivers offer support for widescreen formats or just 4:3. I guess I am frustrated as I am looking for a netbook and need more information than the asus, acer, hp, or msi websites provide.
The battery tests were really good but what happens if i buy a usb DVD drive and rip a movie to the hard drive. Will the msi have enough juice to play a couple of movies on a plane ride. Maybe I need to spend more and get a 14" notebook but i was hoping to save some money here.
Wesley Fink - Friday, July 17, 2009 - link
We found no issues at all connecting any of the 5 netbooks tested by wireless for our battery tests. All found the connection to our wireless router and held onto to it for the 2 to 8.5 hours until the battery was depleted. Testing wireless was not the point of the battery test, but it is some evidence of wireless stability.We do intend to add wireless connectivity testing to future netbook reviews. We are currently looking at several potential test methods.
TotalLamer - Friday, July 17, 2009 - link
With netbooks getting larger, more capable, and more expensive... at what point does a netbook cease being a netbook, and simply becoming a notebook?nafhan - Friday, July 17, 2009 - link
I think hardware plays a big part in what defines a netbook. That said, I wouldn't pay more than $400 for a netbook.It would be nice if they would release a netbook based around a dual core atom processor (the 330). I'd gladly sacrifice a couple hours of battery life on the MSI lappy for an extra core.
The0ne - Friday, July 17, 2009 - link
Definitely not over $400 as you could always find laptop deals for around the same price. For the same price the lack of CPU power is a huge drawback.Wesley Fink - Friday, July 17, 2009 - link
That is a very interesting suggestion. As I mentioned in the article we used an exterior monitor for the PCMark05 testing since a minimum 1024x768 was required to even run PCMark05. I was very surprised at how different the netbooks were in their output to the external monitor.As you say some are very clean and some are quite ragged. We will try to find a way to include VGA port output in future netbook testing.
sprockkets - Friday, July 17, 2009 - link
Would like to see the HP mini 2140 though.