Review ASUS Eee PC 1001P SeaShell

The Eee PC 1001P SeaShell is ASUS's new entry-level netbook offering the Intel Atom N450 processor and Intel GMA 3150 integrated graphics. Designed closely after its higher-class brother, the 1005PE, the 1001P offers many of the same features, minus the Chiclet-style keyboard, larger battery, and larger hard drive. In this review, we see how the 1001P stacks up against other netbooks and if it holds a candle to the more expensive 1005PE.

ASUS Eee PC 1001P SeaShell Specifications:

• Windows 7 Starter Edition (32-bit)
• 10.1-inch diagonal WSVGA (1024 x 600, matte finish)
• Intel Atom N450 Processor 1.66GHz (667MHz FSB, 512KB Cache)
• 1GB DDR2 SDRAM (800MHz)
• Intel GMA 3150 integrated graphics
• 160GB Seagate 5400.6 SATA HD
• Atheros AR2427 BGN Wi-Fi, Atheros AR8132 10/100 LAN
• 4-in-1 media card slot
• Dimensions: (H x W x D): 0.89-1.40 x 10.2 x 6.9 inches
• 2.81 pounds (not including weight of AC adapter)
• 6-cell lithium-ion battery (4400mAh, 48Wh)
• One-year standard warranty
• MSRP: $299.99

Observant readers might notice that this review is similar to the Eee PC 1005PE's review. This is because the 1001P shares many of the same components with its predecessor.

Build and Design
The Eee PC 1001P is a lower-cost version of the 1005PE Seashell and features a similar clamshell chassis but offers different lid designs. Our 1001P model comes with a textured weave pattern imprinted on the screen cover. The 1001P lacks some of the 1005PE's glossy flair, and its stylish island keyboard, but overall still retains a simple yet modern look.

At the top of the 1001P, it's easy to see the "SeaShell" heritage, and thankfully it manages to retain some solid build quality for a budget netbook. The matte black plastic isn't prone to flex and the keyboard is very firm, two things you usually don't see on budget notebooks. The various parts of the chassis come together with tight build tolerance, like a higher-priced laptop. This isn't the most rugged netbook we've ever seen, but ASUS gave the 1001P a pretty solid build for $299.

A nice improvement on the netbook compared to the last Seashell is the return of an easy-access RAM cover. If you want to upgrade the RAM in your 1001P, just remove one screw on the access panel on the bottom of the netbook. I would have also liked to see an easy-access panel for the hard drive, but most netbook buyers aren't going to mess with the hard drive.

Screen and Speakers
The Eee PC 1001P uses a fairly standard LED-backlit display panel with a 1024 x 600 native resolution. Unlike the 1005PE, the 1001P offers a matte-finish display which isn't prone to glare or added reflections from brightly lit rooms. Even with its matte finish, the display offers excellent color saturation and contrast. The screen resolution is small at 1024 x 600, though I prefer a resolution of 1366 x 768. Obviously this might not be cost effective on a netbook priced under $300 but I can dream, right? Vertical viewing angles are average, with minimal color distortion when viewing from below and some overexposed colors when viewed from above. Horizontal viewing angles are better with colors staying accurate at extremely wide viewing angles with a little color wash out.

A slightly annoying feature we noticed on the 1001P is related to the low-end Starter edition of Windows 7. Microsoft locks the desktop background to a specific OEM image and prevents the user from changing it through the control panel. ASUS circumvents the problem with a utility in its docking bar that lets you change the background to another selected image.

The Eee PC 1001P's built-in speaker performance is pretty good for a 10-inch netbook. I'm not a fan of speakers' location on the bottom front edge of the 1001P, but the audio quality is better than what we typically hear from netbook speakers. The speakers produce good volume (enough to fill a small room) and there is minimal distortion even at higher volume levels. The speakers lack much bass, but the range of highs and midtones are fine. Still, the audio output from the headphone jack is free of obvious distortion and is better when paired with earphones or a good set of external speakers.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The 1001P has a comfortable keyboard and is easy to type on. ASUS returned to a standard keyboard design like the 1005HA's, instead of a Chiclet-style keyboard on the 1005PE. The keys are slightly smaller than what you find on a full-size notebook, but once you adjust your typing strokes, it isn't much of a problem. I am not sure I would recommend using the keyboard on a daily basis as your primary input method, but for traveling or completing work in the classroom, it's just fine.

The Synaptics touchpad used on the 1001P is likewise identical to the gesture-enabled model on the 1005PE. It allows you to use multi-figure gestures such as "pinching" your fingers together or "pulling" your fingers apart to zoom in or out. You can also use a "three-finger tap" as an alternative to a right click on a mouse. The Synaptics control panel in Windows also allows you to customize the gestures. The touchpad surface is covered in dots that provide a clear indication of the edges of the touchpad, but it also makes the touchpad surface too rough for quick finger movement. The left and right touchpad buttons are located beneath a single rocker-style button, but there's no separation between the left and right side, so it's easy to accidentally press the middle of the touchpad button. The touchpad buttons have extremely shallow feedback, so it's sometimes hard to feel whether or not you're pressing a button.

The 1001P lacks a dedicated wireless on/off switch, but ASUS did include FN keyboard shortcuts for wireless, screen brightness, video output, volume, and Windows task manager.

Input and Output Ports
The 1001P offers the same port selection as the 1005PE. Namely, you get three USB 2.0 ports, a 4-in-1 media card reader, headphone and microphone jacks, Ethernet port, and the return of a standard VGA out port. Here is a quick tour around the Eee PC 1001P:

Front view: No ports, just clean lines and indicator lights.

Rear view: No ports either, just the hinges and battery.

Left side view: Power jack, VGA out, USB 2.0 port, security lock slot, and heat vent.

Right side view: 4-in-1 card reader, headphone jack, microphone jack, two USB 2.0 ports, and Ethernet.

Performance and Benchmarks
The 1001P is equipped with the 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 and Intel GMA 3150 integrated graphics. For normal daily activities, like browsing the Web, typing documents, and listening to music, the system didn't show any lag. In our HD video tests, we played the 720P trailer for "Up!," and the system successfully kept up with the video decoding. But when we tried the 1080P version, the system sputtered. With the Adobe Flash 10.1 beta installed, the system had trouble playing 720P HD flash; enough that the system became unusable until the video stopped playing. Given that the netbook doesn't even offer a screen with a resolution capable of displaying HD video, its inability to play the trailer is not weighted heavily.

wPrime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance):

PCMark05 measures overall system performance (higher scores mean better performance):

3DMark06 comparison results against netbooks @ 1024 x 768 resolution (higher scores mean better performance):

CrystalDiskMark hard drive performance test:

Heat and Noise
Thermal performance of the Eee PC 1001P is excellent with very low power consumption. Even under continuous stress, we still couldn't get the 1001P to form any significant warm spots. For heat-sensitive users, the netbook would be an excellent choice. Fan noise is minimal at worst, needing your ear right next to the exhaust vent to hear it during normal conditions. With the system stressed, the fan speed increased, but it was still difficult to hear over room noise.

Battery
Compared to older Intel Atom processors like the N270 and N280, the 1001P's biggest strength is the newer chipset paired with the N450, which is much more efficient. According to ASUS, the netbook should get an estimated 11 hours of runtime while operating from the battery, whereas the 1005PE, with a slightly larger battery, was estimated at 14 hours. In our battery test with the screen brightness reduced to 70%, wireless active, and Windows 7 on the balanced profile, the system stayed on for eight hours and one minute. This is 4 hours below the time the 1005PE managed on battery although it did use a higher capacity battery.

Conclusion
The ASUS Eee PC 1001P SeaShell at its heart is a low-cost version of the 1005PE. Priced $80 less, the 1001P loses the island keyboard, higher capacity battery, 250GB hard drive, N-wireless, and Bluetooth. The 1001P reached an impressive eight hours of battery life, but let's remember that is four hours less than the 1005PE. With the 1005PE selling for as little as $365 through some online retailers, increasing your budget would result in a more capable road-warrior netbook. Overall, the 1001P still provides a great value with eight hours of battery life for $300 retail, but if you can spend slightly more, you gain 50% more battery life.

Pros:

• Eight hours of battery life
• Durable chassis
• Matte-finish display

Cons:

• Four hours less battery than 1005PE

Individual Ratings: *
Software & Support
Upgrade Capabilities
Usability
Design
Performance
Features
Price/Value Rating
* Ratings averaged to produce final score

from

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=5590&review=asus+eee+pc+1001p

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Review Clevo W765CUH

Not everyone wants a mainstream notebook with the same big-name branding. Today, we look at custom notebook seller AVADirect's new W765CUH, a 15.6-inch multimedia notebook sporting a Core i5 processor and ATI graphics card.

Our test notebook of the AVADirect Clevo W765CUH has the following specifications:

• 15.6-inch 720p (1366 x 768) display with LED backlighting
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• Intel Core i5-540M processor (2.53GHz, 3MB L3 cache)
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 512MB DDR2 graphics card
• 4GB DDR3-1333 Kingston RAM
• 500GB 7200RPM hard drive (Seagate Momentus 7200.4/ST9500420AS)
• Realtek RTL8191SE 802.11n Wireless LAN adapter
• Built-in Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
• 8X DVD Super Multi drive
• One year limited warranty
• Weight: 5.82 pounds
  
• Dimensions: 14.75” (W) x 10.13” (D) x 1.5” (H)
• MSRP: $1,147

AVADirect allows full customization of the Clevo W765CUH. It is available with the quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, up to 8GB of RAM, and a variety of SSDs. Our test notebook has a more mainstream configuration although still a good performer in its own right.

Build and Design
The W765 has a generic look with no outstanding features. The notebook was clearly designed without aesthetics in mind. The W765 masks its somewhat chunky 1.5-inch high chassis with inward-cut sides, making it appear slimmer.

The W765 is constructed entirely of plastic and build quality is acceptable. The plastic exhibits little flex, however, feels somewhat second-rate and makes a cheap rattling sound when tapped. We like that the chassis is nearly devoid of glossy plastic; matte plastic is more durable and easier to clean. Only a thin screen surround is glossy plastic. The matte plastic on the visible surfaces of the notebook has a metallic sparkle to it, which shows up under light.

While the notebook feels cheap, it is actually quite strong. The chassis is just as stiff as other notebooks in its price range; it does not twist willingly, indicating a strong internal frame. The display is stronger than expected and resists twisting very well. Additionally, pushing in on the back of the display does not yield ripples on the screen. Two strong hinges anchor the display to the chassis. One minor annoyance with the notebook is that the screen does not tilt back far, only about 15-20 degrees past vertical. While using this notebook in my lap, I wished it tilted back another 20 degrees. Overall, while the notebook feels and looks generic and cheap, it has above average construction and a strong internal frame.

Screen and Speakers
AVADirect offers the W765 with two different screen resolutions: HD (1366 x 768) and HD+ (1600 x 900) and our review unit has the former. The display is LED backlit and has a glossy surface. The display’s quality is top-notch, with excellent brightness and ample contrast. Horizontal viewing angles are good, exhibiting little distortion. Vertical viewing angles are narrow; colors quickly shift if the display is viewed more than 15 degrees off center either up or down.

The 1366 x 768 resolution is low for a 15.6-inch screen. We would have preferred 1600 x 900 (which is available on this notebook), which is more productive to work on since it has more screen space. A higher resolution means less scrolling and easier multitasking.

The W765’s two speakers are located in the bottom of the display, not a place where speakers are typically found. Sound quality is poor, even for a notebook; it's very tinny and has no tangible bass.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The W765 has a full-size keyboard with separate numeric keypad. It has a “Chiclet” or island-style keyboard, where the keys are raised above the keyboard's surface and have more spacing. The keyboard has a hollow and unsettled feel even though it exhibits little flex, echoing the feel of the chassis. The key action is unsophisticated, yet direct, so typing accuracy is a nonissue. The key spacing and throw is spot-on. We like the matte key surfaces, which should wear well over time.

The downside of the keyboard is a lack of dedicated home, end, page up, and page down keys, which are integrated as secondary functions in the arrow keys. If number lock is disabled they can exist as dedicated keys, but then the functionality of the number pad is lost. Speaking of the number pad, it has an odd three-column layout (as opposed to the standard four-column), however all standard keys are present.

The touchpad is a mixed bag. While it is responsive, this is the first touchpad I tested where I felt the surface was too textured. It feels overly rough to the touch and is not something I would care to use for extended periods. On the positive side, we like the touchpad buttons, which are quiet and give responsive feedback.

Ports and Features
The W765 has a wide array of input and output ports, including HDMI and eSATA. All picture descriptions are left to right.

Left Side: Power, VGA out, Gigabit Ethernet, eSATA, HDMI, 2x USB 2.0, ExpressCard/54 (top), 7-in-1 media card reader (bottom)

Right Side: S/PDIF, headphone, microphone, USB 2.0, optical drive, 56k modem, Kensington Lock slot

Front: Status lights

Back: Display hinge

Performance and Benchmarks
Our W765 houses some mid- to high-end components including the fastest Core i5 dual-core processor available, 4GB of RAM, a speedy 500GB 7200RPM hard drive, and a basic ATI Radeon HD 4570 dedicated graphics card.

Wprime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance):

PCMark05 measures overall system performance (higher scores mean better performance):

3DMark06 measures overall graphics performance for gaming (higher scores mean better performance):

Left 4 Dead 2 benchmark (1024x768, Medium-Low Settings):

HDTune storage drive performance test:

The W765 as equipped puts up some respectable numbers in our tests, however, is not much of a gaming machine. The Mobility Radeon HD 4570 graphics card is equipped with slow DDR2 memory and struggles to run the latest games; in Left 4 Dead 2, we had to lower the settings significantly for a playable experience.

Heat and Noise
The W765 is cooled by a single fan that vents hot air from the left side of the chassis. We found the fan remains on most of the time and is noticeable; it sounds like a constant rush of air and adds to the ambient noise level. Although we wish the fan was quieter, at the very least, the fan noise is consistent and does not escalate under load.

The cooling system fortunately did an excellent job of keeping internal components cool; the GPU never reached 70 degrees C and the processor topped out in the mid-60 degree C range. These are low temperatures, especially compared to some modern notebooks.

Battery Life
The W765 has a six-cell lithium-ion battery (10.8V, 4400mAh, 47.52Wh). While surfing the Web with minimum screen brightness, we observed a runtime of three hours and 17 minutes. This is a respectable for a notebook with a six-cell battery and dedicated video card.

Conclusion
The AVADirect W765CUH is an unremarkable 15.6-inch multimedia notebook. It has generic look and feels rather cheap and hollow due to an all-plastic construction. Although the outer plastic construction does not reflect its quality; the W765 is actually a well put-together machine. It has little to make it stand out from a crowd other than the fact there's isn't a Dell or Acer label on the lid. We liked the W765CUH’s screen and wide port selection, but would have preferred a quieter cooling system and a less-textured touchpad. The W765CUH’s performance is notable and the low-end graphics card makes it less than ideal for gamers. Overall, the notebook performed satisfactorily in our tests, but has nothing beyond what we expected, and we won't recommend or condemn it against competing brands.

Pros:

• Good quality screen
• Relatively high performance
• Wide variety of ports

Cons:

• Looks and feels cheap
• Poor keyboard and touchpad
• Weak graphics card

Individual Ratings: *
Software & Support
Upgrade Capabilities
Usability
Design
Performance
Features
Price/Value Rating
* Ratings averaged to produce final score

from

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=5550&review=AVADirect+Clevo+W765CUH

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