eee PC: A Proper Review
Jan. 21st, 2008 12:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
andrasteSo, a couple of people asked about my new PC, and since I brought it to work today I thought I'd take the time to write up a review *g*.
The eee PC, for anyone who's not already read the glowing press, is a notebook released by Asus. It's only seven inches or so wide and constructed primarily out of plastic, so it's small and light enough for me to put in my shoulder bag. At AUS $499, it's also shockingly cheap. I've got a white one, but they also come in black. I've had it less than two days, and already everywhere I go people exclaim over just how cute this thing is.
Part of the reason for the low price is that it runs not Windows, but Linux. Many consumers will see this as a draw back, but frankly the chance to avoid Windows Vista was part of what attracted me. (The only reason I continue to keep Windows on my main system is that I need it to run Premiere.) I suppose you could always install Windows on the eee PC, but I imagine this would make it run like treacle.
It's obviously not designed as a primary computer, although I imagine it could serve that purpose for those whose needs and budgets are modest. It's designed as a portable device allowing the user to connect to the internet, take notes and watch videos while away from home.
As far as I can tell after a bit more than twenty-four hours of use, it succeeds at what it sets out to do. The pre-installed version of Linux is colourful, user friendly and foolproof. I expected to have to configure and install for at least a few hours, but in practice the only thing I've done is change the colour scheme. I was also amazed to find that the battery was already charged, so it literally worked straight out of the box!
The desktop is divided into six tabs: Internet, Work, Learn, Play, Settings and Favourites. Internet is fairly self-explanatory, containing links to Firefox, network connections and other such things. It picks up my wireless network at home without issue, but alas, I was unable to connect while at work! Looks like I will have to find something else to do with it during those hours.
Speaking of Work, that's where you find Open Office, and also the File Manager. Learn has various educational tools, including the periodic table and a desktop planetarium. Play is where you access your photos, music and videos as well as the in-built webcam. (I'll have to get hold of a microphone before I can use that properly – maybe there's one installed and I just haven't figured out how to switch in on.) There are also some games – I can already feel Frozen Bubble becoming a horrible time sink, and I've only got as far as level seventeen. The video player, incidentally, has so far handled everything I've thrown at it without my needing to install a single codec. Colour me impressed. Rounding out the menus, Settings is self-explanatory and Favourites is where you put the parts of the other menus that you want to use the most often.
Are there any major drawbacks? Well, as with any portable computer, battery life could be an issue if you're on the tram or otherwise unable to plug it in. The documentation claims that it will run for between two and three hours, but I suspect that time would be reduced if you were to be watching movies or doing something else energy intensive.
The keyboard really is is tiny, and while I have nimble fingers and have had no trouble typing at my usual speed during the production of this document, I imagine that could be a problem for some. I found that the touchpad drove me nuts even while trying it out in the shop, so I also invested in the world's most adorable travel mouse.
Another potential drawback is the lack of CD/DVD drive. While this contributes to the light, compact construction of the machine it does mean that you need to put anything you want to get onto the computer onto a USB device or transfer it via the network from another computer. The 4GB hard drive is mostly filled by the pre-installed programs, so there's not a lot of space to play with. With 512MB of RAM, it's not designed for complex system demands - I couldn't recommend having more than a couple of programs open at a time.
If you want a computer that can function as a desktop replacement or are married to Windows, this is obvoiusly a terrible choice. If you want maximum portability for minimum price, it's well worth checking out.
For my purposes? The only way I could love it more is if it transformed into an evil robot.
The eee PC, for anyone who's not already read the glowing press, is a notebook released by Asus. It's only seven inches or so wide and constructed primarily out of plastic, so it's small and light enough for me to put in my shoulder bag. At AUS $499, it's also shockingly cheap. I've got a white one, but they also come in black. I've had it less than two days, and already everywhere I go people exclaim over just how cute this thing is.
Part of the reason for the low price is that it runs not Windows, but Linux. Many consumers will see this as a draw back, but frankly the chance to avoid Windows Vista was part of what attracted me. (The only reason I continue to keep Windows on my main system is that I need it to run Premiere.) I suppose you could always install Windows on the eee PC, but I imagine this would make it run like treacle.
It's obviously not designed as a primary computer, although I imagine it could serve that purpose for those whose needs and budgets are modest. It's designed as a portable device allowing the user to connect to the internet, take notes and watch videos while away from home.
As far as I can tell after a bit more than twenty-four hours of use, it succeeds at what it sets out to do. The pre-installed version of Linux is colourful, user friendly and foolproof. I expected to have to configure and install for at least a few hours, but in practice the only thing I've done is change the colour scheme. I was also amazed to find that the battery was already charged, so it literally worked straight out of the box!
The desktop is divided into six tabs: Internet, Work, Learn, Play, Settings and Favourites. Internet is fairly self-explanatory, containing links to Firefox, network connections and other such things. It picks up my wireless network at home without issue, but alas, I was unable to connect while at work! Looks like I will have to find something else to do with it during those hours.
Speaking of Work, that's where you find Open Office, and also the File Manager. Learn has various educational tools, including the periodic table and a desktop planetarium. Play is where you access your photos, music and videos as well as the in-built webcam. (I'll have to get hold of a microphone before I can use that properly – maybe there's one installed and I just haven't figured out how to switch in on.) There are also some games – I can already feel Frozen Bubble becoming a horrible time sink, and I've only got as far as level seventeen. The video player, incidentally, has so far handled everything I've thrown at it without my needing to install a single codec. Colour me impressed. Rounding out the menus, Settings is self-explanatory and Favourites is where you put the parts of the other menus that you want to use the most often.
Are there any major drawbacks? Well, as with any portable computer, battery life could be an issue if you're on the tram or otherwise unable to plug it in. The documentation claims that it will run for between two and three hours, but I suspect that time would be reduced if you were to be watching movies or doing something else energy intensive.
The keyboard really is is tiny, and while I have nimble fingers and have had no trouble typing at my usual speed during the production of this document, I imagine that could be a problem for some. I found that the touchpad drove me nuts even while trying it out in the shop, so I also invested in the world's most adorable travel mouse.
Another potential drawback is the lack of CD/DVD drive. While this contributes to the light, compact construction of the machine it does mean that you need to put anything you want to get onto the computer onto a USB device or transfer it via the network from another computer. The 4GB hard drive is mostly filled by the pre-installed programs, so there's not a lot of space to play with. With 512MB of RAM, it's not designed for complex system demands - I couldn't recommend having more than a couple of programs open at a time.
If you want a computer that can function as a desktop replacement or are married to Windows, this is obvoiusly a terrible choice. If you want maximum portability for minimum price, it's well worth checking out.
For my purposes? The only way I could love it more is if it transformed into an evil robot.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-20 01:50 pm (UTC)Oooh. I have been ogling the eee PC for a while, so it's great to see a review on LJ.
they also come in black
And, in the next month or so, green and blue and pink.
With 512MB of RAM, it's not designed for complex system demands
FWIW, I have seen reports that depending on the exact model, you may be able to slot in extra RAM yourself if you want.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-20 04:22 pm (UTC)512MB is actually not that small for a Linux install - Windows would indeed run like crap on that, but Linux runs beautifully on it, and you should be able to do a great deal at once. Video is what starts to tax Linux on machines with lower specs, so that may be true of video (especially if the CPU is slower), but it should do quite a lot of everything else. (It'll look like Firefox uses up a lot of that memory, if you're watching the system monitor, but it's not actually true. It just makes itself look big, rather like the Cat on Red Dwarf.)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-23 10:01 am (UTC)Yeah, I've not found the small HD an issue - my mp3 player holds any data I need to carry around, and it fits enough TV on it to entertain me for a day.
512MB is actually not that small for a Linux install - Windows would indeed run like crap on that, but Linux runs beautifully on it, and you should be able to do a great deal at once.
I've noticed that it gets a little sluggish if I abuse the music player to cue up 2000 tracks at once, but other than that it does indeed run smooth. Hooray for efficient operating systems!
(It'll look like Firefox uses up a lot of that memory, if you're watching the system monitor, but it's not actually true. It just makes itself look big, rather like the Cat on Red Dwarf.)
Heh. I am now picturing it fluffing up its tail at me.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-23 09:57 am (UTC)I was almost tempted to wait for a blue one, but decided that the chances of their making it as far as Australia before the start of my university Semester were poor. The white one is pretty cute anyway *g*.
FWIW, I have seen reports that depending on the exact model, you may be able to slot in extra RAM yourself if you want.
So I've heard - I'll have to use it a bit longer before I decide if it's necessary to upgrade it.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-20 04:32 pm (UTC)Re: the hard drive, I think they're bringing out an 8GB model in the next few months, but yeah - compact flash drives are probably easiest and cheapest anyway.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-20 07:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-23 10:12 am (UTC)I'm answering comments on it now and can see everything; I don't know how it would go with a post where the comments had exploded and there were multiple threads, but it seems to work fine for most lj reading.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-20 10:00 pm (UTC)But I really hope they keep going, because I can definitely see myself going for that and a desktop after a while.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-23 10:16 am (UTC)My plan is to replace my laptop with a desktop when it passes on and use this when I need to be on the move - for maximum mobility this is definitely the way to go.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-23 09:18 pm (UTC)I don't really use all the features that allows--for instance, I rarely switch over and run the lab's software in mid-presentation to demo something--but it's nice to have the option.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-22 03:48 pm (UTC)http://www.mobiletechreview.com/nechpc.htm
I love my baby, but she's growing older and older and I fear abruptly being without her and my "quick scribble moments" back to paper and pencil
Thank you SO much for the update!!!!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-23 10:23 am (UTC)Hmmm. Looking at the specs, I'd say the eee is a little smaller, but I'm finding it remarkably easy to type on. Except I haven't got used to where the shift key is yet and keep hitting Page Up instead *g*.
Thank you SO much for the update!!!!
My pleasure - I hope it will help people make up their minds.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-27 03:04 pm (UTC)This sentence here? This breaks my heart. I was so excited: a vidder who uses Linux! But not for vidding, I guess. I've been trying to find someone to help me get video editing to work on my machine, but I'm starting to think it involves mystic chants and initiation into a secret brotherhood...
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-02 12:10 pm (UTC)I can only imagine how frustrating that must be! Every bit of vidding how-to I've ever seen assumes either Windows or Mac software.
Clicking around, there are a couple of non-linear video editing programs for Linux. Cinnelerra might be your best bet for a powerful non-linear editor, and AviDemux seems like a good program for getting source into a format you can edit.
The biggest challenge, as you say, is finding someone to help you get it all to work. Not many people have used Linux for vidding, as far as I can tell. Perhaps you can be a pioneer!