Thoughts on the new 10 inch Asus EEE PC netbooks

Rumors say the new EEE PC netbooks from Asus are on the verge of entering the market in the next couple of weeks. They will have to reach top expectations and keep the flag high, as the current generations did, devices like the Asus 1001P and Asus 1005PE topping bestselling lists in many parts of the globe (especially on established markets from US and Europe).

However, perspectives look great for the new lines. In fact, my opinion right now is that they will kick ass, bringing better and more solid looks, plus improved hardware and features. More on the versions that will for sure become popular in the rows below (only the 10 inchers are in this post, a similar look on the bigger EEE PCs will follow).

Asus EEE PC 1015P/PE – this will be the mainstream model in the 10 inch class. Will bring the new CPUs on the PineTrail plaform, with support for DDR3 memory, 1 GB of RAM, 250 GB hard-drive, good connectivity (Wi-Fi N, Bluetooth 3.0), 6 Cell battery and Windows 7 Starter. The 1015PE will still be part of the Seashell line, but unlike the current versions, will come with a new matte casing and interior, plus a new design for keyboard and trackpad. All these for around $349.

Asus EEE PC 1016P – part of the Diary line, this one will come with a aluminum casing and some buffed features, including the DDR3 capable Atom CPUs (N455 – 1.66 GHz, N475 – 1.83 GHz), 2 GB of memory, Windows 7 Professional as standard and Bluetooth 3.0 plus a 6 Cell 48Wh battery . However, price will be quite steep: $499 in the US (based on early listings), which is a lot for a 10 incher.

Asus EEE PC 1018P – meant for business people (and part of a line called Prime), comes with a slim body and is lighter than the average mini laptop (2.4 pounds). Offers N455 processor, 1 GB of DDR3 memory, 250 GB storage, Wi-fi N, Bluetooth 3.0 and USB 3.0, 6 cell battery and fingerprint reader for extra security. All these in a metallic casing, for the price of $439. See my review of the Asus 1018P EEE PC .

Asus EEE PC 1015N – first 10 incher with a dual-core ATOM processor, this Asus is expected in Fall and will boost the N550 1.5 GHz Atom processor, 2 GB of DDR3 memory, good storage and good connectivity. Expect it to be fast for such a small computer, with improved performances in multitasking. No word on price for now.

Asus EEE PC 1015T – the first AMD powered 10″ netbook from Asus, this EEE PC will become a viable solution for those looking for an affordable option, with performances above the average provided by regular such devices with single core ATOM processors. Equipped with AMD Neo V105 CPU and ATI HD4200 graphics , this one is identical to the 1015PE/P on all the other aspects, including features and exterior. So, while we don’t have info on pricing for now, expect it for around $350 too.

That’s about it for now. Like I’ve said, the first 3 devices will probably enter the market this summer, while the other two should be expected during Fall.

Also, expect all devices to be great at their jobs, as you can see they are meant to address nearly all desires and needs. You get two cheaper all-rounder (1015pe/t), two fancier options (1016P and 1018P) and a powerful version (the 1015N).

So the end of the year looks good for Asus. They have a bunch of incoming new stuff, while most of their competitors failed to announce anything new yet (except Acer). So if right now top-selling lists are dominated by Asus products, expect this to last for a while.

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Tags: Asus, Asus EEE PC, Asus netbooks

Last updated: August 10, 2010 | Published: July 7th, 2010 | Add the first comment!