Netbooks are mostly used as stop-gap mobile devices for getting on the internet to surf and check email. Then Nvidia wanted to change that by providing HD video and gaming capabilities for the Intel Atom processor. We all wondered if better screens, specs, and graphics would bring new life to the netbook class.
The recent models available are the ASUS Eee PC 1201N, Lenovo Ideapad S12, HP Mini 311, and Samsung N510.
ASUS Eee PC 1201N Specs:
- 12.1-inch LED display (1366 x 768)
- Windows 7 Home Premium
- 1.6GHz Dual Core Intel Atom 330
- NVIDIA Ion
- 1GB of RAM
- 5,400rpm, 320GB Hard Drive
- Battery: 6-Cell 63Whr Li-ion
- Price: US$500
Lenovo Ideapad S12 Specs:
- 12.1-inch LED display (1280 x 800)
- Windows 7 Home Premium
- 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270
- NVIDIA Ion
- 3GB of RAM
- 5,400rpm, 250GB Hard Drive
- Battery: 6-Cell 52Whr Li-ion
- Price: US$650
HP Mini 311 Specs:
- 11.6-inch LED display (1366 x 768)
- Windows XP Home Edition
- 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280
- NVIDIA Ion LE
- 1GB of RAM
- 5,400rpm, 320GB Hard Drive
- Battery: 6-Cell 55Whr Li-ion
- Price: US$475
Samsung N510 Specs:
- 1.6-inch LED display (1366 x 768)
- Windows 7 Home Premium
- 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280
- NVIDIA Ion LE
- 2GB of RAM
- 5,400rpm, 250GB Hard Drive
- Battery: 6-Cell 66Wh Li-ion
- Price: US$600
Engadget compared the four, and chose the ASUS Eee PC 1201N as the overall winner:
“We're sad to say that we're a little disappointed in this crop of Ion netbooks -- we've waited over a year for them to arrive, and, well, it's just not last year anymore. While the $499 Eee PC 1201N is our choice of the group since it doesn't sacrifice performance for added graphics, it still feels dated in some ways: Intel's next generation Pine Trail Atom has just been released and you can get a comparable ULV laptop for just a few more bucks. You'll have to ask yourself if the improved graphics and multimedia capabilities of these machines are worth the decrease in performance and battery life the Ion chipset seems to involve -- and whether that tradeoff is worth an extra $200 over a typical netbook. In the end, we just feel like this is all too little, too late, and maybe NVIDIA knows it too -- Ion 2 is supposedly right around the corner. Let's just hope we don't have to wait another year.” [Engadget | Ion netbooks]
LaptopMag also proclaimed the ASUS Eee PC 1201N the winner, but gives the HP Mini 311 an honorable mention:
“Thanks in large part to its dual-core processor, the ASUS Eee PC 1201N won 4 out of 7 rounds, so it’s obviously the best choice is your priority is performance. However, you get less than 4 hours of battery life, which could be a turn-off for some. … The HP Mini 311 is just as strong a contender, but for different reasons. This is the superior machine when it comes to design and ergonomic comfort, plus it lasts nearly five hours on a charge (and even longer if you get the Windows XP version). … The bottom line: Get the Eee PC 1201N if you want the fastest netbook, and get the Mini 311 if you want a better mix of graphics power and endurance.” [LaptopMag | Best Ion Netbook]
If you need a netbook with better graphics, display, and processing power, you can’t go wrong with the Asus Eee PC 1201N or even the HP Mini 311. Better check them out both, so you could see what you like more.
