ASUS Eee PC 900 8.9-Inch Netbook (Intel Mobile Processor, 1 GB RAM, 12 GB Solid State Drive, XP Home, 4 Cell Battery) Pearl White Reviews

• Almost Perfect

  
  By A2XC339LUDT87 on 2008-05-23
  I have been thinking about getting an ultra-portable device for a while and finally decided this was "it".
  
  Ideally, I wanted a sub $500 solution, but this was close enough.
  
  I was looking at the Nokia 800 and 810 for a while, but ultimately decided I needed windows compatibility over size.
  
  Also, I almost got the 7inch version when it came out, but I'm glad I waited. The 1024 pixel width makes ALL the difference when browsing.
  
  I was debating quite a bit between the XP and Linux versions, but decided to go with the XP and get a 16 GB SD for $80. The SD card does NOT stick out from the machine when it's inserted, so there is no problem having it in all the time.
  
  Even though technically there is no reason not to install XP on the Linux (20GB) version, I wanted the piece of mind that if anything should go wrong, I won't have to worry about the OS change.
  
  The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is the keyboard.
  I know it's impossible to have a great keyboard on such a small machine, but to be honest, I type faster on my cell phone's keyboard than my EEE.
  I've just had the machine for a couple of days, so I'm hoping that eventually I'll get used to it.
  
  It's great that it really has just about everything a "full size" laptop does (webcam, built in mic, speakers). I wish it had bluetooth as well, but I can get a USB for like $30 if I really need it.
  
  Also, I read that some people (i think in the UK) got the lower powered battery (I think 4400 mah) but this comes with the better battery (the 5800 mah one).
  
  
  

• Nice .. except for the screen

  
  By A2NU9H8H5MJZSL on 2008-05-21
  Even at the brightest setting, this screen is 25% dimmer than the Hp 2133. Also note that it comes with IE6 installed, and the unusual screen size re the weird driver setup causes some web pages to go bonkers (huge text). Going to IE7 or Firefox solves this.
  
  The keyboard is almost unusable, of course.
  
  The Pros are the small size and weight.
  
  
  
  See my review of the Hp 2133 and the critical problem it has with the Via chipset.
  
  My conclusion, this machine is, for a secondary, going to meeting type of machine, the better of the two. If HP changes the VIA to an Intel chip, there is absolutely no question that the ASUS would be inferior. Note, however, that the ASUS does OK on its 4 cell...and the HP is somewhat bigger and about 60% heavier (the souped up model is well over 3 lbs, despite the adverts).
  
  
  <<<<<< Update June 7 >>>>>>
  
  Asus has just demonstrated the eee PC 1000. It has 7 hours of battery life, a larger keyboard, and is about 1.75 inches wider.
  
  Using the Atom chipset (as does the 901) it looks promising. Initial pricing estimates put it near the Hp 2133 at $750, however. I saw the 901 takes a ca. $80 price hike over the 900.
  
  
  
  

• Love it!!

  
  By A25TJQMXF3RV12 on 2008-05-21
  I ordered it on Sat here on Amazon and had it waiting for me when I got home from work on Tues. I am using it now. I got the 900xp model. I love it! I was worried getting the xp verson because of the windows crawl..lol..Boy was I surprised. This thing is faster then my Sony Vaio 1.6 duo tech with 2 gigs of ram and it boots super fast...works like a charm, took me a whole of 5 minutes to be surfing the web...get one U R gonna love it!
  
  

• Go for the 20G Linux one

  
  By A18EUQFB1I3CGA on 2008-05-21
  I bought this 12G Asus EEE PC when I had business trip in Taiwan. Every thing works fine, and I enjoy it a lot due to improved screen size comparing with 1st generated EEE PC. However, the SSD size is a pain. It comes with 4G one for OS and another 8G one for users to install other softwares or storage personal files. It's not enough for sure.
  
  We can use SD card for extra storage, but that's another $80 for 8G SD card. You also need to plug in and out the SD cards when you want to copy pictures from another SD (Camrea uses one). It makes way more troubles, so I returned it to the store next day and got another 20G Linux one.
  
  The linux 20G Asus EEE PC is way better, it's 4G + 16G SSD. You will get another extra 8G, which will make you smile. It's very easy to install Window XP into the system. The key is change "OS Installaion" from "Finished" to "Start" in the BIOS.
  
  You can easier to buy Window XP Home from the market around $90 or Window XP PRO from the market around $140. The CD also includes the Windows drivers, even you buy the Linux 20G Asus EEE PC. Therefore, you don't need to worry about Window XP drivers.
  
  I guess the reason for Asus to use 12G instead of 20G for Asus EEE PC 900 with Window XP Home due to the Microsoft license cost. If you don't mind to pay for the extra Window XP license fee, it will get you extra 8GB internal SSD space. You will enjoy this EEE PC more.
  
  Suggestion:
  
  Go for the 20G Linux one!!! (
  
  I also ordered another Linux 20G one for my wife on Amazon.com. Hope they will ship it out soon.)
  
  
  

• This little gem is amazing!

  
  By A18MFAAF9JYF0U on 2008-05-22
  I've been using laptops since 1995. I bought a 16 GB SDHC card for $79 Transcend 16GB SDHC CARD (SD 2.0 SPD CLASS 6) with Compact Card Reader) when I bought this amazing computer. It gives me a total of 28 GB hard drive space. The trick is to install whatever software you can to the E drive (SDHC). An SDHC card plugs directly into the SD port without an adaptor -something my full size notebook computer won't do.
  
  I do a lot of photo editing with programs like Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro and a bunch of plug-ins. I installed Paint Shop Pro and 5 different plug-in programs on the EEE 12G model. The screen is a little small but portability is the reason I bought this gem in the first place.
  
  I use a small portable optical USB mouse. It works better for something like editing photos.
  
  I've got Street Atlas USA 2008 installed on the SDHC card and my USB GPS works fine with it. Having 3 USB ports makes the EEE quite flexible. I've also got a 160 GB portable USB hard drive so I can use it for storing photos and large documents.
  
  There isn't a thing the EEE won't do. It make take a little longer than your regular computer but this is a great computer to stick in your briefcase or even a purse.
  
  I highly recommend it.
  
  
• ASUS Eee 900 Review
  By A2IW9AYIBRS7AQ on 2008-06-07
  This is the first review I have written for a product purchased from Amazon. I have been very interested in the sub-notebook category and was excited when it arrived 6 days ago. On a personal note, I am a doctoral student; thus, while I do quite a bit of my research online, I now need to spend more time in the library. Carrying my 9 lb laptop with me gets old and is cumbersome at times, which is why this device and others like it have held a certain appeal for me. Over the last few days, I have used the 900 in several different environments to see how it performs.
  
  Thus far, I can share that I have been most impressed. The ASUS Eee 900 does exactly what it states. The machine turns on remarkably fast and the Wi-Fi has been flawless so far in my home, in the library, and at a local Starbucks. Connecting to the internet is seamless and the pages move very quickly. The screen is bright and I have an 8GB SDHC card in for additional memory needs. For those that may be concerned that the screen is too small, I would offer that aside from the obviously smaller measurements, the laptop has several options for enlarging the font, including the finger glide option that allows you to immediately enlarge the screen as needed. I learned that this is very similar to the I-phone feature. For those of us who are 40-somethings (like myself) this is really nice. Additionally, I have been able to get 3.5-4.0 hours battery use out of this computer each day before having to recharge.
  
  The challenge I think, for most people will be getting used to the smaller keyboard, although I have been able to adjust fairly quickly. The shift key on the right is a bit smaller and so I have made a few errors due to this, but otherwise, it has not been a big deal. Several reviewers have recommended getting a small mouse to navigate more quickly. Other than this, I do not have any concerns. The laptop is very lightweight and several people have come up to ask to look at it and are very impressed by it. I love that I can quickly put this in my purse or book bag and just go.
  
  Some final notes...one of the other reviewers commented that the 900 will be discontinued due to the fact that the company is preparing to come out with the 901 (and now the 1000) version(s). That's true, although I do not know that this information alone merits a lower rating for this particular device. I suspect that this may mean the price of this computer will begin to come down fairly soon when the new versions are released sometime later this summer or early Fall. The processor will be faster and on the 1000 version, the screen will be 10 inches and the keyboard will be 92% of a typical laptop which will be a plus for those who have large fingers or just want a more adequate keyboard to type on. If you are thinking about waiting, then you may also want to watch for what Dell is also about to offer in this category as a release date is pending soon. Check out the CNET or Engadget web sites for more information. But for those who want a device like the ASUS Eee 900, I do not believe you will be disappointed either. Having a sub notebook allows some additional flexibility that a heavier laptop does not and the 900 certainly meets that need. Thanks.
  
  
  
  
  
• Love it.
  By AQU2L8GL2D6SX on 2008-05-24
  We just got this yesterday. I know that one day is not a long time to evaluate anything, but if I don't write this now, I never will.
  
  I bought this for my wife for her business trips. She had a regular sized laptop which she was growing tired of lugging about.
  
  I had to 'convince' her that this would be a good thing for her. However, after it arrived, she promptly fell in love with it. She does such things as e-mail, web browsing, logging on her company web site, etc. She is also addicted to those little tile-matching games which require little graphic power.
  
  It seems "peppy" and the screen appears bright, at least inside a building. I cannot comment on brightness outside in the sunlight (I know another reviewer commented on the dark screen, perhaps he was referring to being outside?)
  
  The keyboard is small of course, though I had little difficulty in using it. However, if you intend some serious word processing, this is probably not the PC for that job.
  
  There is no CD. You will need to install software either from the internet, a USB port, or from another PC on your home network (I shared out the CD drive from another pc on our network).
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Serious drawbacks
  By A8U4EA1KC34MS on 2008-07-01
  I bought this computer to replace my wife's Sharp MM20,that was uneconomical to repair due to a damaged screen,and is no longer available new. I searched for a replacement for weeks and bought the EeePC 900 which seemed the best replacement available at a reasonable price. I have waited for a month to learn about the machine prior to writing a review. Had I written my review sooner, it would have had more stars, here is why I reduced the star rating.
  
  Out of the box everything worked, except I had difficulties getting a good connection with my wireless router. I got the connection established, but, it constantly tried to validate my identity. Two calls to tech support, failed to resolve the issue. The best thing I can say about tech support is that you can reach them relatively easily. They are not particularly nice nor competent. They are quick to shift the problem to others, saying we don't deal with that, call your internet provider or other software provider.
  
  When my wife, a flight attendant, returned from her first trip using the ASUS 900, I had to try again to resolve the wireless issue since she was unable to connect with the internet at hotels where she has always been able to connect with her Sharp. This time when I contacted Tech support, I got a better representative, we deleted the wireless adapter from device manager and reinstalled it. That seems to have fixed the problem, since yesterday we went to a public WiFi location and were able to establish an internet connection.
  
  Now for the more serious drawbacks. I have Network Magic installed on the unit so downloaded files, some of which can be large, can be transfered to a server on our home network. This is to preserve precious disk space on the PC900. Unfortunately, I keep getting warnings that an important update for XP is available and needs to be installed. That update is XP SP3. That is where things got messy. The hard drive is partitioned with 3.75 GB devoted to C: and the remaining 8.25 GB assigned as D: Trying to install SP3 failed due to insufficient space on C:. I began looking for items to delete or remove from C: to try making room. After several hours of trying I called tech support seeking suggestions; they offered none. Only telling me I needed to remove stuff from C: to make room. So into Control Panel Add/Remove Software I went - looking for stuff to remove.
  
  The machine comes with OEM software installed, some on C: some on D:, however, from Add Remove Software, I could not determine on which drive the software was installed, and regardless, shared files are on C: even if the program is installed on D:. Hours later, after removing software and trying to move files and directories on C: I still encountered the insufficient disk space message. I decided to forget about SP3 and return to my prior configuration. That is when I discovered that the Restore function is turned off and cannot be activated. I had now messed up my configuration and removed programs and moved files, which would not work properly and in some cases would not reinstall. Without Restore the only alternative was to hook up an external DVD Drive and return the machine to original configuration. Good bye hours of work installing and configuring other software.
  
  Conclusion: Things work as advertised. The installed software is questionable. There is a DVD player without a DVD drive. Who in their right mind buys a miniature computer for convenience, then carries an external DVD player. Star Suite 8 is installed, taking 866mb of disc space and seems to be identical to Open Office that uses less than 375mb, Huh!!. In addition to the DVD player and Star Suite 8, the PC900 comes with Skype and MS Works. With disc space severely constrained, why are two office type programs installed? ASUS makes a 20GB hard drive version that has Linux installed, why they don't make that drive available with XP, I cannot understand. The larger drive would allow larger partitions and solve a host of problems. Another review talks about buying that model and installing XP, if you have the XP program and the know how, that certainly seems a better option. Would I buy this unit knowing what I know now, probably not.
  
  I hope you find this review informative.
  
  
  
  
  
• a little wonder
  By A111C39MSMK0R3 on 2008-05-16
  I've had a day or so to play with the EEE PC 900, and it's a little wonder. The larger display makes this far more useful than the earlier model. I'm really looking forward to carrying this tiny machine about rather than my much heavier main laptop.
  
  
  
  
• Portable office in a purse
  By A13WYG8REUPMW3 on 2008-05-24
  OK, it's not a powerhouse, but I knew that when I bought it. That said, it does exactly what I want it to do--it helps me be productive without having to drag out my full sized laptop. Surprisingly, it's a lot faster than I expected. My only complaint-- when I do try to type an email, the space bar isn't as responsive on the right side--does better when pressing on the left. But what can you expect with something this small? I'm still very pleased overall. I purchased a larger purse and now the laptop goes with me most everywhere. Along with my wireless modem, I can surf at the beach whenever! Love it, love it!!
  
  
• Asus 900 replaced by 901
  By A38343TLUJWYEF on 2008-06-06
  The Asus 900 is a one month wonder.
  
  At a trade show in Taiwan, Asus announced it would stop marketing the 900.
  
  The 901 is due out soon. Wifi, etc.
  
  
• Best choice I found for cost and weight
  By A1UMY10OG6Q5IV on 2008-06-16
  I was looking for a laptop that would run GPS atlas software for a long car trip (but would also do most other things as well, email, web, digital pictures), also it had to be familiar to my wife who is not a computer enthusiast. The Eee PC fits this bill very nicely. At around 2 pounds it's weight is barely noticeable. The battery life is good and it slips into and out of sleep mode quickly to save on power when not being used (though it can be a pain if you are just staring at the screen and not touching it for five minutes...not common at least). I also liked that it came with Windows XP and not Vista. No DVD drive means you need to buy an external but that's okay for my uses. The only thing that's been hard to adjust to is the smaller keyboard size. At first I was missing a lot of key strokes but that is improving with continued use.
  
  
• Cramped keyboard but awesome portability
  By AT2WPWO0OPGNE on 2008-06-18
  I really love how portable this thing is. Even when I throw it into my laptop bag where I'm carrying my work laptop, I hardly notice the added weight or bulk from the Eee PC. And the WiFi has worked like a charm -- I'm able to connect from the public library and at free hotspots such as Panera Bread without any problems.
  
  On the downside, that keyboard is a bit cramped. You can adjust and get reasonable touch-typing speed but nothing approaching what you can do with a regular keyboard. Still, for jotting down notes and replying to emails it's been fine.
  
  I'm also not a fan of the mouse buttons beneath the touchpad. They are pretty stiff -- you have to strike them with a fair amount of force before they'll register the click. I've taken to carrying a tiny mouse, which just plugs into one of the USB ports. Even though it does drain the battery a bit faster using that mouse, it's a lot less frustrating to click than the touchpad buttons on the Eee PC.
  
  
• Wonderful gadget...very mobile.
  By A2RGR8O8WGNFEI on 2008-06-28
  I received this item two days ago and have used it continuously. I love it! No complaints about the size of the keyboard. I purchased this to use as a mobie unit and I am not disappointed. It is mainly used for internet. I have a wireless mouse I use with it which makes surfing the net even easier. I like the two-finger scrolling feature on the pad. After I ordered this I wondered if I should have waited for the new Dell minis to appear, but now I know I bought the right one. It fits in my purse and is ultra mobile. I am thrilled with this gadget!!!
  
  
• when you see the eee in action you will want one
  By A1VO1Z0W7IDGSD on 2008-06-26
  I am a video freak and really have enjoyed my eee PC. The eee is really small and awesome when you also have something like the maxtor external usb2 external hard drive (requires no power other then 2 of PC's USB connections) I watch videos at work at my security job and have sold everybody who watches my videos when they go past my watch post. When I don't want to plug in my hard drive I plug-in my external usb2 wintv HD device attached to a little 5 inch antenna and I can watch live any of the 28 High Defination channels available in the Chicago Area. The wireless connection is great for checking my email and with skype (which came with PC) I have saved a ton of minutes I no longer pay my cell phone carrier. ASUS Eee PC 12G (8.9" Screen, 900 MHz Intel Mobile CPU, 1 GB RAM, 12 GB Solid State Drive, XP Home) Pearl White
  
  
• Had to Return Two of These
  By A161R3MTEOJ593 on 2008-07-08
  I wanted this cute PC so badly. The first one I ordered had a loud hum so I had to return it. The second one could not be connected to wireless internet. Customer service at Asus was perfectly nice but not very helpful. Had to return 2 of these. What a disappointment. In this case-- two strikes and they're out!
  
  
• Great Laptop for Travel
  By A23YWPBLR2OVDN on 2008-07-12
  I've been wanting a small laptop or UMPC for a while because I didn't like lugging around my Compaq laptop when I travel. I've had my eye on this Asus computer and when I heard Microsoft would stop shipping Windows XP, I knew I had to get this with XP preinstalled.
  
  I did some research ahead of time on various forums & found out that the hard drive is partitioned 4GB/8GB, with XP using most of the first partition. Some tips to maximize performance: turn off the swap file, change temp & tmp file locations to D:, install new apps on D:, move My Documents to D: and delete fonts and apps you don't need. I chose not to install Office programs, but rely on the programs that shipped with it (which can save documents in Office program formats).
  
  The keyboard is small and the touchpad is very "touchy", but you get used to that after a while. It's so great to carry around a 2-lb laptop instead of a 15-lb one, especially at the airport. This laptop does everything I need it to do in a small package. I highly recommend it.
  
  
• Light, boots fast, good wireless
  By A1VU8KNN9BAPDQ on 2008-07-17
  I bought this for travel use and found it perfect. I had previously used a Sony PSP to watch movies during trips but tired of the small screen and the need to convert files to the mp4 format the PSP uses. I went with the XP version of the eee PC because there are a lot of video players (GOM, Real Player, etc) that work on XP. I get video files in a lot of different formats and its easier to load on video players than constantly worry about converting the video files. The battery life of the eee PC 900 12G is nothing to rave about but I always take along my myPower 3450 dual daisy-chained batteries which are designed for powering the large laptops so this low power eee PC barely moves the power meter on a cross country trip. I haven't taken it on one of my China trips yet but I don't expect it will have any difficulty powering the 12-hour trip. One last note, I found the wifi capability quite good in making connections to the internet in the hotels I stayed in.
  
  
• Love it! Love it! Love it!!
  By A29GKFXW7UW878 on 2008-06-13
  There is not much can say for eeePC, but LOVE IT!!! Small, light weight, fast, cute.......everything I need for entertainment, web surfing, IMing.......perfect for a portable PC with another workstation at home or at work.
  
  
• Asus EEPC 900 Great Laptop
  By AT85C8N6VVRQ on 2008-06-19
  I love this laptop, it is great for travel, Internet, and with Win XP allows me to transfer programs from my home PC to the laptop with the use of a memory card with ease.
  When traveling, I listen to my local radio station's no matter what part of the world I am in with the WiFi or LAN connection at my hotel.
  
  
• Excellent
  By A43RW5MFWJOLE on 2008-06-27
  Performance is great, just make sure to install XP on the 4gb partition
  Mouse and keyboard specially are bit too small, but you'll get used to it. I recommend this for basic use and more, but if you are picky get the eeePC 901.
  
  
• The Best
  By A34W4M97JAZ9DH on 2008-07-10
  Truelly this is the best and the fastest notebook I have ever owned. I highly recommend this product. I really do!!
  
  
• OK, except for the things they dont tell you
  By A2IYX7C92Z296Z on 2008-07-14
  I recieved this computer. I got it started up and I love the setup for an ultra portable unit. The only problem is that the hard drive is not 12 GB its actually an 8 GB unit and a 4GB unit that are 2 seperate drives....so basically until I can find an external CD drive to see if it is even possible to reformat it ....into 1 drive,or if it is actually 2 seperate units and cannot be done. Also if you want to add more memory, unlike other computers, it will void the warrenty. I found this to be stupid, as I really wanted to put and extra 1gb in this unit without voiding my warrenty.
  
  
• Just as promised
  By A2G27RNEVS5SAI on 2008-07-17
  This little gem has performed just as promised. It's pretty quick and frankly, XP is nice to work with again. Screen is bright and sharp, speed is certainly adequate. Main problem is just size of keyboard, but that comes with the territory. Just brush up on your two finger typing and you'll be fine. A great bargain.
  
  
• Eeepc 900
  By A1111HSQFWEU56 on 2008-06-30
  love this computer.. so small so compact, good for net surfing, email. Come with MS office, nice little toy to carry around the world.
  
  
• ASUS Eee PC 8.9" with XP
  By AGUEJFWYMCBEQ on 2008-07-03
  I love this mini PC! I got it because my laptop is a Compaq with a large screen, and it is really too heavy to lug around, especially when traveling. I can read e-mail. It has a power point viewer, and Microsoft works. There are some games already loaded.
  
  I had some problems connecting to my wireless network at home. I contacted ASUS tech support, but what they suggested did not work. I took it to the Geek Squad, and they straightened that out. It works great!
  
  I am glad I waited until the 8.9" screen came out to buy it, but I wish that it had been available in black. I had the 7 inch black one on my wish list. It comes with a case made of material, sort of like foam padding. I wish that it came with a case that would also store the charger.
  
  
• Great little computer!!
  By A22HNST8ZF71AI on 2008-07-16
  I bought this mini-notebook for my husband and he says it's the greatest gift he's ever gotten. He absolutely loves and and it is very useful. It is worth spending the extra money to get the unit with the Windows operating system.
  
  
• Great little laptop
  By ATL5AP1YBTCXJ on 2008-07-22
  We bought this for my daughter to use at college in conjunction with a desktop. This gives her a small device to take to class, etc. but she will have her desktop for the heavy work. We're very pleased with the quality of the machine. It seems to do everything she needs, although if you have big hands I think it would be a lot less user friendly. I would definitely buy it again.
  
  
• Very Nice LITTLE Computer
  By AM4LW5GX6QZB on 2008-07-28
  We opted to spend the extra bucks and get the souped up version with more memory and XP. It certainly has made it more useful we've used it more than I expected because it's so portable.
  
  
• Excelent roduct for mobile user
  By AIGFCV1T219I7 on 2008-08-02
  It is designed for road warriors and don't expect to replace your primary laptop. Big difference after upgrading to 2G ram. 4G "C" drive is too small unless you renstall light XP version with nlite(can't use Window XP fro installation disk). Wish I bought Linux version so I can have more SSD space with same cost(8G verse 16G)
  
  

• Acer AL1916WAB 19" Widescreen LCD Monitor
• Kroo 11043 Cube EVA Case for Asus Eee PC 700/701/900/901 (Pink)
• HP W1907 19-inch Widescreen Flat Panel LCD Monitor
• HP W2007 20-inch Widescreen Flat Panel LCD Monitor
• Acer AL1716FB 17-inch LCD Monitor

• Transcend 8GB SDHC CARD (SD 2.0 SPD Class 6)
• Transcend 16GB SDHC CARD (SD 2.0 SPD CLASS 6) with Compact Card Reader
• Kroo 10961 Reversible Laptop Sleeve for Asus Eee PC 700/701/900 (Red/Black)
• A-DATA 16GB Turbo SDHC Class 6 Memory Card
• OCZ 2GB PC2-5400 667MHz DDR2 Value SoDIMM Module (OCZ2MV6672G)