Introduction
The ultraportable, relatively low cost ASUS Eee PC made a big splash since its debut. Offered at a sub-$300 price point in its simplest configuration and available from a large number of distributors, including big consumer stores like Best Buy, the Eee has carved out a niche for inexpensive subnotebooks that other manufacturers are now rushing to help fill. Recently they've expanded their product line with a 4G model that includes Windows XP pre-installed and, astonishingly, lists at the same sticker price as the Linux version ($399). Once again, let's delve into the Eee and examine what the Windows XP environment does for us.
What do I get?
If you haven't seen our previous articles on the Eee, there are many additional product and screen shots in those reviews. Here, we will primarily focus on the differences due to the Windows XP operating system.
The hardware in the 4G and 4G XP is identical. However, this time around, ASUS has thrown a few more goodies in the box: a small optical mouse and a 4GB SDHC card for additional storage space.
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What's this - warranty no longer "void if removed"?
Another minor tweak, as pointed out in the memory photo, is that the "Warranty void if removed" sticker over the access panel is gone, replaced with a rather useless "Eee PC" sticker. Other than that, the hardware and specifications are identical to the original 4G, and we won't rehash them here, other than some discussions of the processor later on.
P.S. The mouse glows…
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Nihility - Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - link
What about batter tests of XP vs Linux? Considering what a mess there was with the reviewed EEE 900's this should be tested.Nihility - Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - link
Not so much. I was hoping computers like the EEE and the OLPC would help push linux but all these companies are quickly finding that it's easier to just ship with windows. Your customers like it, your developers like it and it's already been tested and proven so that saves on RnD. Maybe they still will help push linux in the long run but it sure doesn't seem like it for now.The EEE 900 with the bigger screen, even if it's more friendly to those older games it will come with a major drawback of even lower frame rates. Don't forget that. What the EEE needs is more power, for less power.
turkeyjob - Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - link
Microsoft recently posted a video to their Ch9 website, of work they'd done to reduce the disk footprint on smaller systems. They demonstrated fully functional XP AND Office-2003 installed in 1.2GB of disk, on an EEEamasephy - Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - link
In regards to the Diablo 2 benchmark, the eeepc doing 25-30 fps is normal. D2 was capped at that for single player mode, which judging by the screenshots is how the game was benchmarked. More than likely it would perform better played on bnet.Matt Campbell - Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - link
Good point - I did the Diablo II tests at the very end of the article (actually as an add-on after it was written) and didn't try multiplayer mode.1up949 - Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - link
I guess anything can be made to run anything if you cripple it enough...Sc4freak - Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - link
There seems to be something funky going on with the page navigation in the article. 3 pages are named "Windows XP", and you can't go to a previous page from them.Matt Campbell - Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - link
Thanks, fixed.