ASUS’S Eee PC is nice and thin.
Price: $429
Rating: 4 Stars
CPU: 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280
Operating System: Windows XP Home
RAM/Expandable to: 1GB/2GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 160GB/5,400 rpm
Optical Drive: N/A
Display Size/Resolution: 10.1 inches/1024 x 600
Graphics/Video Memory: Intel GMA 950/128MB
Wireless:802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1
Ports: 2 USB 2.0, VGA, Ethernet, headphone, mic
Card Slots: 4 in 1 memory card reader
Size: 10.3 x 7.0 x 1.0 inches
Weight: 2.2 pounds
Warranty/Support: One year limited, six months for battery, 30-day Zero Bright Dot/24/7 toll free phone

Most every netbook on the market out there are using the same internal specs, manufacturers are trying to get new ideas and cool designs to differentiate their netbooks from their compatitors through innovative design. Here is ASUS’s one of newest netbooks, it’s $429 Eee PC 1008HA, features all new chasis inspired by the seashell.

The Eee PC 1008HA has the same CPU, hard drive, and RAM as ASUS’s Eee PC 100HEm that extra $30 buys you a thinner, more attractive build. But it has a less ports and just only 1.5 hours of life in battery.

The netbook has an all over nice and clean design. The glossy black lid, that is also available in white, is now protected by the scratch resistant Infusion finish, but it is not a fingerprint resistant. It only weighs about 2.2lbs, it is just very light.

The ports are covered with plastic tabs. The VGA adapter is placed inconveniently on the underside of the machine. It has two USB ports, some of the netbooks have three. Also, the Ethernet port is shrunk the bottom lip of the port pulls down to have a room for the plug.

The Eee PC 1008HA has a very comfortable and a nice space keyboard. The ASUS keeps the correct keys it mended with the ASUS Eee PC 1000HE. The right Shift key is full size and directly below the Enter key.

The 2.5 x 1.5 inches pad is covered with small like dots. On most netbooks, the pad had very little friction, and navigating the desktop didn’t require much effort. The single mouse button is very easy to use for making selections.

The 10.1 inches, 1024 x 600 pixel resolution LED backlit display is just fine to fit the Web pages and windows on the screen. A clip of streamed video of HBO’s 24/7 Pacquiao vs Cotto from YouTube.com looked smooth, and colors were bright. If you Tilt the screen for 45 degrees will result a small glare.

On the top of the screen is a 1.3 megapixel webcam, it provides clear images in a Skype video chat. The speakers allowed us to hear our caller’s voice loud and clear all over the room.

It is configured with the same 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 processor, 1GB of Ram, and Windows XP as the 1000HE, there is nothing really much difference in everyday performance or benchmarks. The Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics chip with 128MB of shared memory delivers a score of 83 in 3DMark06m, which was 14 points lower than the category average, but a stremed high definition 720p quality video clip, played just smoothly with no pauses. We transcoded a 5:09 MPEG 4 video clip 115mb to the AVI format using Handbrake program, the Eee PC 1008HA finished it in 26 minutes and 57 secs, which is 4 minutes slower than the average netbooks.

ASUS Eee PC 1008HA comes with a high density, 2900 mAH lithium polymer battery instead of the usual lithium ion battery. For laptop battery test, the netbook lasted for about 5 hours and 37 minutes, just about the same with other netbook for six cell batteries. But, the battery is fixed or irremovable and cannot add an extended battery option.

The WiFI card 802.11b/g/n provides a very good connection for surfing the Web. Connects 22.4Mbps and 20.0 Mbps from 14 and 49 feet, it is above average when we able to maintain a strong signal far router.

ASUS Eee PC 1008HA is one of the thinnest and most attractive netbooks out there. You can show it off to your friends unplugged for about 5 hours.