Follow us on TwitterIf you are contemplating purchasing a netbook, you must at least consider an Eee PC. After all, the Eee PC is the product that took the market by surprise and started the netbook craze.
Before you can make any decision, you need to understand the Eee PC product family. In that case, this article is for you.
Asus has recently announced so many new versions of the Eee PC that it has become almost impossible to recall the specific features of each model. Sometimes you just need a place to quickly recall some information about one of the Eee PC models. Then this is also for you.
Before we start, in order to understand the various models and assess their value, we need to know the price. For that reason, I have looked up the best price for each model and displayed it here. It provides a nice point of reference. But these prices will be out of date the moment I publish this article. I am not going to make any attempt to keep this current.
[Update (8/6/08): I have implemented a "Netbook Price Comparison Guide". Here is a sample.]
[Update (8/28/08): You may wish to also read our article "Which Netbook Is Right for Me?" ]
I have constructed the website so that the first sidebar will display the current information about these products from Amazon.com. In addition, the second sidebar contains ads from various other retailers who carry Eee PCs.
If you are ready to make a purchase, and you’ve found value in the information provided here, please click through the links on our site. We make a small commission for referring you and that helps us to cover our costs.
If you are simply interested in our recommendations, you can skip all of the detail by clicking here.
Quick Eee PC Overview
OK. Let’s start with the basics. Eee PCs are assigned model numbers. These model numbers are based on the size of the display.
- Eee PC 700 series = 7 inch displays
- Eee PC 900 series = 9 inch displays (actually only 8.9″)
- Eee PC 1000 series = 10 inch displays
This makes sense since the size of the display determines the size of the case and the keyboard.
Let’s start by looking at the Eee PC base models. I’ll start with the low-end and explain what’s new and different with each succeeding model.
Eee PC 700
Eee PC 2G Surf (complete specifications)
The only Eee PC 700 product is the Eee PC 2G Surf. The is the lowest priced model in the Eee PC family.
Key features:
- 7″ display with 800×480 resolution
- 2 GB solid-state disk drive
- Celeron M processor operating at 571 MHz
- 512 MB of RAM (DDR2-400)
- 10/100 Mbit Ethernet port
- 802.11b/g wireless LAN
- 4 cell, 2.8 hr. battery (Note: all battery life estimates are from Asus, YMMV)
- 2.0 lbs.
- Linux operating system
Eee PC 701
The Eee PC 701 comes in two versions. The Eee PC 4G and the Eee PC 4G Surf.
Eee PC 4G Surf (complete specifications)
The 4G Surf is very similar to the 2G Surf, with the following upgrades:
- 4 GB solid state disk drive
- Celeron M processor operating at 630 Mhz
- 512 MB of RAM (DDR2-533/667)
Eee PC 4G with Linux (complete specifications)
The Eee PC 4G has all of the features of the 4G Surf and adds:
- 0.3 megapixel webcam
- 4 cell, 3.5 hr. battery
Originally, the Eee PC 4G was shipped with Linux only.
Eee PC 4G with Windows (complete specifications)
Asus later added a Windows XP Home version of the Eee PC 4G. Other than the operating system, the specs stayed the same.
Eee PC 701SD (complete specifications)
The Eee PC 701SD was announced in August 2008. Like the other Eee PC 700 Series products, it features a 7″ display. The big difference with the Eee PC 701HD is extra storage capacity. This unit come with:
- 8GB solid state drive
- 30GB traditional hard drive
- 10GB of free online web storage
At this time, pricing and availability of the Eee PC 701SD have not been announced.
Eee PC 702
Eee PC 8G (complete specifications)
The only Eee PC 702 model is the Eee PC 8G. This model offered the following improvements to the Eee PC 4G.
- 8 GB solid state disk drive
- 1 GB RAM (DDR2-533/667)
Update 12/4/2008: The Eee PC 8G model is no longer stocked by any of the online retailers that we monitor.
Eee PC 900 series
The Eee PC 900 model is a slightly larger unit. It features a larger display and keyboard. It weighs a little more as well. Here are the features that improve on the Eee PC 8G:
- 8.9″ display with 1024×600 resolution
- Celeron M processor operating at 900 MHz
- 1.3 megapixel webcam
- 2 lbs 3 oz.
The Eee PC 900 is shipped in several different configurations as detailed below.
Eee PC 900 12G with Windows
Originally, Asus shipped the Windows version of the Eee PC 900 with 12 GB of disk storage (4GB built-in + 8GB flash).
Eee PC 900 16G with Windows (complete specifications)
More recently, Asus has configured the Windows version of the Eee PC 900 with a 16GB flash SSD.
Click here to get the latest prices on Eee PC 900 16G XP netbooks.
Eee PC 900 20G with Linux
The original Linux versions of the Eee PC 900 contained 20GB of solid-state storage (4GB built-in +16GB flash).
Click here to get the latest prices on Eee PC 900 20G Linux netbooks.
Eee PC 900 16G with Linux (complete specifications)
At a later point, Asus changed the Linux configuration to a 16 GB flash SSD.
Click here to get the latest prices on Eee PC 900 16G Linux netbooks.
Eee PC 900A
The Eee PC 900A expands the 900-series by adding the following features:
- Intel Atom N270 processor (this is a big improvement)
- 8GB + 16GB built-in solid state drive
Early reports indicate that the 900A will feature a different 4 cell battery than earlier Eee PC models.
The Eee PC 900A is not yet available. USA pricing is unknown.
Eee PC 901 series
Asus ships several versions of the Eee PC 901. They all share these improvements over the Eee PC 900:
- Intel Atom 1.6 MHz CPU
- 20GB SSD
- 6 cell, 4.2 to 8 hour battery
- 802.11n wireless support
- Bluetooth
- New slightly-larger, more polished case
- 2 lb. 7 oz.
The case on the Eee PC 901 is a big visual improvement. Some reviewers called the case on earlier models “toy-like.” This new case gives the Eee PC a professional laptop appearance.
The Eee PC 901 comes in two flavors:
Eee PC 901 12G with Windows
The Windows version of the Eee PC 901 with 12 GB of disk storage (4GB built-in + 8GB flash).
Click here to get the latest prices on Eee PC 901 12G XP netbooks.
Eee PC 901 20G with Linux (complete specifications)
The Linux version of the Eee PC 901 ships with a 20 GB flash solid-state drive.
Click here to get the latest prices on Eee PC 901 20G Linux netbooks.
Eee PC 904HD
Unlike all of the previous Eee PC models, which add improved features as the model numbers get higher, the Eee PC 904HD reverts back to earlier features like:
- Celeron M processor
- 802.11b/g wireless support
- No bluetooth support
- 0.3 megapixel camera
- 6 cell, 3.25 to 5 hour battery
- 3 lb. 1 oz.
But the Eee PC 904HD adds several new features:
- 80 GB hard drive
- a bigger case (the same as the Eee PC 1000 below)
- a bigger keyboard
The Eee PC 904HD is not yet available from any of the online stores that I checked. USA Price? I could not find a reliable reference.
Eee PC 1000 series
The Eee PC 1000 is available in three versions: 1000, 1000H and 1000HD. The Eee PC 1000 series shares many features with the Eee PC 901. Compared to the Eee PC 901, it offers the following improvements:
- 10″ display with 1024×600 (same resolution as 8.9″ display)
- larger keyboard
- larger case
EEE PC 1000
The Eee PC 1000 is available with Linux only. It has a 40 GB solid state drive. It weighs 2 lb. 15 oz.
Click here to get the latest prices on Eee PC 1000 40G Linux netbooks.
Eee PC 1000H
The Eee PC 1000H is available with Windows only. It has an 160 GB hard drive. It weighs 3 lb. 15 oz.
Click here to get the latest prices on Eee PC 1000H 160G XP netbooks.
Eee PC 1000HD
The Eee PC 1000HD is available with Windows only. It has an 80 GB hard drive. The big difference is the CPU, which is an Intel Dotham 900 MHz processor (the other 1000 series models use the Atom processor).
Best current price: Not available yet in any of the online store that I checked.
Which Eee PC Is Right For You?
Eee on a Budget: Eee PC 2G Surf
If you are on a tight budget and you need a laptop to access email and do some light word processing or presentation work, then the Eee PC 2G Surf is an excellent value. For less than $300 you get everything you need to be productive.
If you aren’t familiar with Linux, do not be intimidated. It is so similar to Windows you will quickly learn Linux. You may not even notice the difference.
But, unless you are really tech savvy, you won’t be able to add programs to those provided. If you already have some Windows programs that you plan to install on the Eee PC, then you should opt for the Eee PC 4G with Windows.
Eee for Casual User: Eee PC 900 16G
If you want an ultraportable laptop to take on those trips where you only need to do email, open a few attachments and access the Internet, you will want an Eee PC with a larger display and keyboard. In this case, the Eee PC 900 16G with Linux is an excellent buy.
For less than $400, you get the luxury of the 8.9″ display and a larger (but still compact) keyboard. You will appreciate these useful features.
If you need your Eee PC with Windows then the Eee PC 900 16G with Windows is only about $50 more.
Compare prices: Linux Windows
Eee as a Replacement Laptop: Eee PC 1000H
If you are contemplating abandoning your existing laptop for an ultraportable, then you will want the largest display and keyboard available. In that case, the Eee PC 1000H is the model for you.
With the Eee PC 1000H priced around $650, you may be tempted to purchase a low-end mainstream notebook computer instead. You can certainly find one with a faster CPU, a larger display and higher capacity hard drive. But you’ll be giving up the small size and light weight that you would really apreciate when you are on the road. Think about it… just how much faster can that dual-core processor open that document?
Compare prices.
Summary
It took a lot more work than I expected to put this together. I’m concerned that I may have made some errors in compiling this. If you spot any mistakes, or have any recommendations regarding how I can make this more useful, please add a comment below.
Note: This post is continually being updated.
