For many netbook fans, the ASUS Eee PC 1000HE netbook is the top netbook: it’s the bestselling netbook on the market.
It’s odd that Asustek, having kicked off the netbook trend in 2007, still holds its grip on the top spot. You’d think that a bigger vendor – one that’s a household name in the U.S., unlike Asustek – would have pulled out all the stops to offer a better selling unit.
But no. In the same way that Honda and Toyota own the car market, and Nike says “athletic shoes,” ASUS sits supreme in netbooks, as this very hot 1000HE attests.
Major plus: this version of the Eee PC has an improved keyboard, 92 percent of full size, with keys more comfortably spaced. And the all-important right-shift key is moved to an ergonomic position. Plus, a series of function buttons above the keyboard helps you make changes quickly. Unlike some small units, the 1000HE has a decently sized touchpad.
This unit’s 10.1-inch screen is among the widest in the netbook world.
Another major plus: the ASUS 1000HE is known for its long battery life. The six-cell unit runs for more than six hours. Given that netbook life is all about on-the-go, this is a key factor.
The 1000HE comes with the Intel Atom N280 processor, which is marginally faster – though perhaps hardly noticeable – than the N270 chip in most netbooks.
If getting the smallest of the small units is your fondest netbook desire, the 1000HE isn’t your top choice. The Asus Eee PC has traditional been a bit tubbier. The HP Mini 1000 is lighter, and the high-priced Sony Lifestyle PC is the smallest of them all.
Another popular ASUS Eee PC choice is the 900HA, which has a 8.9-inch screen and shaves about $90 off the price.
Or, you might consider the hottest member of the Asus line. If you’re willing to pay for it, look the ASUS N10J-A1. It has high-end (for a netbook) descrete graphics, allowing you to be a gamer anywhere you have your netbook. Plus it’s got an Expresscard slot to hook in cool peripherals. Its current base price is in the hefty $675 range.
The Asus 1000HE narrowly won Laptop magazine’s Netbook madness readers poll, besting ultra-hot competitor Samsung NC10. Mainly because “it’s cheaper and last more than a whooping hour longer on [battery] charge,” wrote Laptop.
CNET’s netbook review pronounces the ASUS 1000HE “very good,” noting that it’s “an overdue overhaul that offers a new CPU and great battery life.”
Specs: Intel Atom N280; 160 GB hard drive; comes with 10 GB of file-encrypted Eee Online Storage; 1 GM RAM: 1024 x 600 resolution; keyboard is 92% the size of full-size notebooks; six cell battery; Wi-Fi 802.11n (2.4GHz only); Eee Connect for an easy way to connect two or more users through a remote desktop feature for easy troubleshooting; 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x VGA port, 2 x Audio input/output ports, 1 x RJ-45 port; built-in 1.3 megapixel webcam and Digital Array microphones.
Base price: $389
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Product page: ASUS Eee PC 1000HE
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