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ASUS Eee PC 901  (Source: blogeee.net)

ASUS Eee Box  (Source: AnandTech)

  (Source: AnandTech)

  (Source: AnandTech)
ASUS plans to announce two new Eee notebooks and an Eee desktop at Computex

ASUS is gearing up to expand its Eee family during Computex. ASUS already wowed consumers and online critics with the original Eee PC 701 4G. In the months following its release, the company introduced new models to occupy price points below and above the original entry – but still didn’t come close to the original $199 vision.

ASUS recently launched the follow-up to the original Eee PC with the $549 Eee PC 900. Although the underlying hardware didn't change much, ASUS did increase the screen size from 7" to 8.9" and increased the screen resolution from 800x400 to a more palatable 1024x600. Internal storage also increased from a maximum of 8GB on the Eee PC 8G to 20GB for the Linux variant of the Eee PC 900.

With pressure now mounting from the like of MSI with its low-cost Wind notebook and Wind desktop, ASUS is ready to launch another salvo on the buying public and its competition.

The first of the new wave of products includes the new Eee PC 901. While the Eee PC 900 looked like a slightly enlarged Eee PC 701, the Eee PC 901 features an all-new exterior with chrome detailing to spice things up a bit and Bluetooth. It also includes Intel's new 1.6GHz Atom processor (Diamondville) -- which features simultaneous multithreading (SMT) -- and the Intel 945G chipset.

Next up is the Eee PC 1000. As the name implies, this unit will feature a 10" screen to do battle with the equally large unit featured on the MSI Wind and presumably a larger keyboard to match – a move that is sure to silence current Eee critics. Not much else is known about the specifications of this unit other than the fact that it will use the same Atom processor found on the Eee PC 901.

The final piece to the Eee puzzle is the Eee Box; which AnandTech has already dissected in preparation for a full review. ASUS's first Eee-branded product for the desktop market will also feature an Atom processor (of unknown core clock frequency), 2GB of DDR2 memory, and an Intel 945G chipset. Unlike its notebook counterparts, however, the Eee Box will forgo solid state storage (SSD) and will use a traditional 160GB HDD.

The Eee PC 901, Eee PC 1000, and Eee Box will all be announced on June 2. The Eee PC 901 will be available in mid-June while the Eee PC 1000 is expected to make a retail appearance in July shortly after the Eee Box.

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Without pricing
By TheDiceman on 5/28/2008 5:00:16 PM , Rating: 2
Until they release some pricing information its hard to even begin to be judgemental on this expansion of the eee line.




RE: Without pricing
By shabby on 5/28/2008 5:16:40 PM , Rating: 3
If the 900 is $549, the 901 might be $599 and the 1000 might be $699...
I'll just take the msi wind.


RE: Without pricing
By drinkmorejava on 5/28/2008 5:34:14 PM , Rating: 2
Those seem to be expectable numbers. Maybe not reasonable in many ways, but they seem to follow the trend. I saw 299 for the 202 quoted somewhere, which might be right.


RE: Without pricing
By TheDiceman on 5/28/2008 5:42:27 PM , Rating: 2
I'm looking at the desktop and wondering... to really hit home on that one they need to undercut the Mac Mini.


RE: Without pricing
By elpresidente2075 on 5/28/2008 5:57:19 PM , Rating: 3
Easy! Price it below $600-800.

Oh, hey, cool! That's the plan already! ;)


RE: Without pricing
By daftrok on 5/28/2008 11:40:27 PM , Rating: 2
Or just get a small PC tower from either HP or Dell. The cool thing about it is that though they are roughly 8 times the size of the Mac Mini, they are still roughly 1/3 cubic foot in area; small enough to place behind a 19" monitor and have a hellova lot more impressive specs for a cheaper price.


RE: Without pricing
By BarkHumbug on 5/29/2008 5:12:20 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
a small PC tower from either HP or Dell


How are they on noise today? A few years back Dell's SFF sounded like a Boeing 747 taking off...


RE: Without pricing
By elpresidente2075 on 5/29/2008 4:13:36 PM , Rating: 2
When you combine "A few years back" and "Dell" in the same thought, everything's going to be bad.

Currently they're not so bad on noise, although they can be under the right thermal conditions.


RE: Without pricing
By daftrok on 5/30/2008 3:30:02 AM , Rating: 2
The HP Slimline s3400t series runs on a 180 W power supply (for comparison the Mac Mini runs on 110 W). Given the size I think that the sound shouldn't be too bad: one fan for the processor and one for the video card.


RE: Without pricing
By Captain Orgazmo on 5/30/2008 4:11:24 AM , Rating: 2
The new Pentium/Celerons have small heatsinks and very quiet fans, and you can get a fanless video card like the ATI 3450, which makes for a very quiet system. I just built one, and if it didn't have lights on the case, you wouldn't know it was running.


RE: Without pricing
By othercents on 5/28/2008 6:58:17 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
If the 900 is $549, the 901 might be $599 and the 1000 might be $699... I'll just take the msi wind.

I really don't think we can speculate on pricing because who knows what ASUS is going to do with a real competitor coming to market. They should be able to tell that they will loose sales unless they start pricing everything better.

Also the Eee 901 & 1000 could be both be available with a standard hard drive which could significantly change the price of the machine. Right now people are paying a premium for the solid state drive.

Other


RE: Without pricing
By Topweasel on 5/29/2008 9:24:42 AM , Rating: 2
Yeah couldn't they just use a middle to high capacity 1.8 inch drive?


So wait... As they gradually get bigger...
By Smartless on 5/28/2008 5:02:35 PM , Rating: 2
Does that mean you'll be paying more for less? I mean most of these laptops were scraping the bare minimum to get the small form factor but will you be paying $700 for a 10" laptop with a 1.6 Ghz and 1 Gig ram with a 80 gig harddrive? Or would you rather get a 14" laptop, 1.6 Ghz and 1 gig ram with a 120 gig harddrive for $500? I guess its all going to come down to what they're going to charge.




RE: So wait... As they gradually get bigger...
By A5un on 5/28/2008 5:35:17 PM , Rating: 2
But also how heavy the laptop is.

After carrying my cheap 14" laptop around, I sometimes just want to throw it out the window cuz it's so damn heavy.


RE: So wait... As they gradually get bigger...
By FITCamaro on 5/28/2008 5:43:02 PM , Rating: 5
Go work out then. If you can't carry 5 lbs easily how the did you get through middle school and high school?

My 15.4" laptop in college was 10 lbs with the power brick (literally the size of a brick) and I had no problems. I just had a Targus backpack to tote it around in that was quite comfortable. Didn't really need to carry books so just had a few notebooks in there as well.

That all said, I'm looking at some of these nice, simple laptops solely as a machine to sit on the couch with and chat.


By Oregonian2 on 5/28/2008 7:45:18 PM , Rating: 2
And my father used to walk to school twenty miles, uphill both ways -- and through tall snow too.

Some folk also have been out of school for some time. It happens you know, really! Some of us are even more than half a century old! Imagine that! Amazing!

And we don't like tracking an extra 10 lbs around (other than around our middles).


RE: So wait... As they gradually get bigger...
By yuchai on 5/28/2008 8:05:43 PM , Rating: 2
It's not whether you CAN carry it easily but whether it's feasible for what you're doing.

For example, I went traveling for a week recently and brought my EEE PC with me. Few things I noticed:

1. Computer was good to have (for movies on train/plane rides, getting online and checking e-mail etc) but not essential (I'm on vacation). So any extra effort (carrying 5 lbs) is not worth it.
2. Carried it around with me all day in a backpack (walked 6-8 hours everyday). Barely noticed it's there. Would not have been true with regular laptop.
3. It fits in room safes, in case you do not want to carry it around.
4. It actually works better on trains/planes due to space constraints. On planes if the person before you lean back their seats you'll have problems opening up your laptop enough to see properly. On trains you might infringe on other people's table space with a regular size laptop.


RE: So wait... As they gradually get bigger...
By FITCamaro on 5/29/2008 8:44:14 AM , Rating: 2
I understand the concept of wanting smaller size because its more practical to fit in certain places. But complaining that a laptop weighs 5 pounds I don't understand. To me its like complaining that your cell phone is 6oz instead of 4.


By Topweasel on 5/29/2008 9:41:08 AM , Rating: 2
But that's also true, I choose my current phone (Krazr K1m) for its combination Thickness and width. I Don't have a special phone pocket, I don't like clips, so it has to fit comfortably in my front right pocket. If it weighed more or was wider or thicker I wouldn't have gotten it. Some people care about performance others care about efficiency and easy of use. To get the performance your talking about means people carry around nearly desktop replacements.


By zpdixon on 5/29/2008 3:58:08 AM , Rating: 3
Some people like you just don't get it. I don't mean to insult you or anything but every single article about ultraportables ignites a debate about UPC vs. cheap laptops.

The fact is, some people, after trying a UPC that is 1/4th the size of a typical laptop can't go back to use regular size laptops anymore. I am one of them (I paid $2k+ for my 2.2 lb Panasonic R3 about 3 years ago), and I guarantee you I know a bunch of people like me who will NEVER buy a regular size laptop again.

Nowadays when I see the Eee PC 900 as well spec'd as my old R3 (if not better -- yes I could live with a 20GB SSD) but for $550, it is a STEAL. The only reason I am not buying one is because... I already have my R3 :)

You like a 6-8 lb laptop ? Fine. But don't assume everybody thinks the same.


I think this is great news
By A5un on 5/28/2008 5:33:25 PM , Rating: 2
Some people projected the price of $700-$800 for the Eee 1000. Regardless of the validity of the price, I think that's a good price. Having owned various 14.1" laptops at the sub-$1000 level, I think the market will appreciate the chance to own something smaller without having to pay a premium. Most 10"-12" laptops today are far more expensive than their 14" counterparts.

Realistically, people who own laptops most likely aren't looking for a desktop replacement. Some might, but the majority is looking for something they can carry with them. And the 14.1" screen is just too big for me. Also, if your budget is around $1000, the laptop is as heavy as a brick. What Eee 1000 has to offer is the price tag of less than $800 (hopefully), weight less than 3 lbs (hopefully), and sufficient performance.

Now, the question is: to buy the 901 or wait for the 1000 (or 1001).




RE: I think this is great news
By Brandon Hill (blog) on 5/28/2008 5:47:19 PM , Rating: 5
Why would anyone pay $700 - $800 for an Eee PC 1000 when the MSI Wind has the same attributes (10", larger keyboard, Atom, 80GB HDD, less than 3 pounds) for $399?

ASUS has priced themselves into a corner...


RE: I think this is great news
By shabby on 5/28/2008 6:22:16 PM , Rating: 2
They'll probably re-adjust the prices next week, they have to due to the msi wind.


RE: I think this is great news
By jvillaro on 5/28/2008 8:08:59 PM , Rating: 2
I don't think thats going to be the price range. As you say that would be stupid.
On another tech site they reported that the intention would be to make it competitive with the MSI Wind and current ones would get a price cut.
$500 - $550 would be my guess (or hope) for them to compete or they will give the market to MSI.. or ACER or Dell... I'm waiting for June - July and have the 3 or 4 good options (no HP or Cloud for me)


RE: I think this is great news
By teldar on 5/28/2008 10:59:35 PM , Rating: 2
I'm in school and I'm told (by my wife) I don't have enough money to upgrade my desktop, not even another hard drive or two let alone a new laptop which would be somewhat useful and primarily a toy.

However.....
All these new little laptops make me wish I had a few extra hundred dollars around to play with. These things are just awesome (particular the multitouch pad on the eee900)

T


RE: I think this is great news
By oTAL (blog) on 5/29/2008 11:12:04 AM , Rating: 2
Because hopefully ASUS will keep the Right CTRL key in the correct place, at the corner of the laptop.
The wind on the other hand has the Fn key in that position. I know it isn't that hard to switch them, but that extra hassle alone is worth about $50 for me....
Don't tell me I'm pathetic... cause I already know it...!


By Seemonkeyscanfly on 5/29/2008 12:10:14 PM , Rating: 2
You are comparing two different types of computers. the MSI wind has HDD verse a flash drive... means it will break down easier from any sort of fall. They wind has other moving parts which any moving part has a higher chance of breaking. Since the Eee PC is using "newer" technology it is the wind that really needs to step up and justify itself not the Eee PC.


Eee Box Good, 10" EeePC Bad
By psychobriggsy on 5/28/2008 6:33:33 PM , Rating: 2
The Eee Box looks pretty neat. It would be nice if it used the dual-core Atom variant later this year, when it was available. $299 is a nice price, if that's the end result. OTOH you can always wait around for an EOL HP or Dell system firesale.

Hopefully the arrival of competition in the EeePC arena will drive down prices to more reasonable levels. Atom based systems are meant to be cheap, that's the entire point of creating a CPU you can build for $8.

A 10" EeePC is getting rather close to normal laptop size however. Hopefully it will be thinner. In terms of volume some of these systems aren't very competitive with some standard laptops, albeit cheaper.




RE: Eee Box Good, 10" EeePC Bad
By psychobriggsy on 5/29/2008 5:37:43 AM , Rating: 2
And a DVI port as well. Excellent. Wonder if Apple will create a lower-end Mac Mini with Atom (or the dual-core variant)...


By theapparition on 5/29/2008 8:37:40 AM , Rating: 2
I'm liking this box big time. Can't wait for a full review, but I think I'm going to pick one of these up.


Does anybody notice . . .
By djkrypplephite on 5/28/2008 10:21:53 PM , Rating: 2
how ridiculous it is to enter the $400 range? You can get full-featured notebooks on clearance for that price and up.




RE: Does anybody notice . . .
By kingpotnoodle on 5/29/2008 5:06:06 AM , Rating: 2
Yes, but they are 4+ times heavier, much larger and less easy to transport. Laptops of a small size, but also as powerful as the ones to which you refer are thousands of $/£.

What is ridiculous is that people like you cannot see beyond their own foolish blinkered opinions and realise that other people would have many valid uses for small, cheap laptops. I for one will be buying one when the right mix comes along, it would be great for the train and quick work tasks (IT system admin) - I don't want to carry around a 3Kg++ laptop with crap battery life and heavy power supply, but I would just throw in my bag a cheap 1Kg machine with enough battery to last a few hours.


RE: Does anybody notice . . .
By psychobriggsy on 5/29/2008 5:33:51 AM , Rating: 2
The point is that it isn't a 15" notebook. Different products. Pointless discussion that some people perpetuate because they just can't get it in their head that people want a 1kg computer they can toss in their bag every day for occasional use.


why did they even start selling the 900???
By FingerMeElmo87 on 5/28/2008 5:07:16 PM , Rating: 2
sure the 701 had a tiny 7" screen but with the looming release of the 901 with a faster, more efficient atom, much better looking exterior, and a 8.9" screen, what was the point of even releasing the 900? better yet, who bought a 900 knowing the 901 was being released like 2 months later?

now, i do understand that if you continue to wait for the next best thing in the computer world, you'll end up buying nothing but i think wating for the 901 was pretty much a no brainer




By MamiyaOtaru on 5/29/2008 1:47:46 AM , Rating: 2
It's expected to cost more (in part for stuff I don't use like bluetooth) and it looks worse. The bling and the hinges == fail (IMHO obviously, and it's my opinion that counts when I am buying stuff for me).


$199 was never the number
By theapparition on 5/29/2008 8:34:19 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
but still didn’t come close to the original $199 vision.


Brandon,
Why do you still talk about the $199 original ASUS price? That was and still is the OEM price for the original, not the retail price.

That's about as pointless of complaining that the new Intel boxed processors cost more at the store than the advertised 1000qty tray prices.

/rant




RE: $199 was never the number
By Segerstein on 5/29/2008 8:26:45 PM , Rating: 2
Use something more stable like €€€ not $$$ to compare the original $199 price.


External features of the Eee box...
By Bigjee on 5/28/2008 5:14:43 PM , Rating: 2
...resemble the HP blackbird 002. Especially the base of the casing. I like the way this Eee box looks.




HDD
By pattycake0147 on 5/28/2008 6:44:15 PM , Rating: 2
The article stated that the Eee Box would have an 80GB HDD. However the pictures on Anandtech show a 160GB drive. That's quite a big difference.

http://www.anandtech.com/GalleryImage.aspx?id=2526

Which one is most likely to ship to consumers?




By bertomatic on 5/28/2008 9:42:34 PM , Rating: 2
toss a multi-touchscreen on it and keep it uder $600 and I am sold. screw BIG storage, just make it "enough" storage, and fast, everything is re-centralilzing now-a-days, just need enough 'fast' storage for the OS and the Apps, all the data can be somewhere else. Seems to be getting to be like the old days with mainframes/mini's and dumb terminals, just with alot more eye-candy. Maybe some day we will have a real power button, instead of a 'boot' button. Instant on and multi-touch is the future.




wind desktop / ee box
By tastyratz on 5/28/2008 11:54:08 PM , Rating: 2
These have other potential markets...
the carpc market.
These would be excellent if adaptable to a 12v power supply such as the m1 atx.




By jabber on 5/29/2008 11:23:07 AM , Rating: 2
That is a big mistake for me. Limits its appeal and use.

Yeah sure you could fix up an external DVD drive but then that spoils the flexibility and asthetics. If they can fit an optical drive in an ITX box then why not this. I could handle a few more mm on the depth to have it all in one.

Limits its media use too. No point buying it for granny as you will get a call the next day -

"I have this CD I want to look at??"

I'll wait for the Mk2 with a DVD drive in a few months.




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