Well, Mike At netbooklive.net tested a couple of games on this machine, including Starcraft 2, Annon 1404, Fifa 10, Call of Dury Modern Warfare 2 and Battlefield bad Company 2. What’s the verdict? Well, better see for yourself.

I’ve only got the clip with the SC2 experience, you can see it below.

As you saw, the game is playable. That’s a 4 player map and a 2×2 game, with quite developed bases and a couple of tens of units for each player. And you still get around 20 fps on average, on 1280 x 720 px resolution, with medium details. Sounds good for me. OK, that’s not enough if you want instant and ultra precise response for your actions (like a Pro player would), but remember that the 1215N is not actually a gaming laptop, but an Atom powered computer.

Still, it is the best gaming netbook on the market right now. And you do have to consider the fact that drivers are still immature, thus performance will improve when we’ll see some improved drivers from Asus. And we should soon, as this device already sells on some European countries and should soon land in UK, De and US.

Via netbooklive.net

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And indeed it does. Continuing the work of other fancy EEE PCs before it, like the 1008HA and the 1008P-KR , this one comes with a new design and layout, plus new materials used for the entire casing. Mike at Netbooklive.net managed to get his hands on the white version of this Asus EEE PC 1018P and put together quite a thorough review.

Asus 1018P - new fancy 10 inch netbook, with improved design, solid contruction and new features

The white version is encased in a textured plastic casing, one that feels pretty nice and will for sure face fingerprints and scratches OK in time. Now, these are some of the first live pictures of the white 1018P and I can say it looks pretty nice.

It does not come with an aluminum lid cover like the black version, but aluminum is used inside, for the area around the screen and keyboard. Plus, the entire palm rest and trackpad are made out of it too. So pretty good materials used for this netbook, and together with the special attention given to the details, they make the 1018P one of the most solid and best looking 10 inchers on the market.

I should also mention it is only 0.7 inch thick and weighs only 2.4 pounds, with a 4 Cell battery inside, enough for around 5 hours of life on a single charge. Fair.

Now, there are many other details that make the 1018P a netbook you will probably want to buy, including its features (with top notch connectivity: 3G, Bluetooth 3.0, UBS 3.0 and slightly improved hardware: N455 Atom processor with DDR3 memory support) and affordable price (around 400 bucks). But you’d better read the complete review of the Asus EEE PC 1018P on Netbooklive.net . And see the video review below.

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These features make it pretty potent for a netbook, being able to run all kind of multimedia content, both self-stored or streamed, some modern games and all you daily applications. Don’t expect wonders from it, but one thing is for sure: this mini laptop can multitask and is no longer sluggish when running multiple applications simultaneously like other computers on the Atom platform do. Having Optimus means you also get better autonomy than the previous generation of this device did, the 1201N, thus expect up to 6 hours of life on a single charge.

There are also some changes in terms of design, materials and layout. Details about these and the performances of this netbook are available in the Asus EEE PC 1215N review here. Some video reviews are available there too and comments and opinions are greatly appreciated.

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From all of them, the best balance between mobility, performance and price is offered by the 10 inch mini laptops and this is why they are the most appropriate picks for the majority of users. However, there are lots of different 10 inchers available right now on the market, some better, some worse. That’s why I’ve decided to write this post and tell you a couple of words about the models that stand out from the crowd.

You will notice that specs are pretty much the same for all the devices present in here, because most of them use the same Intel platform. However, there’s more about picking a laptop than specs. You will want to know how well they look, how reliable they are, how comfortable is the keyboard or whether or not they get noisy or hot. This is why i made this list of recommendations, so you’ll know that these devices are good and can meet most of your criteria. The list is based on my experience with these netbooks (I’ve been around them since early 2008) and reviews/opinions from regular buyers, gathered from various online sources. So, let’s see what are right now the best 10 inch netbooks.

Asus EEE PC 1001P – $290 – review in here

This Asus manages to provide an excellent price/features ratio. Comes with standard specs (N450 processor, 1 GB of memory, 160 GB hard-drive) and good battery life (up to 11 hours on paper, more like 8 in practice) and is also very solid built, with a matte textured casing that will deal perfectly with fingerprints or scratches.

However, unlike more expensive devices, this one only offers a standard flat keyboard, which is good but not as comfortable as an ergonomic chiclet one. Also, in terms of connectivity, you only get Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g and Gigabit Ethernet. The base versions does not get Bluetooth, but there is an upgraded one which does.

All in all, the Asus 1001P is a good buy. Goes right now for around $290 an is available in white, black, blue or pink. The version equipped with Bluetooth and bigger 250 GB hard-drive currently goes for around $300, so is also a good pick. All those prices include Free Shipping within the US borders and you can always read more details about the Asus EEE PC 1001P in this review.

Asus EEE PC 1001P

Samsung N150 – from $279

The Samsung N150 is another 10 inch display worth buying, especially if you plan to spend a lot of your time on the road. Unlike the 1001P, it also brings a matte screen along the matte body, and this time the casing is not textured but silky smooth, with a nice rubberized finish that feels quite nice.

The Samsung N150 sells for $279 – $330 in the US ( with Free Shipping included), depending on the version you’ll pick. Notice than not all of them come with the matte casing, as the pink, yellow or red ones are glossy, while the blue and matte are definitely matte.  However, the device looks great and if you wan to use your netbook outside, that matte screen is a must.

Also, this Samsung comes with chiclet keyboard and better webcam, plus Wireless N connectivity, but battery is smaller so autonomy only stretches to around 6 hours in real life use.

Samsung N150, with matte or glossy versions

Asus EEE PC 1005PE-M – around $329

The bigger brother of the 1001P, the Asus 1005PE-M EEE PC comes with a couple of extra goodies. First, it has faster Wi-Fi N wireless, 92% chiclet keyboard with individual keys and is somewhat more beautiful and solid built.

However, unlike the 1001P, this one comes with a complete glossy casing, which, while looking very good, is incredibly sensible to fingerprints, scratches and smudges.

Still, if you like the glossy exterior, the 1005PE is a very solid pick, comfortable and reliable. And with a discounted price of around $329 (with shipping included), it’s no wonder it’s such a popular device right now. Plus, you can get it in white/black/pink or with Kindle for PC installed at not extra cost.

Asus EEE PC 1005PE-M

Toshiba NB305 – from $330 to $370

The Toshiba NB305 is right now the most popular netbooks in the US and my personal favorite. It brings similar hardware to the best other 10 inch netbooks available, with N450 processor, 1 GB of RAM, 250 GB hard-drive and top notch connectivity. And while some might not consider it as good looking as the EEE Seashells, the Toshiba Mini NB305 is very solid built. Plus, based on my experience with the previous generation, it is also very reliable.

And last but not least, the Toshiba is the most comfortable of all. The lightly textured casing is available in a multitude of colors and is resistant to scratches, the screen is good, although still glossy and the metallic feel keyboard plus trackpad with two click buttons is the best combo present on a 10 inch netbook at the moment.

The Toshiba NB305 is available in a couple of different versions, with prices ranging from $300 to $370. You can check them out by clicking the link and see the very good marks and review received from regular buyers, which managed to bring this mini laptop on the top of bestsellers lists on big webstores like Amazon or Newegg.

Toshiba NB305 - most popualr and my favorite

Asus EEE PC 1005PE-P – around $365

The Asus EEE PC 1005PE-P is and has been for quite a while one of the most popular netbooks in the United States, next to the Toshiba Mini. It’s similar in looks to the other 1005PE-M present above, but it also offers Bluetooth, bigger storage and battery, capable of up to 14 hours battery life (more like 11 in practice, but this performance still makes it the best in the 10 inch class).

The 1005PE-P is available in a couple of different colors and goes for around $365, with shipping included within the US.

Also, while the standard 1005PE-Ps are glossy, there’s also another version with a matte soft-exterior casing, way better in dealing with scratches and fingerprints. It’s not a lot more expensive, as it sells for $375 w/ Shipping , but is only available in Black.

Asus 1005PE-P, also available with a matte casing

Asus Touch EEE T101MT – $485

Unlike all the other netbooks above, the Asus T101MT is a tablet 10 incher, with a convertible touchscreen. Thus, it can be used like a standard netbook, as it comes with a keyboard and all, but also the screen can be swiveled in order to transform the device into a slate.

Having this function adds a lot to your everyday experience with the device, browsing or watching movies being an absolute pleasure while in tablet mode. Also, you can use it to take notes or sketch different things with the included pen. Besides this, the Asus T101MT looks very nice, with a black matte finish and incredible attention to details.

However, it is sometimes sluggish, as the poor Atom hardware inside can’t really keep pace with all the demands of the touch interface. Still, for every day tasks, it should do just fine.

The Asus T101MT goes for around $480 w/ Shipping included in the US these days. You can get it from here, where you’ll also find more details, pics and reviews from regular users who bought it and posted their opinions about it online.

Asus T101MT tablet with covertible toushcreen

Sony Vaio W – $449

Last but not least in our list of top netbooks is the Sony Vaio W. Being a Vaio, it is by definition amazing looking and extremely solid built. It comes in a couple of different colors and the most appreciated are the white and pink ones. Plus, the entire casing of the Vaio W, both outside and around the screen and keyboard is matte, so scratch and smudges resistant.

Inside you’ll get the best available hardware in the 10 inch netbooks class, with N450 processor, 10 inch HD display (1366 x 768 px), 1 GB of memory, 250 GB hard-drive, Wi-Fi N + Bluetooth and 6 Cell battery. However, this will only offer up to 8 hours of life, beyond the category’s average.

All in all, the Sony Vaio W is a great pick if you are willing to pay its price. Like most Vaios, it is expensive, as it goes for $449 right now. That is 20% more expensive than other devices, but the quality of the end product you’ll get kind of justifies it.

Sony Vaio W with great looks , solid build and HD display

Conclusions

That’s about it for now. These are at the moment the best options for quality 10 inch netbooks and mini notebooks. As you can see, there are cheaper and more expensive versions, matte or glossy ones and many color options, so theoretically there’s something for everyone’s taste in here.

Still, this list will suffer changes in time, as new and better devices will enter the market. Thus, don’t forget to check it out from time to time I’f you looking to get a 10 inch mini laptop in the near future.

Also, comments and opinions are always appreciated, so don’t hesitate to post your comments.

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As you might have guessed from its name, the Asus 1015T is part of the new line of 10 inchers Asus prepares for this year. Thus, it’s very much alike to the Asus EEE PC 1015N or the 1015P/1015PE models in terms of aspect, bringing the same Seashell design and matte casing. You’re not only going to get this scratch-proof exterior, but also the palm-rest are will be covered by it. And once you open the lid, you will notice the new chiclet keyboard and trackpad design that will be present on all new Asus 10 inch laptops this year.

Solid built and decent looking Seashell Asus 1015T

However, what’s different on this device from all the others is the hardware inside. Like I’ve told you, this gadget boosts an AMD  Neo V105 processor, with ATI 4200 graphics and up to 4 GB of DDR3 RAM. All these completed by decent storage (up to 320 GB 2.5″ 5400 rpm hard-drives), good connectivity (Wi-Fi 802.11 N and Bluetooth 3.0) and 3/6 Cell batteries.

Specs show you there's and AMD heart inside

We should expect from the Asus 1015T to be somewhat more powerful than a standard netbook quipped with Atom N450. Also, graphics should be superior, even capable of running 1080p content (which you’ll be able to output via HDMI). Thus, you will end with a snappier device, but with the cost of sacrificing autonomy (you’ll only get around 5-6 hours out of the 6 cell battery, while on Atom you should expect 8 to 10).

Matte exterior and HDMI output

Overall, the 1015T will be a nice solution if you want a faster than average 10 incher. I am looking to see the AMD platform in action live before saying anything more though. This should happen soon, as the Asus 1015T EEE PC is expected to ship in Q3 2010 along with the other new 10 inch Asuses, so look for more details about it soon (including info on prices, which are unknown for the moment).

Via Netbooked

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I mean fine, this Asus will bring the dual-core Atom D525 CPU and 4 GB of memory, plus Nvidia ION2 chip. So graphics will do fine, but in everyday applications you’ll see the drawbacks of this configuration (which is of course the low power Atom CPU). And this is a shame. We’ve already seen 12 inch or even smaller devices announced with at least Core i3 ULV processors, why on Earth would they pick Atom for their mini laptop which is supposed to be their fastest? Why?!?

12 Inch Asus Lamborghini VX6 with flamboyant looks

Of course, in terms of looks and build quality, there’ almost nothing not to like about the VX6, although the design is too sophisticated for me, I proffer more classic casings.

I like that the Vx6 will come with Bluetooth 3.0 and USB 3.0, a very good HD 12.1 inch display and a full-size chiclet keyboard. However, I see no HDMI output on this machines, based on the available pictures, and this would be a bummer.

All in all, the Asus Lamborghini VX6 is an interesting machine. Will be great for multimedia, will run HD content and even some modern games. And will certainly catch everyone’s attention with its aspect. Unfortunately, putting an Atom processor kind of ruins it all. Especially since it’s surely going to be pretty expensive.

Via Tech in Style

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First, there are going to be two different EEE Pads available, the EEE Pad EP101TC with a 10 inch display and the EP121 with a 12 inch one.

The compact EEE Pad EP101TC seems to target directly the iPad and will be very light and thing (weigh 1.5 pounds and measure 0.5 inch in thickness). We know nothing about the hardware inside for this one, but it will be powered by an Windows Embedded Compact 7 operating system. Not sure what this one means, but it’s probably a lighter Windows 7 version. Asus promises it will be compatible with all other Windows operating systems, will offer an easy to customize interface and will focus a lot on Cloud Computing apps.

10 inch EEE Pad EP101TC focuses on Cloud applications

The Asus EEE Pad EP121 is wider and heavier, but comes with ULV Core 2 Duo hardware, so we should expect quite some performance out of it. Will be offered with Windows 7 Home OS and will be able to run all our daily applications, plus games and multimedia content. Asus promises up to 10 hours autonomy for this EEE Pad and that’s impressive considering its power. Also, a special designed docking station with integrated keyboard will be available for it, making it ideal to use not only on the go, but also on your office.

Asus EEE Pad EP121 with powerful hardware

Last but not least, there’s the Asus EEE tablet. With it, Asus tries to kill more birdies with a single shot, as it will be a device made for taking notes and reading ebooks. Thus, it attacks ereaders like Amazon’s Kindle, but offers extra functions. The EEE Tablet will come with a backlight-less LCD touch-display, probably a 7-8 inch one, capable of displaying black and white colors (in 64 shades of gray) and refresh content in just 0.1 seconds. It will offer 2450 dpi input sensitivity , thus the screen will be resistive and will be great for taking notes, inking, etc.

Thus, the EEE Tablet is a device meant for students. A 2 MPx camera, microSD and USB ports will also be available on it. We know nothing about the hardware inside though, but we know Asus promises up to 10 hours of life for it (which is a lot less than e-ink readers can offer but better than the iPad).

Also, from the pictures we have, the Asus EEE Tablet looks quite good and thin, so it will probably be a nice device to have around.

Asus EEE tablet - digital note-taking and ereader device

That’s all we know about these devices for now. But stay tuned, more details, pictures and clips will be available soon, and we’ll add updates as we find out more.

Via Engadget

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We don’t have exact details on this device for now, only a couple of pictures from Sacha at netbooknews.de from the scene, but, the 1015N will most certainly come with the Intel Atom N450 single core processor, Intel Atom N550 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 1-2 GB of memory, 250-320 GB storage space and hybrid graphics, consisting in integrated GMA 3150 solution and the 8 CUDA cores Nvidia chip. Both will be controlled by Optimus, Nvidia’s graphic chip management system which automatically picks between the two according to the applications you’re using.

First ION + Optimus combo in a 10 inch Asus netbook

Having ION and Optimus on this 10 inch Asus 1015N means you’ll get way better graphic performances than a standard 10 incher can offer, so it will be able to run some modern games (unlike other similar netbooks, even those with Broadcom HD accelerators) and handle multimedia content, including 1080p clips (self-stored, but hopefully Flash also). And there’s also a HDMI port for outputting those too (see the picture below). All these without sacrificing battery life when not running such intense applications. There’s a 6 Cell battery on the displayed 1015N, so we should probably see 8+ hour autonomy out of it.

On the exterior, the Asus 1015N EEE PC brings the matte soft plastic finish Asus displayed on other soon to come mini laptops, like the 1015P/PE series . This should be great when dealing with fingerprints and smudges. And once you open the lid, you’ll get the standard chiclet keyboard and wider trackpad, a design we’ll probably going to see on all 10 inch Asus EEE PCs this year.

Matte exterior

And overall solid construction, completed by nice looks

For now, we know nothing about pricing and availability for the 1015N. Asus announced they’ll offer more details about these in a further press release, so stay tuned for more details on this netbook in the following weeks. We’ll update once we find more.

Source: Netbooknews.de

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The Asus UL20FT is the latest device offered by this constructor in the 12 inch class, scheduled to enter the market sometime in the near future. Asus plans to update the current series with the new Intel hardware. Thus, the UL20FT will be built on the ULV Arrandale platform and there will be a couple of CPUs for you to choose from, with the most powerful probably the Core i3-330UM clocked at 1.2 GHz. Add improved graphics (still integrated), 4 GB of memory and 500 GB storage, plus windows 7 Home premium as OS and 6 Cell batteries capable of providing autonomy of 8+ hours and you get an idea of how good will this new 12 incher be.

We know nothing of pricing and availability for the Asus UL20FT for now, but more details should be available soon. Also, we have no pictures of it to show you, but considering the strategy Asus used for the Arrandale UL30JT, I’m pretty sure this UL20FT will be nearly identical in terms of design to the existing 12 inch UL20A.

I for one am curious to see the level of performance improvements offered by this notebook when compared to the current generation, UL20A. And also am eager to see how much extra money we’ll have to get for it, as the existing version goes for around $500 these days.

So stay tuned, more details will be added, as I’m keeping my eyes on this Asus UL20FT and you should too if you plan to get a portable laptop this year.

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On the outside there’s a premium aluminum casing, an ergonomic chiclet keyboard, a big trackpad and a matte display. Inside, you get the same Intel Atom N450 standard configuration, but a couple of new goodies, like faster Bluetooth 3.0 and 2xUSB 3.0 ports that will come in handy when you’ll need to transfer data fast and safe.

Like I said, the guys at Techinstyle.tv managed to snag an Asus 1016P from under the eyes of an Asus engineer and now have some new pictures of the device. See some of them below, with the rest here.

As you can see, this is undoubtedly one of the best looking netbooks ever made, and if build quality and expected battery life of 14 hours will live to their expectations, I’m pretty sure this EEE PC will be very popular. Enjoy the pictures for now and stay tuned for more info on the 1016P Asus in the next weeks.

Source: Techinstyle (via Ndevil)

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