It sounds good, right? And also, the price tags (mostly guessing for now) are not made to break your back, although they’re not ultra-cheap either.  With all this in mind, which of the two 10 inch EEE PC netbooks should you choose this spring? Stick around and maybe you’ll get a clearer image after reading our comparison of the two.

Why are they similar?

The two netbooks are built on the same platform, namely Intel’s Cedar Trail platform, and pack the dual core N2800 processor, paired with integrated Intel HD graphics. You’ll be able to play HD content on a 10 incher now, something quite rare before, but don’t expect wonders in terms of performance. The rest of the setup is also the same, including 1 GB of RAM, a 320 GB HDD, Windows 7 and an HDMI port.

The 1025CE (left) and 1025C (right) kick started the 2012 netbook fiesta

The machines rely on 6 cell batteries, which should last around 7 to 8 hours, although Asus enthusiastically claims you’ll be able to squeeze out 12 hours- we’ll cross that bridge when we get there, I suppose. The panels are basically identical, boosting a 1024 x 600 resolution and a welcomed matte finish, while the keyboard and track pad are good and sturdy, even though the touch pad is kind of small, but isn’t that normal on a 10 incher?

Why are they different?

The 1025CE is the more expensive version, thus has a few perks, especially in terms of design and user experience. First thing first, the 1025CE will only be equipped with the N2800 chip, while the 1025C can be paired with a slower N2600 chip if you want to. The same goes for the battery, as the 1025C can opt for a smaller and cheaper 3 cell battery.

Next, the 1025CE has matching bottom and lid finishes, while the 1025C saves some gloss by making the bottom black, with a textured finish. Similarly, the 1025CE looks and feels more quality, but this doesn’t mean the 1025C is an ugly bunny; it’s not, but it’s more modest and less of an eye catcher than the CE. The 1025C comes with a memory bay, while the 1025CE has the memory soldered on the motherboard.

The keyboards and panels on the two netbooks are basically identical

The 1025CE also comes with some classy additions in comparison with the 1025C, including a web cam with Privacy Lock, a USB 3.0 port and Bluetooth 3.0. Another difference is of course pricing, with the 1025C expected to start at $299, while the 1025CE will cost you 20-30 dollars more for the base model.

Update: The Asus EEE PC 1025C is now available in stores and you can get up to date prices for this unit via this link. The 1025CE is still not available for the moment, but I’ll update once it is.

What to do?

Considering the internals of the machines and the screens are virtually identical, there’s no reason to choose the 1025C over the 1025CE, except the pricing, of course. The 1025CE is a more accomplished netbook and a fancier one, but the 1025C also gets all the basics right, including the new Flare design, new hardware platform, a good screen and decent battery.

Sure, as the platform is still quite new, there might be some initial issues due to drivers (as those  experienced on the larger 1225C). And if you want something even cheaper than the 1025C, don’t forget about the X101CH, Asus’s entry level netbook also packing a Cedar Trail chip. You can watch a video comparison of the 1025CE and 1025C below, courtesy of www.netbooklive.com. Enjoy.

Photos: www.netbooklive.com

The 1225C has its own set of perks and advantages, maybe the most obvious being the larger, HD screen, that will blend right in with the HD capable hardware platform. So let’s see what the 1225C has in store for us and if it’s truly a better and bigger version of 10 inch entries or it’s all muscles and no brains? Stay tuned and find out from our review and don’t forget to check out the lengthy video review Mike from www.netbooklive.com  did with a 1225C unit.

Spec sheet

The unit we’re going to talk about here is a pre-release sample, so the final configuration, which will be in stores a short while from now, might be a little different, but not very much so. The hardware platform will clearly be Cedar Trail, and there’s little to no chance Asus will change the processor type. Storage, system memory and other details are all quite standard, so this is quite the finite deal. Full spec list below.

• CPU: Intel Atom Cedar Trail N2800 @ 1,86 GHZ
• System memory: 2 GB of DDR3 RAM 1066 MHZ
• Storage: 500 GB HDD, 5400 rpm
• Chipset: Intel NM10
• Video: Intel GMA 3650 HD (640 MHZ)
• Display: 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 px resolution, glossy
• Connectivity: Wireless N, Fast Ethernet, Bluetooth 3.0
• Ports: 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, VGA, HDMI, LAN, card reader, webcam
• Battery: 6 cell 5200 mAh 56 Wh
• Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium
• Size (mm): 296 x 200 x 35 mm
• Weight: 3.2 pounds

Unfortunately, the display comes with a glossy finish, which is a horrid experience outdoors. Also, you have 2 USB 3.0 ports, which is a good, balanced setup (might I say normal?) for 2012, as well as a more accomplished OS, namely Windows 7 Home Premium.

Build and design

The 1225C is made out of plastic, and can come in either a glossy or a matte finish. The glossy finish, while attractive and similar, from a distance, to the high end finishes on ultrabooks, is a definite fingerprint magnet and a problem for those using the netbook on a daily basis and at a high pace. Sure, you won’t have this problem at such an extent with a unit that’s not black. Or, ideally, you could go for one that’s matte, case in which you won’t have the smudge problem to begin with, but you’ll lose some of the glam.

The chi chi exterior will collect more fingerprints that a police station during spring break

On the bottom, the 1225C comes with a memory bay, which is kind of unnecessary, considering the RAM is glued on the motherboard. Alas, maybe Asus will release some versions that let you replace/upgrade the memory. The 1225C is part of Asus’s new Flare line, which means the netbook is slightly slimmer towards the edges, making you believe it’s ultra slim or something. Actually, it’s make believe, as the device weighs around the same as previous 11.6 and 12 inchers from Asus, namely over 3 pounds.

Keyboard and touch pad

Like the one on the 1225B, the keyboard on the 1225C is standard EEE Pc fair. Thanks to the extra leg room, the keys are properly spaced and large enough to avoid typos, although the keys themselves could have been a little more solid. The touch pad is accurate and smooth, although kind of small and short, so be aware of those ample multi touch gestures- you might end up on the space bar.

The click button is good and is not too noisy, although a right/left click setup would have been better, that’s for sure. Overall, the 1225C has a good keyboard and touch pad, but it’s not something we haven’t experienced before- actually, it would be tragic to go beneath this standard.

The keyboard is nothing to get too excited about...but at least is bigger than those on 10 inchers

Display

The display on the 1225C is glossy and doesn’t have an overall quality worth remembering. While the glossy finish, which limits the use to the laptop mostly to indoor environments, is usually tolerated because it’s balanced by good brightness and color quality, it’s not really the case with the display on the 1225C.

You’ll have a hard time adjusting the panel in order to get good image and when that happens, the result is nothing too impressive. But this is kind of the usual quality you can get on such a machine, though making the screen anti-glare could have soothed the whole thing a little for me.

Hardware and performance

The 1225C has the exact same hardware platform as the 1025CE, namely the N2800 dual core processor, winged by HD graphics and 2 GB of RAM. So how does the same platform deal with a bigger screen and a tougher OS? Well, sluggishly. Asus decided to think cheap and used the same new, but not very innovative hardware platform, which will not take you to the moon and back in terms of performance.

Actually, it might struggle to go round the corner. What we can hope is that Asus will offer an updated version of the 1225C running on Atom D series processors down the line (or something punchier, anyway), as right now you get slightly mediocre performance on the 1225C, and just because you can run (so and so) HD clips on it won’t cut it for long.

The 1225C doesn't offer anything on top of the performance of the 1025CE

Software

The 1225C comes with Windows 7 Home Premium and all kinds of media, office, internet and security software that’s mostly ineffectual, as they’re only trial versions. Thus, you might want to get rid of it, considering the relatively scarce resources the machine has anyway. On a brighter note, you get Asus Web Storage, which lets you store files securely, on a remote server and Asus’s Instant On!. This technology takes the mini laptop on and off sleep mode in just seconds, while offering around 15 hours of standby time.

Heat, noise, speakers

The 1225C runs on the less noisy and steamy Cedar Trail platform, meaning you won’t have issues with the netbook getting too hot or loud when venting. Still, this doesn’t mean that you won’t hear the airflow at all, but it’s definitely a step forward from the noisy laptops of yesteryear.

As for heat, you’ll be able to keep the netbook on your lap without a problem, even for a longer while, as pushing the 1225C to its limits won’t get the plastic chassis to burn- it will merely get warm.

The speakers are definitely better and louder than the feeble setup on the 1025CE, for example, but you’ll still need more decibel power and sound quality to use this as a fun station.

Battery life

Thanks to the low power platform inside and the 6 cell battery, the 1225C can run on a single charge for up to 6 hours in normal use conditions, including browsing, listening to music, working with text files, using instant messaging software and other simple apps.

Watching HD movies will deplete the battery faster, of course, in around 4-4.5 hours, but if you’ll take the brightness down and turn the WiFi module off, you might get a little more out of it. Of course, if you go minimal on it, you might get towards 10 hours of autonomy, but that means no WiFi, low brightness, no multimedia playback.

The 1225C is a good promise for the future- see you then

Price and availability

There are no confirmed prices out for the 1225C yet, but the N2600 powered version might go, considering the inside info provided by netbooklive.com, for about $420 in the US. If you’ll want the N2800 version, however, you’ll have to pay even more, probably over 450 bucks. If that sounds expensive, that’s because it’s really expensive.

Asus is probably trying to cash in on the fact that not many manufacturers are offering the Cedar Trail option on their netbooks, but as other companies will come forth with solutions, the price should go down, considering you’re not getting that much bang for the buck.

Final thoughts

The hardware on the 1225C and the 1025CE is the same, but the 1225C has to deal with a bigger screen and heftier OS, so the performance is sluggish. Indeed, you get an HD screen and bigger keyboard, but these advantages are not tremendously impressive (especially the screen), while everyday performance is quite modest.

Add to that an (anticipated) hefty price tag and you have the complete picture of a plan gone wrong, at least for now. Asus will probably update this model with a better hardware platform and lower price down the road, so for now you might want to stay away from the “buy” button.

The 1225C and 1225B, both released by Asus, one showing off Intel’s new Cedar Trail platform- the 1225C and one relying on an improved (but not revolutionary) AMD Fusion chip- the 1225B. Both mini laptops also feature Asus’s new design, Flare, which replaces the Seashell design that was used on Asus’s budget netbooks last year. So which one should you choose or, simpler, which one is better right now in terms of the features offered in comparison with the asking price?

Well, you’ll find answers to those questions via the short post bellow.

The two netbooks will strive to cash in before the competition wakes up

Design

The 1225C comes with either a glossy or matte finish, while the chassis and palm rest are all plastic, but succeeds to feel quite good. Of course, it’s a fingerprints magnet, especially if you get the black and glossy version, but at least it looks very good and some people with less knowledge of the gadget market might actually think you have an ultrabook Overall, the 1225C looks and feels good, although it would have been nice to be able to upgrade the memory yourself, but maybe a variant with a workable memory bay will appear.

The 1225B can come in a silver, plastic coating

The 1225B has the exact same design as the 1225C, namely Flare. Also, the palm rest on the 1225B has a metal finish, which makes it feel a little sturdier, without actually being more of a tank in comparison with the 1225C. Overall, the two machines feel solid in their plastic suits and you won’t have to worry about them getting scratched or broken easily.

Keyboard and touch pad

The two netbooks come with a standard EEE PC keyboard, the same we’ve had on previous mini laptops, like the 1215B. Still, Asus apparently worked a little on the sturdiness of the keys, as the keyboard is not very wobbly at all and the typing experience is quite accomplished. The track pad on the 1225B is responsive and smooth, but quite small and the integrated mouse button a little stiff. In theory, there would have been space to make it a little bigger, but you’ll have to settle for it as it is and a little exercise will help you get the hang of it. The 1225C has basically the same keyboard, but benefits from a track pad that’s ampler and a click button that is more responsive, so the input experience might be better o the 1225C.

Display

The 1225B comes with a glossy, HD display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. That might sound decent for most, but the display is actually quite unaccomplished, having poor viewing angles and contrast, while the glossy finish will make it fairly unusable in strong light and especially outdoors.

The 1225C uses the ultrabook impersonating Flare design

The situation is fairly identical when we talk about the 1225C, which comes with the same display, but there’s talk that a matte version of the 1225C might come our way later in the year- and maybe there’s even hope for the 1225B, who knows?

Hardware

The 1225B can be equipped with either an AMD E-450 or AMD C-60 APU. These two APUs are updated versions of the E-350 and C-50 versions of the APU launched last year and they come with improved power management and graphics, meaning the GPU can be boosted for a short while and get a 10-20% performance increase. The E-450 thus comes with a dual core processor running at 1.66 GHZ and integrated Radeon HD 6320 graphics, which can be temporarily pumped from 580 MHZ to 600 MHZ.

In real life terms, this means that you can play HD content, both streamed and local, without a problem, and you can also play older games at full details, while newer titles will require taking details and resolution down a notch.

The 1225B can take you places in terms of multimedia playback

The 1225C, on the other hand, comes with Intel’s new Cedar Trail platform on board, namely the N2800 dual core processor paired with Intel HD 3650 graphics. The setup is just decent enough for some HD playback and moderate day to day use, but the lack of proper drivers makes it, for now, a rather troublesome picking.

Either system can support up to 4 GB of RAM, but awkwardly enough, each of the machines comes with only 2 GB by default, that’s, sadly, soldered to the mother board, which means you can’t add an additional module. I don’t quite know why this happens, but hopefully some updated models of both netbooks will give you the chance to add RAM when you want to.

Battery life

In terms of battery life, the 1225C gets better estimated results, as the netbook can go on a single charge for about 6-7 hours in normal use, including browsing, editing, music and instant messaging. If you intend to run a HD movie fest, expect a maximum of 4 hours of battery life, which is still pretty good, but to get this make sure you have unnecessary programs switched off, in order to save as much juice as possible. If endurance is your thing, you can get almost 10 hours of autonomy out if it, but for that you’ll have to turn off the WiFi module, take the brightness down and settle for a power light program, like a PDF reader or text editor.

The 1225B will choke and ask for a power plug after well over 4 hours of moderate use, meaning browsing, music, text editing and the works. Of course, you can get over 5 hours of battery life if you settle for light use and Wireless OFF, while playing HD video will drain the battery after just under 4 hours.

Pricing

The 1225B should hit stores in March for around $479 for the E-450 version, while the cheaper, C-60 powered version will probably sell for $399, with some online stores taking pre orders for the E-450 version for $439, but it comes with only 2 GB of RAM and a 320 GB HDD.

The 1225C's poor driver support adds to its lacklustre overall feel

The 1225C doesn’t have an attached price just yet, but sources claim it might go for around 420 bucks for the N2600 equipped version, while the faster N2800 variant will go for more, of course.

Conclusions

The 1225C and 1225B are in a way the two flips of the same coin, the first having a better battery life, while the second comes with enhanced (for this category) multimedia support. The 1225C still suffers from driver issues and a rather unimpressive hardware platform, but we hope that it will get a much welcomed update in the months to come. As it is now, equipped with an N2600/N2800 Cedar Trail chip, the 1225C is an oversized 10 inch netbook in terms of performance and running any app that’s a little more resource intensive will choke the sweetheart pretty fast.

The 1225B is a little more versatile in terms of work-fun usability, although the platform is not very fast as well. The netbook can play HD and full HD content without the glitches you will get on the 1225C and you’ll be able to enjoy some games as well. Sure, the battery stats of the 1225C are better, but not much better, and the multimedia flexibility it brings can’t be questioned.

For now, maybe it’s better to wait and see what the competition has in store for the next interval and avoid buying right now, as both the 1225C and 1225B could be better machines than they are now.

Of course, there are premium netbooks around that stand out of the crowd and we’re going to talk about them in this article. These machines range from 10 inch to 12 inch in size and pack features usually encountered on larger computers, but you’ll have to pay extra for them. This goes against the ultra cheap, ultra portable credo of the netbook, but if you want more than just browsing the web and watching the occasional Youtube video, you might be willing to spend a little extra. Taking it slow…

Powerful 10 inch netbooks

We start right at the bottom. The 10 inch netbook. It’s the type of mini laptop that packs very basic hardware, conceived to deal with browsing, very light productivity work, like a text editor or an Excel sheet and listening to some music. You can buy a new 10 inch netbook for as little as $199, but now we’re going to talk about those that set different standards when it comes to performance. And by different we mean higher.

The 1015B goes just over the mediocrity edge, being the less impressive of the awesome 10 inchers It packs a C-50 AMD Fusion APU that comes with integrated HD video, namely ATI’s Radeon HD 6250, which will be able to share up to 256 MB of system memory and decode HD content. Think more 720p running decently rather than flawless 1080p, but it’s still a major step forward from the single core Atom processor which were able to run 480p. The netbook also has 2 GB of RAM (can support up to 4 GB) and a 6 cell battery, wrapped up in a package going right now for 279 bucks on Amazon. If you like it, order fast, as stocks are almost depleted right now.

Asus 1015B

The Toshiba NB550D packs the same hardware as the 1015B, but comes with a great set of speakers, namely stereo Harman Kardon speakers. It’s probably the best audio system to ever land on a netbook and will complement the HD playback the C-50 on board can deliver. Also, you get a battery able to go on a single charge for around 8 hours and a very appealing patterned design on the lid, something like a granulated wallpaper. Not all surprising, this setup costs a little more, namely 329 pounds on Amazon.

Toshiba NB550D

The Asus 1015PX changes the game a little and ditches entertainment for productivity. While AMD’s APUs are good for playing videos, they’re not very solid when it comes to multitasking. The 1015PX comes with a dual core, Atom N570 CPU, which can deal with multiple open apps better than most processors in its class, like the N550 or entry level Brazzos CPUs.

As for video playback, we found the 1015PX able to play 720p video, both local and streamed, pretty well, while 1080p played decently only streamed from Youtube in Flash format. The 1015PX goes for $298 right now, but consider investing in a supplementary 1 GB of RAM alongside the stock 1 GB you get out of the box.

Asus 1015PX

The Samsung NF310 brings to the table one of the most interesting designs to ever appear on the netbook market. It has a curvy design, similar to the curves of a shark’s body, and comes with a distinctive HD screen, which has a resolution of 1366 x 768 px. Pair that with the dual core N550 Atom CPU and you’ve got yourself a very suitable netbook for both work and play.

Samsung NF310

A less stellar Samsung netbook is the NC110, which comes with a N455 single core CPU and 1 GB of RAM. It balances the rather modest processor with premium SRS sound and a 10 hour battery, which make it more suitable as a fancy (and big) music player If you really want this netbook, make sure you have $329.99 to spare.

Samsung NC110

We’re finishing this section on a high note with the 1015PN. This netbook is still one of the best choices you’ve got when shopping for a strong 10 incher, even almost a year after launch. The dual core Atom N570 processor is backed up by dedicated ION 2 graphics, a setup that surpasses the C-50 APU on the 1015B, being a decent solution for HD playback and some very light gaming.

Add to that the 9.5 hours battery and you’ve got a netbook that kind of has it all. The 1015PN goes for $299 right now, which is 20% less than the usual price.

Asus 1015PN

Top 11.6 to 12 inch netbooks

Bigger means better, as larger netbooks pack better hardware, better batteries and use better displays than 10 inchers. The top models in this section are able to compete with mid range laptops when it comes to performance, but don’t cost as much and won’t take too much room in your bag.

The 1215N is one of the luxury entries in the EEE PC series. Although the quality plastic finish and the sleek body make this netbook also a looker, but the true hot stuff is on the inside. The netbook packs the D525 dual core Atom processor clocked at 1.8 GHZ and a dedicated ION 2 video card, which you can switch on or off using Optimus technology. The 1215N supports up to 4 GB of RAM and comes with Windows 7 Home Premium pre installed, all this in a package worth 400 bucks right now on Amazon.

Asus 1215N

The kid brother of the 1215N, the EEE PC 1215B, also offers a very decent experience for a significantly lower price. The 1215B packs the E-350 Zacate APU, which is a dual core processor bundled with on board HD graphics from ATI, a setup able to deal with 1080p video playback and some light gaming, helped by the stock 2 GB of RAM. If you’ll grab this, you should know it works better as an entertainment machine rather than a productivity mini laptop, hence the smaller asking price of $299.

Asus 1215B

The HP dm1z packs the same hardware, but you get an extra 1 GB of RAM out of the box- so 3 in total and a faster, 7200 rpm 320 GB HDD in comparison with the 5400 rpm on the 1215N. The Zacate APU is the same, but you also get the class of the dm1 (it’s basically the same machine, but there’s the “z” inside), which will cost you significantly more, as the dm1z goes for $574.99 on Amazon right now.

HP dm1z

Lenovo’s X120e is a business oriented 11.6 inch netbook that packs that great, traditional Thinkpad design that’s been around for ages, while having on the inside AMD’s Zacate E-350 APU and a very solid 4 GB of RAM out of the box. Add to that a fast 7200 HDD and Windows 7 Professional and you’ve got yourself a top notch netbook worth spending 467 bucks on.

Lenovo X120e

And if you’re willing to spend twice as much on a brand new toy, you should know that the MacBook Air 2011 is out for some time now. It’s still one of the thinnest netbooks around, being 0.68 inch thin, partially thanks to the SSD inside. There’s no HDD option, so expect lighting fast boot times and a better battery life (around 10 hours), as well as a second generation Core i3 or Core i5 dual core processor, 2 GB of RAM and a HD screen with a native resolution of 1366 x 768. As for the price, you won’t too surprised to know that the base model goes for a little under 1000 bucks.

MacBook Air 11.6 inch

The natural anorexic competitor for the MBA is the 11.6 inch version of the Samsung Series 9, which is just as slim- 0.68 inches, but packs less impressive hardware, namely the first generation Core i3 dual core ULV processor and can accommodate a maximum of 2 GB of RAM. You get a similar 64 GB of initial storage like on the MBA, but there’s also the perk of a WIMAX 4G optional module and a USB 3.0 port. This doesn’t sell cheap, as the 11.6 inch Series 9 goes for around $899 on Amazon.

Samaung Series 9

We saved the beast for last and we’re of course talking about the Dell Alienware M11X R3, which is just formally a netbook. It has a 11.6 inch display with a 1366 x 768 resolution, but on the inside it packs hardware worthy of desktop PCs. It features either a Core i3, Core i5 or Core i7 processors, up to 16 GB of DDR3 RAM and video card with dedicated 2 GB of memory. This mini laptop is capable of running newer games at decent frame rates and can deal with any kind of apps you might throw at it. The R3 starts at around $800, with the breathtaking configurations costing well over a grand.

Alienware M11x R3

Final thoughts

We hope at least a couple of the netbooks we’ve talked about caught your imagination and entered on your list of options if you’re shopping for a netbook. We had in mind netbooks with above average performance and features like good battery, better screens and perks like USB 3.0 ports or better connectivity. There are solid entries in any size category, from the C-50 powered 10 inchers to the battleship 11.6 inch Alienware. Whether it’s productivity or entertainment, these netbooks can take you through a decent experience and, as long as you keep in mind that these small laptops are not meant to replace a desktop computer, these little weasels won’t disappoint you.

Asus launched their first netbook, named Eee PC 701, in late 2007, as a mastermind response to the OLPC (One Laptop per Child) and Intel’s Classmate PC. Asus boss Jonney Shih realized that a small, ultra light notebook, capable of basic computing, is a great idea for adults as well, not only for kids. The Eee PC 701 was an instant hit in Asia and was quickly shipped to the US and Europe. Since then, many other models appeared under the Eee PC monicker.

And from the days of the 7 inch screen, Celeron M single core processor and 4 GB of SSD storage, we have today Eee PCs with dual core processors, 320 GB of storage, dedicated video card, HD screens ( even touch screens) and 3G modules, just to name a few features.

Asus's first EEE PC. We've come a long way

Easy to play, Easy to learn, Easy to work, the slogan behind the EEE PC revolution is true even today. There are many types of EEE PCs to choose from, according to your needs and budget. If you just want a cheap netbook for browsing the web and sending emails, you got it. If you need a decently equipped netbook for office productivity and serious battery autonomy, that’s also available. Or, if you’re after a powerful entertainment driven netbook, with its own video card, you can get that as well from an EEE PC labeled netbook.

This flexibility helped the line being the most popular netbook series in the US and Europe, which is not small stuff, considering that virtually any relevant computer manufacturer has at least a dozen netbooks out there. Next, we’re going to take a look at the best Asus EEE PCs of 2011, from entry level models to premium netbooks.

Entry level EEE PCs

For browsing the web, the occasional Word document and getting rickrolled on Youtube, a cheap, entry level EEE PC is sufficient. These models usually have a plastic, but robust finish, decent battery and a single core processor.

Asus EEE PC 1001PX. This netbook was launched back in 2010, but it’s still fairly popular thanks to the attractive design and low price. The netbook runs on an Intel Atom N450, clocked at 1.66 GHZ, packs 1 GB of RAM and a 160/250 GB HDD, as well as having WiFi connectivity. The battery can go on a single charge for only 4 hours, but if you’re willing to spend a little more for a battery slice, you might get around 8 hours of autonomy. One of the highlights of the 1001PX, which goes for $249 is the carbon fiber like finish, that is both tough and good looking and won’t attract any finger prints and smudges.

Asus EEE PC 1011PX. The 1011PX is basically an update for the 1001PX. It comes with either a single core, N455 processor or the dual core N570, but the later will cost a little more. You can also configure the battery, with the default juice maker offering a maximum of 5 hours of autonomy (3 cell version), but you can get as much as 11 with the 9 cell version. In terms of design, the $300 priced 1011PX has the same seashell design as the 1001PX and, of course, the same matte chassis finish.

Asus 1011 PX EEE PC

Mainstream EEE PC netbooks

Let’s take it up a notch. You want a better netbook, with a better battery, improved performance and maybe more aesthetically appealing than entry level machines. If you’re willing to spend a little more, Asus might have exactly what you need.

The 1015PEM comes with a dual core N550 Atom processor and 1 GB of RAM, but you can upgrade to 2 GB. The dual core version offers better performance and power management than the N450/455, so you’ll be able to rely more on this 10 inch netbook for productivity apps- more of them open at the same time. The netbook comes with a hybrid battery management system, that can get as much as 13 hours of autonomy, and newer connectivity options, namely Wireless N and Bluetooth 3.0.

The 1015PX packs the even newer N570 dual core processor, everything else being basically identical to what you get from the 1015PEM. A nice additional feature is Express Gate, which is an alternative boot OS that gives almost instant access to the internet and entertainment apps. Also, for the first year, you get free access to Asus’s web storage service, where you have your own 500 GB to fool around with, a good deal for a $279 netbook.

The 1015PN pairs the N550 dual core chip with dedicated ION 2 graphics, which comes with 512 MB of video memory. This means you’ll be ableto use this 336 bucks netbook for full HD playback directly on the display or on a HDTV via the HDMI port, and also some decent gaming. If you want to fully take advantage of this platform, make sure to upgrade to 2 GB of RAM.

Asus EEE PC 1015PN

Unlike the previous entries in this section, the 1015B is powered by a AMD Fusion chip, namely the C-30. It’s a single core processor with a rather modest speed of 1.2 GHZ, but has the advantage of being completed with HD integrated graphics, namely Radeon HD 6250. While this is not a netbook to consider for too complicated office work, it will be great for playing HD video. You even get a HDMI port for hooking up the netbook with a HDTV. The 1015B is available from Amazon for $289, but unfortunately that’s the version with a single-core C30 APU; the more powerful one with a dual-core C-50 processor is mainly available in Europe and that’s the one I would recommend.

The 1015PW is maybe the most spectacular entry in this category, at least when we talk about design. Dubbed Syrocco, the netbook has a waved pattern on the lid, being a welcomed change in the all too bland netbook world. Specs wise, the 1015PW, going for $314, packs a dual core N550, 1 GB of RAM, while the battery is said to run on a single charge for about 10 hours max.

Premium EEE PC netbooks

As always, there’s a luxury section, so to say, which consists of high end netbooks that also look quite good and offer a different experience that mainstream entries. Our picks are:

The 1018P  has a brushed aluminum finish, being one of the classiest 10 inch netbooks out there. It looks great (think Samsung 9 Series, but smaller and less posh), is very tough and is also quite thin and light for a machine with a metal finish. On the inside, you get a mainstream configuration, namely a dual core N570 processor, 1 GB of RAM and a 250 GB HDD,a decent configuration for just 418 bucks. The OS is Windows 7 Starter, while ports include, surprisingly, 2 USB 3.0 slots. Chapeau.

Asus EEE PC 1018P

Here’s a nice one. The 12.1 inch 1215N packs a pimped up Atom chip, namely the dual core 1.8 GHZ D525, which is, at least for now, the fastest Atom around. Pair that with 512 MB of dedicated ION 2 video memory, 2 GB of RAM (maximum of 4) and Windows 7 Home Premium, and you’ve got yourself a very decent HD capable machine, both for gaming and video playback.

The 1215B is a similarly powerful 12.1 inch netbook. It packs the AMD C-350 dual core processor, that’s at least a class over the C-50. The chip runs at 1.5 GHZ and comes with Radeon HD 6310 graphics. The setup is completed by 2 GB of RAM (with a supported maximum of 8 GB ) and a battery said to run for about 8.5 hours on a single charge, making this $436 priced netbook a top choice for this class.

Final thoughts

The netbooks we gathered in this article all offer decent performance and are pretty affordable when looking at the specs and features. If you built it, they will come- Asus was able to build netbooks for all types of users, covering from basic computing needs to HD gaming and serious multitasking.

And the future looks just as bright, as Asus will be one of the companies to build Ultrabooks, which is said to be the next paradigm in terms of ultra portable gadgets. But until then, if you’re thinking about shopping for a netbook, keep an eye on Asus EEE PC entries, as these machines represent good value for money and offer a very vast array of models to choose from.

It’s the case of the 1025C, a netbook that, just like the 1025CE, comes marching with Cedar Trail firepower, but lacks the fine touches of the 1025CE, but it will also help you save some decent mula off the price tag. Stay tuned for our review of the 1025C and don’t forget to check out an extensive video review of the 1025C at the end of this post, courtesy of our friends from www.netbooklive.com.

Specs

So what’s it all about? The 1025C comes with a hardware spec sheet that’s very similar in some ways to the one on the more expensive 1025CE, including the processor and the integrated video card, but you’ll also be able to configure your 1025C with a slower processor and a smaller battery, in order to keep the price down.  Full spec sheet below.

• CPU: Intel Atom Cedar Trail N2600 or N2800
• System memory: 1 GB DDR3 RAM
• Storage: 320 GB HDD 5400 rpm
• Video: Intel HD 3650 (460 MHZ)
• Display: 10 inch, 1024 x 600 px resolution, anti-glare treatment
• Connectivity: Wireless N, fast Ethernet
• Ports: 3 x USB 2.0, VGA, HDMI, LAN, card reader, web cam
• Battery: 3 cell, 2600 mAh, 28 Wh
• Operating system: Windows 7 Starter
• Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Dimensions (in inches) : 10.3 x 7 x 1.3

At a first glance, we can notice that the major differences between the 1025C and the 1025CE are, in the case of the first one, the lack of USB 3.0, Bluetooth and a smaller capacity battery, as well as a slower CPU as a base option, namely the N2600 instead of the N2800. But, as we will see later on, there are other differences between the two as well, in terms of build quality and user experience.

Build and design

The 1025CE impressed me with its very solid and good looking external cover, which while was clearly made out of plastic, it felt like a very quality finish in comparison with most netbooks out there. The 1025C has a plastic shell as well, of course, but there are a couple of differences between the two.

First off, and this is indeed subjective, the plastic on the 1025CE feels more quality, while the one on the 1025C is a little less smooth on the touch, but that doesn’t mean is not fairly good.

The black finish is sombre and solid, but maybe less pleasing on the eye

Also, the Flare design is used on the 1025C as well, meaning the middle of the netbook is a little thicker, while the edges are thinner, a trick that helps make the netbook feel slimmer than it is. The bottom has a quick access bay for the memory slots.

The color theme is also used for the palm rest, while the bezel around the screen is matte. Overall, the 1025C has a somber look and everything is “prim and proper”, but lacks a certain presence to make it a head turner.

Keyboard and touch pad

The keyboard on the 1025C has tall and sturdy keys, which makes the typing experience very solid. Most keyboards on netbooks have wobbly and flat keys, which shake a lot when typing, but it’s not the case with the 1025C.

Overall, the keyboard is very well put together, while the touch pad is very responsive and pleasant to touch, even for multi touch gestures. Still, I find it a little small, and the click button doesn’t have a left and right button setup.

The keyboard is good and has solid keys

Display

Pretty straightforward, the panel on the 1025C is a standard, 1024 x 600 pixel resolution display, with a matte finish, so you can easily use it outdoor if needed. The brightness is quite good as well, so you can save battery life when you’re using the machine indoors by taking the brightness down. Also, quite surprisingly for a budget machine, the hinges of the 1025C allow to bend the display on its back.

Hardware and performances

The 1025C comes with Intel’s new Cedar Trail platform, namely the N2800 dual core processor, but some versions will run on the slower N2600 in order to keep the price down. There’s also 1 GB of RAM and a 320 GB HDD, as well as integrated Intel HD 3650 graphics, good enough for streamed and local high definition playback.

In short, the 1025C can play 1080p content without a problem, but only after you deal with those DVXA issues the current Intel platform has (check this article for a way to solve them). Overall, performance is not incredibly better than what you had on Pinetrail (HD playback being the exception), especially if you’ll settle for only 1 GB of RAM.

The 1025C comes, unfortunately, without a USB 3.0

Software

The 1025C comes with Windows 7 Starter and a couple of preinstalled software- most of it trial versions and stuff you can do without- which you should, in my opinion, get rid of as soon as possible and save some precious system resources. Also, the netbook comes with Asus’s Instant On! feature, that allows for recovering from sleep mode in just a couple of seconds, similar to the function on ultrabooks.

Heat, noise, speakers and connectivity

The 1025C comes without a USB 3.0, which is pretty much of a shame on a 2012 computer. Also, in comparison with the 1025CE, there’s no Bluetooth, but I guess one can live without that. Everything else is there in terms of connectivity, including USB 2.0 ports, VGA, HDMI, while internet options include Wireless N and Ethernet.

Like the 1025CE, the 1025C rarely gets hot, even if you use it continuously for many hours and force the hamsters inside to burn that wheel down.  Also, the 1025C doesn’t get very noisy- actually, you can barely hear it hum once in a while.

As for speakers, they’re not much, to be honest, but will let you enjoy the odd Youtube video or Skype chat without a problem, but for anything else you need some headphones or external speakers.

The 1025C can be equipped with either a 3 or 6 cell battery

Battery life

The base 1025C model comes with a 3 cell battery, which can sustain around 3 hours of HD playback or almost 4 hours of normal use, including browsing, text editing, other light apps, listening to music and keeping the brightness of the screen over 50%.

However, you can get even more juice out of the 1025C if you take the brightness down and work offline, with the wireless modem off, focusing on text editing and other resource friendly apps.

Prices and availability

The exact asking price for the 1025C is not yet available, but Mike from netbooklive.com hinted that the 10 incher might have an asking price of around $299 for the 3 cell battery version. Again, we don’t know if this is for the N2600 or N2800 equipped version, but if the $299 version will indeed come with the N2800, the 1025C is a good deal. If not…well, the better equipped version will end up costing almost as much as the 1025CE, which has a bigger battery, better chassis and a USB 3.0 port.

Update: The Asus EEE PC 1025C is now available in shops in the US and you can find up to date prices for this unit via this link.

Final thoughts

The 1025C is deemed to be a success, because gets all the basics right. It’s indeed ultraportable, comes with a new, improved for multimedia hardware platform and the design and build is decent enough not to annoy anyone.

Having said that, the 1025C has its limitations which will not make it a choice for those looking for something a little more high end, but Asus is not hunting that demographic, but a more budget conscious one.

Additionally, the 1025C is also, as I see it, an appetizer Asus is offering, signaling more interesting netbooks and ultraportables to come in 2012. But for now, we can be satisfied with the 1025C, a worthy “poor man’s” version of the 1025CE.

In a time when netbooks seem like the old fashioned cousin you want to avoid calling at your 2012-2013 gadget fest, considering quad core tablets and 0.8 inch thin laptops are the new, the 1025CE is a fresh entry in this troubled niche, one that should be quite attractive for users on a tight budget or those looking for a basic portable computer.

Of course, what’s “basic” comes under scrutiny as new hardware generations emerge and the 1025CE has its perks, that’s for sure, including HD support, but is that enough? Stick around and find out from our review of the 1025CE netbook from Asus.

Specs

The 1025CE opens the 2012 fest and it surely has some fancy boots to strut around. The 10 incher is powered by Intel’s new N2800 dual core processor, but can be equipped only with 1 or 2 GB of RAM, at least in some territories. Full spec sheet below.

• CPU: Intel Cedar Trail N2800 @1.86 GHZ
• System memory: 1-2 GB of DDR3 1066 MHZ RAM
• Storage: 500 GB HDD, 5400 rpm
• Display: 10.1 inch, 1024 x 600 anti-glare screen
• Video: integrated Intel HD 3650 graphics
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 3.0, Wireless N, Ethernet
• Ports: 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0, HDMI, VGA, LAN, card reader, webcam
• Battery: 6 Cell 5200 mAh 56 Wh
• OS: Windows 7 Starter
• Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Dimensions (in inches): 10.3” x 7” x 1.3”

Build and design

If it’s 2012, it’s Flare, as Asus decided to leave the Seashell standard behind and introduce a brand new concept, called Flare. Hints of this design are also used on the Asus ultrabooks and other Asus laptops out in force this year, so the new design shouldn’t surprise you that much if you’re an Asus fan.

The 1025CE comes with an all plastic exterior that’s a little bulkier in the middle and slimmer towards the edges, a trick that might make people think the netbook is slimmer that it actually is. It’s all about mimicking ultrabooks these days and the 1025CE does that honorably. The chassis is all plastic, as I said, but it fells very metal like when grabbed, so no resemblance to those wobbly netbooks that gave the budget category a bad name.

The Flare design comes with thinner edges and an all plastic body

Unfortunately, at least for the Central and East European Market, there’s no option to manually upgrade the system memory and you’ll have to settle for the amount the netbook has out of the box. This might be different in other territories, as it usually happens. Overall, the 1025CE is quite a handsome netbook if I can say so, upping the game a little in terms of design, as the Flare concept is definitely catchier than the rusty Seashell.

Keyboard and touch pad

In this aspect, things haven’t changed that much and you get a type of Chiclet keyboard used on 10 inch EEE PCs before. The keys on the unit we saw have a silver finish that makes the keyboard a little classier maybe, but might get dirty quicker, to be honest. Also, the keys are quite sturdy and a little taller than the usual setup on an EEE PC, thus making the typing a little more “consistent”, as the keys are less wobbly and have a longer travel.

As for the track pad, it’s responsive and smooth enough, although not very spacious. This is a problem most 10 inch netbooks have anyway, so you can’t really blame it on Asus, but rather this standard. The click pad is easy to use and is fairly responsive, although a clear, left and right mouse button setup would have been more up my alley.

The keyboard feels solid, with tall and sturdy keys

Display

What you get is simple and efficient, namely a 1024 x 600 matte display. That’s what you get on 90% of all 10 inchers anyway, so no reason to dwell too much on it. Still, it would have been nice for Asus to try to offer a slightly better panel, considering the newly added HD possibilities of this netbooks, which won’t be enjoyed thoroughly directly on the display, but rather on an external display via the HDMI port.

Having said that, for a mediocre panel, the one on the 1025CE behaves decently, having good viewing angles, while the bezel is made from a dark, matte plastic strip that’s less likely to gather smudges.

Hardware and performance

The most exciting thing about the 1025CE is the Cedar Trail N2800, running at 1.86 GHZ, chip inside. We talked about this new platform throughout 2011, waiting for Intel to finally release and see it in action, as it promised what Pine Trail processors couldn’t do: HD playback. Even so, don’t expect wonders, as the Cedar Trail platform is just an updated version of Pine Trail with superior video support and some improved cooling systems, stuff that might not translate into a massive performance boost in real life.

Actually, for now, there are no comprehensive drivers for the platform on the 1025CE, but what we could make out of it is that the netbook can stream HD content pretty decently, something you didn’t had on entry level netbooks before. As we said, don’t expect wonders in terms of overall performance, as having more than 2-3 apps running at the same time might choke this fragile little slugger, especially if you can count on only 1 GB of RAM. But still, the 1025CE is a step forward, even if not a big one.

Software

Like virtually any netbook out there, the 1025CE comes with Windows 7 Starter. Additionally, you’ll find enough bloatware to decrease the out of the box performance of the netbook, so it’s better if you get rid of them as soon as you buy the netbook. On a brighter note, there’s also Asus’s InstantOn! technology on board, which allows for ultra fast recovery from sleep mode, a feature we’ve seen on ultrabooks lately. Still, because of some driver issues, this function doesn’t work properly on the 1025CE, but some future update should fix this.

Ports, heat, noise and speakers

The 1025CE comes with, in addition to standard netbook ports, with an HDMI port and a USB 3.0 port, adding some flexibility to the experience. Also, in terms of connectivity, you get faster Wireless N and Bluetooth 3.0. Thanks to the Cedar Trail platform, the 1025CE doesn’t get very hot, especially on the top side, only the bottom being slightly warm after using the machine intensively.

The plastic bottom of the netbook doesn't get very hot in comparison with older generation netbooks

Somehow complementary, the netbook barely makes any noise, considering there’s not much to vent. The quiet profile also describes, sadly, the speakers, which have a rather low volume, although the sound quality is good. But if you want to use this one for soundtracking a party, you should have some external speakers available.

Battery life

The 1025CE is hailed as being able to run on a single charge for about 12 hours, but that’s not really the case. Using the netbook intensively will deplete the battery in about 6 hours, while light use and taking down the screen brightness under 50% will give it  little over 8 hours of autonomy. Still, the numbers are pretty good for a netbook relying only on its default battery and if Asus will offer an extra battery slice, you might get to 12 hours…and more.

Prices and availability

As the 1025CE is not yet available in stores, we can’t give you official pricing details for the US or Western Europe. A little further to the East, in Romania, the 1025CE will be available for the equivalent of 350 bucks, so this might be a decent rough estimate for how much the netbook will cost somewhere else too.

Anyway, soon enough the 1025CE will be less attractive than it is now, as other manufacturers will launch netbooks, so the 10 incher might go under the $300 barrier quite soon. Fingers crossed.

Final thoughts

You know what they say: the more things change, the more they stay the same. While the 1025CE has a few exciting features to brag about, on paper, like the new design and hardware platform, the actual user experience won’t change that much in comparison to that you could enjoy on 2011 netbooks.

The 1025CE- a good netbook, but there's room for improvement

Besides the still not fully supported, driver wise, HD playback galore brought by the new integrated graphics, the processing power, operating system and display are all strikingly familiar to the seasoned netbook enthusiast. And with a starting price of over 300 bucks, the 1025CE might not perform stellar at the box office, as many other netbooks (some of them still to come and boosting Cedar Trail goodies as well) cost and will cost less or offer better value for money.

As it stands now, the 1025C is a good netbook, no doubt about it, but it needs a touch here and there to make us fall for the 10 incher yet again. Stay tuned for an in depth video review, courtesy of our friends from netbooklive.com. Enjoy.

You might be very interested in this review, if you’re hunting for a new ultraportable laptop, that’s not as flashy or expensive as an ultrabook, but it’s significantly better than a regular netbook. Basically, the 1225B fits right in the middle of the consumer spectrum, where most buyers eventually decide to venture.

The 1225B comes with a new AMD Fusion APU, namely the E-450, which incorporates a dual core processor clocked at 1.65 GHZ and built in HD graphics, namely Radeon HD 6320 with Turbo Core.  You also get 4 GB of RAM, a 320 GB HDD and an 11.6 inch display with an HD resolution of 1366 x 768 px. To sum it up fairly quickly, Mike from netbooklive.com observed that the new design has slimmer edges than the middle, so kind of mimicking a flare, while the Seashell design was thicker towards the end and slimmer towards the edge.

Moving on, the display on the 1225B is quite a problem, as it has bad viewing angles and reflects light, being on par, negatively, with the 1215B, which had a similarly problematic display. On a more positive note, if you find a good angle, in a rather dark room, the display is very bright and lively, offering vivid colors, particularly pleasing when watching HD content.

The 1225 comes with a brand new design and hardware platform

As for performance, the 1225B does well what it was designed to do: basic tasks with a seasoning of HD playback and mild gaming. The dual core processor and slightly pumped up graphics will offer an experience that’s better than the one on the 1215B, but it’s nowhere near what an ultrabook can do. The laptop will be able to deal with HD playback, both streamed and directly from the HDD, and can run older games at good frame rates and detail levels, but newer titles will see you play them with minimum detail and even lower resolution.

Anyway, for an entry level machine, the 1225B seems to do just fine on this front. As for pricing, the 1225B starts at $399, but that will buy the base model, powered by a slower C-60 APU, while the model packing the E-450 goes for 479 bucks.  Stay tuned for the detailed video review below or hit the source link for the written review.

Powered by a 2.7 Ghz Intel Core i7-2620M, the B23E-XH71 will certainly not be on top of the casual technology enthusiast’s shopping lists, but should draw attention from those of you who need a solid, snappy and portable laptop to carry around.

Weighing in at 3.2 pounds, the Asus B23E is clearly not a lightweight device, but it’s made out of magnesium-alloy, so the aim is to provide ruggedness and strength. The all-black exterior, with matte surfaces, might seem old-fashioned for some of you, but once again this 12-incher is aimed towards a certain kind of people and those people appreciate elegance and plain, but sophisticated looks.

It's robust, solid and sturdy, which is exactly what you need on the road!

Aside from the very snappy dual-core Sandy Bridge processor, the B23E also comes with 4 GB of RAM, a 500 GB 7200 rpm hard drive, a DVD burner drive, Bluetooth 3.0 and WiFi connectivity. The laptop runs, of course, Windows 7 Home Premium, and the 3-cell battery, while it still has an unspecified autonomy, should come with enough power to go around.

The 12.1-inch screen is another technical detail that should draw your attention, featuring a 1366 x 768 pixels resolution and offering protection against sunlight or any kind of powerful light source. There’s also a spill-resistant comfortable keyboard, as well as a fingerprint reader, so all in all I for one am really impressed with this netbook’s features and tech specs.

It doesn't look spectacular, but it packs a lot of power under its hood!

As you might expect, this kind of power and build doesn’t come cheap and the 12-incher currently starts at 922.43 dollars on Amazon. You can pre-order it right now and it should be delivered to you in a matter of weeks, even though there’s still nothing official on that front.

There it is, the new 12-inch business-oriented netbook from Asus, dressed to impress and ready to accompany you on the road anywhere, anytime! What do you think, are you willing to pay almost 1,000 bucks for this 12-incher?

Source: Laptoping.com

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 (or AMD) platforms. 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, what to expect in terms of battery life 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.

Affordable and cheap netbooks

If on the market for such a small computer and on a tight budget, here you can find the top picks you can get for under $300. All these devices are brand new, come with warranty and managed to score good marks and reviews with professional testers and regular users, despite their low price point.

So they are good and should be enough for most of your tasks, as long as you don’t expect them to be lightning fast or cope well with multitasking, playing HD video content or games.

Asus EEE PC 1001PXD – $249.99

The 1001P line of netbooks has been around for a while and the 1001PXD is one of its latest members. This Asus manages to provide an excellent price/features ratio. Comes with standard specs (N455 processor, 1 GB of memory, 250 GB hard-drive) 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/n and Fast Ethernet, so no Bluetooth.

There’s one bad point though: this 1001PXD only packs a 3 Cell battery, so should be enough for only 3 to 4 hours of life and that’s low for a netbook.

But does sell right now for only $249 an is available in white, black or blue. That’s with Free Shipping included so it sounds pretty good.  Of course, the EEE PC 1001PXD does have its weak points, but is overall a sturdy and worthy little machine and considering its price, it’s for sure a great buy.

Asus EEE PC 1001PXD - good value for the money

Toshiba NB505 – $299 $279

As a Toshiba netbook owner i must say they are one of my favorite netbook producers and for good reasons. The NB505 is what they have to offer these days in the affordable range of 10 inch mini laptops and this is a very appreciated product, as it combines solid construction, good performance, ergonomics and battery life in an overall great netbook for its price tag.

In terms of hardware this one is standard: Atom N455 processor, 1 GB of RAM, 250 GB hard-drive, Wireless N, Windows 7 Starter. But unlike other cheap netbooks, comes with a big 6 Cell battery that will last around 6 hours in daily use.

The exterior is covered in some smooth rubbery plastic and feels great; will also deal well with time, scratches and fingerprints. And you have 6 different colors, from the classic Blue and Brown to the funky Orange and Turquoise.You also get a proper sized trackpad and the new Full-size keyboard the guys at Toshiba developed for their 10 inchers, which should be great for those with bigger hands, but will take some time getting used to.

More details are available via this link, where you can find the NB505 on sale, for only $279 with shipping included (list price is $299, so you get a nice discount). You’ll also find the marks and reviews from those who already bought one of these, plus more pics and info.

Toshiab NB505 - best affordable netbook these days

Asus EEE PC 1015B – from $289

The 1015B is the first 10 inch Asus to hit the market with AMD’s new Fusion hardware on board. New platform won’t make the device faster in everyday tasks, but will make it capable of dealing with HD content (including 1080P) and even some popular but older games, like Word of Warcraft or Counter Strike.

There are several configs you can get for the 1015B, starting with the C30 Ontario APU and ending with the dual-core C50, plus 250 GB storage, 1 GB of memory (expandable to 4 on a single slot) and Windows 7 Starter. And a 6 cell battery on top, that should get you around 5-6 hours of daily use every single charge.

Not much to say about exterior and keyboard, as they are identical to the ones you will find on all higher end EEE PCs these days: matte rubbery finish, chiclet keyboard with a good layout, accurate and proper sized trackpad. And there’s also the 10.1 inch matte display, which you’ll mainly find only on EEE PCs these days in this class.

The Asus 1015B goes for $289 right now, for the black version with AMD C30 APU (that’s the entry level AMD platform) and is for sure a great pack if you want a small, portable multimedia companion. More powerful and better equipped versions go above 300 bucks and you can check them out via this link.

Asus 1015B - the cheap multimedia 10 incher

Acer Aspire One AO255E – from $329 $287

While not a big fan of Acer, based on my previous encounters, we’ve seen their devices come a long way in the last years and the portables they have to offer these days are actually very very good, able to compete with devices from Asus, Samsung, HP or Dell, while being cheaper.

The Aspire One AO255E is their most popular model. It comes in a couple of different versions but we’re mainly interested in the top one, boosting a dual-core Atom N550 processor, 1 GB of memory, 250 GB hard-drive and Windows 7 Starter OS. You don’t however get Bluetooth and there’s only a smaller 6 Cell battery installed, capable of around 5 hours of life (8 on paper).

But you only have to pay less than 300 bucks for it, as the AO255E goes online now for only $287 and that makes it the cheapest good netbook with a dual-core Atom N550 processor. See the link for details.

Of course, you will have to stick with the glossy exterior, which actually looks amazing and is available in several different colors, but will scratch and catch fingerprints like crazy. And there’s also the glossy display. Plus, while keyboard is pretty good, trackpad is kind of narrow and sometimes imprecise.

Still, if you want a fast but cheap netbook, this is the one for you. Of course, there are other netbooks that can outmatch it in terms of looks, ergonomics, build construction and features, but none can compete with the Acer Aspire One AO255 in terms of pricing.

Acer AO255E - cheapest option if you want a fast Atom N550D equipped 10 incher

Best 10 inch netbooks

Here are the true best 10 inchers you can get these days with prices ranging from 300 to 400 bucks, although some will pop over the $400 mark because they pack some extra features (see details below).

Still, if you want a solid 10 incher, these are the devices you should consider these days.

Toshiba NB305 -  $379 $329

The Toshiba NB305 is right now one of the most popular netbooks in the US and my personal favorite. It brings similar hardware to the best other 10 inch netbooks available, with Intel Atom N550 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 for $329 these days, with a nice discount and free delivery included. And while this is an older generation 10 incher from Toshiba, it still remains one of the best picks in the class, especially now as it benefits from the hardware upgrade and the price cut. However, I doubt it will last in stocks for long, so better grab one fast.

Toshiba NB305 - most popualr and my favorite

Acer Aspire One AO522 – around $325

Acer also paired with AMD to launch a Fusion based 10 incher and that’s the AO522 we have here. This particular model however ships with the fastest AMD APU designed for netbooks, the C50 (unlike the Asus 1015B presented above), the ones that merges a dual-core 1.0 GHz processor and AMD 6250 graphics on a single chip.

These make the little machine quite snappy in everyday tasks (not snappier than Atom N550 equipped netbooks though), but the real difference is noticeable when dealing with HD content and games. This one can play 1080P video, both streamed and self stored, and can even output it via HDMI. Plus, can handle older but still popular games like WOW, Call of Duty, Counter Strike or Starcraft.

Acer Aspire AO522 - multimedia 10 incher with MD hardware inside

On the outside, the AO522 is identical to all the other Acer 10 inchers available these days, with the glossy exterior, slim body and island keyboard. Boosts the same 6 Cell 4400 mAh battery and the AO255E model, but is only rated at around 6 hours of life, so we should expect 4-5 in real life use.

All these for $329 sound nice. And it’s even cheaper on Amazon.com , where it goes for $325 with Shipping included. See the link for reviews, more and bigger pics and extra details.

So, the AO522 packs AMD Fusion and that should make it a feasible choice if you need a more versatile 10 incher with a nice price tag. Won’t see any differences in every day tasks from a dual-core Atom N550 device, in fact I found the C50 slightly slower, but when dealing with multimedia content and games, this one is far superior. Thus, if you plan on using your 10 inchers for such stuff, the Acer Aspire One AO522 won’t let you down.

Asus EEE PC 1015PEM – $379 $368

The EEE PCs is for sure the most notorious line of netbooks on the market. The 1015PEM is their top mainstream model right now, a device meant to merge design, ergonomics and power in a single perfect laptop.

This one is a bestseller all around the globe, but especially in the US and Europe, as it is a little pricier than most of its competitors. Comes with Atom N550 dual-core processor, 1 GB of memory, 250 GB storage + 500 GB online, Windows 7 Starter, Wireless N and Bluetooth 3.0. Plus, you get a huge 6 cell battery capable of around 10 hours of life on a single charge (13 based on Asus’s tests).

Design wise, this one is nearly perfect. It comes with a soft rubberized exterior available in a bunch of different colors, allowing great grip and capable of dealing well with smudges and scratches. Opening the lid you get the ergonomic trackpad and chiclet keyboard, plus the 10 inch matte display, a feature not very common on netbooks.

All these make the 1015PEM a little bit more expensive than most of the competitors, but we’re sure it is worth every penny of the $379 bucks you’ll have to pay for it. And if you’re living in the US, you can find it online on Amazon.com with a small discount, for only $368, with Shipping included. And there’s also a cheaper model, with a smaller battery and no Bluetooth, going for around $315 . See the links for details, pictures and reviews from owners.

Overall, the 1015PEM is for sure one of the best 10 inchers you can find these days. Too bad though the big battery model is only available in the States.

Asus EEE PC 1015PEM

Asus EEE PC 1015PN – around $430 $350

The 1015PN is for sure the most powerful 10 inch netbook, as it boosts the dual-core Atom N550 processor and Nvidia ION graphics (this makes it capable of handling HD multimedia content and games). It’s even overall better than those devices with AMD Fusion inside.

Asus 1015PN - most powerful 10 inch netbook

Everything else is identical to the 1015PEM, but the powerful hardware will take battery life expectations to only 9.5 hours on paper, so more like 6-7 in real life use.

Price wise, the 1015PN is listed at $430, but you can find it online in the States for as low as $349, and that’s a great deal for sure. See the link for more details.

You will notice it’s even cheaper than the 1015PEM and you’ll ask yourself why, since this one is faster? Well, most users don’t need the better graphics capabilities of this one, as they don’t plan on running 10180p content or games on 10 inchers. They do however need battery life. Plus, in order to properly use this one, you’ll need to upgrade Windows to at least Home Premium version, as the Starter bundled with it prevents the ION graphics from functioning properly (won’t allow Optimus to kick on so you’ll have to change between graphic boards manually). That takes the overall price of the 1015N above 400 bucks, considering the OS update costs.

Still, if you want the fastest 10 incher, this is the device to consider, as long as you upgrade the operating system, get 2 GB of memory on it and replace the hard drive with a faster 7200 rpm one or even an SSD. All these however make the 1015PN a netbook for enthusiasts, rather than one meant for average users.

Samsung NF310 – $399 $384.99

Samsung is known for their electronic products, but not that much for their laptops. With the new series they seem to have struck gold though, as they managed to get them as close to perfection as possible.

The NF310 is their top device in the 10 inch segment and it’s a great mini laptop, starting from design and ending with features. Yes, the exterior is glossy and only available in black (so will scratch and catch fingerprints), but it looks very nice, with that curvy shape.

Opening the lid you’ll notice a very comfortable chiclet keyboard and a proper sized trackpad, plus a matte 10 inch display. However, unlike most 10 inch display found on netbooks, this one boosts HD resolution: 1366 x 768 px so everything will look smoother on it. Also packs decent viewing angles and good brightness levels.

Punchy Atom N550D processor is used, so this device will handle 720p content flawlessly. Of course, 1080p content is still a not match, but you won’t need it anyway since the NF310 lacks an HDMI port. Excellent 3D SRS speakers were also thrown in the mix, alongside a 6 cell battery that can go for 6-7 hours on daily use (up to 9.4 hours on paper).

Now, you probably expect this one to be expensive, but its $399 list price is actually quite good. And Amazon.com even sells it discounted, for $384.99 these days, with Shipping included. See the link for extra info.

All in all, the Samsung NF310 is a great bundle and offers something almost no other 10 incher does: a 10 inch matte HD display. Add the excellent keyboard, powerful hardware, great speakers, nice design and good battery life and you’ll get a winner. Reviews and almost perfect marks scored by the NF310 with experts and regular users also stand prove of its quality. Of course, it could have had a matte plastic or metallic body or Nvidia ION, but those would have made it probably too expensive.

Samsung NF310 - the closest to perfection 10 incher you can find right now

Asus Touch EEE T101MT – $550

Unlike all the other netbooks above, the Asus T101MT is a netbook tablet PC, 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. It packs 2 GB of memory and Windows 7 Professional, but these two to add to the final price.

The Asus T101MT goes for around $550 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

Special mentions

These are some of the netbooks that didn’t quite made it here, mainly because they are not available worldwide, but only in some parts of the globe (mainly in Europe and not in the US) or because we considered them too expensive to actually recommend them. These are great picks as well and should be also considered:

• Toshiba NB520 and NB550D – the superior exponents of Toshiba’s new line of netbooks. First one comes with dual-core N550 Atom processor while the second does come with ADM C50 hardware and a big 6 Cell 61 Wh and is for sure a power horse, especially capable of handling all kind of multimedia content and output it towards and external display. The NB520 is mainly available in Europe for around 300 euros, while the NB550D is only on sale in the UK and some particular eastern European countries for now and goes for around 330 pounds .
• Samsung NF210 – another great looking 10 incher from Samsung, with some excellent keyboard and build quality. Goes for around 250 euros in Germany/France/Italy and packs Atom N550 processor, 6 Cell battery and all the other standard features.
• Dell Mini 1018i - although available in the US with prices starting at $299, I’m not really a fan of Dell 10 inchers, as I (and many others, based on reviews) consider them overpriced and overall poor built. They do have two advantages though: can be configured to your own preferences on Dell’s US site and benefit from Dell’s extensive support and services chain available in the States, just in case something goes wrong with them.
• HP Mini 210 – the Mini 210 is actually a pretty good netbook and is available in the US. However, I find HP’s netbooks to pricey to actually recommend them. For instance, for $329 you can only get the single core N455 processor, black finish and a small battery, while all the devices listed above offer more for a smaller price. You do get to pick your own config on HP’s official site if you’re living in the US, but expect to pay 10-20% extra for one of those configured 210s. And that’s just no worth it in my eyes.

There are other good picks on netbooks as well

Of course, being able to configure your own mini laptop can make them much more versatile. You can equip them with dual-core processors, HD 10 inch display, more memory and faster hard-drives, plus bundle them with extended warranty and software. But these can easily get prices for these above 500 bucks. And who would actually pay that much for a netbook when you can get way better and still portable devices in the 11.6 and 12 inch classes?

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.

I can’t recommend any particular device as they are all good, but if you need help and info on any particular models and situations, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or contact my be email. I’ll be glad to help you.