I Came Within an Inch of Ordering an ASUS Eee PC 1005HA Today
Yup, I nearly replaced my MSI Wind netbook this morning. I noticed that ZipZoomFly was offering a stellar deal on the relatively new ASUS Eee PC 1005HA. They had a blue version of the netbook that’s advertised as offering 10.5 hours of battery life for $365.99. Note that the 1005HA comes in three different versions, each with a different battery. If you buy one and want the longest battery life, look for the PU1X model as that comes with a 63Whr battery. The other models are supplied with either a 48Whr or 23Whr power pack.
The ZipZoomFly deal got even sweeter with a 2GB RAM module for an additional $10. That’s a great deal, but in the end, common sense prevailed. I had some nudging from folks, nearly a dozen folks on Twitter as well — it was about 50-50 to buy or not to buy.
I wanted to get a feel for a netbook with approximately double the run time of my Wind. I also wanted to see how the new Intel Atom N280 performed, but we’re only talking about a 0.06MHz clock cycle jump. The faster front-side bus might eke out a little more performance, though. In any case, I passed for now. The device is just too similar to what’s been out there for so long. Sure it’s in a nice thin and stylish case, but the minor differences didn’t justify the cost, since I have a capable device.
I did chat with ASUS today and inquired about the 1101HA, so I’m hoping to get a review unit. Had that netbook been available this morning, I probably would have pulled the trigger. I’m intrigued by the middle ground of the 1101HA. It offers an 11.6-inch display with the higher resolution of 1366×768 and runs on the Intel Atom Z-series. After using a 7-inch device and now a 10-inch one, I think that this size might be worth a look.
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I am also torn. Although I can’t figure out if opting for the matte display with a slightly lower battery life and slower processor is worth the tradeoff. It’s so difficult. My finger’s been hovering over the buy button for a week now.
Hmm. Aside from battery life, all other attributes are marginally better or very similar. I thought I had overlooked something, but no. In the end, it’s too similar to what I have now to justify the investment. Thx!
You should have got it, much better than the Wind
I wouldn’t bother with the 11″ models until they start packing better CPU’s
Much better than the Wind, how? Aside from battery life, which I could get for far less with a second battery on the Wind. Just curious…
Battery life, CPU, FSB, keyboard, screen, form factor, styling, etc.
Taking ur approach & simply discounting all the recent improvements then it really doesn’t matter what netbook you buy, they’re all the same.
Personally, I just think you don’t wanna spend the money. So why keep writing articles on the 1005? its arguably the best overall netbook out right now.
I want that Lenovo S12 with the ION power.
I debate about Khinsos (sp) SXS with integrated DVD RW, but really my Wind is great for almost everything.
Loads fast and has good battery life. Nice for watching Hulu
I got the Acer AO751 as it basically had Vaio P guts with an 11.6″ 1368×768 screen and a full sized keyboard for $349. You can buy it with the six cell for $399 and get roughly 8 hours of run time (they say).
I put Windows 7 on it and brought it into the office. Costco has sold 3 of them to officemates since then.
I’m still setting up my Vaio P as my Google Voice terminal when I get home tonight (got my Google Voice invite today.) That dedicated A2DP/3G makes it the better “phone” in my book.
Kevin, if I can give you my opinion, I would really recommend you wait for a Pinetrail netbook with Win 7 loaded. You’ll not only get better performance but better battery life and an up-to-date OS to go.
It took months of nail-biting on my side before I jumped on the HP 2133 last year, but I would STILL not replace my 2133 with anything else except a Pinetrail refresh with a better OS. The N/Z Atoms just don’t light my fire because of the terrible chipset used.
The jump from a Z Atom to an N Atom is only noticeable in select benchmarks, and even then just negligibly. Pinetrail and Medfield promise far better performance more in line with low-end notebooks sold today.
If battery time is your big concern, that can easily be solved with a second pack/hibernation. But if this years and next years software is what you’re looking at running on a netbook, then Win 7/Pinetrail is the way to go. A few more months wait will be very much worth it IMO.
I “augmented” my 2133 with a 2140 HD recently. Moved the 2GB RAM over from the older model, replaced the 160 GB disk with a 250 GB drive I had sitting around and put Win7 RC on it. Pretty nice machine and significantly faster than the 2133. Oh, and the battery life is fairly good, too — and I can use the 6- and 3-cell batteries from my old 2133 with the 2140, so I should be covered for those long ocean-crossing plane rides.
Anyone want to buy a 2133? ;)
Oliver, I would have done the exact same had Intel released PT back in April, except I need something more permanent than an RC OS. Nice job BTW.
Sooner or later you’ll back back to a regular laptop, size- and weight-wise. The processor will have the speed of a 4-year old model, of course, and the price will be somewhat lower. ;)
I just got my 1005 (with the biggest battery) and boy am I pleased. Everything about this machine has exceeded my expectations.
Of course, less than a year ago I was one of the suckers who bought a eeepc 900 for $620 w/shipping… ouch!
FYI anyone with a new-model Subaru Impreza, the 1005 fits perfectly in the cutout on the dash, so it’s a perfect large screen gps/carputer for me.
I too came within a breath of buying the 1005HA (actually I did order it, but cancelled), but needed something for a business trip, so I went with the 1008HA instead.
Still, very good choice/value if you need a netbook right now.
Just received a 1005HA in the mail yesterday as a demo unit for clients and I think I’ve already convinced one to buy. It doesn’t take much, not only is it more stylish than the Winds or older Eee PCs but the keyboard is a joy to type on. The N280 runs just fine with Windows 7.
@ Kevin, I wouldn’t discount the extra battery life so easily. It sounds trivial to just “bring an extra battery” but that involves making sure you always have a spare charged and making room in your case for that kind of thing. The benefit to all day computing is just that, leave the spare everything at home!