Eee PC 901 review

Eee PC 901 Review

Reviewed by: Rory Reid

Reviewed on: 16 June 2008

Performance
As mentioned, the 901 uses an Intel Atom N270 CPU, a chip designed specifically for machines of this ilk. Overall, we're very pleased with the performance. Switching between application tabs in the Linux OS is quicker than before, as is the speed at which applications launch. Even multi-tasking isn't a problem -- the Eee PC 901 is perfectly happy playing movies or music while running other apps in the background or foreground.

Left to right: SD card reader, USB ports, D-Sub video output, and a nice, chunky, metallic hinge

One of the Atom CPU's biggest selling points is its energy efficiency. With the addition of the large 6-cell battery, it helped the Eee PC 901 rack up an impressive battery life. In our movie playback test, it lasted approximately 4.5 hours with the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth adaptors enabled and brightness set at near maximum. That's a definite improvement on the Eee PC 900, which lasts anywhere between 1.5-3.5 hours depending on what you're doing. We estimate battery life could stretch close to the 6-hour mark for those willing to deactivate wireless features and reduce screen brightness.

Conclusion
The Eee PC 901 is better than the 900. It looks nicer, has a faster, more efficient CPU and better battery life. It's 100g heavier, and larger, but it's the better machine, for sure. Its keyboard is still too small for our liking, but currently it's the pick of the netbook litter.

Edited by Shannon Doubleday