Netbook Review – Acer, Asus Netbook Review

ASUS 701 SD Netbook Review – 4.5/7

When the ASUS Eee PC 701 SD first came out in June 2007, the media rejoiced at the birth of this snazzy little ‘sub-netbook’. For something of its size, this netbook had it all; good looks, affordability, a great battery life and a decent hard drive.

But that was back then; things have moved on a little since 2007. Now, before you think I’m about to throw harsh criticisms, let’s just say that the Eee PC 701 SD hasn’t seen the end of its days.

Style-wise, this is the kind of netbook I imagine you could stroll with in a suit; with its pearl white finish, it looks like it means business. I personally think it looks rather sexy, and it’s definitely striking enough to get you [or it] noticed whilst using it.

Essentially, the Eee PC 701 SD is a netbook for those who aren’t too bothered about a high resolution camera or a large hard drive, but are looking for an extra computer that performs the basics.

The Eee PC 701 SD does just that, and at decent pricetag – for åround $200 or £200, you get a 4G SSD HD with 512 MB of RAM – just enough to use basic applications, surf the web and watch the occasional video.

So let’s have a look at what this one has on offer.

ASUS 701 SD Netbook Review – Top Features

• Small compact size  and light weight [only 0.9kg or 1.9lbs] - this netbook is compact enough to fit into a small bag [along with your books] or even to hold in your hand. When it comes to portability, the ASUS Eee PC 701 SD is definitely a winner.
• Solid and durable- With it’s sturdy feel, the Eee PC 701 SD was  made to last. Its solid outer casing ensures that the screen doesn’t crack under pressure.
• Comes with the usual regular ports – on the right, two USB ports, a memory card slot [taking MMC and SD/SDHC cards], a VGA port and a Kensington lock port. On the left you get one Ethernet port [ 10/100 RJ45 Lan port], one USB port, a VGA port [ for those who want to use video display], and headphone and external microphone jacks.

ASUS 701 SD Netbook Review – Drawbacks and things to keep in mind

Now, I know your periphery has caught the long list below. Before you gasp, let’s take into account that I am comparing a netbook of two years ago to recent models.

• Small screen and low resolution – 7” and 800 x 600 display. This is very low compared to the standard 1024 x 600 of current Netbooks.
• Small keyboard – But at such a small size, you can expect there will be compromise – and you guessed right if thought it may be with the keyboard; the space between each key being a tiny 1mm. This might make no sense, but when you consider that a standard keyboard has a space of 5mm between each key, you get an idea of just how small this keyboard is.
• Small hard drive space – If what you’re after is something to save a ton of movies and pictures onto, this is definitely not for you – and after the operating system has been installed, all you’re left with is a relatively tiny hard drive space of only 1.3 GB.
• Low battery life of only 3.5 hours - Like I said, this came out in 2007 so the battery life is not going to be fantastic, but at 3.5 hours, it’s admittedly not too bad either
• Positioning of speakers – on either side of the screen, this may be visually off-putting to some users
• Pre-installed with Linux – Using this operating system can be an uncomfortable experience if you’ve never used it before, but ASUS leaves the Windows XP component drivers on the hard drive, allowing you to install Windows XP [if you have a spare copy lying around], if you so wish.

ASUS 701 SD Netbook Review – Ratings

1. Price and value for money: 1 star – the students are gonna love this one
2. Speed and performance: 0.5 stars – this is OK for running basic Office software [e.g. Word processor] but you definitely won’t be watching ‘Jurassic Park’ on this.
3. Screen: 0.5 stars – not the best resolution, but for basic word processors and Internet browsing, it provides decent clarity.
4. Keyboard, Touchpad, Usability: 0.5 stars – for some users, the small chassis may compromise usability
5. Portability and battery life: 0.5 stars – for its small size and weight, this is awesome, but it loses out on battery life.
6. Looks and design: 1 stars – sleek business look.
7. Extensibility and connectivity: 0.5 stars – I suppose the SD drive makes it easy to piggyback by buying larger cards.

That gives the ASUS Eee 701 SD a total of 4.5 stars.

ASUS 701 SD Netbook Review – Our Recommendation

If you’re after the latest, highest resolution monitor Netbook that boasts an impressive hard drive, this is most definitely not your kettle of fish. If you’re looking for a very light portable device that allows you to carry out basic computer tasks and watch the occasional YouTube video, this might just be what you’ve been after. And with a super affordable pricetag [that continues to drop], this has to be one of the cheapest around.

So for the journalist, student or professional who already has a pretty decent notebook but needs something less bulky, you may well have found your match in the Asus Eee PC 701 SD.

ASUS 701 SD Netbook Review – Eee PC 701 SD specifications

• Celeron M 900 MHz, L2 cache 512 MB
• 512 MB DDR2 400 MHz
• 4GB solid-state flash disk
• Integrated – Intel 910GML series chipset with 400MHz memory bus
• 800 x 480 7″ TFT
• 3 USB2 ports, MMC/SD card reader, D-SUB out connector, 10/100 Mbit Ethernet port, Kensington lock slot, Headphone jack, Microphone Jack
• 0.3 megapixel webcam set into the bezel. 640 x 480 resolution
• 4 cell 5200 mAH
• Atheros Ar5BX63 built-in wireless module for 802.11b/g wireless internet access

Filed under: Asus Netbook Review