Asus Eee PC 901 netbook computer

Released a year after the original Eee 700, the Eee 900 changed it from something many people regarded as a gimmick into the realms of a proper notebook.

With the 901, Asus has raised the bar higher still, replacing the Celeron CPU of the older model with Intel’s latest Atom processor – in this case an Atom N270 clocked at 1.6GHz and backed by 1GB of DDR400 memory.

The storage and battery size have also been increased. Our review model featured a 12GB SSD and Windows XP Home – the Linux version comes with a 20GB SSD.

Battery life had been a bone of contention with previous Eee PCs, but the 901 comes with a six-cell battery for both the Windows XP and the Linux versions which, together with the lower power requirements of the Atom, gives the 901 a battery life of around six hours. What’s more, we achieved this even without all the power-saving features applied.

Asus has also improved the screen. It’s now an 8.9in panel with a resolution of 1,024x600, which gives you a bit more desktop space to play with.

There’s also a 1.3-megapixel webcam in the top bezel of the screen, while dual integrated microphones are also fitted, which makes it perfect for dictation.

The design of the chassis has a more rounded look to it and its stylish gloss finish does make it attractive, but the keyboard still remains awkward to use if you have large fingers, since the miniature keys are laid out in a cramped manner, but on the plus side they are good and responsive.

If you only intend to use it for browsing websites and sending short emails, though, it’s fine.