Asus Eee PC 1001P: Our Favorite Netbook
by Vivek Gowri on March 16, 2010 11:30 PM EST- Posted in
- Laptops
Asus Eee PC 1001P: Performance Tests
As a preface to the performance benchmarks of the Eee 1001P, let me say this: Atom is still dead slow. The transition from Diamondville/XP to Pineview/Win7 Starter is essentially a wash, since you combine a marginally faster processor in Pineview with a heavier and thus slower operating system in Win7. Honestly, I would rather have XP on a netbook—any netbook. Win7 Starter is annoying and unsightly when compared to the "full" version of Win7 Home Premium and shouldn't exist in any corner of the market with its lack of Aero and the ridiculousness of a fixed desktop background. The capabilities of netbooks have not changed—you still can't play HD video or HD flash without ION or a Broadcom HD chip, and you can't really do much more than run a word processor and a browser simultaneously.
For those of you who noticed that the 1001P's hardware specs are exactly the same as the 1005PE and expected similar benchmarking results, you're spot on. For those of you expecting the first true netbook offering decent performance, feel free to keep waiting. (I exclude the 1201N, since it has the dual-core desktop variant of the original Atom processor. It's an interesting experiment, but not a real netbook in the conventional sense.) The 3DMark results are pretty much level with the 1005PE, while the PCMark tests actually show an increase. The slight differences come mainly from newer, more mature drivers from Intel and potentially a faster hard drive. Regardless, the performance tests are mediocre across the board, which by netbook standards is about par for the course.
If you're still wondering about gaming performance, let's try to put things in perspective. The GMA 4500MHD found in current CULV designs is wholly inadequate for anything more than Spore or The Sims 3, and even then you'll need to run at low resolutions with minimum detail. And as bad as the 4500MHD is for gaming, it's two to four times faster than the GMA 3150! That's not even getting into the fact that most games take an eternity to load with Atom and 1GB of RAM. So don't worry about gaming on a Pine Trail netbook and you'll be a lot happier.
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kevith - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
I´m new here, wonderful site.Why all the fuzz over these netbooks? When I look at the specs of this - even brandnew - netbook, I shiver. As many of you, I remember hardware like that, from when it was the hottest you could get - for a desktop that is. And that was NOT very hot indeed. Or fast or effective or environmental friendly or in any way a pleasure to use, related to the hardware of today.
Why this return to hardware with outdated specs? Battery life? Well, that doesn´t seem to work to great anyway, compared to a real laptop. Smartness? An iPhone would be so much flashier, and probably much faster. Portability? Come on, real laptops weigh 2 kg. You have a serious healthproblem if you can´t carry that.
The ones I´ve tried, has been an agony to use, slow slow slow, impossible to read and with terrible keyboards.
nubie - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
Real laptops weigh 1.25 kg.Just do a search for a Toshiba Portege, real processors, real laptops, and they were thinner and lighter than the Macbook Air long before it ever came out.
A magnesium case and a real Intel processor? That I can get behind.
When do we skip this Atom nonsense and get real On-Die graphics and ULV current-gen processor technology?
Even AMD can compete if Atom is the bar they have to hurdle.
ric3r - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
The Protege R100, back in the day, retailed for $1999 minimum. The MacBook Air debuted at $1799, and now goes for $1499. I could get five netbooks for the price of a base MBA. Some people don't have that much money to blow on a laptop, and for the severely cost conscious who don't need a lot of computing power (or for those that need a dirt cheap portable companion machine), a netbook is perfect. And even if you think they're pointless, a friend of mine recently noted, they have a 12% share of the entire computing market and pretty much own the sub-$400 price point, so they're not going anywhere soon.nubie - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
Agreed, but the intelligent user nowadays would simply buy an older (better performance and quality) model for less money than the netbook.Less than $300 can get you a Portege with 1.2-1.6ghz Core processor.
Obviously this won't appeal to everyone, but in person the quality of the depreciated $2k laptop is much better than a new netbook.
Taft12 - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
Since you're new here, you've missed all the debate that has raged since this type of device was introduced.It's not intended to be a main computer, the battery life, portability and (perhaps most importantly) low-cost are the important aspects. The keyboards may suck, but it's still much better than text input on an iPhone.
An Atom CPU is definitely "good enough" for web browsing, IM and email. As this article points out, Windows 7 Starter sucks but Windows XP or a Linux Netbook distro are certainly appropriate OSes. If there weren't a market for these, OEMs would stop producing them.
kevith - Thursday, March 18, 2010 - link
Oh, there has been a debate.I wonder what it is, that triggers the emotions so much - mine inclusive - about these little machines? Maybe it´s just envy because everyone that has one seem to love them so much, although they´re tiny...?
I would like to point out, that the article - like any article I´ve read here - is a pleasure to read and has - in my opinion - a high degree of seriousness and credibillity. This is the one place I would seek information when considering new hardware. May it happen again soon...
Only sad thing about AnandTech is: I don´t live in the USA so I can participate in the giveaways.:-)
samspqr - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
and still, my sister loves hersthere must be some people out there with needs that are appropriately matched by these little machines
kevith - Thursday, March 18, 2010 - link
Yeah, guess you´re right. They seem to be a great hit, so it is only I that are getting a bit too old:-)drvelocity - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
"The capabilities of netbooks have not changed—you still can't play HD video or HD flash without ION or a Broadcom HD chip, and you can't really do much more than run a word processor and a browser simultaneously."I beg to differ - with the newest Accelerated GMA500 drivers from Intel HD video is definitely possible on netbooks that utilize this chipset. ;)
piroroadkill - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
The GMA500 is a poor, unloved chipset, way better than people think, hampered by godawful driver support.I'm glad to hear it's got better now