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: Awesome LCD
Starting with what is arguably the high point of the 1001P, we have our LCD testing results. The Eee 1001P is one of the few consumer systems on the market with a matte, anti-glare screen, and it is truly a revelation in comparison to the overglossed screens on many other systems (Toshiba NB205, I'm looking at you—but there are far more out there like that.).
Compared to most other laptop displays, the 1001P has a very high contrast ratio, which is a definite bonus in a budget system such as this one. The black points are much lower than almost all other systems tested, except for the 1005HA. While not as bright as some of the other LED-backlit screens, the 1001P is hardly lacking for brightness, especially with a contrast ratio as good as it has. Interestingly, all of the Asus Eee models have a max brightness of around 125 nits, suggesting that this is an artificial cap set by Asus in the brightness control software, likely for the purpose of conserving battery power. The EeeCTL utility allowed users to increase brightness on previous models like the 1005HA, but sadly development of that tool has halted. Color accuracy and gamut are nothing spectacular, but no one is going to be doing serious video editing or image work on a netbook, so those areas aren't as crucial as the contrast ratio.
In comparison to the 1005PE, the 1001P definitely has a better screen. Asus has assured us that there is only one panel supplier for the 1001P, and other users have reported equally good LCD quality. That is excellent, since the high contrast ratio and non-reflective finish make this one of our favorite netbook displays. Some might prefer a higher resolution, and while we understand that sentiment, 1024x600 on a 10.1" LCD is easier. The .216mm dot pitch is the same as a 14" 1280x1024 LCD, or put another way, if it were a 1366x768 panel, the dot pitch would be a very tiny .164mm—the same as 16" 1080p display. Of course, even if the dot pitch is about right, there's no getting around the fact that 600vertical pixel displays feel very cramped within Windows.
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AnnonymousCoward - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
piroroadkill, I suggest you find out who God is, before throwing out "godawful", "goddamn", or whatever else. Don't forget that God created the physics that allows your computer to work, as well as wireless communication, and the incredible light sensors known as your eyes, and light in general.afkrotch - Thursday, March 18, 2010 - link
And according to god, I'm allowed to beat my children when they misbehave. I'm also suppose to envision myself eating his flesh and drinking his blood in church.funkyd99 - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
Religion and tech websites don't mix... If someone offends you, ignoring that person is more effective than patronizing them.Yours truely,
An agnostic who is sick of finding religious references in inappropriate places (and a hypocrite for responding to you)
legoman666 - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
I have a Dell Mini10 with the GMA500. Buying it was a mistake. Constant BSOD with Aero enabled in Win7, slow as crap, poor drivers. On the plus side, about 9 months after I got it, the drivers finally progressed enough to get HD decoding working somewhat. 720p works OK, 1080p works sometimes.I finally said screw it and installed Ubuntu netbook remix. Honestly, my Nokia N900 phone fills the gadget gap better than the Mini10. My next laptop will be bigger, CULV with a ~12" screen and more than 1gb ram.
AnnonymousCoward - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
Why can't Microsoft make an OS that's better than XP for netbooks? And you can't even change the background--are you kidding?The matte screen is very welcome. Great review.
afkrotch - Thursday, March 18, 2010 - link
I reloaded my netbook with a clean install of WinXP Pro. Can change my desktop all the time.MonkeyPaw - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
Speaking of OSes, I wonder how well it hackintoshes?numberoneoppa - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
Nice review. The battery life would definitely be the selling point for me. 10 hours of web browsing or movie watching sounds mighty fine. Oh, and of course, the screen. I also cannot stand most notebook screens these days. The only company that seems to be able to do a glossy screen properly is Apple, and even still, I prefer matte (<3 Thinkpad).piroroadkill - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
Really? Have a Macbook here and the screen is like a goddamn mirror. I'd say NOBODY can do a glossy screen rightsamspqr - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - link
glossy is bad, always