ASUS Eee PC 1015PN-PU17-RD 10.1-Inch Netbook (Red) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Just got this netbook a few days ago and I must say, out of the box, it's pretty disappointing. First off, Windows 7 Starter. This computer was not meant to be used with this extremely limited os. You're definitely going to want at least Home Premium in order to get Optimus (automatic graphics switching) working. Second, only 1gb of ram. I don't think I really need to explain why this is a shortcoming.
Good thing I already had my Windows 7 upgrade from my old laptop. First thing I did was a clean install of Windows 7 Premium in order to get rid of all the asus bloatware and get Optimus working. First of all, this computer plays excellent video out of the box. You'll read lots of hardcore PC people grumbling about the exclusion of a true HD screen, but I honestly saw no problem with the current screen, considering how small it is.
Installed Firefox (my web browser of choice) and kept getting hang ups on this computer. Firefox has become quite a resource hog over the years (this is the price you pay for top-notch extensions). Decided that I really needed to upgrade the ram on this to its max (2gigs). Installed the new ram and now this computer is absolutely great. Did a non-scientific test run with the battery with normal web browsing and quite a bit of video watching. The battery lasted about 6-7 hours before hitting 5% capacity.
Installing the extra ram was a real problem, in my opinion. There's a little plug on the bottom and under it is a single screw to get access to the ram. It all looks nice and simple at first, but then you spin the screw and realize that only that one edge with the screw pushes up. You can pull at the little door but it doesn't budge. I had to take my little flathead screwdriver, along with a huge leap of faith with my brand new computer, and slowly work my way around the door, hoping it would completely unhinge at some point and pop off. The door felt like it came crazy close to snapping in half at a couple points but then I managed to work it off. Taking a look at the bottom half of the door explains the situation much more clearly. Asus, for some inexplicable reason, has decided to put unnecessarily tight teeth on every side of it to hold it in place on the computer. They could have done great with hooks on one side and screws on the other, like most laptops. So modders beware! Prepare for extreme fear, and possible hardware breakage, if you decide to upgrade that ram. I'm actually kind of glad the ram is maxed out at 2gb, because that means I'll never have to take that door off ever again.
Overall, this computer is awesome out of the box for a light user, but is also an excellent base if you're looking for a fairly powerful netbook and are willing to invest a little extra into it.
UPDATE: This computer HATES firefox. It's been running better since I upgraded the ram, but I still get quite a few hangups. I'd recommend Chrome or Opera, these browsers show no such problems. Also, buyers should probably know that this netbook, with its increased horsepower and small footprint, overheats like crazy. Picked up a Thermapak heatshift pad and this thing works wonders, but don't expect to be running HD videos non-stop for hours unless you're in an ice cold room.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS Eee PC 1015PN-PU17-RD 10.1-Inch Netbook (Red)

Embrace mobile computing in style with the new ASUS Eee PC 1015PN. The 1015pn packs the latest ATOM CPU from Intel, the Dual Core N550, which consumes less electrical power yet has more processing power than its predecessors, allowing the 1015pn to get up to 9.5 hours of battery life. Dedicated graphics from the NVidia Ion 2 graphics processor provide stutter-free viewing of HD content, and an HDMI port provides a convenient connection to a TV or LED monitor. With built-in Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, users can stay connected wherever they go. The 92%-scaled ergonomic keyboard and Multi-Touch touchpad make it a breeze to type and navigate through content. The 1015pn's 250GB hard drive and 500GB of free webstorage provide a wealth of storage and backup capabilities. The 1015pn also features a chiclet keyboard for added style and comfort.

Get 18% OFF