Archive for the ‘Asus Laptops’ Category

Pink Asus Laptops – The Eee PC 1008P Karim Rashid Collection

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

The hot pink “ripple effect” Eee 1008P from Asus, designed by Karim Rashid, is definitely a laptop that stands out. Karim Rashid is a very colorful designer with a huge and impressive portfolio. He has designed for industry giants such as Veuve Clicquot, Audi, Prada, Swarovski, Method etc. and now also for Asus. (He also designed Cie’s Skwarim mentioned in my external hard drive post). Most of his designs are bold, colorful and very modern, and Asus Laptops Karim Rashidthis laptop is no exception.

The lid has almost a fabric pattern look to it – Asus calls it “organic Digi-Waves” that “adhere perfectly to the golden ratio”. Golden ratio? According to Wikipedia, “The golden ratio is an irrational mathematical constant, approximately 1.6180339887″.

That’s all well and good, but is it a good look for a laptop? Yes it is! While many companies have released laptops with limited edition pink designs, some really very nice ones too, I have not seen anything resembling this one before. It comes in hot pink and coffee brown (pictured further down on the page), and I have to say I like them both a lot.

So we know it’s a winner in the looks department, but what about performance? Here are the specs:

Specifications

Processor: Intel Atom N450, 1.66 GHz
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium
Graphics: Intel GMA 3150 Dynamic Video Memory Technology 4.0
Chipset: Intel NM10
RAM: 2 GB DDR2 SDRAM at 667 MHz
Hard drive: 250GB, 5400rpm 2.5” SATA2
Battery: 6-hour Li-polymer
Screen: 10.1″ backlit LED WSVGA (1024×600)
Size: 10.3×7.1×1″
Weight: 2.4 lbs

A special feature of this laptop is Express Gate, a Linux-based separate operating system, which is started with the push of a button and is intended for times when you don’t want to boot up the whole Windows OS. It loads a lot faster than Windows, and with it running, you can browse the net, Skype, browse photos, play some games, and use instant messaging.

Other features include:Asus Laptop Karim Rashid Brown
An integrated 1.3 Megapixel camera
A card reader which supports MultiMedia, SD Memory, and SDHC Memory Cards.
ASUS Super Hybrid Engine (a software app which lets you adjust clock and bus speeds)

No DVD/CD drive though.

The keyboard is solid and very comfortable to type on, and another thing I liked is that the ports and connectors have little doors on them, which helps to keep dust and debris out.

I would not recommend this for people who do a lot of video editing or  intend to use it as a gaming laptop. For those who use their notebooks for browsing the net, connecting with others, school and office work, this is a good choice, albeit a bit pricey compared to others with similar specs. However, those others won’t have the uber-chic design that this one does…


Small Laptops In Various Shades Of Pink

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Remember when a computer took up an entire room at the office? Even if you don’t, I’m sure you’ve seen the pictures. Both desktops and laptops certainly have come a long way in just a few decades, and still seem to be shrinking every year (for even smaller laptops, check out our “Mini Laptop Computers” post).

We classify a small laptop as one with a screen size between 12 – 14″ and a weight of less than 6 lbs. How else does a small laptop differ from a mini laptop? Well, they have larger hard drives, more memory, internal CD/DVD drives, often dual channel processors, sometimes discreet graphics cards, and they are almost always customizable. The price can therefore vary quite a bit. On our list, the least expensive choice is Dell’s Inspiron 14 at $449 (base configuration) whereas Sony’s VAIO SR with all the top options added will cost you $3,079.

Below are the pink small laptop computers currently on the market:

Asus Eee 1008P
Dell Inspiron 14 (“Promise Pink”)
Dell Studio 14z (“Promise Pink” – click for full specs)
Dell Inspiron 14R
MSI PR200 (“Pink”)
MSI PR210 (“Pink”)
Sony VAIO SR (“Sunset Pink”)
Toshiba Satellite U505-S2925P (Textured “Luxe Pink”)

Since all except the MSIs are customizable, the specs are quite lenghty, so we are just going to list the best and worst for each category. Each come with the Windows Vista Home operating system, and they all offer (except MSI of course) OS upgrade options.

Memory

Best – Base configuration
Dell Studio 14z (3GB2 Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1066MHz)

Best – Upgraded
Sony VAIO SR (8GB DDR2-SDRAM (DDR2-800, 4GBx2))

Worst
MSI PR200 and MSI PR210 (2GB DDR2 x 1 (533/667MHz)

Hard Drive

Best – Base configuration
A tie between Dell Studio 14z and Toshiba Satellite U505-S2925P, both with a 250GB3 SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)

Best – Upgraded
Dell Studio 14z (500GB SATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) with Free Fall Sensor)

If you prefer a solid state drive, the Sony VAIO SR is the winner with a 256GB Solid State Drive as an upgrade option.

Worst
MSI PR200 and MSI PR210 (120GB SATA)

Processor

Best – Base configuration
Dell Inspiron 14
Dell Studio 14z
Sony VAIO SR
Toshiba Satellite U505-S2925P
all come with Intel® Pentium™ Dual Core T4200 (2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB/1MB cache)

Best – Upgraded
Sony VAIO SR (Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T9800 (2.93GHz)

Worst
MSI PR200 and MSI PR210 (Intel Centrino 2.0GHz 667 MHz, 2MB cache and AMD Turion®64 X2, TL50, 2.0 GHz, 667MHz, 2MB respectively)

Battery

Best – Base configuration
A tie between Dell Studio 14z and Toshiba Satellite U505-S2925P, both with 6-cell Li-Ions

Best – Upgraded
Toshiba Satellite U505-S2925P (High Capacity 12-cell Li-Ion)

Worst
Hart to tell, since Sony only defines their batteries as “Standard” and “Large”. However, if we go by cells, Dell Inspiron 14 and the two MSIs “win” this category with 4 cell Li-Ions.

Screen Size

No best and worst here, just the facts:
MSI PR200 – 12″
MSI PR210 – 12″
Sony VAIO SR – 13.3″
Toshiba Satellite U505-S2925P – 13.3″
Dell Inspiron 14 – 14″
Dell Studio 14z – 14″

Weight

Lightest
Sony VAIO SR (4.14 lbs)

Heaviest
Dell Inspiron 14 (4.96 lbs)

Size

Smallest
Dell Studio 14z (13.23×9.02×0.79)

Largest
Toshiba Satellite U505-S2925P (12.5×9.08×1.16)

On a side note, the sizes given for the two MSIs have such a wide range that they could have placed as smallest, but the variations are so big that I feel more comfortable giving the Studio 14z that award.

In conclusion:
If you’re looking a small and light laptop, the Studio 14z is a great choice: smallest of them all (in spite of having a 14″ screen) and pretty light as well (4.3 lbs).

If you want the best graphics card, the Toshiba Satellite U505-S2925P is the way to go. True, the base configuration comes with a mainstream Intel GMA 4500M, but you have the option to upgrade to an ATI Mobility Radeon H4570 with 512MB DDR3 (discrete).

As far as looks go, it’s all a matter of taste of course, but I think the Toshiba wins here too. The textured surface adds something a little extra, and I also happen to really like that particular shade of pink.


Deals, Extras And Offers On Pink Laptops

Friday, August 14th, 2009

Are you thinking of getting a new pink laptop this fall? If so, the timing is great. There are several new products on the market (read our overview of Dell’s Studio 14z and keep checking back for reviews of other laptops – they’re in the works), and special deals abound (Dell, Sony and Toshiba offer the most generous ones).

To save you all some time, we’ve put together a list (in alphabetical order) of of who’s offering what (as of today, August 14, 2009):

Acer

Aspire One @ B&H, Target, Sam’s Club
Free shipping

ASUS

ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005HA @ Newegg, Buydig & B&H
Free shipping

ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1008HA @ Newegg
$3 rebate
Free shipping

ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1008HA @ Buydig & B&H
Free shipping

ASUS Disney Netpal @ Toys-R-Us
Free speaker set

ASUS Disney Netpal @ Amazon
50% off select magazine subscriptions

Dell

Mini 10
$248 rebate
Free shipping

Mini 10v
$123 rebate
Free shipping

Studio 14z
$140-$165 rebate
Free upgrade to Windows 7

Studio 15
$148 rebate
Free shipping
Free battery upgrade
Free HD display upgrade
Free upgrade to Windows 7

Studio 17
$25-$50 rebate
Free shipping
Free battery upgrade
Free HD display upgrade
Free upgrade to Windows 7

Inspiron 14
$133-139 rebate
Free shipping
Free battery upgrade
Free HD display upgrade
Free upgrade to Windows 7
Free Microsoft Office Home & Student or Wasabi Photo Printer

Inspiron 15
$50-$75 rebate
Free shipping
Free battery upgrade
Free HD display upgrade
Free upgrade to Windows 7

HP

Mini 110-1037NR XP Edition, swirl pink chic
$40 rebate
$40 rebate on a DeskJet 4940 with purchase of computer
Free HP DeskJet D1560 or D4360 with purchase of computer

Lenovo

IdeaPad S10-2
$90 rebate
Free shipping

MSI

MSI Microstar WindBook U100-427US @ J&R
$10 rebate
Free shipping

MSI Microstar WindBook U100-427US @ PC Connection
Free shipping

Samsung

NC10-11GP @ Newegg, Buy.com, J&R, PC Connection & Buydig
Free shipping

Sony

VAIO CS Series
$50 – $100 rebate on processor upgrades
$10 – $100 rebate on memory upgrades
$10 – $30 rebate on hard drive upgrades
$55 – $150 rebate on Microsoft Office
100 free song downloads
Free choice of certain colors (Cosmopolitan Pink is free)
Free engraving
Free shipping

VAIO SR Series
$50 – $100 rebate on processor upgrades
$10 – $100 rebate on memory upgrades
$10 – $100 rebate on hard drive upgrades
$55 – $150 rebate on Microsoft Office
100 free song downloads
Free choice of color
Free engraving
Free shipping

VAIO P Series
100 free song downloads

Toshiba

Mini NB205-N313P @ Amazon
50% off select magazine subscriptions
Free shipping

Mini NB205-N313P @ Newegg
Free shipping

Satellite U500-ST6321
$125.25 rebate
Free upgrade to Windows 7
Free choice of certain colors (Luxe Pink is free)
Free carrying case
Free Norton security for 1 year
Free 2GB flash drive
Free shipping

Qosmio X305 (All models)
Free upgrade to Windows 7
Free “Gears of War” Game
Free carrying case
Free Norton security for 1 year
Free 2GB flash drive
Free shipping

NB205- 313 Netbook @ Toys-R-Us
Free speaker set


Smallest, Lightest, Fastest, Most Stylish – Our Pink Laptop Computer Reviews

Sunday, November 30th, 2008

In spite of what some people might think, those of us who want pink laptops are not willing to settle for something less functional just to get the exact right shade of fuchsia or rose. Sure, looks are important, but we also want speed, portability, great battery life, lots of memory, and any other goodies we can get our hands on. But how do you find the laptop with the features most vital to you?

We have put together a list of our best rated laptops (all pink, of course) in several important categories. Enjoy!

Smallest
Winner: Asus EEE PC 4G Surf and 2G Surf – both measure 8.86×0.79-1.26×6.30
Runner-up: Sylvania G Netbook Meso – 9×1.25×7

Lightest
Winner: Asus EEE PC 4G, 4G Surf and 2G Surf – all weigh in at 2 lbs
Runner-up: Acer Aspire One – 2.19 lbs (with a 3-cell battery)

Largest Screen
Winner:
Dell Studio 17 and Toshiba Qosmio X305 – Both with 17″ screens
Runners-up: Dell Inspiron 1525, Dell Studio 15, Dell XPS M1530, Gateway M-730u, and Gateway M2414u – all with 15.4″ screens

Fastest – Basic Configuration
Winner:

Toshiba Qosmio X305
320GB HDD SATA 7200rpm, Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T7350 2.0GHz, 3MB L2Cache, 1066MHz FSB, 4GB PC3-8500 DDR3 1066MHz SDRAM

Runner-up:
Asus F6V-C1
320GB HDD SATA 5400rpm, Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8400: 2.26 GHz, 3MB On-Die L2 Cache, 1066Mhz FSB, 4GB DDR2 800 MHz SDRAM, 2 x SODIMM socket

Least Expensive – Basic Configuration (at time of writing)
Winner:
Asus EEE PC 2G Surf – $245 and up
Runner-up: Acer Aspire One – $349 and up

Most Stylish
Winner:
Ego Tulip
Runner-up: HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam

So, if you want the smallest, lightest and least expensive pink laptop out there, the Asus EEE PC 2G Surf is the one for you – and a great choice if you only use your laptop for word processing, internet browsing and email. It comes with a solid state hard drive, so it is able to handle bumps and shakes without crashing.

If you’re looking for a gaming laptop, the Toshiba Qosmio X305 is the clear winner. The basic configuration ($1,499) is pretty great with a 320GB, 7200rpm hard drive, a 2.0GHz, 1066MHz FSB Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB RAM at 1066MHz, and a NVIDIA GeForce 9700M GTS, but if you’re willing to cough up $1,999, you get a 2.26GHz, 1066MHz processor and dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GTS cards.

If you do a lot of work on photos, or watch movies on your laptop, you’d probably want the largest screen possible. The Dell Studio 17 and Toshiba’s Qosmio both have 17″ screens. The Qosmio is definitely faster (it comes with a 320 GB 7200rpm hard drive, a 2.0GHz, 1066MHz FSB Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and 4GB RAM at 1066MHz whereas the Dell has a 160GB 5400rpm hard drive, a 1.86GHz, 533MHz FSB Intel Pentium Dual Core processor and 2GB RAM at 800MHz), but that speed comes a a price: $1,499 for the base configuration vs. $749 for the Dell.

However, if you spend $1,199 and choose the faster version of the Dell Studio 17, you get a 320GB 5400rpm hard drive, a 2.20GHz/1066MHz processor, and 4GB RAM at 800MHz. Still not as fast as the Toshiba, but getting better. (By the way, these are the top options for the Dell Studio 17, no hard drive at 7200rpm or RAM at 1600MHz is offered).

If style is most important, the Ego laptops are impossibly good looking, but come with a hefty price tag: $10,900 and up (all the way into the $500,000s). The HP Vivienne Tam is smaller, lighter, so very cute and unarguably more affordable at $699.