Loading ...In my last blog I wrote about my experiences with a $499 Asus Eee PC 8G mini-note and a $499 HP Compaq Presario F756NR full-note and showed some of the strengths the mini-note has versus the full-note at the same price.
Those mini-note advantages come at a fairly major expense, which I will highlight in terms of few very basic usage areas:
- Basic web: The mini-note’s 7” screen size at 800×480 resolution scores high on portability, but unfortunately for basic web surfing, you don’t get a full web page and are forced to scroll to the “right” and “down” to see the relevant web content in most cases. Also, I encountered performance problems when I hit pages that were heavy with Flash, like Disney DXD, a big issue for my household. The full-note’s Flash web pages loaded much faster and the web video appeared a lot clearer. The Presario’s 15.4” wide-screen display at 1280×800 resolution fully displayed any web page I came across, no matter how wide. For comparison, I took some pictures of some popular web sites so you could get an idea of just how much more you can see on the full-note.
FoxNews.com
Disney.com
- Community web: Because many MySpace and FaceBook pages are so Flash-heavy, I didn’t have a good experience with the mini-note on “spaces” that were heavy with embedded videos. In my opinion, videos and responsiveness were sluggish when compared to the Presario.
- Media storage: With a “PC”, most users would expect to be able to save most of their photos, music, and videos. The Presario had approximately 100GB free while the mini-note had around 6GB free, a 16X difference. So what can one store with the additional 94 GB (96,256 MB)? This could store around 25 iTunes movies, 10,000 pictures, and 9,800 songs. (1)
- Basic Music: The Presario has a DVD-RW drive, which means you can rip and burn music CDs. The mini-note doesn’t have an optical drive. If you are an iTunes fan, you are out of luck with the mini-note. Because the mini-note runs Linux, it doesn’t run iTunes or its content-protected music you may have purchased from Apple. If you really wanted, you could buy Windows XP and an external USB DVD-ROM and load it onto the mini-note, but if you did, I would recommend buying more RAM and solid state storage. The Presario with Windows Vista obviously runs iTunes and Windows Media Player and plays it through integrated Altec Lansing speakers.
- Basic movies: Because the Presario has a DVD drive, it could obviously play DVD movies. If you are an iTunes fan, you can also use their download service and watch and store movies. Unfortunately, the mini-note can do neither. I could get some videos on a memory stick and get them to play, but wouldn’t expect a “mainstream” user to be able to figure that out.
- Basic photos: There were major storage challenges as I outlined above for the mini-note. I could basically view photos on both machines but it was much easier to edit on the Presario, like basic red-eye and brightness changes. If you want to look at pictures on a big and bright screen, the Presario wins, if you want to view pictures in an extremely cramped space on a smaller screen, the mini-note wins.
- Basic games: Both notebooks come with basic games like Solitaire, so would be fine for some of the most basic game players. The close comparison ends there. With the mini-note, I experienced jerkiness with kids Flash-based games available on sites like Nickjr.com, Lego.com, and Disney.com. The Presario rolled through the entire sites well. Moving up the gaming ladder, only the Presario can play mainstream Windows-based games like The Sims 2 because it has Windows and a DVD drive to load it.
- Home productivity: If you are comfortable doing your finances through web sites like Turbotax.com, the mini-note is fine. If you want to load Windows-based applications like Quicken and need a wide screen to be productive with multi-column spreadsheets, the Presario is probably better for you. Both mini-notes came with a productivity suite, the mini-note offering OpenOffice, the Presario providing Microsoft Works and a 60 day trial of Microsoft Office Student Edition. Finally, the full-sized Presario keyboard was much more comfortable than the mini-note’s mini-keyboard when writing anything over a page long.
As you can see, users have a lot to think about today when deciding how to spend their $499 on a mini-notebook like the Asus Eee PC 8G or on a full-sized notebook like the HP Compaq Presario F756NR. I believe the mini-note and full-note will both increase in functionality over time and the content will get richer, so this challenge won’t be going away anytime soon. Adding WWAN, a more powerful CPU, better graphics, and better battery life to the mini-note will make it much more compelling choice in the future, but for now the full-sized notebook sure is compelling. New models came out yesterday with larger screens and higher prices and I have a new one on order to kick the tires.
Let me know what you think.
(1) Assumptions: 2 MB per photo, 2.5 MB per song, 2 GB per iTunes movie..
Pat Moorhead is Vice President of Advanced Marketing at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
(4.43 out of 5)
#1 by Bryan Bartow - March 13th, 2009 at 15:30
Pat, it was a pleasure to meet you today. Now, about the Eee PC. While there has been a lot of hype surrounding the Eee PC, I don’t know that it has a really long shelf life. It’s not nearly as capable as its bigger bretheren, but it’s also not any more capable than the high end Smartphones or PDAs in the market today. There’s almost nothing I can do on an Eee PC that I can’t do on an iPhone with similar results. While the screen of the Eee PC is certainly easier on the eyes, time will almost certainly make that point moot. At least in developed countries, I don’t really see the Eee PC living much longer than it’s hype cloud. I could certainly see it being a viable option in developing nations, but that’s what the OLPC is for, right?
#2 by Paul Vedder - March 13th, 2009 at 15:30
I don’t know how you can even call the Eeeeeech PC a “sub notebook”. Its an overpriced Speak and Spell that does a little internet.
#3 by Charlie - March 13th, 2009 at 15:31
What good is a “net”book if it doesnt do well on the “net”? The majority of web sites use Flash and all ads use flash, so I make my point. This thing is an Audrey. Anyone remember that?
#4 by Raj Desikan - March 13th, 2009 at 15:32
Pat,
I really liked this blog, since it compares two different products at similar price points. It seems like you have done a lot of experimental work for this blog. Your suggestions for making the sub-note book a more compelling choice do leave out some key points.
First, you don’t mention the small screen size. The need to keep the sub-note small inherently limits the screen size, unless we come with a different technology to display content. I know there are some companies working on miniature projectors for notebooks. That might be one way to alleviate the discomfort of using a small screen. OLEDs that can be rolled up might be another solution.
Second, the small keyboards make it hard to type for extended period of time. I know of laser keyboards for devices like the palm that can give you a bigger keyboard. I am not sure how good these are though.
Third, is the battery life. Typically, you want to charge your sub-note at most once a day. The current battery packs do not allow that. The coming wave of CPU-GPU integration will definitely help, but we will also need to make more progress on battery technology.
Finally, in an always connected world, having local storage may not be important, as long as you can establish a secure connection to your data from anywhere. The ultimate sub-note might be a little capsule that you carry around which can project a screen and a keyboard, and have the necessary protocols for accessing your data securely and fast.
#5 by Gumby - March 13th, 2009 at 15:32
What I really want from a laptop for is to carry it as I travel by driving my car or ride a subway or walking or riding a bicycle. Now listen, you guys, the worst component to put in a laptop is a power hungry hard drive. I dont mind setting the screen to turn off after a minute of inactivity to conserve power. I dream too much. The screen can turn on much faster than a hard drive can turn on from stand by or hibernation. So who needs a huge hard drive on the run? I dont intend to lug around millions of files in my laptop. So solid state drives are the way to go. I would be happy with a ten gb ssd along with another 4 gb flash drive that can be tucked inside the laptop without worrying about bumping it around. I dont really need any DVD drives as they are power hungry too. All I need is a wifi and a ethernet port. The screen has to be big enough 1024×768 to cover most websites without scrolling around. What is your price?
#6 by Paul Horn - March 13th, 2009 at 15:33
One thing you missed entirely was battery life. If the Eee PC is intended to go outside the house, it needs at least 4 hours battery life. Many web sites are just saying it gets around 2.5 hours, not even close to what a true mobile PC would need. Given first time buyers dont like to buy new types of form factors like the EEE PC is and given that it’s not truly a mobile PC,
this thing really looks like a fad that will burn out soon. My gut tells me that because Intel has failed with its UMPC/MID and Atom at the low end, they need a place to sell it at the higher end of the spectrum. If users are measuring and comparing this to a real PC, many of these will get returned.
#7 by Scientia - March 13th, 2009 at 15:33
Ironic isn’t it? If this were an Apple product they would probably call it the Mac Whisper, slap on an extra $500 and sell truckloads of them. I’m still puzzled that people are willing to pay an extra thousand for a Mac notebook for the same hardware. Is Mac OS really worth that much?
#8 by Patrick Moorhead - March 13th, 2009 at 17:06
Scientia, it is ironic, but what I love is that the consumer has choice.
Some people value the “feeling” of a tech product or maybe want to feel cool and show off to their friends and family. Others want to build and hand-craft their own systems, tweek, optimize, and push to the limits (me). Others see computers as a utility like a refrigerator or their home telephone- they have a task that needs accomplished and this is their “hammer”.
With choice comes innovation and growth, and with those come even more cool stuff and the ability to reinvest in R&D. I get real scared when I see companies limiting competition and choice. That’s when everyone should get real scared.
I have tried the $1,799 MacBook Air for a while and while it can do a lot more than a $499 mini-note, I found it shared many of the same limitations. Limitations like low battery life, inability to load a game off optical, and inability to play “real” games due to super-weak graphics.
#9 by Gab - March 13th, 2009 at 15:34
Although I’ve enjoyed reading this blog, I think you’re comparing apples to oranges.
Given its size and weight, I don’t expect the EEE PC to have the same features and functionality as a desktop or full sized laptop. Nor do I intend to use it for the same tasks.
To me, the appeal is in the fact that it’s compact and weighs less than 1Kg. As a woman, I’m tired of carrying around a purse, briefcase, laptop case etc. The beauty of the EEE PC is that it slips into a standard purse and any data can easily be loaded and organized on UFDs. If it gets lost or broken by kids, my data is still safe on the UFDs and the replacement cost is acceptable.
Also, as an avid reader, I’ve been waiting years for something light and compact that I could download a bunch of ebooks onto and which would also let me check my email and do basic word processing from anywhere. Now that the EEE PC has arrived, I’m never going back to a full sized laptop.
#10 by Patrick Moorhead - March 13th, 2009 at 17:07
Gab, thanks for great comments. I want to share a story about the mini-book and my wife. My wife initially loved the size as well, until I explained some of the details: One, that she would at max get 3 to 3.5 hours, so she better carry the power cord wherever she goes. She was expecting many more hours. She told me she would expect “eight”. Secondly, she wanted internet access anywhere she goes like she gets on her shiny red Palm Centro. I explained that she could only get internet where there was a free hot-spot, which they don’t have waiting in most lines or at the horse barn she frequents. Alternatively, for an extra fee, she could get a USB 3G wart the size of my BB Pearl and pay AT&T $30/month extra for service. She didn’t like that either. I kinda like the data backup on a stick, but I am personally most afraid of losing that and with all my music and videos, even my 32G Patriot XT stick doesnt fit 1/100th of what i have. I am glad to see it’s working out for you and that there are choices for many different types of “tech-tastes”. That’s what makes the tech industry so great!
#11 by Bryan Bartow - March 13th, 2009 at 15:35
@Scientia While the “value” of any computing component—including the OS—is arbitrary, I can honestly say that I’m glad to pay the premium on Apple products to use Mac OS X and, maybe more importantly, avoid Windows. Now, I’ve also installed Mac OS X on a Dell Inspiron running at AMD Turion 64 X2 thereby somewhat eliminating my need to pay the premium should I choose not to. I realize, however, that most users can’t / won’t do this not to mention its questionable legality.
#12 by Sean H. - March 13th, 2009 at 15:36
Pat,
I was very concerned when I read this. Rather than trying to understand why this product(the mini notebook) is such a huge success, and communicate how AMD is going to align its products with the market, you’re grasping at reasons why its not a great product. The millions sold contradict your position. Its seems to me you’re spinning the message to support AMD’s product offering in this space – none.
FYI, I’m writing this message from inside Starbucks, with my Eeepc.
My home PC is a high end PC.
Between both PCs, I get all the flexibility and functionality I need.
I look forward to seeing some AMD based mini PCs soon.
btw, my 5yo son loves playing quake 3 on the eeepc. good stuff.
Best Regards,
Sean H.
#13 by Patrick Moorhead - March 13th, 2009 at 17:04
You are only getting half of my evaluation. See the previous blog to the the “plusses”. It does have some and you can check those out here: http://blogs.amd.com/patmoorhead/archive/2008/05/13/Thirty-days-with-a-small-amp-inexpensive-sub-notebook-the-plusses.aspx. Question, though, are you plugged in while you are at Starbucks?]
I spent $1000 and bought a SONY UMPC and found it undesirable. The screen resolution is 1024×600, which is close to a full size notebook, but then the text is way too small and hurts eyes.
#14 by Sean Hall - March 13th, 2009 at 15:37
Thanks for the reply Pat.
Yes, my mini PC was plugged in – the Starbucks in downtown Fullerton has lots of AC outlets. Downtown Fullerton has free wireless as well. Though longer battery life would have been nice, it wasn’t a determining factor for the purchase; size coupled with the performance potential, was. 75 bucks and a few tweaks to my 4G and its everything I need on the go: ‘upgraded RAM to 2GB, use an 8GB SD card as the second drive, installed XP, and run the rez at 800×600(Though, I’d really like to be able to get a higher rez display, not necessarily larger)
Conversely, if I were to spec the platform, I would have made a few changes to address a broader market, adding some innovative things in a few areas to make the platform more flexible. But overall, I think its on the right track.
Sean Hall
#15 by sharikou - March 13th, 2009 at 15:43
I spent $1000 and bought a SONY UMPC and found it undesirable. The screen resolution is 1024×600, which is close to a full size notebook, but then the text is way too small and hurts eyes.
My conclusion is: UMPC or mini-note is close to useless. They are too heavy to put in pocket and too small for serious use. They are not even good for kids, for which video and flash are important.
#16 by Charbax - March 13th, 2009 at 15:45
Why isn’t someone cooperating with OLPC to commercialize the exact same design, or perhaps slightly change it, color it black, put a normal keyboard on it, and put HSDPA in it if you can. Then sell it for $200 in supermarkets all over the world.
Sure OLPC should keep an education in third world countries focus, but the OLPC outselling the Asus Eee PC and other new netbook competitors would be a great way to force the market to make the right thing, build lower cost laptops that use less power, are sunlight readable, using WiFi mesh and all these other things.
OLPC has sold about as many as Asus has sold the Eee, it just is that OLPC mostly delivers in developping countries while Asus only delivers to rich kids that browse Engadget and use it as their second or third computer.
Also I wonder, how little power does AMD Turion Ultra consume compared to the AMD Geode that is used in the OLPC XO-1 laptop? What is the cost difference? Has AMD not announced an even lower cost and lower power consuming processor yet?
Does AMD not push ARM and DSP based laptops? (kind of like the AMD 50×15 PIC computer, but lower cost, using lower power and overall better..)
#17 by Peter Evans - March 13th, 2009 at 15:46
I owned the Eeepc for long enough to see it was awful, 800×600 screen? That was 10 years ago. Low battery power? 10 years ago. No tridirectional unfolding flexible monitor? Come ON, we have been expecting That for More than 10 years. In Summary: A Complete Failure in concept, design, practicality, utility, usage, performance, and ascetics. Do over.
#18 by Will - March 13th, 2009 at 15:47
Without having read the other comments here is my $0.02. Since late 1999 I have been wishing for something small portable and usable. Every product that I have used since then has been a disappointment. The only notebook/sub notebook that has appealed to me has been the Japanese CF-R7 from Panasonic ~$1700. I got one for a family member, and was wishing it was mine. Either way, my point is, that really the holy grail of sub notebooks is to have a device that is cylindrical in shape about 1/3 the size of a paper towel roll and has a flexible screen that pulls out like a scroll, with either voice recognition, touch screen, or a combination of the two. See the movie Red Planet.
Ideally really these devices would be light, fully connected and most importantly TESTED.
Whatever the limitation, be it, power, size, memory, storage. Someone needs to take some direction in this area.