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The Official Subnotebook Thread of mobile porn facilitation.

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WickedAngel

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As many of you gadget enthusiasts are aware, a new breed of laptop is rising in popularity and news/updates seem to be coming daily (If not hourly). As the next few months pass, more and more news will be coming so I thought it would be best to attempt to unify our discussions into one.

What They Are

Ultraportable laptops are a new take on a relatively old concept; affordable laptops made from relatively tame components that are small enough for anyone to carry anywhere. The primary selling point for these devices is portability; the new category encompassesdevices that typically have screens smaller than 10" and weigh a couple of pounds.

Why They Matter

These devices are not meant to compete with desktops (Or even full-sized laptops). As of now, they are a niche (But rapidly growing) segment of mobile computing. These devices fill a very specific gap and aren't going to be appropriate for many things (Such as gaming). These devices are perfect for mobile business and education due to their portability, easily fitting into carry-on bags for air travel or backpacks for the purposes of higher education.

Options

The market is on fire right now and this is definitely seeming to be the height of the competition. Asus, AMD, HP, Dell, and MSI are all releasing one or more variations of an ultraportable (If they haven't already). There are several other smaller companies that are going to be releasing products but some of them may or may not make it to the international market so I will concentrate on the options of these five manufacturers.

I will do my best to list all the specifications but some manufacturers have not released as much information as others (Dell, for instance, has not released the full details of their Mini-Inspiron).




Acer Aspire One

This entry has been speculated on for quite some time but today marked the day that we would finally receive some firm details (Due to the fact that Computex is happening as you read this).

Specifications

Weight: 2.2lbs.
Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.7 x 1.14 inches
Display: 8.9 inch 1024x600 LED backlit display.
Operating Systems: Windows XP/Linux
CPU: Intel Atom 1.6 GHz
Memory: 512mb DDR2
Storage: 80GB hard drive (XP) or 8GB SSD (Linux)
Wireless Functionality: 802.11b/g
Webcam: 1.3 megapixels
Battery: 2.5~5 hours on 3~6-cell batteries (XP) or 3~7 hours (Linux).


2h4iyht.jpg




Asus EEE 900

Specifications

Weight: 2.4lbs.
Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.6 x 1.2 inches
Display: 8.9 inch 1024x600 (WSVGA) TFT
Operating Systems: Windows XP/Linux
CPU: 900 MHz Intel Celeron-M ULV 353
Memory: 1GB DDR2
Storage: 4GB built-in + 8GB removable SSD (XP) or 4GB built-in + 16GB removable SSD (Linux)
Wireless Functionality: 802.11 b/g
Webcam: 1.3 megapixels
Battery: 4-cell 4400 mAh or 5800 mAh


2r6o32r.jpg


Reviews

CNET (UK; 8.7/10): http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/laptops/0,39030092,49296523,00.htm
TrustedReviews (9/10): http://www.trustedreviews.com/notebooks/review/2008/04/16/Asus-Eee-PC-900/p1
LaptopMag (4/5): http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/asus-eee-pc-900.aspx

Videos

CNET UK: http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/laptops/0,39030094,49296523-1,00.htm
Youtube: http://youtube.com/watch?v=aY2azHo0LAU



Asus EEE 901

The EEE 901 will be a relatively minor revision to the 900 series of subnotebooks.

Specifications

Same as 900 except for the following:
Operating Systems: Windows XP/Linux
CPU: Intel Atom 1.6 GHz
Battery: 6-cell 6600 mAh (4.2-7.8 hours)



Dell E

Specifications

Weight: 2.2lbs.
Dimensions: .82” x 1.22” x 9.13” x 6.9”
Display: 8.9” wide LCD (1024x600)
Operating Systems: Linux/Windows XP
CPU: 1.6GHz Diamondville
Memory: 512mb-1GB DDR2
Storage: 4/8/16GB SSD
Wireless Functionality: 802.11g, BT, WiMax, WWAN
Webcam: .3 megapixels
Battery: 4-cell 35WHr (~5hrs)

wguqyp.jpg


6sf0iq.jpg




HP MiniNote

Specifications

Weight: 2.8lb.
Dimensions: 10.04 x 6.5 x 1.05 inches
Display: 8.9-inch diagonal WXGA 1280 x 768
Operating Systems: Windows Vista Home
CPU: VIA C7-M 1.2 GHz
Memory: 1GB DDR2
Storage: 160GB hard drive
Wireless Functionality: 802.11 a/b/g
Battery: 3-cell

2whlah3.jpg


Reviews

LaptopMag (4/5): http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/hp-2133-mini-note.aspx
NotebookReview: http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4352
CNET (7.5/10): http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/hp-2133-mini-note/4505-3121_7-32912224.html

Videos

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gr18_yHmidE



MSI Wind

Specifications

General Specifications:

Weight: 2.6lbs.
Dimensions: 10.23 x 7.08 x 0.748/1.24 inches
Display: 10-inch 1024*600 LED
Operating Systems: Windows XP/Linux
CPU: Intel Atom 1.6GHz
Memory: 512mb (Linux) or 1GB (Windows XP)
Storage: 80GB hard drive
Wireless Functionality: 802.11 b/g
Webcam: 1.3 megapixel
Battery: 3-cell (2.5 hours, Linux) or 6-cell (5.5 hours, Windows XP)

2urbeqh.jpg


Reviews

LaptopMag (4.5/5): http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/msi-wind.aspx

Videos

CNET UK Hands-On: http://crave.cnet.co.uk/laptops/0,39029450,49297131,00.htm
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKExXy4EJYU&eurl=http://msiwind.net/


Impressions, reviews, and price comparisons will all come as more information is available between all the competition. Some of the domestic release information is still sketchy due to the fact that the pricing differs between the international markets.
 
Doytch said:
Nice thread. The Linux Wind is my pick right now. Best mix of features, price and sexy, imo.
Click to expand...

I'm leaning that way as well. The reviewers have been gushing over it so far; they all seem to emphasize their love for the large keyboard.
 
we needed this thread. If you hadn't made it I would have.

And before anybody says whats the point we can get a fullsize for $500 GFTO

Anyway you missed out on a bunch of obscure ones but that doesn't matter as right now the ones you listed are gonna be the main competitors in this market.

Keep an eye open for Intel's as well.

Once Dell's is finally unveiled expect the market to take a more rigid state since Dell has the ability to move much hardware.
 
WickedAngel said:
I'm leaning that way as well. The reviewers have been gushing over it so far; they all seem to emphasize their love for the large keyboard.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what sold me on it. I would want to use one as a primary coding box, with note-taking on the side, so the big keyboard makes me happy.
 
How long have these things been around? I haven't ever heard of them but I am geeking out over here.
 
kozmo7 said:
How long have these things been around? I haven't ever heard of them but I am geeking out over here.
Click to expand...

less than a year. The first one to hit was the ASUS EEE PC701, lame name I know. That was around August 07, IIRC?

So the market is relatively new and young so from here on out we can only expect prices to drop
 
kozmo7 said:
How long have these things been around? I haven't ever heard of them but I am geeking out over here.
Click to expand...

The original, Eee 701's came out in October last year. Since then it's been pretty quiet. Most companies were waiting for Intel's Atom processor, which is coming out now.
 
*15in or bust troll post*

I want a laptop this size so bad to supplement my "real" computer, but I don't think it will be worth until there is a really sick tablet this size.
 
Zyzyxxz said:
we needed this thread. If you hadn't made it I would have.

And before anybody says whats the point we can get a fullsize for $500 GFTO

Anyway you missed out on a bunch of obscure ones but that doesn't matter as right now the ones you listed are gonna be the main competitors in this market.

Keep an eye open for Intel's as well.

Once Dell's is finally unveiled expect the market to take a more rigid state since Dell has the ability to move much hardware.
Click to expand...

I thought it would be a bit redundant to list the more obscure entries (That may or may not make it to the United States/Europe). I might reconsider if more people point it out.

If I missed any important details (Aside from the prices, which I'm already aware of), let me know.

ninj4junpei said:
Those look uncomfortable to type on. :\
Click to expand...

This isn't true for all but the MSI Wind is known to have a keyboard that is as large as those you would find on standard laptops (It's been one of the main selling points in the reviews, as I've mentioned).

I think I will link reviews as they come in.
 
If I were to get an ultraportable, I would totally get the Asus U2E. That thing has some serious style. It's only 11". It's a bit heavy for an ultra (a little heavier than the MBA,) but its got pretty good battery life (as long as you put the 9 cell in, lol.)

I love sexy notebooks.
 
These devices maybe cool, but haven't miniature laptops been around for awhile now?
And even more importantly, whats happening with the UMPC market?!
 
Doytch said:
Yeah, that's what sold me on it. I would want to use one as a primary coding box, with note-taking on the side, so the big keyboard makes me happy.
Click to expand...

The only reasons I'm hesitating on the MSI Wind are due to build quality concerns. I've never bought an MSI product; I don't really know whether or not they're built to last or not. The same goes for the Acer Aspire One, which I'm almost interested in.

It's much harder to make the decision now. My Dell Inspiron 9300 runs just as well now as it did 4 years ago, which puts Dell's entry on my short list as well.
 
I'm also really curious to see what kind of numbers the VIA Nano (Wiki, List) can put up against the Intel Atom. Regardless, I like the way the industry is going with the lightweight portable low power chips.
 
BrokenFiction said:
I'm also really curious to see what kind of numbers the VIA Nano (Wiki, List) can put up against the Intel Atom. Regardless, I like the way the industry is going with the lightweight portable low power chips.
Click to expand...
I've heard that it's actually better in most ways (makes sense, VIA has been making these types of CPUs for forever.) The Nano was actually heralded when it was first announced under the name 'Isiah' or something like that.
 
nomoment said:
Appreciated the thread, Wicked.

I'll be waiting on specs for the Mini Inspiron before deciding on which unit.
Click to expand...

I have been obsessively clicking on Engadget since they released the pictures of the damned thing :lol
 
Jtwo said:
*15in or bust troll post*

I want a laptop this size so bad to supplement my "real" computer, but I don't think it will be worth until there is a really sick tablet this size.
Click to expand...

Seriously. Where are the mini tablets with Atom? I want to pull the tripper on the HP TX2100, but cant justify it with these cheap alternatives out there.
 
Videos and reviews are up. The HP MiniNote seemed to have fewer videos than the others but the Youtube video is adequate for getting acquainted with the hardware.

PlayStation Tree said:
Seriously. Where are the mini tablets with Atom? I want to pull the tripper on the HP TX2100, but cant justify it with these cheap alternatives out there.
Click to expand...

It might be a while. Intel seems to think that they are going to fail to meet the demand of the obligations they've already made; it could be a while before we see them put in even more products.
 
God I'm so tempted to get one of these. I love functional gadgets in compact form.

My current laptop is an IBM X61s and I LOVE it's size, but I'm always game for smaller.

Really what I want is a UMPC tablet based on the atom platform. Small (~10in.) screen, not convertable, just a straight tablet interface that I can prowl through the web with and move around really easily.
 
Matix said:
These devices maybe cool, but haven't miniature laptops been around for awhile now?
And even more importantly, whats happening with the UMPC market?!
Click to expand...

ultra-mobile laptops is what you refer to: yes they have been round a while but they have always been quite pricey.

The problem with UMPC's is they are coming in too early, they fit the slot right underneath the sub-notebook class since they are the best for portable web browsers which can fit in your pocket but most are very expensive and the keypads are a pain to type long messages on.


zoku88 said:
If I were to get an ultraportable, I would totally get the Asus U2E. That thing has some serious style. It's only 11". It's a bit heavy for an ultra (a little heavier than the MBA,) but its got pretty good battery life (as long as you put the 9 cell in, lol.)

I love sexy notebooks.
Click to expand...

The Asus U2E costs around $2,000 USD. These are a difference class than ultraportables in that pricing is what seperates them although you don't get the incredible battery life or sexy casings its a sacrifice to satisfy a price bracket which is only beginning to come to fruition due to the increase in wireless internet access and mobility of our workforce.
 
WickedAngel said:
It might be a while. Intel seems to think that they are going to fail to meet the demand of the obligations they've already made; it could be a while before we see them put in even more products.
Click to expand...

This is where AMD and hopefully VIA's Isiah Core come in.

When there is demand the competitors will usually pick up the slack although AMD has not always been known to be great at power efficient portable processors.

VIA's Isiah seems to be a good contender though, and its dual-core I believe.
 
Got an Asus 4G late last year and it really helped me with my studies the following semester. Perfect little machine for note taking and surfing during class. Might get a better one for the coming fall because the only problem with the machine is that the battery lasts only around 3 hours.
 
Zyzyxxz said:
The Asus U2E costs around $2,000 USD. These are a difference class than ultraportables in that pricing is what seperates them although you don't get the incredible battery life or sexy casings its a sacrifice to satisfy a price bracket which is only beginning to come to fruition due to the increase in wireless internet access and mobility of our workforce.
Click to expand...
Ultraportable doesn't mean cheap... It's just means small. It's what the name means :-/ You can have expensive ultraportables...

Cheap ultraportables are new, ultraportables in general are not.
 
Zyzyxxz said:
This is where AMD and hopefully VIA's Isiah Core come in.

When there is demand the competitors will usually pick up the slack although AMD has not always been known to be great at power efficient portable processors.

VIA's Isiah seems to be a good contender though, and its dual-core I believe.
Click to expand...

I've liked what I've heard of the Isiah but I was very disappointed to find out that the MiniNote housed the Via C7. I am not a fan (Especially not for the premium that the MiniNote asks).
 
zoku88 said:
Ultraportable doesn't mean cheap... It's just means small. It's what the name means :-/ You can have expensive ultraportables...

Cheap ultraportables are new, ultraportables in general are not.
Click to expand...

well the its more like comparing classes of sport cars I suppose, there are high end and low end.

You don't group a Mustang GT500 with a Ford GT even though they are both sports cars with similar power ratings.

The differences, other than price, between the sub-notebooks and ultra-portables come from the batteries, LCD quality + resolutions, and processing power which most post-$2000 ultra-portables excel in compared to the emerging sub-notebook class.
 
WickedAngel said:
MSI Wind

Specifications

General Specifications:

Chipset: Intel 945GMS ICH7-M
CPU: Intel Atom (1.6GHz)
Display: 10"W (1024*600) LED
Hard Drive: 80G / 2.5"SATA
WLAN: 802.11 b/g
1.3 Megapixel Webcam
Dimensions: 260 x 180 x 19-31.5mm (10.23" x 7.08" x 0.748"/1.24")

Varying Specifications:

Memory: 512mb (Linux) 1GB (Windows XP)
Power: 3-cell (2.5 Hours, Linux) or 6-cell (5.5 hours, Windows)
Click to expand...

Damn. That is a lot of computer for just $499. I am officially impressed/interested.
 
wires full of info so far.

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/06/asus-officially.html

Asus has announced three new Eee PC models, and claims to have fixed the biggest problem with the popular little mini-notebook: battery life. The 901 (pictured), the 1000 and the 1000H will carry a new, bigger battery to give up to 7.8 hours of juice, depending on model.

The 901 is available in black and white, and sports an 8.9" screen, while the 1000 and 1000H have a giant 10.2" display. The main difference between the 1000 and the 1000H is that the H has a hard drive (80GB) with the option of Windows XP Home Edition instead of a 40GB SSD with GNU Linux. The little 901 can also be specced with Windows. If you choose this option, it comes loaded on a 20GB SSD. The Linux version offers just 12GB. All three have built in 1.3 megapixel webcams and 802.11n Wi-Fi, and all run on Intel's Atom chip.
Click to expand...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cmp/20080604/tc_cmp/208401883

The MSI Wind, which uses the Intel 945 GMS chipset for graphics and other tasks, includes 1 GB of memory, an 80-GB hard drive, a Webcam, and built-in support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technologies. The LED display has a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels.

The Windows XP version of the Wind has a manufacturer suggested retail price of $499. A Linux-based model is scheduled to ship this summer with a MSRP of $399. The device is available in white, black, or pink.

The Acer Aspire One, which uses Intel's Graphics Media Accelerator 950 chipset, includes an 8.9-inch LED display with the same resolution as the Wind, 512 MB of memory, and Wi-Fi support. The machine does not include Bluetooth support.

The machine is available with either Linux or Windows XP. Pricing starts at $379.
Click to expand...
 
Zyzyxxz said:
well the its more like comparing classes of sport cars I suppose, there are high end and low end.

You don't group a Mustang GT500 with a Ford GT even though they are both sports cars with similar power ratings.

The differences, other than price, between the sub-notebooks and ultra-portables come from the batteries, LCD quality + resolutions, and processing power which most post-$2000 ultra-portables excel in compared to the emerging sub-notebook class.
Click to expand...
Well, yea. The notebooks in the OP are subnotebooks. I wasn't debating that. I was just assuming all ultraportables belonged in this thread since the title didn't really specify.

I think I'm realizing that the OP just wasn't as specific as he should have been.
 
bishoptl promised to be my sex slave for a day so I updated the OP with details on the EEE 901, EEE 1000, and EEE 1000H.

I also changed the name of the thread to deal with the confusion between ultraportables/subnotebooks.
 
Hitman said:
Are any of these mini laptops able to run starcraft 2?
Click to expand...

Most of them would exceed the supposed minimum specifications but I'm not sure if any of these integrated graphics cards would be up to the challenge. We might have to go another generation before there is a decent graphics card integrated into machines this small.
 
Wow, so many of these are coming out since the original EEE PC.

I'm curious about the MSI Wind, it looks pretty decent. Reading reviews about the HP one and I got the impression that it's expensive for what you get. I'd want to wait for the Dell one and see how that is before I decide on whether or not to purchase one of these.

Is the general consensus that the MSI Wind is better than the Asus EEE PC models?
 
WickedAngel said:
bishoptl promised to be my sex slave for a day so I updated the OP with details on the EEE 901, EEE 1000, and EEE 1000H.

I also changed the name of the thread to deal with the confusion between ultraportables/subnotebooks.
Click to expand...
I'll go elsewhere with my ultraportable love then :'-(

I don't accept the EEE 1000H. It's going to be waay to expensive...
 
Are ultraportables the new "PDAs"?

Aka overly expensive notebook/orangiser

First of all its pretty uncomfy to read long text on screens, let alone small screens (I do my HBR readings on my 15" laptop screen, and my eyes cry for mercy every time)

Secondly, its pretty tight to type in. I have seen the EEePC before and tried it, its too small for my Asian fingers.

As a business school undergraduate, I don't really see why people would buy this over their blackberries, palmtops, or other PDA hybrid phones.

Besides, wireless really suck batteries dry very fast. If they could come out with HSPDA network enable ones i might reconsider and make it my mobile email reader.

As a e-book reader, i would hope they can acheive what the Amazon reader or the Sony digital reader can do.

BUT, I would have to agree that this is a great tool for educational purposes for kids, be it learning how to type or playing grammar games. However, I am worried that the small screen would hurt their eyes.
 
Razorwind said:
Are ultraportables the new "PDAs"?

Aka overly expensive notebook/orangiser

First of all its pretty uncomfy to read long text on screens, let alone small screens (I do my HBR readings on my 15" laptop screen, and my eyes cry for mercy every time)

Secondly, its pretty tight to type in. I have seen the EEePC before and tried it, its too small for my Asian fingers.

As a business school undergraduate, I don't really see why people would buy this over their blackberries, palmtops, or other PDA hybrid phones.

Besides, wireless really suck batteries dry very fast. If they could come out with HSPDA network enable ones i might reconsider and make it my mobile email reader.

As a e-book reader, i would hope they can acheive what the Amazon reader or the Sony digital reader can do.

BUT, I would have to agree that this is a great tool for educational purposes for kids, be it learning how to type or playing grammar games. However, I am worried that the small screen would hurt their eyes.
Click to expand...

I guess you could call them the new PDAs, and their uses are admittedly far more limited than a standard laptop, however they are also significantly cheaper than standard laptops, so I don't think "overpriced" is a good way to describe them.

I think they are great if you only need something for word processing/email/note organizing. Playing high tech games/watching videos/graphics editing would be out of the question.
 
Razorwind said:
Are ultraportables the new "PDAs"?

Aka overly expensive notebook/orangiser

First of all its pretty uncomfy to read long text on screens, let alone small screens (I do my HBR readings on my 15" laptop screen, and my eyes cry for mercy every time)

Secondly, its pretty tight to type in. I have seen the EEePC before and tried it, its too small for my Asian fingers.

As a business school undergraduate, I don't really see why people would buy this over their blackberries, palmtops, or other PDA hybrid phones.

Besides, wireless really suck batteries dry very fast. If they could come out with HSPDA network enable ones i might reconsider and make it my mobile email reader.

As a e-book reader, i would hope they can acheive what the Amazon reader or the Sony digital reader can do.

BUT, I would have to agree that this is a great tool for educational purposes for kids, be it learning how to type or playing grammar games. However, I am worried that the small screen would hurt their eyes.
Click to expand...

I can't compliment on your feelings but 1024x600 is adequate for me. The EEE PC has the smallest keyboard of all of the subnotebooks; it's not a surprise that you felt that it was cramped. The newer entries have keyboards that are comparable to standard laptop sizes (~90%). I have a Blackberry 8830; do you have any idea how tedious web browsing is on these devices?

I'm not sure how you could logically go from attacking the subnotebooks based on reading difficulties/cramped typing and then go on to advocate devices with lower resolutions and infinitely smaller text-input mechanisms.
 
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