Bigger Eee PC comes into focus

(Credit: DailyTech)

Asus isn't officially revealing its 9-inch Eee PC until a news conference reportedly scheduled for tomorrow, but Engadget has photo proof that a larger Eee PC does, in fact, exist. Engadget chatted up Asus at its booth at CeBit, and while Asus wouldn't allow the machine to be powered up, Engadget did learn that the 9-inch Eee PC should offer similar battery life (2.5 to 3 hours) to its 7-inch predecessor, a 12GB model will cost roughly $600, and it's slated for a mid-2008 release.

DailyTech has picked up the story and reports that it'll be called the Eee PC 900, will offer 1GB of RAM (double that found on the original 7-inch Eee PC), and the larger screen will feature a blessedly higher resolution--1,024x600 compared with the 800x480 on its 7-inch cousin.

Unfortunately, the 9-inch version will take up a little more space in your bag; Engadget snapped some pics of the two units side by side. Although the thick bezel on the 7-inch unit looks like it could make room for a few more pixels, the 9-inch version apparently is a bit larger and thicker.

We should find out tomorrow what powers the new Eee PC (Intel Atom inside?) and if there are lower-priced, lower-capacity models joining the reported 12GB unit.

[joelisafreak123]

too much money- you could buy a decent laptop or desktop with vista on it for that price.

[Mike Sharp]

I think Joelisafreak123 missed the point...I've never seen a desktop that can fit in my pocket. Granted, the Eee PC would need a large pocket, but it is small and light, and much more likely to be in your briefcase or backpack when you need it.

Price wise, anything remotely comparable to it is a lot more expensive.