We recently got a chance to test and review a novel take on the Netbook category, with the Asus Eee PC S101. We're used to Netbooks being made of plastic and filled with low-end parts, but that's just part of their sub-$500 charm. But the Eee PC S101 replaces the chunky plastic body with a thin metallic one, while keeping the same basic Intel-Atom-based components.
Our takeaway was that this was a very nice reworking of the Netbook concept, and at $699, it wasn't even radically more expensive than a comparable plastic version. However, one thing drove us crazy--a misplaced right Shift key made typing a pain, as we were always hitting the up-arrow key instead.
Asus is pitching the Eee PC S101 at those who want a less toy-like Netbook, or anyone who doesn't want an expensive alternative such as the Sony Vaio TT, Toshiba Portege R500, Panasonic R7, or even Asus' own S and U series. Click on the photo above for more images.
(Credit: Crave UK)Our friends at Crave UK got to play around with Asus' premium Eee PC S101, and they can't stop raving. Here's a taste of what they had to say:
Click here to see the full gallery and get more impressions from the Crave UK team.We've just got our greasy palms on the brand-new Eee PC S101 and it is--hands down--the best Eee PC ever ever ever. Yes, we know we keep saying that with every new Netbook, but we really mean it this time. It's that awesome.
Our first impression was that it's extremely well-built, and way more stylish than Asus' standard Eee range. In fact, it's the most stylish Netbook on the market--eclipsing even the HP 2133 Mini-Note. The high-gloss mocha-brown lid, brushed aluminium wrist rest, and electro-plated frame are all stunning, with the only questionable point being the inclusion of a small Swarovski crystal in each of the hinge edges.
Little, brown, different: the Eee PC S101.
(Credit: Asus)Asus has big plans for its Eee PC S101. Details on the premium ($699 and up) Netbook were leaked on Monday, and Wednesday Asus officially unveiled its slimmest, sleekest Netbook yet at an odd event in Taiwan (see "wedding" photos here).
According to DigiTimes, Asus expects the S101 to account for 10 percent of Eee PCs it ships by the end of the year. That would seem to be an impressive number, given that the S101 costs double that of the original Eee PC and that Asus seems to introduce a new Eee PC model every other week. In fact, Asus will reportedly introduce two new Eee PC models, which will fall between the Eee PC 1000 series and the S101.
One last tidbit: DigiTimes reports that Asus expects to overtake Lenovo in global shipments next year, while leaping over Dell in China in 2009. At last count, Asus was eighth in laptop market share, three spots behind Lenovo.
I'm awaiting response from Asus on pricing and U.S. availability for the Eee PC S101. I will update this post with that information as soon as I get it. Until then, I will say that it's been widely reported that the S101 will be priced as follows:
Windows XP, 16GB SSD: $699
Linux, 32GB SSD: $699
Linux, 64GB SSD: $799
Update: Asus confirmed the above pricing, but it will not sell the two Linux-based models in the U.S. The Windows-based S101 will hit the U.S. on November 1 and will feature a 16GB solid-state drive and a 16GB SD card, plus 20GB of online storage.
The new S101 next to an Eee PC 901.
(Credit: hkepc.com)We first caught a glimpse of this model last week as part of a slide show on 23 new Eee PC models from Asus. Now the high-end Eee PC S101 has been spotted in real life, under the arm of Asus CEO Jerry Shen.
It's got a 10.2-inch screen, but the basic components are the same as those found in the current 9- and 10-inch versions of the Eee PC--the 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor and 945GME chipset, paired with a solid-state hard drive.
What makes this different from previous editions of the popular Netbook is its thin design--only marginally thicker than a MacBook Air at 21mm thick, and its SSD options, which reportedly go all the way up to a 64GB drive. That highest-end version pushes the boundaries of the Netbook category at $899, and we hear that the S101 might end up losing the Eee brand altogether, to be better marketed as an upscale product.
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