Asus 1101HA Netbook
NOTE: This article applies to the XP version of Asus 1101HA with Windows XP, 160Gb hard disk, and 1Gb RAM.
I am the proud owner of an Asus 1101HA Netbook, and I am pleased with it.
Most netbooks have 10″ or lower-sized displays and a resolution of just 1024×600 – the vertical resolution is very cramped in this case. The 1101HA has a resolution of 1366×768, meaning you can run software on it that was intended for more conventional laptops.
The absolute best aspect of this netbook PC is the battery life. Quoted as 8.5 hours maximum, I have certainly achieved a lifetime of 6 hours, with time remaining. Unlike with my main 15″ laptop, I have never yet had the Asus netbook close down because of low battery life.
It ships with a 160Gb hard disk and 1Gb of RAM. The 1Gb can be upgraded to 2Gb. It runs Windows XP Home, which is a better option for those of you who do not plan to upgrade the memory than Windows 7 would be. I actually find Firefox more responsive on my netbook than my laptop with 4Gb of memory, running Windows 7.
The keyboard is good, and permits easy touch-typing. The touch-pad I find pretty good too. It has a textured surface that helps distinguish it from the wrist rest, and it is also multi-touch, and supports pinching to zoom in and out.
The audio quality is adequate. It’s not great.
Processor speed could be better, but the price for having an exceptional battery life is a lowish processor speed. It is possible to set up overclocking within the BIOS, and I have this set at 30%. The options are 5% to 30%; the factory default is 10%; and there is no way to disable the option.
In use, I find the Asus 1101HA more than adequate. It seems slow at times, but it shows BBC iPlayer video OK in full-screen mode, so it certainly has enough power. For many tasks it has replaced my 15″ laptop as my most-used computer.
I would definitely recommend the Asus 1101HA. It is a well-designed machine at a reasonable price.