14 DAY TRIAL // Entry-level mobile computers are known for not being very capable when it comes to anything besides document viewing and basic web browsing. Still, even in this market segment, there are those products that can be seen as more high-end than the others, and ASUS is almost ready to bring out one of them, though it may take a bit longer than some may think. The upcoming netbook is known as the Eee PC 1215N and is based on a combination of what can be seen as the best in netbook processing and graphics.
The ASUS Eee PC 1215N has, at its core, a dual-core Intel Atom D525 central processing unit (CPU) with a clock speed of 1.8 GHz. This chip is backed up by 2GB of RAM and, most importantly, paired with the multimedia-capable NVIDIA ION 2 graphics, which has 512MB of dedicated memory. This GPU has full reign over the LED-backlit display which not only has a native resolution of 1,366 x 768 (HD) but is also larger than what netbooks usually measure (12.1 inches instead of 10.1 inches).
Needless to say, ASUS made a point of outfitting its machine with all the features and components one would expect from the more auspicious members of the netbook market. A hard disk drive brings 250GB of storage to the equation (500GB of ASUS WebStorage are also present). Additionally, the laptop includes 10/100 LAN, Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, a SD/MMC card reader and a HDMI output, for communication with monitors and other compatible displays. Finally, the entire configuration runs on the energy provided by a 6-cell battery, which can last for up to 7 hours on a single charge.
The ASUS Eee PC 1215N will be pre-loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit and will sell for 449 Euro next month, in three color versions, namely black, red and silver.