14 DAY TRIAL // State-of-the-art gaming applications are known for requiring a high-performance computer rig in order to deliver the necessary computing and graphics power to smoothly run those intense graphics games. This is the reason why most high-end gaming rigs are basically build as desktop systems, rather than as notebooks or laptops, whose lower performance is a fact. Still, thanks to the advances in technology, there are a few high-end portable gaming rigs that can truly rise to the requirements of some of the latest gaming applications. This, however, is not the case with netbooks, the newly emerged PC category that is built using integrated graphics.
With all that, it appears that ASUS is planning to change that, and is currently working on a new Eee PC model which, according to the official line, will be ready for gaming. According to John Chan from Cnet's Crave, today, at a showcase of the company's latest products, an ASUS spokesperson said that the Taiwanese manufacturer was planning an upcoming Eee PC model, which could see the light of day even by the end of this year, and that could simply handle more graphics-demanding games.
Apparently, what we might be dealing with here is a totally new system, as the ASUS spokesperson wasn't talking about the 10.2-inch N10, which isn't part of the company's vast Eee PC range of netbooks. The N10, released earlier this year, is equipped with NVIDIA's 9300M graphics, making the system more gaming capable, compared with other Eee PC models that are based on an integrated graphics solution. The new netbook could end up as yet another ROG (Republic of Gamers) product.
Not much has been disclosed about the upcoming Eee PC model, in terms of technical specifications and pricing, but it is likely to boast an SSD storage option and to be more affordable than the company's N10 portable system.
We know for a fact that ASUS’ plans don’t include rolling out netbooks with screen sizes over 11 inches, which leaves us wondering about how much of a gaming rig a 10-inch netbook can really be. That is, unless you connect it to a decently sized display, keyboard and more capable mouse, obviously, given the necessary computing power.