I know it’s unfair to pit an Asus Eee PC notebook against a bunch of laptops in the market that is twice the size and also relatively cheap. What made me not buy an Asus Eee PC is because of my preferences and computer usage is very demanding. I work full time for our small publication business and I do a lot of layout and graphic design that’s why I need a solid machine that’s fast enough and with lots of storage. Downloading music and watching movies occasionally is also a part of my routine that’s why speed and storage is a big factor for me in choosing the right machine that would live up to my demands.

Why I Stayed Away from Buying the Asus Eee PC

One of the many reasons why I avoided the Asus Eee PC is because of the Linux OS. The native Linux OS is functional and loaded with apps, but it isn’t a familiar environment for me. Modesty aside, I’ve practically grew up using a Macintosh since the release of the Classic Mac with the real functional desktop interface (that Bill Gates just copied from Steve Jobs. Hehehe) and have been using Mac for more than a decade now while Windows comes in at second. So working with an unfamiliar Linux OS, gives the Eee PC users a hard time dealing with the learning curve. Plus, I have issues with Eee PC’s cramped up keyboard, it’s too tiny and I’ll have difficulty typing. If you are going to be spending any significant amount of time working on a laptop computer, you’re going to want to be comfortable. A well-designed interface is essential for comfort.

Is the Asus Eee PC still the “Perfect Weapon of Choice for Bloggers”?

I made a post before and built up a hype last week that the Asus Eee PC is the perfect weapon of choice for bloggers. I still believe that it’s the perfect weapon of choice for bloggers because of its easy-to-carry, easy-to-use design that makes it simple for anyone to connect online anywhere as long as there is a network available. A word of advice though, don’t buy the low end 2G Asus Eee PC priced at P11,900 as the processor is a slow Intel Celeron–M 800 Mhz running at 571 Mhz. The 512 MB DDR2 ram is permanently soldered and you can’t have a memory upgrade.

I read in reviews that the best choice when buying an Asus Eee PC is to get the 4G mainstream version with Intel Celeron–M 1.0Gb DDR2 running at 667 Mhz with 4Gb storage priced at P17,500. You can also hack a 4G Asus and run Windows XP in it. You can either choose to buy the original Windows XP OS for P5,000 which is not practical by the way or get a friend who has an XP installer and go DYI on it. There are a bunch of tutorials you can find in the web that teaches you how to install the Windows XP, you just have to Google it. Also, I read somewhere that you can also buy a 160GB external memory priced at P1,000 for your Eee PC so you can run and install a Windows OS in your Eee PC.

The Pros and Cons of Asus Eee PC

PROS
• Full Web 2.0 experience
• Lightweight design
• Useful education programs
• Works well with external peripherals
• Relatively cheap

CONS
• Webcam can’t yet be used for video chats
• Not easy to find and load new applications
• Keyboard is cramped
• Limited storage

My Acer Aspire 4715z, A Cool Addition to My New Toys

If you plan to buy the 4G version of the Asus and install original Windows XP OS in your 4G Eee PC, it would amount to P22,500. The person I talked to over at Villman at the PLDT myDSL Ultra Broadband PC Event last week told me that they can install Windows XP if I wanted to replace the Linux OS of Eee PC but I have to buy the original OS for P5,000. That would make it P22,500! I got my Acer Aspire 4715z for P29,900 with 14″ inch screen and preloaded with original Windows Vista OS that you can take with you abroad and have no troubles with the Optical Media Board for traveling with a laptop loaded with a pirated OS. Imagine, you’ll just have to add P7,400 and you can get a real laptop that’s fast enough and with lots of storage.

What makes the Acer Aspire my top choice is because of it’s specs. The processor is Intel Pentium Dual Core T2390 at 1.86 GHz running on 533 MHz, 14″ inch Crystalbrite LCD, Built-in Super Multi Double Layer DVD+RW drive, 1Gb DDR2 memory that is upgradable to 2Gb, 120Gb hard disk space, Built-in Webcam, WiFi ready and comes in preloaded with original Windows Vista OS. My only complain about my Acer is it’s weight – 2.6 kg while an Eee PC is .92 kg only. But it’s forgivable considering it’s packed with all the good stuff. I already installed a few goodies like iTunes, Microsoft Office, a bunch of MP3’s and some DVDRip movies and I’m happy with it.

Final Thoughts

The Asus Eee PC is practically the cheapest notebook around when it runs on a Linux OS. If the OS is still an issue to you, you can always have someone with extensive knowledge about computers to install a version of the Windows XP for you. I have read and seen the guide on how to do it on your own and it’s not that easy for someone who don’t know much about the technicalities of computers. If your demands for a computer is simple then the Asus Eee PC is perfect for you. It’s a simple device for people who likely spend most of their time browsing the web, checking their emails and using office tools from time to time. Just don’t think you can install and play World of Warcraft with the Eee PC. It’s not a gaming PC. LOL. It’s light weight design and WiFi capability makes it user friendly for bloggers. But if you want more for your laptop then go get a real one.

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