Asus started the netbook revolution with its tiny 7-inch ultra-portable. This was before the Atom processor and most of the nips, tucks and tweaks that have since defined the platform. In the meantime Asus has produced the biggest array of netbooks of any manufacturer, with prices and sizes for every pocket.

The Asus Eee PC 1005PE is the latest netbook to roll off the production line, and if nothing else it shows that Asus knows more than any other manufacturer what works and what needs tuning. The chassis has proved to be durable, so there’s no change there, and it’s the same story for the textured touchpad and the spaced keyboard, both of which are great for normal PC use.

Asus has resisted the temptation to lavish a glossy coating on the 10.1-inch screen, making this a netbook that you can use outdoors without having to having to head for the shade. This is another outing for Intel’s Atom N450 processor, and once again you’ll find it operating alongside 1GB of RAM and a healthy 250GB hard drive.

In our rundown test, the Eee performed exactly the same as the Aspire One in the number of plug-ins it could handle, but it had a longer battery life at just under seven hours. Weighing in at just 1.27kg, this is clearly a netbook that is designed to travel.

http://uk.asus.com

Verdict

The Eee is the cheapest netbook on test and would be ideal for the cost-conscious, if you can live with its limitations.

Buy Asus Eee PC 1005PE: Scan.co.uk