By integrating the graphics chips into the Atom 1.66GHz N450 processor, Intel created the foundations for much smaller, handier laptops and notebooks. Computers that do more and consume less.
The first model of this generation was from Asus.  Its new Eee PC 1005PE dramatically lowered powered consumption, to 7W TDP, as opposed to 12W previous models needed.  Which is highly commendable, but how practical is it?
As ever, the battery life we achieved fell short of manufacturer’s claims. Asus promises 11 hours for this netbook. We got just under nine hours. But hang on, nine hours is pretty impressive, and more than enough for most people. If only they hadn’t raised expectations of 11hours. Not that most of us ever work for 11 hours at a stretch – if we’re honest.
Here’s all the things we liked about it:
The beauty of an integrated graphics chip is that less space and cooling is needed.
It doesn’t do 3D games at all – so your kids won’t borrow it.
It’s got a matt finish on the screen. This cuts the glare from light sources. So the Eee PC is definitely the machine to use in the summer months, when you’re working from home in the garden. Bright sunlight has driven me indoors when using other laptops, but here the screen resolution coped.
This is a brilliant machine for the basics, web browsing and document work. Adults users, in other words.
If you want to watch videos and edit pictures, it’s possibly not the best platform on the market. But, let’s be honest, watching Youtube and doing silly things in Photoshop aren’t really work, are they? In fact, we loved the fact that this is a machine that handles the core work functions brilliantly. Power and economy, that’s what mobile workers need. This machine delivers that brilliantly.
If you’re the sort of person who works in an office where they have bean bags, where everyone’s got a blog and nobody snorts when you say ‘paradigm shift’, then possibly this machine is not for you.
But for everyone else, it’s an amazing feature of engineering. How do they get so much power into these little beauties?
Only the keyboard gave me problems. The touchpad was OK. The chiclet keys have a light action, with good feedback. But they’re just a bit small for certain ham-fisted users.
Still, it’s better than the competition.
Verdict: Great for the mobile professional.