HP Pavilion dv5t Entertainment Notebook PC Review

What do you do when nearly every major notebook manufacturer has imitated the design of your best-selling consumer laptop? You give it a whole new look and add compelling new features, including an accelerometer to help protect data in case of a tumble. And with Intel's next-generation Centrino 2 processor and chipset and Nvidia's latest graphics card under the hood, the HP Pavilion dv5t (available in the July/August timeframe) backs up its sweet aesthetics with some serious horsepower.

Spiffed-Up Design

A welcome departure from HP’s older Imprint Finish, the Pavilion dv5t is decked out in onyx and chrome and features a subtle grid pattern that extends from the lid to the keyboard deck. HP calls this liquid metallic look the Imprint 2 finish, and it’s certainly striking. It’s almost as if HP poured the bad-guy cop from Terminator 2 into a notebook mold. This finish extends to the sides of the system as well, giving the ports and optical drive a unified appearance. The dv5t is a bit on the heavy side at 6.4 pounds, but with a one-inch thin profile it slips easily into a case or backpack.

Other subtle touches make the dv5t stand out from the crowd. When the system is on, an HP logo shines bright white on the lid. Likewise, you’ll find “magic chrome” touch media controls that light up only when the notebook is running. These controls were relatively responsive on our tests, but sometimes we had to swipe the volume bar too many times to get the desired result. About halfway up the keyboard, the deck switches from the grid pattern to a speaker grille of the same color. While overall this offers an effect of depth, the whole system collects fingerprints pretty quickly—especially on the lid.

On the left side of the dv5t are a VGA port, an expansion port for HP’s dock, Ethernet, HDMI, eSATA, one USB, FireWire, a 54mm ExpressCard slot and a 5-in-1 memory card reader. Along the front are two headphone and one mic jack, and on the right, you’ll find the DVD burner (You can also upgrade the optical drive to a Blu-ray player for $200), two USB ports, a modem jack, and a Kensington lock. You’ll also find a fingerprint reader on the keyboard deck.

The full-size keyboard thankfully forgoes the glossy treatment for a matte finish. Keys were well spaced and offered good feedback. We wish HP would change its trackpad, though. As with the dv6700 series, the trackpad dragged a bit with the moisture from our fingers after only a couple minutes of use. We also noticed that the keyboard got warm after about an hour of use.

Display and Sound

HP goes for the frameless LCD look with the dv5t’s 15.4-inch widescreen. As we’ve seen on such systems as the Lenovo IdeaPad Y510, the notebook has glass that extends to the edges of the bezel for a crisp, clean look. Our system was configured with a 1680 x 1050, 15.4-inch panel with a BrightView Infinity treatment for enhanced movie watching. And while it showed a lot of glare (we could check our teeth using the screen as a mirror, even when the system was on), movies looked fantastic with excellent horizontal and vertical viewing angles.

Sound was also impressive, thanks to the dv5t’s Altec Lansing speakers. Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab” sounded as good as it would on a small boom box. In fact, this notebook produced enough volume to fill a kitchen with plenty of sound.

Above the display is a VGA webcam, which followed our movement well and is paired with CyberLink’s YouCam software. The images were a little dark in office lighting, though, even after we used the software to brighten them.

HP Pavilion dv5t New Features

To help users protect their data stored on the hard drive, HP took a page from its business notebooks and endowed the dv5t with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection technology. Using an accelerometer, this technology automatically detects if a notebook has been dropped and automatically stops the generously sized 250GB hard drive from spinning. The dv5t’s new eSATA port provides another way to safeguard your photos, videos, and other important files by enabling lightning-fast backups to an external drive that features that type of connector.

HP’s popular QuickPlay feature has been enhanced, as it provides quick access to more entertainment options with the touch of a button (although Vista has to be running). These include DVDs, videos, photos, music, karaoke, games, Internet TV, and streamed or recorded TV if you spring for the optional TV tuner. The dv5t also tries to address the learning curve of creative multimedia projects by bundling built-in demos. For example, one shows you how to add music to your slide shows or videos.

Blazing Productivity and Graphics

The dv5t is the very first notebook we've tested that is powered by Intel's Centrino 2 mobile technology, which features an enhanced processor, a 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9400, 2GB of RAM, and a brand-new chipset. We can’t share the benchmark results yet, but we can tell you that the dv5t is one of the fastest notebooks we’ve ever tested. Just as important, the dv5t multitasked like a champ. We played a movie, download Mozilla’s Firefox, chatted with friends via IM, and surfed the Web simultaneously, and this notebook didn’t show a hint of lag.

The most pleasant surprise was the dv5t’s graphics performance. HP has kicked Nvidia’s aging GeForce 8400M GS card in favor of the new GeForce 9600M GT. This GPU managed a startling 12,550 on 3DMark03 and 3,937 on 3DMark06. Only two mainstream systems have beat these graphics scores: the Alienware Area-51 m15x and the Apple MacBook Pro. Such high numbers mean you can easily play a handful of 3D games with most of the effects enabled, if not all. On our F.E.A.R. tests, for instance, we saw 76 fps on autodetect mode at 1024 x 768 resolution. When we bumped up the settings to maximum, that number dropped to a still playable 38 fps.

Wi-Fi and Battery Life

Featuring Intel's WiFi Link5100 wireless card, a required component for any system which bears the Centrino 2 moniker, the dv5t showed wireless scores of 18.9 Mbps and 16.9 Mbps at 15 and 50 feet, respectively, from our access point. Both are more than 1 Mbps higher than the average for the mainstream notebook class.

Battery life was not as spectacular. Using MobileMark07, the dv5 lasted 2:45 with Wi-Fi on, and 2:49 with Wi-Fi off, which is 20 minutes and 27 minutes less, respectively, than the category average. We will update this review with our own Wi-Fi Web surfing test to confirm these results.

Software and Warranty

In addition to a 60-day trial of Norton Internet Security 2008 and PC Recovery software from SoftThinks, HP bundles the dv5t with a host of multimedia programs, including HP PhotoSmart Essentials, Muvee AutoProducer Basic Edition, Sling Player (Slingbox sold separately), HP Games (powered by WildTangent), and The Sims Life Stories Laptop Edition. The company backs the notebook with a one-year limited hardware warranty and one year of 24/7 technical support.

Verdict

The HP Pavilion dv5t sports a redesign that makes other mainstream machines look old-fashioned by comparison and backs up its futuristic-chic appearance with fast performance. There’s more than enough oomph here for a smooth Vista experience, as well as for playing the latest 3D games. And with its sharp display and robust speakers, the dv5t doubles as a portable entertainment center. This is a worthy sequel to the dv6500t and one of our favorite 15.4-inch notebooks.

Toshiba Satellite Pro L300D-EZ1001V

Toshiba’s Satellite Pro L300D-EZ1001V is a no-frills $649 laptop for small business users who want to use their computer for work and play. Sandwiched between the company’s consumer-friendly Satellite line and business-driven Tecra series, this notebook is not as fun or feature-rich as the former, nor is it as secure or durable as the latter. Nevertheless, the Satellite Pro L300D-EZ1001V 15.4-inch notebook is worth a look for buyers on a tight budget who don’t want to take the time to clean away crapware.

Bare-Bones Design

Like the Satellite L355D, the Satellite Pro L300D-EZ1001V is as straightforward as they come. Underneath the matte silver lid is a matching deck with a black keyboard and bezel. The keys are ample, shallow, and easy to type on, if a tad noisy. Likewise, the touchpad is large and the touch buttons loud, but we like the frictionless surface. The Wi-Fi switch, headphone and mic ports, and 4-in-1 memory card reader are all located on the front side. Even better, at 5.8 pounds, this system feels light for a mainstream notebook.

With the exception of a lone power button, the area above the keyboard is blank: no launch buttons for Web surfing, configuration settings, or tech support and no multimedia keys, which would have been a nice addition for a notebook that’s touted as equally friendly for work and play. The new Vostro 1310, for example, has a more modern design and multimedia controls.

Display and Sound

When we watched Bobby on the 15.4-inch, 1280 x 800-pixel display, we were pleased with the color, brightness, and, in particular, the viewing angles (we were able to push the screen forward and backward, and watch from the sides). Toshiba’s TruBrite technology does a decent job of making movies look glossy without being overly reflective. Although not terribly powerful, the sound coming through the speakers was loud enough for watching movies in a quiet room.

Basic Ports, No Webcam

The Satellite Pro L300D-EZ1001V’s port list is pretty basic: three USB ports; a VGA port; Ethernet and modem jacks; headphone and mic ports; an ExpressCard slot; and a memory card reader, which works with SD, MMC, MS, and MS Pro formats. Too bad this notebook lacks a webcam, a feature we’ve seen on increasingly more notebooks, including budget models.

Business Features (Or Lack Thereof)

As a hybrid work-and-play machine, the Satellite Pro L300D-EZ1001V doesn’t have many business features, either. TPM circuitry, spill-resistant keyboards, shock-mounted hard drives, and 3D accelerometers are all standard in the Portege and Tecra series, but only 3D accelerometers, in addition to Computrace support and fingerprint readers, are yet offered in select Satellite Pro models. Our configuration came with Windows Vista Home Basic; Vista Business would have been a better choice for the target market, however.

Refreshingly, the Satellite Pro L300D-EZ1001V comes with less crapware than Toshiba’s consumer machines usually do—just Norton 360, Microsoft Office 2007, Google Picasa, Google Desktop, and Google Toolbar. That’s good news for those who want a clean image out of the box.

Performance

The Satellite Pro L300D-EZ1001V’s 1.9-GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor scored a subpar 2,211 on PCMark Vantage. That’s 1,000 points below the mainstream category average. In real life, this low score translates to mixed results. Out of the box, it took 2 minutes to start up; that’s twice as long as a Vista notebook should take, particularly one that’s not bogged down with copious amounts of crapware. Then again, we had no problem watching a movie while running Norton 360 in the background.

The integrated ATI Radeon Xpress 1250 graphics card scored 1,312 on 3DMark03. Although that’s more than 3,000 points below the category average, the target buyer of this notebook likely won’t mind that you can’t play the latest 3D games or use multimedia-intensive programs, such as video editors.
Despite having an 802.11g—not n—wireless radio, the Satellite Pro L300D-EZ1001V showed strong throughput of 17.1 Mbps and 14.7 Mbps at 15 and 50 feet, respectively.

Battery Life and Warranty

The L300D’s battery life is also subpar: It lasted 1:40 on our DVD rundown test, whereas the average mainstream notebook lasts 2:18. Because this test drains the battery more than everyday usage, we estimate that if you were surfing the Web and using productivity software instead, the battery would last a little over 3 hours. The one-year warranty is standard and includes toll-free, 24/7 phone support.

The Verdict

Despite what Toshiba says, we suggest you think of the Satellite Pro L300D-EZ1001V as a consumer machine: With the exception of a crapware-free desktop, it has no features tailored for mobile professionals. Before you buy, consider the Fujitsu LifeBook A6120: for $150 more, it offers a larger hard drive, sleeker design, Windows Vista Home Premium, five USB ports, a webcam, and plenty of durability features, including a spill-resistant keyboard, shock-mounted hard drive, and a 3D accelerometer. If money is tight, however, the Satellite Pro L300D-EZ1001V offers a better keyboard, a less reflective display, and comparable performance.

Dell Studio 17

The Dell Studio 17 is one of two flagship models in the company’s new Studio line, a mid-range line positioned between the entry-level Inspiron and high-end XPS series. Studio is for people who want something more powerful than an Inspiron, but don’t want to pay the XPS price tag. We have mixed feelings about the new Studio’s design, but for $1,599, you’ll get plenty of multimedia muscle. (See our video below.)

All New Design

We’re not sure what to make of the Studio design: it borrows aesthetic elements from both the Inspiron and XPS lines, and although it looks the part of a mid-range machine, it doesn’t represent the best of either series. The satin, solid-colored lid with the metal-stamped Dell logo looks just like the lids on the current Inspiron and XPS lines. Ours came in Midnight Blue, but it’s available in six other solid colors and four with trim.

Inside, you’ll find a redesigned Dell. Although the keyboard is matte black, the deck is glossy silver with an abstract, swirling line pattern on the palm rest. At first glance, this looked like water spill to more than one person wo saw the Studio 17. Morever, the effect of the plain-looking matte keyboard against the futuristic palm rest is a bit jarring.

Although the Studio 17 borrows the XPS’ wedge shape, it’s hard to appreciate given the thickness of this notebook, at 1.2–1.7 inches. At 8.4 pounds, the Studio 17 is heavy, but it’s still a fifth of a pound lighter than the 17-inch Gateway P-171X.

The keyboard is comfortable to type on and we like its glowing white backlight when in use. Above the keyboard is a thick black panel with a speaker strip and touch-sensitive controls, which also glows white. The thickness of the panel, combined with the color-blocked scheme, makes the notebook look larger than it is. While most of the controls were responsive, we had to be more deliberate when raising and lowering the volume by using the whole pad of our finger to get the controls to respond.

HP Pavilion tx2500z

To this point, most tablet notebooks have served primarily a business or educational function, but HP has added a new twist with it’s Pavilion tx2500z. Not only does this compact system have full tablet and touch functionality, but it also boasts multimedia features and above-average 3D performance. This update to the tx2000 owes its stronger performance to AMD’s new “Puma” platform, which consists of new processors and much improved integrated graphics. However, while the HP Pavilion tx2500z has improved in some areas, the lackluster display hasn’t. And you’ll sacrifice battery life for Puma’s performance boost.

Pavilion tx2500z Design

The tx2500z sports the same high-gloss look as HP’s previous tx2000 tablet and wears the “Echo” inlaid finish, a subtle grid pattern that extends from the black lid to the silver keyboard deck and palm rest. Measuring 12.1 x 8.8 x 1.2-1.5 inches, the tx2500z maintains the same build and form as its older brother and weighs 5 pounds with its 8-cell battery.

In tablet mode, the notebook, with its large battery and protruding base, can feel heavy in the crook of your arm, but the optical drive can be swapped out for the in-the-box weight saver to bring the system to a slightly more reasonable 4.8 pounds. However, we noticed that one corner of the system—the upper-right corner—gets very hot: at one point, we measured the temperature at 130 degrees.

On the right side of the tx2500z is a VGA port, an expansion port for HP’s dock, Ethernet, S-Video, and one USB port. Along the front are two headphone and one mic jack, and on the left, you’ll find the DVD burner, an ExpressCard/34 slot and a 5-in-1 memory card reader. Two USB ports, a modem jack, and a Kensington lock are positioned on the back.

Spacious Keyboard, Novel Touchpad

We continue to be big fans of the tx2500z’s spacious keyboard. The keys are full size, the spacing between them feels much like a standard desktop, and the coating makes for a comfortable and smooth typing experience. Our only reservation is that the top row of function keys, including the Delete key, have been shrunk to save space.

HP continues to use its unique inverted nub design on its touchpad, which provides precise cursor control. A separate column of nubs on the right makes scrolling easier and less error-prone than conventional touchpads.

Display and Sound

The 12.1-inch widescreen display is surrounded by a half inch-thick bezel, which houses a fingerprint reader and a slew of blue LED-lit buttons for changing the screen orientation, launching Quickplay, Windows Vista Mobility Center, and the DVD player. The right side of the display holds media playback controls. A 1.3-megapixel webcam lies above the display and provided good resolution during a SightSpeed video call.

Like its predecessor, the 1280 x 800 resolution, matte widescreen display is relatively dull; even adjusting the brightness to 100 percent still left images and Web pages looking washed out. Similar to the tx2000, the screen’s vertical viewing angles are poor: Tilting the screen back results in a distracting glare. When we slid Anchorman into the built-in optical drive, we found horizontal viewing angles to be slightly better but still not great. The system’s Altec Lansing speakers provided strong audio; Will Ferrell’s voice filled a small bedroom.

With no changes made to the built-in microphone, the tx2500z’s recordings remained disappointing. We had trouble getting decent volume from the audio input, and the model lacks any tools for isolating voices to record meetings.

Tablet Performance

Working in tablet mode on the tx2500z was a pleasure because the LCD is void of any wobble and is firmly secured to the keyboard. The dual-mode touchscreen/digitizer display, similar to the tx2000, offered accurate input performance in both modes. The screen was responsive to touch, and double-clicking icons with our finger was easy and required only a soft press. Scrolling down a long article on NYTimes.com was accomplished by just swiping an index finger down the page.

The tx2500z’s stylus is comfortable for long-term use and has a left-click button on its spine. We liked the generous hover zone on the LCD, and its palm rejection was flawless; we never mistakenly hit anything while leaning on the display to take notes. The handwriting recognition was impressive; the machine responded well to our messy scribblings and quickly deciphered what we were writing. However, frequent tablet users will miss having some sort of scrolling wheel or additional buttons, such as configurable quick launch buttons, around the

Lenovo Thinkpad SL400

These days, the line between business and pleasure is blurrier than ever as mobile professionals demand systems that can help them prepare sales proposals, stay connected to the office network from the road, watch a movie on the flight back, and allow them to play World of Warcraft when they finally get home. Lenovo’s new Centrino 2-powered SL series caters to this market by combining entertainment-oriented components such as an optional Blu-ray drive, HDMI output, and discrete graphics with work-related features like the ThinkPlus Secure Business support service and AT&T mobile broadband.

The ThinkPad SL400 is the 14.1-inch member of the SL family and, if it’s any indication of what we can expect from the entire line, Lenovo has a hit on its hands.

>" href="http://blog.laptopmag.com/lenovo-launches-new-small-business-line-enhances-r-x-and-t-series">View our video hands-on with the SL400 >>

Design Offers Pizzazz, But Blocks Ports

Though no one would confuse this notebook with a sleek ultraportable such as Lenovo’s X300, the SL400 offers several major tweaks to the tried-and-true ThinkPad look. The coarse, rubberized plastic of the traditional Lenovo lid has been replaced with a shiny piano-black surface that sports our favorite design change: a sexy ThinkPad logo where the dot in the letter “I” is a laser-red light that reminds us of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s eye in The Terminator. However, this glossy exterior is prone to attracting fingerprints.

Like the X300, the SL400 has replaced the traditional ThinkPad’s ugly steel hinges with color-coordinated black hinges which are completely hidden when the lid is closed. The lid is also pleasantly latch-free, so users don’t have to struggle with a lever just to open the clamshell.

While the black deck and red TrackPoint pointing stick remain a staple, the interior of the SL400 sports a flashier look than most other ThinkPads, with a long speaker bar placed snugly above the keyboard, an attractive set of green status lights for the hard drive on the right side, three volume controls, and a ThinkVantage button on the left.

The ThinkVantage button, which launches a Lenovo Care control panel, remains illuminated in blue as long as the computer is on. Unlike some other ThinkPads, the Wi-Fi status, battery, sleep, mobile broadband, and Bluetooth lights sit on the front lip of the system, underneath the touchpad buttons.

Unfortunately, there’s a major chink in this shiny new armor. To accommodate the downward, tapered edges of the chassis, the ports on both the left and right sides are recessed, making them difficult to see when you’re attaching external devices. Plugging a USB flash drive into one of the two right USB ports was a major pain because we had to turn the notebook to see where to stick the connector.

The edge of the chassis on the right side is so obtrusive that it blocks thicker USB devices, such as a MuVo Micro N200 MP3 player, from connecting. It's difficult to see in the picture at right, but the ExpressCard slot is embedded in the lip of the plastic right above the ports so, if you have a card installed, you may not to be able to attach even the thinnest USB plug.

Fortunately, the USB ports on the left are a bit more accommodating, though they are stacked on top of each other, making it difficult to use both of them simultaneous.

Sony VAIO VGN-FW198U/H

The Sony VAIO VGN-FW198U/H strikes a near-perfect balance of portability, multimedia power, and screen real estate. How? One of the big reasons is the display. This notebook is the first to boast a 16.4-inch widescreen (with 16:9 aspect ratio) making this FW model ideal for watching Blu-ray movies or having two applications open side by side. At the same time, it’s considerably lighter than most 17-inch notebooks and only marginally heavier than notebooks with smaller 15.4-inch displays. And with Intel’s new Centrino 2 technology for fast productivity performance, better-than-average battery life, and a strikingly sleek design, there’s no reason why the VAIO FW Series shouldn’t be at the top of your short list.

Design

Measuring 1.46 inches at its thickest point, the VAIO FW isn’t as svelte as an Apple MacBook Pro; still, the silver-and-black chassis looks sharp, blending angles and curves in a pleasing way. Open the latchless lid and you’ll find an uncluttered keyboard deck, with the comfortable Sony flat-top keyboard set into a plain silver deck. Unlike other “luxury” portables, however, the palm rest has a decidedly plastic feel, but we are happy to see an oversize touchpad to match the large screen. Alas, the mouse buttons on our early production model were a bit loud and likely to annoy others if you’re in a quiet room.

Above the Function key row are Sony’s handy multimedia-control and volume buttons (but oddly, no mute button). We really appreciate the programmable AV Mode button, which lets you register utilities (Windows Media Center, iTunes, the Webcam applet, and so on) whose icons then appear in a quick-launch ribbon menu when you press the button.

All the requisite ports are here, including HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, USB (three of them), and FireWire. Sony has also included a memory card reader supporting Memory Stick and SD/MMC formats, as well as an ExpressCard/34 slot (yes, PC Cards have gone the way of the serial port, at least on consumer portables).

Sound quality from the up-firing stereo speakers was very good, with decent bass. But their top volume, while fine for personal use, might be inadequate for watching a movie from the couch. Considering the VAIO FW’s multimedia prowess, some media mavens will find the lack of an integrated TV tuner and a remote disappointing in a desktop replacement model.

Novel Screen

The highlight of this all-new design is the unique-to-Sony 16.4-inch LCD. If a 15.4-inch desktop replacement has you wishing for more screen real estate but a 17-inch (or larger) luggable sacrifices too much in the way of portability, the VAIO FW Series is the answer to your prayers. The 16.4-inch screen, which has an aspect ratio of 16:9 instead of 16:10 (as seen on most widescreens) makes it seem squatter compared to other notebooks of its ilk, but in daily use, you’ll hardly notice the difference. It gives you an uncramped view while still allowing the system to weigh a reasonably portable 6.7 pounds.

Image quality from the 1600 x 900 panel is stunning. It employs Sony’s Xbrite-HiColor technology, which claims a higher brightness and wider color gamut than run-of-the-mill LCDs, and it shows. Watching the Blu-ray edition of Live Free or Die Hard (via the preloaded InterVideo WinDVD BD player) was a pleasure on this screen, which exhibited natural colors, good details in shadow areas, and very good motion reproduction.

In Windows apps, colors pop, and we found ourselves turning down the screen brightness to work comfortably. So if your viewing environment has a lot of windows or overhead fluorescents, this panel has the candle power to overcome it. The screen also boasts wide viewing angles, which makes the VAIO FW a good machine for multiple viewers to gather around.

Centrino 2 and Other Features

The VAIO FW combines a 2.53-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 processor, which has a faster front-side bus (FSB) than previous Intel CPUs, with 4GB of 800-MHz DDR2 SDRAM. We’d prefer DDR3 RAM, which is faster and uses less power, but that’s far from a dealbreaker. Rounding out the circuitry are a new chipset (the Mobile Intel 45 Express) and Intel’s next-gen 802.11a/g/n Wi-Fi chip (dubbed WiFi Link 5100), and onboard Gigabit Ethernet. This notebook trades integrated graphics for an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470 graphics card. A big but not blazing 5,400-rpm 320GB hard drive rounds out the features.

ASUS Eee PC 1000 (Linux)

ASUS’ response to the heap of competitors entering the mini-notebook space it helped create has been a bit overwhelming; the company has just released its fifth Eee PC model in two months. But though it is increasingly difficult to pick from the seemingly interminable Eee PCs on the market, the Eee PC 1000 has risen to be one of our favorites.

With a 10-inch screen and spacious keyboard, the $699 mini-notebook sports the same exact design as its sibling Eee PC 1000H ($549). But the Eee PC 1000 (note the lack of an H) isn’t just a copycat: its 40GB solid state drive—the biggest SSD in a mini-notebook to date—and ASUS’ customized version of Xandros Linux (now with more preloaded applications) make it faster and longer lasting. We just wish it cost a bit less.

A Sleeker, Larger Look

Similar to the Eee PC 901 and 1000H, the 1000 has an updated look and feel from earlier Eee PC models. The glossy black Fine Ebony lid is accented with the new Eee PC logo in cursive script. The improved silver hinge and black-on-silver combination completes the high-fashion look. Unlike the 901’s shiny white lid, the 1000 is not immune to fingerprints; ASUS includes a cloth for wiping down the system.

With its favored 10-inch screen, the Eee PC 1000 is the largest mini-notebook to date: Measuring 10.5 x 7.5 x 1.1–1.5 inches, the system is bigger than the 10-inch MSI Wind NB (10.2 x 7.1 x 0.8 inches). The 2.8-pound system, though two ounces heavier than the MSI Wind, is 4 ounces lighter than the 1000H, thanks to its lighter solid state drive. The 1000 still slid nicely into a shoulder bag and felt extremely light in a backpack. ASUS has also kept the power brick slim, bringing the total travel weight to a manageable 3.4 pounds.

Roomy Screen, Good Audio Punch

The 10-inch screen allowed us to keep two windows open side-by-side. The matte screen looked sharp from a variety of angles when we watched an episode of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia on Hulu, but colors were somewhat muted. Compared to the MSI Wind NB, the horizontal viewing angles were better, and vertically tilting the screen caused only ait of glare. Above the display is a 1.3-MP webcam that provided clear images and solid colors when we made a video call using the bundled Skype application.

Similar to the 1000H, the Eee PC 1000 includes Dolby Sound Room stereo speakers. Despite their location on the bottom of the machine, the speakers delivered strong and solid sound. Streaming music over Slacker was loud enough to fill a small living room.

Spacious (But Flawed) Keyboard

Underneath the screen is the same large and roomy keyboard as on the Eee PC 1000H. To say it’s an improvement over the cramped keyboard found on earlier Eee PCs is an understatement; typing accuracy was quite good. Additionally, the keyboard on this particular model was void of the flex that we saw on the 1000H unit we tested earlier. The keyboard is not perfect, however; the right Shift key is awkwardly placed above the right arrow key. The size of the keyboard is a big step up, but we still prefer the feel of the protective-coated keys on the HP 2133 Mini-Note.

As on the 1000H, the Eee PC 1000’s touchpad is far roomier than previous efforts and has a smooth but textured feel. The Eee PC 1000 also features dedicated left and right buttons, but they were tough to press. According to ASUS, the touchpad supports multi-touch controls, such as the ability to zoom on a picture by pinching. However, out of the box the touchpad did not support this feature.