Shootouts

The Duel of the Eee PCs: S101 vs 1000H

By Aloysius Low - 8 Nov 2008

When in Doubt, Go Eee

When in Doubt, Go Eee

When it comes to getting a netbook, there's just no denying the allure of the Eee PC. Afterall, it was the Eee PC that jump-started the netbook phase when the UMPCs of yore failed to take off as expected. The Eee PC 1000H, as part of the last revision of the Eee PC series, did leave us impressed with its staying power and design, but when you factor in the current models from its competition, the 1000H just leaves you with the feeling that it's lacking in some departments.

In some ways, we're moving on past the Eee PC fanboy days, but the Eee PC 1000H still does hold a place in our hearts. It's still a reliably solid netbook, and the battery life so far remains unbeatable. With all that added space, you would have figured that ASUS would have improved upon the keyboard of the 1000H but this was not the case even for the newer Eee PC S101, which still uses the older keyboard design with the tiny right shift key horribly placed next to the up arrow key.

Apart from that flaw however, the S101 makes up for where the 1000H is lacking. Size and weight here are its strong points, and the unit packs a definite improvement over its predecessor. The improvements however, do come with a shorter battery life, smaller storage capacity and a much higher retail cost. Going for S$1098, the S101 costs almost as much as a proper budget notebook, and tops the older 1000H (which retails for S$888) by around S$200.

While it is undeniably expensive, the S101 rightfully deserves the extra premium thanks to its performance and slim form factor. While we're hoping that its slim features trickle down to a newer Eee PC, we're unsure if this will ever happen. The recent announcement that ASUS will be discontinuing the older netbooks with less than 10.2-inch of screen realty however, does leave us a shred of hope but with our luck, it's a good chance that they may reuse the older design template of the Eee PC 1000 and 1000H.

This may end up being problematic, as ASUS currently has over 16 SKUs for the Eee PC template, some of which are actually derivatives of the 1000H form factor but with minor differences in the builds. We're cautiously optimistic that ASUS will rise to the challenge for the touch screen Eee PC that's slated to be released in the first quarter of 2009, so maybe, just maybe, we'll end up being pleasantly surprised as we did when the S101 was announced.

At the end of the day, it really boils down to what you need in a netbook as both options offer you plenty of features. The cheaper 1000H gives you a longer battery life and bigger storage capacity while the S101 offers you a speedy and lightweight solution at a premium price. It's a rather simple trade-off and hence, there's really no hard and fast rule on what you should get. Whatever you choose however, you should know that you'll be getting your money's worth with either product.

If you prefer something with more storage, cheaper and slightly heavier, then the Eee PC 1000H is the one for you.

Conversely, if you like something with a bit more elegance (and pricey), then the Eee PC S101 will be the right choice for you.

Final Ratings
Eee PC S101
Eee PC 1000H

 

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