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Asus’s EeePC S101 is easily the most attractive netbook here, thanks to its slim profile and chocolate-brown, black and chrome design.
There are even Swarovski crystals embedded at each end of the hinge. Oddly, the memory card slot is on the back instead of at the front or the sides, where it would be more easily accessible.
The touch pad is larger than the others here. Like Apple’s latest MacBook, it recognises gestures so you can scroll through web pages or rotate images by swiping your fingers. The pad feels overly sensitive and jittery, though. The keyboard is one of the best here. The keys give just the right amount of feedback when pressed. The board doesn’t flex under pressure, and only the left Shift key and a few punctuation keys are smaller than the other keys.
The S101 is one of only two netbooks here with an SSD instead of a hard disk. Its 16GB capacity will fill up quickly, especially once loaded with more than a handful of programs, but a 16GB SDHC card is provided for storing files. Asus provides 20GB of online storage through its Eee Storage service, accessible through Windows Explorer or any web browser.
Unlike Asus’s N10, the S101’s 10.2in screen has a matt finish. This minimises reflections from overhead light sources and therefore glare, but it’s not as bright as other displays here. Images also look a little grainy, but you’re unlikely to notice this in everyday use.
The battery lasted four hours and 27 minutes in our test which is enough for all but the longest train journeys. However, with an energy-efficient SSD, we were expecting it to last longer. At least the battery doesn’t stick out or add any extra bulk, unlike those on the NB100, Wind, NC10 and N10.
Asus’s Eee PC S101 is very desirable, thanks to its design, SSD, comfortable keyboard and long battery life. However, it is expensive and, unless you need the ruggedness of an SSD, Samsung’s NC10 is much better value.
