» Asus Eee PC 4G Surf (7-Inch Display, Intel Mobile Processor, 512 MB RAM, 4 GB Hard Drive, Linux Preloaded) Pure White

Asus Eee PC 4G Surf (7-Inch Display, Intel Mobile Processor, 512 MB RAM, 4 GB Hard Drive, Linux Preloaded) Pure White Reviews

Customer Rating:
Summary: a great small laptop
Comment: I had this netbook for nearly 5 months now. it is very fast and portable. the main disadvantages are that the key board is very small in a way you will hardly get adapted to it. it is very difficult or nearly impossible to download windows xp on it once it is not preloaded ( it tried with five copies of windows until now and failed). the battery only lasts 2 hours when you have the wifi on. I had no difficulty on connecting to any network. it connects to all printers with no difficulty. it switches on and off very fast. I recommend it to anybody who moves a lot as it is very portable.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: This computer has made my life sooooo much easier
Comment: I bought this computer about a month-and-a-half ago and I think it is one of the best purchases I have ever made. I bought it because (a) my kids have started using our computers and I wanted an extra laptop and (b) I wanted a computer that I could take on the Metro (DC Subway) with me, so I could work on my way to work.

My kids are really happy with the computer and it has turned out to be so much better than I imagined. It's really portable and easy to use, so now I can work anywhere! This is great for me because I waste a lot of time commuting, I work a lot of hours, and I work out every day too.

It is incredibly light. I can actually work holding it in one hand and work out on a stationary bike at the same time.

It's also really durable. I put it its sleeve in my backpack every morning and ride my bike to the metro (the DC subway). It doesn't weigh me down at all and--despite the heavy bike lock in my backpack-- the computer doesn't look the slightest bit worn. I have another laptop, but it has been impossible for me to take on my bike and I don't like to take it in a laptop bag because it is really heavy and I am afraid it will break.

I haven't really noticed that the Eee is any slower than any of my other computers either (I also have a desktop Mac) and I have not run out of storage space on the hard drive. I have the 4G version. You can also use sd cards, like you would use in a digital camera or a cell phone, to increase the computer's storage capacity.

Using Linux is also a lot easier than I thought. I actually installed Linux on both of my other computers shortly after I got the Eee. There is definitely some software you can't get on Linux, but the flexibility that Linux has as an open source operating system makes it work giving up a little Windows software. If there is a Windows app you can't give up, then there is an application, Wine, that will play a lot of Windows programs on a Linux system. You can check out the Wine homepage to find out if a Windows app will work on Wine: www.winehq.org.

I don't currently have the Eee version of Linux on my computer. I installed Linux Mint because it is easier to modify and add new software to. If you want to install another operating system on the Eee, then you will probably have to use a usb thumb drive. There are instructions explaining how to do this on www.pendrivelinux.com.

There are a few downsides to the Eee though, it is really small, it can get a bit hot, and the battery doesn't last more than a couple hours. First, people are correct when they say it is small. I would not try to use this as a substitute for a large computer if I was going to need to use programs requiring a lot of screen space. It was a bit difficult to type with at first, but I have gotten used to the keyboard layout now. If you really wanted, you could probably hook up a usb keyboard to the Eee and plug in a monitor (there is a plug for it). Then it might serve as an adequate substitute for a desktop.

Second, it does get hot if you leave it turned on and put it in its sleeve. I don't think it's hot enough to be concerned about though.

Third, the battery does not last as long as I would like (under two hours). I am not sure if this is only since I have installed the Mint operating system.

So, the long and short of it is that the Eee is great in terms of portability, the Linux operating system that comes on the Eee is easy to use (and it works well with Linux Mint, which is even easier to use), and it is pretty darn fast. If you are looking for a desktop substitute though, I would give it some extra thought before buying an Eee.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Not bad but not for me. Linux kills this thing.
Comment: The EEE PC is a good traveling laptop, or a good starting computer for children but buyer beware the "Surf" editions of these notebooks are not upgradeable.....so if you get one make sure it doesen't have surf written on the box. The Sd card reader is cool, the desktop is acceptable but not nearly as functional as needeed by an avid computer user such as myself. The harddrive is insanely small 4GB which holds next to nothing, the processor is slow 800 HMZ w. 512 mb ram which gives you the bare ability to run the internet and watch videos online, evne then they are choppy. The OS on this unit is Xandros Linux which is my biggest complaint. My first point of advice, if you can buy it pre-loaded with Windows XP or install it yourself with an external cd drive. Linux sucks and give you no functionality what so ever. I tried Ubuntu on this Eee PC and it's just as bad except with ubuntu it doesen't have wireless ability even after wasted days of configuring all for nothing. Get XP on it to actually use it to it's full potential or better yet get an Acer Aspire Vista Laptop for almost the same price with a fully functional OS, great wireless and lots of ram/hard drive space.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Carry On Laptop
Comment: A true carry-on laptop. Lightweight, small-fits in a purse. Great for travel. It's quick, easy & lightweight. Less than half the size & weight of my Toshiba laptop. No CD/Dvr, but who cares-it's soooo light. Travels easily. Charges quickly. Great for e-mail, documents, etc. Great buy.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Great for College
Comment: Very good for using during lectures, taking notes, and pulling out whenever you want to. It's small enough to fit in a DVD player case. I've also dropped my EPC a few times from about 4 feet onto carpet, and it survived. The battery life for me is around 3 hours, but I try to maximize my power savings. The sound isn't that loud, but there should be no need to use the speakers for anything important anyway.

---

More Reviews for Asus Eee PC 4G Surf (7-Inch Display, Intel Mobile Processor, 512 MB RAM, 4 GB Hard Drive, Linux Preloaded) Pure White