







Brand | ASUS |
---|---|
Series | Eee PC |
Model | 1215B-PU17-BK |
Color | Black |
OS Provided | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit |
---|
CPU Type | AMD Dual-Core Processor |
---|---|
CPU Speed | E-350 (1.60 GHz) |
CPU L2 Cache | 2 x 512KB |
Screen Size | 12.1" |
---|---|
Widescreen Display | Yes |
Max Resolution | 1366 x 768 |
Display Feature | LED backlight |
Graphics Processor | AMD Radeon HD 6310 |
---|
Memory Slots | 2 x 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM |
---|---|
Memory Speed | DDR3 1333 |
Memory | 2GB |
Max Memory Supported | 4GB |
HDD | 320GB |
---|---|
Hard Drive RPM | 5400 RPM |
Dimension | 11.65" x 7.99" x 0.91" - 1.46" |
---|---|
Weight | 3.21 lbs. |
Feature | Internet Storage - Unlimited 60 days trial |
---|
Camera Type | Built-in |
---|---|
Camera Pixels | 0.3 Megapixel |
LAN | 10/100Mbps |
---|---|
WLAN | 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN |
Bluetooth | Bluetooth 3.0 |
USB | 2 x USB 2.0 + 1 x USB 3.0 |
---|---|
Video Ports | 1 x VGA, 1 x HDMI |
Audio Ports | 1 x Microphone jack; 1 x Headphone jack |
Audio | Integrated Sound Card Built-in Microphone |
---|---|
Speaker | Built-in stereo speakers |
Card Reader | SD/ SDHC/ SDXC/ MMC |
---|
AC Adapter | 40-watt AC adapter |
---|
Battery | 6-Cell 56Wh Li-ion Battery |
---|---|
Battery Life | up to 8 hours |
Date First Available | March 28, 2011 |
---|
Pros: First off, great job with newegg like always. Got mine next day. This is a speedy machine. First day, I ran the HD test. Played 1080p 30fps files from my T2i, played perfectly. Then installed Premiere CS5, Autocad, Photoshop, Acid, and they run pretty good. I have a desktop for serious stuff, but nice having access to this on the go. Screen is pretty clear, good enough to do decent work on. Im impressed, this definitely isn't a netbook but more like a portable laptop. Plus also i did get 64 bit OS and USB 3.0. WIN.
Cons: I've owned many netbooks and ultraportables, from HP's TX1000 line, to the first Asus EEE (7" screen), and then the Atom EEE, and lastly the Acer Aspire One. After my dissapointment in the aspire, i held off ultraportables til now. while the speed and use is great, its still sadly as cheaply made the first EEE's. You can tell by the feel of the keys to the webcam slider. Only after this did i admire the acers build quality.... but guess they do this to keep the cost down? so hard to keep as a con. And oh yea, why did they drop the webcam back to 0.3MP??? thats another "cheap" factor." Lastly a small thing, but the mouse clicks are super stiff. same as the older EEE's. is this an asus thing?
Overall Review: First its great to lug around and do work. My cons i can't define as cons, because its what you ask for. Like... first its a little big for a netbook and not as portable, but again i wanted the bigger screen. Or... it feels cheap, but then again if i wanted quality feel id spend 1k on a macair, but actually no i wouldnt cause i wouldnt want to spend that much, so i'll accept this to only pay this much. So yea, great little machine if you know what you're expecting. Definitely worth the 430 i paid. Tho i woulda paid a little more for better quality.
Pros: Very fast, faster than some mid-range laptops I have dealt with in recent history. With the power settings set to "Power Saver" I am getting about 6.5 to 7 hours of battery life while writing in MS word. All features work great, I am able to play back HD video and play all the games I have tried thus far (TF2, Super Meat Boy, Minecraft, WoW, Portal) with about 30+ fps and is very playable at low to medium settings depending on the game. The machine runs cool and doesn't warm up my lap with prolonged use. The matte finish is clean and doesn't have the issue of showing fingerprints as easily on the top unlike the glossy 1215n models. I have been using the machine for heavy writing and even with my large hands I have not noticed a size issue with the keyboard, nor the "flexing" that the 1215n model was known for. Mine came with Windows 7 64-bit, one USB 3.0, and works with the 8 GB of ram that I installed (two 4 GB sticks). More on that in "Other thoughts"
Cons: Though the touchpad itself is very nice I found the physical buttons at the bottom of it to be a bit too stiff. One could argue that is so your palm doesn't accidentally click them, but even so, it would take a considerable amount of force to press one of the buttons on accident. It would have been simpler perhaps to make the buttons easy to click yet have the touchpad application disable their use while typing (much like it disables the touchpad while typing). Some reviewers on both this model and the older 1215n have expressed concern over the small AC power plug, and though it does feel very sturdy and well constructed, I was still surprised at just how small it really is. It's not so much of a con as it is a heads up on what you're getting. Just be mindful of it if you decide to move the device around while it's plugged in. My biggest complaint is in "Other thoughts" and not here as it is a problem more regarding the advertising of the product rather than the product itse
Overall Review: As of this writing, NewEgg has listed on the product description that it has 3 x USB 2.0 ports, Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit, and only supports a max of 4 GB of ram. Though in fact this netbook comes with 2 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x USB 3.0 (the blue port), Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit and supports a max of 8 GB DDR3. I know it supports 8 GB (2x 4GB) as I personally tested it in my machine out of curiosity, and it all shows up both in the bios and in windows (I work as a tech in a local PC shop so I had access to the sticks and was only testing. I personally have no use for anything over 4GB). It may seem silly to call this a complaint since we actually get more than is in the description, but I take issue with it as the description is misleading and may lead to confusion when consumers read the product description and conflicting reviews regarding what purchasers received. If you have concerns over the actual specs of the machine, search 1215b on the ASUS website for detail
Pros: I RMA'ed the first, see below. As shipped from Asus this is a great little netbook/ultra portable, 1.6Ghz dual core, 2Gb Ram populating just a single of the 2 slots, screen is usable size with 1366x768 resolution, keyboard is good for even very large hands like mine, 64 bit OS, USB 3.0, HDMI. 320Gb HDD comes as 100Gb primary partition, 183 Gb secondary/storage partition. I would easily suggest to my friends. I am using this as my work/truck PC, mounted on a Bracketron LTM-MS-525. The computer is used for printing invoices, billing, recieving, surfing the web, video conferencing with clients, etc. I have quick book pro, photoshop CS5 Premier, Libre Office, Open Office all installed and running great.
Cons: The processor only runs memory in SINGLE CHANNEL. That is a limitation of all of the E-350's, and all of the current generation Atoms. The Atom 230/330 Cpu's are dual channel. Not really a con (ok it is), a 5400RPM Drive???? yuck. I had an issue with the track pad on first unit also, but only after I installed/activated the included anti-virus software. The first unit I recieved was not new/factory sealed, it had been opened by someone previous to me, there were fingerprints all over it and such.... I RMA'ed to Newegg and got this unit in 3 days total!! 5 stars to the Egg on that I guess. The security tab/slider over the webcam will not stay shut, no detent to keep from sliding open. I am not playing any games on it because thats not its intended role for me. And lets be honest, "Radeon 6310" not really meant for anything but video playback performance. The bloatware was not as bad as I expected, only took a few minutes to remove with PC Decrapifier.
Overall Review: Due too me using this mounted in my truck, I replaced the HDD with an OCZ Vertex II 200Gb SSD so bouncing and vibration from driving would not hurt the spinning drive, and I also upgraded the RAM to 4Gb of Patriot DDR3-1333. Here is what my WEI is after the mods. Processor/3.8 Memory/4.9 Graphics/4.1 Gaming Graphics/5.6 Primary Hard Drive/7.3 I tried the computer out with 8Gb of Kingston DDR3-1333 installed (2x4Gb) and the computer posted and ran just fine, but my WEI actually went down to 3.4 for CPU and 4.7 for RAM....... Weird huh! I think the pagefile for that much Ram on a single channel controller was what did it, I put the 4Gb (2x2Gb) of Patriot back in and it is running back at 3.8 CPU, and 4.9 Ram.
Pros: So far, so good. I received this device just today and I've had time to play around with it a bit. Observations so far: The OS that shipped with mine is Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit (details advertised 32-bit). Others have complained about too much bloatware on Asus laptops in general. I think the average user will find 3 to perhaps 5 undesirable programs to uninstall out of the box with this machine. It only took me a few minutes to get rid of the stuff I didn't want. It's very responsive and feels much more like a laptop than a netbook. The display is crystal clear, my only gripe would be the limited viewing angles (to be expected with most netbooks, though). The touch pad is large and a breeze to use except for the buttons being just a bit stiff.
Cons: The power connection hardware hasn't improved from the 1215N series. The pin is still super tiny and looks like it would easily break. I'm hoping that isn't an issue with this model.
Pros: AMD APU!!! - woo! Gamer netbook - plays fairly modern games no problem Plays HD movies with very little CPU usage - DXVA! Dual core - super snappy! Bright HD display - keep brightness turned down in doors USB 3.0 - ready for the future upgradable RAM - a must 64-bit Win 7 - 32-bit must die not a lot of bloatware has bluetooth in addition to wifi - hack the planet!
Cons: Cheap webcam - but works well! 2GB "throwaway" RAM - must install more HD only 5400 RPM - oh well smudges super easy - use lint-free cloth and canned air some ASUS software probably never use intermittent touchpad - fixing requires minor surgery
Overall Review: Removed 2GB stick and installed 2x4GB Kingston (brand never fails me). Part of it is used for the video memory (I assume) and so I was left with ~3.61 usable by Windows. Had this thing 4-5 mo. Touchpad worked most of time but not always. Problem seemed to be getting worse. I took off the memory panel, removed a couple screws next to each RAM module then was able to pop off the front panel that has the touchpad. There are two conductive looking sticky pads underneath the touchpad. They both looked like they were a on the verge of touching another surface I assume they aren't suppose to. The top one was on a conductive surface. I moved it slightly to the right, no more than .5cm. I moved the lower one down and to the right a tiny bit. Seem to be fixed! It was well worth it. I felt as if I finally stopped banging my head on the wall. Even with the touchpad, I'll still give it a 5/5. Why? It is a netbook! For a netbook this thing has super crazy performance/features!
Pros: A 1366x768 screen large enough to be useful. Has a fan but is still quiet 100% sized keyboard Come with 64 bit version of Win 7. Only 1 of the 2 memory slot is used so RAM can be added without replacing the current DIMM Has a USB 3 port
Cons: Glossy screen shows color shifts with small changes in viewing angle, particularly in the vertical aspect. It works fine for email and most web surfing but getting the right angle is important for movies and pictures. The usual bloatware . It took 20 minutes to uninstall all of it No backup media except for recovery partition Divides the hard drive into 100GB and 200GB partitions. Win 7 wants to put everything on the 100GB partition in the default directories. 5400 rpm harddrive Is still a netbook. If you are doing anything that requires a strong CPU buy a notebook, not a netbook. As a test I converted some pictures from RAW to .jpg format using a Nikon program that is single threaded. On my i5-2500K desktop this took 124 seconds. On my 2 year old Atom powered Dell mini9 it took 1162 seconds. On this netbook it took 992 seconds. The E350 in this computer has much stronger graphics than the Atom but when it comes to number crunching there is not much difference
Overall Review: Kind of pricey for a netbook even though it is a nice one with a 12 inch screen. I gave this netbook 4 stars instead of 5 mostly because I think that for $450 it should have a better screen. Unlike some other companies using the same E350 processor and chipset ASUS labels and prices this as a netbook so I am not going to complain about the poor CPU performance. I got what was advertised and I paid for. If the price was in the $400-$425 range I would have given it 5 stars.
Pros: This is indeed an excellent little machine to carry around. I won't classify this as a net-book, because the performance from this machine is far better than many other of the net-books out there. Especially on the fact that you can play crysis 2, though on low settings. At the same time I can't classify this as a laptop for there are still some limitations compared to other laptops. Performance wise, it is excellent since this is a small machine. AMD's new APU is impressive, and finally, they dealt with the cpu getting hot, but it is not the case here. It stays cool Speakers are actually pretty good, screen is crisp, the keyboard size feels type on. Good matte finish but fingerprints will show, but that's being picky. Features on the nettbook responds really well. In Essence, the new APU is the real winner here given the size of this machine.
Cons: The biggest problem here is the touchpad. It started going whacky about first 9 hour of use. Upon looking up the issue, it would seem that this happened to other laptops as well. Usually for something like this, I get peeved and sent it back for a new one, but fixed it myself. I did this because I needed a machine today to get work done, and I already spent 4 hours installing all the software needed, I don't have time to wait for another. It would seem that the padded cushion under the touchpad is too close to a certain component under the pad, and because of this, causes the touchpad to be useless. I had to physically open it up and move the pad literally half a centimeter to the right so it won't touch it any more. And from there on, it been working like it expected to. No more touchpad problems. Also the the plastic casing could be more durable. And lastly the touchpad button can be a stiff, so it will take some time to break it in a little. More in other though
Overall Review: I find ASUS to be top quality for many years, but I don't know whats going on now a days. Especially on the fact that I myself had to look it up and resolve the problem. Its not driver issue, it their design issue of the lap top, and it was just that one little thing that would hinder and user. For those of you who are having problems with the touchpad and you've done the driver updates google ISSUE SOLVED - Asus 1215 TouchPad Problem, and it will give you a guide of how to fix it. Particularly under eeeuser website. That is if your willing to do so. Other than this flaw, I would of given this machine a 5 out of 5 eggs. But Really just couldn't because of the touchpad issue. The real winner in this is the is the performance aspect to this. And as always Newegg rules.
Pros: Discounted price Large (relative to other netbooks) screen Win7 64-bit Second RAM expansion bay Supports more RAM then advertised Avg about 6.5 hrs battery life (though specs still rate 8-9hrs) Min bloatware No software/BIOS glitches/issues CPU out performs Intel counterparts (though not by much under some circumstances)
Cons: Built in cam only .3meg - I dont do video conferencing and its bad enough to irritate me. Trackpad issue like everyone else, but easy to fix, simply apply a little less then 1/5 in double sided tape around the border of the trackpad. You will have to open the front of cover of the netbook.
Overall Review: btw - Batman-oneyear, thanx for stripping and breaking most of the screws on this netbook and then simply returning it to newegg instead of RMA to the manufacture. Despite that I still fixed the trackpad and erased all your personal info you left on it.