Asus Eee PC: 2G Surf Review

The Asus Eee PC 2G Surf model was the first in the Eee PC range to be unleashed on the public, in 2007. It is designed to be a highly portable, affordable notebook computer with a 7" screen, 2GB of solid state storage and 512Mb of RAM, weighing in at only 0.92kg (just a fraction over 2 pounds).

You will see from the photo that the screen does not occupy the whole of the surface area you might have expected it to. In the dark area around the screen, there is a speaker on each side.

The Display Screen

Although the 7 inch screen is very small, it is actually quite crisp and clear. It's a color TFT LCD and the resolution is 800 x 480-pixel (WXGA). When you are viewing certain web pages, you may need to scroll across horizontally, which can be a bit annoying. However, when typing a document, you can view a whole page width while still being able to read the text comfortably.

The Keyboard

The keyboard is quite a bit smaller than on a standard notebook. However, the keys have a decent amount of travel, so they feel good to use. If you're a touch-typist, you should be able to get up to a good speed with a little bit of practise, unless you've got particularly fat fingers!

Storage

At only 2GB, the internal storage capacity is decidedly limited. Also, bear in mind that much of your 2GB is taken up by the Linux operating system, so you will not have the full amount for storing your data. In fact you will only have around 300MB left. However, you do have other options. There are 3 USB ports, so you can use a memory stick or connect up an external hard disk drive or DVD writer. There is also a memory card slot which will take a MMC/SD (SDHC) card.

On the plus side, the internal storage is solid state, so there are no moving parts. This makes the notebook particularly robust.

Connectivity

Most people will make use of the 2G's excellent wireless connectivity and store data either using online applications such as Google Docs, or on their main PC. The 2G Surf comes with WiFi built in, and it is very easy to connect to both wired and 802.11b/g wireless networks.

Dimensions

The Eee PC is about half the size and weight of a regular notebook, so you will be hard pressed to find a bag that it won't fit into.

Width: 225mm (8.86"), Depth: 164mm (6.3"), Height 35mm (1.26").

You may have noticed that some of the models in the Eee PC range have Surf in their name, while others don't. Surf models do not have a built-in webcam.

The 2G Surf model is the entry point for the Eee PC range. It has the smallest amount of storage available (2GB) and of course no webcam, but this does make it the cheapest model in the range. There is no 2G model which includes a webcam - if you want a webcam, you will have to move up to the 4G model.

Maybe I'm easily confused, but having the extra word "Surf" in the model name led me to expect something extra, but in fact you get less.

OK, this little upstart won't replace your desktop PC. With the Linux operating system pre-installed, you won't be able to install and run all your old favorite applications. However, if you really can't live without them, it is possible to install Windows XP (although it will leave you seriously short of space).

If you just want to surf the web, edit documents and spreadsheets (easy with the pre-installed Open Office application, and compatible with MS Office), then you'll be good to go within minutes of opening the box.

The real draw is that for a surprisingly low price, you'll get a notebook that you can carry around everywhere, without putting your back out, so you can use it anytime the fancy takes you. It could just change your life.

Model Name:          Eee PC 2G Surf

Display:             7"

Intel CPU & Chipset: Yes

Operating System:    Linux (Windows XP compatible)

Colors:              Pure White, Blush Pink, Sky Blue, 

                     Lush Green, Galaxy Black

Ethernet:            Yes

WLAN:                Yes

Memory:              512 MB (DDR2)

S.S.D. Storage:      2G

Camera:              No

Audio:               Hi-Definition audio, Stereo speaker, 

                     Microphone

Battery:             4 Cells, 2.8hrs

Weight:              0.92 kg