Few computer genres have had such a major instant impact as the netbook, which was as much a product of the Facebook generation who wanted to be online and constantly on the move, as pure technology innovation. The ASUS Eee PCs have always been at the forefront of this revolution (hard to believe it's been years since the debut model was launched) and the Seashell range has combined this extreme portability with a cool stylishness.

A superficial glance at the ASUS Eee PC 1005PE suggests that little has changed in terms of design and content from the most recent models, most notably in the 10.1-inch LED backlit display at 1024 x 600 resolution and the smooth glossy white or black casing (depending on your preference) with delicately tapering edges. The keyboard has the by now familiar large chiclet-style keys that are easy to use but have a very slight spongy feel.

Taking a tour of the outside you'll find three USB 2.0 slots, Ethernet connection, VGA port, SD/MMC card holder, plus headphone and microphone jacks. Disappointingly there's no sign of an HDMI port but the 6-cell 4400mAh battery is detachable so you can take a spare if you need one and the total weight of 1.27kg means it can be hefted around easily in one hand.

The main fascination about the Eee PC 1005PE is the fact that it's one of the first models to use Intel's upgraded power-saving Atom N450 CPU (which Intel has dubbed ‘Pine Trail' to follow the ergonomic trend) which replaces the earlier N280. The clock speed hasn't changed (1.66GHz) and there's only 1GB RAM but when used in conjunction with the onboard Super Hybrid Engine energy management technology, the main improvement is on battery life rather than performance.

With three applications running we managed to squeeze about eight hours of life out of the battery, which will be perfectly acceptable for all journeys apart from long-haul flights to the Far East. There are also two start-up modes: the standard OS (which in this case, thankfully, is Windows 7 Starter) and Express Gate which rapidly boots up the system so you can access commonly needed applications like the Net, Skype and Facebook.

There's a generous amount of in-built storage (250GB) as well as an extra 500GB ASUS WebStorage space which will make it easier to share your photos, videos and data with your friends. Stereo sound quality is also strikingly superior to many larger laptops and there's support for Bluetooth V2.1, but the price is higher than much of the competition and might prove a deterrent despite the new CPU.

Verdict
The Eee PC 1005PE retains the stylish good looks of its predecessors in the Seashell range and the new Atom CPU is more energy efficient while boosting battery life, yet overall performance is only marginally improved and the price is less competitive than some netbooks.

Company: Asus

Contact: 0870 120 8340

Tags: hdmi intel atom asus webstorage asus eee pc universal serial bus intel corporation intel windows 7 editions