Asus Announces New 8.9" Eee PC

Today Asus finally released a 9" version of the much loved Eee PC at CeBit in Germany. Rumors have been flying back and forth on this speculated model in the past, but it appears Asus finally took action and brought this larger screened UMPC to the market. Not much has changed with this model from its smaller 7" brother, with a larger 12GB SSD option being the only additional option. It's also nice to see that Asus finally increased the resolution of the EEE PC, since that tends to be the biggest downside to many of these UMPC's trying to run fullblown operating systems.

From the images below you can see that the oddly placed speakers bars present on the smaller 7" model are gone, leaving a clean look you would find from a normal notebook.

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Images courtesy of Engadget.

Technical specifications:

• Processor: Intel Celeron M ULV 900MHz (may be changed to newer processor)
• Storage: 12GB of Flash-based storage (SSD)
• Memory: 1GB of RAM
• OS: Linux (Asus customized)
• Screen: 8.9-inch screen with 1024x 600 resolution
• Ports: 3 USB, 1 monitor, headphone jack, microphone input, SD card reader (SDHC compatible), Kensington lock slot, Ethernet 10/100
• Webcam: 0.3 MP resolution
• Battery: 4-cell 5200 mAh (rated at 3.5 hours)
• Wireless: 802.11b/g Atheros
• Input: Keyboard and Touchpad
• Price: 399 EUR

While Asus hasn't released a US price for this notebook, they have listed a 399 Euro price for the European market. I am hoping that when this is available in the US, the price isn't too far above the current EEE PC pricing.

Read our review of the Asus Eee PC 4G here.

 

Looks so much better IMHO without those speaker bars.

However, I was hoping they would bump up the resolution too. Isn't the resolution on the 7" the same?

 

Yeah it's the same resolution, but I like this. Is the graphics card gonna be the same? Nothin much but it would be fun to play like D2 wherever i wanted.

 

Expect to see Dual 8800m GT's in SLI and onboard PhysX card in the 9" model. I heard they were going all out on this one.

 

DailyTech says 1024x600 screen res that would be a good bump IMHO. If Asus can hold the line at $399 for this baby, I'd be sold. Anymore than $400 and you might as well get a full featured laptop for $599/699 that are on weekly special at BB/CC/Wal-Mart.

http://www.dailytech.com/ASUS+Shows+Off+89+Eee+PC+900/article10938.htm

 

^except at least 500$

 

DO WANT!!!! Been waiting for a loooong time!!! Hopefully Asus will put an Atom processor in in April when the platform is released.

FINALLY!!!!! Forget all the others (maybe), WANT THIS!

 

"maybe" is killing....

 

Asus is moving in the right direction. I hope they make a larger battery available to go along with the extra screen real estate.

 

Unfortunately I agree that this little guy will proabably be $500 USD considering it's 399 EURO. For that much no UMPC/internet gizmo is worth it IMHO. $500 is just too much for a small crippled gadget in the same respect that $1799 is too much for an MBA IMHO.

 

Battery life should be about 10 minutes maybe?

 

The screen size bump is so much more important than a RAM, CPU or SSD bump. If it also has 1024x640 for the resolution, it'd be a perfect Firefox appliance for $399 or even $499 (I'd get it).

 

The 4GB 701 currently retails for £240 in the UK. 12GB and a 9" screen might be worth £300, but I'd rather spend £300 on a barebones with a 512MB 8600M GS.

 

I agree. When you're getting into the 500 dollar region, the charming (but flawed) parts of the Eee don't seem so charming anymore.

 

Where are the speakers?

 

Still on the sides of the screen.

 

Best guess, they're on the bottom.

 

They really should bump that processor up a bit...

I mean realistically, you could find a ibm X31 with vastly better specs for around $500... Id sooner get that, with a new battery(cause the included ones are always dead) then this thing.

 

If there's a resolution bump, then I'm buying. And giving my current Eee to my sister.

 

I read somewhere that IF its still using the same 915 chipset, that it would at least use a better processor. We should get many more details when CEBIT starts tomorrow. Tuesdays also seem to be the big days for notebook announcements.

It also has a noticably larger trackpad and buttons, I found the one on the original models a bit too small. Now I wonder when this will actually come out since the original was announced last June I think and released in November.



This is the year for UMPCs and ultraportables with Atom and Montevina SFF coming out. : D

 

now with 8.9" screen and bigger touchpad EEE starts to look like a reall laptop

 

I really hope this doesn't start creeping to the 600 dollar range. It would make the decision a lot harder to choose this over something like an X61 for a couple hundred more.

Depending on the price, this looks like a real winner for usability.

 

dell vostro 1000>this
there is no way i would spend 800 bucks on that thing

 

Where does it say that this will cost 800 dollars?

How is this even in the same class as a Vostro 1000, which is a 15.4" budget AMD 6.2lb laptop?

Even the X61 I just talked about is considerably larger than this.

 

Seriously you people....QUIT COMPARING THIS TO AN "EL CHEAPO" 15.4" BUDGET LAPTOP!

This is not even remotely in the same class (apart from the new price of ~$600). This is a take-everywhere uber-portable machine.

At those specs with a 1024 resolution, it is REALLY starting to look like a great machine, although I'd prefer a $499 price-point...

 

Yes it's a different category of device/laptop, but for $600 the value of this gadget is greatly dimished competing (price wise) vs. an "el cheapo" laptop that is full featured. If they hold the price at $399 I'll be all over this new EEE otherwise I'll stick with my laptop until the price/feature ratio is acceptable (yes I realize that could be more than 1 yr away).

 

Isn't the 128GB SSD only costs more than $600??? Then I will get one of these to get the SSD of it to put into my Vaio-TZ.

 

Exactly. I would have never considered the previous EEE because it looked to much like a toy. This one I like though

 

New EEE looks good. Now if Asus can keep its word and deliver on-time, at its initial price, and announced configuration, it could keep all the other manufacturers from getting a good foothold into the market of cheap internet laptops.

Show us what you can do Asus.

 

800x480? Nooooo! Don't ruin my dreams please, 1024 x 600 is perfect and they will have a buyer when it appears, 800x480 is crappy res.

The lovely machine has come with living pixels!

 

Read: Twelve-Gigabyte SSD

I'm kinda disappointed that they had to increase the size quite a bit to get that screen in, now I'm having second thoughts...

-- Edit --
The thought of putting new screen into old chassis sparks.

 

The size is the same as the original model, it is only slightly taller as there is extra bezel on the top of the screen, otherwise, the same footprint.

 

I'm interested! Say, is the RAM upgradeable to 2GB? Possibility of installing Vista on this little bugger? Games at 800x600?

 

One the 7 inch versions you can do all three.

 

i was about to buy a asus eee 8g, but i think i could wait a little more, maybe a version with more ssd will come soon

 

If a version of SSD come out, it wont be called as Asus EEE... It's Turboed EEE

 

Oh yes! Engadget confirms 1024x600 resolution! Screen is superb! Bright and crisp!

Sorry I have to edit, I love this thing!!!!

Want one!

 

This looks much better than the previous version. The 7" version with the huge black borders reminded me of those pre-school learning laptop toys, while this 9" version looks like a mini-MacBook.

 

+1 Looks much better for almost the same size! I love it!

 

Looks better than previous version, of course.
But price... This one costs absolutly not like "$200 laptop" though it still is a "$200 laptop" in design and components.

 

this one should be as cheap as the 7 inch one

im loving the bigger screen and better resolution and 12gb space sounds MUCH more doable! definitely going to get this one once its out!

 

Lol! Lord knows I was thinking the same exact thing when the Eee first rolled out. I thought it WAS a child's learning laptop made by Asus. The price of the Asus Eee recently dropped to $298 as a sale. I was HALF TEMPTED to scoop this thing up at that price, but it looks like my waiting has paid off and I have a reason to wait longer for my Eee.

 

I didn't realize the Eee 8G version was already $499 I really want one of these, but I don't have much hope that this one will be less than $599 I hope Asus prove me wrong cuz I'd love to bring one these on vacation rather than lugging my laptop for simple internet and picture viewing.

 

I just paid $699 for a Dell 1525 with 250gb HD, 7250 Core Duo 2 , 2 GB Ram , Vista Premium, Web cam and more , so it would be tough to spend $499 on this for the form factor

 

it looks ace with the new screen and touchpad/buttons, but the big Q for me is the CPU and the chipset.

i would like at the very least to get the G945 or Poulsbo over the original G915.

 

I'd wait for the first Centrino Atom devices to show up. They're basically the Intel CPU/chipset specifically designed for Eee like devices.

 

Now that we are seeing >10GB SSD HDs in these little guys, they are far more attractive. With a NAS + one large portable hard drive, it's a great thing to have.

 

this is looking more and more promising, I just hope the pricing is reasonable, since the 4g is around £200 which is pretty good, however in the UK its difficult to come across an 8g for less then £300, and 4gb of space for £100 isn't worth it, so i hope they make these around the £220-50 mark, and then may be worth it.

 

$298 is the normal price of the lowest tier model, the 2G Surf.

 

Hands on Video: http://jkkmobile.blogspot.com/2008/03/asus-eee-pc-900-hands-on-video.html

I hope this gets an Intel Atom processor by summer (and some black paint), that is the only thing it needs for me to buy one.

And XP will be less than $40! http://members.forbes.com/global/2007/1112/024a_2.html