The Asus Eee 1005HA has been top of the best netbooks list for a few months now. For this reason we decided to take a look at the netbook to see exactly why it sits up the top there on Amazon's list and what makes it such a good seller.
The Asus 1005HA comes with a 10.1" LED backlit screen with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, it has 1GB of RAM, a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 processor and a 160GB hard drive. It's most impressive feature is the 6 cell 63Wh battery that is capable of keeping the 1005HA powered for 10.5 hours on a full charge.
The netbook measures 1.4 inches at the thickest point and shrinks down a fair bit up to the front of the device. The reason that the netbook is larger at the back is due to the high capacity battery that has been included. However, on the whole, the netbook isn't badly proportioned at all and the extra size at the back really isn't noticed. On the back of the device you'll find a similar hinge to what Dell uses on their Mini series of netbooks where the screen slides back behind the device giving you a little extra space.
The Asus 1005HA runs Windows XP Home edition like many other netbooks and thus, makes is easy for those who are transitioning from a desktop or laptop to a netbook due to the way it runs being almost identical.
Asus Eee 1005HA Hardware
Looking at the hardware we see that on the left side it has a DC IN port for charging followed by a VGA port, then a USB 2.0 port followed by a security lock and then a vent for keeping it cool.
On the right side of the device there's a microSD card slot, headphone/microphone jacks, 2 more USB 2.0 ports and a wired Ethernet connection that takes the standard RJ45 connector.
The front of the 1005HA has no latch as is common on a number of netbooks and laptops and all that can be found on the front are a couple of LED's that show the charging status of the device. The top side of the Eee has a gloss black finish with just the Eee logo etched on in silver. (Please note that it also comes in white).
On the underside of the 1005HA there is just a single cover with 1 screw allowing you to access the RAM and make changes there if needed (see pictures below in the gallery).
Opening up the Eee 1005HA you will see a lot more shiny surfaces. Below the keyboard you'll find a touchpad that is embedded in to the panel and is highlighted by a group of small dots to give it a rough texture. Below that is a single silver strip that acts as both the left and right mouse clicks. More LED status lights can be found towards the front right edge that show information on harddrive activity, wireless status and caps lock.
An impressive keyboard can be found on the 1005HA that runs practically the full width of the netbook. Six rows of keys can be found which start at the top with a row of function keys along with the print screen, break, esc, delete and insert. Also the keys have alternate functions like many other keyboards have. Below that you have numbers and below that the usual QWERTY layout. Keys are quite large and typing on this netbook is far easier out of the box than the Dell Mini 9 we reviewed last Christmas. Just above the keyboard on the right you'll find the power button that is backlit by a blue LED and the other silver button to the top left allows you to switch off the touchpad for times when you use the mouse.
Screen quality is superb on this netbook although possibly a little too glossy giving off a fair few reflections if viewed in the wrong light. However, with a nice bright backlight and when indoors it works very well. If you don't have any intentions of using the netbook in sunlight then you will be find with this netbook.
Other features on the netbook include a 1.3 megapixel webcam that can be found just above the screen next to a set of microphones.
Asus Eee 1005HA Connectivity
For connectivity the netbook has both wireless and wired Ethernet. Wireless works at 801.11n making it the quickest available should your home network support the latest. If not, it also works at b/g speeds also. Bluetooth is also available allowing you to sync up phones, mice and other bluetooth devices if needed. The only thing the 1005HA lacks is built in 3G like the Dell Mini 9, but as a number of phones can be used as modems and with wireless 3G dongles being readily available this isn't too much of a concern.
Software provided with the Asus 1005HA netbook allows you to select various power modes such as economy, performance etc.. that allows you to have a bit more control of sacrificing power over battery performance for the specific task you are doing. Although the 10.5 hours isn't easy to achieve with wireless switched on and lots of programs running, the netbook can still achieve a good 7 - 8 hours under usage which clearly makes it a desirable option for those away from a charging point for extended periods of time.
Asus Eee 1005HA Final Thoughts
My final thoughts on the netbook are that it's a little chunkier than some netbooks but not so much that it feels like a brick. It's built well, looks good, has a very impressive battery life and has a fantastic keyboard with decent sized shift keys and very good sized keys making is easy to type.
If you are wanting to buy a new netbook then it's well worth checking out if you want a good all-rounder that has a decent amount of power, storage, battery life along with good looks. If you want something specifically edging more on performance then check out an NVIDIA ION based netbook instead.
Available from stores such as Amazon and Buy. Amazon have it listed at $389 although they mark it as having a discount bringing it down to $350, so check out them as well as comparing with Buy.com who have the 1005HA priced at $319.99 which saves you $30 at the moment.
