ASUS Eee PC 1001P SeaShell Specifications:

• Windows 7 Starter Edition (32-bit)
• 10.1-inch diagonal WSVGA (1024 x 600, matte finish)
• Intel Atom N450 Processor 1.66GHz (667MHz FSB, 512KB Cache)
• 1GB DDR2 SDRAM (800MHz)
• Intel GMA 3150 integrated graphics
• 160GB Seagate 5400.6 SATA HD
• Atheros AR2427 BGN Wi-Fi, Atheros AR8132 10/100 LAN
• 4-in-1 media card slot
• Dimensions: (H x W x D): 0.89-1.40 x 10.2 x 6.9 inches
• 2.81 pounds (not including weight of AC adapter)
• 6-cell lithium-ion battery (4400mAh, 48Wh)
• One-year standard warranty
• MSRP: $299.99

Observant readers might notice that this review is similar to the Eee PC 1005PE's review. This is because the 1001P shares many of the same components with its predecessor.

Screen and Speakers
The Eee PC 1001P uses a fairly standard LED-backlit display panel with a 1024 x 600 native resolution. Unlike the 1005PE, the 1001P offers a matte-finish display which isn't prone to glare or added reflections from brightly lit rooms. Even with its matte finish, the display offers excellent color saturation and contrast. The screen resolution is small at 1024 x 600, though I prefer a resolution of 1366 x 768. Obviously this might not be cost effective on a netbook priced under $300 but I can dream, right? Vertical viewing angles are average, with minimal color distortion when viewing from below and some overexposed colors when viewed from above. Horizontal viewing angles are better with colors staying accurate at extremely wide viewing angles with a little color wash out.

A slightly annoying feature we noticed on the 1001P is related to the low-end Starter edition of Windows 7. Microsoft locks the desktop background to a specific OEM image and prevents the user from changing it through the control panel. ASUS circumvents the problem with a utility in its docking bar that lets you change the background to another selected image.

The Eee PC 1001P's built-in speaker Performance is pretty good for a 10-inch netbook. I'm not a fan of speakers' location on the bottom front edge of the 1001P, but the audio quality is better than what we typically hear from netbook speakers. The speakers produce good volume (enough to fill a small room) and there is minimal distortion even at higher volume levels. The speakers lack much bass, but the range of highs and midtones are fine. Still, the audio output from the headphone jack is free of obvious distortion and is better when paired with earphones or a good set of external speakers.

The 1001P lacks a dedicated wireless on/off switch, but ASUS did include FN keyboard shortcuts for wireless, screen brightness, video output, volume, and Windows task manager.

Input and Output Ports
The 1001P offers the same port selection as the 1005PE. Namely, you get three USB 2.0 ports, a 4-in-1 media card reader, headphone and microphone jacks, Ethernet port, and the return of a standard VGA out port. Here is a quick tour around the Eee PC 1001P:

Front view: No ports, just clean lines and indicator lights.

Rear view: No ports either, just the hinges and battery.

Left side view: Power jack, VGA out, USB 2.0 port, security lock slot, and heat vent.

Right side view: 4-in-1 card reader, headphone jack, microphone jack, two USB 2.0 ports, and Ethernet.

Performance and Benchmarks
The 1001P is equipped with the 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 and Intel GMA 3150 integrated graphics. For normal daily activities, like browsing the Web, typing documents, and listening to music, the system didn't show any lag. In our HD video tests, we played the 720P trailer for "Up!," and the system successfully kept up with the video decoding. But when we tried the 1080P version, the system sputtered. With the Adobe Flash 10.1 beta installed, the system had trouble playing 720P HD flash; enough that the system became unusable until the video stopped playing. Given that the netbook doesn't even offer a screen with a resolution capable of displaying HD video, its inability to play the trailer is not weighted heavily.

wPrime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance):

PCMark05 measures overall system performance (higher scores mean better performance):

3DMark06 comparison results against netbooks @ 1024 x 768 resolution (higher scores mean better performance):

CrystalDiskMark hard drive performance test:

Heat and Noise
Thermal performance of the Eee PC 1001P is excellent with very low power consumption. Even under continuous stress, we still couldn't get the 1001P to form any significant warm spots. For heat-sensitive users, the netbook would be an excellent choice. Fan noise is minimal at worst, needing your ear right next to the exhaust vent to hear it during normal conditions. With the system stressed, the fan speed increased, but it was still difficult to hear over room noise.

Battery
Compared to older Intel Atom processors like the N270 and N280, the 1001P's biggest strength is the newer chipset paired with the N450, which is much more efficient. According to ASUS, the netbook should get an estimated 11 hours of runtime while operating from the battery, whereas the 1005PE, with a slightly larger battery, was estimated at 14 hours. In our battery test with the screen brightness reduced to 70%, wireless active, and Windows 7 on the balanced profile, the system stayed on for eight hours and one minute. This is 4 hours below the time the 1005PE managed on battery although it did use a higher capacity battery.

Conclusion
The ASUS Eee PC 1001P SeaShell at its heart is a low-cost version of the 1005PE. Priced $80 less, the 1001P loses the island keyboard, higher capacity battery, 250GB hard drive, N-wireless, and Bluetooth. The 1001P reached an impressive eight hours of battery life, but let's remember that is four hours less than the 1005PE. With the 1005PE selling for as little as $365 through some online retailers, increasing your budget would result in a more capable road-warrior netbook. Overall, the 1001P still provides a great value with eight hours of battery life for $300 retail, but if you can spend slightly more, you gain 50% more battery life.

Pros:

• Eight hours of battery life
• Durable chassis
• Matte-finish display

Cons:

• Four hours less battery than 1005PE