ASUS Eee PC 1215B-PU17-BK 12.1-Inch Netbook (Black)

by Asus

• AMD E350 CPU; 2GB DDR3 RAM (1x2GB), 2 Slots, 4GB Max
• 12.1" WXGA (1366x768) LED screen; ATI HD 6310 graphics; HDMI VGA out
• 320GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM); No Optical Drive
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n; Bluetooth 3.0; 10/100 LAN; 0.3MP Webcam; 2-in-1 Card Reader (SD/MMC); 3 x USB 2.0 Ports; 1 x USB 3.0 Port
• Windows 7 Home Premium Operating System; Up To 8.5 Hours Battery Life

Product Description

Amazon.com

Superior multimedia performance with AMD Dual-core Processor

The Eee PC 1215B-P provides users the best portable multimedia enjoyment for its size. With the latest AMD Brazos E350 dual core processor - a high performance CPU and discrete GPU; expect the best in multimedia enjoyment. With the super low power consumption that the Eee PC 1215B-P draws, enjoy up to 8 hours of battery life.¹ Along with long-lasting mobility, it has a compact, scratch-resistant design that fits nicely in carrying cases and backpacks – ideal for both long trips and day-to-day errands.

The Eee PC 1215B-P is also one of the select few with HDMI connectivity. So when you feel like super-sizing your HD movies, simply connect to an HDTV and enjoy Full 1080p HD visuals and up to 8 channel sound. What's more, you get a spacious 320GB hard drive – to store, share, and back up your music, videos, and other valuable data. With built in 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0, staying online while on the go has never been easier. Transfer your photos and more 10 times faster than USB 2.0 with the latest USB 3.0 ports built-in to the Eee PC 1215B-P.² The Eee PC 1215B-P also comes with full-size chiclet keyboard, stereo speakers, 2GB of DDR2 memory, and Windows 7 Home Premium.

Key Features

• 12.1-inch LED WXGA display for HD-quality visuals wherever, whenever (Learn more)
• AMD Dual-Core Processor E350 with AMD Mobility Radeon^™ HD 6310 Graphics for improved battery life and more responsive HD capabilities. (Learn more)
• ASUS Super Hybrid Engine maximizes battery life up to 8 hours between charges¹
• HDMI connectivity for streaming Full HD video and digital sound to HDTVs and compatible external displays (Learn more)
• SuperSpeed USB 3.0 for quicker device charging and up to 10x faster transfers than USB 2.0²

Learn More

	Engineered to Entertain
View larger	Built with the latest AMD platform, the Eee PC 1215B-P delivers improved battery life, snappier performance and more responsive HD capabilities. With the embedded ATI Radeon® HD 6310 graphics, the Eee PC 1215B-P provides users the best portable multimedia enjoyment for its size. DirectX® 11 support – exceptional 3D performance allows users to play games and video smoother than ever before.

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Immersive Multimedia

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The Eee PC 1215B-P boasts a 12.1-inch LED WXGA display, stereo speakers, and HDMI connectivity so you can enjoy movies, videos, and photos in amazing HD quality. With display resolution up to 1366 x 768, you'll experience crisp, true-to-life visuals while streaming content on-the-go. Plus, the LED-backlit screen saves energy for longer battery life and delivers brighter, better visuals than display without it. HDMI ready, the Eee PC 1215N connects easily to HDTVs and compatible external displays to stream 1080p Full HD video with 8-channel audio.

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Comfort On-the-Go

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The Eee PC 1215B-P has more surface area for a wider, more comfortable palm rest. The ergonomic chiclet keyboard is full-size, with concave keys that direct your finger to the center of the surface. Weighing only 5.6lbs (with battery), the thin and light Eee PC 1215B-P is compact so you can use it on a plane or any tight space with room to spare. The multi-touch trackpad lets you easily zoom in and out to view photos or read documents simply by sliding two fingertips together or apart.

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Connectivity Included

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Not only does the Eee PC 1215B-P have a 320GB hard drive, it also comes with unlimited complementary ASUS WebStorage.3 ASUS WebStorage makes it easy for users to share media with friends and family via a simple drag and drop online interface so you can back up data and access it anywhere online. Connect, communicate, and explore online with features that transform your wireless world. High-speed wireless N connectivity is six times faster than 802.11b/g, for snappy Web surfing between your favorite sites and quicker video streaming. The integrated webcam with lens cover and microphone lets you Skype face-to-face with friends, family, and colleagues in crisp, clear quality.

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Relax, ASUS Has You Covered

Ranked as the #1 most reliable PC brand by 3 independent sources⁴, readers and editors alike choose ASUS as their trusted notebook and netbook. ASUS relentlessly strives to exceed expectations of quality to ensure you an unmatched peace of mind every time you start your PC.

This notebook also comes with the industry's most comprehensive warranty.

1 Year ASUS Global Warranty⁴

Offers a level of coverage that would add hundreds of dollars to the price of competing netbooks:

• 1 year global warranty
• 6 month battery warranty
• 24/7 tech support
• 1-way free standard shipping

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What's in the Box

• Eee PC 1215B-P
• AC Adapter
• User Manual
• Warranty Information Card

Specifications

• Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit)
• Display: 12.1-inch LED WXGA display (1366 x 768)
• Processor: AMD Dual-Core Processor E350
• Graphics: AMD Mobility Radeon^™ HD6310 Graphics
• Memory: 2GB DDR3, 1 x SODIMM (expandable to 4GB)
• LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
• WLAN: 802.11 b/g/n (@ 2.4GHz), Bluetooth v3.0
• Storage: 320G 5400RPM hard drive
• Camera: 0.3 megapixel
• Speaker: Built-in Stereo speakers
• Microphone: Digital Array Microphones
• Card Reader: 2-in-1 card reader; MMC/SD (SDHC/SDXC)
• Input / Output: 1 x Audio jack-out, 1 x Audio jack-in, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, 2 x USB 3.0 port, 1 x HDMI; 1 (D-sub 15 pin)
• Battery: 6 cell
• Dimensions: 11.54 x 7.99 x 91 ~ 1.46 –inches
• Weight: 5.62 lbs (with 8 cell battery)
• Color: Black, Silver & Red

© 2011 ASUS Computer International. All Rights Reserved. ASUS is a registered trademark of ASUSTeK Computer. All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models. Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in photos.

¹ Performance may vary depending on user's hardware configuration and operating system. Test results based on comparison with standard 5400 RPM HDD using Windows 7 OS and PCMark Vantage benchmark analysis..
² All figures theoretical values compared to USB 2.0 benchmarks for reference purposes. Actual speed depends on device and system status.
³ Complimentary 60 days unlimited ASUS WebStorage trial. Please visit www.asuswebstorage.com for more details
⁴ Rated number 1 PC brand according to SquareTrade, the leading direct-to-consumer warranty company (for more information visit http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109/ ). Rated number 1 reliable PC maker in Spring 2009's RESCUECOM report http://www.rescuecom.com/RESCUECOM269.html. Rated number 1 Windows-based PC brand in PCWorld.com survey http://www.pcworld.com/article/211074/the_tech_brands_you_can_trust.html.

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Product Description

12.1"/1366x768 (WXGA)/AMD E350 CPU/2GB DDR3/ATI HD6310 Graphics/320GB HDD/No ODD/Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit)/802.11 bgn/10/100 LAN/Bluetooth 3.0/0.3M Pixel Camera/HDMI and VGA out/3x USB 2.0 Ports/2-in-1 Card Reader/56W/h battery (up to 8.5* Hrs)/1 Year Global Warranty, (6 months for battery)/Black. It has 1x USB 2.0 and 2 x USB 3.0.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

132 of 132 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes! 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium with 1xUSB3.0 & Takes 8GB RAM!!! April 20, 2011

By T. C. Bader

Amazon Verified Purchase

9/7/2011 UPDATE:
Since people seem to still be getting some use from my review, I have added a few updates:

64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium?
YES, mine did come with the 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium version of Windows.
NOTE: If you get a netbook that has Windows 7 Starter on it, you will not have the desktop themes functionality available to you. I learned this the hard way when I got my 1005HA netbook. Not too big of a deal, but I did miss having all those nice themes. ASUS has a make-shift solution for this, but it requires manual intervention. Now that I have Windows 7 Home Premium, I can enjoy desktop themes once again!

USB v3.0?
YES, mine did come with one USB 3.0 port on the right side (the blue colored USB port). There is also another USB 2.0 port on the right, and one on the left (three ports in all). One of the two USB 2.0 ports allows you to charge a device even when the netbook is powered off and the AC adapter is connected. You can even configure it to charge another device with just the battery alone and the netbook turned off. A nice feature to have if you travel and find yourself in a bind with a low cell phone battery!

Accepts 8GB of RAM?
YES, mine did accept an 8GB memory upgrade kit! I installed the Corsair 8 GB DDR3 Laptop Memory Kit CMSO8GX3M2A1333C9, which is about $83. The memory that initially came with the 1215B was: hynix 2GB 1Rx8 PC3 - 10600S - 9 - 10 - B1
Be sure to get PC3-10600 compliant memory, NOT the Crucial CT25664BC1067 2GB 204-PIN PC3-8500 SODIMM DDR3 Memory Module that is SUPPOSEDLY bought together with the 1215B. PC3-10600 memory runs at a faster clock rate than PC3-8500. Do a Wikipedia search for "DDR3" RAM to see a comparison table. Also, according to cpu-world dot com, the E-350 CPU supports memory up to DDR3-1333 and DDR3L-1066. DDR3L is suppose to run at less voltage, thus saves more on battery power. I would like to know if anyone has tested DDR3L memory in their 1215B netbook, and how they do on power savings!
BTW, my 1215B shipped with BIOS version 0306.
[UPDATE: 5/1/2011]
I just updated to BIOS to version 0315 and so far everything is still running smoothly. I included how I updated my BIOS in the Comments section below, in case you wondered how to do it.

Touch Pad Issues?
NO, mine DOES NOT have the touch pad issues that others are complaining about. But you can read their review(s) on what the fix is, which seems simple enough.
[UPDATE: 9/7/2011]
A few months ago I was using my 1215B at the couch without the external mouse, and it DID mess up on me as others have indicated. I uninstalled the Synaptics drivers, and when I rebooted the computer, the mouse still worked. As a matter of fact, it seemed to work better than with the Synaptics drivers. The only problem was that while typing, my fingers would touch the touchpad and the cursor would jump to a different location and mess me up. I went to the Synaptics web site and downloaded their latest drivers, which they now have a new feature called Scrybe, which allows you to do certain gestures as shortcuts, such as swiping a 'W' to pull up the web browser for example. BTW, I had to re-install the Synaptics drivers in order to disable the touchpad so that I could type and not have the cursor jump around on me. It does make me upset that I also have problems with the touchpad. Since I don't like touchpads and prefer an external mouse, this makes it OK for me, but if you do rely on touchpads exclusively, then you will likely run into problems.

Keyboard?
As far as the layout is concerned, I do like it better than the 1005HA, since the 1215B has separate keys for Home, End, PgUp, and PgDown. Of course, the 1215B is a little bigger and so it does have more surface area for more full keys. The cursor arrow keys double as Media Player Play/Pause, Stop, Skip Forward and Backward when used with the Fn key, which I thought I would utilize more, but so far I haven't. The Backspace and Enter keys are decent sized and easy to find. Others have mentioned keyboard "flex", which yes, I have noticed that when pressing keys more towards the middle of the keyboard, that the keyboard seems to flex downward, giving those who are real sticklers about such things a reason to complain about it. It hasn't really bothered me that much, but I thought I would mention it just to be fair. [Update: 06/13/2011] I opened my 1215B today and noticed that the 'X' key was missing, but managed to find it. What had happened was that the metal piece that holds the key in place became bent. I bent it back so that it would hold the key in place, and all is well again. I was a little annoyed that this had happened, since it has never happened to me before on any keyboard, but so far it is staying in place, so I still give the 1215B a passing score.
9/7/2011 UPDATE: I have not had any more problems with the keys on the keyboard, thank goodness!

12" Screen Size?
I do like the 12" screen size on the 1215B much better than the 10" on the 1005HA. The 10" is really too small when it comes to running VM's, as well as viewing some web sites. Outlook 2010 does seem to make some adjustments (on its own) on hiding some things in order to make viewing much better, which is nice.

Fragil Power Connector Pin?
NO! I've had an ASUS Eee PC 1005HA netbook since January of 2010, which the 1215B uses the same power supply, and I haven't had any problems with the connector pin, or for that matter, it never even crossed my mind that it could potentially be an issue in the first place. I suppose if you have little kids running around and just can't seem to keep nice things, this could be an issue. BTW, both power adapters are rated as follows:
OUTPUT: 19V(DC), 2.1A, female=(-) and male=(+)
I purchased a Westronics NetBook AC Power Adapter for Asus EeePC 1005 1005HA 1005HAB 1101HA 1101HAB 1104HA 1106HA UMPC NoteBook Laptop for my 1005HA as a backup and so I could always keep the other adapter in my laptop bag so I never run off and forget it. I have already used my secondary power adapter that was originally for my 1005HA to recharge the battery on my 1215B, which the connectors are exactly the same and fits perfectly. It looks like this particular AC power adapter that I got has gone down in the ratings since the time that I got mine.

Includes Neoprene Slip Cover?
NO, my 1215B doesn't come with a neoprene protective case like the 1005HA did. I did get the Case Logic LNEO-12 12.1-Inch Neoprene Netbook Sleeve (Black) as an added slip cover for my 1215B, which it fits it nicely. It is also a bit thicker than the neoprene slip cover that came with the 1005HA, has carry handles, plus an extra pocket with a zipper for the power supply and a mouse. I would recommend getting it.

BTW, I'm upgrading from an Asus EEE PC 1005HA, which I have outgrown. I've been waiting for a 64-bit netbook with a slightly bigger screen and that can handle more than 2GB of RAM. The newer 1215B is small and light enough that I can put in my book bag along with my thick school books, and not break my back carrying it to school, but still just a bit bigger and with more power than the 1005HA!

OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST:

There is a button to toggle the wireless/bluetooth ON or OFF, in order to save power. This can also be done with the Fn+F2 keys.

SUGGESTED ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO GET FOR YOUR EEE PC 1215B:
* Definitely get more RAM if you can. I admit, 8GB might be a bit much if you just surf the internet and read emails, but I plan on running virtual machines on mine, which each VM can eat up a lot of RAM.
9/7/2011 UPDATE:
BTW, the AMD processor does have support for virtualization, which helps in running virtual machines. I have found that in order to get the best performance from VM's, you should keep your HD as defragmented as possible. I run Norton Utilities 15 and run Speed Disk on every bootup. I was surprised at how fragmented my HD was, and how long it takes to defragment it each time. It is taking less time every day, but it has taken a few months of daily defragments to bring down the length of defrags.
* Get an ASUS USB 2.0 8x DVD Writer External Optical Drive SDRW-08D1S-U (Black). You will need it to install software or RIP your CD's to MP3's to your netbook, but you can always leave it at home when you're done with those tasks. Mine cost about $40 when I got it.
* I recommend a Bluetooth wireless mouse, just so it doesn't eat up one of your USB ports (either with a cord or a wireless dongle). I got the Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 Mac/Windows, and I'm very happy with it. I got mine from an amazon vendor for about $20 new.
9/7/2011 UPDATE:
I have had problems with syncing this mouse, but mostly when the battery gets low. If you run into problems, it is likely that the battery is low. Even sometimes after putting in new batteries, it takes some trial and error to get it synced up again, but once it is synced, it works every time until the battery runs low again.
* It is nice to have a secondary power adapter, not just as a backup, but it is nice to leave one at home and leave the other in your laptop bag so you never forget it. I got mine for about $20 from an amazon vendor. I picked one with good reviews, just to be safe. Read more ›

50 of 53 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars All the answers you are looking for April 14, 2011

By Adam N. Capper

Amazon Verified Purchase

-- Upgrade Update (7/27/11) --:
As promised I got the crucial m4 SSD and 8gb of ram installed. The perfect word to describe performance is snappy. The upgrades don't make the 1215b a performance laptop by any means, but all the usual tasks that one would use a netbook for are quick to load, quick to respond, and a pleasure to use. Installation was easier than expected, especially considering you basically have to dismantle the 1215b to access the hard drive. The biggest speed difference is in start up and shut down time. Cold startups take 30 seconds for Windows to load and I haven't even make any modifications to see if that can be faster. Remember this is 30 seconds on a netbook processor! Shut down is 6.7 seconds!

The upgrades make this system the most expensive netbook I have ever heard of, and there is quite a bit of completion our there in the $600 range, but I honestly can say because I do the basics a lot and never really need a powerful processor expect for HD video I prefer to have this expensive but portable netbook with great battery life as opposed to any other more powerful laptop out there.

-- Update (7/20/11) --:
=============================================================================================================================
I have had the 1215b for a few months now and I want to address an issue that has arisen for me.
I said in my original review that I did not have the track pad issues many people have mentioned. Well, about a week ago I started experiencing problems. I did a little digging and the problem stems from the poor placement of a pad under the track pad which is interfering with an electrical relay and frankly doesn't even need to be there. Removing the pad is a 5 minute fix and seems to fix the problem for most everyone. You do not need to void your warranty to do this and you do not need to be super tech savy to do the fix yourself. Please leave me a comment if you need additional explanation. I will post a link below, but I believe Amazon will remove the link in this review so go to the comments section where I will repost the link.

[...]

When I originally bought this netbook I wanted just that: a netbook. However, the 1215b is so close to having true laptop performance that I was inspired to spend some money to really get it there. In the coming days I will be installing 8gb of ram (up from the 4gb I already upgraded to), and a 64gb Crucial m4 SSD. The biggest bottleneck in this thing (granting the processor) seems to be the hard drive so I am really looking forward to seeing what happens with the upgrade. The ram upgrade is really just for peace of mind. To upgrade with the 8gb of ram and 64gb SSD will cost an additional $174. We will see if the performance of this thing basically costing $600 is worth it.

The fact that I am willing to invest even more money in this thing is the best indicator of my time with it. I really do love this machine and, given the fix for the track pad, now have no hesitations in recommending it to anyone that wants a netbook, or even to someone who wants a laptop but is on a tight budget. Most consumers waste their money on ultra powerful processors and 16gb of ram. If a computer can surf the web, send email, run the Microsoft Office suite, do some light gaming, and play video (including Youtube, Netflix, and digital copy) both in SD and HD quality, while getting 5-7 hours of battery life, I really believe 70% of consumers would be completely happy. The 1215b does all this easily and can also be used for light photoshop use and slingbox access, as well as music editing, and light video editing. I know the 1215b can handle all this because I have done every one of these activities on this machine.

If I were you I would wait till the back to school sales start to see if you can little price drop on the 1215b, but I really do think it is worth the $430 asking price.

=============================================================================================================================
-- Original Review --

The following are the answers to everything I wanted to know before purchase:

Comes with 1 usb 3.0 port, 2 usb 2.0 ports

Comes with Windows Home Premium 64 bit

300gb of usable hard drive space. Asus has this partitioned into one 100gb partition and another 188gb partition. I have no idea why. You can easily combine the partitions in Windows 7 to give you a 300gb hard drive.

This is the matte black version. No gloss on the outside, but there is gloss on the keyboard area (not on the keys themselves). The bezel and screen are also gloss.

True to what amazon says the 1215b comes with 2 ram slots. One slot is occupied by a 2gb stick. If you want to upgrade you will need a 204-pin SODIMM, DDR3 PC3-10600 memory module. I have installed the extra 2gb (4gb total) and while there isn't a massive performance difference, I would still recommend this relatively cheap upgrade. Here is a link to the correct ram on amazon: 2GB 204-PIN Sodimm DDR3

I haven't conducted any scientific battery tests, but without trying to save battery life (max brightness and video playing while web surfing using wifi) you can expect about 3.5-5 hours of life in max performance mode. I clean installed my 1215b and have put Windows 7 Ultimate on it. When I try to get the max battery life, by switching to power save mode and turning brightness down to 25%, I'm getting about 7 hours (no video playing, but I am surfing the net)

I have no problems with any video. 720p and 1080p play from the hard drive just fine (K lite codec pack installed). No problems with any of the resolutions available from Youtube, Hulu or Netflix either. I've used both Firefox and Chrome with the same results. Just a side note here. I have been a loyal Firefox user for years, but I do use chrome on the 1215b. Firefox is the only program which just has unacceptable load times on the 1215b. It is only the first load that take a while, but I do recommend Chrome with this netbook.

I'm upgrading from an original atom processor, and the 1215b feels snappy and smooth in comparison. I always saw my atom netbook as a netbook, but the 1215b feels like a laptop as far as speed is concerned. The size is just perfect. The 10 and 11 inch screens always seem a bit too small, while the 13 inch laptops don't feel portable enough. This is a nice compromise. The build quality is excellent for any laptop, and outstanding for a netbook. It feels very solid, and I would not hesitate to throw this is my bag and run to catch the bus.

I have had absolutely no heat problems. The fan is inaudible as far as I am concerned. The hard drive was actually quite noisy when I turn the unit on the first time. After I went through the initial setup process (which took forever) the unit restarted itself and the hard drive has been very silent ever since. I don't know why it was loud to begin with, but it is not an issue after the initial setup.

Screen is perfectly acceptable. I am used to a 27inch iMac at home so this obviously does not compare, but compared to other laptops I have seen the 1215b is upper middle class.

Overall I have no buyers remorse. I held off getting an ion netbook because no one seemed to be able to get the exact configuration I needed. The 1215b seems to get everything right. Please post questions in the comments area if you have any. I will be checking frequently so your questions will most likely get answered. I don't do any gaming so for gaming questions you are on your own.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Asus and AMD have a winner...just about May 1, 2011

By Randall Parker

Amazon Verified Purchase

Pros

-Came with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
-E-350s processing power and better than average graphics performance
-Overall great looking laptop
-USB 3.0 port
-USBCharge+, an application that allows you to charge devices through USB even when the laptop is off
-6 hours of battery life
-Island-style keyboard with Home, PgUp, PgDn, and End (Keys missing from the similarly spec'd Dm1z)

Cons

-Typical bloatware that you find on a lot of PCs
-Trackpad is a single rocker bar that is noticible loud
-Harddrive came partitioned very oddly, it can be fixed quite easily in Windows 7 but the end user shouldn't have to worry about this.
-Charging adapter doesn't always charge laptop on first plug in.
-Trackpad unresponsiveness at time

I am overall satisfied with my purchase, but it is mainly because I was able to fix a lot of the Cons I had with this laptop when I first purchased it. First I will focus on the Pros.

I was consider Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit to be a plus because with a smaller sized form-factor, it rarely has the horsepower to utilize the 64-bit version of the operating system. The first Pro is directly related to the second Pro, the processor, is actually really good. I had Google Chrome running with about 12 Tabs open, looking at a movie trailer in 720p with Microsoft Office applications running in the background and it handled the load just fine. The movie trailer played at a respectable 28 fps without a single drop in frames, a task your typical Single-Core or Dual-Core Intel Atom CPU could not do.

The USB 3.0 is a welcoming addition for future-proofing if not anything else. USB 3.0 will become the standard in file transferal and peripheral use so its a pleasant surprise that Asus decided to include the port on this laptop.
Speaking of USBs there are a total of 3 on this laptop, a USB 3.0 port, a standard USB 2.0 port, and a USB 2.0 charging port (the USB port located on the left side of the laptop). This port in conjuntion with the pre-installed software program USBCharger+ allows you to charge a device through the USB Port while the laptop is turned off, not sleeping, not hibernating, completely shut off. This is the laptop that I travel a lot with and since its so light I keep it in my backbag. If the battery on my phone is starting to run low I can just plug my existing USB cord in the port and charge my device up without having to power on the laptop. This probably doesn't seem like a really great feature for a lot of people but for road warriors, its a pretty useful feature.

Battery life is subjective based on your usage but I found that it provided just enough power to get through my normal class day without having to bring a charger while still being able to provide a little juice to my smartphone. With brightness set to around 60%, Wifi enabled, running multiple Tabs on Google Chrome, and typing in Google Docs, I get around 6 hours of usage. Just like any computer, if you start streaming video or running heavy flash content you can expect to have your runtime cut by about 30 to 40%.
The last Pro I will talk about is the island keyboard. I'm sure what percent it is of a full fledged keyboard but it is quite comfortable to type on. The keys have a nice amount of compression and gives a satisfying click without being too noisy. I would prefer if the keys were slightly rubberized and less slick but its definitely better than your average keyboard for this form-factor.

Now I'm gonna discuss the Cons. The bloatware is really easy to deal with, just go to the control panel and delete the programs you don't want. I do recommend you giving this applications a try first before deleting them. USBCharge+ is one of those rare gems I've actually liked when it comes to preloaded applications.

The Trackpad bar is something I rarely use thanks to an application called TwoFingerScroll. This application allows you to add MacOS like gesture to the keypad such as tapping with two fingers to enable right-click, a gesture that the Synaptics drivers on typical PC trackpads don't natively support.
The Harddrive is something I didn't quite understand. The harddrive has about 300GB available but you can only access about 90GB of it. I had to use the Device Manager in WIndows 7 to re-partition the harddrive. This is something that a non-techie would definitely be bothered with, hell I'm a techie and I'm bothered with it; Asus should definitely fix this in the future.

When you first look at the Charging Port on the 1215b you might confuse it with an Audio or Microphone jack because its so small. The Charger has an extremely tiny plug which seems very fragile and could easily break overtime. I came home really late from class feeling pretty tired, so I grabbed my laptop from my bag, threw it on the charger, and collapsed on my bed for some much needed sleep. The next morning I wake up grabbing my laptop for school to find that it did not charge at all from the 8 hours its been plugged up. I checked the break-away cable and it was plugged in as it should be so I'm not sure what's going on. I unplug the charging cable and plugged it back in and boom, now it decides to charge. This has happen at least 10 time since i've owned this laptop, its not a really big con, but make sure you take a glimpse at the charging LED to make sure its lit before you leave it alone.

The greatest Con of them all has to be the trackpad. To put it simply, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The primary input for navigating on your Laptop could decide to stop working at any second, crazy isn't it. I uninstalled the Synaptics Touchpad drivers and grabbed the most recent ones from the Asus website and I still encountered the same problem. I even booted a difference operating system (Linux Mint) and I still could recreate the same trackpad unresponsiveness so I knew it wasn't at the software level. Thankfully, eeeuser.com gave me a solution to the problem. I had to pry open my laptop and and remove two pieces of tape that were placed between the trackpad and motherboard (to prevent shock) to fix the problem. This is really un-excusable, all users haven't encountered this problem but knowing that I potentially voided my warranty to use my laptop is really disheartening.

So there is my mini review of the 1215b, I made sure that I used this laptop as much as I could before I wrote an opinion about it. With all the Cons that are listed, I'm still going to give it a 4 out of 5. There aren't a lot of E-350 processors available that come in a 12.1 to 11.6 form-factor so my rating is a reflection of the similar laptops that are available. The Dm1z is reported to have heat issues that make the fan run constantly and lacks certain keys (the ones I mentioned in the Pros. The Thinkpad x120e has a 6-cell battery (just like the 1215b) except that it protrudes from the back, a design characteristic I absolutely hate and the Sony Vaio VPC-YB15KX is about 100 dollars more than other similar spec'd E-350 laptops. You may or may not encounter the same issues I've had but all things considered (after a little tweaking of course) ,I am satisfied with my purchase. All electronics are gonna have its gripes and flaws, thankfully mine were fixable for the most part. It has an attractive design, attractive price-point, respectable specs, in a really great form factor. When it comes to affordability, portability, and power, the 1215b is a really good contender.