Customer Reviews

ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1201PN-PU17-SL 12.1-Inch Netbook (Silver)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The differences between 1201PN and 1201N are as below

1201PN
1. N450 (Atom Single)
2. Intel GMA 3150 plus ION 2 (GT218m)

1201N
1. 330 (Atom Dual Core)
2. ION (9400m)

1. 1201PN provides better graphic performance and power arrangements; however, the processor is the weakest part of this netbook. I have no idea why ASUS didn't choose Atom D510 or D525 because both processor Intel costs are similar as N450, but D510 or D525 performance is better than N450.

From Processor point of view,
ASUS EEE PC 1201N with Atom 330 CPU benchmark score (Passmark) is 633, but Atom N450 CPU benchmark score is only 320. It has huge difference. (Also, Atom N270 benchmark score is 304. The improvements between Atom N270 and N450 are Intel integrated graphic solution and CPU plus chipset total power consumption)

1201N still has big laggy during mass battle when I play Dragon Age Origins (1366x768) and Mass Effect 2 (800x600).
As you know, gaming requires both computing power and graphic performance.
In addition, I still feel not enough when I work with certain size Excel or Power Point files using 1201N (Atom 330)
I would say that Atom 330 is acceptable, but I am not sure how N450 is able to deal with gaming and work.


2. ION 2 (GT218m) has 16 cores, and ION also has 16 core. Yes, nm improvement did help, but not much. (It's around 30% improvement per current internet reviews) The best thing is that ION is a chipset, but ION 2 is GPU, so ION 2 keeps Intel GMA3150. 1201PN have 2 different graphic solutions for swapping and it does help to keep this netbook running longer than pervious 1201N when 1201PN is not dealing with heavy graphic work or gaming.


I would say......

In this case, $499 with barely discount isn't a good price for me, if I am not gaming, I only need a netbook for travel, or I don't use this netbook HDMI plugging into my TV for movie watching since I have better desktop at home doing that.

I would choose 10.1" EEE PC or other brand netbooks around $300 as normal netbook price and good power consumption with longer battery life if it's only for web browsing and email receiving.

If I do love 12.1" netbook, and I am casual gamer, ASUS EEE PC 1201N is better choice.

If it's a laptop going with me everywhere for business project proposal or school homework, and I love light and thin with little bigger screen as 12.1" laptop why I just pay for ASUS UL20 if my target price is less than $600.


ASUS EEE PC 1201PN is hybrid netbook, but it lost its focus. I would love to see their 12.1" with new Atom Dual Core such as D510 or D525 plus ION 2 instead of weak Atom N450.

I bought this refurbished netbook at a great price. There is no way to tell it is not a brand new netbook.
I received it quickly and in perfect "like new" condition, and even with a system restore CD provided by the vendor.
Out of my many netbook purchases, this has been the best one.

the battery life is excellent. The system was slow at first start up, but i believe it was due to hard drive indexing. its great for word processing, browsing, watching videos, presentations, taking notes in class. I have over 20 tabs open right now and the system hasn't slowed down at all

This machine is mostly what's my expectations were -- tiny, light, decent battery (4+ hours), reasonable graphics performance with ION2. However, the webcam was a significant reason we got it, so my family could be in visual touch, and the quality of the 0.3 megapixel camera (used with skype) is simply not good enough. It's also sluggish enough when in the "power saver" battery mode that things become a little frustrating. I will probably switch to something else. The next real step up seems to be something like the Toshiba R705, which is double the price, but still light, much faster, has DVD drive, and decent webcam.

i can constantly feel the warm air blown from the cpu vent even after just booting up. the cpu area runs VERY warm constantly. even though it's a dual core atom, it runs very slow. you'll definitely feel small lags from normal usage. i know nvidia ion is a big appeal but the atom cpu really cripples it.

i think it's a better choice to go with a core i3 and intel integrated gpu. you can't play game but it's more than enough for HD video playback.

One of the best computer purchases I've ever made. I was considering an iPad, but there were just too many things I wouldn't be able to do with it, particularly run Powerpoint and drive a projector. I had the original 900-series Eee PC netbook, but the 1024x600 screen resolution and keyboard were just too small. I decided what I needed was one step above a netbook, and the 12.1-inch Eee PC Seashell seemed to fit the bill perfectly. I've now had it for several months, I never go anywhere without it, and it's absolutely wonderful. Screen readability, keyboard feel, and battery life are all just terrific, and the price was unbeatable. I could not be happier with the Eee PC 1201PN.

Lugging a 6 lb HP laptop around was getting REALLY old, and I wanted to get a lighter netbook for commuting. The smaller units were too small, and I chose the Eee PC1201 because it has a larger screen and keyboard than the "mini netbooks", and at 3.2 lb, is about half the weight of my HP laptop...

The Seashell is almost perfect - light weight, good styling, good performance, excellent resolution, good connectivity and a decent price.

My only minor gripe is that the 90 deg angle of the charger plug makes running the power cord awkward, and the small diameter of the power supply pin looks like it could be bent easily...

Overall, I am very pleased with this unit and recommend it for someone wanting a "grown up" netbook... At the current price, it is a great deal... ASUS hit a home run IMO...