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The Asus Eee PC 1000HE is virtually identical to the Eee PC 1000H netbook that Asus launched in 2008. But there are three major differences:
- It has a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 CPU instead of the older 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor.
- The 1000HE has a higher capacity 8700mAh battery rather than the 6600mAh battery that you get with the 1000H.
- There’s a new keyboard design.
Visually, the only difference is the keyboard. The battery is physically the same size (although according to my postage scale, the new battery weighs a hair more than the old one). But the new keyboard uses the new Asus “chiclet” design. The keys are pretty much the same size, but the part you actually touch with your fingers has slightly more surface area. The new keyboard also features a larger shift key on the right side. And it’s been shifted to the left of the up arrow button, which should make the new keyboard much easier for touch typists to use.
Having gotten used to the Eee PC 1000H keyboard over the last few months, I found the new keyboard a little disconcerting at first. But literally, after using it for about three minutes I found the new keyboard just as easy, if not easier to use than the older version.
I’ll share more thoughts on the Eee PC 1000HE over the next few days, and I hope to have a full review sometime next week. In the meantime, click the picture above for a higher resolution version of the photo, or check out the closeup of the new keyboard after the break.
You can read more about the Asus Eee PC 1000HE in the Liliputing Product Database. You can also order one for for $374 from Amazon
Thanks for the extra information about the H versus HE keyboards. I suspected there must not be too much wrong with the chiclet keys or they wouldn’t be used on so many popular and expensive laptops these days (as DG also notes 🙂 The low price of this thing and all the EEE features make it tempting.
I am receiving my 1000HE today. I bought it instead of the Samsung NC10 Special Edition because Samsung removed multi-touch from the trackpad. Also, it’s difficult to justify the $500 price on NC10 SE (that’s Amazon’s $469 price + tax). $375 for a netbook is a better deal, which would become outdated technology in a year. (Single-core Atom processors will easily be replaced by the dual-core equivalents in a few years.)
Also, $500 is hard to justify when you can get a full notebook with DVD drive and dual-core processor for the same price (even though it’s not small like a netbook, and long battery life)
I’m sure these new style keyboards must be OK, because they’re increasingly being used on top-dollar laptops and desktops and no-one’s complaining. But why the new name? Surely they are “calculator buttons”… Does that not sound classy enough? I remember older 8-bit home computers being laughed at for having them. What goes around, comes around.
Looking forward to hearing more about it. I’m amazed more laptop manufacturers don’t put a second Fn key by the arrow keys as Asus smartly did here. That’s how my little old Vaio is set up, and it always astonished me how few manufacturers realize how helpful it is to be able to Fn+Up or Down to page through long docs one-handed. It’s even more important with a netbook, where you’re more likely to be holding the unit in your other hand.
LoL, I didn’t even notice the second Fn Key, thanks for pointing it out!
My brother just got this netbook and it is great. They keyboard is very comfortable, and the battery life is great. Highly recommended.