Asus Eee PC900 vs HP Mini-Note vs MSI Wind
3 months is an eternity in the tech industry. Back then, I was contemplating whether to go for the Asus Eee PC900 or the ECS G10IL. Today, the Eee PC900 is retailing for ($798) at major outlets, but the ECS G10IL is still nowhere to be seen. Since then, new entrants such as the HP Mini-note ($999), and the soon to be released MSI Wind ($799 Pre-order $829 retail) have emerged as compelling alternative to the Eee PC900.
So which one is best for you? I have provided some great resources which will give you insights to aid your decision making.
ASUS Eee PC900
The Good - Established brand in the UMPC category. First to market, leading to a larger selection of third-party accessories. Multi touch trackpad. Uses Solid State Drive (SSD) for enhanced performance and durability. 3 x USB port. Wide selection of colors to suit individual. Cheapest among the three.
The Bad - Cramped keyboard. “Old” Celeron M processor. Design and built quality feels “cheap”. No Bluetooth integrated.
HP Mini-Note
The Good - HP is the largest PC maker in the world. Superb design and built quality. Best keyboard for UMPC in the market. Uses 2.5″HDD for increased storage space. Bluetooth integrated. Resolution of 1280 x 768. After sales support in Singapore should not be an issue.
The Bad - Lowest performances among the three. Uses the “old” Via C7 processor instead of upcoming Isaish based processor. Only 2 X USB port. Pricey when compared to the others.
MSI Wind
The Good - Uses Intel Atom processor. 10″ screen. Uses 2.5″HDD. Near full size keyboard. 3 x USB port. Bluetooth integrated. Excellent value.
The Bad - Biggest and heaviest among the three. MSI is relatively unknown to the mainstream market. After sales support not as strong. If the “Wind” proves to be unsuccessful, then MSI may withdraw from the market.
CONCLUSION
Ignoring the technical specifications, the HP Mini-Note stands out with its superb design, built quality and keyboard as the clear winner. And this is what I will likely recommend to the mainstream market to go for because HP is an established company in Singapore and any issues or support will definitely be answered.
What I will be getting is the MSI Wind, reasons being the 10″ screen, 3 x USB port and integrated Bluetooth. The Eee PC losses out because for just $50 more, I get newer technology and a much more robust integrated solution. The only thing the Eee PC 900 have going for it is the SSD drive and the large third party accessories available. However I am very sure before long, 2.5″ SSD will become available, so I can buy it off shelf and upgrade my MSI Wind. I am comfortable with the MSI brand because my previous experiences with their mainboard and graphics cards are largely positive, although I doubt their after sales service can match that of HP.
Other noteworthy mention: Acer Aspire One and Dell Mini Inspiron. Looks like good times ahead……
Updates 2/6/08 - Specifications and pictures of the latest Asus Eee PC 901.
Updates 6/7/08 – Latest in-depth review of the MSI Wind, HP 2133, and an article of Wind vs Eee 901
Updates 12/07/08 – The Acer Aspire One is available for sale @ $699. Model: A0A110. Specs: Atom 1.6GHz, 1GB Ram, 8GB SSD, Linux, available in Blue and White. Interested?
Updates 26/07/08 – New Clip showing the physical difference of the Eee 901, MSI Wind, and HP Mini-Note
On a final note, I guess the jostling for market positioning is over. The Asus Eee PC 1000H will be the leader in the 10 inch segment at $888, with 802.11n, and 6 cell battery as its distinguishing factor. This is helped largely by the MSI Wind “no show” in the retail space, and its price of $859 with 3 cell battery.
As for the 8.9 inch segment, Acer is going to dominate the Singapore market with its wide distribution network, and its very attractive price of $699 available at all major retail outlets. As for Dell’s foray into this segment, it’s going to be a case of too little too late……
Prices quoted are in Singapore Dollars (SGD).
Neowster is short for Noel's & Esther's Own World. This is a personal hobbyist site, maintained mainly for the purpose of honing my knowledge in WordPress, and sharing useful information or knowledge to make someone's life easier. To a smaller extend, I hope to propagate the ideology of Crowdsourcing, as I see it as the best mechanism in regulating our unregulated capitalistic world, overcoming humanity's trait of greed, self interest, and fear, in arriving at the best decision. 
