Our apologies for the brief history lesson, but it's actually quite important in understanding why ASUS' second generation of the 1201N is such a big deal. The 1215N has a Pine Trail 1.8GHz dual-core Atom D525 processor and NVIDIA's Ion 2 with Optimus, which no longer requires the GPU to be running the entire time and saves battery power. The $500 rig (though we're seeing it on sale for as much as $599) is still on the pricey side for a "netbook," but promises 1080p playback, seven hours of battery life and a 250GB hard drive. So, does the 1215N correct all the wrongs of the 1201N and live up to the "netbook powerhouse" title that ASUS has given it? And more importantly can it compete with some of the newer thin and light laptops, like the Dell Inspiron M101z? We found out, and we're assuming you want to as well in our full review after the break.
he handful of 12-inch laptops currently available owes much more of their design heritage to 10- and 11-inch Netbooks than to the 13-inch laptops that are equally close in screen size (but going the other way). That means the Eee PC 1215N has a distinct Netbook-like feel, with a black plastic body (in a mix of glossy and matte finishes) and a gently tapered design that's slightly higher in the back to accommodate the battery.
It's a perfectly acceptable look, but one that also feels like a bit of a throwback after the recent Eee PC redesign in the 1018p model, which wowed us with its thin metallic body.
ASUS Eee PC 1215N Specifications:
* Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit)
* Intel Atom D525 Dual Core Processor 1.8GHz (1MB L2 cache)
* 2GB DDR3 RAM (800MHz)
* 250GB 5400 rpm SATA HDD plus 500GB Online Storage
* 12.1-inch diagonal WXGA (1366x768)
* NVIDIA ION with Optimus
* 0.3 megapixel webcam
* Realtek 802.11 B/G/N Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
* 4-in-1 media card slot
* 11.65 x 8.19 x 1.31
* 3lbs 3.5oz (not including weight of AC adapter)
* 6-cell Lithium-Ion battery (5200mAh, 56Wh)
* One-year standard warranty
* MSRP: $499.99
