Hands-on with the 9-inch Eee PC

If you hadn't guessed from the headline, and as rumored just an hour ago, there's 9-inches of LCD on this thing. Actually, 8.9, but who's counting? We found out that and a few other little tidbits about this Eee PC "New Generation" at the ASUS booth just now, but for the most part the 9-inch Eee PC is quite similar to its 7-inch forebearer. Anything past that ASUS is saving for tomorrow's press event when this laptop will become officially official, but whatever they end up calling it (Eee PC 900 is rumored), it's certainly for real. The battery impact of the new display is said to be "negligible," with 2.5 to 3 hours of battery quoted. ASUS wouldn't let us turn it on since it's all so very secret at the moment, but they did confirm some release details. The 9-inch Eee will hit in the "middle" of 2008, with that €399 pricetag for the 12GB version, but other capacities available (we saw an 8GB on display). No word yet on US pricing, but we're trying to pry it out of them.

Gallery: Hands-on with the new 9-inch Eee PC

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

[aardvark sandwich @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:53AM]

finally

[Joe @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:53AM]

Joy!

[Chuckles McGee @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:13PM]

"9-inch Eee"...that's what she said

[ijyt @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:54AM]

Now that I might buy, if the U2E turns out to be too expensive. (Anything over £1,000 then Eee 900 it is.)

[ijyt @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:55AM]

And I think it's a damn sight prettier than the 7 inch. I just hated the plastic around the screen.

[Alex R @ Mar 4th 2008 4:15PM]

"Anything over £1000"? What is so great about the Eee PC? It seems too small and pathetic. And it really hasn't taken off AT ALL here in the UK as much as it sounds like it has in the US. Is it actually really popular? Or is it only popular with tech-savvy people like Engadget readers?

[ijyt @ Mar 6th 2008 1:09PM]

a) It's cheap.
b) It's small.
c) It's light.
d) All I need it for is Word etc, so it's perfect for school when you take the above into account.


If I want to play games, I have my desktop, PS3 and Wii.

[eggothewaffle @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:54AM]

Simply brilliant.

(Hopefully!)

[Chris @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:56AM]

I'm buying it the moment its $399

[Drew @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:55AM]

Wow, now this was unexpected. Good job Engadget.
So, price drop on the old 7 inch eeePC? say oh I don't know $199?

[Craig White @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:55AM]

Glad I've held out on picking up the 7 inch version.

[Hero @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:58AM]

I'm so glad I waited it out.

[Chebwa @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:25PM]

Hopefully we won't be waiting even longer for other colors. White? C'mon...

[NG @ Mar 3rd 2008 1:14PM]

thats crap
you can't wait for technology, after this 9" there's another slimmer 9" or another 9" with longer battery life anyway

same old same old, if you need it, buy it.

[Mush @ Mar 3rd 2008 1:22PM]

no touch screen? damn o wells if its 399 ill still get it =D and hopefully battery life is good(3~4 hrs hopefully)

[Chebwa @ Mar 3rd 2008 1:37PM]

"you can't wait for technology, after this 9" there's another slimmer 9" or another 9" with longer battery life anyway"

Yeah, but this wasn't a matter of a simple upgrade that people could have done without, like a few more mhz or a slightly longer battery or what have you. The different between 7 and 9 inches is immense (that's what she said) as far as readability and usability go. The Eee PC has gone from a novelty act to a decent ultraportable competitor now. It was absolutely worth waiting for the extra size, and if you're holding onto a 7" model I can see no real reason not to sell it and eat some of the cost leftover for a 9" model.

[Geir E @ Mar 3rd 2008 1:48PM]

technology.. improvements..

you know it is a low cost laptop you are talking about? the technology that is in it, is what was hot around ten years ago mixed with some contemporary goodies.

But I would buy it if I was in the target group. probably a great little gadget for easy tasks.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 6:43PM]

NG is probably mad that his 7 inch eee doesn't have a big enough screen

[Ben @ Mar 4th 2008 2:02PM]

Geir E,

It's really sweet that you and many others like you think the relentless march of the processor is the only thing that's important in technology. Sure, we had computers this powerful years ago, but they weren't this small, and they weren't this cheap.

I'm going to New York in early April, (I live in the UK) so I really hope it's out by then, although I doubt it. Most people have been saying it's going to be around $400 - $600, which for me is £200 - £300! I love our exchange rate...

[atrain @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:56AM]

But how much will it cost?

[ijyt @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:03PM]

400 Euros is 600 dollars, so probably that or a hundred below. I don't quite get the exchange rate.

[gemi @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:19PM]

399€ normally ist 399$. At least it's the other way round: The 701 is 299$, right? It's 299€ over here. Don't know if you have to add VAT to that pricetag. In europe it's included.

[Spyvie @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:29PM]

You can get a fully functional 14" lappy with a dual core Turion, a 250G HDD, 2G of mem, and a licenced copy of Vista for about $650.

Of course the "real" PC is bigger

[Walid Dahdal @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:56AM]

i am typing this on myy eee pc. I would definitely like a little bigger screen but that would compromise the portability of this little machine and more important the price!

[ijyt @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:04PM]

It's the same size.

[Walid Dahdal @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:08PM]

what!!! thats not good...for me

[dale_nx26 @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:09PM]

haha, good one. seriously what's up with the screen in current gen. so fugly. this new one makes it look like a macbook. i like. i might buy one come college. perfect for note-taking-typing.

[ijyt @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:10PM]

7 inch one is ugly with the plasticy crap around the screen.

[Mix @ Mar 3rd 2008 3:37PM]

The nine inch version will be housed in the same case as the current Eee. That plastic "crap" around the current version is the speakers.

[kr @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:34PM]

@ijyt

Its a bigger casing, go look in the galleries.

[webon @ Mar 4th 2008 12:29AM]

Not just the galleries but the article itself

[giuliop @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:58AM]

Now just give me a damned pointing stick.

[L @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:58AM]

Still only 800x480?

[Brodie @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:07PM]

That would be a deal-breaker right there. I'd like to see a higher resolution on this thing.

[rob @ Mar 3rd 2008 1:30PM]

it is 1024 x 600

[EdMercer @ Mar 3rd 2008 3:13PM]

@rob

You positive ? The major drawback in the original Eee for me is the screen, not only it's size, but also the resolution... If they bump it to 1024x600 I'm sold.

[Zach @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:05PM]

everywhere i've read says 1024 / 600, though is that a native resolution for XP? i heard chatter of people having to scroll their installs of xp on the 7 inch screen.

[gemi @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:00PM]

I'm so happy to get my 7'' Modell tomorrow. Everyone will have those new 9'' windows ready 2Gig super eees - But mine will be the original. Though i don't expect asus to get some of them to Germany before the end of 2009. ;)

[Tonnica @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:03PM]

Okay, this upgrade to size has got me curious. I'm super nearsighted so I gave the 7" a miss because it was just a little bit too small for me to see without jamming up my nose.

Dear, sweet EEE early adopters, can you tell me what the keyboard is like for extended duration of typing? I'm hankering for a laptop, UMPC, or other device to do writing on while I take the train and desire your delicious knowledge through experience. Is the EEE any good for typing five page documents at a go on? And for that matter would the 9" edition be any better?

[c_henry @ Mar 3rd 2008 2:49PM]

It's quite small, initially it's a little difficult to type on but you get used to it after a while. I find I just keep typing and use the spell checker to correct my typos at the end of the document, much the same way as you'd do anyway.

I bought the 7" a week ago, I suppose I should be kicking myself (and I am a little) but that's life.

[Teetdogs @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:42PM]

As the proud owner of a 4G galaxy, I must say the keyboard does take a bit of getting used to, but there is a pretty small learing curve. If you plan on typing a 20 page paper or something I would look elsewhere or to an external keyboard, if your just browsing around or typing small documents its great. The 7 inch screen isn't as bad as you would think it is, again it takes some getting used to esspecially if you switch back and forth from a desktop screen to the eee like I do. I personally love my eee and wouldn't trade it for the world, everyone I know that has tried mine out has purchased at least one, in a few cases they got them for the whole family. So in closing if you want a super mobile laptop for browsing, typing small documents, watching a movie while travelling the eee is a great choice, a bit of advice is do some reading at forum.eeeuser.com and get to know the eee before you buy one.

[emailtabs @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:53PM]

Tonnica,

The keyboard is fine for writing. though a five page report sounds a little daunting. you will have to learn the art of not using your little fingers but once you've had one for a while you won't notice the difference.

If you tyake the plunge and get one i promise that you will forever more laugh at the sheer size of current lappies.

Its worth it.

Additional -- Add a touchscreen kit. it has changed the way i use my eee and makes it even more specialer!

[Teetdogs @ Mar 3rd 2008 1:12PM]

@ emailtabs

How hard was it to install the touchscreen? I have been wanting to do this but wanted some advice before I go voiding warrenties.

[emailtabs @ Mar 3rd 2008 1:49PM]

Teetdog,

not sure how to pm on engadget. i bought the kit from linitx.

The screen is a perfect fit with no bulging whatsoever.

The controller card on the other hand was a bit of a nightmare. i have it hooked up to the cam wires and in the screen bezel. i had to trim the connectors and a couple of pins poke 1.5mm out the bottom.

i moved my lhs speaker down as far as it could go and stripped all the stray plastic. the card now fits but its still to deep. what i did (not recommended) was to get a knife and hack the plastic below the pins until they fit in the carved trough. (carefully)..

It looks horrible but with the bezel back on you would never know.

the screen is brilliant and i would recommend it to all.

check out the forums on http://www.eeeuser.com/
but please remember to use search before posting.

[ET @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:08PM]

Make it a tablet and add $100 to it and I will take it .

[Gremlin @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:08PM]

$500 for a sub-laptop is pushing it...

[Simon Richards @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:10PM]

WHAT. IS. THE. SCREEN. RESOLUTION?

[ijyt @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:12PM]

Still 800x480, apparently.

[Gremlin @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:15PM]

weak sauce ijyt!

[SimonRichards @ Mar 3rd 2008 12:16PM]

wow. then what the hell is the point of upping the screen size?! asus, you fail.