UK ASUS Eee 900s come with stunted battery, longer warranty

So according to El Reg, it turns out ASUS is selling its Eee 900 laptops in the UK with 4400mAh batteries -- quite a bit smaller than the 5800mAh batteries that come in the US version. It's insult to injury when you consider that the larger screen necessarily sucks down more juice than on the 700 series, but ASUS explains that overseas users get a tradeoff in exchange: UK warranties last two years, supposedly longer than their US counterparts (although to be fair, we've heard of retailers listing the US Eee's warranty at two years as well). Caveat emptor, and all that.

[Saukki @ May 24th 2008 10:24AM]

The only reason for Asus to have 2 year warranty in the UK is EU regulations. Because of EU regulations shorter than 2 year warranty doesn't make any sense, since manufacturer would still be responsible if something happen, no matter of the warranty.

[sockatume @ May 24th 2008 12:01PM]

And that's even before we get to the SOGA, which makes the retailer responsible for ensuring the product is "fit for purpose" and covers reliability.

[Øivind @ May 24th 2008 1:42PM]

In some countries getting the Eee, legislation extends the "warranty" to up to 5 years, but I'm pretty sure Asus won't sell machines with a 5 year warranty there.

[madeforidiots @ May 24th 2008 1:45PM]

What's the point in extending the warranty when most warranty documentation doesn't cover the battery?

[Wwhat @ May 25th 2008 6:12AM]

The question becomes: does the same EU regulations cause the worse battery? maybe it has other safety standards or material limitations, or it's the RoH manufacturing requirement making the US batteries unavailable for use in the EU.

[Todd @ May 24th 2008 10:36AM]

Why has Engadget turned in the Eee blog??

[Aguiluz @ May 24th 2008 10:48AM]

If it has turned to an Eee blog, explain the red bathtub. Why did they post it?

It depends on the bloggers.

[Genjinaro @ May 24th 2008 10:49AM]

Umm........What tech blog "hasn't?"

*Eee FTW*

[derX @ May 24th 2008 11:15AM]

It turned into the Eee blog precisely on Jan 24, 2008 at 3:24:56 am PST.

[mark @ May 24th 2008 11:21AM]

they've run out of apple news :P

[YoMomma @ May 24th 2008 6:18PM]

or an Apple Blog?

[Technex @ May 24th 2008 10:41AM]

You sir, are a retard.

[ps @ May 24th 2008 10:46AM]

I’d consider your statement an insult to the retard community.

[bartoron @ May 24th 2008 10:57AM]

How does getting a slightly longer warranty make up for having less battery life?

Oh that's right, it doesn't.

[Andrew @ May 24th 2008 11:00AM]

So - more expensive and with a shorter battery life? Asus really are doing their best to help me choose between this and the MSI Wind!

[King Mustard @ May 24th 2008 11:12AM]

I had my heart set on an Eee PC until I heard this. Wind it is :)

[Cal @ May 24th 2008 12:13PM]

Well they'd already priced their way out of me buying one, but here's another reason for me not to get an Eee...

[Blaine Oliver @ May 25th 2008 4:40AM]

I was going to buy an EEE, now im buying a wind, asus have screwed me over for the last time.

[w @ May 24th 2008 11:08AM]

saukki is rigth, they aren't offering anything; two years warranty is a eu law requirement.

[Wonderkid @ May 24th 2008 11:08AM]

I own a 7" EEE PC, and it is built like a tank. Solid state of course helps. I expect it to last way longer than any of my PowerBook or MacBooks, each of which has been in for repair at least 3 times each under warranty. Back to Asus, they had a one shot wonder with the 7" and have blown it with both the new 9" models (inc Atom). a) They promised a touch screen on the 9" (Remember?) b) There is no Bluetooth, an essential (ESSENTIAL) requirement for syncing ones mobile phone with Thunderbird or other PIM. Not to mention getting online if you don't have an HSDPA dongle. c) The limited battery life renders the whole idea pointless. The 3 hours on my 7" is just enough. The 2 year warranty is pointless because the machine is reliable by default, so this is a pure gimick. Launch the 9" Atom with Linux, Touch Screen, Bluetooth and at least a 3 Hour battery and I'll flog my 7" and buy one.

[wabguard-email @ May 24th 2008 11:09AM]

Promised $199 Eee Anyone?

Yeah thought not :)

[Hackius @ May 24th 2008 11:13AM]

I don't get it. My 15 inch 3 year old laptop that's got 1.6Ghz Centrino platform could get 3.5 up to 4 hours of uptime with a 4400mAh battery.

Why does the EEE last less with a slower CPU, smaller screen and SSD and no optical drive?

[Squish @ May 24th 2008 12:50PM]

Uh-huh...and what kind of battery does it have again?

[Hackius @ May 24th 2008 12:55PM]

4400mAh lithium battery

[matt jones @ May 24th 2008 11:19AM]

The Aussie one you buy online from ASUS,

http://www.asusnotebook.com.au/1095_ASUS-eee-PC-900-White-Notebook-Intel-CeleronM-900MHz-with-Win-XP-Home.php

Says a 4 cell battery up to 3 hours, but no reference that I can find as to which battery that is. But interestingly the XP and the Linux both have a combined 20GB of Hard drive space. The Linux being $50 cheaper.

[Mr Corsini @ May 24th 2008 11:26AM]

typical, the uk always get F***ed over. I have to agree though asus have really made some very stupid moves in my mind. Putting poor battery life in a product like this, is simply inexcussbale IMO. It's supposed to be ULTARAPORTABLE! Not ultraportable (but you must carry a power supply and be near a power socket to get any descent usage time).

I can see Asus loosing a lot of market share once the competition show their stuff. As people have mentioned before the 701 was a revolutionay product for the price point. The 900 and the 901 are just looking like a rip off when you consider what the likes of Msi and the rest have got in mind

[John Bailey @ May 24th 2008 8:15PM]

Seems more like the marketing department don't quite know what to do with this product. Either that, or the Eee has had it's retail price miscalculated somehow.

First they charge more for the Linux version than the Windows version.. but only in Australia, because the Linux one has more storage just like everywhere else.

Now a reduced battery in the UK to make up for the extra year guarantee. Even though the same guarantee is available elsewhere with the better battery.

I'm waiting for them to announce charging more in Belgium on wet Tuesdays but adding a bluetooth dongle because you can use the touch pad with either hand.

[crazyboy @ May 24th 2008 11:43AM]

nice piece but i like Sony vaio more than this

[kyle @ May 24th 2008 11:54AM]

ok

[Reader @ May 24th 2008 1:26PM]

I laughed. You have a beautiful aura of stupidity around you my friend.

[Ian @ May 24th 2008 11:55AM]

This is just stupid, Asus. A shorter battery life? Why? How much does Asus save, and is it worth pissing off their customers?

[monik @ May 24th 2008 11:56AM]

that's why no one buys it!

[Matt @ May 24th 2008 12:14PM]

Umm....what?!?!






I kinda feel like maybe they sold lots and lots of these...

[KPi @ May 24th 2008 12:02PM]

Wow, I was waiting to find stock on the black one and was going to buy it asap... Not anymore...

[Richard Lai @ May 24th 2008 12:07PM]

Not the best move I've seen from Asus: when shopping most people look at the product's practicality first, and then the warranty, not the other way round.

Anyway, I believe the 900 also has a 2-year global warranty in Hong Kong (same with their entire line of laptops).

[codeo @ May 24th 2008 12:13PM]

It looks like Canada is also going to get stuck with the 4400mAh batteries (our local dealer MemoryExpress is listing them here: http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX20992(ME).aspx ). But it looks like Canada only gets the one year warranty (6 months on the battery) . Maybe ASUS is just trying to dump their stock of 4400mAh batteries that they initially tried to sell in Hong Kong before recalling them as "a mistake"?

[Chris2 @ May 24th 2008 12:45PM]

Ahahaha originality :-)

[Blaine Oliver @ May 24th 2008 2:07PM]

Well actually it does, considering the size, yes it would fit in, may make it bulge a bit, but it would fit.

[tiuk @ May 24th 2008 3:29PM]

Awesome, another massive Eee mistake by Asus.

[eggothewaffle @ May 24th 2008 3:42PM]

It's almost as if Asus is doing MSI's marketing for them/

[eggothewaffle @ May 24th 2008 3:42PM]

Of course, the one time I actually type in my email and password right, I make a typo :[

[Ignatius @ May 24th 2008 3:52PM]

It's fine, the truth in your words outshines the errors of your ways.

[YoYoYo @ May 24th 2008 4:01PM]

There was talk of some independent offering high-capacity 10800mah EEE 2G and 4G batteries, and they do appear to be interchangeable:
"Fortunately, though, the 701 and 900 batteries appear to be interchangeable, despite the slight voltage difference. The 701 battery is rated at 7.2 volts, whereas the 900 battery comes in at 7.4 volts, thus improving its actual energy storage capacity a little. Despite this, when swapped, both machines were happy to start up using the other’s battery, so I imagine I’ll be using the 701’s bigger capacity battery with the 900 for the time being."
-http://www.eeeuser.com/2008/05/04/eeeusercom-eeepc-900-in-depth-review/

By the way - I can positively confirm that my Linux/20GB PC900 from Dynamism in the US did ship with a 5800mah. They ship to Britain.

http://search.stores.ebay.co.uk/Uright-Youre-right-Laptop-Battery_eee_W0QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ3QQfsnZUrightQ2dYouQ27reQ20rightQ21LaptopQ20BatteryQQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsaselZ274490142QQsofpZ0

[YoYoYo @ May 24th 2008 9:38PM]

http://cgi.ebay.com/10400mAh-Battery-for-ASUS-eee-PC-701-900-Surf-White_W0QQitemZ320254357367QQihZ011QQcategoryZ158848QQcmdZViewItem

Apparently someone's got legit-looking pics of such a battery in a PC900. Wish someone would review it/vouch for the manufacturer/sell it through normal channels. I'm awfully tempted to get one in spite of having the larger US battery

[Saad @ May 24th 2008 5:42PM]

Asus is getting too cockey - what happened $120 a laptop?

[sinai @ May 24th 2008 6:55PM]

i agree, asus has turned a modest success in their Eee PC (still, after all these months, a stupid, stupid name), and now they think they are some sort of trailblazing company.

reminds me a lot of motorola after their RAZR v3 came out.

[shade360 @ May 24th 2008 6:57PM]

Strange that in Italy they also get the 2 year warranty - and the larger 5800 battery...

please explain that Mr Asus?

lol

[Baz @ May 25th 2008 9:25AM]

Interesting.

Bought my Eee 701 'way back' at the beginning of November here in Canada (Canada Computers) as part of the first re-stock they received - and it came with both the 5800 battery and a 2 year warranty from ASUS.

Aside from the rather clunky OS they used, the device has delivered better than expected - a situation that has seemed less certain with subsequent releases of Eee (if other forum sites are anything to go by) as they tweak, scrimp, save and distance themselves from many responsibilities to the product.

[sinai @ May 24th 2008 7:11PM]

why aren't these retards banned?

[Mr Groom @ May 24th 2008 7:27PM]

well, AU buyers, that link is over AU$700, you can get them for $540 from http://www.itestate.com.au