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Asus S101, The MacBook Air that You Can Actually Afford

R

riz78612

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 29, 2007
119
0
http://gizmodo.com/5058853/more-info-on-the-asus-s101-the-macbook-air-that-you-can-actually-afford



It's been a while since an Asus product has rocked our world—we think the last time must have been the Eee—but the Atom-powered SSD-based Asus S101 looks amazing for its price—even better than we thought before. Just 2.2lbs and a tapering .7 inches thin (a bit thicker than the Air), its 10.2" LED screen runs at WSVGA (1024x600) resolution. And with 802.11n, ethernet port, Bluetooth, multitouch trackpad, 4-in-1 card reader, 20GB of free online storage and high quality speakers, the S101 packs plenty of useful features—though it only has 1GB of RAM and appears to have the same fatal flaw as the MacBook Air. Yes, the S101 uses a non-replaceable, 5-hour polymer battery.

OK, now that we're done with the specs, how much does the thing cost? It's just cheap enough to be exciting, but not quite as impulse-buyable as the original Eee.

16GB SSD, 16GB SD, Windows XP
$699

32GB, Linux
$699

64GB, Linux
$799

The only catch is obviously that XP is not included in the better configurations. But still, if this rendering is in any way accurate, it looks like Asus may have knocked one out of the park, again.
 

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C

cube

Suspended
May 10, 2004
17,011
4,973
XP is not included because, as you said, those configurations are *better*. There is no catch.
 
A

aleksandra.

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2008
674
0
Warsaw, Poland
riz78612 said:
[
It's been a while since an Asus product has rocked our world—we think the last time must have been the Eee—but the Atom-powered SSD-based Asus S101 looks amazing for its price—even better than we thought before. Just 2.2lbs and a tapering .7 inches thin (a bit thicker than the Air), its 10.2" LED screen runs at WSVGA (1024x600) resolution. And with 802.11n, ethernet port, Bluetooth, multitouch trackpad, 4-in-1 card reader, 20GB of free online storage and high quality speakers, the S101 packs plenty of useful features—though it only has 1GB of RAM and appears to have the same fatal flaw as the MacBook Air. Yes, the S101 uses a non-replaceable, 5-hour polymer battery.
Click to expand...

How can one say it's an "affordable Air" when it has much smaller screen (kills it for me) and ULV (or performance) processor? It is much closer to netbooks than it is to Air. I'm not saying it's bad, I can't know that obviously, but it isn't in the same category. I must admit it looks nice on the outside though, wonder where they had put ports. I'll look for photos of champagne and graphite versions.
 
elppa

elppa

macrumors 68040
Nov 26, 2003
3,233
151
It's thin, but it doesn't have a full size keyboard or screen of the Air, the footprint of the original EEE PC or the performance and spec of something like a VAIO TT.

So it is something of nothing really.

I give it a week after release for OS X Leopard installation.
 
A

aleksandra.

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2008
674
0
Warsaw, Poland
Samarium said:
Please post here if you find something. :)
Click to expand...

Will take some time... what a pity they've apparently shown only brown one up to now ;).

Anyway, I assumed specification from gizmodo was accurate, but since they're apparently wrong about thickness (albeit slightly), they might be wrong about colors (I didn't see the colors listed anywhere else). I'd still like to see a laptop of this shape in graphite. Must be nice.

Edit: You know, I don't care. Every site says something different, and I can't even find a mention of it on Asus'. You'd think it's a Mac to have everyone speculate so :p. (I still wouldn't mind a black/graphite Air, though).
 
P

PlaceofDis

macrumors Core
Jan 6, 2004
19,241
6
i quite like it.
this is more true to the concept of an ultraportable.

provided thats not the only color i'd consider one.
 
mkrishnan

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
So I thought originally this was not going to be Eee branded (Asus is crazy!) but it looks like now it will be. I'd seriously consider this one to replace my EeePC 701 when the time comes (it'll actually be a year old soon!).
 
Abstract

Abstract

macrumors Penryn
Dec 27, 2002
24,888
921
Location Location Location
This really is just a fancy looking netbook, but at a higher price.


I've tried pretty much every netbook except the MSI Wind, and the HP Mini-note is my favourite by far. If you're going to go for "pretty" and "useful", may as well pay for that one once they upgrade to the Via Nano cpu, which is much faster than the Atom anyway.
 
I

illutionz

macrumors 65816
Oct 2, 2007
1,339
49
Rhode Island
My MSI Wind is also 10" but with 80GB HDD and 2GB RAM, 6 cell battery... for $500... and OSX Installed too...

Now, 10" is small enough that we do not need a THIN netbook essentially...
 
R

riz78612

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 29, 2007
119
0
but it looks sexy when it is thin.

and with a bronze or graphite colour wow...HOT..!

cant wait to get one of these babies..
 
Digital Skunk

Digital Skunk

macrumors G3
Dec 23, 2006
8,100
930
In my imagination
aleksandra. said:
How can one say it's an "affordable Air" when it has much smaller screen (kills it for me) and ULV (or performance) processor? It is much closer to netbooks than it is to Air. I'm not saying it's bad, I can't know that obviously, but it isn't in the same category. I must admit it looks nice on the outside though, wonder where they had put ports. I'll look for photos of champagne and graphite versions.
Click to expand...

riz78612 said:
but it looks sexy when it is thin.

and with a bronze or graphite colour wow...HOT..!

cant wait to get one of these babies..
Click to expand...

Agreed, Asus just took a netbook and stretched it out. It's not even coming close to an Air. BUT, I'd take this book over the Dell Mini 9 any day. Having a slightly larger screen for $100 more would be nice.

Asus can keep their 20GB of online storage however.
 
Metuas

Metuas

macrumors regular
Aug 1, 2008
133
0
Under a rock.
The niche for MacBook Air users isn't necessarily netbook users. My father uses a MacBook Air because he wanted a) a large screen, b) a very light computer, and c) the fastest computer of that size. A 10-inch 1024x600 isn't going to do it for him. He wanted a 13-inch screen, cutting it down to the ridiculously expensive Lenovo X300, the Voodoo Envy, or the MacBook Air. With the Air he got a free iPod touch and printer, plus discounted AppleCare because of the educational discount (remember, professors get it too :p).
Air ≠ netbook.
Sure, the Asus S101 looks nice, but it's not the same market.
 
M

mac jones

macrumors 68040
Apr 6, 2006
3,257
2
hehe ....I aways get a kick out of these Windows alternatives


I goes something like this....


THANK GOD Finally, somebody has saved us from the Apple's hegemony and delivered us from our parsimoniousness.

with this and a a 2 dollar Apple stick-on I will have an Air almost.

Could I safely spray paint it silver? Anyone want to sell me their Air box and certificate of authenticity? (I can't pay much)

(All joking aside, saving money IS a good Idea. But with Apple I believe you get what you pay for (and you do pay))
 
askthedust

askthedust

macrumors regular
Jan 17, 2003
134
0
enlightenment
@riz

and with a bronze or graphite colour wow...HOT..!
cant wait to get one of these babies..





are we under a bridge? cuz I smell a troll.....

macrumors newbie posting about pc laptop?
 
tobefirst ⚽️

tobefirst ⚽️

macrumors 601
Jan 24, 2005
4,612
2,335
St. Louis, MO
askthedust said:
@riz

and with a bronze or graphite colour wow...HOT..!
cant wait to get one of these babies..





are we under a bridge? cuz I smell a troll.....

macrumors newbie posting about pc laptop?
Click to expand...

Yup...I'm sure he'd wait almost a year after his first post just to troll about a computer that wasn't even out then.
 
A

akm3

macrumors 68020
Nov 15, 2007
2,252
279
That's not an 'Air you can afford', it is a completely different product category.
 
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