Netbook test: Asus, Samsung and Toshiba

A further update of our netbook survey today: you have to say it, they're all very similar from a technical point of view. The key components, including the Intel Atom processor, are to be found in all the machines and the differences are rather to do with aspects such as design, build and aesthetic with battery life also an important factor of choice.
 
The manufacturers of these models, very much aware of the situation, are all playing the design card. Here are the products tested:

- Asus Eee PC 1008 HA: slim and light (1.1 Kg), this 10 inch model is, according to Asus, inspired by one of nature’s most beautiful creations: the seashell.

- Asus Eee PC 1005 HA: thicker than the 1008HA, this computer has been designed with the same aesthetic in mind and adds, thanks to its extra weight, several hours of very useful battery life.

- Toshiba NB200: after a first failure with the NB100, Toshiba is back with a much more successful model. This machine is a big step up.

- Samsung NC10 agnès b.: an exact copy, in technical terms, of the best selling NC10, this model’s cover is stamped with the designer's famous salamander and some of her favourite photos are installed as screensavers.

- Samsung N310: Audacious, minimalist, vintage looking and robust, the NC310 stands out from the glossy-black-with-a-bit-of-aluminium standard.

 

These five netbooks now join the ranks of our ever-increasing netbook survey.

Product survey: Netbooks