ASUS Eee PC 1215N

The addition of Nvidia's Optimus graphics technology makes this the best 12-inch notebook you can get under $500.

With each generation, 12-inch Ion netbooks are edging closer to their Pinocchio-like aspirations of becoming real notebooks. The ASUS Eee PC 1215N comes the closest yet to that ideal of a sub-$500 machine that performs like systems that cost more--yet lasts even longer on a charge. That's because it's packed with a dual-core Atom processor and Nvidia's Optimus graphics-switching technology

. Not only that, the 1215N features an improved design that makes it more comfortable to use for extended periods of time. Power and portability in an inexpensive package? Wish no longer.

Design

The 1215N looks very similar to the 1201PN (and the 1201N, for that matter) but comes with some welcome enhancements. The laptop is slightly heavier than previous iterations, at 3.4 pounds (compared to 3.2 for the 1201PN), but remains very easy to carry. Gone is the glossy black exterior; the 1215N has a matte finish that doesn't pick up fingerprints as easily as its predecessor--but you'll still notice them after a few days of use. Chrome accents are also sparse: The power button, mouse bar, and two strips outlining the touchpad are the only metallic trim on this handsome machine.

Like the 1201PN, the left side of the 1215N houses a VGA port, tiny AC adapter jack, HDMI output, and a USB 2.0 port, as well as a memory card slot (the latter was formerly on the right side). On the right are two more USB ports, headphone and mic jacks, an Ethernet port, and a Kensington Lock slot.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The keyboard is also unchanged from the 1201PN; it's quite comfortable to use and offers pretty good feedback. However, the right Shift key is slightly undersized, and there's a bit too much flex for our liking. If ASUS were to get rid of the Home, PgUp, PgDn, and End keys along the right side, it would leave room for a larger Right Shift key. We also wish Asus would invert the function keys and make them direct action keys (for things like adjusting the brightness and volume).

The most noticeable change to the inside is that the touchpad is no longer dimpled, a trademark feature of ASUS notebooks for some time. Rather, the smooth surface is the same as the rest of the keyboard deck but is very low friction, making it easy to maneuver. We especially like that the touchpad is a good deal larger than before--3.3 x 1.9 inches versus 2.5 x 1.3 inches on the 1201PN. This made multitouch gestures, such as pinch to zoom, much easier to execute. The touch button, too, is much larger, now measuring 3.4 inches wide, up from 2.5 inches. However, it still remains a single button, and is slightly stiff.

Heat

The 1215N remained very cool during our testing. After playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, the touchpad area was just 79 degrees Fahrenheit, the area between the G and H keys was 82, and bottom of the system got up to 90. All are well below what we consider uncomfortable--95 degrees and higher--although the bottom next to the vent reached 105 degrees.

Display, Speakers, and Webcam

The 1366 x 768-pixel display on the 1215N is bright and crisp, though you have to tilt the lid back a bit to get the best picture, and horizontal viewing angles could be better. The 720p videos streamed from YouTube were detailed and smooth, as were 480p TV shows on Hulu.

The dual speakers underneath the front lip of the 1215N delivered plenty of volume, though we noticed that the sound got muffled when we moved the netbook from the desk to our lap.

The 0.3-MP webcam is improved from before; while our face looked a little pallid on Skype, it wasn't pixilated, and the image was fairly bright. A new addition is a little sliding cover that physically blocks the webcam, for those times when you'd prefer others not to see you.