Asus Eee Top ET1602 review

Eee Top defined the nettop genre, and when we first looked at this chunky little model at the end of last year we found its unpretentious ways endearing. But the budget PC market moves very quickly, and next to rival nettops from Advent and MSI the Eee Top is starting to look rather old hat.

The most obvious problem is the screen. Asus doesn't publish official specs for the TFT panel, but you can see at-a-glance that the contrast and brightness are appalling, with everything appearing drab and washed out. At 15.6in it's also this month's smallest display, and the restrictive design gives you very little scope to adjust its viewing position.

The Eee Top's screen does have one trick up its sleeve - it's touch-sensitive, and Asus provides a finger-friendly front end to Windows XP Home, which lets you launch common applications without the need for a keyboard and mouse. It's a bit of a gimmick, though: most applications are ill-suited to touch control.

Performance is no better or worse than the other Atom-based nettops. A 2D benchmark score of 0.37 means Windows is just usable, but the weedy GMA950 graphics mean any game more demanding than Solitaire is likely to be out of reach. You can't even relax with a DVD, as Asus has left out the optical drive - which also means installing new applications could be a pain.

In this price-conscious market, the Eee Top's price tag isn't to be dismissed. It's undermined slightly by a higher power drain than that of the Advent; but not too many years ago less versatile PCs were coming in at four figures, so when you're getting a workable PC system for less than £350 exc VAT - and a two-year warranty - it's hard to kvetch. The choice of black or white finish is a cherry on top.

All the same, the ropey screen and the lack of a DVD drive make the Asus look a distinctly lesser choice than its competitors. If budget is your sole concern, by all means jump aboard the Eee express, but if you plan to make regular use of your nettop the Eee Top could prove a false economy.

Author: Darien Graham-Smith