ASUS Eee PC 1005HA: Refining the Netbook
by Jarred Walton on August 20, 2009 4:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Laptops
Netbook LCD Quality
One of the things we immediately noticed with the 1005HA is that the LCD looked a lot better than other laptops we've tested recently. We ran our standard LCD quality tests using ColorEyes Display Pro to investigate further. It's not the best LCD we've ever seen in a laptop -- not by a long shot -- but compared to competing netbooks the LCD certainly has some strong points.
The reason this display stands out so much from the crowd becomes immediately obvious: the contrast ratio is significantly better than any of the other netbooks we've looked at (and better than any notebook we've looked at for that matter). Contrast ratio isn't everything, but a high contrast ratio helps to avoid the washed out look we've seen on a lot of laptop LCDs lately.
The other aspects of the LCD panel aren't quite as impressive. Color accuracy is typical of most laptops, as is the color gamut. Maximum brightness is also quite dim, at just 128 nits. Combined with a glossy LCD, the low maximum brightness is something that works well indoors but will definitely present problems outdoors. If you're hoping to carry this netbook around campus and work outdoors in the commons during nice weather, you'll probably be disappointed. We'd like ASUS to boost the LCD brightness 100% (~250 nits) while maintaining the high contrast ratio, but ASUS is at the mercy of the LCD panel manufacturers. Increasing the brightness could also reduce battery life if not done properly -- even at the same 100 nits we use during testing, it's clear that not all LCD panels are created equal.
Looking at two netbooks side-by-side, i.e. the 1005HA and the M1022, the high contrast ratio makes the 1005HA look brighter than it actually is. This is part of the problem with trying to match brightness levels without using a colorimeter, and it's why we use such tools to equalize our battery life tests. For indoor use like in a home, office, or classroom, the panel on the 1005HA is noticeably better than other laptops and netbooks. We just wish it had a brighter LED backlight.
Update: As one reader pointed out, the modding community has created a utility called "EeeCTL" that allows you to tweak the backlight brightness. Using the "Ultrabright" setting the LCD will run at ~250 nits while maintaining a 1000:1 contrast ratio. Power requirements will increase quite a bit at that brightness (over 2W, which is ~33% more at idle and ~25% more in Internet use), resulting in much lower battery life, but it is a nice option for when you're working in environments that benefit from brighter LCDs. You should still be able to get around 6 hours of battery life at 250 nits while surfing the web.
41 Comments
View All Comments
Mithan - Thursday, August 20, 2009 - link
I want it for Internet, Word Processing, Email and maybe the odd crappy old game, so I dont need a killer video card.Still, 1.2 isnt enough speed..
gaiden2k7 - Thursday, August 20, 2009 - link
they do have one - it's called a mac :pand you can bootcamp W7 if you so desire
drawback? cost.
orenlevy - Thursday, August 20, 2009 - link
as i Open the New 1005 i noticed immediate the charger plug that shrink to size of mobile.it is absolute drawback case when u move the notebook when connected to charger it is so fragile connection .i already have this problem with 1 client it is too thin for notebook world.besides the surface of the touch pad
is strange if your finger little wet it is heard to controls the mouse.
that's all for now.
vlado08 - Thursday, August 20, 2009 - link
Is it possible to compare the Acer Timeline 3810T (Intel ULV Core 2 Solo SU3500) with these netbooks (Intel atom)bingeboy86 - Thursday, August 20, 2009 - link
This is a great netbook for making a hackintosh.Only annoyances are no access to the wifi card or the HD with out really taking the machine apart. Other then that I've loved it.
Here is a good read if you want to install osx on it:
http://jpmcgarrity.com/blog/index.php/2009/08/asus...">http://jpmcgarrity.com/blog/index.php/2009/08/asus...
jabber - Thursday, August 20, 2009 - link
....when I saw the vertical res was still 600 in the spec list.Visual - Thursday, August 20, 2009 - link
it is also again using the old chipset and crap video, really disappointing.JarredWalton - Thursday, August 20, 2009 - link
Acer AO751h is 1366x768... but it's not a clean win by any stretch. Review should be up next week.crimson117 - Thursday, August 20, 2009 - link
CPU = z520 = boo, hiss!http://www.slashgear.com/acer-aspire-one-751-bench...">http://www.slashgear.com/acer-aspire-on...tom-z520...
Am I really expecting too much for a ~$320 netbook without any obnoxious drawback? They fixed one thing (the screen size) but at the same time they ruin another (the much crappier processor), making this a compromise sidegrade instead of a sure-buy.
JarredWalton - Thursday, August 20, 2009 - link
And just because the LCD resolution and size are "better" doesn't make the LCD the better choice overall. The ASUS display looks *much* nicer than the low contrast 751h... but I do have to say the 1366x768 resolution is much more desirable. There are a few other netbooks coming out with 11.6" LCDs as well; hopefully one of them will work better.