Review: Asus N10Jc Netbook Straddles The Line

Since then, one manufacturer after another has raced to get to market with similar devices and get a piece of the action, while Asus has focused its efforts on building out its lineup. The company's N10Jc netbook features both higher performance than previous versions and—with street pricing between $630 and $680—a higher price tag as well.

The Test Center had an opportunity to take a look at the N10Jc. The system came to us with an Intel Atom N270 chip at 1.60GHz, 1 GB of RAM and preloaded with Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2. Immediately, you have to notice the size of the system compared with previous Asus netbooks: It has a 10.2-inch screen and on our scales weighed in at 3 pounds, 8 ounces. That makes it bigger and heavier than other models.

What do you get for $630 or so?

You get a mobile PC that performs OK; it scored a Geekbench 2.1 rating of 888, which is on par with systems in its class. It also provides the option of boosting performance with an Nvidia GeForce 9300M graphics card and several software-based options for regular, "super" or gaming performance. Its screen is one of the best, brightest netbook displays the Test Center has ever seen and, combined with the graphics capability, makes movie viewing or delivering multimedia presentations (it also has a VGA port) a wonderful, top-notch experience.

We ran our standard battery life test on the N10Jc. Turning off all power-saving options and running a video from its hard drive continuously until it shut off, the N10Jc ran for 2 hours and 40 minutes before stopping. That rates somewhere between middling and "eh."

For a consumer, the device seems fine but expensive. But Asus is billing this as a corporate netbook; examining it through the prism of business use requires a separate checklist. How portable is it? At 3 pounds, 8 ounces, it's heavier than most netbooks but its design, fit and finish make it as easy as carrying a textbook. Battery life is a drag, though, even with the capability of turning on power-saving options.

Asus says the warranty goes a step beyond what we've seen out of netbooks in that it provides accidental damage coverage; it's also one of the first netbooks we've seen with biometric security (in the form of a fingerprint reader as well as facial recognition) and it has an Express Card slot and a Webcam.

It's fashionable with a glossy, gold-and-chrome colored clamshell with rounded corners. Its keyboard, at 10 inches, provides a nice, comfortable, full-size feel to it. At the vents, it runs a hair under 90 degrees, which is noticeable but not uncomfortable.

Were the N10Jc closer in price to previous netbooks, it would be a home run. Were it closer in performance to similarly priced notebooks, it would be great. But the device fits into an awkward place in the market that makes it difficult to recommend.

Bottom line: VARs have to field questions every day about whether a netbook or a notebook might be the right solution for a customer. It should be a lively discussion, focusing attention on use patterns, budget and technical capability. Unfortunately, Asus has been so good and so early at working to build up this segment of the market that this entry has a hard time finding an easy, logical place in the conversation. We look forward to more from Asus, as the gray areas between netbook and notebook become much clearer.