Asus Eee PC T91 tablet netbook - full review

We tried a pre-production Asus Eee PC T91 – the Taiwanese company’s first netbook with a touchscreen display – a short while ago, but while it gave us a general idea of features and usability it was impossible to judge quality. We’ve now managed to get our grubby mitts on a full production model, giving a much better idea of what you can expect.

First off, it’s tiny. We’ve become accustomed to netbooks with screens of 10 inches and larger, also featuring bulky surrounding bezels that make them appear even bigger. The T91’s screen measures in at 8.9 inches – as with some of the earlier netbooks – and it’s all the more portable for it.

The screen offers a similar level of usability to its bigger rivals, due to the same 1024 x 600 pixel resolution. On this form factor, it looks a lot sharper. It’s one of the more reflective screens we’ve seen, however, which seems an odd touch considering its tablet capabilities, and it’s quickly smothered in fingerprints.

Swing the screen round 180 degrees and fold it flat, and the T91 becomes a mini Tablet PC. While we’ve generally found usability lacking on full-sized Tablet PCs, often hampered by large weights, it’s easy to hold the Eee for long periods of time in one hand, using the stylus with the other.

If ever there was a format that makes a natural switch to Tablet PC, then this is it. It takes a couple of minutes to calibrate the screen – simply following dots around the display, but once up and running we found it accurate and highly responsive.

When used as a regular netbook, the T91 isn’t quite a world-beater. It’s amazing how far these machines have come in terms of usability, with 10-inch screens bringing much larger keyboards, but the T91’s keyboard is more akin to the original Eee PC 701.

The keys are truly tiny, and the board flexes under pressure. Surprisingly, it’s possible to get up a speedy typing rhythm once you get the hang of it, aided by highly responsive keys. It’s not the most comfortable machine we’ve seen then, but it’s more than usable, and a good compromise between size and usability.

The touchpad is reasonable in size, and features multi-touch support that lets you easily zoom in when working on documents or viewing photographs. Below that, you’ll find a strip of plastic that’s hinged in the centre, working as two separate buttons.

Ports-wise, the T91 is fairly limited, with just two USB ports for adding peripherals. You’ll also find a 4-in-1 memory card reader, letting you easily transfer files between other digital devices, and Bluetooth is sensibly included for wireless connections. There’s a VGA port on the rear of the device for adding an external display.

Processing power comes from the same 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 processor found in Sony’s VAIO P-series ultraportable, and is supported by 1024MB of memory. Performance is capable, with Windows XP ticking along nicely. It’s helped by an SSD (Solid State Drive), although some users will find the 16GB capacity somewhat limited.

We’ve not yet had the opportunity to test battery life, but check back here for an update in the next week. As with the Eee PC 1008HA, the battery isn’t easily replaced, however, so you won’t be able to swap it on the go.

Overall, we’re impressed by the T91. It depends on the price and the battery life as to how good a netbook it really is, but it’s nice to see a return to the smaller 8.9-inch form factor, even if it does see a slight fall in usability. The touchscreen display also impresses, proving highly responsive, and it’s a small enough platform to use comfortably as a Tablet PC.

For a full review of the Eee PC T91's touchscreen software, click here.