Asus Eee PC T91MT-PU17-BK 8.9-Inch Intel Atom Netbook Computer (Black)
Asus Eee PC T91MT-PU17-BK 8.9-Inch Intel Atom Netbook Computer (Black) Review
I bought the T91MT because I wanted a small and simple touch screen device to use for light browsing and email while on the go. I preferred a touch screen for times when I want true portability without the need for a desk or mouse. Due to the many missing features (no printing, no Flash support, no USB support, etc) an iPad was out of the question. After thoroughly researching the alternatives, I decided on the T91MT.
First, the pros: The T91MT is extremely attractive and compact. It has a smaller screen than most netbooks, but that adds to the portability. The keys, despite their tiny size, are fine for me with typing. Granted, it’s more hunt and peck than traditional typing, but it still beats screen-only typing. The mouse pad is sufficiently responsive but I don’t like the single mouse button. I actually scooped up a bluetooth mouse for my T91. I only have two USB ports and I’m not about to permanently sacrifice one for a wireless mouse, nano or otherwise. I have no problems when switching or alternating between touchscreen and mouse(pad). The SSD drive is whisper quiet. In fact, the drive is so quiet, I suffered from phantom noise syndrome. I’m so conditioned to hearing some type of noise from a computer that I started imagining hearing hard drive clicking sounds. Needless to say, it was just that, my imagination. This is the perfect netbook for students or anyone who doesn’t want disruptive sounds during use. The netbook is fairly easy to navigate and controls are easy to find. The swivel screen feels sturdy and inspires confidence that it will be durable enough to withstand a few years of steady use. Asus doesn’t disappoint in the extras department either. I was tempted to purchase a bag at the same time I bought the T91. Fortunately, I had a hard time finding one specifically for the T91, preferably made by Asus. Well, turns out the reason I couldn’t find an Asus-made bag for the T91 is because Asus already provides one with the T91, and a pretty nice one at that. In fact, it’s even better quality than the Lenovo made netbook pouch that I purchased separately with my daughter’s Lenovo netbook. A DVD containing Windows 7 Home Premium and all pre-installed software and drivers is also included. The T91 comes with a 1GB RAM module installed in the bottom compartment. RAM can be upgraded to a 2GB single chip in the same compartment. I would have preferred if the RAM could be upgraded by adding an additional 1GB DIMM instead of simply tossing a perfectly good one in favor of a 2GB single stick. However, I knew this was my only option before I purchased the T91, so I can’t really complain.
Once I fired up the T91 My first complaint didn’t take long to form. This thing was S-L-O-W, even by netbook standards. I realize the first boot is painfully long, but even after that, just plodding through routine tasks was sluggish. My first pangs of buyer’s remorse after using this for a little while were regrets that I didn’t just go with the peppier Asus 1201N. I realize the T91 is not intended to be a mobile workstation or gamer laptop like an Alienware or XPS, but it was even visibly slower when compared side-by-side to my daughter’s 18-month-old Lenovo S10. I honestly think the bottleneck might be the SSD. When downloading software, I noticed it frequently takes longer to write the cached downloaded files to disk than to actually download the files. The SSD was part of my preference, which, along with the touch screen and smaller size, were the reasons why I opted for the T91MT over the 1201N. Now, with that being said, it’s not slow to the point of being unusable. In fact, I’ve actually gotten accustomed to it. However, if I’m giving an honest review, I have to mention my observations and my initial impression was that it was slow, even for a netbook. My second complaint is the screen. I researched beforehand and realized it was a resistive touch screen and I was fine with that. I’ve used resistive touch screens in the past on HP and Motion tablets, so I’m familiar with their look and feel. The resistive touch screen on the T91 is a bit dim (even at highest brightness) and grainy. I compared it side-by-side to my daughter’s Lenovo and the the Lenovo screen was noticeably better. Once again, it’s not exceptionally bad but I may have had second thoughts if I had an opportunity to see the screen pre-purchase. It has multi-touch but on a resistive touch screen, it’s more gimmicky than useful. Writing with the stylus is good and one of the benefits of having a resistive screen, particularly for professionals and students. Screen responsiveness is okay but it gets a little dodgy around the edges at times. I’ve calibrated the screen several times with stylus and finger but the flaky edge performance continues. It’s not 100% consistent, so it seems more a minor performance issue than a defect. It doesn’t prevent me from using the touch-screen effectively, it usually just results in extra attempts when selecting or scrolling close to the edges. Sound is ho-hum, but I have not yet found a netbook that has good speakers. They all sound like transistor radios to me so, sound is on par with every other netbook out there. Battery life is okay. I get a few days of mixed light and moderate usage from a single charge. The one thing I did not know, despite (admittedly not diligent enough) researching beforehand is that the battery is sealed in the unit and is not user replaceable. I will admit, I really wish I knew this before purchasing. That would have been a deal breaker for me. Being as though it is highly unusual for a netbook/notebook to have a sealed non-removable battery and none of the reviews/product info that I did read mentioned this, I was VERY surprised to discover this upon receipt. I should have read every Amazon review because one or two reviewers did mention it, unfortunately, just not the ones I read before buying. I’m surprised more people don’t have a problem with this. This was one of the reasons I did not go with the iPad. I realize netbooks are looked at as more disposable than traditional laptops, however, once they start creeping close to the 0 realm, they become less disposable and you start looking for durability. The tablet is a bit chunkier to hold in touchscreen mode than an iPad or screen-only tablet but it never feels awkward or becomes uncomfortably hot during use.
I know it probably sounds like I don’t like my T91MT, but on the contrary, I actually like it very much. I don’t “love” it (hence four stars instead of five), but I like it a lot. It’s fun to use, sufficiently does what I need it to do, and even doesn’t seem as slow as it was initially (of course, I did uninstall a ton of bloatware). It’s small and easily fits in my briefcase for daily transport. I use it late at night, early in the morning, and any other time that I don’t want to fire up the regular laptop or desktop. Although it fell a bit short of expectations in some areas, they are minor quibbles that I have already adjusted to and overcame. I felt they merit mentioning, so people can make a well-informed purchasing decision. This thing costs over a hundred bucks more than the typical netbook. Most of that premium can be attributed to the touch screen and SSD. Therefore, I felt their performance should be duly noted. My advice is, before dropping nearly 0 of your coin on this, to go try it out. Search high and low but try to find a retailer with a floor sample available. Also, make sure you’re fully aware and okay with things like the non-replaceable battery and any other quirky attributes that may exist.
Asus Eee PC T91MT-PU17-BK 8.9-Inch Intel Atom Netbook Computer (Black) Feature
- Intel Atom Z520(1.33GHz, 512KB L2 Cache, FSB 533MHz)
- 1 GB DDR2 SODIMM memory, Max Capacity upto 2 GB
- 8.9″ WSVGA (1024×600) Multi Touch Screen Panel
- Integrated Intel GMA 500 Graphics Controller; Shared w/ system memory
- 32 GB SSD/li>
Asus Eee PC T91MT-PU17-BK 8.9-Inch Intel Atom Netbook Computer (Black) Overview
Asus Eee PC T91MT-PU17-BK 8.9 inch Intel Atom Z520/1 GB/32 GB SSD/W7HP Netbook Computer (Black)
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Apr 24, 2010 17:10:16