Asus just came out with the Eee PC 1215N, a netbook that breaks out of the usual low-performance, low-end mold by packing in a dual core processor and discrete graphics by Nvidia. The dual core processor comes in the form of Intel’s new D525 Atom though, so technically, this 12-incher is still a netbook.
The 1215N’s graphics also gets a significant upgrade over the usual, featuring Nvidia’s latest Ion chip that gives low-powered systems the ability to handle high-def H.264 video playback and support for an HDMI output. This comes alongside the GMA 3150 integrated graphics, which you can switch to in case you need battery more than video performance.
There’s no official word on the upgradable specs (meaning, the RAM and hard drive), but the rest of the spec also includes Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-fi b/g/n, and USB 3.0. Final price and availability for this upscale netbook is also unknown, but it’s expected to launch sometime this month and could cost between $550-600—relatively expensive for a netbook, but cheap if you look at it as a slim dual-cored ultraportable with Ion graphics and HDMI.
