The budget laptop market receives yet another boost with the entry of the ASUS VivoBook E200HA-US01-GD, 11.6 inch portable and ultra-compact laptop with a vast battery and all the basics for Windows 10. It is aimed at serving casual users as opposed to those after an all-purpose laptop. The laptop features an Intel Quad-core Atom TM Processor, system memory of 2GB DDR3 SDRAM is on board, 32 GB of internal storage and an 802.11ac MIMO WiFi adapter aimed at taking your internet experience into a whole new level whenever you are using the netbook.
All these make it powerful enough to handle daily tasks such as web browsing, emailing and editing of documents, thereby, making it ideal for basic home or office users and students.That said, the ASUS E200HA-UB02-GD is the latest version of the ASUS E200HA (see review here) that feature the same 32GB MMC storage, but increases the system memory to 4GB with 64-bit Windows 10 operating system.
Design and Features
The VivoBook E200HA-US01-GD measures 11.3×0.7×7.6 inches (LWH) which is an incredible slim design that makes it a favorite for those always on the move as it weighs 2.2 pounds, slightly lighter than the Apple’s 11 inch Macbook Air that weighs 2.38 pounds. Being a budget device, it is entirely made of plastic with a nicely textured plastic frame and lid. The battery life is considerate enough to last 10 -12 hours making it an all-day device for word processing, video streaming and web browsing.
The laptop has 11.6-inch HD definition LED-backlit with a 1366×768 resolution display that is ideal for this screen size. The laptop has a full-size Chiclet keyboard which makes typing easy and enjoyable. It also comes with a large track pad that is multi-touch sensitive. The battery life of the Asus is the most positive thing that the manufacturer throws in to strike a balance between its performance and its low price. The 2 cells 38 Whrs Polymer battery promises to stay all day up to 13 hours of video playback.
Performance
Under the hood, the ASUS VivoBook houses an Intel Atom z8300 which is a low-end quad core processor with a base speed of 1.44GHz and can boost up to 1.84 GHz with Intel Burst Technology. The processor is efficient enough if handled within the limits of basic tasks since we do not expect so much from it given that it’s a budget laptop. There is 2GB DDR3 SDRAM of system memory on board, this is not enough memory but unfortunately it cannot be upgraded and neither does its 32GB internal storage.
In the new version, ASUS E200HA-UB02-GD, Asus releases have doubled the RAM to 4GB, but still maintained the 32GB storage, though we expected 64 GB of eMMC flash storage. Having said that, it is important to note that the 2GB of RAM is enough if you keep your expectations under control and you will have around 15 GB usable of space after the installation of windows 10 and its updates.
In terms of connectivity, the VivoBook E200HA comes with a one 3.0 USB port and one 2.0 USB for connections to peripherals and other devices. There is also a Micro SD card slot, a micro HDMI port in place of a standard HDMI, and a combo jack. The SD card slot allows you to expand your storage by fixing a 32/64 GB SD card to supplement the minimal internal storage.
It also has a built-in VGA camera and two digital microphones that make it possible for a Skype chats with family and friends. For internet connection, the laptop is fitted with 802.11ac WiFi with Multi¬user MIMO and Bluetooth 4.1 for the strongest wireless connection. In this case, do not expect an Ethernet port because of its slim design.
The Bottom Line
The Asus VivoBook E200HA-US01-GD is a budget laptop that targets those who already know their daily tasks and are not after powerful performance but after a basic machine to handle casual tasks such as web browsing, emailing and word processing. The laptop is far less sluggish as compared to its competitors in this category such as the Acer Cloudbook 11 or HP Stream 11-r010nr. For those not on a budget and after an 11.6 inch laptop that is more powerful, then they can consider going for the MacBook Air. That said, if portability and long battery life are more important to you than power, keep the latest ASUS E200HA-UB02-GD on your short list.
