Yes gadget fans, you’ve definitely seen the Asus Eee PC 1005HA Seashell before. That’s because it has exactly the same specs as its 1008HA cousin. That means the same sleek frame, a tasty 10-inch screen, 1.6Ghz Intel Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, 160GB HDD, with Wi–Fi, Bluetooth and ethernet thrown in for good measure. The only change? A removable battery so you can tinker with Twitter for longer.
In fact, everything that caused your laptop lust for the 1008HA is present and correct in Asus Eee PC 1005HA Seashell. That means a lush, spacious keyboard, a MacBook–like body, and average netbook innards.
And on top of that, some welcome changes have been made too. The VGA port isn’t stuck underneath the netbook and the USB ports aren’t covered by plasticky doors, a la the 1008HA. Then there’s the really big difference: that removable battery. Asus reckons the Eee PC 1005HA Seashell will last an epic 8.5 hours, in practice we managed around 7 hours of normal usage. Still pretty good, and that’s with Wi–Fi turned on.
However, that extra time for nefarious net gnoshing comes at cost. The Eee PC 1005HA Seashell looks like it’s spent one too many nights ordering in from the local Domino’s. It weighs more than the 1008HA and because of the extra bulk, the keyboard is slightly raised too. The dimpled trackpad, which remains from the 1008HA, is also a minor quibble. You just don’t know where it starts and the body begins.
These are, however, minor issues. For just a few extra pounds (weight wise that is), you get an epic battery life. In fact, we’d go as far to say that the Eee PC 1005HA Seashell is the best value Eee PC since the 7-inch model landed two years ago.
