Review netbook Roverbook Neo U101
It so happened that the netbook niche now gives no one peace of mind - neither the manufacturers nor the buyers. Every day they announce something new, produce, improve, invent ... But not always new products from the oven get to me. Today I will talk about what was just there. Not always fresh models come across :)
So, meet - a netbook with partially domestic roots. Roverbook Neo U101 ! Detailed review, traffic .
The device went on sale last year, in the era of the dawn of netbooks as a class. Therefore, to some extent, the Roverbook Neo U101 can be considered a competitor to the Asus EeePC 701 . Now, of course, both models are morally obsolete, however, even to them, in view of the attractive price, one can find quite a few applications.
')
The competitive model from Asus was covered in the network in sufficient detail, therefore, you can compare these two models, also relying on my review.
The heart of the netbook is the AMD Geode LX800 processor with a clock frequency of 500 MHz - it has an integrated graphics processor, 128KB of L2 cache. The machine is equipped with a 60GB hard drive PATA-disk and 512 megabytes of DDR-memory. The image is displayed on a matte 10.2-inch TFT-screen with a resolution of 1024x600 (16: 9). The netbook comes with the preinstalled ASPLinux OS, but the accompanying disc contains all the necessary drivers for switching to a more familiar system. Of the interesting features can be noted the built-in Wi-Fi module and PCIMCIA slot. Well, now, when I briefly put into the essence of the matter, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with how everything really is.
The following items hid in a small colorful box with a convenient carrying handle, in a safe to transport foam.
- Netbook Roverbook Neo U101 ;
- AC adapter and power cord;
- Detailed documentation in Russian;
- Drives with software.
As for the documentation, I will note it again. As an example, other instructions contain all the necessary information - on the device, on safety of use, on care, on problem solving, etc. Even a glossary of terms is! Naturally, all this is in our native language.
It should also be noted adapter - it has a "arcuate" shape and a small green LED. He has a removable plug, which is made, apparently, for a more compact size during transportation.
That appearance, which has a netbook Neo U101, you could surprise someone a couple of years ago; today is the simplest design netbook. Primitive angular forms, clear edges ... but in general it all looks pretty good.
Matte paint is not as susceptible to prints, although it is susceptible. With a weight of 1.2 kg (with battery), the dimensions of the device are (in mm) 260 Ă— 195 Ă— 33. Very compact.
On the top cover in addition to the large silver logo of the company there is nothing. Similar minimalism reigns on the opposite side - there, in addition to the battery locks (Lithium-Polymer, 3800mAh capacity, 7.4V), the system compartment and 4 rubberized legs, nothing.
Top of minimalism - the back side of the netbook, there is nothing at all :)
On the left side there is only a power connector and a PCIMCIA slot, in which you can shove a lot of interesting things. I believe that this is a very good addition to a netbook and only for this you can put a separate plus in the results.
On the opposite, right side, there are much more functional elements. Among them - a card reader (MS / MMC / SD / SDHC), two USB ports (2.0), a VGA port for connecting an external monitor, a 100-megabyte network RJ-45 hole, and a lock hole. Separately, I note the presence of a built-in Wi-Fi module and the fact that there is a sufficiently large distance between the USB ports, which can help avoid many inconveniences with connecting external devices.
On the front side there is a button for turning on the netbook (located on the left) and two audio jacks for connecting headphones and a microphone. In addition, six small and partially unnecessary indicators are visible.
Opening the netbook (this is done no more than 150 degrees), you can see the same picture that many expect from the EeePC - a matte screen (10.2 ”, 1024 × 600) and a thin matte frame around it. In this case, the frame is durable (but, like, not metal), so you can not worry about the screen. Above it is a good webcam, with through which you can tolerably communicate on Skype. There are also built-in speakers (under the screen) and a microphone. Speakers, by the way, have a very good sound, but in all netbooks I prefer to insert headphones - it is strange that no one puts them in the box.
Keyboard - it is like this ... IBM-style) square buttons. Latin letters are white, Russian - yellow, and Fn-functions - blue. Typing is quite possible - the layout is quite good. But there are some unpleasant moments, the most obvious of which are the left-handed Ctrl and Fn swapped places. Show me the person who invented this) I would also change the right Shift and End in some places, as well as I would replace the big Enter with a “small + forward slash”. F1-F12 would also be nice to separate a small gap.
The touchpad is not a multisensory, but the most common. From the same material as the whole body. What is nice is not pressed into the case of the device, so the dust will be only in the gap between the case and the touchpad. It is quite convenient to use it, only in the dark it is not so easy to “locate” in view of the fact that it is tactile, it is exactly the same as the rest of the case.
In the presence of two separated buttons of small height - click soft and quiet, very convenient. But still, sometimes there is a slight lack of size.
The netbook turns on in an unusual way (I'm used to the button under the screen) - by moving the “lever” to the left. The operating system (Windows XP) boots in about 40-45 seconds, which is pretty good. As for the operating system, initially there was ASPLinux, which it was immediately decided to replace with the usual OS.
On the network, I met information that the netbook starts to "whistle" when connected via an AC adapter. In my copy of this phenomenon was not observed, but what I mean - I met this in other devices. So, it’s usually not the device that whistles, but the adapter itself. So, if you have such a phenomenon, look for a more expensive “breadwinner”.
Everything would be quite good if this parameter of this notebook is not limping on both legs. More precisely, I would say this - it is limping on both legs in synthetic computing tests, but in daily work it manifests itself quite well. Therefore, it can be concluded that the stumbling block is the central processing unit.
In order not to be unfounded - this is a video where the operating system boots - you can see that the download speed is not inferior to other, more powerful netbooks. Working in a file manager, surfing the Internet - all of this works more than tolerably well. But here are the tests ... :)
So, the first thing I did was run the SuperPi 1.5 test — a program that forces a computer to read Pi to the desired decimal place. All over the world, it is customary to conduct this test up to a millionth mark, which I did, after counting the smaller values.
As you can see, the result does not shine at all, more than 6 minutes - I haven’t seen anything like this. Modern netbooks do IT a little faster - on average in one and a half to two minutes. By the way, the world record at the moment is 6.75 seconds from our compatriot, DeDaL .
The next test, which I compare the performance of netbooks and laptops, is the program CPUFreeBenchmark 2.2 . Netbooks based on the Intel Atom 280 processor pass the test in 60-70 seconds, but for this it took U101 ... neither more nor less - 263 seconds .
The MHW2060AT built-in hard drive from Fujitsu did not distinguish itself with high-speed perfection - the HDTune 3.50 program had a maximum speed of 27.2 MB / s (22.2 on average, 4.4 at least. The linear reading graph is rather strange, hectic - like a hard disk before the test got agitated)
So it goes!
pros
- Small size and weight;
- Durable matte body with a good assembly, matte screen;
- Convenient touchpad, a large distance between USB ports;
- Almost silent work;
- The most detailed documentation;
- Adequate price (from 9000 rubles);
- Beautiful girl designer in the main office
Minuses
- Small keys - especially not overclocking;
- Left Fn and Ctrl swapped;
- Low performance;
- Pre-installed ASPLinux;
- Short time (2.5 hours).
In my opinion, to compare this netbook with what is now appearing on the market is stupid. It was relevant when the netbook class was just born, with the advent of the Asus EeePC 701 - I just missed the review. I must say that although this is the first netbook from Rover, it turned out to be very good - at least compared to 701 I like it more and there are not many mistakes made by a pioneer competitor. And if now the 701st model costs from 6000, then the price of 9000 rubles for the U101 (for PCMCIA, a matte metal case, a larger screen and other trifles), I consider it quite adequate.
For texts, chatting in ICQ, listening to music and for unhurried surfing in the internet, this device is more than suitable, so it can be considered as a cheap alternative. If something more resource-intensive is required, then be careful - high expectations will not be justified.
If Rover will continue to carry his difficult cross, then I think they still have a bright future. I will follow the novelties, enough to live stereotypes)
Successes!
So, meet - a netbook with partially domestic roots. Roverbook Neo U101 ! Detailed review, traffic .
The device went on sale last year, in the era of the dawn of netbooks as a class. Therefore, to some extent, the Roverbook Neo U101 can be considered a competitor to the Asus EeePC 701 . Now, of course, both models are morally obsolete, however, even to them, in view of the attractive price, one can find quite a few applications.
')
The competitive model from Asus was covered in the network in sufficient detail, therefore, you can compare these two models, also relying on my review.
The heart of the netbook is the AMD Geode LX800 processor with a clock frequency of 500 MHz - it has an integrated graphics processor, 128KB of L2 cache. The machine is equipped with a 60GB hard drive PATA-disk and 512 megabytes of DDR-memory. The image is displayed on a matte 10.2-inch TFT-screen with a resolution of 1024x600 (16: 9). The netbook comes with the preinstalled ASPLinux OS, but the accompanying disc contains all the necessary drivers for switching to a more familiar system. Of the interesting features can be noted the built-in Wi-Fi module and PCIMCIA slot. Well, now, when I briefly put into the essence of the matter, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with how everything really is.
Equipment
The following items hid in a small colorful box with a convenient carrying handle, in a safe to transport foam.
- Netbook Roverbook Neo U101 ;
- AC adapter and power cord;
- Detailed documentation in Russian;
- Drives with software.
As for the documentation, I will note it again. As an example, other instructions contain all the necessary information - on the device, on safety of use, on care, on problem solving, etc. Even a glossary of terms is! Naturally, all this is in our native language.
It should also be noted adapter - it has a "arcuate" shape and a small green LED. He has a removable plug, which is made, apparently, for a more compact size during transportation.
Appearance
That appearance, which has a netbook Neo U101, you could surprise someone a couple of years ago; today is the simplest design netbook. Primitive angular forms, clear edges ... but in general it all looks pretty good.
Matte paint is not as susceptible to prints, although it is susceptible. With a weight of 1.2 kg (with battery), the dimensions of the device are (in mm) 260 Ă— 195 Ă— 33. Very compact.
On the top cover in addition to the large silver logo of the company there is nothing. Similar minimalism reigns on the opposite side - there, in addition to the battery locks (Lithium-Polymer, 3800mAh capacity, 7.4V), the system compartment and 4 rubberized legs, nothing.
Top of minimalism - the back side of the netbook, there is nothing at all :)
On the left side there is only a power connector and a PCIMCIA slot, in which you can shove a lot of interesting things. I believe that this is a very good addition to a netbook and only for this you can put a separate plus in the results.
On the opposite, right side, there are much more functional elements. Among them - a card reader (MS / MMC / SD / SDHC), two USB ports (2.0), a VGA port for connecting an external monitor, a 100-megabyte network RJ-45 hole, and a lock hole. Separately, I note the presence of a built-in Wi-Fi module and the fact that there is a sufficiently large distance between the USB ports, which can help avoid many inconveniences with connecting external devices.
On the front side there is a button for turning on the netbook (located on the left) and two audio jacks for connecting headphones and a microphone. In addition, six small and partially unnecessary indicators are visible.
Opening the netbook (this is done no more than 150 degrees), you can see the same picture that many expect from the EeePC - a matte screen (10.2 ”, 1024 × 600) and a thin matte frame around it. In this case, the frame is durable (but, like, not metal), so you can not worry about the screen. Above it is a good webcam, with through which you can tolerably communicate on Skype. There are also built-in speakers (under the screen) and a microphone. Speakers, by the way, have a very good sound, but in all netbooks I prefer to insert headphones - it is strange that no one puts them in the box.
Keyboard - it is like this ... IBM-style) square buttons. Latin letters are white, Russian - yellow, and Fn-functions - blue. Typing is quite possible - the layout is quite good. But there are some unpleasant moments, the most obvious of which are the left-handed Ctrl and Fn swapped places. Show me the person who invented this) I would also change the right Shift and End in some places, as well as I would replace the big Enter with a “small + forward slash”. F1-F12 would also be nice to separate a small gap.
The touchpad is not a multisensory, but the most common. From the same material as the whole body. What is nice is not pressed into the case of the device, so the dust will be only in the gap between the case and the touchpad. It is quite convenient to use it, only in the dark it is not so easy to “locate” in view of the fact that it is tactile, it is exactly the same as the rest of the case.
In the presence of two separated buttons of small height - click soft and quiet, very convenient. But still, sometimes there is a slight lack of size.
Turn on and work
The netbook turns on in an unusual way (I'm used to the button under the screen) - by moving the “lever” to the left. The operating system (Windows XP) boots in about 40-45 seconds, which is pretty good. As for the operating system, initially there was ASPLinux, which it was immediately decided to replace with the usual OS.
On the network, I met information that the netbook starts to "whistle" when connected via an AC adapter. In my copy of this phenomenon was not observed, but what I mean - I met this in other devices. So, it’s usually not the device that whistles, but the adapter itself. So, if you have such a phenomenon, look for a more expensive “breadwinner”.
Performance
Everything would be quite good if this parameter of this notebook is not limping on both legs. More precisely, I would say this - it is limping on both legs in synthetic computing tests, but in daily work it manifests itself quite well. Therefore, it can be concluded that the stumbling block is the central processing unit.
In order not to be unfounded - this is a video where the operating system boots - you can see that the download speed is not inferior to other, more powerful netbooks. Working in a file manager, surfing the Internet - all of this works more than tolerably well. But here are the tests ... :)
So, the first thing I did was run the SuperPi 1.5 test — a program that forces a computer to read Pi to the desired decimal place. All over the world, it is customary to conduct this test up to a millionth mark, which I did, after counting the smaller values.
As you can see, the result does not shine at all, more than 6 minutes - I haven’t seen anything like this. Modern netbooks do IT a little faster - on average in one and a half to two minutes. By the way, the world record at the moment is 6.75 seconds from our compatriot, DeDaL .
The next test, which I compare the performance of netbooks and laptops, is the program CPUFreeBenchmark 2.2 . Netbooks based on the Intel Atom 280 processor pass the test in 60-70 seconds, but for this it took U101 ... neither more nor less - 263 seconds .
The MHW2060AT built-in hard drive from Fujitsu did not distinguish itself with high-speed perfection - the HDTune 3.50 program had a maximum speed of 27.2 MB / s (22.2 on average, 4.4 at least. The linear reading graph is rather strange, hectic - like a hard disk before the test got agitated)
So it goes!
Check weighing
pros
- Small size and weight;
- Durable matte body with a good assembly, matte screen;
- Convenient touchpad, a large distance between USB ports;
- Almost silent work;
- The most detailed documentation;
- Adequate price (from 9000 rubles);
- Beautiful girl designer in the main office
Minuses
- Small keys - especially not overclocking;
- Left Fn and Ctrl swapped;
- Low performance;
- Pre-installed ASPLinux;
- Short time (2.5 hours).
Total
In my opinion, to compare this netbook with what is now appearing on the market is stupid. It was relevant when the netbook class was just born, with the advent of the Asus EeePC 701 - I just missed the review. I must say that although this is the first netbook from Rover, it turned out to be very good - at least compared to 701 I like it more and there are not many mistakes made by a pioneer competitor. And if now the 701st model costs from 6000, then the price of 9000 rubles for the U101 (for PCMCIA, a matte metal case, a larger screen and other trifles), I consider it quite adequate.
For texts, chatting in ICQ, listening to music and for unhurried surfing in the internet, this device is more than suitable, so it can be considered as a cheap alternative. If something more resource-intensive is required, then be careful - high expectations will not be justified.
If Rover will continue to carry his difficult cross, then I think they still have a bright future. I will follow the novelties, enough to live stereotypes)
Successes!
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/66379/
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