Netbooks are essentially small computers with a low power Atom processor. While they can handle your basic computer needs, they are practically useless for gaming or HD playback. But that was before NVIDIA launched its ION platform for netbooks.

The NIVIDIA ION platform integrates a low power Atom processor and NVIDIA’s GeForce 9400 graphics. The ION platform has been in use in desktop computers for a while. But the HP Mini 311 was the first ION-powered netbook to hit the market. ION-powered netbooks are capable of handling some modern games and HD video playback.

4 ION-powered netbooks are currently available in the market: The HP Mini 311, Lenovo IdeaPad S12, Asus Eee PC 1201N, and Samsung N510. While the Mini 311, Samsung N510 and IdeaPad S12 have single core Atom processors, the Eee PC 1201N is different. It has a dual core Atom 330 processor. Does that make this machine better than other ION-powered netbooks? Well, Laptop Magazine has compared and rated all the four machines with one another and here is what they discovered.

The award for the best ergonomic design goes to HP Mini 311. The IdeaPad S12 has the best keyboard. None of the four machines offer particularly impressive battery life. While the HP Mini 311 and IdeaPad S12 give around 5 hours of up time, the Eee PC 1201N and Samsung N510 offer less than 4 hours.

In graphics benchmarks tests all the machines deliver similar performance, but when it comes to handling CPU-intensive tasks the Eee PC 1201N has an edge over other machines, thanks in no small measures to its dual core processor. So which netbook wins the crown? Well, the winner is Eee PC 1201N. It is snappy and has enough power to handle most modern games. The HP Mini 311 performs just as well in graphics and video transcoding tests. It also gets better battery life.

The verdct: Buy the Eee PC 1201N if you need a fast gaming worthy netbook. Buy the HP Mini 311 for a good mix of endurance and graphics power.

The Asus Eee PC 1201N is now shipping in the US. The notebook is powered by a dual core Intel Atom 330 processor and Nvidia ION graphics. You can pick one from Newegg for about $499.
The Eee PC 1201N has a 12.1 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels. The notebook runs Windows 7 Home Premium. Other specifications include 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive (plus 500GB of online storage).

At $499, the 1201N isn’t the cheapest ION-powered notebook out there. But it does have some features that justify its price tag. The 1201N is one of the few notebooks in the market with a dual core Atom processor. While you may not notice a significant boost in performance, dual core processors are known to handle multitasking and CPU-intensive tasks better than single core processors.

Right now, Newegg accepts only one order per customer. So it seems that only a few units are available at the moment.

The Asus Eee PC 1201N isn’t just another netbook. It is probably the only netbook in the market with a dual core Atom 330 processor and Nvidia ION graphics. The dual core Atom 330 is a desktop processor. It is significantly more powerful than the single core Atom N270/N280 processors found in most netbooks. So does 1201N deliver better performance than other ION-powered netbooks in the market? Well, let’s see.

Eee PC 1201N specifications
Processor: 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N330 dual core
Graphics: NVIDIA ION Graphics (GeForce 9400M)
Display: 12.1 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels resolution
Memory: Up to 3GB of DDR2 RAM
Storage: 250 GB/320 GB hard disk drive + 500 GB web based storage
Battery: 6-cell 5200mAh battery
Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium

Design and Build Quality
Asus laptops have the dubious distinction of being fingerprint magnets. The Eee PC 1201N is no different. It has a glossy plastic exterior which is very prone to collecting finger prints.
The Asus Eee PC 1201N measures just 1.3 inches in thickness and weighs around 3.1 pounds. The notebook is available in black and silver. Design is attractive and build quality is satisfactory.

Ports and Slots
Port selection is satisfactory. There are 3 USB ports, 1 SD card slot, VGA, 0.3 mega pixel webcam, headphone and microphone jacks. There is also an HDMI port for transferring video to an external monitor. Available connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth and Ethernet.

Battery life
The 1201N has a 6-cell battery rated at 5200mAh battery. The product page claims that the battery will last for 8 hours. But in reality you can’t get more than 5 hours.

Keyboard and touchpad
The keyboard is large and comfortable to type on. It comes with two full sized shift and two full sized arrow keys. The touchpad supports multi-touch gestures. Sensitivity is good.

Performance
Plenty of ION-powered netbooks are now available in the market, but not all of them have a dual core processor. The strength of 1201N is indeed its dual core Atom processor. Performance is quite good. In benchmark tests, the 1201N performs better than competing netbooks from Lenovo, HP and Samsung.

The Atom 330 and Nvidia ION combination is powerful enough to decode 1080p Flash video using Adobe Flash Player 10.1 beta with GPU acceleration. What about gaming? Well, that is possible too. You will be able to play several graphics rich games such as Call of Duty 4, Torchlight and Street Fighter IV demo. Editing photos in Photoshop CS4 is also very much possible.

Heat and Noise
The 1201N is a quiet laptop. You will not be able to hear the fan under normal usage. But the laptop does tend to get warm while performing GPU-intensive tasks. But that is nothing unusual.

Conclusion
If you are in the market for a small laptop with a powerful machine, the 1201N is well worth considering. In terms of size, the machine isn’t much bigger than a conventional netbook, but in functionality it is much better.