http://techreport.com/articles.x/15940Asus' N10Jc-A1 netbook
So what happens when you apply a GeForce to an Atom?
by Dustin Sklavos — 5:00 PM on December 8, 2008
Manufacturer Asus
Model N10Jc-A1
Price (Street)
Availability Now
SINCE THE ADVENT OF INTEL'S ATOM PROCESSOR, the netbook market has exploded with entrants from nearly every major notebook player (and even a few minor ones). It's easy to see why; in a tiny package with a low power envelope and even lower price, the Atom offers adequate performance for the sort of basic needs the original Eee PC was conceived to meet. However, while the processor is quick enough for web surfing, word processing, and other simple tasks, it's saddled with an Intel 945GSE chipset that includes an antiquated GMA 950 graphics processor. The GMA 950 handles basic 2D desktop applications just fine, but it can't lend a hand in decoding high-definition video. Like every other Intel graphics processor we've seen, the GMA 950 is also a lousy gamer, plagued not only by poor performance, but spotty compatibility, as well. That's why when I reviewed Asus' Eee Box, I suggested that pairing the Atom with a better GPU might solve some of the platform's performance issues.
Asus seems to have heard my cries. The company's new N10J netbook line augments the Atom processor with a dedicated GeForce 9300M GS graphics processor impressively squeezed into a shell that's only a little bigger than that of the Eee PC 1000 series. More intriguingly, the N10J still has a GMA 950, allowing us easily to see whether a dedicated GPU can shore up the Atom's weaknesses. Read on to see if Asus has created an entirely new class of gaming system: the gaming netbook.
The N10Jc-A1 at first glance
Despite its discrete graphics chip, Asus bills the N10J series as a line of "corporate netbooks." You know, because the one thing corporate customers always ask for in a portable system is better 3D graphics performance. The N10Jc-A1 model we have on hand today is the only one in the line that comes with Windows XP and 1GB of memory; its other, more expensive cousins are equipped with Windows Vista, 2GB of memory, and either 160GB or 320GB hard drives.
Processor Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz
Memory 1GB DDR2-533 (1 SO-DIMM)
North bridge Intel 945GSE
South bridge Intel ICH7M
Graphics Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS 256MB DDR2 (switchable)
Display 10.2" TFT with WSVGA+ (1024x600) resolution and LED backlight
Storage 5,400-RPM 160GB Seagate Momentus SATA
Audio Realtek ALC662 HD audio
Ports 3 USB 2.0
1 VGA
1 HDMI
1 analog headphone output
1 analog microphone input
Expansion slots 1 8-in-1 card reader
1 ExpressCard 34 slot
Communications 802.11b/g Wi-Fi via Atheros AR5007EG
10/100/1000 LAN via Realtek RTL8168C
Input devices 91% horizontal/86% vertical keyboard
Trackpad
Camera 1.3 megapixel webcam
Dimensions 10.8" x 7.6" x 1.2-1.4" (274mm x 193mm x 30-36mm)
Weight 3.5lbs (1.6kg) with battery
Battery 6-cell Li-Ion, 4800mAh
Warranty Two years, one-year accidental damage replacement coverage
The N10J series is based on the basic Atom platform that we've come to expect from netbooks. Intel's 945GSE chipset can be found under the hood, hooked up to the ICH7M south bridge and a single channel of DDR2 memory. The processor is a 1.6GHz Atom N270, which supports Hyper-Threading but lacks a true second core like the newer Atom 330 that has made its way into nettops recently. Given the N10J's gaming potential, one has to wonder how much including the dual-core Atom might have improved things.
Curiously, Asus also opted to forgo Intel's wireless hardware in favor of an Atheros card that only supports 802.11b/g—no 802.11n here. The more astute reader will also note the absence of Bluetooth connectivity, which is available on many less expensive competitors. Bluetooth is available from the N10Jc-A1's more expensive kin, but it's sorely missed in this model. At least you get Gigabit Ethernet (something corporate types might actually appreciate) provided here by a Realtek RTL8168C GigE controller.
Things get more interesting on the graphics front, where Asus has included Nvidia's GeForce 9300M GS GPU alongside the Intel chipset's integrated graphics processor. The 9300M GS is a 16-shader chip with a 64-bit memory interface that in the N10J is connected to 256MB of DDR2 memory. That memory is clocked at an effective 800MHz, with the GPU core running at 580MHz and the shaders clocked at 1.4GHz. The 9300M GS also includes Nvidia's VP3 video processing engine, which is capable of more or less fully accelerating HD video playback. With two graphics options to choose from, users can switch between the GMA 950 and the GeForce 9300M via a switch on the left side of the system, tuning for better battery life or superior graphics performance. Switching does require a reboot before changes take effect, though.
….
Conclusions
Asus' bid to create a "corporate netbook" with the N10J series does a heck of a lot right, even if there's little evidence to suggest that corporate types need an ultraportable with discrete graphics. The N10J as a whole has nicely understated styling. Although the screen is glossy and has a lower resolution than one might expect given the system's price, it's still very attractive and pleasant to use, showing off nicely the benefits of LED backlighting. The keyboard and touchpad are also absolutely stellar, flirting with best-in-class status. The N10J's heat management is pretty solid, too, and the five-plus hours of battery life is competitive with other 6-cell netbooks.
Unfortunately, not all is right with the world of the N10J. The N10Jc-A1 model we've been looking at is the cheapest in the line at $649, but that's quite expensive for a system with an Atom processor. And it's that anemic CPU that effectively hamstrings the N10J's potential crown jewel: its GeForce 9300M GS graphics chip. While the GeForce's video decoding hardware certainly has merit (provided you're powering an external display, since the screen's native resolution is too low for even 720p content), recent games are largely unplayable on the N10J due to the Atom's lack of horsepower. We found that some games will run smoothly, but Far Cry, Unreal Tournament 2004 and Doom 3 are hardly recent titles, and games based on the Steam engine appear to be a total bust, Half-Life 2 included.
The N10J's loose screen hinges are a disappointment, too, which is a shame for a system that appears to have great build quality elsewhere. Bumping up to more expensive models in the N10J line doesn't look all that appealing, either. All they add is Bluetooth support, additional memory, and Windows Vista, which will consume most of that extra memory anyway.
I enjoyed using the N10Jc-A1, and the keyboard is choice. However, the price premium is just too much for what you get—namely, a GeForce graphics chip largely hampered by inadequate CPU power. The N10J comes maddeningly close to being a useful gaming machine, but the Atom just doesn't have the grunt to handle recent titles, making the system more of an odd chimera than an attractive ultraportable. If you're just looking for a basic netbook, or even one for the corporate crowd, Asus' own Eee PC 1000 series offers nearly everything you get in the N10J for much less.
Oct 29 2008, 10:43 PM, updated 15y ago
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