Looking for a seriously cheap ultraportable laptop with an Intel Atom CPU? Like cheaper than the $599 Eee PC 901 or the $479 MSI Wind? ECS vice president Henry Kwan tells Laptop Magazine that the ECS G10IL is heading to the US, and the low end model will cost just $399.
The cheapest model available in the US will cost just $399 and will run Linux and have an 8GB SSD. This puts it squarely in competition with the Acer Aspire One, which has similar specs and pricing.
What sets the G10IL apart is that it won’t wear the ECS name. ECS is working with other companies to distribute the computer in the US. It’s likely that you’ll be able to find pricier models with an EDGE, HSUPA, or HSPDA card sold by companies like wireless carriers. If we’re lucky, we’ll even see companies try to subsidize the price which could make the 3G capable models even cheaper than the standalone unit (until you factor in subscription fees).
The keyboard sucks. I’ll keep waiting for the Acer One.
how do you know?
The mockup shown at CeBIT back in March had very flat keytops with little space between the keys. The prototype shown at Computex in June had a keyboard that was more like the eee PC’s. No telling what it’ll be when it finally hits production.