Software

Both sub-notebooks support a two-tier data security system:

1. You can specify a hard disk drive password on the Security page of the BIOS Setup. This password will be requested by the POST procedure;
2. You can specify a user or sysadmin password on the same Security page of the BIOS Setup, which will be asked of you every time you attempt to enter the BIOS or the OS.

The S200N and S300N also allow restoring the system from a special hidden partition on the hard disk drive (that’s especially important for the S200N model which doesn’t have an optical drive). When you want to roll the OS, drivers and utilities, and other software back to the moment when you bought the notebook, press the F9 key before powering the computer up. After that, you will see a menu with the following items:

1. Reboot to Windows XP; this option is selected by default after 60 seconds;

2. Recover Windows XP to first partition only (the first system partition will be deleted, and a new “Disk C” partition will be created; other partitions remain intact);

3. Recover Windows XP to entire HD (all the partitions of the hard disk will be deleted and a single “Disk C” partition will be created);

4. Recover Windows XP to entire HD with 2 partition (all the partitions of the hard disk will be deleted, and two new partitions will be created – “Disk C” for 60% of the drive’s total storage capacity and “Disk D” for the remaining 40%).

Conclusion

Having tested and examined these two sub-notebooks, ASUS S200N and S300N, I should confess I’m very pleased with these “cuties”. They are small and light and easily fit into any bag, from women’s handbag to rucksack. By the way, in dimensions only, the S200N is better between the two, and I think the users who are not set aback by the lack of an optical drive in its configuration should be pleased with it and its price, too. Otherwise, the ASUS S300N has an advantage as it delivers a higher performance; it is also ergonomic and functional, with an excellent battery run-down time. This model would be a good helper for people who spend their lives on business or entertainment trips.

Unfortunately, there are minor shortcomings with these notebooks. They don’t support Bluetooth or infrared connections to a cell phone or another computer. The placement of the USB ports is rather inconvenient, too, as they are too close to each other, making it difficult to use more than one port at a time. But you understand that it’s impossible to go on miniaturizing without sacrificing certain conveniences in terms of performance or connections or ports…