Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
We like some of the little touches Asus has thrown into the Eee PC VX6, which should please any car fiends out there. The netbook actually revs when you switch it on, an effect that never fails to amuse.
Lamborghini fans will delight at the desktop background, which showcases the Murcielago LP640 roadster, and if you leave the netbook idle you'll be treated to a noisy screensaver featuring – you guessed it – cars screeching around the place.
Most netbooks contend with a tiny 10.1-inch screen, but the Eee PC VX6's 12.1-inch display means browsing the web and editing your documents isn't as fiddly. We were impressed by the sharpness of the screen, with a 1,366 x 768-pixel resolution in place of the standard 1,024 x 600.
Images are crisp and also reasonably vibrant, while brightness levels are standard for a machine this size. However, the screen only bends back a fraction past vertical, so finding a comfortable viewing angle can be tricky, especially with the Eee PC VX6 positioned on your lap.
Storage is average for a netbook, with 250GB of space for your files and media. This should prove plenty for most people, assuming the Eee PC VX6 is used as a backup machine and not your main computer.
Some standard Asus features are in place, including the Express Gate Cloud quick start option. By hitting a second power button, the Eee PC VX6 launches an alternative operating system in mere seconds.
This is a basic OS with limited options – you can browse the web, check out your photos and play some simple games such as Solitaire. However, the Express Gate OS is rather slow and ugly, and we much prefer the Windows 7 interface. It's definitely worth the extra minute or so it takes to boot the Eee PC VX6.
Much more impressive are the ports the Eee PC VX6 offers. Most netbooks contend with a VGA port for outputting to an external display, but this machine has an HDMI port too. You also get two USB 3.0 ports, which allow rapid data transfer with compatible devices.
Networking is another highlight and as strong as it comes, with 802.11n Wi-Fi on board for wireless connections and Gigabit Ethernet for good old-fashioned wired communication.
We usually raise the point of a netbook's audio only to mention how tinny and useless it is, but Asus has employed Bang & Olufsen to add a bit of oomph to the Eee PC VX6's sound quality. Initially we were sceptical about the 'ICEpower' audio, which promises 'crystal-clear and powerful sound'.
However, at top volume the Eee PC VX6 does deliver a surprisingly strong aural experience. Music has more depth than usual, while it's actually possible to sit through an entire film without plugging in earphones. This isn't a party machine, though, and a pair of dedicated speakers are required to fill even a small room with sound.
