For quite a while now I’ve been wanting to get an ultraportable laptop. After the disappointing experience with my Dell Inspiron I dont really see the need to have a laptop that functions as a desktop replacement. This feeling is compounded when I have a really kick ass desktop. If you’ve got a computer that can play the lastest and greatest, what’s the point in getting a super powered laptop? Sure it’s portable and easier at LAN parties, but for what I paid for my desktop I’m going to bring that instead.

Another reason I want an ultraportable is for class. I tried lugging around my Dell a few times to take notes and various other tasks (aka surf the web while at lecture), but it became more of a hassle than an asset. So I gave up carrying that seven pound behemoth and went back to simple pencil and paper. But with an ultraportable I wouldn’t have to worry about size or weight.

So back in early 2007 I started looking at various ultraportables. As I was researching I started to find that as the weight and size went down, the price went way up. In the end, I decided the Sony Vaio TZ would be a good way to go despite it’s ridiculous price tag. Not only did it have some nice specs, but it also had fairly good reviews across the board. But as my money supply dwindled I eventually scrapped the idea of dropping three g’s on a laptop that wouldn’t even be my main computer.

As the year progressed I started hearing more and more about an ultraportable named the Asus Eee Pc. Sure, crappy name but what really interested me was the price point. It was being touted as an extremely small ultraportable for the price of just two-hundred bucks. Now that had me interested. It also had just the right specs that I needed to get the job done. So I followed the laptop up to it’s release and I can say it still held my interest after launch even despite it being almost double the price point that was predicted.

So now I was planning on getting one over the summer, but then at a recent nerd tech convention Asus announced that they’d release a new version of the Eee sporting a 9” screen around the middle of the year. So now I’m torn between waiting for the new version or sticking with the original. On top of there not being a solid release date it’ll also be more expensive than the original Eee. Should I spend the extra money on the nicer product? Or should I put less of a burden on my wallet and stick with the four-hundred dollar original? Knowing me full and well I’m guessing I’m going to end up getting the newer model despite the extra cash needed. Though I’ll probably also wait and see what the reviews on it before finalizing my purchase.