[SOLVED] What components can I upgrade for my Asus EeePC notebook?

[CostaP]

I have an Asus Eee PC R101.

I managed to disassemble it and open it up (fun but tricky).
Its a little slow with Google browsing, but for basic use its usable. So I want to upgrade some parts.
Its a, "I have a spare notebook/device, why not utilize it somehow so it doesn't go to waste" kinda device, so I wont be "better off buying a new one" as a few have recommended on Discord..

I dont think I can upgrade the CPU...only the RAM and the Storage.
But unsure of what specific RAM/Storage I can change. Maybe even keyboard can be changed?
Something cheap would be nice!

Specs: (from Ubuntu Tweak)

• 
  Model: ASUS eeePC R101
  CPU: Intel(R) Atom(TM) CPU N450 @1.66GHz
  Memory:988.8 MB (I am sure I read 2GB RAM somewhere..?)
  Ubuntu 17.10 artful (I thought I had Xubuntu?)
  Storage: 128GB Volume HD. (I also have an SD card but no idea how to check storage)
  https://imgur.com/a/gHxSFWp < storage device

I mean, I can upgrade the parts right? Someone told me that the Atom CPU is somehow wielded down that makes it impossible to change. And that as its a rubbish CPU, adding more RAM/Storage will strain the CPU/Deice overall...so maybe its not worth upgrading parts and just utilizing it as it is?


Appreciate the help/recommendations!

 

[jaslion]

I have an Asus Eee PC R101.

I managed to disassemble it and open it up (fun but tricky).
Its a little slow with Google browsing, but for basic use its usable. So I want to upgrade some parts.
Its a, "I have a spare notebook/device, why not utilize it somehow so it doesn't go to waste" kinda device, so I wont be "better off buying a new one" as a few have recommended on Discord..

I dont think I can upgrade the CPU...only the RAM and the Storage.
But unsure of what specific RAM/Storage I can change. Maybe even keyboard can be changed?
Something cheap would be nice!

Specs: (from Ubuntu Tweak)

• 
  Model: ASUS eeePC R101
  CPU: Intel(R) Atom(TM) CPU N450 @1.66GHz
  Memory:988.8 MB (I am sure I read 2GB RAM somewhere..?)
  Ubuntu 17.10 artful (I thought I had Xubuntu?)
  Storage: 128GB Volume HD. (I also have an SD card but no idea how to check storage)
  https://imgur.com/a/gHxSFWp < storage device

I mean, I can upgrade the parts right? Someone told me that the Atom CPU is somehow wielded down that makes it impossible to change. And that as its a rubbish CPU, adding more RAM/Storage will strain the CPU/Deice overall...so maybe its not worth upgrading parts and just utilizing it as it is?


Appreciate the help/recommendations!

Use as is. You basically are basically using a pentium 3 machine from the 2000's but in a tiny notebook. It's barely able to browse today's web and no amount of upgrades is going to change that.

 

[CostaP]

I have an Asus Eee PC R101.

I managed to disassemble it and open it up (fun but tricky).
Its a little slow with Google browsing, but for basic use its usable. So I want to upgrade some parts.
Its a, "I have a spare notebook/device, why not utilize it somehow so it doesn't go to waste" kinda device, so I wont be "better off buying a new one" as a few have recommended on Discord..

I dont think I can upgrade the CPU...only the RAM and the Storage.
But unsure of what specific RAM/Storage I can change. Maybe even keyboard can be changed?
Something cheap would be nice!

Specs: (from Ubuntu Tweak)

• 
  Model: ASUS eeePC R101
  CPU: Intel(R) Atom(TM) CPU N450 @1.66GHz
  Memory:988.8 MB (I am sure I read 2GB RAM somewhere..?)
  Ubuntu 17.10 artful (I thought I had Xubuntu?)
  Storage: 128GB Volume HD. (I also have an SD card but no idea how to check storage)
  https://imgur.com/a/gHxSFWp < storage device

I mean, I can upgrade the parts right? Someone told me that the Atom CPU is somehow wielded down that makes it impossible to change. And that as its a rubbish CPU, adding more RAM/Storage will strain the CPU/Deice overall...so maybe its not worth upgrading parts and just utilizing it as it is?


Appreciate the help/recommendations!

Use as is. You basically are basically using a pentium 3 machine from the 2000's but in a tiny notebook. It's barely able to browse today's web and no amount of upgrades is going to change that.

Oh wow really? Yes browsing is a little slow, but usable if need be.
How about storage atleast? So I can use it as a storage device?

Also, what if I do upgrade to 2GB RAM, will that slow it down?

 

[guanyu210379]

N450?
All atoms from that time or older are really bad even using the standard of that time.
Let it just die peacefully!

 

[jaslion]

I have an Asus Eee PC R101.

I managed to disassemble it and open it up (fun but tricky).
Its a little slow with Google browsing, but for basic use its usable. So I want to upgrade some parts.
Its a, "I have a spare notebook/device, why not utilize it somehow so it doesn't go to waste" kinda device, so I wont be "better off buying a new one" as a few have recommended on Discord..

I dont think I can upgrade the CPU...only the RAM and the Storage.
But unsure of what specific RAM/Storage I can change. Maybe even keyboard can be changed?
Something cheap would be nice!

Specs: (from Ubuntu Tweak)

• 
  Model: ASUS eeePC R101
  CPU: Intel(R) Atom(TM) CPU N450 @1.66GHz
  Memory:988.8 MB (I am sure I read 2GB RAM somewhere..?)
  Ubuntu 17.10 artful (I thought I had Xubuntu?)
  Storage: 128GB Volume HD. (I also have an SD card but no idea how to check storage)
  https://imgur.com/a/gHxSFWp < storage device

I mean, I can upgrade the parts right? Someone told me that the Atom CPU is somehow wielded down that makes it impossible to change. And that as its a rubbish CPU, adding more RAM/Storage will strain the CPU/Deice overall...so maybe its not worth upgrading parts and just utilizing it as it is?


Appreciate the help/recommendations!

Use as is. You basically are basically using a pentium 3 machine from the 2000's but in a tiny notebook. It's barely able to browse today's web and no amount of upgrades is going to change that.

Oh wow really? Yes browsing is a little slow, but usable if need be.
How about storage atleast? So I can use it as a storage device?

Also, what if I do upgrade to 2GB RAM, will that slow it down?

What do you mean storage device?
2gb of ram won't speed it up and won't slow it down. Now filling that 2gb of ram up with a couple tabs in chromium will most likely take that poor atom down to a crawl. Even when that cpu came out it was just enough to run windows xp and word. Browsing the web was pretty poor even back then and intensive things like playing a yt vid were basically a no go.

 

[CostaP]

Storage as in internal storage. A HD or SSD...
Yes watching youtube videos is a no go atm. I have Xubuntu so the device is better. Its not like it has W10 and upgrading 1 more RAM will kill it. Its a low end Linux OS, so I just thought an extra RAM would help...but if you say it wont..? ok

 

[jaslion]

Storage as in internal storage. A HD or SSD...
Yes watching youtube videos is a no go atm. I have Xubuntu so the device is better. Its not like it has W10 and upgrading 1 more RAM will kill it. Its a low end Linux OS, so I just thought an extra RAM would help...but if you say it wont..? ok

You always can add more ram it just won't make it any better.
http://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AMD-Athlon-XP-2200--vs-Intel-Atom-N450/m3828vsm3190
This site is ok to get a grasp about how something should perform. The athlon xp 2200+ was a decent chip from 2002 but is basically unseable today. Yet it's almost twice as fast as the atom.

 

[CostaP]

Storage as in internal storage. A HD or SSD...
Yes watching youtube videos is a no go atm. I have Xubuntu so the device is better. Its not like it has W10 and upgrading 1 more RAM will kill it. Its a low end Linux OS, so I just thought an extra RAM would help...but if you say it wont..? ok

You always can add more ram it just won't make it any better.
http://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AMD-Athlon-XP-2200--vs-Intel-Atom-N450/m3828vsm3190
This site is ok to get a grasp about how something should perform. The athlon xp 2200+ was a decent chip from 2002 but is basically unseable today. Yet it's almost twice as fast as the atom.

Ok, so I probalby wont upgrade the RAM. But lets say I did... so the RAM I have is DDR2- 1GB-800.
Can I buy a Crucial CT25664AC800 2 GB (DDR2, 800 MHz, PC2-6400, SODIMM, 200-Pin) Memory ??
Or can I buy any with the name DDR2?

And lets say at least the storage is OK to upgrade (forget the CPU), what internal is ok to buy?
A seagate 500gb hd? What brands?

That should be my final questions haha

 

[jaslion]

Storage as in internal storage. A HD or SSD...
Yes watching youtube videos is a no go atm. I have Xubuntu so the device is better. Its not like it has W10 and upgrading 1 more RAM will kill it. Its a low end Linux OS, so I just thought an extra RAM would help...but if you say it wont..? ok

You always can add more ram it just won't make it any better.
http://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AMD-Athlon-XP-2200--vs-Intel-Atom-N450/m3828vsm3190
This site is ok to get a grasp about how something should perform. The athlon xp 2200+ was a decent chip from 2002 but is basically unseable today. Yet it's almost twice as fast as the atom.

Ok, so I probalby wont upgrade the RAM. But lets say I did... so the RAM I have is DDR2- 1GB-800.
Can I buy a Crucial CT25664AC800 2 GB (DDR2, 800 MHz, PC2-6400, SODIMM, 200-Pin) Memory ??
Or can I buy any with the name DDR2?

And lets say at least the storage is OK to upgrade (forget the CPU), what internal is ok to buy?
A seagate 500gb hd? What brands?

That should be my final questions haha

1. Make sure your EEEpc can actually have the ram upgraded (many had soldered on ram)
2. If it can be upgraded you need ddr2 sodimm (laptop ram basically) 2gb sticks can be found for 5$ or so on ebay no problem.
3. Make sure your EEEpc can actually accept a 2.5inch hdd as many just had flash storage soldered onto the board.
4. Not sure why you want more storage in a basically useless device but you do you. (do keep in mind that if you ever want to copy those files over you'll have to deal with usb 2.0 or th slow lan adapter in there).

By the time you are done upgrading you most likely have spent about 40-50$ which can often land you a first gen core I series 12 inch laptop that would actually be usefull.

 

[geofelt]

My reading says that the iee comes with 1gb installed in a socket.
To go to 2gb, you will need to replace that 1gb with a 2gb stick.
Use cpu-Z to verify the specs of what you have now.
Many ram vendors have apps that will confirm ram upgrades to your particular unit.
Here is one:
https://www.memorystock.com/memory/ASUSEeePCR101.html

Upgrading to 2gb is a very good idea from a performance point of view.