Pop on down to your local Harvey Norman and you'll find the wall o' mini notebooks - last time we counted at least six pint-sized machine to choose from, and it's growing rapidly by the week. Recent arrivals in this space include Toshiba's NB100, and on the Dell site, the Inspiron Mini 9.

These "netbooks" might have started at around $500-$600, but there's a trend toward pricier models in the $700 to $999 bracket.

Not everyone will agree that paying this much for what is essentially still a low-powered notebook is a good thing. With prices now hitting the $1,000 mark, some might argue ASUS and other vendors are removing one of the best things about the Atom platform - the cheap price.

The ASUS N10 and S101 are two of these standout models. Yes, they're pricier than many Atom notebooks, but they also set a new benchmark for sub $1,000 mini portables. As you'll see below, both have their specialties, including a first for the Atom notebook category with dedicated graphics.

So has ASUS managed to outdo itself and create something better than the Eee PC? We've raved about the Eee PC 1000H, and we're pleased to say that in several respects, these two new models are even better. ASUS has managed to add an element of class, not to mention a few neat features, that take the cheap mini notebook to new heights, though it's not without a price premium.

Triple Threat - the ASUS Eee PC 1000H on left, S101 in middle, and N10 on right

Base Platform
Overall, the base spec of the N10 is similar to other quality netbooks like the 1000H, with a few major differences such as storage and graphics.

The big news here is the introduction of dedicated graphics - the N10 is said to be the first Intel Atom machine on the market with such an ability. The machine has Nvidia GeForce 9300M, which separates it from most of the netbooks you'll see.

The other big addition is the introduction of hybrid graphics switching, something we've already seen in Sony's Vaio Z laptop, and which lets you toggle between dedicated and onboard graphics in order to save battery life.

The ASUS N10: chunkier than the S101, and pricey, but among the best specs in its class

The ASUS S101: too cool for school with super sleek lines and 1Kg briefcase-friendly weight.

While the Intel N270 Atom CPU in the N10 is the same as many other Atom machines, there are important differences. You also get up to 2GB RAM, compared with 1GB for the S101 and the Windows XP 1000H - an important inclusion considering this machine comes with Vista as an option.

Like the 1000H and S101, the N10 includes 802.11n networking and Bluetooth. There are a few other classy touches, including HDMI-out, and facial recognition, which lets you logon using your face, rather than a password.

The S101 is lighter on the features than its bigger brother, leaving its classy design to do the talking. The base platform is much the same as the N101 and 1000H, with Intel N270 Atom, the main difference being 1GB RAM (as with the XP 1000H), instead of N10's 2GB, and onboard graphics, as with the 1000H.

Operating System
The N10 stands out as one of the minority of sub $1,000 mini notebooks pushing Vista (along with the HP Mini Note). The good news is the inclusion of Windows XP and as an alternative option.

By comparison the S101 and Eee PC 1000H are both XP affairs if you want Windows, which is a good thing considering they're 1GB machines.

Storage
This is another big point of difference separating the N10 from some cheaper mini notebooks. Here you get up to 320GB, which is drastically better than what's on offer from most competing notebooks.

By comparison, the S101 gives you 16GB SSD, and our 1000H review unit has 80GB HDD.

Responsiveness
We don't expect notebooks with Atom CPUs to perform speed miracles. We do expect all notebooks to perform handle basic desktop tasks relatively smoothly. Atom machines have a big job ahead of them running Vista, which is why most netbook manufacturers avoid it like the plague. That said, we were mostly satisfied by the N10's ability to cope with Vista.

Atom and GeForce, sitting in a tree . . .

The two notebooks we received for this review were engineering samples, so we're not drawing any final, final conclusions, but our tests do provide a good idea of how the N10 and S101 will perform.

With the N10, switching between multiple tabs in IE, while running other apps such as Office, caused some noticeable lag, but overall the N10 was usable. Considering we've had just as heavy lag on Atom-based XP notebooks (Dell's Mini 9), you could say our review N10 made a valiant effort under trying conditions. With Windows XP we'd predict smoother sailing.

We loaded our S101 review model with Windows XP, and despite less RAM (1GB) it performed beautifully. None of the lag issues here that we've seen on some cheaper Atom systems.

Battery Life
Here's where ASUS' range of mini notebooks stand out from the competition. We've already raved about the battery life of the Eee PC 1000H - which lasted for a whopping 6 hours in our light use test, and 4 hours 22 minutes in our heavy use test. Our 10 and S101 sample units didn't quite reach that milestone in our tests, but they clearly have the right stuff.

Our N10 was an engineering preview unit, so we're not going to make any final conclusions, but our first impressions are positive. We had enough time to complete light use test, where the machine is set to maximum power saving settings, and left idle till the battery runs dead. Our review unit lasted an admirable 5 hours - not earth shattering, but a dammn sight better than some of the competition.

Compare that to the Acer Aspire One, which managed a disappointing 2.5 hours in our idle test - with use, that's enough for a commute to work perhaps, but not enough to take it on the road away from a power point. The N10 also beats the Toshiba NB100, which managed 2 hours 49 minutes in our light use test.

Both our engineering samples clocked at least 4.5 hours in our idle test

By comparison, the smaller S101 managed 4 hours 37 minutes in the light use test. Again, not a record, but it's markedly better than some cheaper machines.

Something you might also miss without checking the fine print is the number of batteries you get with the machine. The N10 is advertised with two batteries - a 3 and 6 cell - whereas machines like the Toshiba NB100 come with 1 battery only, and a poor one at that.

Keyboard
The two keyboards here are mostly on the money, with some slight differences. The N10 has slightly larger keys, though it’s a non-conventional key design without the same tapered edges you get on "traditional" keyboards. They keys are big enough for reasonably long typing sessions, though we found the lack of gaps takes some getting used to (we kept accidentally hitting two keys instead of one).

The S101, on the other hand has what seems to be the same keyboard as the ASUS 1000H - and it's a beauty. Keys are easy to find while typing quickly, and there's enough travel in the keypress to make it feel as close as you'll get to a regular keyboard in such a small form factor.

The ASUS N10: Big keys=good, thought watch the funny gaps.

The ASUS S101: Smaller keys, though less gappy, which we're happy about

The ASUS Eee PC 1000H: Same vibe as the S101 to us

Touchpad
The worst trackpad designs are either too small, or use fancy surfaces that look good (HP DV4 and DV5 - we're looking at you), but are awkward to use. The N10 and S101 trackpads are neither. The N10 design has separate left and right buttons,, with the finger swipe situated between the two - meaning you don't accidentally swipe it with your palm. The S101 has a single button without the finger swipe, and does the job.

Weight
At 1.4Kg, the N10 won't set any records - it's heavier than the Apple Air, and only just lighter than the Eee PC 1000H (1.45Kg). The S101 on the other hand, is a standout. It's a featherlight 1Kg, and combined with the sleek backlit LED screen, will smoothly slide into a briefcase or small notebook satchel.

Design
Both the ASUS N10 and S101 are a class above what we've seen in the cheap portable category so far, the main difference being a move to a more metallic look.

The N10 is the chunkier of the two machines. ASUS has gone with a glossy brushed metal look, which uses a scratch-resistant finish ASUS claims will retain its "sheen" after prolonged use.

A vision in metallic champagne - the ASUS N10

Also doubles as a carving knife - the ASUS S101

The S101, meanwhile, sets a new benchmark for sleek design in a cheap portable - it's very light, and stunningly sleek. Noticeably skinnier than the N10, the S101 weighs a mere 1Kg vs 1.4Kg for the N10, and measures 1.8cm to 2.5cm high (compared to the N10, which is up to 3.71cm high).

Again, the surface of the S101 has a brushed metal look, with a touch of bling including a crystal element in the hinge. Combined with the skinny LED backlit screen, this notebook makes contenders like the Dell Mini 9 and Eee PC 901 look chunky and plastic.

Value
Despite the classy touches and improved spec, not everyone will see the value in paying around $1,000 for systems with an Atom CPU. If that's the way you want to look at it, then you might better off with the slightly cheaper 1000H, or if you're happy with less storage, one of the many cheaper netbooks around the $500 to $650 range, such as the Dell Mini 9, or Acer Aspire one.

That said, these two portables are an improvement on ASUS' best - one in terms of raw spec (N10), the other in terms of design (S101). There's a price premium, but these are among the best of the sub $1,000 mini portables.

Conclusion
Portables based on Atom CPUs will never post speed records, so we can't say there aren't any compromises here. For a portable without any limits, you need to spend several thousand dollars on an ASUS U6, or Sony Z Series.

If it's sub $1,000 portables you're looking at, we can draw some positive conclusions from the N10 and S101. First, ASUS continues to do good things with battery life. We won't make any final verdicts until we test full production models, but it's clear from these review units that the N10 and S101 will provide a reasonable amount of juice.

Yes you can get a "full size", mid-range Core 2 Duo for less money, but the size and the battery life of the N10 and S101 mean these two portables are still standouts in their class. In those areas, at least, the N10 and S101 hold their own.

Are the N10 and S101 the best value minis? Maybe not. Would I pick an N10 or S101 over an Aspire one or 1000H? Based on our first impressions, yes.