$50 more for Linux Eee PC 900 – what gives Asus?

By Stan Beer
Friday, 09 May 2008 11:43

Opinion and Analysis

And there we were believing that we could trust a vendor like Asus. The line they’ve spun to journalists in Australia about the Linux Asus Eee PC 900 being $50 more than the Windows version because it has more storage is a load of bull. Overseas, both models are the same price!

Just for background, two days ago Asustek Australia announced the Eee PC 900 (the one with the 8.9 inch screen) would go on sale at the end of May with both Linux and Windows XP Home models. The Linux version would retail for AUD$649, while the Windows version would sell for AUD$599.

The reason for the $50 price difference, we were told, is that the Windows model has only 12GB of solid state storage while the Linux version has 20GB. Sound fair enough? Not really.

Our overseas readers have kindly informed us that both the Windows and Linux models of the Eee PC 900 sell for exactly the same price! In fact, the reason the Windows model has significantly less storage is to make up for the added cost of the Windows license.

Thinking about it logically, why else would the Windows model have less storage than the Linux model if not to keep the price levels the same?

We went straight to Asustek Australia’s PR company to find out what gives. Apparently we’re not the only ones in the media who are more than a little perplexed. The poor beleaguered PR representative got back to us promptly with a somewhat unconvincing answer from her client.

“Australia is the only country to have a recommended retail price,” the PR rep told us. “There is no global RRP so it is up to retailers to sell it for what they want to.” CONTINUED