The ASUS Eee netbooks are ultra-compact laptops which emphasize convenience, portability, and connectivity rather than high-end performance-minded hardware. Following the footsteps of the original 700 series, the newer 900 series includes several more features. At 1.4 inches thick and 2.18 lbs, the 900 series measures only marginally larger and heavier than the 700. Most of the added size can be attributed to an 8.9 inch screen (1024 x 600 pixels), compared to the 7-inch one on the 700.

The 900 16G employs an Intel Mobile chipset, 1GB of RAM, a 16GB solid state drive, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, a built-in webcam, about 2.5 hours of battery life, and your choice of either Windows XP or Linux (the latter increases storage space to 20GB). The only spec that differentiates this model from the 900 is that the 900 16G lacks the 900's additional 4GB SSD. This additional solid state drive was designed to have a faster run speed than the 16GB one, but eliminating it also reduces the weight and cost for the 900 16G.