OLPC XO is also known as the “$100 laptop” and even if the prize has gone up since the launch, OLPC XO is still one of the cheapest computers you can buy. The basic idea of the project is to improve the computer skills of children in third world countries and then every penny counts. It comes as no surprise that OLPC XO is far from a speed machine, but at the same time you get curious and want to see what’s inside the case. At Notebookreview they’ve reviewed and dissected the super cheap computer.
They compare OLPC XO to the perhaps only competition, ASUS Eee PC, which costs about the same as OLPC XO. It becomes clear quite fast that the two are intended for two very different markets, as OLPC XO is more durable, while the Eee PC is a bit faster.
“For your average consumer, the OLPC is not really the best notebook to consider for purchase. You can get much better performance and capability from the Asus Eee PC in almost every situation. The key difference though is the Eee PC is not anywhere near as durable, and probably wouldn’t survive in the harsh conditions found in a developing nation.”
Overall it’s interesting to see a real review of OLPC XO, especially as they’ve opened up the computer to get a closer look at the components. The review can be found at Notebookreview.com.
