ASUS Eee PC 1201 to come with dual-core Atom processor and NVIDIA ION graphics

Didn’t think you’d ever see a dual-core Atom processor in a netbook?

Guess again.

ASUS is readying the new Eee PC 1201 netbook featuring the dual-core Intel Atom N330 processor which is clocked at 1.66GHz. As if that alone wasn’t impressive enough, the 1201 also features the NVIDIA ION graphics platform which means high def enthusiasts might finally have a netbook they can be proud of.

Other notable features of the 1201 include:

12 inch widescreen display with 1366 x 768 resolution
2GB of RAM
Full-sized keyboard
HDMI port
250GB hard drive
Three USB 2.0 ports
Media Card Reader
Ethernet port
Built-in webcam
Available in black and silver colors
Weighs approximately 3.1 pounds

According to PC Magazine, the ASUS Eee PC 1201 comes with a removable 6 cell battery which should provide around 5 hours of battery life. Price for this system? A cool $499. No word on when the 1201 will hit the market.