ASUS UL80Ag-A1 Thin and Light 14-Inch Black Laptop - 12 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is the second Asus in my my family, and i have to recognized this brand rocks, great prices, great battery life, not as at advertised, but using wifi, for email purposes, around 9 hours.
No hassles with the keyboard, mouse or anyuthing, even so i can give you the advice that after you remove the sticker in the mouse, you must clean it with a moistured pad.So it will run more smoodly.
Dont think it twice this is a Best-Buy.
Pros:Really Slim, Amazing battery life, Nice Display, ultrafast booting, 8 sec system to browse, music, skype,etc..!
The only Cons: Its hard to keep it without fingerprints because of their finish.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS UL80Ag-A1 Thin and Light 14-Inch Black Laptop - 12 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Free yourself from power cords and start exploring with up to an amazing 12 hours of all-day battery life with the ASUS UL80AG-A1, thanks to its Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor and 15.6-inch LED-backlit display, which combines vibrant visuals with advanced energy efficiency. This stylish, ultra-portable notebook features a brushed aluminum lid that not only looks magnificent, but also helps in maintaining its stylish exterior day after day. The UL80AG also features a multi-gesture touchpad, which enables you to intuitively zoom in or out of pictures via pinching, or navigate up and down pages by sliding your finger.
Pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version), you'll be able to easily create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet. Better ways to find and manage files, like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews, help you speed through everyday tasks. Windows 7 is designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to. (Learn more about Windows 7 Home Premium below.)

Experience FastBoot, the unique performance boost for Windows 7 made possible by ASUS's close partnership with Microsoft. With ASUS exclusive FastBoot technology, this Windows 7-enabled ASUS notebook starts up in a staggering 30 seconds.

Compact and just over an 1-inch thin, you can fit the UL80AG virtually anywhere--freeing space for books, files, or whatever else you need to enjoy a spacious workspace. The UL80AG includes Altec Lansing speakers plus SRS surround for a virtual home theater experience on the go, as well as an HDMI port for connecting to an HDTV at home. You'll be able to store all of your favorite applications, most important documents, and large video and audio libraries with the generous 320 GB hard drive. Other features include 4 GB of DDR2 RAM (maximum capacity), integrated webcam, Draft-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n), Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated video graphics, and multi-format memory card reader.

And where some PC manufacturers only offer 1 year of warranty service, the ASUS UL50AG comes standard with a 2-year global ASUS 360 warranty as well as 1 year of Accidental Damage Warranty (ADW).



Key Features
High-gloss 14-inch LED-backlit HD high definition display with 1366 x 768 resolution (16:9 aspect ratio) that uses less energy and still gives you an immersive cinematic experience (Learn more)
Up to 12 hours of battery life from 8-cell battery
Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. And you can watch shows for free when and where you want with Internet TV on Windows Media Center. Get the best entertainment experience with Windows 7 Home Premium. (Learn more)
Get more features with Windows Anytime Upgrade. It's the best way to add features to Windows 7, takes as few as ten minutes, requires no software or downloads, and you'll keep your existing programs, files, and settings. Windows will walk you through the simple upgrade process.
Chiclet style keyboard and multi-touch trackpad for comfortable and intuitive use (Learn more)
ASUS IceCool Technology for cool-to-the-touch palm rest
Exclusive Express Gate feature enables ultra-fast boot so you can connect to the web in just 10 seconds
Energy efficient, dual core 1.3 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor with ultra-low voltage for extended battery life (Learn more)
320 GB SATA hard drive (5400 RPM)
4 GB of installed DDR2 RAM (800 MHz; 2 x SODIMM slots; 4 GB maximum capacity)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD integrated video processing
0.3-megapixel webcam for connecting with friends and family over video chats
ASUS SmartLogon facial recognition system detects your face and logs on automatically
Draft-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n)
HDMI high-definition audio/video output allows a single cable to transmit uncompressed high-definition video to your digital TV or LCD
Altec Lansing speakers enhanced with SRS Premium Sound for home theatre quality acoustics (Learn more)
ASUS Super Hybrid Engine for extended battery life
Dimensions: 13.5 x 9.6 x 1.1 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 4.8 pounds (with battery
Warranty: 2 year global warranty and 1 year accidental damage warranty (Learn more)

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion With its integrated Draft-N Wi-Fi networking capabilities, this laptop provides up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range using 802.11n-compatible routers as you would with 802.11g networks. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found at Wi-Fi hotspots and in older home routers). This notebook also provides Fast (10/100) Ethernet networking.

3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
1 HDMI output for connecting to a compatible HDTV or home theater receiver for uncompressed digital audio and video via a single cable
Analog video output: 1 VGA
5-in-1 memory card reader compatible with Secure Digital (SD), MultiMedia Card (MMC), Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, and xD Picture Card
1 headphone jack (S/PDIF digital audio output), 1 microphone jack
10/100 Fast Ethernet

What's in the box This package contains the ASUS UL80AG-A1 notebook PC, AC adapter, rechargeable 8-cell battery, and user manual

Learn More
High Definition That Doesn't Break the Bank The 14-inch LED-backlit display offers bright, vibrant visuals and advanced energy efficiency, and it has a high-definition resolution (1366 x 768) and 16:9 ratio display for watching movies and HDTV programming without annoying black bars. It's supported by an integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics processor for cinematic visual quality. Equipped with HDMI connectivity, you can easily stream media whether you're on the move or through an external display at home or in the office.
The UL80AG is complemented with Altec Lansing speakers--30 percent more powerful compared to those found on conventional notebooks--and SRS premium surround sound, providing high-quality audio playback without the need to connect to external speakers. The angle of the speakers also allows audio to be "bounced" upwards from any surface to provide better amplification, delivering a wider frequency range, which in turn produces lower pitches that allow users to hear every reverberation of the drums, as well as every note in pitch perfect quality.



Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. You can even watch, pause, rewind, and record TV. Get the best entertainment experience with Windows 7 Home Premium.



Jump Lists New in Windows 7, Jump Lists take you right to the documents, pictures, songs, or websites you turn to each day. To open a Jump List, just right-click a program icon on the Windows 7 taskbar. (You'll also find them on the Start menu.) What you see in a Jump List depends entirely on the program. The Jump List for Internet Explorer 8 shows frequently-viewed websites. Windows Media Player 12 lists commonly-played tunes. Your Jump List missing a favorite? You can "pin" whatever files you like there. Jump Lists don't just show shortcuts to files. Sometimes they also provide quick access to commands for things like composing new e‑mail messages or playing music.

Improved Windows Taskbar In Windows 7 you can "pin" favorite programs anywhere on the taskbar for easy access. Not crazy about the icon lineup? Now you can rearrange them any way you like by clicking and dragging. Finally, there are new ways to preview windows. Point to a taskbar icon to see a thumbnail preview of open files or programs. Then, move your mouse over a thumbnail to preview the window full-screen. You can even close windows from the thumbnail previews--a big time saver.

Snap Ever need to cut through a cluttered desktop and quickly focus on a single window? Just click a pane and give your mouse a shake. Every open window except that one instantly disappears. Jiggle again--and your windows are back.



Energy Efficient Intel Core 2 Duo ULV Processor Offering the latest in ultra-low voltage processing power, the dual-core Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 has a has a power consumption rating of just 10 watts and a 1.3 GHz speed that's paired with a fast 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB) and 3 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)




Eye-Catching Sophistication Impress onlookers or complement any setting with the UL80AG's brushed aluminum finish and high-class appeal. Simply opening the notebook you notice the interior casing around the display that brings the color to life so that time-after-time the UL80AG shines with a brilliant, high-gloss finish. Plus, the chiclet style keyboard and spacious keys not only allow for a comfortable typing experience but also prevents dust buildup keeping it nice and clean every time you use it. Inspired by the light grace of a butterfly, the UL80AG carries the hallmark contours and slim elegance that separate it from the typical cookie-cutter notebook with a true style of its own.
With ASUS IceCool Technology, you're ensured extended battery life and a cool-to-touch surface, so even after the longest computer sessions there's limited heat for optimized comfort. The palm rest area also makes your experience more enjoyable so you have plenty of space to place your hands while typing on the keyboard.



Industry Leading Customer Warranty Accidents Happen You have extra protection when they happen to your ASUS notebook purchased in the US or Canada. ASUS will fix it or replace it for you at no charge during the first year after purchase in the event of damage from accidental spills, drops, electrical surges, or fire.
Warranty covering accidental drops, spills, power surges, and fire damage
Target 3-business-day turnaround time for repair / replacement; not including receiving and shipping time
One-way shipping (from ASUS to the user) at no additional cost
24-hour toll-free phone support
One incident covered per notebook

Click here for more information about ASUS UL80Ag-A1 Thin and Light 14-Inch Black Laptop - 12 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Read More...

ASUS UL20A-A1 Thin and Light 12.1-Inch Silver Laptop - 7.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I just upgraded to this laptop from an 8.9" Atom-powered netbook (an Asus EeePC 900HA). Here are my thoughts after using the UL20A for a few days:
Pro's:
1. SMALL FOOTPRINT & LIGHT WEIGHT. The footprint of the laptop is similar to an 8.5"x11" sheet of paper (just slightly narrower and slightly longer), and at 3.3lbs, putting it in your briefcase or backpack is no more burdensome than an extra book or binder.
2. EXCELLENT KEYBOARD. The relatively large "chiclet" keyboard makes for an effortless typing experience.
3. PERFECT SCREEN SIZE. With a 12.1" 1366x768 screen, you're getting the resolution of a 13.3" laptop in a smaller package. At 130 pixels per inch, text on the 12" screen is often pretty small, but still acceptable. I would however advise against smaller screens (e.g. 11.6") at this resolution.
4. EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE. Despite the low clock speed, the UL20A's Core 2 Duo is MUCH faster than any Intel Atom. HD YouTube videos play flawlessly at ~67% CPU utilization, and general performance seems much smoother than on my old netbook. I especially notice the difference when scrolling through PDF's, which was often very slow and jerky on my EeePC.
5. EXCELLENT BATTERY LIFE. After 4.5 hours of mixed light web browsing, email, and PDF viewing, I still had 40% charge left. If the battery continued to be depleted at that rate, you'd end up with--that's right--exactly the quoted 7.5 hours! I used Windows 7's "Balanced" power scheme (not any of Asus's Power4Gear modes). After some testing, I can confirm that the processor will ramp up to max frequency during heavy usage with this mode, so there's no reason not to leave it in "Balanced" all the time.
6. VERY QUIET. Even when using it in a quiet room, it's nearly impossible to hear any fan noise.
7. EXTRA WARRANTY. The UL20A comes with 1 year of "accidental damage" coverage.
8. LITTLE THIRD-PARTY BLOATWARE. The only (non-Asus) bloatware was an anti-virus software trial and some silly games. I uninstalled these in minutes (and replaced the A-V trial with Microsoft's free Security Essentials program).
9. WINDOWS 7 HOME PREMIUM. Unlike most netbooks, which ship with either Microsoft's ancient Windows XP or the crippled Windows 7 Starter Edition, this laptop comes with the full "premium" version of Microsoft's brand-new OS.
Con's:
1. ANNOYING TOUCHPAD. The texture of the touchpad causes way too much friction, which irritates your finger. The pointer also periodically freezes, placing a strange gray circle near the cursor (this is probably some stupid Synaptics feature I haven't figured out how to disable yet).
2. GLOSSY SCREEN. This causes annoying reflections, but in fairness most laptops have these nowadays.
3. ABSURD JUMBLE OF ASUS UTILITIES. Asus includes nearly a dozen separate utilities for various functions. Most have weird names, and it's not apparent what they do until you click on them. They also each seem to have their own distinct (amateurish) user interface. At the very least, Asus needs to cut the number of included programs in half (both through consolidation and elimination of pointless and redundant functions).
4. DISAPPOINTING LCD QUALITY. As was the case with my EeePC's screen, the contrast is too high, and there's a significant blue-ish hue by default. I do NOT recommend this laptop for SERIOUS photo editing (i.e. not for professionals). It should be fine for most users though.
Summary:
This notebook seems to hit a sweet spot between netbooks and full-size laptops: You're getting an almost full-size keyboard, adequate screen resolution, snappy performance, and Windows 7 Home Premium, while retaining much of the portability, low-cost, and battery life of a netbook.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS UL20A-A1 Thin and Light 12.1-Inch Silver Laptop - 7.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Style and Performance in Perfect Harmony The energy-efficient, slim and stylish ASUS UL20A-A1 notebook redefines ultraportable notebooks. Free yourself from power cords and start exploring with up to an amazing 7.5 hours* of all-day battery life. Powered by the ultra-low-voltage Intel® Core™2 Duo processor SU7300 and optimized with 2GB of DDR2 SDRAM, the UL20A-A1 takes you further than most other notebooks with eye-catching style and a generous 250GB of storage. Its ultra-slim profile makes traveling a breeze and its 12.1-inch HD LED-backlit display offers bright, vibrant visuals and advanced energy efficiency. Effortlessly navigate your e-mails and favorite websites with the enhanced multi-touch trackpad and complete important assignments with ease using the comfortable chiclet keyboard. The UL20A-A1 also features Altec Lansing speakers, plus SRS surround, for a virtual home theater experience on the go. The UL20A-A1 is built from the ground up to give you the best value; it\'s an ultraportable notebook that truly delivers mobility on demand. A complete notebook warranty package is icing on the cake. ASUS UL20A-A1 come standard with a 1-Year Global Warranty and more*:
Thirty-days flawless display guarantee
Free two-way standard shipping
24-hour tech support seven days a week Plus ASUS Accidental Damage Protection: ASUS UL20A-A1 are also protected come with a One Year Accidental Damage Warranty protecting the notebook from drops, fire, spills, and surge.**


Key Features

All-day computing with up to 7.5 hours of battery life1
Exceptionally compact and light, just over 1-inch thin, and less than 3.3lbs
Powered by the Intel Core2 Duo Processor SU7300 for energy efficiency
Color Shine 12.1-inch LED-backlit widescreen HD display that uses less energy and gives you an immersive cinematic experience
2GB of DDR2 system memory for smooth performance with Windows 7 Home Premium installed
250GB 5,400rpm hard drive for fast, convenient storage and access to all your documents, music, videos, and photos
Chiclet style keyboard and multi-touch trackpad for comfortable and intuitive use
Built-in 802.11n wireless connectivity that enables \'real-time\' video conferencing and Internet browsing
Integrated webcam for connecting with your friends and family
Altec Lansing speakers enhanced with SRS Premium Sound for home theater quality acoustics
ASUS IceCool Technology provides a cool-to-the-touch palm rest
Express Gate, exclusively from ASUS, enables ultra-fast booting so you can connect to the web in just 10 seconds
ASUS SmartLogon—facial recognition system detects your face and logs on automatically
ASUS 360: 1 year global warranty and ASUS ADW: 1 year accidental damage warranty*

Learn More
Takes You Where You Want to Go
Energy Efficient Processing
Comfort Included
Eye-Catching Sophistication
The Ultra Mobile Warrior
ASUS Exclusive Windows 7 Features
ASUS 360* -- 1 Year Global Warranty
ASUS ADW* -- 1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty**
For PC\'s running Windows 7 Home Premium
Warranty
ASUS 360* (1 Years Global Warranty) + ASUS ADW* (1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty**) + Flawless Display Guarantee ASUS UL20A-A1 comes with ASUS 360 (1 years global warranty), ADW (1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty*) and Flawless Display Guarantee. If the purchaser discovers one defective bright dot within 30 days of purchase, ASUS will replace the panel without cost to the purchaser.
What's in the Box
ASUS UL20A-A1
AC Adapter
6 cell Battery Pack
Warranty Information Cards
Specifications
Operating System: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Display: 12.1-inch HD LED-backlit Widescreen (1366 x 768)
Intel Platform: Intel Core2 Duo processor SU7300 (1.3GHz)
Graphics: Intel GMA X4500MHD
Wireless: WLAN 802.11b/g/n (draft 2.4GHz n)
LAN: 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
Memory: 2GB DDR2 DRAM 800MHz, (upgradeable to 4GB)
Storage: 250GB 5,400RPM Hard Drive
Camera: 0.3 Megapixel
Speakers: SRS Premium Stereo Speakers by Altec Lansing, Hi-Definition Audio CODEC
Microphone Digital Array Microphones
Card Reader: 1 x 8-in-1 card reader: MMC, SD/SDHC, Mini-SD, MS, MS-Pro, MS-Duo, MS Pro-Duo , XD
Input/Output: 1 x Mic-in, 1 x audio-out (S/PDIF), 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x RJ45 LAN
Video Output: 1 x VGA port/Mini D-sub 15-pin
Keyboard: 18.33mm with MS Windows function keys
Battery Pack: 6-cell Lithium Ion Battery, - Up to 7.5 hours1
Power Supply: Input: 100~240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal
Dimensions: 11.8 (W) x 8.4 (L) x 1.0 (H) inches
Weight: 3.3lbs (with 6-cell battery)
Color: Silver 1Estimated maximum battery life test was done in ASUS Power4Gear battery saving mode with Mobile Mark 2007. Actual battery life may vary based on product settings, usage patterns and environmental conditions. *For notebooks purchased on or after Sept. 10, 2007. The ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty covers "ASUS" brand notebooks only, and does NOT extend to: "Built on ASUS," "ASMobile," "Powered by ASUS," the Eee PC, or some other models. These retailers are currently among the companies that do NOT participate in the ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty: Best Buy, MicroCenter, and The Source by CircuitCity in Canada. Limited of one claim per notebook for Accidental Damage Warranty. ASUS reserves the right to discontinue this program and to modify the terms and conditions thereof at any time. ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty Program starts from the date of your ASUS notebook purchase, when all the requirements are met. **One incident covered per notebook All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models. Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in photos. Celeron, Celeron Inside, Centrino, Centrino Inside, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Intel Viiv, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, Viiv Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

Click here for more information about ASUS UL20A-A1 Thin and Light 12.1-Inch Silver Laptop - 7.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Read More...

ASUS N61JV-X2 16-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Dark Brown) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)PROS:
On the initial setup, the laptop played a pretty cool Asus video that showed many "on" buttons forming various images. It made the purchase seem even more personal. Nice touch Asus. Here's a link: paste "ASUS Laptop Startup Video (2009 ASUS)(HD)" on Youtube. Watch in HD fullscreen to get the same feel. Yes simple things amaze me x_o.
My first impression of this laptop is its big size. I'm used to running a netbook, in terms of mobile pc. Examining the layout closely, the screen isn't the perpetrator here- the speaker adds roughly 2 inches to the width. Although this is easily forgiven once I heard the sound quality, which is similar to an HDTV's. This may make the laptop slightly bigger than regular 16in notebooks, but for an "entertainment"-advertised laptop, it was necessary.
I'm happy it has an eSATA port because this allowed me to couple my internal hard drives with a hard drive docking station (Thermaltake BlacX). Really helpful for storage and backups. The USB3.0 is a great addition as well. Makes it a bit more future-proof. As for the touchpad, my netbook had the same exact touchpad and I always turned it off because I was not a fan of it. Nothing beats a mouse!
Battery life depends on 4 settings through a power-managing software called Power4Gear. At "High Performance" setting, no power saving option is on and the battery life drains within 2 hours. The more balanced "Entertainment" setting, lasts 3 hours. With the power option set to "Quiet Office", the battery life lasts 4 hours. Lastly, the"Battery Saving" mode increases the battery life even longer. What it does is it disables your wallpaper, gadgets, autohides the taskbar, lowers brightness to 20% and sets every setting to maximum power savings. Of course the realtime battery life will be ultimately affected by what task you are doing.
In terms of performance, this thing packs a wallop! It will not beat a same-priced desktop, but what's important is portability. It's a great purchase for the performance. Although keep reading to learn about the current GPU driver as a caveat emptor. Another warning: I believe this was first advertised as having bluetooth. I can confirm that it does not. While this is not a deal breaker, I feel it should have been included being an entertainment laptop. Some of the pre-installed softwares are helpful, like the Power4Gear battery managing software and the Splendid Utility which enhances the screen's color/contrast/brightness settings with preset modes. The Cyberlink TrueTheater HD software is amazing. I popped in my "LotR: Fellowship of the Ring" DVD and with the smoothest playback settings (60FPS) and sharpest modes, it seemed like a whole new movie. I do not own a bluray player so I'm not used to this type of quality, but yes, it is better than any YouTube 1080p HD trailers or any HD channels I've seen.
Graphic Card Tests (Gaming):
All games were tested on the Geforce GT325m (Optimus driver version 189.07), running at 1366x768 native resolution, full screen, and with FRAPS frame counter benchmark. I wanted to keep it at native resolution to show the highest resolution capability of this GPU. Lowering resolution and some graphical settings will unquestionably increase the frame rates, but playing graphically-lush games is always a delight.
Batman Arkham Asylum: (Fight sequence VS 5 inmates at start of game)
Settings: VSync Off, Hardware PhysX Off, Detail level: Very High, 2xAnti-aliasing
Min FPS: 25, Avg FPS: 33 Max FPS : 50
Verdict: Smooth gameplay, lag-free.
--
Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare 2 : (Single Player: Heavy gun fight on "Act II: Hornet's Nest" level)
Settings: VSync On, All Graphic Settings On, All Textures set to Extra, 4xAnti-aliasing
Min FPS 30, Avg FPS 35, Max FPS 60 (Remember VSync caps this at screen's refresh rate, which is 60 in this case)
Verdict: Very playable considering it's at max in-game settings. Will experience some tiny lag spikes, which I also experienced on my desktop PC which has better specs than this laptop, so it must be the game.
--
Mass Effect 2: (Gun fights on mission to recruit Prof. Mordin)
Settings: VSync On, All graphic settings on except for Film Grain, 4xAnti-aliasing, 8xAnisotropic Filtering
Min FPS 24, Avg FPS 38, Max FPS 49
Verdict : Smooth gameplay. Some random lags but does not ruin the experience.
--
Crysis: (From game start all the way to "First Light" gun fights)
Test 1: VSync Off, Everything to Medium, No AA
Min FPS 19, Avg FPS 26, Max FPS 34
Verdict : Smooth gameplay, lag free even if the FPS results seem low. Graphic texture pop-ins on some of the vegetation, especially when using "maximum speed" boost.
Test 2: VSync Off, All graphic settings to medium, except for Texture and Shader at High. 2xAnti-Aliasing .
Min FPS 13, Avg FPS 16, Max FPS 20
Verdict : Clunky gameplay. With these settings, the texture looked sharper and much easier on the eyes, and while there are no dramatic lag spikes that will get you killed easily (it's a steady 15-16 frames on gun fights), the slow gameplay is quite noticeable.
Test 3: VSync Off, Everything to High except Shader to Medium, No AA
Min FPS 14, Avg FPS 22, Max FPS 29
Verdict : Smooth gameplay, but sometimes has that laggy feel to it. No jittering lag. Pretty impressive for the High setting- I guess Shader is what really stresses the framerates.
--
World of Warcraft: VSync off, Effects at Medium-High, Window Mode + Maximized option to properly scale the resolution
Test 1: Riding mount around Dalaran's North Bank steps with ~30 toons around me.
Min FPS 22, Avg FPS 33, Max FPS 39
Verdict: No lag
Test 2: Outside Dalaran, flying epic flight
Min 50, Avg 85, Max 150
Verdict: No lag
In instances, the gameplay is very smooth. Depending on the instance, some will be over 100FPS whereas the newer ones + raids, will be in the low 50s.
--
6008 pts in 3DMark06
--
10594 pts in 3DMark05
--
CONS:
Note: This part of the review will only be valid until Nvidia releases the proper Forceware drivers for the laptop's GPU. The GT 325m series is relatively new; NVidia has one official release for it on their website: Optimus Driver 189.07. This driver is not bad. As shown by the benchmarks, 3D gaming works well. But here's where things tend to get annoying: the Nvidia GPU, with its current drivers, rely on the Intel integrated graphics to handle screen scaling. Meaning if you connect this to a larger monitor, in my case an Acer 21.5" 1080P native res widescreen LCD, scaling works well when the GPU running is the Intel IGP, but when you switch to games, you are forced to use the 1080p resolution through the in-game settings, which will be taxing on the framerates. I know the native resolution of the laptop does not match the monitor's, but with the "normal" geforce drivers, scaling to fit the screen works well and allows the laptop's native res to stretch the image onto the monitor. My ASUS 1201n netbook does this easily through it's Nvidia Control Panel, with the same native res as this laptop. I hope NVidia releases this capability with the next driver update.
I still do not trust the current Nvidia driver for this GPU just yet. Once it is properly optimized and up to date, the fps will increase. I'll update this entry if the graphic drivers are updated through NVidia or some modding website.
NVidia Optimus: This technology sounds great but I'm having a little problem with it. See, when my laptop is plugged in, the Optimus technology works just fine: the intel switches to the nvidia GPU when loading a 3D game. But when I load a 3D game while this laptop is unplugged (regardless whether battery is full or low charge), the GPU does NOT switch. It stays on the Intel GPU and I get low framerates. This problem occurs even if I use "High Performance" mode on the power settings, even if my preferred GPU is NVidia, even if I assign the game profile to load with Nvidia GPU, even if I right click and "run with graphics processor: High performance Nvidia processor". I do notice that if I suddenly plug the laptop to the outlet, the frames will go up fast again (as if the Nvidia GPU was suddenly turned on). There needs to be a better software-based of forcing the GPU on since the NV Control Panel is faulty at this point. Isn't the whole point of Optimus to provide performance when necessary and lengthen battery life, when available? Here is NVidia's claim: "Watch a HD movie, surf the web or play top 3D games knowing that you'll get the long battery life you need and the performance you expect from NVIDIA." This technology should work even on battery, as stated there. I would like to know if this is just my laptop doing this- comment if you can help.
Update 1: there is a fix that works. Make sure your HDMI is in digital mode and not analog. This allows your monitor to do the scaling. Although, if you only have analog mode for HDMI, you can try using a DVI to HDMI cable. Or just wait for Nvidia to update the driver and you won't have to go through all this.
Update 2: March 15, 2010. Well it seems that Nvidia actually listened. I opened a technical ticket on their website and though I can't take credit for them actually solving this, I can tell you that they have put up a solution. New Optimus drivers are out on their website: version 189.42. The highlights of this release is eerily accurate to the issues I was having with my N61JV. It fixes the incompatibilities with the Intel IGP driver and corrects the Optimus Profile system. The sad news is I have already returned my N61JV almost 2 weeks before the...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS N61JV-X2 16-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Dark Brown)

Expect an Encore The 16-inch N61Jv-X2 is masterfully crafted to deliver premium entertainment while on the go. Featuring the new Intel Core i5 processor and NVIDIA's GeForce® GT 325M graphics processing unit (GPU), featuring NVIDIA Optimus Technology, the N61Jv-X2 redefines mobile computing with the power of a desktop inside its elegant and portable design. Now with NVIDIA Optimus technology, the N61Jv seamlessly switches between the powerful GeForce GPU, and battery-saving integrated graphics engine depending on demands of the graphics processor- much like a hybrid car automatically switches depending on driving style. This multimedia powerhouse excels in entertainment with awe-inspiring HD playback on its brilliant 16-inch HD LED-backlit widescreen driven by NVIDIA GeForce Graphics for a flawless HD entertainment experience. Delight your senses with rich sound from the Altec Lansing speakers, enhanced by the unique SonicMaster design –an exclusive ASUS design that improves sound projection and quality. Plus, introduce yourself to the latest standard of USB with Superspeed USB 3.0, enabling faster transfer rates for USB 3.0-enabled peripherals – up to 10 times faster compared to USB 2.0. Enjoy your favorite HD movies, listen to hit songs, and experience the impressive visuals of the N61Jv-X2- the possibilities are virtually endless. The N61Jv-X2 boasts 4GB DDR3 system RAM, a chiclet keyboard, a multi-touch trackpad, a high-speed wireless 802.11n connectivity, a 500GB 7200 RPM hard drive, an HDMI connectivity, a 2.0MP webcam, and plenty of other convenient features.


Key Features

The new Intel Core i5-430M processor with Turbo Boost Technology for smart multitasking performance that adapts to your needs (Learn more)
Vivid 16-inch HD LED-backlit widescreen for an immersive cinematic experience (Learn more)
Powerful NVIDIA GeForce Graphics powered by GeForce GT 325M with 1GB VRAM for the latest multimedia and gaming enjoyment (Learn more)
NVIDIA Optimus Technology for automatic and seamless switching between powerful NVIDIA GeForce graphics and battery-saving integrated graphics engine (Learn more)
Altec Lansing speakers enhanced with SRS Premium Sound produce crisp, clear audio reproduction (Learn more)
ASUS SonicMaster design for more detailed and richer sound quality
500GB 7200RPM hard drive for fast, convenient storage and access to all your documents, music, videos, and photos
4GB of DDR3 RAM brings increased performance with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit pre-installed
Multi-touch trackpad lets you intuitively navigate through web pages, documents, and pictures (Learn more)
Chiclet keyboard with numeric keypad for increased typing precision (Learn more)
HDMI output for easy HD video and audio connectivity to your HDTV or LCD monitors with HDMI input
USB 3.0 Superspeed connectivity for up to 10x faster transfer speed than USB 2.0 (Learn more)
High-speed wireless N networking (802.11 b/g/n @ 2.4GHz) (Learn more)
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit for a faster and more reliable operating system (Learn more)
ASUS Infusion Technology for scratch-resistant protection
2.0 megapixel webcam for video chatting with friends and family
1 year global warranty and 1 year Accidental Damage Warranty* (Learn more)

Learn More
Latest in Mobile Graphics Technology
Premium Sound Meets Premium Visuals
Get Ready for the Next Generation of Intel Processors
Enhanced Connectivity
Head-turning Style and Intelligent Control
ASUS Makes Your Windows 7 Experience Better
F9 Key for Quick Recovery
ASUS 360 - Comprehensive Care Package Included
Accidents Happen
What's in the Box The entire ASUS N61Jv-X2 package contains a warranty information card, notebook, 6-cell battery pack, and AC Adapter.
ASUS N61Jv-X2 (Brown)
AC Adapter
6-cell Battery Pack
Warranty Information Card
Specifications
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Display: 16-inch HD LED-backlit Widescreen (1366 x 768)
CPU: Intel Core i5-430M processor 2.26 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.53 GHz
Graphics: NVIDIA Optimus-Enabled: NVIDIA GeForce GT 325M with 1GB DDR3 VRAM + Intel GMA HD
Wireless Data Network: 802.11 b/g/n (@ 2.4GHz)
LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
Memory: 4GB DDR3 (up to 8GB)
Storage: 500GB 7,200RPM hard drive
Optical Disc Drive: Super Multi DVD drive
Camera: 2.0 Megapixel
Speakers: Altec Lansing speakers with SRS premium sound
Microphone: Digital Array Microphone
Card Reader: : 1x 8-in- card reader (MMC/SD/Mini-SD/XD/Memory Stick/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS-Pro-Duo)
Input/Output: 1x HDMI output, 1x Headphone-out jack (SPDF support), 1x Microphone-in jack, 1x Express Card 34, 1x RJ45 LAN Jack for LAN insert, 1x USB 3.0 port, 2x USB 2.0 ports, 1x E-SATA
Battery Pack: 6-Cell
Dimensions: 14.98 x 10.33 x 1.08 (W x D x H)
Weight: 6.38 lbs
Color: Brown † Rated number 1 Windows-based PC maker in PCMag.com\'s Service & Reliability Report 2009. Rate number 1 PC brand according to SquareTrade, the leading direct-to-consumer warranty company (for more information visit http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109/ ). * For notebooks purchased on or after Sept. 10, 2007. The ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty covers "ASUS" brand notebooks only, and does NOT extend to: "Built on ASUS," "ASMobile," "Powered by ASUS," the Eee PC, or some other models. These retailers are currently among the companies that do NOT participate in the ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty: Best Buy, MicroCenter, and The Source by CircuitCity in Canada. Limit of one claim per notebook for Accidental Damage Warranty. ASUS reserves the right to discontinue this program and to modify the terms and conditions thereof at any time. ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty Program starts from the date of your ASUS notebook purchase, when all the requirements are met. One incident covered per notebook. All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models. Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in photos. Celeron, Celeron Inside, Centrino, Centrino Inside, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Intel Viiv, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, Viiv Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

Click here for more information about ASUS N61JV-X2 16-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Dark Brown)

Read More...

ASUS U30JC-A1 13.3-Inch Laptop (Silver) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)To set the context: I have a two year old Dell desktop, a 4 year old Dell Latitude D400 (12" screen with INtel Pentium M), and a 1 year old Dell Mini 9" (Intel Atom). Like many, I no longer use my desktop, and the D400 was getting a bit long in the tooth. The Mini I found useful for taking on travel but was agonizingly slow for daily use with a very cramped keyboard. Even the D400 choked on multiple websites on occasion and multitasking was a chore. Of course, neither laptop had discrete graphics.
This new laptop has changed everything. To be fair, I would probably be raving about the better experience on any current laptop compared to the older Latitude. However, I really do think the U30JC, even though it's under $1000, is on the cutting edge. It sports Intel's new Core i3, the successor to the Core 2 Duos (still around at good deals), and Nvidia discrete graphics. Critically, Nvidia's Optimus allows for seamless switching to the integrated graphics when power saving is an issue.
I have not really taxed the computer yet and I will update the review down the road with thoughts on more heavy duty performance and battery life issues. But I imagine a number of folks are considering this model and would find initial thoughts helpful.
1) The build quality is very nice. The brushed metallic exterior and lack of plastic except on the screen bezel minimizes fingerprints. Very solid and looks great.
2) I prefer matte screens but the glossy screen in regular indoor conditions is great. I can see this be annoying in very bright light, however. Definition and video quality are leagues better than what I'm used to or have seen before in sub-$1000 laptops.
3) Performance is awesome on my limited trials. Hulu, youtube, multiple websites, quicken, windows media player. Everything pops up so quickly and the platform has no issue with lots and lots of multitasking. No stuttering, no lagging.
4) I really like the programmability and adjustability of everything. For example, maybe this is a Win 7 feature, but I really like the ability to assign "hibernate" to the power button.
5) This is definitely not a thin and light ultraportable. It's a bit heavier than my D400 and bulkier because of the bigger screen. I am still going to travel on work with the Dell Mini. It would be OK for students but I think it's too big (and performance overkill anyway) for most business travelers. I am viewing this as a desktop replacement and because I'm not going to be using this as my primary movie viewer or gaming platform, I really think 13" is where I want to be at.
6) Battery life seems to be excellent. I have not put a video on endless loop to max out the battery (and you can read technical reviews that are now popping up). HOwever, just having the laptop idling and using it periodically throughout the day, it was lasting a looong time.
7) I am not a huge fan of the chiclet keyboard and prefer the regular keyboards with more travel and contours. However, I can see that this would be easier to clean and it's not a bad typing experience. I don't find the layout strange in any way.
8) I really hate touchpads (one reason why I stuck with Dell and its pointing stick). I found this touchpad hard to use and not uniformly sensitive, especially on the left side. This could be a slightly fiddly unit or could be my lack of experience. In any event, I am going to use a mouse. (Lack of integrated bluetooth on this laptop is a demerit).
9) very quiet, didn't run very hot in my limited testing.
I found the whole Asus package to be stripped down and bare bones, which I actually liked. I didn't think there was a ton of bloatware compared to other companies. The box was very small and spartan and there is no manual (it's on the desktop). Some of the built-in Asus utilities are not fully explained. Most of the Intel/Nvidia and random stickers come off easily to provide a very clean, elegant look.
Overall, I believe now (and will update with additional thoughts) that this is a spectacular value. Yes, there are things that I would like changed, but I am very happy with the machine standing alone and then compared to the price point, it's awesome.
Update: After a few weeks of usage, I definitely affirm my initial positive review. This went on a coast to coast business trip. Battery life was phenomenal (I still haven't fully drained but it was lasting for hours off the cord when just doing basic businessy-web stuff). Traveled very well and was not as heavy to lug around as I expected. (although it is slightly heavier than it appears).
One of my keys popped out (my fault) and so I had my first encounter with Asus support. The support was fine and they are shipping me a new keyboard under warranty. So I am satisfied with my limited interaction with Asus US support. Speaking of the keyboard, I still am not in love with it. The chiclets slightly squeak sometimes and the limited travel does take some getting used to. But I can imagine some folks would prefer this kind of layout (very similar to Macbook).
Having the optical drive definitely came in handy for installing some software.
Finally, the glossy screen has turned out to be less annoying than I anticipated. Almost all of my usage has been indoors and not in bright sunlight. I would not recommend writing a novel in a sunny coffee shop, however.
The balance of this (performance, value, battery) is really perfect for me.
Update 2 (May 28 2010):
One slightly disconcerting development that I post so that others can be aware. In general, I almost always hibernate my laptop. On certain occasions, when awakening, the screen does not power on and the cooling fan starts blowing very hard. I press power for several seconds to shut down. When powered back on, most of the time it actually comes back to the hibernation point (in a few times, it did a hard reset).
I have seen this comment from a couple of other people. It does not appear to affect functionality.
The other slightly annoying thing is that sometimes the screen flickers for a second... especially at the beginning of a computing session.
My only slightly educated guess is both of these issues are related to the growing pains of Optimus and switching between the GPUs. Probably needs to be a driver update in the future.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS U30JC-A1 13.3-Inch Laptop (Silver)

Optimized Performance for up to 9.5 hours of Unplugged Mobility The sleek 13.3-inch U30Jc has incredible features that go far beyond the capabilities of standard entertainment notebooks. Start smart with it\'s all new Intel® Core™ i3 processor thatis smarter and faster with Intel Hyper-Threading Technology for enhanced multitasking.Plus, the U30Jc features NVIDIA® GeForce™ graphics with NVIDIA Optimus™ Technology that seamlessly transitions between powerful NVIDIA graphics and Intel embedded graphics to give you smart visual performance or battery-savings when you need it. At less than 4.5-pounds and only 1.5-inches thin, its unique and lightweight design makes it easy to carry anywhere you go. With full HD playback capability and HDMI connectivity, you can easily enjoy the big screen experience on any HDMI-ready HDTV or home theater setup. Here are a few more reasons why you should be consider the ASUS U30Jc as your next mobile warrior notebook:


Key Features
Up to 9.5 hours of battery life for all-day unplugged freedom1 (Learn more)
The new Intel Core i3-350M dual core processor gives you smarter multitasking performance(Learn more)
Thin and light design only 1.5-inches thin and dressed in brushed aluminum for on-the-go portability (Learn more)
13.3-inch HD LED-backlit widescreen for crisp visuals that don\'t compromise battery life (Learn more)
NVIDIA GeForce 310M Graphics 512MB DDR3 VRAM delivers great HD entertainment performance(Learn more)
NVIDIA Optimus Technology automatically and seamlessly transitions between powerful NVIDIA graphics and energy-efficient Intel onboard HD Graphics to suit the task at hand(Learn more)
4GB DDR3 RAM for increased multitasking speed (Learn more)
High-speed wireless N networking (802.11 b/g/n @ 2.4GHz) (Learn more)
SuperMulti DVD drive to enjoy your favorite movies where you want (Learn more)
HDMI output for easily streaming HD video and audio to a compatible HDTV or external display (Learn more)
Altec Lansing speakers with SRS Premium Sound for resounding acoustics (Learn more)
Multi-touch trackpad lets you intuitively navigate through web pages, documents, and pictures (Learn more)
Chiclet keyboard for increased typing precision and comfort (Learn more)
Express Gate for instant access to internet, music, Skype, and more in seconds
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit for a faster and more reliable operating system (Learn more)
Eco-friendly EPEATand Energy Star certified
2 year global warranty and 1 year Accidental Damage Warranty (Learn more)

Learn More
Latest in Mobile Graphics Technology
Achieve More, for Longer
Compact and Brilliantly Crafted
The Next Generation of Intel Processors
The Complete Multimedia Package
Increased Productivity
ASUS Makes Your Windows 7 Experience Better
ASUS 360 –Comprehensive Care Package Included
Relax, You\'re Covered With ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty
What's in the Box The entire U30Jc-A1 package contains a warranty information card, notebook, AC Adapter, and 8-cell battery pack
U30Jc-A1
AC Adapter
8-cell Battery Pack
Warranty Information Card
Specifications
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Display: 13.3-inch LED-backlit HD display (1366 x 768)
CPU: Intel Core i3-350M Dual Core Processor (2.26 GHz)
Graphics: NVIDIA Optimus-Enabled: NVIDIA GeForce 310M with 512MB DDR3 VRAM + Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD
Wireless Data Network: 802.11 b/g/n (@ 2.4GHz)
LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
Memory: 4GB DDR3-1066 DRAM (up to 4GB)
Storage: 320GB 5400RPM hard drive
Optical Disc Drive: DVD Super Multi Double Layer
Camera: 0.3 Megapixel
Speakers: Altec Lansing speakers with SRS premium sound
Microphone: Digital Array Microphone
Card Reader: : 1 x 5-in-1 card reader (SD/MMC/MMC+/MS/XD)
Input/ Output: 1 x HDMI output,1 x Headphone-out jack (S/PDIF support),1 x Microphone-in jack,1 x VGA port/ Mini D-sub 15-pin for external monitor,1 x RJ-45 LAN Jack,3 x USB 2.0 ports
Battery: 8 cell 5600mAh battery (Up to 9.5 Hours)
Dimensions: 13.12 x 9.52 x 0.8 ~ 1.2 –inches (W x D x H)
Weight: 4.8 lbs with 8 cell battery
Color: Silver *GeForce 310M compared to Intel Integrated GM45 1Estimated maximum battery life test was done in ASUS Power4Gear battery saving mode with Mobile Mark 2007. Actual battery life may vary based on product settings, usage patterns and environmental conditions. 2 For notebooks purchased on or after Sept. 10, 2007. The ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty covers "ASUS" brand notebooks only, and does NOT extend to: "Built on ASUS," "ASMobile," "Powered by ASUS," the Eee PC, or some other models. These retailers are currently among the companies that do NOT participate in the ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty: Best Buy, MicroCenter, and The Source by CircuitCity in Canada. Limit of one claim per notebook for Accidental Damage Warranty. ASUS reserves the right to discontinue this program and to modify the terms and conditions thereof at any time. ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty Program starts from the date of your ASUS notebook purchase, when all the requirements are met. 3 One incident covered per notebook. 4 Rated number 1 PC brand according to SquareTrade, the leading direct-to-consumer warranty company (for more information visit http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109/ ). All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models.Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in images. Celeron, Celeron Inside, Centrino, Centrino Inside, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Intel Viiv, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, Viiv Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. † Internet access required. Free TV content varies by geography. Some content may require additional fees.

Click here for more information about ASUS U30JC-A1 13.3-Inch Laptop (Silver)

Read More...

ASUS N51Vn-A1 15.6-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop - Silver Blue Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)REVISION: I've now had this computer for 5 months and I'd like to revise my earlier review. The notebook was fantastic until the power supply issues began. I've RMA'd the product back to Asus. However, they've had it for more than 3 weeks and are still waiting for parts. I can't imagine why they don't have parts on hand for a computer this recently manufactured. When I looked for a way to contact the company about my frustration at how long it's taking to get my computer returned, I realize that no addresses or "contact us" types of information is supplied on their unbelievably BAD website. When I call the customer service number given me with my RMA information, I am assured that they'll fix it as fast as they can, but the customer service reps won't give me an address, or connect me to a higher up so I can figure out what the hold-up is or how to get a replacement. I'm deeply disappointed in Asus--they were reputed to have the highest quality laptops ([...]) and very high customer service. Yet I'm reduced to venting about my unhappiness with them and their lousy product at Amazon!First impression review: Having very limited funds and a need for a solid laptop to last a few years, I did a lot of research into the best laptop for the money. I needed something quick and nimble to run various programs for animating and design work, and something utterly reliable, because I'm taking distance classes right now. I needed something that would still be versatile and functional 3 years from now, because I don't buy these things like potato chips. This computer fulfills all of those requirements beautifully. Perhaps anything would have been better than my 3 year old HP laptop, but the Asus seems especially quick--.pdf files open so fast I have to wonder about the laws of physics. It stays pretty cool. Vista wasn't even as bad as expected--though I appreciate the free Windows 7 trade-in.
Only one real problem: If you ever want to listen to anything without using headphones, forget it. I didn't take the warnings about lousy speakers seriously, and then I tried to watch a DVD with my kid on this thing. Simply COULD NOT be done--neither of us could hear, even with no background noise. Get external speakers! The only other problem I have had is that Vista installed funky at first and kept saying it was an unverified copy. I couldn't access the wireless network. After a websearch using a different computer, I found a quick fix and have had no other problems, crashes or freezes.
I purchased my Asus from the the Amazon seller J&R Music & Computer World, where it was dramatically discounted. It was actually so discounted that I was a little worried that they would send me the wrong model--that they must have made a mistake! No mistake, everything is correct. Moreover, they did a FANTASTIC job of packing and shipping. It think the computer itself was packed in something like 6 nested boxes, which may concern one on an environmental level, but I believe nuclear waste would have come through the mail safely in their packaging.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS N51Vn-A1 15.6-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop - Silver Blue

The N51Vn provides users with a host of smart technologies that makes modern computing a breeze.Boasting a streamlined exterior with shiny metal-like inlaid patterns inspired by modernist art-deco, N Series notebooks deliver performance with style. With a 15.6 inch widescreen LCD you can enjoy a cinematic view while watching movies and playing games, while Altec Lansing speakers deliver clean, crisp and uncluttered audio. A Nvidia GeForce GT 240M Graphics Engine, with 1GB DDR3 dedicated video memory, provides seamless and smooth media performance.Face recognition technology provides convenient and secure logon without passwords.A chiclet keyboard along with a numeric keypad allows for a more comfortable computing experience.The notebook comes with the ASUS 360 service program that includes a 2 year global warranty, one month zero bright dot guaranty, free two-way standard overnight shipping and twenty-four hour tech support seven days a week.Plus it comes with a FREE One Year Accidental Damage Warranty protecting the notebook from drops, fire, spills and surges. The package contains 2 year warranty card, notebook, carry bag, and optical mouse.

Click here for more information about ASUS N51Vn-A1 15.6-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop - Silver Blue

Read More...

ASUS N61JQ-A1 16-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Dark Brown) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Just got this. Looked at it for a few days on [...] to get detailed specs and customer reviews before purchasing. I only bought it on amazon because the next day shipping was cheaper (about $[...]) and the computer itself was $[...] less on amazon.
Haven't pushed the pedal to the metal as far as ram, HDD, and CPU go. There is an overclocking speed (called Turbo Boost) that is automatic. With windows 7 (instaleld) the Turbo Boost app lets you see the CPU ramping up. It shows that the CPU rutinely goes up to 2.6 Ghz when opening an application (not very intensive work) so I am not sure how accurate the gadget is, but we'll see. When compared to what else is out there, this coputer has much more for your money and is actually cheaper than many laptops with less power/graphics capability/coolness. Look at the prices at Best Buy for an Core i3 laptop. They are nearly $1000 and don't have as much ram, video memory, or upgrade potential. This is a Core i7, much more powerful and is less than alot of the laptops out there. Plus, Asus has a 1 year accidental warranty. Tops!
Pros:
-Amazon said it would be Brown, mine was black when I got it. Brown is ugly anyway!
- You can create a recovery DVD to fix everything in the event you scrw something up. Also, has a bootup recovery option built in, so even if you don;t have the disks, it can be recovered.
- 1 year replacement/repair "i dropped it in a pool" warranty.
-Shipping. For the price of the computer, get the 30.00 next day. I order by 3:00PM on thursday and had the computer booted up at 3:15PM friday.
-Nice looking computer. Great sound. Great price. (You can get a lesser model without the i7 CPU from Best Buy for 999.00)
-USB 3.0 is nice touch. Cool touchpad with "gesture" recognition.
-I like the screen. The resolution is said to be a little low/poor for the machine, but I do not yet find it to be a problem. You can zoom in and out using the touchpad and gestureing, so if the icons look to big/small, you can change it up without messing with screen resolution. Basically, you can keep it in 1377x768 mode. HD screen looks good to me. Bright too.
-HDMI output! You can hook this thing up to your big ass HD flat screen.
- With Windows 7, some "gadgets" aka iphone style "apps" that can be installed to the desktop require 32bit. This computer has the 64bit Windows 7 so you have to do some playin around to get those gadgets to work. Pandora is one of those. However, you can have a applet for Pandor Radio on the desktop without needing an open internet explorer window. Cool!
- POwer saving one-touch button. NOt sure how effcient it is yet.
- So far, Windows 7 is not that bad. Yet. :)CONS:
- A lot of "bloatware" on this baby. You have to sort throught it all and see what you like/don;t like and uninstall whatever you can live without.
- At initial boot up, 80 processes running! Ouch. 33% of RAM in use. That's over a Gig. Trim down the fat and you should be good.
-The first time I launched the "See how cool this Asus computer is" demo, I needed to lower the volume. Whn I did so, the computer locked up, blaring a annoying sound. I had to hold th epower button for 4 sec to turn off manually. Not cool. After that though, all seems cool.
- The keyboard is a little cheap, has some play to it. Go to Best BUy and type on one of their floor models to see if it is bad for you or not. Not a deal breaker for me, but kinda lame. The "full size keyboard is not true, it is laptop sized with a number padd on the right. The arrow keys (if you play games or use spreadsheets) are small and you can easily miss them and hit the 0 or control key.
- With Windows 7, some "gadgets" aka iphone style "apps" that can be installed to the desktop require 32bit. This computer has the 64bit Windows 7 so you have to do some playin around to get those gadgets to work. Pandora is one of those. However, you can have a applet for Pandor Radio on the desktop without needing an open internet explorer window. Cool!
- A lot of Asus "this and that" programs to deal with. I uninstalled half of them.
BOTTOM LINE:
Buy it. Remove what you don't like. Great deal. If you were going to spend 800, drop an extra 2 bills and get this one. If you were going to spend 1200, save you money and get yourself a case for this one once you buy it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS N61JQ-A1 16-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Dark Brown)

Enjoy true entertainment and real sound with the ASUS N61JQ. Equipped with Intel’s new Core i7-720QM processor and an ATI 5730 graphics engine with 1GB DDR3 VRAM, the N61JQ brings users true-to-life images for games, movies and videos. Dedicated resonance space arrangement provides sound layering and enhanced detail. With 2.5 watt TV standard sound output and a 21cc amplifier, the N61JQ improves and balances audio reproduction across different sonic ranges, particularly for vocals and low-band bass. Together with Altec Lansing speakers supported by SRS Premium Sound, the N61JQ provides crisp, clear audio reproduction and a truly surreal audio experience while on-the-go. A multi-touch touchpad allows users to scroll, rotate, as well as zooming-in and out while surfing the web or browsing multimedia intuitively. Lastly, the sunken-hinge design of the N61JQ provides a more comfortable view by providing users with a wider and more ergonomic viewing angle.The notebook comes with the ASUS 360 service program that includes a 2 year global warranty, one month zero bright dot guaranty, free two-way standard shipping, twenty-four hour tech support seven days a week, and a one year accidental damage warranty, protecting the notebook from drops, fire, spills and surge.

Click here for more information about ASUS N61JQ-A1 16-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Dark Brown)

Read More...

ASUS U35JC-XA1 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Laptop (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had this notebook for about 6 weeks now and am very happy with the notebook. It fits my needs of being a fairly powerful notebook, light, thin, and great battery life of 7-8 hours with wifi on.
Chassis: I don't have any creaks or squeaks after squeezing and pushing on the notebook. My indicator lights area doesn't squeak or have any openings like some of the other reviews I've read. I did notice some mild keyboard flex at the upper middle portion of the keyboard and the bezel around the keys have some moderate give. I never really cared about chassis flex much before, since my old dell 6000 has help up quite well to my abuse after 6 years. Some more design issues for the people who want to know. The battery is a bit loose, but it's locked in with the dual switches. I definitely love the aluminum lid, and understand the shift from plastics on higher end notebooks. The black bezel is a smudge magnet, but what bothers me more is that when the notebook is closed, a part of the black bezel is still exposed above the battery and keyboard. This black shiny plastic is more prone to scratches, which has happened to me with no drops or accidents. The screen also distorts near the webcam area and bottom of the screen when pressure is applied in the vicinity of those areas..more so in the middle.
Heat: The notebook runs relatively cool when not pushed under quiet office mode. The areas around the keyboard feel cool and underneath the notebook is comfortable on your lap. If one decides to leave it on high performance mode, then the notebook is definitely running much warmer. You can feel the heat on the palm rest, especially on the right side and heat is blowing heavily out of the side vent. But even on quiet office mode, a good amount of heat is blowing out of the left side vent. I do notice the heat a bit on my left leg because of this side vent though. The side vent is angled down and out, which I think kind of directs the heat on my left leg during on the lap use. I think it would be less bothersome if they directed the heat straight outward, instead of being angled downward.
Keyboard and Touchpad: I like the keyboard layout and feel. The keys are quiet to me and have good travel. I like the Power4Gear button on the top left and the Fn number keypad. On my old notebook, I had to hold down Fn, while on the Asus...you can press Fn and number lock to just more easily type numbers for data input. Moving the cursor around with the touchpad is fairly smooth and responsive. I enjoy using the multi gestures, especially the two finger touch. Great to open up new tabs in firefox. Also I'm starting to use the two finger tap for auto scrolling, which is smoother then two finger vertical scrolling. I still use the two finger vertical scroll, but sometimes it can be a bit finicky and jumpy. The 3 finger tap doesn't always register and noticed that if I spread my ring finger out more, it will register. The touchpad isn't massive like the macbook, so I find using the 3 finger tap is going to have a learning curve to properly leave the fingers spread apart and within the touchpad area. I don't use the rocker button much, but it really isn't that bad. It's soft in the middle and edges of the designated left and right buttons. It it stiff in the very middle of the whole rocker button, but I never clicked there in the first place. When i tested the button on the U43jc at best buy...I definitely thought it was too stiff. These buttons have a nice quiet tactile click with little resistance and travel. I honestly like the the buttons (button?, hehe) of this touchpad more so than my old Dell which had loud clicky buttons that had alot of travel. I also don't highlight text using the buttons. I use the double tap lock feature to highlight text. I was use to this feature on my old Dell.
LED screen: Beautiful colors and display to me, but the viewing angles are very narrow. I have my screen almost always tilted back to its maximum because I noticed that the colors don't wash out when viewing below the perpendicular plane of the screen. View angles from above really do stink though. The horizontal angles are good in that they don't affect the colors and image displayed, but the Glare in certain environments make it difficult to view. Trying to share the display with friends for photos and videos is not easily done with this screen. I see the screen is more for private/business use and it's fine for me. I rarely share whats on my screen to others, so I'll enjoy the beautiful image to myself.
CPU Whine: I agree with many other reviews from other sites that it does become less prominent the more you use it. It still comes in once in awhile, but I really don't hear it most of the time I use it at all. Even when I do notice it, as soon as I start typing and browsing the web with my clicks, I can't hear it anymore. I was first using only internet explorer because of what people said about the cpu whine arising with firefox, but I'm now happily using Firefox again with no complaints of the sound. I'm running it right now and hear no whine with 12 tabs open. I honestly hear the fan, but no high pitch whine, which would be more annoying.
Speakers: Sound is good for a notebook and loud, while on a table. These are crotch speakers and get muffled out on soft surfaces and if you're using the notebook on your lap. Carry around those nice headphones if you got some and are into audio quality.
Webcam: Convenient to have but low quality. Make sure you update the webcam driver from asus, because after I did my clean install, windows 7 installed a more recent driver that caused my webcam to record images upside down. The webcam doesn't handle low light conditions well and is not as clear or lag free as my logitech notebook pro cam. It's still a great convenient cam to have on the go though.
Some random head scratchers: On HDMI output to a 1080p tv, the out is actually larger than 1080p, so it causes every edge of the image to be cut off. Does that happen to anyone else? Even my desktop is cut, like the windows taskbar is only showing 1/4 of it. Sometimes my desktop widgets appear on top of my windows and I lose functionality of my power 4 gear button on the top left after waking my computer from sleep/hibernate. Love the button though, since it makes it really easy to switch quickly between different profiles to save battery or for brighter screens for videos.
Conclusion: I still love the notebook and would buy it again. It fits my needs perfectly of moderate gaming, thin, light, great battery life, and I hope reliability. The two year warranty with accidental is great. Plus with my credit card adding 1 more year of warranty, I'm set for 3 years. Also the price of this laptop can't really be beat in its class...I'll add that can be purchased in the United States. This notebook weighs 3.96 pounds with the battery and

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS U35JC-XA1 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Laptop (Black)

13.3" HD (1366 x768) (LED) / i3-370M / 4G DDR3 / NV 310M 1G DDR3 + Intel GMA HD (Optimus Technology) / 320G 5400 / No ODD / W7HP (64bit) / 802.11BGN / VGA / HDMI / 0.3M Pixel / 8-cell 5600mAh / up to 10 Hours of Battery Life.1YR Global/1YR Accidental Damage/30-Day Zero Bright Dot/2-way FREE shipping/24-7 tech support.

Click here for more information about ASUS U35JC-XA1 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Laptop (Black)

Read More...

ASUS UL30A-X5 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Black Laptop (12 Hours of Battery Life) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Just received my Asus UL30A-X5 yesterday. After much review, and a try-out with an Acer 1410, I decided that I wanted a full-sized chiclet/island keyboard and the larger screen. I'm already quite pleased with my decision. At the

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS UL30A-X5 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Black Laptop (12 Hours of Battery Life)

Free yourself from power cords and start exploring with up to an amazing 12 hours of all-day battery life with the ASUS UL30A-X5, thanks to its Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor and 13.3-inch LED-backlit display, which combines vibrant visuals with advanced energy efficiency. This stylish, ultra-portable notebook features a brushed aluminum lid that not only looks magnificent, but also helps in maintaining its stylish exterior day after day. The UL30A also features a multi-gesture touchpad, which enables you to intuitively zoom in or out of pictures via pinching, or navigate up and down pages by sliding your finger.
Pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version), you'll be able to easily create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet. Better ways to find and manage files, like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews, help you speed through everyday tasks. Windows 7 is designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to. (Learn more about Windows 7 Home Premium below.)

Experience FastBoot, the unique performance boost for Windows 7 made possible by ASUS's close partnership with Microsoft. With ASUS exclusive FastBoot technology, this Windows 7-enabled ASUS notebook starts up in a staggering 30 seconds.

Compact and under 1-inch thin, you can fit the UL30A virtually anywhere--freeing space for books, files, or whatever else you need to enjoy a spacious workspace. The UL30A includes Altec Lansing speakers plus SRS surround for a virtual home theater experience on the go, as well as an HDMI port for connecting to an HDTV at home. You'll be able to store all of your favorite applications, most important documents, and large video and audio libraries with the generous 500 GB hard drive. Other features include 4 GB of DDR3 RAM (maximum capacity), integrated webcam, Draft-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n), Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated video graphics, and multi-format memory card reader.









And in addition to a 1 year global warranty, the ASUS UL30A-X5 includes a 1 year Accidental Damage Warranty (ADW).



Key Features
High-gloss 13.3-inch LED-backlit HD high definition display with 1366 x 768 resolution (16:9 aspect ratio) that uses less energy and still gives you an immersive cinematic experience (Learn more)
Up to 12 hours of battery life from 8-cell battery(4400mAh)
Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. And you can watch shows for free when and where you want with Internet TV on Windows Media Center. Get the best entertainment experience with Windows 7 Home Premium. (Learn more)
Get more features with Windows Anytime Upgrade. It's the best way to add features to Windows 7, takes as few as ten minutes, requires no software or downloads, and you'll keep your existing programs, files, and settings. Windows will walk you through the simple upgrade process.
Chiclet style keyboard and multi-touch trackpad for comfortable and intuitive use (Learn more)
ASUS IceCool Technology for cool-to-the-touch palm rest
Exclusive Express Gate feature enables ultra-fast boot so you can connect to the web in just 10 seconds
Energy efficient, dual core 1.3 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor with ultra-low voltage for extended battery life (Learn more)
500 GB SATA hard drive (5400 RPM)
4 GB of installed DDR3 RAM (1066 MHz; 2 x SODIMM slots; 4 GB maximum capacity)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD integrated video processing
0.3-megapixel webcam for connecting with friends and family over video chats
ASUS SmartLogon facial recognition system detects your face and logs on automatically
Draft-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n)
HDMI high-definition audio/video output allows a single cable to transmit uncompressed high-definition video to your digital TV or LCD
Altec Lansing speakers enhanced with SRS Premium Sound for home theatre quality acoustics (Learn more)
ASUS Super Hybrid Engine for extended battery life
Dimensions: 12.9 x 9.28 x 0.98 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 3.74 pounds (with battery
Warranty: 1 year global warranty and 1 year accidental damage warranty (Learn more)

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion With its integrated Draft-N Wi-Fi networking capabilities, this laptop provides up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range using 802.11n-compatible routers as you would with 802.11g networks. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found at Wi-Fi hotspots and in older home routers). This notebook also provides Fast (10/100) Ethernet networking.

3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
1 HDMI output for connecting to a compatible HDTV or home theater receiver for uncompressed digital audio and video via a single cable
Analog video output: 1 VGA
5-in-1 memory card reader compatible with Secure Digital (SD), MultiMedia Card (MMC), Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, and xD Picture Card
1 headphone jack (S/PDIF digital audio output), 1 microphone jack
10/100 Fast Ethernet

What's in the box This package contains the ASUS UL30A-X5 notebook PC, AC adapter, rechargeable 8-cell battery, and user manual

Learn More
High Definition That Doesn't Break the Bank The 13.3-inch LED-backlit display offers bright, vibrant visuals and advanced energy efficiency, and it has a high-definition resolution (1366 x 768) and 16:9 ratio display for watching movies and HDTV programming without annoying black bars. It's supported by an integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics processor for cinematic visual quality. Equipped with HDMI connectivity, you can easily stream media whether you're on the move or through an external display at home or in the office.
The UL30A is complemented with Altec Lansing speakers--30 percent more powerful compared to those found on conventional notebooks--and SRS premium surround sound, providing high-quality audio playback without the need to connect to external speakers. The angle of the speakers also allows audio to be "bounced" upwards from any surface to provide better amplification, delivering a wider frequency range, which in turn produces lower pitches that allow users to hear every reverberation of the drums, as well as every note in pitch perfect quality.



Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. You can even watch, pause, rewind, and record TV. Get the best entertainment experience with Windows 7 Home Premium.



Jump Lists New in Windows 7, Jump Lists take you right to the documents, pictures, songs, or websites you turn to each day. To open a Jump List, just right-click a program icon on the Windows 7 taskbar. (You'll also find them on the Start menu.) What you see in a Jump List depends entirely on the program. The Jump List for Internet Explorer 8 shows frequently-viewed websites. Windows Media Player 12 lists commonly-played tunes. Your Jump List missing a favorite? You can "pin" whatever files you like there. Jump Lists don't just show shortcuts to files. Sometimes they also provide quick access to commands for things like composing new e‑mail messages or playing music.

Improved Windows Taskbar In Windows 7 you can "pin" favorite programs anywhere on the taskbar for easy access. Not crazy about the icon lineup? Now you can rearrange them any way you like by clicking and dragging. Finally, there are new ways to preview windows. Point to a taskbar icon to see a thumbnail preview of open files or programs. Then, move your mouse over a thumbnail to preview the window full-screen. You can even close windows from the thumbnail previews--a big time saver.

Snap Ever need to cut through a cluttered desktop and quickly focus on a single window? Just click a pane and give your mouse a shake. Every open window except that one instantly disappears. Jiggle again--and your windows are back.



Energy Efficient Intel Core 2 Duo ULV Processor Offering the latest in ultra-low voltage processing power, the dual-core Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 has a has a power consumption rating of just 10 watts and a 1.3 GHz speed that's paired with a fast 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB) and 3 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)




Eye-Catching Sophistication Impress onlookers or complement any setting with the UL30A's brushed aluminum finish and high-class appeal. Simply opening the notebook you notice the interior casing around the display that brings the color to life so that time-after-time the UL30A shines with a brilliant, high-gloss finish. Plus, the chiclet style keyboard and spacious keys not only allow for a comfortable typing experience but also prevents dust buildup keeping it nice and clean every time you use it. Inspired by the light grace of a butterfly, the UL30A carries the hallmark contours and slim elegance that separate it from the typical cookie-cutter notebook with a true style of its own.
With ASUS IceCool Technology, you're ensured extended battery life and a cool-to-touch surface, so even after the longest computer sessions there's limited heat for optimized comfort. The palm rest area also makes your experience more enjoyable so you have plenty of space to place your hands while typing on the keyboard.



Industry Leading Customer Warranty Accidents Happen You have extra protection when they happen to your ASUS notebook purchased in the US or Canada. ASUS will fix it or replace it for you at no charge during the first year after purchase in the event of damage from accidental spills, drops, electrical surges, or fire.
Warranty covering accidental drops, spills, power surges, and fire damage
Target 3-business-day turnaround time for repair / replacement; not including receiving and shipping time
One-way shipping (from ASUS to the user) at no additional cost
24-hour toll-free phone support
One incident covered per notebook

Click here for more information about ASUS UL30A-X5 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Black Laptop (12 Hours of Battery Life)

Read More...

ASUS N53JF-XE1 15.6-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Silver Aluminum) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I couldn't pass up this notebook when I read the specs. This is simply the best notebook that you can get for the price.
I've built around 8 desktops for myself and family members over the past several years and have used Asus motherboards exclusively. The only issue I've run into was a NIC failure on one of them, around 4 years into the life of the computer. It was probably due to a surge, either through the cable line or a faulty modem, so I can't necessarily blame it on the board. That problem was easily and inexpensively solved with a PCI-based NIC.
Choosing an Asus notebook seemed like a logical step.
What this computer has that others in the same price range don't:
- Full HD (1920x1080) display
- Blu-ray drive with DVD burning capabilities
- USB 3.0
- Dedicated graphics with 1GB dedicated VRAM
- a relatively large 7200rpm hard drive
- 1-year warranty INCLUDING accidental damage
Other nice-to-haves:
- Core i5 processor
- 64-bit OS
- 4GB Memory
- Wireless N
- Gigabit LAN
- HDMI port
- eSATA
- a number pad
- webcam lens cover
Please note, at the time of this review, there are a couple things in the "Product Description" that are incorrect:
- The display is indeed 1920x1080 as stated in the "Technical Details" section, not 1366x768.
- There is no ExpressCard 34 port.
Some not-so-great things:
- No FireWire
- No ExpressCard slot
- Comes with Home Premium and not Professional or Ultimate
- LOTS of pre-installed applications and trialware
Thoughts:
I consider myself well-versed in computers. For all of the facets of life, it seems like I always needed a different computer for different things: a notebook for travel, a basic web/email workstation, a media center for home theater use, and yet another computer for audio production (a hobby of mine). Just in the past couple of years, computers have finally become powerful enough to where I can start consolidating all of these different functions into fewer machines without worrying about performance or resource issues. That's where the N53JF-XE1 comes in. It's essentially a desktop replacement. The high-res screen and number pad ensure that you're not sacrificing ergonomics for portability, but the computer is not unweildy. Don't get me wrong, this thing is pretty big, even for a 15" notebook. My work-issued notebook has the same screen size, but it's at least 1" narrower than the N53. Yet, the weight is well-distributed and the shape doesn't make you feel like you're holding a cinder block.
This isn't my first Windows 7 computer, so I was familiar with the changes that MS has made to Windows since XP (I stayed faaaaar away from Vista). There's a couple steps that I would recommend when setting up this computer:
- MAKE THE RESTORE DISCS. You will want to do this. You will get prompted on startup until you create them. It will take 5 DVDs. Unless you have a Windows 7 x64 (any version) disc laying around, you will be SOL if your HDD dies without the restore discs.
- Install all Windows updates.
- Uninstall some of the bloatware/trialware. It's hard to wade through what you'll need and what you don't need. There are games, 3rd party apps like New York Times Reader and Kindle, and some Asus-branded utilities. My best advice is to run these apps and figure out what they do. If you think you'll use them, keep them. If not, uninstall. If you're a month in and you still haven't used the app, you can probably uninstall it.
As I mentioned, this notebook has no firewire or express card port. A firewire port would have been helpful since there's still a lot of A/V equipment that uses FireWire. Since there's also no ExpressCard port, I can't add FireWire ports.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS N53JF-XE1 15.6-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Silver Aluminum)

Feel the Power. Hear the Power. Turn up the volume on the 15.6-inch N53Jf-XE1 notebook and prepare to be impressed. Featuring ASUS SonicMaster technology—co-developed by world-renowned audio experts at Bang and Olufsen ICEpower—and a unique top-mounted speaker design, this multimedia powerhouse combines hardware and audio for an unsurpassed, ear-pleasing experience. Boasting new NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M graphics with battery-boosting NVIDIA Optimus technology, the N53Jf-XE1 excels when performing graphic-intensive tasks like video editing, DirectX 11-enabled gaming, and graphic rendering. And with ASUS VideoMagic 3-in-1 software package, you get image-enhancing programs like PowerDVD 9 with True Theatre that instantly scales DVD-quality to Full 1080p HD with smoother frame rates so you can enjoy videos and movies in the quality they deserve. Powered by the Intel Core i5-460M processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, the N53Jf-XE1 delivers the multitasking muscle and smart performance that senses the tasks at hand and dynamically boosts the processor for a stutter-free experience. Specially built into the N53Jf-XE1, the ASUS Super Hybrid Engine extends battery life via the ASUS Power4Gear Hybrid utility. The N53Jf-XE1 also comes with SuperSpeed USB 3.0 that charges USB 3.0-enabled devices quickly and transfer files from USB storage devices to your notebook up to 10 times faster than previous generation USB 2.0 speeds.1 The N53Jf-XE1 features a 2.0 megapixel webcam with security lens cover, 500GB 7200RPM hard drive, ASUS Splendid technology, multi-touch trackpad, Express Gate, new wave keyboard, and a brushed aluminum design.

Key Features
15.6-inch LED-backlit Full HD disdplay with ASUS Splendid Technology for razor-sharp Full HD visual quality (Learn more)
ASUS SonicMaster Technology co-developed by world-renowned audio experts at Bang & Olufsen ICEpower delivers improved clarity, volume, and resonance, and more detailed sound. (Learn more)
Intel Core i5-460M processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology for smart multitasking that automatically boosts performance (Learn more)
ASUS Super Hybrid Engine and ASUS Power4Gear Hybrid optimizes the system to extend battery life for the task at hand (Learn more)
SuperSpeed USB 3.0 for quicker devi ce charging and up to 10x faster transfers than USB 2.01(Learn more)
New wave keyboard features larger-sized keys for an enhanced typing experience
NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M graphics with 1GB DDR3 VRAM and battery-boosting NVIDIA Optimus technology delivers fast performance for Full HD playback and gaming (Learn more)
ASUS VideoMagic Software for clearer images and smoother visuals (Learn more)
Express Gate mini-operating system grants instant access to internet, music, Skype, and more in seconds

Learn More
Relax, ASUS Has You Covered Ranked as the #1 most reliable PC brand by 3 independent sources2, readers and editors alike choose ASUS as their trusted notebook and netbook. ASUS relentlessly strive to exceed expectations of quality to ensure you an unmatched peace of mind every time you start your PC. We also back our commitment with the industry's most comprehensive warranty.
1 Year ASUS Global Warranty3 Offers a level of coverage that would add hundreds of dollars to the price of competing laptops:
1 year global warranty
30 day Flawless Display Guarantee
2-way free standard shipping
24/7 tech support

1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty (ADW)3 Whether your notebook is damaged by accidental spills, drops, electrical surges, or fire, ASUS will fix it or replace it for you during the first year after purchase.
Covers accidental drops, spills, power surges, and fire damage
Target 3 business day turnaround time for repair / replacement; not including receiving and shipping time
1-way shipping (from ASUS to the user) at no additional cost
24/7 toll-free phone support

What's in the Box
N53Jf-XE1 Notebook
AC Adapter
6 cell Battery Pack
Warranty Information Card

Specifications
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Display: 15.6-inch LED-backlit Full HD display (1920 x 1080)
Processor: Intel Core i5-460M processor (2.53 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.80 GHz)
Chipset: Intel HM55
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M graphics with 1GB DDR3 VRAM
WLAN: 802.11 b/g/n (@ 2.4GHz)
LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
Memory: 4GB DDR3 SDRAM, 2 x SODIMM socket (expandable to 8GB)
Storage: 500GB 7200RPM hard drive
Optical Drive: Blu-ray combo drive
Camera: 2.0 megapixel with security lens cover
Speakers: Built-in speakers with SonicMaster Technology
Microphone: Digital Array Microphone
Card Reader: 1x 5-in-1 card reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS-PRO/MS Duo)
Input / Output:1x Headphone-out jack (SPDF support), 1x Microphone-in jack, 1x RJ45 LAN Jack for LAN insert, 3x USB 3.0 ports, 1x E-SATA
Battery: 6 cell
Dimensions: 15.6 x 10.6 x 1.2 ~ 1.6 (W x D x H)
Weight: 6.4 lbs (with 6 cell)
Color: Silver

© 2010 ASUS Computer International. All Rights Reserved. ASUS is a registered trademark of ASUSTeK Computer. All specifications are subject to change without notice and features are only in select models. Products may not be available in all markets. Brand and product names mentioned are trademarks of their respective companies. © 2010, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Inside, Intel Core, and Core Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Intel® Turbo Boost Technology information: http://www.intel.com/technology/turboboost 1All figures theoretical values compared to USB 2.0 benchmarks for reference purposes. Actual speed depends on device and system status. 2Rated number 1 Windows-based PC maker in PCMag.com\'s Service & Reliability Report 2009. Rate number 1 PC brand according to SquareTrade, the leading direct-to-consumer warranty company (for more information visit http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109/ ). Rated number 1 reliable PC maker in Spring 2009\'s RESCUECOM report http://www.rescuecom.com/RESCUECOM269.html 3For notebooks purchased on or after Sept. 10, 2007. The ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty covers "ASUS" brand notebooks only, and does NOT extend to: "Built on ASUS", "ASMobile", "Powered by ASUS", the Eee PC, or some other models. These retailers are currently among the companies that do NOT participate in the ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty: Best Buy, MicroCenter, and The Source by Circuit City in Canada. Limit of one claim per notebook for Accidental Damage Warranty. ASUS reserves the right to discontinue this program and to modify the terms and conditions thereof at any time. ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty Program starts from the date of your ASUS notebook purchase, when all the requirements are met. Check your retailer for specific warranty information. One incident covered per notebook.

Click here for more information about ASUS N53JF-XE1 15.6-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Silver Aluminum)

Read More...

ASUS G51VX-RX05 15.6-Inch Laptop (Refurbished) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I recived this ASUS G51VX-RX05 in the mail today. So far i am very impressed with this product.
Visually very appealing. White top with side and logo LED's.
Functionality-
The keyboard is very flat feeling with not much depth. The keys have a squishy feeling, while seemed to be placed in the right spots. have hit the wrong key a few times (specificaly the backspace key)
The reason i only gave this laptop a 4 star is that i orderd a new laptop but recived a Refurbished one instead.
On that note it came with two recovery disks and a driver disk.
everything was in new condition just missing the original box.
Im very happy with this purchanse but beware you will not be getting a "NEW" Laptop.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS G51VX-RX05 15.6-Inch Laptop (Refurbished)

Operating System: Genuine Windows Vista Premium 64-bit with Service Pack 1. Precessor: Intel Core 2 P7350. Precessor Speed: 2. 0GHz. Precessor Cache: 3 MB L2 Cache. Bus Speed: 1066MHz. Memory: 4 GB System Memory(DDR2 800). Max supported: 4 GB. Video Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M with 1GB GDDR3. Memory Hard Drive: 320GB SATA (7200RPM). Multimedia Drive: SuperMulti DVDRW drive. Display: 15. 6” HD (1366x768) Widescreen LED backlight LCD Webcam: 1. 3MP Microphone: Yes. Facial Recognition: Yes. Network Card: Integrated 10/100 Mbps. Fast Ethernet Wireless Option: Integrated Intel 802. 11b/g/n. Digital Media: MMC/SD/Mini-SD/XD/Memory Stick/MS Pro/ MS-Duo/MS-Pro-Duo. Audio: Stereo, built-in Azalia Compliant Audio Chip. Keyboard: Illuminant chicklit keyboard. Pointing Device: 16:9 wide touchpad. External Notebook Ports: 1 VGA port (D-sub 15-pin) 4 USB 2. 0 ports 1 LAN RJ-45 1 IEEE1394 Firewire jack 1 HDMI 3 Audio Jacks (Headphone out/Microphone in/Line-In) 1 Card reader 1 SATA Finish: Glossy White, Republic of Gamers Emblem, Black Dimensions: 14. 76"(L) x 10. 43"(W) x 1. 35 1. 60"(D), Weight: 7. 28lbs. Battery: 2 Hours and 7 Minutes, 6-Cell 2. 4 AH Lithium-ion. Warranty and Support: Limited 90 Day Warranty. Security and Support: , ASUS AI Recovery , ASUS Data Security Manager , ASUS LifeFrame 3 , ASUS Live Update Utility , ASUS Power 4 Gear Hybrid Norton Internet Security 2008 , ASUS Smart Logon Producitivity and Finance: Adobe Acrobat Reader 8, CyberLink Power2Go Nero 8 Essentials.

Click here for more information about ASUS G51VX-RX05 15.6-Inch Laptop (Refurbished)

Read More...