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ASUS N61JV-X2 16-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Dark Brown) | 
| Brand: Asus Category: Personal Computer
List Price: $949.00 Buy New: $899.99 as of 7/29/2010 20:45 CDT details You Save: $49.01 (5%)
New (3) Used (2) from $899.99
Rating: 36 reviews Sales Rank: 104
Color: Dark Brown Media: Personal Computers Batteries Included: Yes Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium CPU Manufacturer: Intel CPU Speed: 2.53 CPU Type: Intel Core i5 Shipping Weight (lbs): 6.5 Dimensions (in): 15.4 x 10.6 x 1.5
MPN: N61JV-X2 Model: N61JV-X2 UPC: 884840576310 EAN: 0884840576310 ASIN: B00352LQYO
Shipping: Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| » | Intel Core i5-430M Processor 2.26 GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 2.53GHz | | » | 4GB of DDR3 1066MHz SDRAM, 2 slots, 8GB Max | | » | 500GB Hard Drive (7200 RPM); Super Multi Optical Disk Drive; Wi-Fi 802.11 bgn (bluetooth not included) | | » | 16-Inch HD LED LCD Display; 2.0MP Webcam; HDMI Port; NVidia GT325M Graphics Engine with 1GB DDR3 Dedicated VRAM | | » | Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit) Operating System |
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Product Description Enjoy true entertainment and real sound with the ASUS N61JV. Equipped with Intel's new Core i5-430M processor and an NVidia GT325M graphics engine with 1GB DDR3 VRAM, the N61JV brings users true-to-life images for games, movies and videos. NVIDIA CUDA GPU
Amazon.com Product Description 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.

| Now there is an even bigger reason to get the N61Jv by ASUS. Praised by the media for its outstanding features, it has been given the coveted Anandtech's Silver Editor's Choice Award. See what they had to say about it: “Features like USB 3.0 support and Optimus make our "must have" list for any new laptop purchase… the N61Jv is the best midrange ($800 to $1000) notebook currently available.”
|  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  | NVIDIA GeForce Graphics The N61Jv-X2 offers you the latest in mobile graphics technology with its NVIDIA GeForce GT 325M with 1GB DDR3 VRAM. This powerful CUDA-enabled graphics card lets you enjoy the HD playback and the latest games.
NVIDIA Optimus Technology Like a hybrid car seamlessly switches from gas to electric, the N61Jv features NVIDIA Optimus technology to automatically optimize your computing experience so you can keep working without interruptions.
By automatically switching between the energy-efficient integrated graphics solution, and the powerful GeForce graphics processor, you can now experience longer battery life and amazing visuals without having to manually change settings-Optimus technology dynamically manages this balance so you don't have to! Watch HD movies, 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 ASUS and NVIDIA. |
|  | Sit back and relax with premium multimedia features that make the N61Jv-X2 the ideal desktop replacement. Equipped with Altec Lansing speakers with enhanced SRS premium sound and the ASUS proprietary SonicMaster design, you’re ensured a cinematic experience when on the go.
With included HDMI connectivity, this entertainment notebook turns into your personal media center when you synchronize it to an external monitor or HDTV - letting you enjoy flawless 1080p HD playback anytime, anywhere.
Perfectly complementing the N61Jv-X2’s Optimus seamless graphics optimization technology are its brilliant 16-inch HD LED-backlit widescreen and Video Magic software that lets you enjoy the latest HD movies wherever you go with more battery life than ever.
The ASUS N61Jv-X2 does not only run your demanding applications, it will also wow you with its premium entertainment features. |
|  | The N61Jv-X2 is one of the first notebooks to debut the new Intel Core i5 processor. With Turbo Boost Technology, the Core i5 mobile processor will automatically speed up to match your demands for multitasking and demanding applications. Plus, it features Intel Graphics Technology for an excellent HD video experience, and Intel Hyper-Threading Technology that intelligently enables its 2 cores for simultaneous 4-way multitasking.
Along with the ASUS exclusive Power4 Gear to control system performance, the N61Jv masterfully optimizes the system performance for the task at hand. With a push of a button, you can select the power profile that matches your need. |
|  | The N61Jv-X2 is one of the first notebooks to introduce USB 3.0 – the latest standard of USB – that far surpasses the speed of its predecessors with transfer rates up to 10 times faster. This means it takes only 20 seconds to transfer the content of one DVD (6GB) using USB 3.0, instead of 3.3 minutes with USB 2.0.
The N61Jv-X2 also boasts an array of wireless features that make it simpler than ever to connect to your mobile world, including built-in high-speed wireless N (802.11 b/g/n @2.4 GHz). With high-speed wireless N, not only do you get improved range, you can explore with greatly increased transfer rates –that means quicker downloads and faster video streaming.
With all these latest quick and simple connectivity options, it is now easier than ever to transfer large amount of data within no time. |
|  | Protected by scratch-resistant ASUS Infusion Technology, the N61Jv-X2 will captivate you with its eye-catching aesthetic. With an Eagle-eye design, the unique-looking power-button lights up a cool indigo blue so whether you’re in light or dark areas you always know where to find it.
Specialized for ease of use, the N61Jv-X2’s elegant chiclet keyboard is seamlessly built into its beautifully shaped chassis and features a numeric keypad for easy input. But, there’s more to its chiclet keyboard than just looks, its uniquely-spaced layout gives users more typing precision and effectively protects it from dust buildup.
It also features a multi-touch trackpad that’s sized larger than average notebooks, allowing for remarkable control while scrolling through web pages, documents, or photo albums.
You can now use two or three fingers to easily command your applications with gestures such as zooming in/out or rotating the picture. |
|  | Recently rated #1 in consumer reliability among Windows-based PCs by SquareTrade, and PCMag.com, ASUS gives you the peace of mind you deserve every time you start your N61Jv-X2 notebook.†
ASUS worked extensively with Microsoft to develop time-saving features like FastBoot technology –reducing the time needed for startup and shutdown by up to 40% –and LocalMe –a GPS-like application. Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. And, thanks to Windows 7’s enhanced power management, you can enjoy unplugged gaming longer. Click HERE to learn more about the time-saving ASUS FastBoot feature. |
| F9 Key for Quick Recovery  | Built into every ASUS notebooks and Eee PCs is a quick and simple recovery process. By pressing the F9 during the boot-up process, you can restore your ASUS notebook to its original factory state making it like new again.
Make sure to back-up your data prior to system recovery so you can pick up wherever you left off without a hitch.
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|  | 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: If you discover one defective bright dot within 30 days of purchase, ASUS will replace the panel at no cost.
Two-way free standard shipping
24/7 tech support |
| Accidents Happen  | You have extra protection when accidents happen to your ASUS notebook purchased in the US or Canada. ASUS will fix or replace your notebook 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 |
| 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.
Check Out Other ASUS Notebook Computers and Accessories
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 36
great i5 laptop for this price July 26, 2010 Amar Lungare (Roswell, GA United States) This is my first Asus laptop and I like it except for the keyboard. May be I'm spoiled, having used Thinkpads till now but the keyboard in this laptop is too flexible for my taste. Also this the first time I'm using a chicklets-style keyboard. although I like the separate number-pad in this one since its a full-size keyboard. I wish it was a backlit keyboard ( I knew that it's not backlit when I bought but still).
The speed is good compared to my old laptop and it doesnt get hot. Windows7 has been good till now. So all good.
Great, minor flaws, excellent overall value! July 25, 2010 RNakaie 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've been seaching for a replacement for both my desktop and laptop. My minimum requirements were: very good processing power, decent screen, nice dedicated GPU, good battery life and sleek design. Hard to find em all together in one single machine.
And by searching I mean REALLY searching. Main review sites, shops, friends...
Also I am very into tech, nerdy stuff n etc...
FOUND IT.
I am very pleased with my purchase. I have this laptop for almost 3 months now and I can say it meets my expectations for each of those requirements (and others) at about 95%.
PROS:
- Fast, multitasks including editing video a breeze;
- Very nice keyboard and mousepad. Multitouch very very good. Palmrest too, made of some rubber material that feels very nice to the touch.
- I may not be demanding too much from it, but the GPU is working perfectly for my needs (casual gaming, video n music editing, full hd 1080p output to my 50"plasma).
- Sleek design check. Beautiful soundbar when opened.
- Nvidia Optimus provides a slight boost on battery life though see cons below.
CONS:
- Battery life does not impress nowadays with some machines providing up to 8 hours with the same power (but more expensive and non-windows).
Max around 3 hours which it still nice for a machine with this screen size n power.
- Poor viewing angles but doesnt bother me. Main user wont noticed it many times only a friend sharing a video or something.
= I dont miss full hd on a screen this size and it can output 1080p to bigger one. But then some may miss it.
- Internal bluetooth absence may be bad for some, but you can always buy a mini dongle.
Other thoughts:
- nice startup time and working temperature
- quite portable for me but this is a 16" inches so think about your needs.
- ok volume sound, very nice quality and volume when paired with external speakers
- USB 3.0, buying an new external HD to benefit from it, cant say something yet.
OVERALL A REALLY GREAT BUY.
Great computer but Blu-Ray is not working July 21, 2010 InstallME_Dan (Maine USA) We use this computer almost daily. We do love the screen, the feel of the keyboard, with the exception of the right hand shift key. I am a touch typist and I keep accidentally hitting the wrong key.
One problem we have had with the computer is that the optical drive is supposed to be a combination Blu-Ray/DVD drive. However, the Blu-Ray does not work. I purchased 'The Book of Eli' in Blu-Ray and when I insert the Blu-Ray disc the system does not recognize it.
I contacted Asus technical support, but their response rate is very slow. Their first answer was to upgrade the firmware to the drive, which is a stock canned answer. The technician who responded did not take time to read my first contact carefully. If so then they would realize that Asus does not have a firmware upgrade for my drive.
I have replied to Asus and they have yet to respond back and that is about a week ago.
If it were not for the experience with the Blu-Ray drive and technical support, I would have given this a 5 star rating.
Very nice with some caveats July 12, 2010 Big Max (Washington) 3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I've had the Asus N61jv for about 2 months now, and it's time to set down some of my trials and tribulations and successes. Overall, I like the computer a lot, but it has a few quirks that I'd have designed differently, and there were some serious problems that seem to be mostly overcome by now.
Design: the computer is not flat on the bottom. It's got feet at the back that are raised plastic with rubber pads. This is great for using on a desk and are absolutely non-skid. I don't know why they had to be so prominent, though--about 1/4". My problem with this is that when using the computer on the lap, they can be very uncomfortable, so I've had to learn to shift the computer off center a bit, or keep my knees close together. Not a big problem, but the ones on my previous Dell Inspiron 9300 didn't do that. Of course that computer was lots heavier, and wider too, so the rubber feet were further apart. All in all, I'd have preferred a flat bottom (the fan vents out the side) with just tiny little rubber pads.
Second design complaint: It's got these large white LED deals on either side toward the back, referred to as "Eagle Eyes." When the computer is on, they're always on, and when it's in sleep mode, they flash! Or breathe or something. Like I really want bright white lights pulsating in an otherwise dark room when the computer's asleep! I communicated with Asus, and they cannot be turned off. They are still visible when the lid is closed, as they're sort of built into dips in the case. What is wrong with electronics mfgrs these days, that they think users want disco lights going even when the machine is off? It's similar to those annoying SanDisk Cruzer usb drives that pulsate orange light when plugged in, even when nothing's happening. My solution to this was to put a bit of black vinyl electrical tape over each one. It stretches to conform to the depressions, and it sort of blends in color wise. They also put a big while LED around the power button, which also pulsates during sleep--aagh! At least that one is hidden when the case is closed. BTW, apparently the Eagle Eyes change to blue when the NVidia GeForce system is on turbo, which I haven't used yet, and don't really care about the blue. I guess heavy gamers might feel it's a positive feature.
The computer runs very cool even if left on all day. I'm not doing heavy duty gaming, but even when playing a movie, or burning DVDs etc, there's very little heat. And the thing flies--that's why I bought it--the i5 processor and the Nvidia Optimus tech (even though I don't use that as yet).
The chicklet keyboard seems very good, and there are some nice features, like Fn-Enter opens the calculator etc. There are dedicated speaker control buttons above the keyboard, which is a useful feature.
As I said, I really like the computer, but some of this awe might come from using Windows 7, which is really great. This computer easily runs the fancy Switcher (Windows-Tab) that shows all your open windows in a rotating 3D display. It's quite cool! However, a freeware program, Vista Switcher, is even better, if not quite as dramatic looking. And the super bar truly is super. Plus lots of other things, like the search box on the start menu finding all kinds of stuff really fast.
I upgraded from the installed W7 32 bit, to W7 Professional 64 bit, mainly for the XP compatibility mode (altho could have stayed with 32 bit I suppose).
An early issue almost had me send the computer back. There's a lot on the web about it--that it's not easy to "record what you hear." I do a short radio show that I put together with Audacity, and it is essential that I be able to record from eg WMP, YouTube, DVDs, etc. It wouldn't do that to begin with, and the web talk was stuff about digital copy protection etc. Seems a lot of folks have seen the same issue, with different hardware too.
I purchased the 3rd party program, Virtual Audio Cable, which is great. It allows routing the output of a device through virtual software cables to another device. This solved the problem, altho recording was not quite as loud a level as it should have been. Still, this worked fine for awhile. Then I found time to fool around with the W7 and audacity settings, and finally found the right ones, and now it works perfectly without VAC. Windows 7 handles low level audio in a new way apparently, and it's not always easy to set it up. Why the default settings aren't better I don'k know.
Here's what I found to work:
In Audacity preferences, set host to Windows Direct Sound, recording device to Primary Sound Capture Device, and playback to Primary Sound Driver.
In Windows, right click the speaker icon; choose Recording. Set Stereo Mix as the default recording device, and set Speakers as the default Playback device. I don't remember what the defaults were, but they weren't exactly these.
Another selling point for the n61jv is it has both esata and usb 3.0 ports. I've had mixed results with these. I ordered several esata enclosures (after the first one didn't work at all) and a usb 3 enclosure, plus a couple of Hitachi 500gb 7200 rpm drives. None of the esata enclosures worked well (except with usb 2 they were fine). I began to suspect it might be a hardware issue. In the meantime, my wireless connectivity suddenly went out. It looked like a hardware issue too, since the wifi switch near the front showed the same icon for on and off, and it's a hardware switch. I began thinking I'd have to send the unit back. However, I called Asus, and the tech gave me a few drivers to install from the site. (I'd already installed what I could find by searching the site, but it's hard to tell what's relevant and what isn't). That did the trick! It must have been a firmware problem, since I'd already swapped another drive in with a much older W7 image, and it still didn't work. Once I loaded the driver, the problem was solved with either W7 image, though it was installed via only one of them.
A similar thing worked with the esata. It was unreliable for big files, eg 10GB or more. It would lose the connection. Just today, I got an email back from Asus on the problem, and they gave me two more drivers to install. Again, I didn't find these on a site search, or at least they didn't stand out from the crowd as relevant to my problem. But they appear to have done the trick. My INEO enclosure was recognized right away (before it would first say the drive needed formatting, and then maybe recognize it, maybe not). And I copied a 50gb image to the drive with no problem at all. So I'm thinking that's another firmware driver that needed an update.
The usb 3.0 may be similar. I've had a few problems, although I've been able to make a 50gb Acronis drive image that I verified by putting it on a drive and booting. Still, that'll be my next query to the Asus team to see if there are driver updates needed.
Touchpad: this is a mixed bag too. It's got a lot of features, but not too much in adjustments for sensitivity. In fact the only one seems to be for palm sensitivity. I do tend to get erroneous movements because part of my right palm sometimes brushes the pad. Partly this is because it's a big pad, which is nice for cursor movements. But I find that adjusting the palm sensitivity down makes it so other features don't work well either.
So I leave the palm sensitivity up, and am learning to (touch) type with a slightly different hand position. This works--just takes some self-training. The various features are nice--good enough that I'm not using a mouse much at all (I used to use a mouse all the time with my previous Dell). Two fingers can scroll up or down, and a two-finger tap sets up an autoscroll icon in most programs. This lets you roll through pages at varying speeds, depending on how close the cursor is to the icon. Very nice when you get used to it.
Three fingers tap simulates a right click, which I use a lot. There are more features, like sideways scrolling and a magnifiers, but I've turned most of them off, since they tend to happen accidentally, and I don't use them anyway. There are other taps too which do things like opening task manager or flipping through windows, but I prefer to do those with the windows key plus other keys. I've found that the two finger tap does some other really useful things: On a superbar icon, it opens a new instance (like mouse right click, then choose a new instance). In Firefox, it opens a link in a new tab, so these shortcuts really save some time when using just the pad.
The touch pad is left of center, but centered on the main part of the keyboard. I wish they'd put it a little more to the left though, since it's the left part of the right palm that causes trouble.
There's a dedicated numeric pad, which is nice.
I have a Kensington radio mouse that I use for cursor-intensive things like Audacity projects. It's great. It's got a nano-usb transmitter, that only sticks out about 1/4", so I leave it in all the time. The mouse has an on/off switch on the bottom, which is very good, since mouse movement will wake up the computer. The mouse is low profile, flat and black, so it looks very cool with the computer.
There are 3 usb ports on the computer (one of which is 3.0 but works fine for 2.0 and below too). I kind of miss the 6 built-in usb ports of my Dell, but I can always add a couple via an express card. The placement of the ports is a bit strange. There's one on the front left, one on the right rear, and one on the right front. This would make it hard to use those usb Y cords that some enclosures come with, but so far it seems the ports supply enough power. The front right has a usb port right next to the esata port. Since the esata cable is heavy and not too flexible, it sometimes gets in the way of ejecting a CD. I would have liked that somewhere else. Still, I could get an express card esata port that would put it on the left side, so that's solvable if need be.
I'm surprised asus didn't put any ports on the back. In some ways that would be more convenient, and would keep cables out of the way. But the trade off is that this way, you don't have to struggle the computer into odd angles to get things plugged in. Overall, I think it's better this way, but it took some getting used to. At least the power cord had a right angle connector, and that's the one I keep plugged in the most. Keeps it out of the way.
I get 4 hours plus on the batteries without doing any fancy configuring. But I'm not playng DVDs etc. YMMV. Still, the power seems very good compared to my old Dell and to some of the laptops of my friends. The screen is plenty bright--I usually keep it on about 15%, and the colors are really good even at that level. There's a utility to adjust screen qualities six ways from Sunday, which I haven't really used.
So those are the main issues. There have been problems, but so far have been solved by tech support. Asus support is great, either by phone of email (via their trouble report form on the website). That's a big plus, but then Dell support was good too.
Am I happy with my purchase? Yes, despite the trials. Would I buy it again? Probably, because the price is good and the specs are great. The build quality seems very good--that's the big "if" for me, buying without seeing. Is the look and feel going to meet my expectations--and they have. And that's basically why I bought the computer. The price and specs were good, and early reviews were mostly positive.
A lot of my friends are Mac people. Believe me, I was tempted to go Mac this time around. I've used Macs and they're very nice. But I'm a pedestrian at heart, and Macs seem a bit hoity-toity. A PC friend of mine was asked why he didn't like Macs, and he said "They're too simple." I feel a bit that way too. I like solving some problems as long as the frustration level doesn't get too high. Plus I have a few programs that run in XP compatibility mode but wouldn't run on a Mac without some kind of fancy emulation.
Plus I've never liked the Apple exclusivity thing. They're getting away from that a bit, but those things are still very pricey for the power you get. If I was rich enough to not worry about money, would I buy a Mac? Sure, I'd get both.
I'm giving this sucker a 4 because it's put me through some hoops. But it's a great machine, and if I didn't have to install new drivers, I'd probably have given it a 5 even despite the Eagle (evil) eyes!
The most perfect laptop currently available - but not 100% perfect July 12, 2010 M. Falcon (Fresno, CA USA) 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
So, I'd done a lot of research and saving-up before buying this laptop, the first laptop I'd ever bought at retail. From the experience of countless secondhand budget laptops, I'd come to understand just what makes a perfect laptop, and while this laptop isn't 100% perfect, it's as close to perfection-to-price as you can get. For double or even triple the price, you can get a comparable laptop with some of the quirks resolved (like in an overpriced, less durable Sony laptop), but for most people, this is "IT".
Let's talk about its strengths. 500gb 7200rpm hard drive, fast enough to compete with - and even beat - some desktop hard drives in my own testing. Since the hard drive basically directly determines a computer's real-world performance, this thing really, really flies. And at 500gb, it's big enough to store anything and never have to think about it. It's still a good idea to think about it, but still. The cover is actually very much black, not "dark brown", which is a huge lifesaver to me... I would hate to carry around a brown laptop that literally "looks like crap". It's got two clear indicators on the sides telling you when the nVidia graphics chip is turned on, or the i5-integrated Intel IGP is in use. The Intel IGP is absolutely eons ahead of its class, able to rip through simple 3D games and HD video as if it was on a dedicated chip. But for those times when you really DO need a dedicated chip, the nVidia GT 325M kicks in and totally roars through anything you throw at it. Haven't yet been able to get it to stutter. CUDA support means when developers finally get off their lazy arse and embrace the technology, you can run your video encoding and various other computations on there as well. There's currently a CUDA h264 encoder available, but due to a lack of advanced settings (such as motion estimation mode & range), the quality is really poor. SuperSpeed USB 3.0 is an amazing new technology (I bought a SATA-to-USB3 adapter for this as well) that really delivers "holy crap" speeds - AND power - to an external interface. A Flash media holder in the ExpressCard slot cover is a nice touch as well. Battery life is pretty average for a laptop, around 2... 2.5 hours with average use. More when just watching a movie, less when playing a game or otherwise engaging the power-hungry nVidia chip (all the more reason to love this laptop - it can actually turn its discrete graphics chip *completely off* and runs that way most of the time).
Weaknesses? Well... it's got a few. For one, no Blu-Ray drive, though the hardware is more than capable of it. And no Bluetooth... even though the header on the board - AND preapplied double-stick tape! - are right under the front-left part of the palm rest. Those can both be resolved by installing a SATA Blu-Ray drive, and acquiring the appropriate model Bluetooth adapter. The others, not so much. First, and quite annoying for some, Optimus is "automatic only", with no way to manually change graphics adapters. You can add exceptions for "use the nVidia chip for this application", for example, but you can't actually engage the nVidia chip full time. I almost think it has something to do with Optimus itself, perhaps that it doesn't actually "switch" graphics controllers, but merely uses the nVidia chip to render certain applications and pass the rendered graphics to the Intel IGP to be displayed. That would explain why the screen never even flickers when the nVidia chip switches on or off. *shrug* Anyway, the sound also isn't that hot... not nearly as "Amazing" as the description implies - less tinny than most laptops, but still not as mind-blowingly "big sound" as some Toshiba laptops I've used. And the software, oh god the software. Comes with so much Asus bloat & crapware, I spent a good part of the first day owning it just cleaning it up. The Asus auto-updater is totally useless, never offers updates available on the Asus website (like a BIOS update, available right out of the box). And the hard drive is partitioned into 2 main parts - OS and Data - both for performance and for safe keeping, but Data is - as with all known OEMs - not configured to be used for anything by default. It takes some techgeekery to relocate your user profile (C:\Users\You, for example) to this data drive (D:\You), but it's worth it. And the touchpad is absolutely god-awful, taking several days to get used to its quirks and oddities. Software is cheap Chinese "Elan" crap, far unlike the polished, refined Synaptics touchpads the world has grown up with. Picks up stray taps that weren't even touching (just hovering over the pad), and misses taps and gestures that are. Really wish Asus just stuck with what works, and stuck with a Synaptics touchpad.
Overall this laptop is, quite simply, the most perfect performance for value you can get. Raw performance is mind-blowing - it's a laptop you can throw ANYTHING at and be able to run. Any PC game, any computing task, it can do it. It's a portable powerhouse. It's just a little rough around the edges, but at under $1,000, you'll never find a better deal. Period.
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