ASUS W1000N

IN BRIEF: With looks that match the performance, Asus has created a laptop that will win fans in both the home and the office

Asus is known around the world as the manufacturer of motherboards and other components, but its range of laptops has been growing in prominence in the past 18 months, making the it the fifth largest supplier in Europe. It hasn’t achieved this level of success in the UK to date, but with the Asus W1000N (£1999 inc. VAT) that could all be about to change.

SOUND QUALITY

The W1000N is aimed firmly at the user who places multimedia high on their list of requirements. It has four speakers and a sub-woofer for improved sound quality, making audio playback much better than on a standard laptop. This is ideal for those looking to use this laptop for watching DVD movies or playing music. Audio controls can be found mounted on the front of the chassis. They include S/PDIF and separate digital-out for connecting to surround sound speakers.

On the left-hand side of the case is a flap that can be pulled down to reveal expansion slots. The inclusion of an internal TV tuner is still uncommon in many laptops, but Asus believe this will be a winning addition to the system. The final touch to the equation is how theW1000N stores the tuner’s remote control unit– in the form of a PC Card that can be slotted away next to the tuner for easy transportation.

Appearance is also to the fore with the Asus, with the brushed metal of the chassis giving the laptop a very stylish look. This effect is mirrored on its lid. The hinges of the 15.4-inch display panel are set back so the screens moves away from the laptop – think Apple Powerbook. Although this makes the screen appear low in comparison to a standard laptop, it’s still easy to view. The display is supported by the ATi Mobility Radeon 9600 graphics adapter, which scored a satisfactory 9173 using3DMark 2001 SE.

Asus insist the next iteration of the W1000N will support the Radeon 9700 adapter, making graphics performance even more impressive. As this was a pre-release model, Asus was unable to supply its Mobile Theatre software. This application works in a similar fashion to Microsoft’s Media Centre Edition, turning the laptop into a centralised multimedia centre, but with the advantage of being mobile. The keyboard proved a little disappointing, with the keys being loose in their mountings, but once we became used to the feel of the keys it was comfortable to use. The touchpad and mouse buttons are made of the same metal as the main chassis.

POWER USER

We were also impressed with the performance of the Asus. Powered by an Intel 1.7GHz Pentium M processor and supported by 1024MB DDRSDRAM, the system scored a MobileMark 2002score of 199, which is the highest we have logged from any laptop system. If you are looking for a laptop with style and power then theW1000N is certainly one to consider.

Connectivity is kept to a minimum with preference for newer rather than legacy ports. The three USB 2.0 ports are on either side of the chassis, as is the mini-FireWire port. Wireless is in the form of the Intel PRO/wireless2200 adapter, which supports 802.11g as standard. A Toshiba DVD rewriter is fitted as standard on the right-hand side of the chassis. Asus has put together a highly compelling laptop in the W1000N. While it won’t win any awards for portability, the combination of processing power and styling make it a definite hit in the living room as well as the boardroom.

PRICE: £1701/£1999 (EX/INC. VAT)
PROCESSOR: INTEL PENTIUM M 1.7GHZ
MEMORY: 1024MB DDR SDRAM
HARD DRIVE: HITACHI 80GB
SCREEN SIZE AND TYPE: 15.4-INCH TFT
DISPLAY RESOLUTION: 1680 X 1050 PIXELS
GRAPHICS CARD: ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9600
DIMENSIONS: 365 X 250 X 32MM
WEIGHT: 3.3KG
PC CARDS (TYPE II/III): 1/0
WIRELESS LAN: 802.11G
ETHERNET: GIGABIT
MODEM: YES
USB PORTS: 3
FIREWIRE: 1
STANDARD WARRANTY: 2 YR GLOBAL C&R
WARRANTY UPGRADE: N/A
CONTACT: 01908 518000 WWW.UK.ASUS.COM

RATINGS AND TEST RESULTS

BATTERY LIFE: 140 MINS
MOBILEMARK 2002: 199
3DMARK 2001: 9173

VALUE FOR MONEY: 6
PERFORMANCE: 9
FEATURES: 9
MOBILITY: 5
BUILD QUALITY: 8
OVERALL: 9