I just finished writing a review on the Asus W5F 12" laptop over at PC Perspective. Since laptops are still a relatively new area for us, we'd like to hear your input.
Update: 4/28/2006
I'm serious about soliciting input and I'm not just here to pimp articles or get view-hits.
Laptops is something we're getting into and we would like to hear input especially from the community. We have a notebook/mobile forum ourselves, but it lacks the critical mass like here. So we do appreciate contructive feedback.
Here are some excerpts from the review in case you didn't want to click the link to read it.
The review on our site has a bit more detail on performance (benchmarks), pictures, and details on usability etc. You can catch that here:
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=239
- Jon.
Update: 4/28/2006
I'm serious about soliciting input and I'm not just here to pimp articles or get view-hits.
Laptops is something we're getting into and we would like to hear input especially from the community. We have a notebook/mobile forum ourselves, but it lacks the critical mass like here. So we do appreciate contructive feedback.
Here are some excerpts from the review in case you didn't want to click the link to read it.
Quote:
| The LCD is covered with a glossy anti-glare screen which Asus calls "Color Shine", and if you've used any modern LCD you will know that this kind of coating has different names depending on the company. The Color Shine coating helps improve the colors of the LCD screen while reducing glare. I find this kind of coating does create better color, but at the expense of a smaller view angle and increasing reflections from surrounding objects. ... While some manufacturers like using the front of the laptop for connections, the Asus W5F doesn't have any. I'm undecided whether this is a waste of usable space, or if it's a wise design decision as you won't have cables tangling you up. When the lid is closed, the activity lights are still visible so you can see what the laptop is doing. ... The optical tray causes some concern as the tray is wobbly and feels very fragile when opened. Since a significant amount of force is required to properly place a CD onto the drive's axle, you should probably be careful not to break the tray and support it on a hard surface like a desk or the arm of a chair. Another potential problem is the integrated web camera. Since you can swivel the camera 180 degrees, you may risk damaging if you rotate it the wrong way or if you transport the laptop with lens facing outwards. However all of this can be avoided by being careful and knowing how to operate the camera properly. ... Even though the heat generated from the CPU is very warm, Asus has managed to keep the body of the laptop reasonably cool. The right side of the laptop does get a bit warmer than the rest so if you perspire easily, best to find a surface to put the W5F instead of on your lap. ... Cooling on the Asus W5F is significantly better than the Compaq V2410 in every respect. The hard drive idles at a lower temperature despite having a higher RPM than the 4200 RPM in the Compaq. Loaded HDD temperatures are very reasonable and close to temperatures you would see on a typical desktop HDD. The loaded hard drive temperature of 52 C on the V2410 is just plain scary. ... RAM is only upgradable by one module. This means that your options for upgrading RAM is limited to a maximum of 1 GB for a total of 1.5 GB including the 512MB onboard. Getting dual channel to work optimally will be a challenge since it will be hard to perfectly match the onboard RAM. ... On a full load, the W5F lasts 1 hour and 38 minutes which is a far cry from the advertised 4 hours. However, under a more reasonable office load and DVD playback, you get over 3 hours. Recharging time is reasonably quick at 2 hours and 15 minutes. ... As far as an ultra-portable laptop goes, the Asus W5F has everything and then some -- an integrated camera, a bonus Blue Tooth mouse, and even digital audio output. Sure it does not play games very well, but I challenge you to find a 12.1" laptop that does! The fact is the W5F isn't marketed as a gaming laptop and it has a lot more to offer than gameplay anyway. Not only does it come on strong with features, the W5F is stylish and classy. It's a definite attention magnet, so you better be prepared for friends and co-workers asking to play with it and pick it up off your desk. Weighing under 5 lbs, you will want to bring it everywhere with you, and with strong battery saving modes that can stretch your lifeline to 3 hours. ... The only serious problem I see with the Asus W5F is that there is only one SODIMM slot for you to place a RAM upgrade. Some of you may not see a single SODIMM as a problem, but others will. It's unfortunate that there is this limitation since everything else about the W5F is spot on. |
The review on our site has a bit more detail on performance (benchmarks), pictures, and details on usability etc. You can catch that here:
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=239
- Jon.
) Other than that, it honestly was a great review. Using multiple applications to test battery life and testing the heat of various parts of the notebook were both definite plusses, and help give a more complete picture of the notebook. Good job! 
