Asus W2JB
This is my first review so please bear with me. I'm not the best photographer so these pics don't do this notebook justice. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, etc. PLEASE feel free to reply. Here goes!
Looks
It's BEAUTIFUL! What more can I say? I have admired this notebook since I first laid eyes on it. Its sleek looks. Its aesthetically-pleasing design. It was the sexiest laptop I had ever seen. The top and inside are black brushed aluminum. The sides and bottom have sturdy plastic parts that don't take away from the elegant design. When I opened the box and removed this beast from its foam bag, I was in love. It met and exceeded my aesthetic expectations. Apple, there's a new notebook on the block that has the power to back up its looks.
Build
This thing is built amazingly well. I've heard good things about the Asus build and I am now a believer. It's extremely sturdy. I think it could withstand a nice bashing, but I won't be the one to test out that theory.
Maneuverability
Is it light? No. Is it heavy? No. It's just right. It's lighter than both my old Dell XPS M170 and my Aviator CX7. The weight is distributed rather evenly and it is not a bear to carry. I love 17" notebooks and weight has never been an issue with me.
Screen
Being a WXGA+ screen, the resolution isn't as high as many would prefer. I don't mind it and I can certainly live with it. The colors are vibrant and the screen is very bright. FN+C changes to different modes depending on the brightness you want. A very nice feature. The viewing angle is very good. Like most new LCD's, you get a good view from many various angles.
Sound
You may be wondering how the sound is..... well..... IT'S GREAT! Whether you're watching movies, playing a game or listening to music, you'll be very satisfied. It has a bunch of speakers and they all make for a very pleasant experience. I was rather surprised when I first listened to a CD on here. I was planning on external speakers when I first ordered. Don't think I'll be needing them!
Keyboard
I'm still getting used to the keyboard. I copy and paste a lot using the keyboard. It's hard with this one. The FN key is at the very bottom-left corner. This is usually where the Control key is. I ALWAYS hit FN+C when trying to copy. As I stated above, that changes the screen mode. All it takes is a little practice but I'd rather this key be elsewhere. Besides that I'm happy with the keyboard. It's quiet and doesn't move. It is mounted very well.
Touchpad
Definitely the best touchpad I have ever used. It's not slippery like some, and not rough like others. It's in between. Soft enough to use for hours on end, but with a slight texture to keep you from sliding all over the place. The buttons work very well. You can push them from any point on the surface, not just the ends as one might expect.
Battery Life
I rarely ever run off my battery and haven't run this thing out, but Windows tells me that a full charge will yield ~2 hours and 30 minutes. This is very good IMO. Keep in mind we've got a dual core processor and a powerful GPU in here. Very, very respectable.
Heat
I'll be the first to admit that this thing runs HOT! 40C idle, and got it up to as high as 68C just setting up a bunch of stuff. This is still well within the normal operating temperature range. I've really just been personalizing this thing so I haven't had a chance to do any gaming or stress tests. Some AS5 will certainly lower the temps a bit. That's in the near future.
Conclusion
What else is there to be said? I LOVE this thing! 10/10. It's everything I expected and more! This is one of the few occasions where what I expected was what I got. It's fast as hell, has a nice graphics card, doubles as a TV/Radio, and looks great! A+ to Asus!
I'll continue updating as time goes by. Something may be awesome one day and then totally suck the next. I'll let you all know how it wears and how it games, and whatever else you want to know. Thanks for reading through and I hope I made you a believer. ASUS!
NOW FOR THE PICS!
Here's the mother, just about to give birth to a beautiful baby notebook.
It's just a box, but it's a cool box!
All of the enclosed accessories. This includes a Windows Media Center Remote (that lights up!), Headphones, DTV/FM Antenna, Media Center Receiver, DVI Cable, S-Video Cable, Software, Drivers, and a few other adaptors. Definitely a nice selection.
And now...... the moment you've been waiting for..... the unveiling of the ASUS W2JB....... after this little note :P Keep in mind I suck at taking pics, and it was a crappy, rainy day out. There was no sun to aid in lighting up the room, but you get the idea. ANYWAYS....... Can I get a drum roll please?
Top View
Left Side View. Here you can see the slot-load optical drive, a USB port, the open door exposing the Antenna, S-Video and phone/ethernet jacks, DC-Input, and Kensington Lock Hole.
Here's a pic comparing my old Hypersonic Aviator CX7 (top) to the W2JB.
Bottom View.
The CPU is easily accessible. I'll most likely be adding some AS5, as I do to every notebook.
Here we have the TV Tuner, Bluetooth module and something else. Wireless card?
Hard Drive and RAM compartments, as well as the subwoofer.
Shall we open it up? I think that's a good idea. Here is the comparison with my Hypersonic. WSXGA vs. WXGA of the Asus. I don't mind the difference whatsoever.
Look at the sexy touchpad and mouse buttons! Those bumps on the touchpad may look intimidating, but I can assure you it is soft and very comfortable to use.
Buttons in the top-right corner. I completely forgot those were even buttons (besides power) until I accidentally hit one
Top-left corner. These are the status lights. Sexy blue HDD indicator.
Here's a front view. Power, Charger, E-Mail, Bluetooth and Wireless indicators all sit up front.
These are the quick buttons above the keyboard. This most certainly IS a multimedia notebook.
Here are the stickers telling what all this beast has inside. I consider them plaques that announce greatness.
This thing has 4 speakers and a subwoofer! Holy crap! The sound is really damn good. Here's one of the 2 speakers (not including subwoofer) found underneath.
Another pic to try and show the sweet finish. Again, this thing is black. Damn you light!
As with most manufacturers, this is all the junk that starts up when you first boot.
Oh yes. Behold the POWER!
Here's a stock 3DMark05 score. 4,125. Is that good? Hell yeah it is!
Did I mention this thing has Media Center on it? I had honestly never used Media Center but now I LOVE it! I can watch and record TV on my friggen laptop! Gotta love The Shield in the off season. Thank you Spike TV!
This is my first review so please bear with me. I'm not the best photographer so these pics don't do this notebook justice. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, etc. PLEASE feel free to reply. Here goes!
Looks
It's BEAUTIFUL! What more can I say? I have admired this notebook since I first laid eyes on it. Its sleek looks. Its aesthetically-pleasing design. It was the sexiest laptop I had ever seen. The top and inside are black brushed aluminum. The sides and bottom have sturdy plastic parts that don't take away from the elegant design. When I opened the box and removed this beast from its foam bag, I was in love. It met and exceeded my aesthetic expectations. Apple, there's a new notebook on the block that has the power to back up its looks.
Build
This thing is built amazingly well. I've heard good things about the Asus build and I am now a believer. It's extremely sturdy. I think it could withstand a nice bashing, but I won't be the one to test out that theory.
Maneuverability
Is it light? No. Is it heavy? No. It's just right. It's lighter than both my old Dell XPS M170 and my Aviator CX7. The weight is distributed rather evenly and it is not a bear to carry. I love 17" notebooks and weight has never been an issue with me.
Screen
Being a WXGA+ screen, the resolution isn't as high as many would prefer. I don't mind it and I can certainly live with it. The colors are vibrant and the screen is very bright. FN+C changes to different modes depending on the brightness you want. A very nice feature. The viewing angle is very good. Like most new LCD's, you get a good view from many various angles.
Sound
You may be wondering how the sound is..... well..... IT'S GREAT! Whether you're watching movies, playing a game or listening to music, you'll be very satisfied. It has a bunch of speakers and they all make for a very pleasant experience. I was rather surprised when I first listened to a CD on here. I was planning on external speakers when I first ordered. Don't think I'll be needing them!
Keyboard
I'm still getting used to the keyboard. I copy and paste a lot using the keyboard. It's hard with this one. The FN key is at the very bottom-left corner. This is usually where the Control key is. I ALWAYS hit FN+C when trying to copy. As I stated above, that changes the screen mode. All it takes is a little practice but I'd rather this key be elsewhere. Besides that I'm happy with the keyboard. It's quiet and doesn't move. It is mounted very well.
Touchpad
Definitely the best touchpad I have ever used. It's not slippery like some, and not rough like others. It's in between. Soft enough to use for hours on end, but with a slight texture to keep you from sliding all over the place. The buttons work very well. You can push them from any point on the surface, not just the ends as one might expect.
Battery Life
I rarely ever run off my battery and haven't run this thing out, but Windows tells me that a full charge will yield ~2 hours and 30 minutes. This is very good IMO. Keep in mind we've got a dual core processor and a powerful GPU in here. Very, very respectable.
Heat
I'll be the first to admit that this thing runs HOT! 40C idle, and got it up to as high as 68C just setting up a bunch of stuff. This is still well within the normal operating temperature range. I've really just been personalizing this thing so I haven't had a chance to do any gaming or stress tests. Some AS5 will certainly lower the temps a bit. That's in the near future.
Conclusion
What else is there to be said? I LOVE this thing! 10/10. It's everything I expected and more! This is one of the few occasions where what I expected was what I got. It's fast as hell, has a nice graphics card, doubles as a TV/Radio, and looks great! A+ to Asus!
I'll continue updating as time goes by. Something may be awesome one day and then totally suck the next. I'll let you all know how it wears and how it games, and whatever else you want to know. Thanks for reading through and I hope I made you a believer. ASUS!
NOW FOR THE PICS!
Here's the mother, just about to give birth to a beautiful baby notebook.
It's just a box, but it's a cool box!
All of the enclosed accessories. This includes a Windows Media Center Remote (that lights up!), Headphones, DTV/FM Antenna, Media Center Receiver, DVI Cable, S-Video Cable, Software, Drivers, and a few other adaptors. Definitely a nice selection.
And now...... the moment you've been waiting for..... the unveiling of the ASUS W2JB....... after this little note :P Keep in mind I suck at taking pics, and it was a crappy, rainy day out. There was no sun to aid in lighting up the room, but you get the idea. ANYWAYS....... Can I get a drum roll please?
Top View
Left Side View. Here you can see the slot-load optical drive, a USB port, the open door exposing the Antenna, S-Video and phone/ethernet jacks, DC-Input, and Kensington Lock Hole.
Here's a pic comparing my old Hypersonic Aviator CX7 (top) to the W2JB.
Bottom View.
The CPU is easily accessible. I'll most likely be adding some AS5, as I do to every notebook.
Here we have the TV Tuner, Bluetooth module and something else. Wireless card?
Hard Drive and RAM compartments, as well as the subwoofer.
Shall we open it up? I think that's a good idea. Here is the comparison with my Hypersonic. WSXGA vs. WXGA of the Asus. I don't mind the difference whatsoever.
Look at the sexy touchpad and mouse buttons! Those bumps on the touchpad may look intimidating, but I can assure you it is soft and very comfortable to use.
Buttons in the top-right corner. I completely forgot those were even buttons (besides power) until I accidentally hit one
Top-left corner. These are the status lights. Sexy blue HDD indicator.
Here's a front view. Power, Charger, E-Mail, Bluetooth and Wireless indicators all sit up front.
These are the quick buttons above the keyboard. This most certainly IS a multimedia notebook.
Here are the stickers telling what all this beast has inside. I consider them plaques that announce greatness.
This thing has 4 speakers and a subwoofer! Holy crap! The sound is really damn good. Here's one of the 2 speakers (not including subwoofer) found underneath.
Another pic to try and show the sweet finish. Again, this thing is black. Damn you light!
As with most manufacturers, this is all the junk that starts up when you first boot.
Oh yes. Behold the POWER!
Here's a stock 3DMark05 score. 4,125. Is that good? Hell yeah it is!
Did I mention this thing has Media Center on it? I had honestly never used Media Center but now I LOVE it! I can watch and record TV on my friggen laptop! Gotta love The Shield in the off season. Thank you Spike TV!
I'll be living on a seagoing vessel, so I try to measure everything before I take it along, I won't have much space there.
Not to offend any users but hold a 600X and you'll feel the difference.
