Asus A6J

The ASUS A6J is an identical twin, albeit a significantly more powerful one, of the older A6V notebook. Based on Intel's fastest Centrino platform to date, the dual-core processor makes short work of any applications optimised for multithread processing. However, as this laptop line targets the business executive, powerful performance may be sidelined by its lack of security features which notebooks such as the Fujitsu LifeBook P7120 and Lenovo's ThinkPad Z60m -- both containing biometric fingerprint scanners and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chips -- have.

Design
Molded from the same material used on racing vehicles, the metallic black exterior is formed from carbon fibre which is stronger than magnesium alloy, yet significantly lighter. Coming in at a hefty 2.85kg, the weight savings from the case material is probably the only factor stopping it from being classified as a desktop replacement. Executives or students who are required to carry their notebooks for long periods may want to consider a lighter machine.

This metallic black notebook has no feminine side to it.

From the dark grey interior to the brush steel accents, the design of the A6J notebook eludes a certain macho aura. The choice of colour theme gives a sense of sleekness, even though at 354 x 284 x 35.2mm, it is rather thick. A relatively uncommon feature is the integration of a 1.3-megapixel Webcam on the top of the 15.4-inch display. Useful for video conferencing and quick picture shots, we appreciated the convenience, especially with the increasing popularity of instant messaging software incorporating video chats.

Two rows of function buttons, one found at the front of the unit and the other above the keyboard, provide easy access to applications. Next to the dedicated buttons are LEDs that display system status and use a single panel design that causes different colours to "bleed" into each other. The full-size keyboard sits above the two-button touchpad. Though we like the steely aesthetics of the latter, the buttons are the stiffest we have encountered and uncomfortable for extended periods. The layout of the keyboard is not friendly to first-person shooter games, as users who like to map actions to the bottom left Ctrl key may find themselves accidentally hitting the Fn button instead. This is a problem for those who frequently use shortcut keys as well.

The placement of ports requires some rethinking. Though as a business machine the placement of the ethernet and modem ports on the right side of the unit permit quick network hookup, we wonder why all the USB ports are consolidated at the back. Most users, especially in the corporate world, rely on high-capacity USB flash disks to quickly and cheaply transfer data. So the omission of an easy-access USB port brings ill tidings to this laptop.

Features
Intel has retired the Pentium M branding and Core Duo is the new name given to the latest dual-core Yonah chip. Instead of processing data in a single stream, the new technology allows software to split computing tasks into two paths so both cores simultaneously crunch the numbers for speedier performance. Coupled with the latest Centrino platform, the front side bus speed has been bumped up from 533MHz to 667MHz, increasing the speed of data transfer and overall performance.

The ASUS A6J is one of the most connected notebooks available. Wirelessly, it can hook up to 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth and infrared devices. The modem and Gigabit ethernet ports provide speedy access to wired networks. For external peripherals, four USB 2.0 and mini-FireWire are provided for high-bandwidth connection. Digital camera buffs will appreciate the integrated memory card reader which is compatible with SD/MMC and Memory Stick formats. The only omission to this impressive array is the odd decision to stay with the PCMCIA standard for its PC card slot. With the faster and smaller ExpressCard devices coming in this year, users may find their expansion options limited in the near future.

The lack of an easy-access USB port is puzzling for a business machine.

The 15.4-inch transflective screen is the standard 4:3 aspect ratio. We are glad the display brightness is high enough to eliminate irritating reflections which are the bane of this LCD technology. Just above the screen lies a 1.3-megapixel Webcam which can function via ASUS video application as well as any third-party software. Though image quality is nothing to shout at, it is still adequate for video conferencing and quick picture shots. The graphics is driven by ATI's Mobility Radeon X1600 chip. With a 256MB of dedicated VRAM, it is able to utilise the HyperMemory technology to share up to 256MB of system memory for graphics-intensive tasks. Gaming and high-definition movies have no problem running on this machine. Users who bemoan that a 15.4-inch display cannot do justice to the video will be glad for the S-video, VGA and high-resolution DVI output options, though the latter can be replaced with a parallel port if connectivity to legacy peripherals is a priority.

The audio capability of the A6J does not fall short of its video capabilities. Using Realtek's HD audio chip, the aural output is easily optimised to the environment. The stereo speakers are adequate and loud enough for most users, though true AV buffs will link their Hi-Fi sets using the notebook's S/PDIF port for greater audio clarity and reproduction. The location of the speakers, found under the laptop, leaves much to be desired. Using the machine on a soft surface, such as a bed or cushion, muffles the sound significantly. ASUS has also enabled this mobile to play music discs without having to boot into the OS. Though a step-down compared with modelsthat can also display videos, this does not weigh too heavily against it as the A6J is not targetted as a multimedia machine.

The DVD dual layer Super Multi drive (DVD±R/DVD±RW/DVD-RAM) has an interesting feature rarely seen on portable devices, the LightScribe feature. Using compatible LightScribe discs, the optical drive uses its laser to burn black-and-white images on the label side of the CD. This is a wonderful convenience for those with a massive collection of backup discs and dread having to paste stickers on every single one.

Shortcut keys give quick access to Power4 Gear +, email, Internet and touchpad lock functions. The former is ASUS' own power management application that adjusts performance to battery life ratio. To prevent undesirable cursor movement during typing or gaming, the touchpad can be deactivated with the latter button. ASUS also includes its proprietary live update and NB Probe software that monitors your system status and keeps the machine in top-notch shape.

Performance
Our review unit comes with the Intel Core Duo T2500 processor running at 2.0GHz and 1GB of DDR2 RAM. Though our benchmark was unable to produce accurate scores for this system, Intel claims that its latest chip is faster than an equivalent Pentium M processor. For software optimised for multithread processing, we expect an even higher performance boost for the ASUS A6J.

We tested the eight-cell battery rated at 4800ma and found it wanting. Working for 2 hours 11 minutes on the power cell, it fell far behind similar-sized notebooks which last an average of 3 hours on the older Pentium M processor. Considering that the retail unit comes with a paltry four-cell battery, the A6J is not really adequate for computing on the move.

For gamers, this notebook blasted most of its competitors out of the water with a 3DMark05 score of 2,546, losing only to the heavy Dell Inspiron 9300. On the latest and tortuous 3DMark 2006, it even managed to eke out a respectable result of 1,446.

3DMark05 (longer bars indicate longer battery life)

ASUS A6J (Core Duo processor T2500 2.0GHz; 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon X1600) 2546 Toshiba Qosmio G20 (Pentium M processor 760 2.0GHz; 128MB Nvidia GeForce Go 6600) 2436 Dell Inspiron 9300 (Pentium M processor 760 2.0GHz; 256MB Nvidia GeForce Go 6800) 3004

Service and support
ASUS offers a two-year limited global warranty with all its notebooks. Should a problem occur with the unit, you can send it to any ASUS service center around the world and get it repaired using the warranty card. For users who travel overseas often, having a global warranty is important. However, the ASUS service overseas centres should be checked for accessibility. ASUS Web site provides software support and updates as well as a telephone hotline number.