Announced at the end of 2010 and demonstrated at the beginning of the coming year, a laptop ASUS N53Sv(among other three ASUSTeK novelties with second-generation Intel Core i7 processors) finally appeared in our test lab. At first glance, this laptop is a typical representative of the multimedia series. ASUS N. This applies both to the appearance - an elegantly strict and durable aluminum body with smooth curves, and the audiovisual part - a high-contrast glossy HD screen, Bang & Olufsen ICEpower stereo speakers with SonicMaster technology.
In the meantime, the most important innovations have touched the filling, first of all, the processor. The laptop works, neither more nor less, the second-generation Intel processor from the Core i7 family, which is built on the new Sandy Bridge architecture (hence, perhaps, the letter S in the model name), the production of which started literally on January 6th. We will consider the features of this architecture and the processor built on its basis below, we only note that Intel promises a significant increase in performance compared to the first generation of Core i7 mobile CPUs.
The video subsystem has undergone no less profound changes. Embedded in Sandy Bridge architecture Intel core The HD Graphics 3000 delivers performance never seen before in its class. In addition, the laptop also has a discrete graphics card - also a novelty from NVIDIA, the fifth-generation graphics accelerator GeForce GT 540M. The value of this configuration is not only that the user will be able to enjoy the most complex three-dimensional effects in games and applications, but also that at the same time the battery will be spent much more economically, primarily due to the expansion of the capabilities of the built-in video accelerator.
So, proceeding to a detailed review and testing, comparing this laptop with previous models of the ASUS N53 series, we expect the enhanced graphics, gaming potential of the ASUS N53Sv and advanced energy efficiency, especially in the mode of active use of multimedia functions. Let's see what results we end up with.
Review and test ASUS N53Sv. Specifications and equipment
Packed laptop in a cardboard box traditional for the N-series ASUS coloring. On a black background, there is a pattern of intersecting white and blue lines and two white stripes, thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom (the ASUS logo is applied to it in the corner). Stickers are glued on the sides, one points to a coupon inside the box containing a code for a trial download of the StarCraft game, the second calls for an extended license for the MS Office suite (in fact, MS Office 2010 Starter is already preinstalled on the laptop).
The content packaging method is vertical, continuing the trends typical of today's mid-range ASUS laptops. Here, the manufacturer also abandoned the top nested box for the adapter with a cable: the cord for connecting the adapter to the mains alternating current simply placed on top of a specially folded piece of cardboard that separates it from the laptop. The laptop and all accessories from its kit are protected by cardboard spacers-seals. The battery, adapter and all printing with the disk are packed in a large envelope with pockets on the sides. The pockets contain the AC adapter and battery, respectively. The envelope is equipped with a convenient slot-handle for extraction.
The adapter is a rectangular bar with rounded edges, quite impressive in size. (Which shouldn't be surprising given the performance level of the laptop's system). At the top, an LED indicator is built into the adapter, and 4 small round rubber feet are mounted on the back side to stabilize and protect the laptop's power supply.
The battery - an irregularly shaped parallelepiped, combined with the back side face, is quite compact, which even made it possible to move a number of ports to the back face, while maintaining the traditional loading mechanism (horizontal sliding into the slot from the back face). The capacity indicated on the battery is 4400 mAh or 48 Wh.
The composition of printed products is similar to most mainstream ASUS laptops and includes:
- warranty card (an ordinary booklet with silver stripes on the cover);
- Quick Installation Guide (quick installation manual, as usual, without the Russian language, unfortunately);
- User Manual (here already - exclusively in Russian, detailed and understandable);
- Leaflet "Freedom without wires" (illustrated instructions for the technology of making wireless connections);
- Leaflet ASUS Notebook Update Information;
- a novelty in the kit - a flyer (or as it is called by the manufacturer - "coupon") nVidia with a code for downloading a promotional version of the StarCraft 3D game.
Of course, in the kit there was a place for a disk with drivers and proprietary utilities, as well as for a branded Velcro strap for tying the adapter cord.
The delivery set, I must say, is quite ordinary, the content of the attached manuals makes it easy to master all the functions of a mobile computer.
Specifications ASUS N53Sv are shown in the table below:
- Processor: Intel Core i7-2630QM (2000 MHz)
- Bus: 2.5 GT/s 6, MB L3 Cache
- RAM: 6144MB DDR3-1333MHz
- Screen: 15.6" Mirror (Glare), with LED backlight
- Resolution: 1366x768 (HD)
- Video card: nVidia GeForce GT 540M, 1024+1632 MB, Add. card: Intel HD Graphics 3000, 64+1632
- Sound Card: Bang & Olufsen ICEpower with SonicMaster technology
- Hard disk: 500 GB (7200 rpm), SATA
- CD drive: DVD±RW (DL)
- Communication: LAN 10/100/1000
- Wireless: Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, WiFi (802.11a/b/g)
- Ports: 4xUSB(3.0/2.0), Kensington security, Line out (S/PDIF support), HDMI, Mic-in, VGA
- Card Reader: SD/MMC/MS/Pro
- Camera - 2.0 MP
- Express Gate
- Battery: Li-ion, 4400 mAh (up to 4.5 hours)
- Weight: 2.96 kg
- Case: silver / gray, dimensions - 39.1 x 26.6 x 4 cm
- OS: Windows 7 Home Premium (64)
- International manufacturer's warranty: 2 years
The computing system of the laptop is built using the processor of the second generation of the Intel Core i7 family. The processors of this family, whose production was launched quite recently, in January 2011, are based on the new Sandy Bridge microarchitecture. This architecture contains a number of advantages that significantly increase the performance and flexibility of the system, and, above all, in the multimedia and gaming area, compared to the first generation.
Unlike them, second-generation processors based on the Sandy Bridge architecture have all 4 physical CPU cores, as well as an integrated graphics accelerator, cache, system logic, assembled on a single chip according to the 32-nm process technology. In this regard, performance should naturally increase and heat dissipation and power consumption of the processor should decrease, in comparison with the previous solution, where the Intel GMA HD graphics core and most of the northbridge control chips were assembled on a separate chip using a 45-nm process technology.
Another advantage of the new processor is rooted in the technology of the graphics core itself. The new Intel HD Graphics 3000 core achieves the performance of entry-level discrete graphics cards in terms of its characteristics, thereby transferring a wide range of multimedia and gaming functions to the processor. Now full HD video decoding with picture-in-picture function, 3D graphics application execution and gaming in some 3D games will do without the resources of a discrete graphics card, which will conserve battery power.
An important step in the dynamic increase in system performance was the improved Intel turbo boost Technology, which received an index of 2.0. If in the first edition, a short-term increase in the clock frequency in a multi-core processor was carried out by disabling non-working cores (in order to control heat generation), now Intel engineers have made the technology work without such disabling, i.e. the frequency can be accelerated immediately on 1/2/4 cores. This allows, according to Intel representatives, to use the technology not at peak load, as before, but in a wider range of situations.
Another very important innovation is the emergence of a new 256-bit Advanced Vector Extensions (Intel AVX) instruction set, which is actually an extension of the 128-bit SSE set.
To position its updated processors, Intel introduced new logos and 4-digit CPU model indexes instead of the previous three-digit ones.
In particular, the representative of the new Generations of Intel The Core i7-2630QM installed in the ASUS N53Sv laptop has 4 physical cores, each of which operates at a frequency of 2000 MHz (in Turbo Boost 2.0 mode, the operating frequency increases to 2800 MHz). The “last level cache”, as Intel now writes (formerly L3 cache) distributes a rather large amount of 6 MB between all cores dynamically. The maximum thermopackage - 45 W. The processor supports technologies such as Advanced Vector Extensions, Enhanced Intel SpeedStep, Idle State, Execute Disable Bit, Intel 64 Architecture, and Intel Virtualization (VT-x / VT-d). AT work Core The i7-2630QM is guided by an already extended set of SIMD instructions: MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE 4.1, SSE 4.2, AES.
The graphics subsystem of the laptop is represented by the Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics accelerator built into the processor (the capabilities of which have already been mentioned above) and the discrete nVidia GeForce GT 540M graphics card. This is one of the novelties of the world's leading vendor in the field of graphics accelerators (in general, the 500-series of mobile video cards was introduced quite recently). It currently occupies an average position in the product line, but has a very high performance margin and works out almost all existing advanced graphics technologies. The processor clock speed is as much as 1344 MHz, the number of shaders (or CUDA cores) is 96, the bus width is 128 bits, and video memory support is DDR3/900 MHz. In our case, the amount of video memory is 1 GB. The video card supports the most modern versions of standards: Shader Model 5.0, OpenGL 4.0, MS DirectX 11. Such characteristics should be enough for high-quality and smooth playback of the game process, video processing up to Full HD 1080p, reliable display of website content in the HTML5 standard.
Of course, NVIDIA Optimus technology is supported, which automatically switches tasks between the integrated and discrete video adapter to save battery power. And, I must say, the modern integrated solution from Intel, namely the HD Graphics 3000 graphics core, allows you to greatly relieve the NVIDIA video chip. The enhanced graphics of the new Intel processors built on the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture sets the bar higher and discrete video adapters, and, in this case, the nVidia GeForce GT 540M is quite up to this level.
NVIDIA 3D Vision technology has become an important component of the discrete card. It can turn many games into stereoscopic, play Blu-ray 3D movies, stream 3D video and 3D photos. You can also enjoy 3D games and movies on a big TV with NVIDIA 3D TV Play. By the way, a mobile computer with such a card can effectively stream video to the largest monitors produced today with the highest resolution (up to 2560x1600 pixels). We will check the real capabilities of the video subsystem using synthetic benchmarks and game tests.
Notebook system contains 4 slots for random access memory. In our sample, three of them were occupied by the same Elpida EBJ21UE8BFU0-DJ-F sticks, 2 GB each. The most advanced memory interface is DDR3, the maximum frequency is 1333 MHz. This is quite a decent volume for unlocking the increased capabilities of second-generation Intel Core i7 processors, and there is also the possibility of an upgrade. The hard drive from Seagate (model ST9500420AS, SATA-II interface) has a volume of 500 GB, quite adequate for a multimedia notebook, and is distinguished by the maximum known spindle speed - 7200 rpm.
The optical drive installed in the laptop manufactured by LG Electronics (model HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GT34N) is a conventional multi-drive that reads and writes all types of CD/DVD discs, including dual-layer DVDs. A modern multimedia computer, especially one that is fully prepared to work with Full HD content, including 3D, like the ASUS N53Sv, would be more complete, with the ability to at least read Blu-ray. By the way, there are such configuration options for ASUS N53Sv, and the user has the right to choose.
The set of ASUS N53Sv ports provides a wide range of communication options in common modern standards, including USB 3.0. Image transfer to an external monitor is possible both via analog (D-SUB) and digital (HDMI). The audio jack also supports S/PDIF digital output. In general, a set of ports covers all the needs of working with multimedia. The card reader accepts 5 formats of memory cards. To connect to a wired network, a gigabit network card is installed. There is also an Express Gate port.
A set of wireless communication protocols is typical for modern mass laptops - Bluetooth 2.1 and WiFi. The built-in camera has the highest resolution in its class of 2 megapixels.
All in all, the specifications of the ASUS N53Sv notebook put it in the position of one of the most advanced multimedia mobile computers on the market. It should be able to handle the most demanding multimedia content and the latest 3D games with a margin.
Review and test ASUS N53Sv. Exterior, design, safety
Notebook ASUS N53Sv is available in a case that is similar to other ASUS N53 models, for example, ASUS N53Jn analyzed by us recently. We only note the main features of the case. The case in the closed state is slightly thickened towards the rear edge. Designers have found a very harmonious combination of straight lines and smooth curves. The transition from the lid to the hinges looks especially interesting.
The lid is made of a solid sheet of brushed aluminum with a small oblong plastic insert, which is easy to hold when opening. Adds convenience when opening and a low visor on the front face of the lid.
A solid aluminum matte plate also covers the area on the topcase in front of the keyboard. The entire environment of the keyboard unit, as well as the keys themselves, is made of gray matte plastic. Closer to the screen, a metal speaker grille is installed in a special hollow of the topcase.
The front side of the laptop does not contain any ports and structural elements. Approximately in the middle, in the touchpad area, from under the closed cover, the light of the laptop status LEDs breaks through.
The placement of elements on the side faces also repeats the scheme adopted in other models of the ASUS N53 series.
On the right, starting from the front edge, pairs of ports are built in: two audio device jacks and two USB 2.0. The location of the USB ports, most suitable for connecting a mouse, close to the front edge, is not entirely successful. Almost all of the remaining space is occupied by the front cover of the optical disc drive tray. The lid is oddly shaped. It is difficult to describe it, it is better to look at the photos. On the island, limited by the drive cover and the bend of the case, a sliding mechanical switch for wireless communications fit.
On the left side (from left to right) we see such construction details. The first is a very wide, given the size of the laptop, grille for the output of heated air. After mounted two ports, HDMI and network connection RJ-45. To the left of it is a universal card reader slot. The last and, accordingly, closer to the front edge, which is very convenient, always at hand, you can find high-speed data exchange ports - E-SATA and USB 3.0, the use of which gives an advantage up to 10 times in speed compared to USB 2.0. Ports are placed quite freely.
The back side is also used to accommodate the ports, since the length of the battery does not occupy the entire area of this face. Engineers very rationally took out connectors that are not often used here. To the left of the battery edge is a socket for the power cable. To the right of the battery is a D-SUB video output port and a Kensington security port.
The view of the bottom surface also has much in common with the previously reviewed ASUS N53Jn. In particular, the hatch for access to the RAM modules and the hard drive is common, the battery is inserted from the back and fixed with two latches, a special small compartment is made under it for access by specialists. The differences are more ventilation grilles, in particular, they appeared under the hard drive. Another difference is the thickening of the case in the area of RAM and chipset.
The case stands firmly on a horizontal surface, resting on 4 large rectangular rubber feet.
The battery is inserted into the rear side slot and secured with two latches. Even with one latch, the battery sits rigidly, without the slightest play.
Review and test ASUS N53Sv. Screen, camera and sound
The monitor lid opens to an angle of about 130 degrees, however, this will be sufficient in most situations. Wide, more than 2 cm hinges clearly fix the lid in any open or closed position. The frame of the screen is made of black glossy plastic, without a special edging. The mechanical protection of the screen is formed by 4 rectangular rubber seals (2 at the top, on the sides of the camera, 2 on the left and right, respectively).
The screen is glossy. SAMSUNG's native HD resolution sensor (model LTN156AT02P09) has a viewable area of 34 x 19 cm (15.3 inches), with an aspect ratio of 16:9. The manufacturer did not improve the quality of the monitor compared to the previous models of the series; in fact, these are the basic characteristics for a modern laptop monitor. The image quality in most applications is very high, the contrast and color saturation are at their best, the viewing angles are significant, even with the strongest deviation the colors are not inverted, only glare appears on the glossy surface. However, to unleash the full potential of the powerful graphics subsystem, in particular, Full HD viewing, a monitor with a higher resolution would allow.
The sound of audio in ASUS N53 series notebooks with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower always causes positive reviews. The new model is no exception: stereo speakers, built-in, as usual, on the topcase, under the monitor, behind an aluminum grille, produce sound with a large margin of volume, strong and tight bass, good rendering and spatial localization. The dedicated SonicMaster utility controls various sound effects such as bass, ambience and vocal quality. The effect of its use is significant, the sound changes a lot, it becomes interestingly colored, but it is difficult to say unequivocally that it is subjectively better, the sound with or without the SonicMaster settings turned on.
The camera is built into the top frame of the screen, strictly in the middle. The camera's peephole is inscribed in a small rectangular area, which also has an LED indicator, as well as a lever that opens and closes the camera shutter. A few centimeters to the right of this block, you can see a small round microphone hole. The control block is not highlighted constructively, only marked with contrasting, visual symbols. By analogy with other ASUS laptops, shooting photos and videos is carried out using the proprietary LifeFrame utility. There is also the possibility of restricting access by face recognition using the Smart LogOn application.
Review and test ASUS N53Sv. Input Devices
The keyboard in its type, layout, shape and size of the keys corresponds to the previous models of the ASUS N53 series. Recall that this is an island keyboard with small gaps between the keys, placed on a matte substrate. The buttons themselves are also matte, gray, square, with a beveled bottom edge, which is why the rows of keys descend in terraces, like a "ladder". The dimensions of the letter keys are 17x17 mm. The buttons of the digital block are slightly compressed horizontally - 17 x 11 mm, and the top row is narrowed to 17 x 9 mm.
Above the keyboard block, the designers built in a thin, stylish, translucent plastic panel, into which the control keys are inscribed. The left group is opened by the Express Gate combined Quick Start key (pressing which, when the laptop is turned off, quickly loads the Linux environment, in which you can use the main multimedia modes of the laptop) and Power4Gear (while Windows 7 is running, it allows you to quickly switch power modes). To the right are built-in 4 keys for managing media files in the corresponding applications.
Designations, traditionally for ASUS, are contrasting, applied in 3 colors. A cursory blind typing seemed quite convenient, when pressed with medium force, the keyboard block sagged in the central zone.
In the right block, the extreme right position is occupied by the power button (Express Gate). To the left of it periodically light up LED indicators, signaling active CapsLock and NumLock modes.
All buttons and indicators are illuminated with a soft, diffused translucent panel light, power - blue, the rest - lunar white light.
The touchpad is medium in size, 8.5 x 5.3 cm, slightly recessed into the topcase and has a similar, matte, slightly rough surface. The touchpad works well as single touches, as well as movements with one or several fingers at once. The buttons under the touchpad are covered with a single silver rocker panel.
Review and test ASUS N53Sv. Wireless connection
Renowned for its quality performance, the Atheros AR9285 wireless adapter provides high sensitivity and reliable connectivity.
Wireless connection management is possible as a built-in Windows Manager 7, and the proprietary Wireless Console utility.
The BT-270 Bluetooth radio module supports the widely used 2.1 + EDR protocols today.
Review and test ASUS N53Sv. Software and General Notes
The laptop is preinstalled with 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium. Traditionally, ASUSTeK equips its mobile computers with a solid set of programs for working in different areas. The multimedia laptop also has applications for managing and processing media files.
Management of various functions of the laptop is entrusted to a package of proprietary utilities familiar from other models with a clear three-dimensional interface. Virus protection is provided by Trend Micro Internet Security.
MS Office 2010 Starter package is preinstalled for working with documents. Unlike most laptops from ASUS and other brands, PDFs are not read using proprietary Adobe Reader software, but by our own development. PDF Reader for ASUS with similar functionality.
Media content management is fully covered by CyberLink Blu-ray Suite applications and ASUS VideoMagic proprietary package.
Review and test ASUS N53Sv. Benchmarks
For an objective and versatile assessment of the performance of the ASUS N53Sv laptop, we used the following tests:
Everest- removal of complete information about the system and comprehensive testing, including HDD;
PCMark04 and PCMark05- tests designed to measure computer performance when working with office and other similar applications;
PC Mark Vantage- synthetic test
3Dmark06- general performance tests in 3D games;
battery eater- a test for the battery life of a laptop in reading mode.
Measurement results can be found by clicking on the corresponding mini-pictures.
The heating of the processor cores, both at maximum load and on average, exceeds the well-known optimal figure of 70 degrees, however, it should be borne in mind that reaching the maximum load on this one of the most powerful mobile processors not easy.
Transferring a significant graphics load to the processor, optimizing components, NVIDIA Optimus and other energy-saving technologies have borne fruit: in reading mode, the most powerful multimedia laptop worked for 4 hours and 52 minutes, i.e. almost half an hour more than the time declared by the manufacturer.
Processing speed indicators 3D graphics in 3DMark 06 tests and according to Windows 7, they are confidently placed in the upper segment of the range of values.
Synthetic test data is more clearly compared with the performance of a laptop from another manufacturer, built on a similar processor, as well as with the results of a laptop test with a first-generation Intel Core i7 processor. For comparison, compatriots by brand and constant competitors of ASUS, multimedia laptop models of the Taiwanese corporation Acer with quad-core Intel Core i7 processors and video cards with 1GB of video memory were selected.
Model Acer Aspire 5950G-2636G64Biss LX.RE302.009), as well as ASUS N53Sv (90N1QA868W6319VD13AY), uses the second generation Intel Core i7 processor with Sandy Bridge architecture, model 2630QM. A very "hot" AMD 6000 series Mobility Radeon HD 6650 accelerator is taken as a discrete graphics card. vs. 2.0 GHz 2630QM). As well as the subject of our review ASUS N53Sv, it has a mid-range graphics accelerator from NVIDIA, however, not the 5th, as in ASUS, but the 4th series (GeForce GT 425M).
We summarized the laptop test data in a comparative table.
| Win7 Processor | Win7 Memory | Win7 Disk | |
| ASUS N53Sv | 7.4 | 7.4 | 5.9 |
| Acer Aspire 5950G | 7.4 | 7.4 | 5.9 |
| Acer Aspire 5745DG | 7.1 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| 3DMark | PCMark Vantage Score | PCMark Productivity | Battery Eater (reading) | |
| ASUS N53Sv | 7982 | 7121 | 9318 | 270 |
| Acer Aspire 5950G | 7658 | 6751 | 8475 | 420 |
| Acer Aspire 5745DG | 7488 | 6386 | 5528 | 360 |
As can be seen from the comparison table, the second generation Intel Core i7 processors provide a significant performance boost compared to last year's models: the Windows 7 processor performance score is three tenths higher, the PCMark Productivity score is one and a half times higher. The Acer Aspire 5745DG outperformed its rivals by only one-tenth of the point in terms of RAM performance thanks to its larger 8 GB versus 6 GB.
In terms of hard drive speed, all models froze at around 5.9: this is the physical limit for the fastest HDDs today with a spindle speed of 7200 rpm.
In a dispute between two laptops based on Intel Core i7 Sandy Bridge processors, the ASUS N53Sv we reviewed was ahead (albeit a little) in almost all synthetic tests. The explanation for this phenomenon can be found in the difference between the video cards of the two leading world manufacturers. Its counterpart from ACER can work more than 2 hours longer thanks to the use of a larger battery (6000 mAh). It is also worth considering that the ACER model is about $ 300 more expensive than our today's hero.
Review and test ASUS N53Sv. Conclusion
N53Sv thanks to the use of the ultra-modern second-generation Intel Core i7 processor on the Sandy Bridge architecture, it boldly breaks into the leaders in terms of performance not only in its multimedia class, but also clearly crowds out the ranks of powerful gaming mobile stations. In the second quality, he is helped, again, by an ultra-modern NVIDIA 5-series graphics card with support for DirectX 11 and other latest graphics technologies. This model, which has become the flagship of the ASUS N53 series, can be confidently ranked among the mid-range gaming laptops.
New processor and video card technologies have increased the integration of these nodes and, at the same time, the battery life of the laptop.
Otherwise, the characteristics of the laptop remained within the usual framework for the ASUS N53 series. Here you can pay attention to both the high-quality built-in Bang & Olufsen ICEpower acoustics with SonicMaster technology, and the rather mediocre screen resolution (simple HD, although there are models with higher resolutions up to Full HD in the N53 line), average equipment and packaging.
Nevertheless, the main advantage and advantage of the model is the computational and graphical performance. In fact, this multimedia laptop is an average price category is today one of the fastest in the world.
pros
- the highest computing and graphics performance
- powerful and high-quality acoustics
- durable, elegant body, resistant to fingerprints and scratches
- high (for a multimedia laptop) battery life
Minuses
- base screen resolution
- standard equipment and accessories
- flex keyboard
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The N series notebooks are the best ASUS has to offer for the discerning home user. They have typical attributes of middle-class consumer models: stylish corporate design, powerful but inexpensive hardware components, high-quality built-in speakers. Interestingly, the line includes laptops of several sizes - with a screen of 14″, 15.6″, 17.3″ and even 18″, however, the lineup is updated infrequently and, as a rule, out of sync with the release of new hardware platforms. However, despite including enough high price, it is one of the most popular home series of laptops in the upper price range.
Our review will focus on the 15-inch model of the N53S series, built on the Intel Huron River platform and equipped with switchable graphics (mid-range discrete graphics card). This laptop is available in several configurations and has a wide range of prices. Our copy is relatively affordable: it has a normal resolution screen, a junior processor, a GeForce GT 540M video card, and an inexpensive hard drive.
We will compare the N53SV with two direct counterparts that have a similar level of performance and price range. The first laptop is the equally popular HP Pavilion dv6 6000 series, the second is less well-known in our country, but popular in the USA Dell XPS 15/L502X.
Specifications
Initially, the N53 series laptops were based on Intel Calpella, since they entered the market back in 2010, before the new Intel platform appeared. The modernization was transparent, without introducing anything new into the design and functionality. The N53S series notebooks are equipped with a 15.6″ screen, 2nd generation 2- or 4-core Core processor, NVIDIA Optimus switchable graphics, standard hard drive and optical drive. The main "trick" of this series is the use of speakers developed with the participation of the famous company Bang & Olufsen.
Let's note a few interesting details that distinguish ASUS N53S from analogues. Firstly, many configurations come with a Full HD (1920×1080) screen, while HP, for example, does not offer such screens at all within the Pavilion dv6 line. Secondly, the ASUS laptop has four memory slots at once (usually two), which allows you to equip it with 16 GB of memory. True, this is possible only for 4-core Core i7 processors of the 2700, 2800 and 2900 series, other Intel processors support only 8 GB of memory.
All N53S series notebooks support NVIDIA Optimus technology. Activation of a discrete graphics card is performed programmatically, in accordance with the settings for specific applications. At the same time, only ASUS has an LED indication of the type of graphics card that is working at a particular moment in time. The N53SV tested is equipped with a GeForce GT 540M, while the N53SN uses the more powerful GeForce GT 550M.
The functionality of the tested laptop is quite modest, without any interesting findings from the developers. In terms of peripheral connectivity, it is inferior to its main competitors. ASUS laptop has four USB port, but only one complies with the USB 3.0 specification, as well as two video outputs (VGA, HDMI). The standard 2-channel audio codec serves two analog ports and one S/PDIF digital output.
This model does not have an ExpressCard slot, eSATA and DisplayPort interfaces are not supported, it is impossible to connect multi-channel acoustics with analog inputs. Yes, there are configurations with a built-in rather than an external TV tuner, but they are quite rare on sale.
Design, construction, materials
In terms of design, the N53 series models are almost flawless. The appearance of the case is original, moderately strict, well recognizable. Feelings of bulkiness, heaviness inherent in 17-inch N73 laptops do not arise, because the proportions are well chosen.
The thick, durable lid is covered on the outside with a smooth sheet of steel-colored aluminum with a matt lacquered surface and a transverse polish. The inside of the lid is glossy black, like all ASUS consumer laptops.
The central part of the interior is a massive wide “growth” at the end of the case, located in a recess behind the keyboard. Under the steel-colored metal perforated panel are the laptop's speakers, the ends of the "growth" are covered with a simple glossy plastic.
The keyboard has a custom design with flat keys that are bevelled at the front. It is made of high-quality dark gray plastic and framed with the same plastic on the sides. The wrist panel is a separate detail in dark gray lacquered metal with a barely noticeable fine polish. The small, rough touchpad has a one-piece mirrored button.
Between the keyboard and the perforated speaker panel is a thin mirrored strip that integrates four indicators, a power button, a power mode toggle key, and media control buttons.
The wide flat case around the perimeter is covered with a plastic decorative frame to match the color of the lid. In general, the laptop looks noble, expensive and solid, has many details of various textures, is made of durable and very high quality materials.
Many users appreciate the practicality and unpretentiousness of laptops. In the case of ASUS reached a compromise between the "glossy" appearance and practicality. The lid is almost never dirty, but on the panel under the wrists, fingerprints and rubber shock absorbers of the lid show through over time. Well, the screen frame, of course, requires constant care.
ASUS N53SV is one of the largest and heaviest notebooks not only in its class, but also in its generation. It is very wide, thick enough and weighs like a mobile workstation. The design of the device has a good, although not ideal rigidity, practically does not deform either in the corners or around the keyboard. The lid has an excellent hinge, securely fixed in both the open and closed position. A large compartment on the bottom provides access to the hard drive and RAM, but not to the cooling system.
The quality of the parts and assembly of the case is very high. Only one traditional detail spoils the overall feeling of reliability and quality - the keyboard. It has a flex backing that "waves" as you type. Of course, the situation is even worse with budget laptops, but the N53 is by no means cheap.
Screen and sound
Our copy of the N53SV was equipped with a Samsung LCD matrix with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels, while Full HD matrices are installed in more expensive configurations. The quality of the screen in this case is contradictory, but visually the picture is quite good.
Saturated, realistic colors in photos, horizontal viewing angles slightly above average, less pronounced coldness than usual (only dark shades appear purple), normal contrast. The calibrator showed good color gamut, almost accurate gamma and effective backlight color temperature compensation. The actual contrast, however, is at an average level, and the vertical viewing angle, as usual, is very small.
Bang & Olufsen speakers give the ASUS notebook a clean, pleasant sound, while the proprietary Sonic Master settings panel adds expressiveness and volume (although it introduces slight distortion). There is some margin of volume, there are basses, albeit weak and shallow - nevertheless, a low-frequency speaker would not hurt.
Keyboard and touchpad, indication, additional buttons
Many ASUS laptops use an island keyboard, but the N-series models (as well as the budget "twins" of the A and X series) have a different keyboard design. Flat keys with gaps less than 1 mm have a characteristic bevel at the front, a square shape with right angles, a pleasant, slightly rough surface. The keyboard mechanism is original - moderately tight, with a mechanical click and the usual travel depth (2 mm).
Two points cause inconvenience when typing. First, when the key is fully pressed down, the finger touches the edges or corners of adjacent keys. Secondly, the base of the keyboard strongly bends and springs almost over the entire area of the canvas. The layout also has nuances: the numeric field is reduced in width, the cursor keys are integrated into the common field (moreover, the “right” key is separated from the rest, as it falls into the numeric field), the navigation keys are greatly reduced.
A positive impression is produced, as usual, by the labeling of the keys - with the original Latin font and contrasting green Cyrillic, understandable icons. There are a lot of “hot” combinations, since ASUS offers a whole range of utilities for adjusting and controlling the screen, webcam, power consumption, speakers, etc.
The display consists of two blocks. One, according to tradition, is placed under the touchpad and includes LEDs for power, battery charge, disk access and Wi-Fi. Lock-indicators are placed in a mirror strip above the keyboard. Next to them there is a video card LED: when discrete graphics are connected, it lights up white, and when only integrated graphics work, it turns blue.
The ASUS laptop's touchpad has a relatively small size (84x45 mm) and is located in a recess, shifted slightly to the left. The device is made by Elan, has a rough surface and high sensitivity. The software component is implemented well, especially in terms of multi-touch: scrolling, zooming, rotating, turning pages work clearly and predictably.
Interfaces and ports
As we wrote above, in terms of the set of ports, the ASUS laptop is closer to the average than to the top class. The port layout is traditional, although there is enough space at the end of the case to put most of the connectors there. On the left side, in front of a large ventilation grill, placed USB ports 2.0 and USB 3.0, card reader, power outlet and HDMI output. The ports are located close enough to each other, which can interfere with the connection of peripherals.
As I already wrote, at some point I had to attend to replacing my Acer Aspire 1810T traveling netbook with something obviously more powerful. The netbook turned out to be just excellent, it was a real pity to sell it, but I found out that if it fits perfectly for short trips - small, light, excellent battery life - then for full-fledged work away from the home computer park, it actually does not good. Mainly due to the small screen resolution (1366x768), small display size (11.6"), and not very fast processor. I have an Apple Cinema monitor with FullHD resolution (1920x1080) at home, and I'm so used to these boundless the expanses of the desktop, that even on displays with 1680x900 it’s not particularly comfortable for me to work, and even 1366x768 - on such screens, my usual working applications do not really fit so easily. In addition, at some point, the importance of the battery life factor practically disappeared - just due to the fact that I always carry an iPad with me, which provides ten hours of video viewing. Accordingly, I faced the question of choosing and buying a desktop - powerful laptop, which would answer the following questions.
- FullHD Resolution
- Display 15.5-17"
- Good processor
- Relatively fast and rather big hard drive
- Silent operation
- At least three USB ports
- Minimum 4 GB of memory
- Glitchless
ASUS N53SV
CPU: Dual Core Intel Core i5-2410M (2.3GHz) (Sandy Bridge)
Memory: DDR3-1066/1333 4GB (expandable to 8GB)
HDD: 500 GB S-ATA 7200 rpm
Drive unit: DVD-RW
Display: 15.6" 16:9 /Full HD (1920x1080) LED backlight Asus Splendid Video Intelligent Technology, glossy
Graphics system: NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 540M with 1GB DDR3 VRAM
networks: Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth
Webcam: 2 MP
Ports: Ethernet, three USB 2.0, one USB 3.0, VGA, HDMI, Line Out, microphone input
Slots: 3-in-1 card reader (SD/MS/MMC)
Battery: Li-Ion 5200 mAh
Dimensions: 391 x 266 x 305 mm
The weight: 2.7 kg What is more or less exotic? Yes, except perhaps USB 3.0 - these ports have just begun to appear, and they are very useful, because they are already on the market external drives with support for USB 3.0, and their speed is five times higher than that of USB 2.0. Otherwise, the configuration is more or less usual. The hard drive has 7200 rpm, and not 5400, as is usually the case with laptops. But let's see if this will lead to overheating. The display here is glossy, which many users do not like, but a matte display is now very difficult to find, and the gloss does not particularly annoy me. Although I, like other users, do not understand this fashion at all and do not understand why manufacturers refuse to release matte displays, which, of course, do not have such saturated colors, but they do not glare, unlike glossy ones. I also note that the weight for such a model - relatively small: less than 3 kilograms. Appearance, indicators and control ASUS laptops have always looked very decent, and this one is no exception. Silvery aluminum cover, gray plastic of the keyboard part, a nice solution with a speaker panel, glossy black plastic of the front part of the display - in general, quite a business laptop.
Back view
View from above
The touchpad is almost ordinary, but there is one long button, which has different clicks on the left and right parts. As far as I remember, Apple was the first to use this, but now they have abandoned the buttons altogether, which are now hidden under the touchpad field.
touchpad
Below the touchpad are indicators: working mode, battery, hard drive, wireless networks. There is also a line of indicators / buttons above the keyboard. On the right side - NumLock, CapsLock, video system mode indicator (lights up blue when the built-in graphics adapter is working, white - when the discrete adapter is working), the power button, it is also the power indicator.
Indicators on the right
On the left of this line there are buttons: power saving mode (it is also the inclusion of a simplified shell at boot), volume off, volume down, volume up, play / pause.
Control buttons
The keyboard of this model is, in my opinion, very good. The distance between the keys is literally a millimeter (I don’t like free-standing keys, as Sony and Apple do), the layout of the keys is tolerable (the main thing here is Ctrl the leftmost key, and not Fn, as in some models). The laptop is rather big, therefore a full-size keyboard with a numpad (numerical part) fit in there. Many users grumble that it would be better if instead of the numpad they did all sorts of useful keys, but they are actually there - just press NumLock, and the digital part is replaced by cursors, PgUp-PgDown, Home-End and so on. In this mode, this part of the keyboard is convenient to use.
Keyboard
The key travel is not bad, soft, but many users really do not like that when typing, the entire lower part of the keyboard seems to sag slightly, creating a feeling of fragility and unreliability. On the one hand, I don’t really like it either, but on the other hand, my laptop has been plowing for two months in very fast typing mode for 14 hours a day - and nothing, the keyboard lives on. Now let's go through the ports. They are located in the left, right and rear ends. Rear end - power supply, VGA output, lock. Right - headphones, microphone, two USB 2.0, DVD-drive, enable / disable wireless networks. Left side - cooler grille, HDMI, Ethernet, card reader, USB 2.0, USB 3.0.
Ports
The port layout is convenient, two USBs on each side are excellent. No eSata and FireWire, but I don't need them at all. USB 3.0 - eSata quietly replaces, and I have nothing to use FireWire with. There is a camera in the upper part of the display, which for some reason is also closed with a special curtain. I don’t even know why this might be needed - it’s easier, in my opinion, to simply not turn on the camera if it is not needed.
Webcam
Desktop
There are two specific gadgets: one for switching the maximum performance mode and the battery saving mode, the other with a demonstration of the Turbo Boost mode - this is an automatic increase in the frequency of the processor over the nominal (intelligent self-overclocking). Let's go look at the performance plate. First - standard from Windows 7. We get this.
ASUS N53SV
Compare with Sony Vaio which I reviewed.
Sony VAIO VPC-F13S1R/B
Sony has faster regular graphics. The rest is almost the same, except that the performance of three-dimensional graphics and graphics for games is slightly better here. Compare with my working desktop.
Working desktop
Well, with the previous netbook - just to understand what was changed to what. The difference is very noticeable, and in almost all respects.
Acer Aspire 1810T
I also ran CPU and graphics tests using the Cinebench program. She, however, compared the results with much more powerful processors and graphics chips.
Processor test
Graphics Test
Programs and features Of the control programs that sit in the notification area - Realtek HD Manager, Wireles Console, ASUS Sonic Master. RealtekHD - control of sound output modes.
Realtek HD
Wireless Console - Turn on/off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Wireless Console
ASUS Sonic Master - sound improvement with the help of special technologies.
ASUS Sonic Master
Of the installed programs, the following were found. AI Recovery Burner- creation backup installed system. By the way, System Restore can be launched from the hard drive using the F9 key when rebooting, or from the supplied DVD. ASUS Life Frame- work with a webcam and a simple editor. Shooting video, photo, processing. There is a mode to enable recording when motion is detected.
life frame
smartlogon
ASUS FastBoot - in a convenient form manages the loading of programs and services at system startup.
fastboot
Power4Gear Hybrid
ASUS Splendid Video Enhancement
Elan SmartPad
ASUS VideoMagic
In general, the set is not bad. At least, the vast majority of programs and utilities may well come in handy. Well, one more of the features is the cute icons of various modes that pop up on the screen when adjusting the sound, changing the power mode, and so on.
Increasing the sound volume
Switching to Battery Power
I'm not interested in games as a class, but I ran a couple to see how much the desktop would pull them. It turned out that you don't feel any discomfort here - even heavy graphic toys N53SV pulls if not in the maximum, then in the high quality mode without any brakes. Sound This desktop is oriented, among other things, for various multimedia applications - it is noticeable, the sound here is very, very decent. At maximum volume, the sound level and quality are quite sufficient for several people to watch the video from it, the speakers do not wheeze or rattle. Webcam The webcam works well, with image quality clearly in line with 2 megapixels.
Webcam
Desktop Express Gate Cloud
Tellingly, you can't watch the video here. But you can rotate photos, play some primitive toys, and most importantly, use saved bookmarks to call up some sites in the most primitive browser. Well, to hell, I ask you? Loading the operating system on this laptop takes less than a minute, so why call this stub that really knows nothing? I'd rather boot a normal system. Offline work I usually test battery life in three different modes.
- Reading mode without wireless networks. Office mode with wireless networks and active use of the Internet. Video viewing mode (series).
- Reading mode - 3.7 hours. Office work plus Internet - 3.5 hours. Video viewing - 2.8 hours.
A year ago
Performance (version with i7) is still relevant Availability, ATTENTION! 4x memory slots. 32 GB of memory are calmly installed, and do not listen to the manufacturer. The chipset pulls. Normal video, even built-in from Intel The presence of a BD-Drive that can be thrown out and replaced with a hefty hard drive
2 years ago
I bought it in 2011, and for all the time the keyboard just flew through my fault, don’t fucking play games)) and so the battery died after 5 years, but surprisingly an excellent laptop, I have an i5 gt540m 1g, Dota 2 at maximum settings pulls with a bang, and I don't need more. The next know I will take asus for me is a reliable laptop !!!
2 years ago
A normal laptop (not a gaming one), which I took about five years ago
3 years ago
Keyboard is good
3 years ago
Indestructible Beautiful design Stable operation Upgradable Relevant and currently Pulls toys at fairly high settings Works for a long time without charging "Shutter" on the camera
3 years ago
fast and nimble pulls at the maximum of the game until 2012 ... 2013 did not try bang - column (I think it's cool)
3 years ago
Qualitatively made, nice metal case, strong power supply that does not boil under load, large display. Convenient access to replace the hard drive and RAM in order to upgrade them, inside, unlike some models, the hard drive was securely fixed with screws, with a thread lock, and was not simply stuck.
3 years ago
It has been working for 5 years! Excellent laptop (i5 percent), the battery still holds a couple of hours, watch a movie on the road ..
4 years ago
Performance, relevant in 2016. Webcam shutter for the paranoid. 4 slots for RAM. Can be replaced network adapter to any other with a miniPCI-E interface. Maintainability, scattering a laptop for cleaning and / or repair / upgrade and putting it back together will not be difficult. Upgraded to Windows 10 without any problems.
5 years ago
appearance very good, speakers, processor, quiet, not too hot, bright, comfortable keyboard, as for me it does not get erased quickly
A year ago
Weight (well, I knew what I was getting into) Glossy matrix Charger weight (I bought a more compact one, I carry it with me) Aluminum is good, but it still scratches And the display frame cracks, but it happened after 4 years. on a break, the available wifi refused, and was replaced punished I would like to be able to disable the nvidia video card in the BIOS Well, the laptop is old, I would like support for three monitors, I would like Display Port or another HDMI instead of a VGA connector
2 years ago
after 3 years the screw broke, in the same year the charger was screwed up
3 years ago
Weak, Hangs, Prots is weak,
3 years ago
Heavy, but I don't think it's a huge disadvantage
3 years ago
I didn’t find it ... everything was fine as always asus is asus
3 years ago
For some, it may be too heavy. :)
3 years ago
No cons
4 years ago
You can run into a laptop from an unsuccessful batch and get to replace the motherboard. The webcam is disgusting, I'm thinking about borrowing from another laptop. The display frame also cracks over time.
5 years ago
no key backlight
5 years ago
Might be a bit heavy for some, but it doesn't matter to me. For all the time of use, the battery died after about a year, but this is not critical, good Chinese stores full, ordered and a new one arrived, still serves faithfully.
With base this laptop- "chassis" ASUS N53 - we are already well acquainted. Approximately half a year ago, we were visited by the ASUS N53Jf model - almost identical in appearance. However, the filling is very different: if the N53Jf model was built on the Calpella platform, then the N53Sv, which will be discussed in this review, is based on the Huron River - the main element of which is the Intel Sandy Bridge processor family.
Despite the miraculous metamorphoses of the filling, promising increased performance and battery life, the laptop turned out to be even cheaper than its predecessor.
⇡ Design and ergonomics
The body of the laptop and the outer side of the lid are decorated with metal. The color of most panels is dark gray, almost black. The second part of the details received a less dark color. The metal parts of the laptop have a purplish tint that shows up more or less depending on the lighting.
If the case entirely consists of non-staining matte plastic and metal, then the inside of the lid is completely glossy. The frame, to match the display, is made of smooth plastic, instantly covered with dust and fingerprints.
The ASUS N53Jf we tested had an island-style keyboard. However, apparently, it was just a design experiment - and the laptop went into series with a classic keyboard. Same as used in this case.
The keyboard layout still causes criticism: arrow keys are inscribed in the numeric keypad. Because of this, in particular, the “0” button turns out to be twice as narrow as usual. This is a standard drawback of all ASUS keyboards equipped with a dedicated numeric keypad.
But the second drawback typical for ASUS - too flexible keyboard substrate - was not found in this laptop. It seems that ASUS has finally paid attention to this annoying flaw and in the new models they began to get rid of it.
The touchpad is large enough and made of the right material - with a slightly rough surface to which the finger does not stick. The only thing you can find fault with is that the touchpad buttons are made of glossy "chrome" plastic. Of course, he looks untidy after five minutes of active work.
The webcam still has the option to physically disable it. It is enough to move the lever, and the lens is closed by a shutter made in the form of an iris diaphragm. For those who are afraid of unauthorized access to the webcam of any "third parties", this is just a godsend.
The set of connectors is quite rich: there are four USB ports, in addition, one of them supports USB 3.0.
Basically, useful elements are located on the sides of the case. But the designers managed to put something on the back side - there is an analog output to an external display and a power connector.
⇡ Specifications
| ASUS N53Sv | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i7-2720QM: 2.2 GHz (up to 3.3 GHz with Turbo Boost); 4x256 KB L2; 6 MB L3; four computing cores |
| Chipset | Intel HM65 |
| Graphics controller | Intel HD 3000 (1300 MHz), integrated into the processor; NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M (96 cores, 672MHz), 1GB GDDR3 (900MHz); Automatic adapter switching - NVIDIA Optimus |
| Screen | 15.6″, 1366x768; glossy finish, LED backlight (Samsung LTN156AT02P09) |
| RAM | 4 GB DDR3-1333 (4+0 GB Samsung) |
| HDD | 500 GB SATA Rev. 2, 7200 rpm (Seagate ST9500420AS) |
| optical drive | BD-ROM/DVD-RW (Philips - Liteon DS-4E1S) |
| Flash card slot | SD/MMC/MS/MS Pro |
| Interfaces | 1 x USB 3.0 3 x USB 2.0 1 x VGA(D-Sub) 1 x HDMI 1 x RJ-45 1 x headphone output (mini-jack 3.5 mm) 1 x microphone input (mini-jack 3.5 mm) |
| WiFi | 802.11b/g/n (Atheros AR9002WB-1NG) |
| Bluetooth | 3.0+HS (Atheros AR9002WB-1NG) |
| Network adapter | 10/100/1000 Mbps (Realtek) |
| Sound | HDA; two speakers, microphone |
| Food | Battery Li-Ion, 6 cells, 47.5 Wh (4400 mAh, 10.8 V) Power supply 120 W (19 V; 6.32 A) |
| Other | Keyboard with numeric keypad, metal finish on body and lid, webcam with physical disconnect option |
| Size, mm | 391x266x30-40 |
| Weight, kg | 2,93 |
| Operating system | Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 (64bit) |
| Manufacturer's official warranty | 24 months |
| approximate price | From 24 000 rub. in the basic configuration. Not sold in tested configuration in Russia |
The tested laptop was equipped with one of the most powerful mobile Intel processors - a quad-core Core i7-2720QM. In addition to very high frequencies (nominal 2.2 GHz, in Turbo Boost mode up to 3.3 GHz), this processor is notable for the fact that, unlike the more popular i7-2630QM, support for the AES NI instruction set is not disabled in it.
However, in this case, this processor may be of interest only theoretically. The fact is that in those sold on Russian market laptops of this model it is not installed. Instead, they use either dual-core CPUs of the Core i3 and i5 families, or the younger quad-core Core i7-2630QM model.
Actually, laptops with a Core i7-2720QM processor are extremely rare in Russian retail. This chip can be found mainly in mobile workstations. And also in 15- and 17-inch "Macbooks" and some of the most expensive multimedia and pretentious and gaming models. In a word, laptop with 2720QM in Russia it will cost no less than 50,000 rubles.
But for some reason, not too much RAM was installed in the test copy - only one bar with a capacity of 4 GB. Of course, DDR3-1333 is the maximum possible memory for this platform.
The ASUS N53Sv graphics system consists of two adapters: an integrated into the Intel HD 3000 processor, which operates at a frequency of 1300 MHz in this modification, and an external NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M. Per automatic switching adapters meet NVIDIA Optimus technology.
⇡ Testing - performance
| Specifications of compared laptops | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | Display | CPU | Memory | Graphic arts | Battery | OS |
| ASUS N53Jf | 15.6″ | Intel Core i5-540M: 2.53 (3.06) GHz, 3 MB L3, two cores | 6 GB DDR3-1066 | Switchable: Intel GMA HD + NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M, 1 GB GDDR3 | 48 Wh | Win 7 Ultimate 64 |
| ASUS G53Sw | 15.6″ | Intel Core i7-2630M: 2.0 (2.9) GHz, 6 MB L3, four cores | 8 GB DDR3-1333 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M 1.5 GB GDDR5 | 75 Wh | Win 7 Ultimate 64 |
| ASUS K53TA | 15.6″ | AMD A6-3400M: 1.4 (2.3) GHz, 4 MB L3, four cores | 4 GB DDR3-1333 | AMD Radeon 6720G2: 6520G + 6650M 1GB DDR3 | 56 Wh | Win 7 Ultimate 64 SP1 |
| ASUS N53Sv | 15.6″ | Intel Core i7-2720QM: 2.2 (3.3) GHz, 6 MB L3, four cores | 4 GB DDR3-1333 | Switchable: Intel HD 3000 + NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M, 1 GB DDR3 | 48 Wh | Win 7 Ultimate 64 SP1 |
As mentioned above, there are no laptops with such a configuration as the one tested in (Russian) nature. So the test results of the Core i7-2720QM processor can only be admired a little - it's a really fast processor! But from a practical point of view, you should look at the results of the Core i7-2630QM - it is this CPU that is installed in the top ASUS N53Sv configurations.
But the graphics in this model can be only one - exactly the same as in the tested instance. According to the test packages of the 3DMark family, the NVIDIA adapter turns out to be noticeably more interesting than the hybrid graphics used in the new AMD platform.
But if you look at the test results in alternative synthetics and games, then this is not at all the case: the AMD Radeon 6720G shows noticeably higher performance - and laptops based on this "hybrid" are noticeably cheaper.
GeForce GT 540M looked good at the beginning of the year. But the situation has changed a little since then. Today, NVIDIA's favorite competitor offers solutions of this level for mere pennies. It's time for the company to appoint something more powerful as the most popular video adapter for laptops.
⇡ Testing - weight, battery life
The tested copy of ASUS N53Sv was equipped with a 6-cell battery of a fairly modest capacity - about 48 Wh.
The complete power supply turned out to be 120-watt, very large and heavy - even without wires, it pulled over half a kilo. It can be assumed that this is a feature of this particular sample. Retail laptops with less powerful processors should be fine with conventional 90-watt adapters, which are much more compact and light.
The weight of the laptop is quite high for a model with a display diagonal of 15.6 inches. However, this is still progress: compared to the ASUS N53Jf laptop - the same case, but last year's filling - new model became lighter by about 150 grams. Still, I would like to Asus laptops lost excess weight more intensively.
The only scenario that seriously degrades battery life is when using the laptop with the maximum load on the most consuming components. Still, the processor here is very fast - and if it works, then the battery is empty before our eyes. However, laptops are rarely used in this mode.
⇡ Conclusions
In the configuration closest to the tested - with a BD-ROM drive, a huge hard drive, 8 GB of memory and a Core i7-2630QM quad-core processor - this laptop will cost quite decent money, about 34 thousand rubles. It may seem that this is a little expensive, but laptops with such filling are simply not sold cheaper.
There are simpler versions: with a Core i3 or i5 processor, this model can be bought for 24,000 rubles. True, you won’t find Blu-ray here anymore, the hard drive will be one and a half to two times smaller, and the memory will be 4 GB. But it's inexpensive.
In any case, you will get a laptop with a sleek and personable appearance, good performance, good sound and quite decent battery life. However, gamers are still advised to take a closer look at the HP Pavilion dv6 - a laptop from the same price category, but with a more powerful graphics adapter.