Asus G51J 3D Laptop review

Review

2010-03-23 16:09

The 3D effect is better than ever, but building it into a 15.6in laptop creates more than a few issues.

This model of the Asus G51J is the first 3D Vision laptop, and comes complete with the necessary glasses and

The G51J exists in non-3D models as well, so there’s more to it than just visual wizardry. An Intel Core i7-720QM processor and 4GB of DDR3 RAM sit at its heart, powering the Asus to 1.56 in our benchmarks, and in Crysis it managed an almost-playable 23fps at 1,600 x 1,200 and High quality settings. It’s a powerful laptop.
Keyboard
Given its 3.68kg weight and a light-usage battery life of 2hrs 15mins it isn’t exactly portable, but it’s certainly a comfortable laptop to use. There’s space for a full keyboard and number pad, with no unnecessarily miniaturised keys or quirky layouts. The WASD keys have cursor arrows on them to help novice gamers, and the touchpad and buttons are responsive and nicely sized. Our only complaint is the keyboard backing, which is a bit squishy and uneven in places.

The 1,366 x 768 display is very reflective – you’ll need a dark room to eliminate distractions while using 3D – but it’s sharp and clear, with accurate, punchy colours and an even backlight. An HDMI port raises the possibility of outputting the 3D gaming experience on a 120Hz HDTV, although the limitations of the mobile GPU will mean lowering a lot of settings if you’re hoping for Full HD.

There’s a headphone socket on the right side for a bit of night gaming, and an eSATA port for added storage if required. Inside there’s a pair of 500GB hard disks and a Blu-ray reader, along with 802.11bgn wireless and Bluetooth. A 2-megapixel webcam sits in the rather ugly plastic bezel, and the whole thing has a bit of a boy-racer style that will appeal to its core audience but not many others.
Conclusion
All in all, the G51J 3D is a nice piece of gaming kit if you like to push the boundaries with technology, but we’re not totally convinced a 15.6in laptop is the best way to experience 3D; a 17in or larger system would allow more room for cooling. Then there’s the Asus G51J’s price: at £1,362 it’s hardly cheap, even if that does include the glasses and a carry case. Early adopters will find enough to like, but everyone else should give 3D a bit more time to settle on laptops before shelling out.
Price when reviewed: £1,362 (£1,600 inc VAT)