23-29 Aug 2013
47
Gadget Inspector Investigates:
Asus X501A 15.6-inch Windows 8 Laptop PC THIS WEEK the Inspector takes a look at the Asus X501A 15.6inch Laptop PC with Windows 8, a powerful, modern laptop ideal for everyday computing needs. If you’ve been thinking about replacing that trusty old laptop then the Asus X501A is an ideal candidate. The basic specifications are impressive – Intel Core i3 2330M 2.2 GHz processor, 4GB RAM, 320 GB hard drive, fixed and wireless network connection, built-in webcam and Windows 8 Home Premium installed! The Asus laptop has a modern sleek design returning impressively lithe statistics of w38.0cm x d25.3cm x h3.23 cm and only weighing 2.1kg. It should be noted that this is too slim to incorporate a CD/DVD burner, but external USB drives are now widely available should you need one. The Asus has a 15.6 inch widescreen LED display with a maximum resolution of 1366 by 768 pixels which produces sharp images and bold colours and re-produces your HD content crisply. The screen bezel also incorporates a 0.3MP fixed webcam for video. And if you want to watch your HD content on your TV it even has an HDMI port to connect to an HD TV for full screen viewing, and a VGA port for an external monitor connection. There’s no skimping on connectivity with 1 USB 3.0 ports,1 USB 2.0 ports, RJ45 LAN port, WiFi (802.11 b/g/n) and a Multi Card Slot that accepts SD, MMC cards. So there should be no problem connecting your favourite USB mouse or getting photographs from your SD camera card. Battery life is pretty impressive, just under 4½ hours during average web / gaming use. Incorporating Asus Super Hybrid
Engine II technology means you also get up to 14 days of standby, and the peace of mind of knowing the Asus will automatically backup should battery charge drop to 5% or less. And when you resume you have a true 2-second instant on resume from sleep or hibernate, cutting out those interminable delays which often seem to be longer than a complete re-boot! Asus have also tackled the other bug-bear of using laptops for any length of time – heat. Exclusive Asus engineering has created a unique internal layout that keeps heat away from palm rests and from the user. This means it is always below body temperature making the laptop more comfortable to use during long sessions. Completing the picture the Asus features SonicMaster Lite audio enhancement, making this laptop a highly capable multimedia centre with the best sound in the class, more power, a wider range and improved clarity. The Inspectors Verdict: The Asus X501A 15.6-inch Windows 8 Laptop PC covers all the bases, whether you want a multimedia pc to play your HD movies, surf the web or chat with friends on Skype the Asus provides the power and flexibility to cope with ease – and at a very low price! Please note the following is for information and is not intended as an advertisement - visit www.gadget-hound. co.uk/asus-x501a-laptop-pc/ to purchase the Asus
X501A 15.6-inch Laptop PC for 360€. Price quoted includes delivery to Spain and is subject to availability (Euro cost subject to exchange rate at time of purchase).