Asus N55SF review

Unlike other Asus laptops, the N55 doesn’t use Chiclet-style isolated keys – instead, the keyboard uses closely grouped keys that don’t leave a lot of room for your fingers, despite being full size. A separate numeric keypad has been squeezed in at the side, but the keys have shrunk to around 2/3 normal size, making it difficult for larger hands to use. The keys have a pleasant springy action, but we aren’t convinced by the placement of the multimedia shortcut keys at the left of the keyboard. We often muted the system accidentally when reaching for the control key.

The touchpad fared better – it’s made of the same smooth plastic material as the rest of the chassis, so there was minimal friction when navigating the Windows desktop, and its size matches the screen resolution well. The buttons are large, but there’s a noticeable dead spot in the centre where the two buttons meet. Even so, it was still comfortable to use.

With its fantastic combination of performance and price, the N55 is an incredibly well-rounded laptop. Whether you want to play games, watch video or enjoy music, this essentially has it all. The semi-gloss screen finish is a delight and although it isn’t the lightest of machines, it’s still surprisingly portable. It’s a viable compact replacement for a desktop PC and is good value, too.