Asus K53SC review
Because of its dedicated graphics card, beefy Core i5 processor, and bright, colourful screen, the K53SC is a brilliant all-rounder
The K53SC’s stand-out feature is its screen, however. Like all laptop screens, it can be troublesome with vertical viewing angles, and its glossy finish is also liable to pick up reflections from light sources behind you. Once you tilt the screen to the right angle, however, it has the strongest colours and contrast in the group, having a bright and even backlight.
In fact, we had few gripes with the K53SC. We would have liked a fourth USB port, but the single USB3 port makes up for this. The speakers lacked bass, but were loud and clear enough for watching YouTube videos or making Skype calls. We’d also question why Asus has placed most of the K53SC’s ports towards the front of the case, especially on the right side where they’re more likely to interfere with an attached mouse.
None of these complaints is enough to spoil the K53SC’s all-round performance, however. With its fantastic screen, it wins a Best Buy. If you’re looking for a larger screen or better games performance, the Dell Inspiron 17R is a slightly better buy, though.
Basic Specifications | |
---|---|
Rating | ***** |
Processor | Intel Core i5-2430M |
Processor clock speed | 2.4GHz |
Memory | 4.00GB |
Memory slots | 2 |
Memory slots free | 0 |
Maximum memory | 8GB |
Size | 36x378x253mm |
Weight | 2.6kg |
Sound | Realtek HD Audio |
Pointing device | touchpad |
Display | |
Viewable size | 15.6 in |
Native resolution | 1,366×768 |
Graphics Processor | Nvidia GeForce GT 520MX |
Graphics/video ports | VGA, HDMI |
Graphics Memory | 1,024MB |
Storage | |
Total storage capacity | 500GB |
Optical drive type | DVD+/-RW +/-DL |
Ports and Expansion | |
USB ports | 3 |
Bluetooth | no |
Wired network ports | 1x 10/100/1000 |
Wireless networking support | 802.11n |
PC Card slots | none |
Supported memory cards | SDHC, MMC, Memory Stick Pro/Duo, xD |
Other ports | minijack audio output, minijack microphone input |
Miscellaneous | |
Carrying case | No |
Operating system | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit |
Operating system restore option | restore partition |
Software included | CyberLink Power2Go v6, Microsoft Office 2010 Starter |
Buying Information | |
Warranty | one year RTB |
Price | £505 |
Details | http://uk.asus.com |
Supplier | http://www.box.co.uk |