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The N43SL suffers from a slower than average boot time. ( Battery for Sony PCGA-BPS18 ) The laptop's 750GB, 5400-rpm hard drive loaded Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit in 1 minute and 24 seconds, more than 20 seconds longer than the average and much slower than the XPS 14z (60 seconds) and Envy 14 (49 seconds). ( Battery for Sony PCGA-BPL18 ) On the LAPTOP File Transfer Test, the N43SL copied 4.97GB of mixed-media files in 2 minutes and 52 seconds, a rate of 29.6 MBps. This barely exceeds the category average transfer speed (28 MBps), and falls below the Envy 14 (33 MBps) and XPS 14z (39 MBps).
Graphics Performance
When it comes to graphics performance, ( Battery for Sony PCGA-BPS22 ) the N43SL outshines the competition. Featuring both discrete Nvidia GeForce GT 540M graphics and Intel integrated graphics, the laptop can switch seamlessly between the two depending on the demands of the application. When using its Nvidia GPU (with 1GB of VRAM), the N43SL scored consistently higher than the HP Envy 14, the Dell XPS 14z, and the category average. ( Battery for Sony PCGA-BPS22A )
On 3DMark06, the N43SL turned in a score of 8,879, trumping the category average by more than 4,000 points. This score easily beat the 5,461 turned in by the XPS 14z (Nvidia GeForce GT 520M with 1GB of VRAM) and even exceeded the lofty score of 7,240 achieved by the Envy 14 (AMD Radeon HD 6630 with 1GB of VRAM). ( Battery for Sony VGP-BPS26 )
Not surprisingly, this ASUS laptop handled video games with ease. ( Battery for Sony VGP-BPL26 ) Playing "World of Warcraft" with auto-detected settings and a resolution of 1366 x 768, the N43SL averaged 62 frames per second, which fell below the category average of 68 fps but just edged out the Envy 14 (61 fps) and XPS 14z (60 fps). After increasing the graphics in "World of Warcraft" to Ultra, the N43SL fared much better than the competition, averaging 55 fps. This beats the category average by 25 fps, and both the Envy 14 and XPS 14z by 24 fps. Battery for Sony VGP-BPS26A
Even when playing the more graphically demanding "Far Cry 2," the N43SL barely seemed to break a sweat. Playing the game at 1366 x 768 and with Very High settings, the laptop churned out an average of 47 fps; the category average, by contrast, is 23 fps, while the XPS 14z (26 fps) and Envy 14 (35 fps) fared little better.( Battery for Sony VAIO VGN-FZ )
As impressive as its graphics performance is, however, the N43SL couldn't handle "Batman: Arkham City." Attempting to play the game even on auto-detected settings resulted in an unplayable 21 fps, and bumping up the settings to Very High resulted in an abysmal frame rate of 10 fps.( Battery for Sony VAIO VGN-Z )
The N43SL, like many ASUS notebooks, features Express Gate Cloud, ASUS's version of the Linux-powered Splashtop instant-on environment. The button to launch Express Gate Cloud is located just above the Escape key; our system took 23 seconds to fully boot into the environment.( Battery for Sony VAIO VGN-CR )
Once inside, users can surf the Internet using Google Chrome, access social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, listen to music, browse photos, and play a variety of games such as "Ghost Man" (a "Pac-Man" knockoff) and "Space Invaders."( Battery for Sony VAIO VGN-NR )
Unfortunately, the environment suffers from decreased functionality for all of its applications (Chrome cannot be minimized, for example, and you can't manipulate photos). While we appreciate Express Gate Cloud's super-fast boot speed, it seems likely that most users will opt to browse the Internet and listen to music in Windows 7.( Battery for Sony VAIO VGN-SZ )
Click to EnlargeIn a welcome change of pace from other laptop brands, ASUS has not overloaded the N43SL with preinstalled software. Instead, the notebook features only a handful of utilities, bundled into the ASUS Tools folder. The modest suite of programs includes a backup utility, PDF Reader, and webcam tool. Also included is the ASUS Vibe Fun Center, a portal for games, music, and other multimedia entertainment and ASUS WebStorage, the company's online backup and sync solution.( Battery for Sony VAIO PCG )
Like every other Windows 7 machine, the N43SL comes preloaded with Microsoft Office Starter 2010. Users can purchase Office 2010 online or off the shelf to unlock the software, or - if they're feeling thriftier - can simply use Microsoft Office Starter 2010 for free.( Battery for Sony VAIO VGN-T )
Despite excellent audio and visual quality and impressive graphics performance, the N43SL falls flat when it comes to battery life. The laptop's six-cell battery lasted only 4 hours and 32 minutes on the LAPTOP Battery Test (continuous Web browsing over Wi-Fi). That's about half an hour less than the Envy 14 (4:57), almost an hour behind the XPS 14z (5:23) and more than an hour and half behind the category average (6:09).( Battery for Sony VAIO VGN-TX )
In keeping with Jay Chou's status as a one-of-a-kind artist, ( Battery for Sony VAIO VGN-BX ) the ASUS N43SL Jay Chou Special Edition does not come in other configurations.Click to EnlargeAlthough the ASUS N43SL's ostentatious design will turn off some, Jay Chou's many fans may love the personal flourishes the superstar added to the laptop. Regardless, the $999 N43SL outperforms both the HP Envy 14 ($1,079) and Dell XPS 14z ($999) in both graphics and performance. Only its battery life is lacking. If you're an admiring fan of the artist, the N43SL offers top-of-the-line performance at a reasonable price.( Battery for Sony VAIO PCG-N505 )
ReviewSpecifications.Designed to take a licking, ( Battery for Sony VAIO PCG-V505 ) the Panasonic Toughbook CF-53 isn't a laptop for your typical road warrior. This semi-rugged notebook was designed for highly mobile professionals, from inspectors to claims adjustors, who need a machine that can survive drops, spills and chills. That audience will also appreciate the CF-53's super-bright display and long battery life. Our $2,449 review model even includes a touchscreen, but is the price tag too steep for what the CF-53 can withstand? Read on to find out.( Battery for Sony VAIO PCG-R505 )
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Design
Click to EnlargeDespite its tank-like durability, the Toughbook CF-53 has a rather sleek design. Sticking with Toughbook design conventions, the chassis is made of magnesium alloy. The majority of the lid is covered in a textured silver aluminum finish, but a small piece at the top is made of smooth black plastic, along with the rear hinges, front spring-loaded hatch, and built-in handle. A set of subtle vertical lines elegantly run along the lid creating a pair of raised ridges.( Battery for Sony VAIO PCG-TR )
The notebook's interior is also decorated in a matte black plastic, with the exception of the gray keyboard deck. A speaker rests on either side of the keyboard and a gray power button sits directly above. An attached stylus slides inconspicuously into the built-in black plastic handle on the front of the notebook.Battery for Sony vgp-bps8a
At 6.4 lbs., the 13.4 x 11.1 x 1.8-2.2-inch CF-53 is slightly lighter than the 6.6-lbs., 14 x 9.7 x 1.5-inch Dell Latitude E6420 ATG. Although both notebooks can fit into a large messenger bag, the CF-53's built-in handle made transporting the notebook much easier.Battery for Sony vgp-bps13a/b
Durability
The semi-rugged Toughbook CF-53 isn't as durable as fully rugged machines, Battery for Sony vgp-bps13 but it can still take more than a few dings and scratches. The hard drive is shock-mounted, protecting it against various shocks and vibrations. Panasonic claims this laptop has passed nine MIL-STD-810G tests. The magnesium-alloy chassis is supposed to withstand drops from 3 feet while closed. The spill-resistant keyboard can handle spills of up to 6 ounces. The system can also endure extreme temperatures ranging from 140 degrees and minus-4-degrees Fahrenheit, as well as extreme humidity. Battery for Sony vgp-bps13/q
Aside from the power port, secure lock, and headphone and microphone jacks, every port is protected by flaps designed to protect against water and dust. Battery for Sony vgp-bps13/b
For our drop testing, Panasonic insisted that we use plywood and perform the test two times, making sure the notebook was closed. These restrictions make us wonder how durable the notebook will be in the real world, where workers often put their laptops on tables that are more than 3 feet off the ground. To be fair, the similarly priced Dell Latitude E6420 ATG is only meant to survive a 30-inch fall, but can do it up to 20 times, not just twice. Battery for Sony vgp-bps13a/q
We dropped the Toughbook CF-53 from a height of 3 feet, while closed, onto a plywood floor. After the drop, the notebook turned on instantly, as if nothing had happened. The notebook also passed the water test unscathed, allowing us to type without incident after pouring 6 fluid ounces onto the keyboard. Instead of going into a drain, we noticed that the majority of the water ran off the sides like water off a duck's back. Battery for Sony vgp-bps13b/q
Keyboard and Touchpad
Click to EnlargeFor the most part, typing on the CF-53's island-style, spill-resistant keyboard was comfortable. We liked the palm rest's ribbed texture, which stayed cool even after an hour of use. However, despite having generous spacing between the black, matte, slightly convex keys, feedback was slightly mushy. We also noticed that the Caps-Lock, space bar, and Enter keys were a bit undersize. Battery for Sony vgp-bps8a
The 3.1 x 1.75-inch Synaptics touchpad gave us plenty of real estate. Our finger glided over the smooth, black matte surface, allowing for accurate text highlighting and desktop navigation. We also experienced fluid reactions from multitouch gestures such as two-finger scroll, rotation, pinch-to-zoom, and three-finger flick. The mouse buttons were a tad small, but supplied firm feedback. Battery for Sony vgp-bps21a/b
Heat
After streaming a full-screen Hulu video for 15 minutes, the Toughbook CF-53 kept its cool, measuring a frosty 73 degrees Fahrenheit on the touchpad. The space between the "G" and "H" keys measured 75 degrees, while the underside came in with 83 degrees. As we consider anything over 95 degrees to be uncomfortable, temperatures on the Toughbook were more than acceptable. Battery for Sony vgp-bps21
Display and Audio
Click to EnlargeThe CF-53 is the first Panasonic notebook to feature a 1366 x 768-resolution display. Averaging 841 lux, the Toughbook CF-53's 14-inch display is extremely bright. Battery for Sony vgp-bps21/b Thanks to the anti-glare and reflection treatments, we could use the notebook in just about any lighting situation, including direct sunlight. Looking at images on CNN.com and Gameinformer.com gave us deep, vivid colors. The display also delivers wide viewing angles, which preserved the color no matter where we sat in the room. However, there was a pervasive graininess that made reading text slightly difficult. Battery for Sony vgp-bps21/s |
