Asus N53SM-DS71

When we first unboxed Asus N53SM - DS71 ( $ 979.99 list ) , we mistook it for a 17 - inch laptop , especially since we just wanted to try its smaller 15.6 - inch Asus K53SD - DS51 brother . But no, the N53SM - DS71 is a 15.6 - inch system too - just one in a bigger , beefier chassis , with bigger , beefier parts . Still, while parts deliver world-class performance , the tricky feature set N53SM - DS71 falls a bit short of Choice Samsung Series 7 ( NP700Z5A - S03 ) ( $ 1 299 list , 4 stars ) our desktop replacement Editors ' .

Another slip we made ​​the first acquaintance with Asus N53SM - DS71 is pressing the wrong power . It has two , one for Windows and one for the Asus Express Gate Cloud - a Linux GNOME environment boots in a quick 15 seconds or so ( compared to about a minute for Windows ) to offer a viewer pictures , calendars , small selection of games , and Web browsers on Facebook and YouTube menus . Express Gate is easy to use , though its interface is not as friendly as some other dual - boot laptop we've seen : we are satisfied it has no music player , because Bang & Olufsen ICEpower give the laptop 's speakers better audio .

Design
Measuring 1.6 by 10.6 by 15.6 inches ( HWD ) and weighs 6.4 pounds , brings N53SM - DS71 a silver aluminum lid with black plastic sides and bottom , with a chic silver casing plastic accent stripes around the sides and front . The palm rest features a silky - smooth touchpad with a single bottom bar that serves for both left and right mouse buttons .

The keyboard is not backlit like the Toshiba Satellite P755 - S5269 ( $ 979.99 list , 4 stars ) , but a precise comfortable typing feel , there is little available in the Home , End , PgUp , and PgDn keys and a key numeric keypad - whose is slightly narrower than the main key - for number crunchers .

The 15.6 - inch screen is bright and sharp , but its resolution is limited to the same 1,366 -by - 768 pixel laptop half the price of N53SM - DS71 . To be fair , so is the Toshiba P755 - S5269 , but the Samsung NP700Z5B - W01UB ( $ 1,019 list , 4 stars ) flaunts a 1600 -by - 900 display .

Features
Wireless front , worked N53SM - DS71 Bluetooth and 802.11n Wi - Fi hitch in our tests . Users beaming dreaming of their audio and video to an HDTV set , however , will find that Intel 's Wireless Display ( WiDi ) is not supported . Neither watching Blu - ray movies , because the optical drive is a generic dual - layer DVD ± RW .

The hard drive is a 750GB Seagate spacious unit that spins at 7200 rpm . To Asus ' credit , it is largely free of bloatware , though you'll see a Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security 30 - day trial . Also on Asus ' credit is the two - year parts - and - labor warranty , with accidental damage protection for the first year .

Two USB 2.0 ports and microphone and headphone jacks accompany the DVD burner on the right side of the chassis ' , with a VGA port on the back . On the left are HDMI and Ethernet port , a third USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0 coupled port , and a SD / MMC / MS / MS Pro memory card slot . A two - megapixel webcam with a sliding shutter or on / off switch is on the top of the screen .