Asus K72DR-A1: A Meat-and-Potatoes Desktop Replacement

At times you need a standard 2nd Laptop. The Asus K72DR-A1 may possibly just suit the bill: This finances desktop alternative laptop computer ships having a Blu-ray generate and respectable audio performance, making it ideal for showing your children a movie of their very own whilst you curl up before your HDTV.

The K72DR-A1 ships using a mobile AMD triple-core Phenom N830 CPU operating at 2.1GHz. Despite the fact that that processor will not win any efficiency awards, it's able adequate for living-room duty or light workplace chores. The discrete AMD Radeon Hd 5470 GPU can make up fairly for your restricted CPU performance, specially when you happen to be viewing video or enjoying selected video games. In our exams, Far Cry two ran at almost 35 frames per second in DirectX nine mode ("optimal" settings) with the total 1600-by-1900-pixel resolution. Nonetheless, the pure DirectX ten title Just Trigger two tanked, barely hitting 10 fps. Consumers will must dial down the graphics settings to get sensible frame charges in video games.

Like most current-generation laptops on this class, the K72DR-A1 ships with 4GB of system RAM and Windows seven Residence Premium 64-bit edition. PowerDVD ten, bundled with the technique, allows customers to consider advantage with the Blu-ray drive effortlessly. I loaded up many Blu-ray movies, which includes Serenity, Kick-Ass, and Existence (the BBC version). When I was sitting in the sweet spot, high-definition movies looked excellent, as well as the shade fidelity was satisfactory. At common laptop computer viewing distances, however, I could really see pixels on the 1600-by-900 exhibit, which detracted somewhat from your movie-watching expertise. True 1080p would are a lot more welcome on the 17-incher.

Whilst the display's total color fidelity looked really great, any deviation from straight-on viewing angles uncovered some reduction of brightness and shade shifting. It can be also really worth noting that image smearing in quick action sequences, such as some of the fight scenes in Kick-Ass, was evident, but not also distracting.

Audio is remarkably robust, supplied that you dig into your controls a bit. If loudness compensation and SRS sound are disabled, audio and videos sound skinny and tinny. Enabling either setting, or each, makes a great variation in audio quality: Music gets to be far more full-bodied and spacious, albeit at the expense of some accuracy and a kind of bathroom-reverb experience.

The K72DR-A1 weighs 6 lbs, 15 ounces sans the energy brick and just shy of 8 lbs with the ability adapter. Presented the restricted battery life--just above two hrs, according to PCWorld battery testing--you'll wish to retain the energy brick shut at hand. Nonetheless, you'll find far heavier 17-inch laptops around the market; whilst portability is not the K72DR-A1's strong suit, the machine is comparatively easy to lug around.

The keyboard is outstanding, complete which has a full-size numeric keypad. Many of the keys are full size or practically complete size, and the tactile feedback is fairly great. You are going to uncover no focused buttons or keys for media playback or other functions, but audio quantity and show brightness are constructed in as Fn keys.

Networking capacity contains Atheros 802.11n Wi-Fi and gigabit ethernet. No Bluetooth or 3G/4G broadband is developed in. Two USB two.0 ports grace the left side, together with the tray for that Blu-ray ROM generate. The left side is really a little crowded, supplying two much more USB two.0 ports, the ethernet jack, a VGA connector, an HDMI port, and audio jacks (one particular in, one out). Even though the K72DR-A1 lacks eSATA capacity, a three-in-one memory card reader is developed into the front of the unit.

General, the Asus K72DR-A1 can make for a great second property Laptop. Priced at just below $900 (as of October 21, 2010), and full having a Blu-ray generate, discrete graphics, as well as a colorful 17.3-inch show, it is a great worth, even though hobbled a little through the mediocre CPU overall performance.