Asus W3H00V

Excellent build and finish, ATI X600 graphics, Excellent screen, Compact feel, Good button layout, Instant access keys, Good performance, Feature-rich, Windows XP Home Edition bundled, 2 years warranty.

Features:
The Asus W3H00V is a great example of the company's efforts of changing their image. The moment you look at the exterior glossy metallic finish and the superior build quality, you'll know that this is not something ordinary.

The power button is recessed at the right side and may be a little difficult to locate at first. The instant access keys, placed on both sides of the laptop, are one of its many cool features. The Media Center keys are on the left side, which allow you to listen to music CDs even when the Operating System is not loaded. The right side has buttons for Bluetooth On/Off, Open Internet Explorer, WLAN On/Off and Touchpad On/Off functions. This is one of the most intelligent changes from the norm, as it provides a lot of wrist-space, making it more comfortable to type. I'm sure people who use laptops day-in and day-out will surely appreciate this change.

The Asus W3H00V can support two viewing screens i.e. LCD screen and a built-in support for a serial monitor. Also, an S-Video port is provided so that you may use your 60 inch TV to play movies from the laptop. Storage support includes provision to work with PCMCIA, SD, MMC, MS and Pro MS cards. It has three USB ports that you can use to connect a variety of devices to the laptop. Also, you may connect a USB HUB if you feel the need for more ports.

In case, you plan to take a vacation, you can carry the laptop with you and transfer recorded videos or pictures from your digital camera on to the laptop using the integrated FireWire (IEEE 1394) port. Many would want to know, if they can enjoy their favorite music or videos in their coffee breaks. Well, good news for all, the W3H00V comes with an integrated digital audio output jack which gives you good quality digital stereo playback.

Performance

PC Mark 2004

PC Mark 2005

3D Mark 2005

As you can see from the benchmarks, there is nothing to complain about the performance. We even tried playing a few games on it. Games like UT 2004 and Half-life 2 were very much playable and smooth at medium detail. But to be honest, the major criteria for selecting a laptop these days are features and portability and then performance. However this laptop excels is almost all the departments.

Battery Life and Conclusion
The bundled 4-cell 2400 mAh Li-Ion battery lasts for around 130 minutes with standard usage which is pretty much the same as any other laptop having a similar power reserve. Coming down to software, the laptop is equipped with Windows XP Home Edition, the cost of which is included in the package. The laptop weighs about 2.4 KGs with the battery and optical drive attached. A Logitech Cordless RF mouse and a trendy carry case are also a part of the package.

All said and done, it has been a really cool experience using and reviewing this mean machine. The W3H00V has lots going for it in the looks, features as well as performance. It is priced at Rs. 69,900 and comes with 2 years global warranty. The price may seem a touch steep if you compare it to competing laptops with similar configuration (but not aesthetics), but given the kind of looks and finish along with its good performance and feature set, the premium is more or less justified. This is one of those laptops that can set you apart from the crowd.