When it comes to making luxury notebooks, few manufacturers can boast of the experience that Asus has. Ranging from their leather-clad U series to the high-end VX performance series, the company has achieved a modicum of success in the luxury market that is second only to Sony’s Vaio brand.
The U6S was recently refreshed with a Penryn processor and a few changes. Let’s find out if it lives up to the sterling quality of previous products in this range.
The U6S is a 12.1-inch ultraportable that has an uncanny resemblance to the earlier VX2 model, which borrowed elements from the car brand (Lamborghini) it was supposed to embody. The U6S follows the same tradition, with a nicely tapered design that gives it a sleek, stylish 'Italian chic' appearance.
The finish and styling are top-notch. The lid sports a nice glossy black finish, with a surprisingly small Asus logo in the center of the lid. In direct contrast to the lid, the hinges are a nice matte-metallic color that transitions seamlessly into a beautifully designed brushed metal strip that encases the hinges and runs across the belly of the laptop.
The first question that comes to mind on seeing a design like this is: "how durable is the laptop?" The answer is... it’s very durable. This is mainly because the body is constructed from a nice magnesium alloy that offers a lot of durability – at the expense of making the laptop a tad heavier than other comparable ultra-portables.
The screen area of the U6S remains in line with the finish offered on the exterior of the laptop, with its silver-gray plastic finish. This finish extends to a small strip around the keyboard, with even the keys sporting the same silver-gray color. The palmrest is a different beast altogether, as it’s made of nice durable leather that looks classy and copes well even with sweaty palms.
The keyboard is typical Asus. Well-spaced keys, great feedback, and good elevation all combine to offer a lag-free typing experience. The touch panel is, on the other hand (to borrow a quote from my gaming colleagues) "full of fail". Not only is it oddly positioned, its mouse keys are quite hard to work with and the pad itself does not offer a good textured finish. It’s a little too smooth for my liking.
94K :O whoa!.
