ASUS officially launches G1, G2 gaming laptops

ASUS on late Friday introduced its first gaming-specific laptops, targeting desktop replacements and frequent LAN party travelers. The unveiling confirms earlier information about the new systems such as their specially-highlighted W/A/S/D keys and built-in 1.3-megapixel webcams, but also reveals new information about unique hardware features. Both the 15-inch G1 and 17-inch G2 incorporate a small OLED display ahead of the Escape key that can display useful text updates during gameplay from instant messages, reminders, and even caller ID, according to ASUS. The company has also surrounded each design with speakers on the sides and front as well as lights that respond to high-intensity visuals. Both ship with dynamic color contrast that can adjust to gameplay or low light. Performance details and photos follow after the jump.

While exact performance details are expected to vary by region, the G1 and G2 will both share Core 2 Duo mobile processors, a minimum 80GB hard drive, and a DVD rewriter. The trim color of the laptop reflects the producer of the graphics chipset for each model: the green-accented G1 will ship with NVIDIA's latest GeForce Go 7700 video with 512MB of memory, while the red G2 ships with ATI's 512MB Mobility Radeon X1700. Both provide the advanced 3D performance needed for modern games, the company touts. ASUS has not completely revealed its pricing but quotes a price of $1799 for a higher-end G1 variant with a 2GHz Core 2 Duo and 160GB hard drive. All models come with a color-matching backpack and gaming mouse.