ASUS intros five notebooks

ASUS on Friday announced the release of five new notebooks or entire lines, including the 14.1-inch F8 series, 15.4- and 15.6-inch G50 and 17-inch G71, 13.3-inch F6 series and 15.4-inch B50A. The notebooks vary greatly in specifications and their missions in life, with the G-designated notebooks made specifically for gamers. Both models join ASUS’ Republic of Gamers line-up, and either model brings NVIDIA’s GeForce 9700M GT graphics card with 512MB of RAM for more desktop-like 3D performance.

The G50 can be had with a choice of two screen sizes, including a 15.4-inch 1680x1050 resolution LCD and a 15.6-inch 1366x768 display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Available CPUs from Intel’s Core 2 Duo line range from the 2.0GHz P7350 to the 2.8GHz T9600. The G71, available only with a 17-inch resolution display, though buyers can choose between 1366x768 resolution version or a 1920x1200 high-brightness version. Available chips are the same as in the G50, although ASUS adds the option of a dual core X9100 running at 3.06GHz or the quad core QX9300 good for 2.53GHz. Dedicated gaming hotkeys are included in addition to the full-size keyboards. Either also sports ASUS’ CPU LevelUp software, which allows users to tailor the performance of their processors to suit, including over-clocking them when needed. Hard drive capacities range from a single 200GB drive to dual 500GB HDDs in the G71.

The F8 notebook range sports ASUS’ latest Express Gate tech that allows users to access the Internet and other commonly used programs eight seconds after boot. The F8s are available in blue, black, maroon, pink or white. The F8Vr is marketed as an all-around notebook and includes a TV tuner with remote control that slots into the side of the notebook. Specs include a choice of Intel Core 2 chips, starting off with the 2.0GHz P7350 to the 2.53GHz T9400. The 14.1-inch, 1366x768 resolution is backed up by an ATI Radeon HD 3470 chipset with 256MB of dedicated memory. SATA hard drive choices range from a 160GB capacity HDD to a 320GB unit.

The F6 line brings a new feature to the world of notebooks in the form of infused scents that differ depending on which of the four design schemes and colors one chooses. The F6V notebooks sport a 13.3-inch LCD with 1366x768 resolution, and a choice of Intel Core 2 Duo chips, including the 2.53GHz T9400 and the 2.26GHz P8400. Graphics are driven by the same ATI Radeon HD 3470 card as in the F8. SATA hard drive capacities range from 120GB to 320GB.

The final new release is the B50A, meant for business uses with its fingerprint scanner for security and ASUS’ Express Gate eight-second instant booting software. To ensure it keeps on working even after accidents, ASUS outfitted the B50A with a spill-resistant keyboard that can shake off 120ml (4 oz.) of liquid. An LED light will illuminate the keyboard in low-light conditions for increased productivity.

Specs-wise, the B50A comes with the 2.0GHz T5750 CPU as standard-issue, thought five other chips, including the 2.53GHz T9400 at the top, can be optioned. The 15.4-inch LCD with 1440x900 resolution is backed by Intel’s integrated GMA X4500HD graphics processor. A 1.3-megapixel camera is included.

Intel’s Wi-Fi Link 5100 module is included on all the new notebooks to support the WiMAX wireless broadband data network. Pricing or release dates for the Windows-based notebooks have not been released, though the company regularly supplies its notebooks to the US.

ASUS G50

ASUS G71

ASUS F8

ASUS F6

ASUS B50

By Electronista Staff