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If I had to pick a runner-up to the Dell XPS 15 ($1,115 direct, 4.5 stars), the Editors' Choice for the desktop replacement laptop category, the Asus N53JF-XE1 ($1,015 street) would be it. It crushed our performance tests with components like an Intel Core i5-460M processor and Nvidia's newest graphics chip, and crams in sought-after features like a Blu-ray drive and 1080p resolution screen. Best of all, you can buy the N53JF-XE1 for about $100 less than what you would pay for the Dell XPS 15. This laptop's one shortcoming is battery life: it lasted just 3 hours.
Design
Asus is never one to skimp on design, which is why the N53JF-XE1 is covered in aluminum like the XPS 15 and HP Pavilion dv7-4183cl ($999.99 list, 4 stars). The top is slightly brushed, with a tint that falls somewhere between silver and gunmetal gray. This material also has a slimming effect, as the N53JF-XE1 appears thinner than its plastic counterparts—the Samsung R580-JBB2 ($729.99 list, 4 stars) and Dell Inspiron 17R-2950MRB ($949.99 list, 4 stars).
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Even so, it's not the best desktop replacement to take on the road, though, as its 6.3 pound frame is as heavy as the XPS 15 (6.3 lbs). Desktop replacements like the Samsung R580 (5.4 lbs) and Acer Aspire TimelineX AS5820T-5951 ($723 street, 4 stars) (5.2 lbs) are a pound lighter and more suitable for travel.
The 15-inch widescreen is more reminiscent of the XPS 15 than any other laptop in this group, because of its resolution, rather than its physical size. While 15-inch laptops like the Samsung R580-JBB2 and Acer AS5820T settle for the standard 1,366 by 768 resolution, the N53JF-XE1 goes up to 1,920 by 1,080 (full 1080p). Even laptops with 17-inch widescreens, like the HP dv7-4183cl (1,600 by 900) and 17R-2950MRB (1,600 by 900) can't scale this high. Photos and high-definition videos, as you can imagine, looked absolutely stunning.
Asus kept the bar low with the user experience. The N53JF-XE1 avoided the chiclet-style keyboard that every other Asus laptop seems to be using these days, and instead, went with a traditional one. It's a fine keyboard for all typing styles, and it even comes with an adjacent numeric keypad, albeit with half-size keys. It lacks a backlit keyboard, like the one on the Dell XPS 15, which is useful those who work in low-lit areas. Its mouse buttons are too noisy for my taste and aren't as soft as those of the Dell XPS 15.
Features
The feature set is more than any average user could ask for. A Blu-ray drive—which you also find in the Samsung R580-JBB2, HP dv7-4183cl, and XPS 15—keeps you current with all the latest movie releases in full HD. There are 4 USB ports, two of which house additional technology: The one in blue is USB 3.0, which can transfer content ten times faster than USB 2.0 when used with a compatible hard drives like the HP Portable External Hard Drive (1TB). The second one is an eSATA combo port, which is similar to USB 3.0 in that you can expand storage without sacrificing transfer speeds.
The N53JF-XE1 has an HDMI port, which is pretty essential in a laptop of this class. Its Webcam is standard fare, compared with the Skype-certified Webcam of the XPS 15, which also lets you shoot video in 720p high definition. Asus created speakers with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower that spans the length of the keyboard, and the sound they produce will please just about any audiophile. However, the XPS 15's JBL speakers delivered better sound and more bass, thanks to its twin speakers and powerful subwoofer.
Performance
The N53JF-XE1 houses the same 2.53GHz Intel Core i5-460M processor as the HP dv7-4183cl, Dell 17R-2950MRB, and Dell XPS 15, yet it came out on top in Handbrake (2:37) and Cinebench R11.5 (2.43)—benchmark tests that stress the processor. Factors affecting this deviation could be the software load (fewer third-party applications eat up less resources) or the processor itself was tweaked to run at maximum speeds at all times (usually at the expense of battery life). Adobe Photoshop CS5 (4:56) scripts—a memory intensive test—also performed at a high level, despite bundling the same amount of memory (4GB DDR3).
If you're a hardcore gamer, the GeForce 425M is part of Nvidia's newest 400 series graphics chips that support DirectX 11. You'll be able to see the kind of detail in games like Lost Planet 2 that you couldn't have with past Nvidia mobile chips. It's a notch faster (faster fill rates and Core clock speed) than the GeForce 420M graphics chip found in the XPS 15 (Dell offers an option for the 425M as well).
According to its 3DMark06 scores (8,174 and 4,322), the N53JF-XE1 is a better gaming machine than the Dell XPS 15 (7,404 and 4,631) and HP dv7-4183cl (4,722 and 2,831). You'll get smooth game-play in 3D intensive tests like Crysis (48.5 frames per second) and Lost Planet 2 (32.1 fps), both of which turned in the best scores in this group.
When the Nvidia chip is not in use, either by a game or for video transcoding, the system automatically reverts to using the Intel integrated chipset—a technology Nvidia calls Optimus. This technology prolongs battery life, but that's only half the battle—the laptop still needs a big enough battery.
With the amount of power built-in, even a switchable graphics technology couldn't help the 48WH (6-cell) battery. In our battery tests, the N53Jf-XE1 lasted a measly 3 hours 15 minutes, which wouldn't be so bad if Asus sold an extended battery option. By comparison, the XPS 15 (3:48) bundles a bigger 6-cell battery (56WH) and offers a 9-cell option, while the HP dv7-4183cl (6 hours) comes standard with a 93WH battery (9-cell). Granted, the N53J-XE will probably remain plugged to a wall most of the time.
If you compare the Dell XPS 15 configuration I reviewed with the Asus N53JF-XE1, the latter would emerge as the victor in almost every performance-related task. The N53JF-XE1 also offers the top-of-the-line parts, like a Blu-ray drive and 1080p resolution, yet it costs less than the Dell XPS 15. For my money, the lack of an extended battery option and some high-end features (backlit keyboard and 720p Webcam) make the XPS 15 the better buy, but the N53JF-XE1 makes a great alternative.
Design
Asus is never one to skimp on design, which is why the N53JF-XE1 is covered in aluminum like the XPS 15 and HP Pavilion dv7-4183cl ($999.99 list, 4 stars). The top is slightly brushed, with a tint that falls somewhere between silver and gunmetal gray. This material also has a slimming effect, as the N53JF-XE1 appears thinner than its plastic counterparts—the Samsung R580-JBB2 ($729.99 list, 4 stars) and Dell Inspiron 17R-2950MRB ($949.99 list, 4 stars).
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Even so, it's not the best desktop replacement to take on the road, though, as its 6.3 pound frame is as heavy as the XPS 15 (6.3 lbs). Desktop replacements like the Samsung R580 (5.4 lbs) and Acer Aspire TimelineX AS5820T-5951 ($723 street, 4 stars) (5.2 lbs) are a pound lighter and more suitable for travel.
The 15-inch widescreen is more reminiscent of the XPS 15 than any other laptop in this group, because of its resolution, rather than its physical size. While 15-inch laptops like the Samsung R580-JBB2 and Acer AS5820T settle for the standard 1,366 by 768 resolution, the N53JF-XE1 goes up to 1,920 by 1,080 (full 1080p). Even laptops with 17-inch widescreens, like the HP dv7-4183cl (1,600 by 900) and 17R-2950MRB (1,600 by 900) can't scale this high. Photos and high-definition videos, as you can imagine, looked absolutely stunning.
Asus kept the bar low with the user experience. The N53JF-XE1 avoided the chiclet-style keyboard that every other Asus laptop seems to be using these days, and instead, went with a traditional one. It's a fine keyboard for all typing styles, and it even comes with an adjacent numeric keypad, albeit with half-size keys. It lacks a backlit keyboard, like the one on the Dell XPS 15, which is useful those who work in low-lit areas. Its mouse buttons are too noisy for my taste and aren't as soft as those of the Dell XPS 15.
Features
The feature set is more than any average user could ask for. A Blu-ray drive—which you also find in the Samsung R580-JBB2, HP dv7-4183cl, and XPS 15—keeps you current with all the latest movie releases in full HD. There are 4 USB ports, two of which house additional technology: The one in blue is USB 3.0, which can transfer content ten times faster than USB 2.0 when used with a compatible hard drives like the HP Portable External Hard Drive (1TB). The second one is an eSATA combo port, which is similar to USB 3.0 in that you can expand storage without sacrificing transfer speeds.
The N53JF-XE1 has an HDMI port, which is pretty essential in a laptop of this class. Its Webcam is standard fare, compared with the Skype-certified Webcam of the XPS 15, which also lets you shoot video in 720p high definition. Asus created speakers with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower that spans the length of the keyboard, and the sound they produce will please just about any audiophile. However, the XPS 15's JBL speakers delivered better sound and more bass, thanks to its twin speakers and powerful subwoofer.
Performance
If you're a hardcore gamer, the GeForce 425M is part of Nvidia's newest 400 series graphics chips that support DirectX 11. You'll be able to see the kind of detail in games like Lost Planet 2 that you couldn't have with past Nvidia mobile chips. It's a notch faster (faster fill rates and Core clock speed) than the GeForce 420M graphics chip found in the XPS 15 (Dell offers an option for the 425M as well).
According to its 3DMark06 scores (8,174 and 4,322), the N53JF-XE1 is a better gaming machine than the Dell XPS 15 (7,404 and 4,631) and HP dv7-4183cl (4,722 and 2,831). You'll get smooth game-play in 3D intensive tests like Crysis (48.5 frames per second) and Lost Planet 2 (32.1 fps), both of which turned in the best scores in this group.
When the Nvidia chip is not in use, either by a game or for video transcoding, the system automatically reverts to using the Intel integrated chipset—a technology Nvidia calls Optimus. This technology prolongs battery life, but that's only half the battle—the laptop still needs a big enough battery.
With the amount of power built-in, even a switchable graphics technology couldn't help the 48WH (6-cell) battery. In our battery tests, the N53Jf-XE1 lasted a measly 3 hours 15 minutes, which wouldn't be so bad if Asus sold an extended battery option. By comparison, the XPS 15 (3:48) bundles a bigger 6-cell battery (56WH) and offers a 9-cell option, while the HP dv7-4183cl (6 hours) comes standard with a 93WH battery (9-cell). Granted, the N53J-XE will probably remain plugged to a wall most of the time.
If you compare the Dell XPS 15 configuration I reviewed with the Asus N53JF-XE1, the latter would emerge as the victor in almost every performance-related task. The N53JF-XE1 also offers the top-of-the-line parts, like a Blu-ray drive and 1080p resolution, yet it costs less than the Dell XPS 15. For my money, the lack of an extended battery option and some high-end features (backlit keyboard and 720p Webcam) make the XPS 15 the better buy, but the N53JF-XE1 makes a great alternative.
