What does the card look like on an asus x501a laptop. The ASUS X501A laptop is a new bestseller in the budget segment. Storage devices
One of the most saturated segments of the laptop market is the segment of budget laptops. Almost all manufacturers are represented in this segment and, accordingly, the competition here is very strong. To create a truly competitive model, you need to put in a lot of effort. And ASUS managed to create such a device, this is the ASUS X501A.
The budget model ASUS X501A has a rather nice design and good performance. However, there cannot be any fundamental differences between representatives of the budget segment; this is due to components that are similar in price, for example, such as a display, processor, and video card. But the ASUS X501A has its own strengths, in the form of dimensions, high-quality acoustics (which is rare even for expensive models) and good ergonomics.
Specifications
| CPU: | Intel Core i3-2350M 2300 MHz |
| RAM: | 4 GB DDR3 1600 MHz |
| Data storage: | 1000 GB 5400 rpm SATA II |
| Display: | 15.6" 1366x768, LED |
| Video card: | Intel HD Graphics 3000 |
| Drive unit: | No |
| Wireless connection: | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0. |
| Interfaces: | USB 2.0, USB 3.0, HDMI, VGA, LAN (RJ-45), card reader, audio connectors |
| Additionally: | 0.3 MP webcam, 2 speakers |
| Battery: | 6-cell Li-ion 4400 mAh |
| Dimensions, weight: | 38x23.5x2.65~3.23cm, 2.08kg |
| Operating system: | Windows 7 Home Premium x64 |
Design
The design of this budget laptop is in many ways reminiscent of the design of ultrabooks, of course, not in size, but in the general concept and style of lines. Thus, in ASUS X501A you can observe a change in the thickness of the case from the back to the front. If in the battery area the thickness (including the battery itself) is 3.2 cm, then in the front part its thickness changes to 2.6 cm. What also makes this laptop light and compact is that its edges are slightly rounded, and the top cover does not look like a piece of monolith.The laptop is made in a dark color; its lid and inner surface have a pattern of small gray dots, which looks quite original and beautiful. The surface of the lid and the under-palm panel are glossy, they get quite dirty, although there are no clear fingerprints on the body, but the stains remain. But the fact that the frame around the display is matte is a big plus.
At first glance, the hinges do not seem very strong, since they are not very large in size. But when you change the position of the display, you can see that they hold the display quite firmly in the selected position. But when the lid is lowered at about 25 degrees, the automatic adjustment is triggered, after which the lid begins to “fall.”
The strength of the case is not bad, but flex is noticeable on the left side of the keyboard and on the palm surface; no such problems were observed in other places, even when pressed hard.
The bottom of the laptop is also made of fairly high-quality plastic, but unlike the laptop lid and the inner surface, it is not smooth, but has a rough surface. The bottom does not have any sections through which the drive or RAM can be replaced. Only the battery is removed, which can be disconnected by pressing two latches on the sides. By the way, the battery protrudes quite far beyond the bottom of the laptop.
It is also worth noting the small number of ventilation holes on the bottom; let's see how this affects the cooling of the internal components of the laptop when passing stress tests. At the corners of the laptop there are rubber feet that securely hold the laptop on various types of surfaces.
The laptop not only has a nice appearance, but also quite convenient dimensions and light weight. Its weight with battery is 2.08 kg, and its dimensions are 38x23.5x2.65~3.23 cm.
Display and sound
This model has a 15.6-inch display with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. It is made using TN technology and is no different from models with a similar type of matrix. If you do not work with photo and video content, then the characteristics of this display will be quite sufficient.
The color rendition and response of the matrix, like all TN matrices, are quite decent, which will have a pretty good effect, for example, in games. Watching movies also evokes only positive emotions, but of course a Full HD display would please us more. However, let's not forget that this is still a budget model.
As already written above, this matrix retains both all the advantages and all the disadvantages of budget TN matrices, so its disadvantages can be called viewing angles. When tilted away from you, the image becomes noticeably darker, but when tilted toward itself, on the contrary, it becomes noticeably lighter; in any of these cases, the image becomes unreadable. The side viewing angles are slightly better; they allow two people to watch a movie comfortably.
The laptop is able to reproduce sound without connecting any external devices, thanks to the built-in speakers, which are located on the bottom of the laptop a little closer to the front edge. It is worth noting that sound, without exaggeration, is one of its strengths of this model. The volume level is quite high, even in a noisy room the volume will be sufficient. As for the quality of the reproduced sound, all frequencies are optimally expressed here, and there is no obvious predominance of one and “blockage” of another. The only thing that can be noted is a certain unclear expression of frequencies, but in relation to a laptop this is forgivable.
Like most modern laptops, the ASUS X501A has a built-in webcam; it is located in the display frame right in the middle. The resolution of the built-in webcam is 640x480 pixels, which is quite enough for communicating through programs like Skype.
Keyboard and touchpad
The ASUS X501A has an island-type keyboard. It is a standard keyboard with a set of keys and has a full-fledged numeric keypad. However, the presence of many buttons is not always a positive factor. The thing is that the keys themselves are too small, which makes work difficult, although you can get used to everything.
As for the keys, they have a flat surface and a rectangular shape. The largest keys are the , , , , and alphanumeric keys. The number pad, the top row of buttons, and the arrow block were reduced in size. It is the pointer block that causes the most complaints; in addition to the fact that it is compressed in size, it is also indistinguishable from the other buttons. I think you can get used to it, but the question remains how often you use it.
The key markings are good, and you can feel the rough texture of the paint to the touch. The keyboard may feel a little stiff when typing as the keys have little travel. It is also worth noting the key, which is used quite often. This keyboard is quite hard to hit, but you can get used to it.
The ASUS X501A completely lacks separate multimedia keys. Their functions are assigned to a number of keys -, to the arrow block, as well as a couple of other keys. To activate these functions, you must press the desired key in combination with . For example, the key combination and [V] will turn on the webcam.
Still, there is one separate key in this laptop, this is the laptop power button. It is located in the upper right part above the main keyboard.
The X501A couldn't do without a touchpad either. The touchpad supports multi-touch gestures and accepts up to 3 touches simultaneously. The range of functions that can be performed using the touchpad is quite large, including vertical and horizontal scrolling, rotation and zooming performed with two fingers. Using three fingers, you can scroll, call Windows Flip 3D, and minimize all windows. Although the set of multi-touch gestures is standard, I would like to note the accuracy of all actions, even rotation is performed clearly and without errors.
Performance
The ASUS X501A laptop we received for review had the Windows 7 Home Premium operating system installed. This version is 64-bit and has more advanced functionality compared to Windows 7 Home. This OS is quite enough for everyday use, and on a budget model.The operating system rated our laptop 4.7 points. The overall score was based on the lowest score of 4.7 points received by desktop graphics. The storage and RAM received 5.9 points each, this is a completely standard rating. Graphics for games earned a little more - 6.1 points. And the leading position was taken by the Intel Core i3-2350M processor, which scored 6.7 points. In general, the results are quite good for an inexpensive, functional model.
The ASUS X501A has an average performance dual-core Intel Core i3-2350M processor. Its clock frequency is 2.3 GHz. Unfortunately, the processor does not have Turbo Boost technology, so the nominal frequency of 2.3 GHz is also the maximum. But thanks to Hyper-Threading technology, the processor can process up to four data streams simultaneously. The CPU is based on the Sandy Bridge architecture and is manufactured using a 32 nm process technology. As for cache memory, the Intel Core i3-2350M has 3 MB of L3 cache. More detailed characteristics of the processor can be seen in the screenshot of the CPU-Z program.
The built-in Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics card is responsible for graphics processing. Since the laptop belongs to the budget segment, installing a high-performance discrete video card would greatly increase its cost. However, the performance of the integrated graphics is not so bad; it is at the level of entry-level discrete cards and allows you to solve undemanding tasks. As for the characteristics of the Intel HD Graphics 3000, it has 12 computing units and shares memory with the processor. Information about the operating frequency of the video card and its other details is available in the screenshot from the GPU-Z program.
To evaluate the performance of the video card and processor, we ran the Cinebench R11.5 application. In this test, ASUS X501A showed a result of 9.21 fps for graphics and 2.21 pts for CPU. The results are not the best, but as a workhorse that will perform undemanding tasks, its performance is sufficient. In addition, the possibility of playing games, although not the most demanding ones, is not excluded.
We also launched another test called 3DMark06. It also, like Cinebench R11.5, tests GPU and CPU, but using a different methodology. The overall score in 3DMark06 was 3613 points. If we consider the results separately by category, we have the following indicators: SM2.0 Score – 1193, HDR/SM3.0 Score – 1477 and CPU Score – 2706 points.
Based on the test results obtained using the 3DMark06 application, a graph was created that compares the performance of the ASUS X501A and models with similar characteristics.
The amount of RAM is standard, and for such an inexpensive model as the ASUS X501A it can be called optimal. The laptop has 4 GB of DDR3 memory; more specifically, it is one 4 GB Hynix HMT351S6CFR8C-PB memory stick. In total, a maximum of 16 GB of RAM can be installed. It is also worth noting the fact that the memory frequency is 1600 MHz, and not the usual 1333 MHz. But not everything is so simple here, since the memory can only work at the maximum frequency with processors based on the Ivy Bridge architecture, and this model has a processor based on the Sandy Bridge architecture, which supports a maximum memory frequency of 1333 MHz. Memory characteristics can be viewed in the CPU-Z program.
To store information, the ASUS X501A has a Seagate ST1000LM024 HN hard drive installed. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that the budget laptop has a 1000 GB hard drive, which is enough to create a good collection of media files, as well as simply to store various types of information. But it turned out that the models that go on sale will have 500 GB hard drives installed. However, 500 GB should be enough for various information.
As for the performance of this drive, due to the spindle speed of 5400 rpm, it is slightly inferior to devices with a rotation speed of 7200 rpm. The drive is connected via the SATA II interface. You can see more detailed characteristics of this hard drive in the screenshot from the HD Tune Pro 5.00 program.
The read speed of this drive was also tested using the HD Tune Pro 5.00 application. Based on the test results, we have the following data: the minimum data reading speed is 41.4 MB/s, the maximum is 103.8 MB/s and the average is 76.5 MB/s. Access time is at 24.8 ms. It is worth noting that these figures are very average.
To more clearly assess the speed of the Seagete ST1000LM024 HN hard drive, we created a graph in which we compared the results of our laptop and similar models.
The hard drive was also tested using the CrystalDiskMark 3.0.1 application. This application tests the speed of sequential read and write, as well as the speed of reading and writing individual blocks of various sizes. The results were as follows: 97.06 MB/s for sequential reading and 96.16 MB/s for sequential writing. You can see the rest of the test results in the screenshot below.
The average level of laptop performance is confirmed by a series of tests, including the PCMark Vantage benchmark. Testing takes place using tests divided into 7 groups. The Communications category scored the most points - 4744, and the Music category scored several points less than the leader - 4737 points. It is worth noting that all categories scored approximately the same number of points, which indicates a balanced performance of the entire system. The overall score of our test laptop is 4870 points.
Another comprehensive test that shows the performance of the system as a whole is called PCMark 7. The system is tested using tests divided into 7 groups: Lightweight, Productivity, Creativity, Entertainment, Computation and System storage. The undisputed leader in this test was the Computation category, which scored 7872 points. In second place, with a gap of more than two times from the test leader, is the Creativity category. The remaining categories scored almost equal points. However, the Productivity test group scored slightly less than everyone else. The total score was 1959 points. More detailed information can be seen in the screenshot below.
Ports and communications
This laptop has a rather limited set of ports, including only 2 USB ports. But considering that the ASUS X501A is a budget model, this can be forgiven. The presence of a small number of ports is compensated by their thoughtful location on the edges of the laptop. True, many may not like the congestion on the right side, due to the fact that wires or devices connected to the ports will interfere with the work when using the mouse, but this is a personal matter for everyone, but the fact that they are easy to connect to is obvious.
The left side of the ASUS X501A has only one USB 2.0 port and a charging connector, behind which, closer to the back of the laptop, is a Kensington lock. Such a minimal set of ports on this side is due to the lack of free space, since the ventilation hole is located here, and the tapering front part is very thin for the location of the ports. I would also like to note the close location of the connectors; when charging the laptop, you won’t be able to insert a large device into the USB port.
As for the right side of the laptop, everything is more than standard. On this side there are VGA and HDMI video outputs, USB 3.0 standard, a card reader and a combined audio jack. In addition, there is an RJ-45 network connector, which is half closed with a plug.
There are no ports on the back side; almost all the space here is occupied by the battery.
The front edge is ultra-thin, so it was not possible to place ports here; even the usual card reader is located not on the front edge, but on the side. But there is still a number of indicators here; it includes six indicators that display the operating status of the laptop and wireless networks.
The connectors are quite rigid; inserting a flash drive will require some effort, but perhaps only our laptop has this feature, since it is an engineering sample. One of the advantages I would like to note is the presence of a USB 3.0 port on such an inexpensive model, although it is no longer uncommon. And the absence of an optical drive does not affect functionality in any way; moreover, thanks to this, it was possible to reduce the weight of the device and its dimensions.
Wireless capabilities are provided by the Atheros AR9485WB-EG combined module, which includes Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0.
Heat
It is not surprising that during operation, internal components, such as the processor, video card and storage devices, heat up, and through the case the temperature is transferred to the external surfaces of the laptop, which can cause discomfort when working. Therefore, the better the cooling system, the more stable the laptop operates and the more pleasant it is to work with it.Heating of internal components was recorded using the CPUID Hardware Monitor application. The processor heated up the most, its minimum temperature was 47 degrees, and its maximum was 85 degrees. Since our laptop does not have a discrete graphics card, the heating of the built-in one is the same as that of the processor. The hard drive temperature was recorded between 39 and 43 degrees.
If we take a closer look at the dependence of performance on heating, we should pay attention to throttling. Throttling is a mechanism to protect the microprocessor from thermal damage. The protection mechanism works as follows: when the processor temperature rises to critical values, the processor begins to skip machine cycles in order to prevent the temperature from rising. Thus, the higher the thermal load on the processor, the more clock cycles it skips and, accordingly, loses in performance. The screenshot from the AIDA program shows a graph in which, when the processor is loaded at 100%, throttling reaches a maximum of 47%, which leads to a severe loss of performance.
The minimum heating of the laptop case when idle was 33.2 degrees in the lower left part. But the maximum temperature turned out to be much higher, it was 41.8 degrees. This value was recorded in the central part of the laptop.
There is a 6-section lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 4400 mAh. It has good battery life, and if you also take into account that this laptop does not have a discrete graphics card, then the battery life should be more than good. But this can only be found out after passing tests.
Before using the laptop in standalone mode, you need to charge the battery. It uses a 75-watt power supply and takes 2 hours 39 minutes to fully charge. This is a relatively long charging time, although there are models that charge for more than three hours.
Next, battery tests were carried out using the Battery Eater program. This utility allows you to test the battery in two power plans - “Energy Saving” and “High Performance”. We first set the power plan to "High Performance", and the result was 4 hours 3 minutes in "Read's" mode, and 1 hour 26 minutes in "Classic" mode. A graph was also built that shows the battery test results of our model and similar devices.
In the “Energy Saving” power supply plan, the battery was predicted to last longer. So, in “Read’s” mode the result was 6 hours 37 minutes, but in “Classic” mode the laptop lasted only 13 minutes longer than in the same mode, but in the power plan “Energy Saving”, which amounted to 1 hour 39 minutes. The ASUS X501A lasted the longest battery life in idle mode, the total time of which was 9 hours 46 minutes. A comparative graph of the battery life of the ASUS X501A and similar devices is presented below.
For those who save energy, or who are simply interested in the power consumption of this laptop, we measured the power consumption of the ASUS X501A in several operating modes. To begin with, using a multimeter, we measured the power consumption in idle mode, and the laptop showed 28 W. Next, measurements were carried out while surfing the web; in this mode, power consumption was 36 W. But the laptop consumes the most in high load mode, which was created by the Furmark application and the AIDA stress test. In this mode, the laptop's power consumption reached 67 W.
Conclusion
Sometimes finding a middle ground and creating a device in which everything is both accessible and functional is harder than creating any other model. It seems that ASUS has managed to create, if not a reference, then a completely competitive and promising model that customers will appreciate. The main idea when creating this model was simplicity and reliability. This is expressed both in design, communications, and performance.The design of this budget model is quite simple, but at the same time it resembles expensive and stylish ultrabooks. We also liked the size and weight of the laptop; it is very pleasant, and, more importantly, not difficult to hold in your hands. We had a dark gray model for review, but the line also includes more “colorful” models.
As for performance, the Intel Core i3-2350M processor with integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000, although they do not show phenomenal results in terms of performance, will be able to solve most of the tasks. For example, watching movies, working with documents, surfing the web and even playing games will not be a problem for the ASUS X501A. I was also struck by the sound in this model; its quality is close to some multimedia models. In general, no obvious shortcomings were identified, except that the cooling system was not very effective, but this is the “sin” of most laptops, especially in this segment.
We thank the ASUS representative office in Ukraine www.asus.ua for kindly providing the laptop for testing.
What does he pay attention to? Asus X501 at first sight? That's right, a modern stylish design and a very thin body. At the same time, the device is equipped with the most popular screens among users - from 13.3 to 15.6 inches. At the same time, the affordable price of the laptop promises to make it a mass product in today's market.
Appearance
The design of the Asus X501 laptop is definitely its strong point. It looks stylish and even minimalistic, thanks to the use of semi-matte plastic. It is worth noting that the plastic has its original color, not painting, so it is not afraid of scuffs and scratches during use. Three colors of the model are available for order - white, pink and black.
The laptop body is made of thin plastic, although it is worth mentioning that the material does not bend when pressure is applied. The top cover also seemed quite durable. The quality of the plastic is at a high level - fingerprints do not remain on it.
There were no complaints about the build quality, however, they may appear during operation. During the test, when examining the laptop, the parts did not produce any unpleasant squeaks when pressed.
Hardware components
The hardware of the Asus X501 leaves much to be desired. However, the device does not rush into the premium segment, but takes its place of honor in the list of budget devices. The technical characteristics of the Asus X501 are such that it is more of a netbook with a large screen than a full-featured ultrabook.
The laptop is built on the Intel Chief River platform with an inexpensive processor (Celeron, Pentium or Core i3). To solve ordinary problems, the device parameters will suit the needs of most consumers, however, there can be no talk of any highly loaded system in the budget segment.
Potential buyers of the Asus X501 will have to forget about discrete video cards. The graphics in the laptop are very weak for modern devices, and therefore even mid-level games on this book will be launched with great difficulty.
The manufacturer offers a universal amount of RAM and non-volatile memory for its device: the user will have 4 GB of RAM and 500 GB of hard drive space at his disposal.
Dimensions, dimensions, weight
With a screen diagonal of 15.6”, the Asus X501A laptop has a modest weight of 2.07 kg. Device width – 380 mm, depth – 253 mm, thickness – 32.3 mm.
Battery life (battery)
The battery life of the Asus X501 is predictable: 3-5 hours depending on the load. The battery of the ASUS laptop is a standard 6-cell lithium-ion, 47.5 Wh. Its peculiarity is that the engineers were unable to place it in such a thin case, which is why it protrudes 5 millimeters.
Multimedia capabilities
The ASUS X501A laptop is equipped with branded Altec Lansing speakers, however, given the budget level of the model, there is no need to talk about their ideal performance - the sound is quiet and can be heard well, except perhaps in quiet rooms.
Ports and connectors
The manufacturer also decided to save on ports and connectors by making only 2 USB ports. It is unknown how to connect a wireless mouse, a USB flash drive and, say, a 3G modem to an Asus X501A laptop. But the laptop is positioned as a budget one, interesting also for students, who are very demanding in such matters. The computer also has an audio port, USB 3.0, HDMI, RJ45, card reader, VGA. A special feature of the model is the absence of an optical drive.
Noise and heat
The Asus developers seem to have found a compromise between noise and heat - the Asus X501 model operates very quietly and also heats up very low. Everything, of course, depends on the load conditions, but even with them in a regular office, the laptop’s operation will not be heard, and the temperature will always remain comfortable for users, thanks to the smart arrangement of components inside the case.
Price
The low cost and attractive design, according to the manufacturer, should make buyers pay attention to the Asus X501 model, but some users will be put off by the frankly weak technical part of the device. The cost of the Asus X501 laptop from retailers ranges from 400 to 600 dollars. You can probably buy an Asus X501 in an online store even cheaper. However, the price of the device is already quite low, due to the capabilities of a netbook in a laptop body.
Test result
The laptop will certainly find its buyer, and basically Asus engineers managed to achieve some goals - a relatively thin body, good heat-noise characteristics, sufficient performance for most users, stylish design. However, the quality of the screen, keyboard, battery protrusion and poorly thought out port placement spoil the overall impression of the X501A.
The advertising campaign for “ultrabooks” launched by Intel has to some extent achieved its goal: users are increasingly paying attention to the thickness of the case. And laptop manufacturers began to offer more and more thin and ultra-thin models, both typical ultrabooks and similar laptops with a larger body diagonal. True, due to the use of fairly expensive low-voltage (operating at reduced voltage) Intel processors, the cost of these devices, even in a modest configuration, remains outside the budget of the average buyer.
ASUS was the first to figure out how to eliminate this annoying omission. The laptop from the new X series offers the buyer a stylish modern design, a thin body (27 mm, excluding batteries) and one of the popular screen diagonals (13.3, 14 or 15.6″) at a minimum price - from 4 million Bel. rub. for a very productive device with an Intel Pentium processor. Let's see what exactly the manufacturer sacrificed for the sake of an affordable price.
Specifications
Let us immediately upset potential buyers: it is no coincidence that the new ASUS laptops are located next to the cheap X101 netbook in the line. Actually, in terms of performance level, functionality and expansion capabilities, these are more like netbooks than ultrabooks, only with a larger screen. This definition is supported by many parameters of these devices: a simple plastic case, no optical drive, only built-in graphics, a stripped-down set of interfaces (2 USB, VGA, HDMI, a single audio port), a maintenance-free case, a modest-sized battery.
When it comes to performance, the buyer has a choice. Models with the “U” suffix are built on the economical AMD Brazos platform, which means they are not much different from netbooks: low power consumption is achieved at the expense of low performance. Models with the “A” suffix use a standard Intel platform with an inexpensive processor (Celeron, Pentium or Core i3). Their battery life is shorter than that of the “U” models, but their performance is at least twice as high.
Our review will look at the ASUS X501A laptop - a 15.6″ X series model on the Intel platform. The test received a medium-cost configuration: a Pentium processor with a frequency of 2.3 GHz, an average amount of memory and hard drive.
Having a price typical for a state employee, the X501A laptop, however, differs from its popular “classmates” (Acer E1, Lenovo G580, Samsung 300E5A, HP 650) not only in size, but also in equipment. The most important difference is the lack of an optical drive. This is what made it possible not only to reduce the thickness of the case by half a centimeter, but also to reduce the weight by 0.4-0.5 kg compared to analogues. However, most buyers of such laptops still need an optical drive - to install the operating system and licensed programs, watch a home video collection and many other tasks. Of course, optical drives have completely outlived their usefulness, but in 2012 many continue to use them, at least occasionally.
Further, the X501A model does not have a discrete graphics card. At the same time, many buyers of budget laptops pay attention to this: they want to get the most versatile device, suitable for gaming. Alas, the X501A, when equipped with a Celeron or Pentium processor, has very weak integrated graphics; it can play normal games with great difficulty.
All X series laptops use standard budget screens with a resolution of 1366x768 and a glossy finish. Although the matte screen alone would significantly increase the attractiveness of these laptops. Alas, today only Samsung and HP (the models mentioned above) offer matte screens in laptops of minimal cost.
The manufacturer's decision to save money on USB ports is surprising. For a universal laptop, two ports (even if one corresponds to version 3.0) are definitely not enough. The location of the connectors is also far from ideal: on the left side of the case there is only a USB 2.0 port, an input for the power adapter and a hole for a Kensington lock, but the right side is fully loaded: audio port, USB 3.0, HDMI, RJ45, card reader, VGA.
The ASUS laptop battery is standard 6-cell, 47.5 Wh. Unfortunately, it was not possible to fit it into the dimensions of the case, and it protrudes from the bottom by 5 mm. Looking ahead, we note that the battery life of the laptop is from 4 to 5 hours, which is more than enough for the target audience of users.
The X series models have virtually no upgrade options, and here's why. The design of this laptop is different from the conventional one and is more similar to the design of some thin netbooks. Its components - motherboard and interface board, hard drive, cooling system, speakers, etc. - are attached to a solid bottom. To get to them, you need to remove the internal panel with the keyboard and touchpad, disconnecting two thin cables. Inside we did not find slots for memory and a radio module; only the hard drive (standard size, thickness 9.5 mm) can be replaced.
Updated. As a reader suggested to us, the only memory slot is located on the back of the board; to access it, you need to disassemble the laptop, which requires certain skills and dexterity. As you can see, the process of upgrading a device is quite complicated for the average user, which cannot be said about the vast majority of other budget laptops.
Our summary table contains data on two other laptops that can be considered as alternatives to the ASUS X501A. The first of them is ASUS X55A, a typical standard-size budget phone. It is thicker than the ASUS X501A (if you do not take into account its protruding battery), has the same characteristics in all respects, except for the optical drive, and has a similar price. Consequently, the X501A model is quite competitive in formal terms.
And if you compare it with other thin budget class models? There are few of them on the market yet; we found only Acer V5-531 on wide sale. This laptop, of course, is a little more expensive than the ASUS model, but it more closely matches the definition of a “budget ultrabook”: a truly thin body without protruding parts, a DVD drive and discrete graphics (in many configurations), a normal set of interfaces. Of course, it has its drawbacks (small battery, low processor performance), but overall we find this option more interesting than the stripped-down ASUS X501A.
Maybe ASUS has some hidden advantages that are not described by technical parameters? For example, an attractive design, a high-quality case, a comfortable keyboard? This will be discussed further.
Case design and construction
ASUS X series laptops feature a new laconic design for this manufacturer, similar to the design of the Nx6 series multimedia laptops. The appearance of the devices is quite simple and at the same time practical and attractive. The shape of the case is flat and wide, the sides are very narrow (12 mm), the front edge is pointed, the back is rounded, the lid and internal panels are flat, with slightly rounded edges. The outer side of the lid and the solid interior panel are made of unusual semi-matte plastic, with a smooth “slippery” texture and an unusual dot pattern. Note that this plastic is colored, not painted, and is not in danger of abrasions (but we won’t vouch for the design). The screen frame and bottom are rough and do not get dirty, and the keyboard keys are made of the same plastic.
The interior is completely flat and smooth, without decorative inserts and even a recess for the keyboard, the same flat and smooth touchpad of a buttonless design, a small power button without backlight is decorated in dark chrome. In our opinion, such a minimalistic design fits well with the concept of a laptop with minimal equipment and an affordable price, although, of course, users have different tastes.
At the time of writing, the X501A model was offered in three color options - black, white (milky white, not silver) and pink-lilac. In all versions, only two panels are made of colored plastic - the lid and the interior, the rest of the parts are black. In our opinion, the white version is the most interesting: it is both original (there are relatively few white laptops on the market), and universal, and not as gloomy as black, but not loud like lilac. In general, it will suit almost everyone.
The case of the ASUS laptop is made of very thin, pliable plastic, but there are no noticeable problems with strength and torsional resistance: thanks to the internal ribbing, the bottom is very rigid, the wrist area does not bend, the case can be taken by one of the corners, the parts do not crunch when squeezed. The very thin lid also has a margin of safety, the hinge is of medium rigidity, with little play.
I liked the good quality of the plastic, the lack of fingerprints (perhaps they would be more visible on a black case), and the precise fit of all the parts. The only significant flaw can be considered the insufficient rigidity of the keyboard surface: it lies directly on the motherboard and is not supported by anything from the inside.
Screen
Alas, our copy of the ASUS laptop was equipped with a cheap LCD matrix manufactured by Samsung, with very low performance in most respects. According to our measurements, the image contrast does not exceed 60:1, the color gamut is less than 55% sRGB (a shortage in all three color channels, most of all in red), the colors in the photographs are pale and incorrect.
Viewing angles are worse than average; the image shimmers noticeably even when viewed at the right angle. Moreover, the image gives off a blue tint, dark shades are noticeably brightened, there are trails in the dynamic image - the shortcomings of the matrix itself and its settings are visible to the naked eye.
Sound
The ASUS X501A laptop is equipped with branded Altec Lansing speakers, although, to be honest, this logo is placed on almost all models of this manufacturer and is unlikely to really guarantee anything. The speakers are located on the bottom, under the user's wrists. Unfortunately, their power level is much below average; the volume will only be sufficient for a quiet room. The sound timbre, however, is relatively pleasant, although poor, with wheezing and booming. The Realtek audio codec is extremely simple and does not come with a digital audio processing control panel. Therefore, in general, the implementation of built-in sound can be considered rather weak, clearly insufficient for a laptop with a 15-inch screen.
Keyboard and touchpad
The keyboard design of the ASUS laptop is modern: a solid panel with slots, flat contrasting keys with two-color symbols (Cyrillic is printed in pale green), a layout with a number field, large cursor buttons and a full set of service keys (except Ins). The keyboard mechanism, however, did not make a positive impression: the key travel is short and not clear enough, the keys themselves are not securely fixed (they rattle a little), and the keyboard surface in the center is subject to noticeable deflection. Therefore, we rated the overall comfort level when typing as “below average.”
The touchpad of the ASUS laptop is large in area (104×72 mm) and does not have dedicated buttons - the entire area can be pressed, with the exception of the top part. The pressing stroke seemed shallow to us, but quite tight, making it uncomfortable to click. The touchpad manufacturer is Elan, the software is relatively new, basic operations and multi-touch work quite clearly and reliably. However, the problem of errors appears when accidentally touching with the palm of your hand; to eliminate it, you need to either disable the touchpad or tinker with the settings for a long time.
Performance
The ASUS X501A laptop uses a standard hardware platform, and therefore has performance typical of budget laptops. To verify this, we present the results of testing the competing model Acer Aspire E1-571, equipped with a similar processor. The results are predictable: in the Windows 7 test, the Acer laptop wins due to the presence of a discrete graphics card; in the PCMark 7 test, the performance of the two laptops differs by less than 2%.
Battery life
As we expected, the ASUS X501A laptop in our tests lasted from 3 to 5 and a half hours on battery power, depending on the load. Its power consumption can be considered average for its class (about 9.3 W in the MobileMark 2007 test), and it is no more economical than any other laptop on the Intel mobile platform.
Installing a more capacious battery would make it more attractive to potential buyers, but this would increase the price, and the laptop would not fit into the budget class.
Noise and heat
Thanks to the use of some clever cooling technology, the developers promise the owner of an X series laptop a comfortable temperature regime. Naturally, there is nothing tricky in the device’s body: its compact motherboard is located in the center, and under the user’s wrists there is nothing, there is simply nothing to heat up there - hence the comfortable temperature regime. We measured the temperature of the case after an hour of running graphics tests and found that the only place where heating was felt was the processor area (just above the center of the keyboard) - its temperature reached 42° both above and below. The hard drive is located under the right side of the keyboard, the heating is also felt there, but less - 35°, the wrist area, as expected, remains barely warm (26-30°). The noise level under intense load is low; in a noisy office, even under heavy load, the laptop is practically inaudible; without load, it operates silently.
The efficiency of the cooling system should be considered sufficient, but not ideal. When there is no load, the processor temperature remains within 40-42°, the hard drive - 30-35°. Intensive load increases the processor temperature to 60-65°, a stress test - to 80°, which is far from dangerous values. Note that other budget laptops we tested with a similar configuration are less susceptible to heating, but are noticeably louder. In our opinion, ASUS developers have achieved optimal temperature conditions.
IceCool technology
Thanks to the optimal placement of “hot” components and ventilation holes, the surface of the case remains cool under the user’s hands, even during long work sessions.
Instant exit from sleep mode
The laptop wakes up from sleep mode in just a couple of seconds, thanks to the Super Hybrid Engine II energy management system. In sleep mode, it can last up to two weeks without recharging. If the battery level drops below 5%, all open files will be automatically saved to avoid data loss.
Loud, rich and clear sound
SonicMaster Lite technology, implemented by ASUS specialists in the new X series laptops, expands their multimedia capabilities. Such powerful and clear sound from a built-in audio system is not easy to find among mobile computers.
Hi-Speed USB 3.0 Interface
All new ASUS X series laptops are equipped with a USB 3.0 interface, which provides high speed data exchange with peripheral devices. For example, copying a 25GB movie from an external hard drive will take a couple of minutes.
ASUSTeK Computer has released another new product in the segment of universal portable laptops - Asus X501A. This is another step in the production of affordable, yet powerful enough laptops for a wide range of users. The developers managed to create a truly competitive model - the budgetary nature of this device is expressed, perhaps, only in cost.
Techlabs: “Our choice”
The ASUS X501A laptop impressed us. For a minimal price for a full-fledged laptop, it offers a fresh ultrabook-style design, high quality workmanship and low weight. The sound is at a good level, a good matrix is installed, the laptop is quiet and does not heat up much.
Laptop Center: "Editor's Choice"
The main idea when creating this model was simplicity and reliability. This is expressed both in design, communications, and performance.
Laptop Asus X501A-XX343R made in a laconic minimalist design, the thin white body looks stylish and elegant. The model is equipped with an ergonomic keyboard and a large trackpad. The X Series laptops feature exclusive SonicMaster Lite audio technology, delivering powerful, clear sound from the built-in audio system.
The Asus X501A-XX343R has a 15.6-inch display with modern LED backlighting, which provides bright, contrasting images and consumes minimal energy, which is especially important when running on battery power. The model provides the owner with the necessary performance to effectively solve everyday tasks, including viewing HD content and multitasking.
Laptop Asus X501A-XX343R created on the basis of a dual-core processor Intel Celeron B830. The model comes with 2 GB of RAM and an integrated video card. Intel HD Graphics and a 320 GB hard drive. The laptop is equipped with a standard set of interfaces, including Wi-Fi for a simple and convenient connection to the Internet.
Screen resolution 1366x768 Number of processor cores 2 Video card type built-in Drive type HDD Weight 2.07 kg
