ASUS U46SV Pro Reviews

Though the U46SV turned in very nice performance numbers, it performs sluggishly for the first minute after booting with the stock software configuration. This is largely due to loading a whopping 32 nonstandard startup items--the majority of which aren't particularly useful or necessary. Some time culling the dross with msconfig.exe and uninstalling unnecessary software is in order if you want the performance you paid for. Not all the software is useless: Cyberlink's Power2Go supports the integrated DVD burner, and the starter version of Office 2010 is on hand for productivity chores.

The U46SV-WX036V has a few flaws but overall Asus has done a good job. This 14 inch laptop weighs 2.3 kg and will excite users with its stylish design, resistant surfaces and great input devices. Even the performance is appropriate: Asus could not have installed a better graphics card than the Nvidia GeForce GT 540M (insufficient cooling). Paired with the Core i5-2410M dual-core CPU and 4 GB DDR3 RAM, everyday tasks run flawlessly. Demanding 3D applications, such as high-end games, push the hardware components to their limits. One of the biggest strengths of this notebook is its long battery life: over 5 hours are possible with maximum brightness. Various flaws prevent us from giving the notebook a better rating. The pre-installed "Bloatware", slow hard disk and cheap reflective display (poor viewing angle, contrast and too high black value) are not the flaws a multimedia notebook should have. Users who need a laptop for work on-the-go, should pick a laptop with a matt display (such as, the Acer TravelMate 8473TG). The assortment of ports (no ExpressCard, eSATA or FireWire) leave much to be desired. All-in-all, the U46SV is a fairly priced all-round notebook from Asus.

A great mid-range laptop that won’t weigh you down when on the move – if an Ultrabook doesn’t appeal, the U46SV is the next best thing

If it's a portable, low-cost entertainment-focused laptop you're looking for then the Asus U46SV will be right up your street. You'll have to make a few compromises on the specifications but at £699 it's hard to argue against. It'll also double up as a capable work tool and if you have to spend long periods of time away from a wall socket then the 10-hour battery life will impress

We certainly weren't disappointed with the performance. The Intel Core i5 Sandy Bridge processor can multitask with the best of them, while a dedicated Nvidia graphics card copes with video editing and gaming. While the Asus U46SV is powerful and its impressive battery life makes up in some part for the bulky build, we'd recommend holding off for the upcoming Asus Zenbook instead.