ASUS U31JG-A1 Review

Asus U31JG-A1

Review Summary:

The ASUS U31JG thin and light combines good performance and battery life at a price that's just a bit too high.

Pros

• Thin and light
• 7+ hours of battery life
• Good performance

Cons

• Too much keyboard flex
• Poor speakers
• MSRP too high

ASUS U31JG-A1 Full Review

 

The ASUS U31JG packs an Intel Core i3 processor, Nvidia graphics with Optimus technology and almost eight hours of battery life into a thin and light 13.3-inch chassis weighing less than four pounds. What's not to like? Read our review.

Our ASUS U31JG-A1 review unit has the following specifications:

• 13.3-inch 720p (1366x768) glossy display with LED backlighting
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• Intel Core i3-380M dual-core processor (2.53GHz, 3MB L2, 4.8GT/s QPI, 35W TDP)
• Intel HM55 chipset
• Switchable graphics via Nvidia Optimus technology:
• Nvidia GeForce GT 415M 1GB
• Integrated Intel HD graphics
• 4GB DDR3-1066 dual-channel RAM (2x 2GB)
• 500GB 5400RPM Seagate hard drive (ST9500325AS)
• Realtek RTL8191SE 802.11n wireless LAN
• No internal optical drive
• 2-year global limited warranty w/ 1 year accidental damage coverage
• 8-cell battery (14.4V, 5800mAh, 83Wh)
• Weight: 3.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 13.1 x 9.3 x 1.14 inches
• MSRP: $849

Unlike its 14-inch brother, the U41JF, the U31JG lacks an internal optical drive. Otherwise the specifications are decent for its size and weight. The Intel Core i3 processor/4GB RAM/500GB hard drive are more than ample for everyday tasks, though it won't win any performance contests. The MSRP is on the high side; as configured it would present a better value priced $100-150 less.

Build and Design
The U31JG has a moderately attractive two-tone exterior. The silver trim wrapping around the chassis is a nice touch. ASUS made the unfortunate decision to use glossy plastic for the keyboard and screen surrounds; it looks good only in pictures. In real life, it smudges up too fast and is a chore to keep clean.

The U31JG's chassis is made of plastic. Overall build quality is about average for a consumer notebook; the chassis exhibits moderate flex when twisted by the corners. The palm rest and keyboard surround area tend to cave inwards when pressed down upon, though not alarmingly so. The palm rest is not actually made of aluminum; alas it is only lookalike plastic.

The brushed aluminum lid has a quality look and feel. It is relatively easy to twist by its corners but has better than average protection thanks to the metal. Some minor ripples still showed up in the screen though depending on where I pressed. Design-wise, I liked the small lip in the center of the display which aids opening. The display hinges are too stiff to allow the lid to be opened without holding down the chassis.

One positive aspect of the U31JG's design is the relative lack of LED lights; using this machine in the dark is not distracting. Although that's a nice feature, I wish ASUS had included dedicated volume control buttons.

Upgrading the U31JG’s parts is a simple process. The large access panel on the bottom of the chassis is held on by just one screw; inside are two RAM slots (both occupied), the hard drive, and the wireless card. On the whole the U31JG has satisfactory build quality but doesn't earn more than a passing grade in any particular area.

Ports and Features
The port selection on the U31JG is quite basic, the only notable inclusion being HDMI for connection to HDTVs and projectors. It lacks ExpressCard, USB 3.0, DisplayPort, and eSATA. All picture descriptions are left to right.

Front: Speakers

Back: Battery pack

Left: Kensington Lock slot, AC power, cooling exhaust vent, USB 2.0, microphone and headphone jacks

Right: 2x USB 2.0, HDMI, 4-in-1 card reader, Ethernet, VGA

Keyboard and Touchpad
The U31JG has the same keyboard found on most ASUS notebooks this size: a full-size Chiclet/island-style model with extra spacing between the keys. The first thing I noticed while typing on it is just how much flex it has, especially around the [S] and [Z] keys; the key and the area around it literally sink inward when moderate pressure is applied. The right side of the keyboard has little flex, however the flex gradually gets worse moving to the left of the [F10] key. The flex produces an unsettling feeling while typing; the right side of the keyboard simply feels a lot more solid.

Ignoring the flex, the actual aesthetics of the keyboard are reasonable. It's quiet enough for use in a classroom environment provided light typing pressure is used. The feedback from each key is pleasant but muffled; they do not have the precise action of a business notebook keyboard such as those found on Lenovo ThinkPads. Key travel – the distance between the resting and pressed positions of a key – could be a bit longer. I had no issues typing accurately on this keyboard despite the flex issues.

ASUS thankfully put in a responsive Synaptics touchpad, which tend to be better than the Elan models from a usability standpoint. The touchpad surface is non-glossy and smooth, making it easy to track on. I'm not a fan of the single touchpad button; it is easy to press down at the outer edges but towards the center is more difficult. Some people like to press towards the center and others towards the edge – it should require the same amount of pressure to produce a click no matter where it is applied.

Screen and Speakers
The U31JG has a 13.3-inch display with a 720p (1366x768) resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, and LED backlighting. The mirror glossy surface helps clarity but reflections a huge distraction in well-lit areas, especially if any lighting sources are facing the screen. It is also difficult to keep clean.

The contrast ratio is better than I expected – the Command Prompt window is a nice deep black without any gray-ish hue. Color reproduction is also above average; LED backlighting typically tends to produce a blue tinted display in my experience; however this screen has a warmer and more natural look.

The real downfall of the U31JG's screen are the abysmal viewing angles. Tilting the display just ten degrees off-center causes significant color distortion. Aside from the viewing angles and glossy surface I have little to complain about here. The 1366x768 resolution is low but there are  barely a handful of 13.3” notebooks that offer anything better; the ones that do are priced well north of the U31JG's MSRP.

The U31JG's two stereo speakers are located under the palm rest and sound awful. The speakers are very small and do everything they can to sound that way, producing lots of distortion at higher volume and no bass. The fact they are located under the palm rest does not help matters; the sound is muffled as soon as hands/wrists are placed on the keyboard. External speakers and headphones are the way to go.

Performance and Benchmarks
The U31JG has a rank-and-file set of components save for its Nvidia GeForce GT 415M graphics card, which is good enough to play modern games (not at the highest settings, though). The GT 415M is not nearly as strong as the GT 425M in the U31JG's sibling, the U41JF, however; gamers should seriously consider stepping up to that model.

The U31JG's Seagate 5400 RPM hard drive is not especially fast but it is whisper quiet. The take away here is that the U31JG offers good (but not great) performance compared to other multimedia notebooks.

wPrime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance):

PCMark05 measures overall system performance (higher scores mean better performance):

PCMark Vantage measures overall system performance (high scores mean better performance): 

3DMark06 measures overall graphics performance for gaming (higher scores mean better performance):

3DMark Vantage measures overall graphics performance for gaming (higher scores mean better performance):

CrystalDiskMark storage drive performance test: 

Heat and Noise
One fan pushes warm air out the left side of the chassis. While performing everyday tasks the U31JG feels cool to the touch all over. The fan is for all intents and purposes silent. Under load, such as when playing games, the fan naturally spins faster to get rid of extra heat. It develops a slight whine but is not distracting nor annoying as one might expect. The left side of the notebook gets warm but not hot around the exhaust vent. Overall the cooling system is well designed.

Battery Life
The U31JG is one of the few smaller notebooks on the market that comes standard with a decent-sized battery. ASUS was able to integrate a large 8-cell, 83Wh battery into the chassis without having it stick out the back or bottom (I’m looking at you, HP).  With the Windows 7 Balanced power profile active, 70% screen brightness, wireless active, and refreshing a web page every 60 seconds, the U31JG lasted 7 hours and 45 minutes. This is an excellent time and generally as good as it practically gets for a 13.3-inch PC notebook.

Battery life test results (higher scores mean better battery life):

Conclusion
The ASUS U31JG is a reasonable pick amongst 13.3-inch notebooks. It has more than enough performance for everyday tasks plus some gaming with over seven hours of battery life on the side. The build quality isn't the greatest but meets our expectations. The keyboard has too much flex but still manages to provide a satisfactory typing experience. Those looking for a more gaming-oriented notebook should seriously consider stepping up to the U41JF, which has a much stronger graphics card.

Overall, the U31JG gets a recommendation. Watch for lower prices though; its MSRP of $849 is high for what is included. It would be a much better value priced $100-150 less.

Pros:

• Thin and light
• 7+ hours of battery life
• Good performance

Cons:

• Too much keyboard flex
• Poor speakers
• MSRP too high

Individual Ratings: *
Software & Support 
Upgrade Capabilities 
Usability 
Design 
Performance 
Features 
Price/Value Rating 

* Ratings averaged to produce final score