ASUS N82JV-X1 Review

N82JQ-A1 I7-720WM 500GB 4GB W7H

Review Summary:

The ASUS N82JV is more than recommendable to those looking for a high-performance 14-inch notebook under $1,000.

Pros

• Great performance
• Excellent build quality
• Good keyboard

Cons

• Battery life could be longer
• Loud touchpad buttons
• So-so screen quality

ASUS N82JV-X1 Full Review

 

The ASUS N82J is a 14-inch multimedia notebook packing a Core i5 processor and powerful Nvidia GT 335M graphics with Nvidia Optimus technology. Is this notebook the ideal compromise between portability and performance? Read our review to find out.

Our ASUS N82JV-X1 review unit has the following specifications:

• 14-inch 720p (1366x768) glossy panel with LED backlighting
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• Intel Core i5-450M dual-core processor (2.40GHz/2.66GHz Turbo Mode, 3MB L3, 2.5GT/s QPI, 35W TDP)
• Intel HM55 chipset
• Switchable graphics via Nvidia Optimus technology:
  • Nvidia GeForce GT 335M w/ 1GB DDR3 video memory
  • Integrated Intel HD graphics
• 4GB DDR3-1066 dual-channel RAM (2x 2GB)
• 500GB 7200RPM Seagate hard drive (ST9500420AS)
• Atheros AR9285 802.11n Wireless LAN
• DVD burner (TSSTcorp CDDVDW TS-L633C)
• 1-year global limited warranty w/ 1 year accidental damage coverage
• 6-cell Li-ion battery (11.1V, 47Wh)
• USB 3.0 port
• Weight: 5.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 13.8” (L) x 9.7” (D) x 1.4” (H)
• MSRP: $999

This is a solid set of specifications for a 14-inch notebook. The graphics card is the same as in the Alienware M11x. Another notable feature is the USB 3.0 port, which has considerably higher transfer rates than current-gen USB 2.0 ports – it is very useful for connecting to external USB 3.0 hard drives.

Build and Design
The N82JV has a standard notebook shape but does not look ordinary at all because of its unique color scheme. The entire lid and area below the screen are a striking copper-colored aluminum, which is imprinted with an elegant pattern. It looks and feels positively luxurious. The rest of the palm rest area is matte plastic with a slightly rubbery feel; a sticker on the palm rest says it is scratchproof, which I have no problem believing. Unfortunately the glossy black plastic surrounding the lid does not share the same DNA; it scratches easily and attracts dust and fingerprints.

The N82JV’s build quality is excellent; this is one of the most solid notebooks I tested in a long time. The chassis is nearly impossible to twist by its corners, indicating it has a strong internal supporting frame. It takes abnormal pressure to produce any flex in the palm rest area. The lid resists flexing well thanks to its aluminum backing; no ripples appear on the screen when pushed in from behind either. Fit and finish is excellent; gaps between parts are even for the most part and there are no unfinished edges.

The N82JV feels hefty as a result of the high-quality build materials, coming in at a shade over five pounds. It is also thicker than usual at 1.4 inches, however this is a result of having to accommodate high-performance components like the Nvidia graphics card. Overall, the build quality is fantastic; my only complaint is the use of glossy plastic for the screen surround.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The N82JV has an island/Chiclet-style keyboard, where the keys are raised above the surface with more-than-usual spacing between them. The keys have a flat top with a matte texture and generally feel good to type on. The key travel (the difference between raised and pressed positions) is shorter than usual which limits tactile feedback, however there is enough feel to make fast typing possible. The keyboard feels solid; there is no flex unless slightly more than normal pressure is used. One negative aspect of this keyboard is that it is loud; the person next to you will notice you are typing. Typing with less force is more or less remedies this, however.

The Elan touchpad has a matte textured surface with the same pattern imprinted in the aluminum lid. I like the surface a lot; it is easy to track on with moist and dry fingers alike. Responsiveness seemed normal with negligible lag during cursor movement. The buttons provide excellent feedback however make a distinct click when pressed – everyone around you will hear it.

Screen and Speakers
The N82JV has a 14-inch screen with a 720p (1366x768) resolution and LED backlighting. It has a glossy surface, which improves clarity and contrast but at the expense of usability; it looks like a mirror and reflects light accordingly. The glossy surface also makes it difficult to keep clean.

The display is average for a consumer notebook. With default settings it has a slightly blue/cold look and is somewhat washed out. Brightness is satisfactory – I would not call this display dim or dark. Contrast is average; black levels could be deeper. Viewing angles are also average; side-to-side is OK to about 50 degrees off-center in either direction; vertical viewing angles are very narrow however, allowing only about 20 degrees of freedom off-center viewing before colors start to invert.

ASUS includes several preset display modes which improve the colors; press [Fn] + [C] to switch between Gamma Correction, Vivid mode, Theater, Soft, and back to normal. I found Vivid mode improved the display the most, making colors look warmer and more vibrant.

The 1366x768 screen resolution feels limiting – there is simply not enough vertical space, which means a lot of scrolling is required in web pages and documents. Using two windows side-by-side is impractical. I would like to see 1600x900 become standard on 14-inch notebooks however the chances of that happening are very slim.

The N82J has two stereo speakers below the palm rest. They are not as tinny as I expected although there is little bass to speak of. They get loud enough to play games and music at a comfortable level and I didn’t notice much distortion until the volume was 85% and above. The sound can get muffled since they are under the palm rest and therefore under your arms while typing.

Ports and Features
The N82JV has an impressive array of ports, ranging from USB 3.0 and e-SATA to HDMI. It also has an internal DVD burner. Something the N82JV lacks is an ExpressCard slot. All picture descriptions are left to right.

Front: Speaker, 8-in-1 card reader,  wireless on/off switch, speaker	Rear: Battery pack
Left: AC power, cooling exhaust vent,  VGA, HDMI, USB 3.0 port, microphone  and headphone jacks	Right: DVD burner, USB 2.0, RJ-45  Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0/e-SATA  combo port, Kensington lock slot

Performance and Benchmarks
Thanks to its enthusiast-grade components, the N82JV has very good overall performance. The Nvidia GT 335M graphics card can play the latest games at maximum settings. The hard drive could have been faster; it is 7200RPM drive but unfortunately a Seagate 7200.4, which struggles to keep up with some of the faster 5400RPM drives.

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:

Gaming Performance
Synthetic benchmarks like 3DMark only tell part of the story; what really matters is how well the notebook performs in actual games. For reference, 30 frames per second (FPS) is the minimum required for playability i.e. without stuttering.

The N82JV clearly had no problems playing Mass Effect 2, maintaining 38 FPS average. The low screen resolution of 1366x768 is a limiting factor for this graphics card, which is capable of playing games at higher resolutions.

Heat and Noise
A single fan exhausts hot air out the left side of the N82JV. At idle the fan is essentially inaudible; under load it gets louder and develops a slight whine, but is not annoying and blends into background noise. The cooling system does an excellent job keeping the heat under control; with the exception of the surface directly above the exhaust vent, the notebook gets lukewarm at best. The underside of the notebook gets warmer than the top but cool enough to use on your lap.

Using HWMonitor, I observed the graphics card reach 68*C while gaming and the processor 78*C; both of these are within acceptable ranges for internal temperatures.

Battery Life
In power-saving mode with the screen brightness at minimum, I recorded three hours and 50 minutes of life while typing this review and surfing the Internet. This time is slightly underwhelming; I expected a bit better life given the Nvidia Optimus graphics-switching technology. The included 6-cell battery only has a 47Wh rating, which is on the low side. ASUS should have included a higher capacity battery.

Conclusion
The N82JV is a well-rounded 14-inch notebook; it is ideal for media enthusiasts and gamers. The Intel Core i5 dual-core processor and powerful Nvidia GT 335M graphics provided very good gaming performance. The N82JV has excellent build quality; it feels rock solid and the copper-colored aluminum accents look great. Other highlights of the machine include a good keyboard, cooling system, and a good selection of input/output ports including USB 3.0.

The screen quality could be improved; it has a slightly cold hue and appears washed out. The glossy plastic screen surround scratches easily and is tough to clean. Another complaint is the unimpressive four-hour battery life; I was hoping for five or six. Lastly, the touchpad buttons could be quieter.

Overall the ASUS N82JV is more than recommendable to those looking for a high-performance 14-inch notebook under $1,000.

Pros:

• Great performance
• Excellent build quality
• Good keyboard

Cons:

• Battery life could be longer
• Loud touchpad buttons
• So-so screen quality

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

* Ratings averaged to produce final score