ASUS U45JC-A1 Review

Asus U45JC-A1 

Review Summary:

The ASUS U45JC is a solid choice for consumers needing a 14-inch multimedia notebook with gobs of battery life.

Pros

• Excellent battery life (9.8 hours)
• Good build quality
• Good keyboard

Cons

• Clicky touchpad buttons
• So-so screen quality

ASUS U45JC-A1 Full Review

 

ASUS claims its thin-and-light U45JC can get up to ten hours of battery life on a single charge. Does this 14" multimedia notebook packed with and Intel Core i3 processor and Nvidia graphics stand up to its marketing claims? We find out in this review.

Our ASUS U45JC-A1 review unit has the following specifications:

• 14-inch 720p (1366x768) glossy panel with LED backlighting
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• Intel Core i3-370M dual-core processor (2.40GHz, 3MB L3, 4.8GT/s QPI, 35W TDP)
• Intel HM55 chipset
• Switchable graphics via Nvidia Optimus technology:
• Nvidia GeForce 310M w/ 1GB DDR3 memory
• Integrated Intel HD graphics
• 4GB DDR3-1066 dual-channel RAM (2x 2GB)
• 500GB 5400RPM Seagate hard drive (ST9500325AS)
• Atheros AR9285 802.11n wireless LAN
• DVD burner (HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GU10N)
• 2-year global limited warranty w/ 1 year accidental damage coverage
• 8-cell battery (11.1V, 5600mAh)
• Weight: 4.6 lbs.
• Dimensions: 13.5 x 9.6 x 1.1 inches
• MSRP: $899

This is a general purpose and multimedia laptop with a focus on mobility; it is not designed for gaming (though its G310M graphics are capable of playing some games, as this review will show).

Build and Design
The U45JC has an understated yet classy look; the combination of bright silver and glossy black is aesthetically pleasing. I like how the black keyboard keys stand out against their silver surround. The U45JC is quite thin for a 14-inch laptop with such impressive specs at just 1.1" tall. The chassis has an angular shape; the very edges of the notebook are angled downward and make the notebook look slimmer than it actually is.

With the exception of the aluminum lid backing, the U45JC is made of plastic. The top of the chassis is covered in an anti-scratch skin, which feels nice and does not show fingerprints or dust. Unfortunately the glossy plastic screen surround does; it is tough to keep clean, as is the display surface since that is also glossy.

The build quality is above average. The U45JC feels solid in the hand, mainly due to its thinness. The palm rest area shows minimal flex even when significant pressure is applied. The silver area below the display has some flex; there appears to be a small gap between the plastic and whatever is beneath it. The chassis bends slightly when twisted by its corners, which is expected; the U45JC fares better than most mainstream notebooks I have tested. Flex is a bad thing because it allows the circuit boards inside to bend, and circuit boards should not bend.

The aluminum-backed lid feels cool to the touch and gives the U45JC measurable style points. Despite its thinness, the lid is stronger than I expected. It resists twisting well; the aluminum backing helps a lot. I was not able to get ripples to appear on the screen by applying pressure on the lid, which is also good. The display hinges anchoring the lid to the chassis are strong; there is very little "display wobble" -- the lid does not bounce back and forth when abruptly pushed or let go. The hinges extend out the back of the chassis instead of resting on top; this allowed the designers to accommodate the U45JC's large 8-cell battery in between as opposed to having it extend out the back or bottom like some manufacturers.

Overall the build quality is above average; it is not quite business class but for a consumer notebook, it is difficult to fault. The only aspect I do not like is the partial use of glossy plastic around the screen.

Ports and Features
The input/output port selection is adequate at best; it includes the essentials including three USB 2.0 ports, HDMI and VGA, a card reader, and Ethernet. The U45JC also has a built-in DVD burner. This notebook lacks USB 3.0, ExpressCard (which is useful for adding things like USB 3.0 and mobile broadband cards), and e-SATA. All picture descriptions are left to right.

Front: Speakers, status lights

Rear: Battery pack

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

Right: DVD burner, card reader, USB 2.0, Ethernet

Keyboard and Touchpad
The U45JC has a full-size island/Chiclet-style keyboard, where the keys are raised above the keyboard surface with more-than-usual spacing. The keys feel quite nice to type on; they have a somewhat rubbery feel and sound. The keys have a granular texture and are completely flat. There is some minor flex on the extreme left side however it is not noticeable while typing; on the whole the keyboard has a solid and well-seated feel. Unlike some ASUS notebooks I tested, the U45JC's keyboard is quiet and should not disturb neighbors.

The U45JC has an Elan Smart-Pad which supports multi-touch features like two-finger scrolling and "pinching" to zoom. The touchpad area is small and lays flush with the palm rest. The touchpad area has a fine matte texture which is easy to track on; it is one of the better touchpad surfaces I have used. The buttons require a bit more actuation force than usual and are not exactly quiet; people around you will know you clicked.

Screen and Speakers
The U45JC has a 14-inch screen with a 720p (1366x768) resolution and LED backlighting. The glossy surface looks appealing and adds contrast; however it is tough to keep clean and reflects whatever is in front of it like a mirror. The display has a cold/blue cast at default settings and is none too colorful. Brightness is satisfactory however contrast could have deeper black levels.

Horizontal viewing angles are generally fine however the vertical range is quite limited; it can only be viewed about 20 degrees off-center in either direction before colors start to invert. ASUS includes some built-in color profiles; switch between them by pressing the [Fn] key and [C]. I like the Vivid mode the best, which noticeably warms up the color.

Two stereo speakers are located below the palm rest. The sound quality is dismal, even for notebook speakers; they are tinny without a hint of bass. The speaker's location is also not ideal; since they are under the palm rest, the sound is muffled even more when your hands are on the keyboard. Fortunately the U45JC has a microphone and headphone jacks as well as an HDMI port, which can send audio and video to a monitor or HDTV with a single cable.

Performance and Benchmarks
The U45JC-A1 has a good amount of power. Its Core i3 dual-core processor features Hyper-Threading technology, which boosts performance by allowing the processor to process more things simultaneously and improves its multitasking capability. 4GB of RAM is plenty for running modern applications. Its 500GB 5400RPM hard drive, while large, held back performance; a 7200RPM drive would fare better. Last but not least, the Nvidia G310M graphics are good enough to handle some modern games though as the benchmarks will show, this is clearly not a gaming notebook.

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
3DMark is only a synthetic benchmark and not necessarily an indicator of actual gaming performance. I ran Mass Effect 2 on the U45JC and it did not go well; for reference, 30 frames per second (FPS) is considered the minimum required for a smooth gaming experience -- below that and it starts to look like a slideshow.

The U45JC's GeForce G310M graphics simply can't keep up with the graphical demands of this game, even with the settings lowered to medium. It is capable of running older games like Counter-Stike: Source and some newer games likeStarCraft II; however buying this machine primarily for gaming would be a mistake.

Heat and Noise
The U45JC has a single fan which pushes warm air out of the left side of the notebook. At idle the notebook is all but silent; the fan is inaudible at its lowest operating speed. While running benchmarks the fan noise increased and develops a slight whine; it sounds like a fast rush of air and is not annoying.

The cooling system does a great job of keeping heat under control. The palm rest area and underside of the notebook get slightly above room temperature even under full load. The only hotspot is the area above and below the vent; it does not get warm enough to cause any concern, however.

Battery Life
I measured an impressive 9 hours, 48 minutes of life while typing this review and surfing the Internet. I had the machine in power-saving mode and with minimum screen brightness. This is a very impressive number and matches ASUS' claims, though under a minimal usage scenario. Nvidia Optimus technology definitely helped with the times; it allows the notebook to switch to the integrated Intel HD graphics, which use less power than the dedicated Nvidia card. Even with heavier use, the U45JC should be able to get at least 7 hours.

Conclusion
The ASUS U45JC has a lot to like, especially when it comes to battery life; it lasted an amazing 9.8 hours unplugged. Even under heavier use, seven or eight hours should be attainable. Other highlights of this notebook include a good keyboard and touchpad (though the touchpad buttons are too clicky), quiet cooling system, and a thin, aesthetically pleasing design. The general performance of the machine is more than adequate for everyday use -- don't expect much in the gaming department, however.

The build quality is good for a consumer notebook; my only real complaint is the use of glossy plastic in the screen surround, which is difficult to keep clean. The 14-inch screen is a bit washed out at default settings however ASUS includes utilities to change the color profile, improving its appearance.

Overall the ASUS U45JC is a solid choice for consumers requiring a portable multimedia notebook with gobs of battery life.

Pros:

• Excellent battery life (9.8 hours)
• Good build quality
• Good keyboard
• Decent performance
• Runs cool and quiet

Cons:

• Clicky 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