Asus G1 S

If you re a gizmo freak and don�t mind coming across as an attention hogger then you�re going to love the Asus G1S. If you can ignore its bulky form factor while flashing this bling thing, then look no further. This is also your chance to get your hands on the first DirectX 10 gaming laptop.

Features
The G1S has a feature set of such caliber that this baby might fall prey to envious eyes. The Asus G1S is based on the Santa Rosa platform, with an Intel PM965 chipset and it is powered by a 2 GHz Core 2 Duo processor.

This machine also boasts a next generation DX 10 capable Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT GPU. And there�s 2 GB of RAM along with 256 MB of dedicated graphics memory to blast your games on its 1440x900 pixels LCD screen. It also has a sporty looking 1.3 mega pixels web cam.

The storage capacity is pretty decent at 160 GB and for external storage it has a LightScribe capable DVD writer. A PCMCIA slot, a multi card reader, jacks for TV out, FireWire and audio add to its relentless feature set. And that�s not it. In a first for laptops, you�ll also find an eSATA port and an HDMI output on the rear panel.

Build Quality
The loud, polished exterior and the flashy green lights on either side of the lid make it look G. I. Joe. It�s too loud for our taste, but some people will love showing it off. The lights are painfully irritating to look at, but they can be disabled using the in built software.

The keyboard is comfortable to use, and the colored W, A, S, and D keys for FPS gamers compliment the laptop. The glossy finish of the body is impressive, but is susceptible to fingerprints and scratches, which are quite unpleasant to look at.

Unfortunately, the screen tends to shake like a leaf, so basically the hinges aren�t a strong point of the G1S. If you�re in a job that involves field work, then you might want to consider something much lighter.

Performance
As a platform, this one is sufficient for a reasonable level of gaming. Looking at the scores one would realize that 36 fps in FEAR at 1440x900 with 2x AA turned on is commendable, but not enough to wow a hardcore gamer.

Thanks to the generous amount of main memory and the dedicated graphics, this notebook is able to handle the resource hungry Windows Vista along with its Aero visual effects. To top it off, being able to play games in this environment is pretty neat. The overall performance of the Asus G1S is excellent. The G1S scored 4788 in the PCMark test which is commendable for a laptop.

Verdict
If you want a desktop replacement that doubles up as a gaming machine as well, then go for this mean machine. But if you�re a hardcore gamer, you might want something more powerful.