Ultrabooks routinely
match potent performance with luscious looks and a slim, sleek chassis, but
such alchemy comes at a cost. This is where Asus’ VivoBook range comes in,
offering similar style in a slightly portlier chassis. Our favourite so far is the budget VivoBook S200, but the S400 is also appealing, combining a larger 14in
touchscreen with a top-flight Core i3 CPU for only $669 inc VAT.
The curvy, 24mm-thick
chassis isn’t slim enough for an official Intel Ultrabook sticker, nor, at
1.82kg, is it light enough. Despite those extra grams, though, it looks
fantastic. The dark brushed-metal lid folds back to reveal a keyboard set
adrift in a silver metal surround, and the stout, contoured base looks
attractive from any angle.
There are no complaints about the S400’s ergonomics, either. The glossy 14in touchscreen responds to the lightest dab and stroke of a finger, and the extra weight in the base means you have to prod hard before it rocks back on its hinge. There’s some flex in the Scrabble-tile keyboard’s surround, but the keys give way with a lovely, cushioned bounce. The buttonless touchpad supports all Windows 8’s edge-swipe gestures, as well as a range of two- and three-fingered dabs and flicks, and it worked well throughout testing.
The presence of a Core i3-3217U CPU is amazing for the money, and Asus has partnered the top-end processor with 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard disk. The lack of an SSD puts a dent in overall performance, with the 0.63 score in our Real World Benchmarks behind models with SSDs, but it’s more than quick enough for most purposes.
However, unlike many of these rivals, there’s room to upgrade. Unscrew the base, and you’ll find an unoccupied RAM slot next to the laptop’s standard 2.5in HDD – adding more RAM and replacing the hard disk with an SSD is a ten-minute job.
This product is available in stores ISTANA COMPUTER
Karawang Central Plaza Lt.1 No.F36,Telp.0267-8636631,Hp.081382814821
