Asus R510J #ExpressReview: Perfect machine for your next LAN party

From its design to performance – gaming is in the DNA of Asus R510J, after all this machine is meant for hard-core gamers.

From lightweight ultrabooks to TPM chips equipped enterprise notebooks to ones specially designed for gamers, laptops are available in various form factors for different type of users. With users getting choosy about their needs and Microsoft bringing Xbox game streaming to Windows 10, gaming notebooks could well be the most preferred laptop next year.

Asus R510J

From its design to performance – gaming is in the DNA of this machine, after all this machine is meant for hard-core gamers.So is Asus R510J that gaming machine to buy? I am very much convinced and here is why

Specs: Windows 10 Home 64-bit | 2.60 GHz Intel Core i7-4720HQ | 8GB DDR3 SDRAM | NVIDIA GeForce 950M | 1TB SATA | 15.6-inch HD(1920 x 1080) LCD | VGA | HDMI | RJ-45 | USB x3 | DVD RW | 4-cell 44 Whrs battery | 2.40 kg

Price: Rs 69,990

Watch first look video of Asus R510J gaming laptop

What is good?

The design is the most striking aspect of this notebook. It feels as if a white canvas was kept in front of the designer and he/she had only Red and Black colours to play with. Asus has literally splashed Red and Black colours to give this one a distinct look. From black keyboard keys with Red marking to the front lid’s Red contour lines, I believe gaming is all about getting Red.

The design is not just about red but it is also about sturdiness. The minute I held the notebook, I found the build quality a notch above average laptops. I was wondering if I should do a drop test but I didn’t and readers shouldn’t take risk either.

A gaming notebook needs better display than any other type of computer and Asus has got this perfectly right. The 15.6-inch full HD panel on Asus R510J is nothing short of beauty to look at. The colours are extremely vivid and crisp. The brightness is so spectacular that I was easily able to play games, write this review and browse photos even with harsh lighting conditions in my apartment. The non-glossy panel is nothing short of a delight and this goes down as one of the best laptop displays in my book.

Asus has literally splashed Red and Black colours to give this one a distinct look. From black keyboard keys with Red marking to the front lid’s Red contour lines, I believe gaming is all about getting Red.

A gamer also needs a great sounding device especially when the headphones are not handy and Asus’ SonicMaster gets all my praise. From the sound of engine starting in Project Cars to gunfire in CounterStrike, everything sounds perfect on this speaker. Even if you are someone like me who prefers music over game sounds, this won’t give cause for complaints.

With Asus R510J, I believe that Windows machines are getting better with trackpads. Almost every imaginable Windows 10 gesture works well on this one. It is also big enough that your palm doesn’t intrude while trying any of these gestures. Of course gamers might not consider this to be a big deal as they will continue to depend on the gaming mouse.

While trackpad is not any big deal here, gamers will find the keyboard extremely useful. So for example, while playing a dead simple racing game like Asphalt 8: Airborne, the keyboard shows its magic. The navigation keys are extremely punchy and the feedback they offer while hitting them is phenomenal. Even with CounterStrike, the use of W, A and D keys was highly responsive. Asus has done a great job here.

Asus R510J runs Windows 10 out-of-the-box, Redmond’s latest and greatest operating system. Windows 10 is highly responsive and you won’t think of any reason to downgrade to Windows 7 (better we don’t talk about Windows 8, please). It lacks Windows 10’s standout Hello facial recognition feature but it does get Cortana, who is always listening for a shoutout. Hey Cortana, start Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.

Asus R510J runs Windows 10 out-of-the-box, Redmond’s latest and greatest operating system.

Not sure how useful it is going to be in 2016 but Asus R510J does come with a DVD multi recorder. It also has three full-size USB port, HDMI port and SD card slot. Asus R510J almost covers up with all the possible form of connectivity options.

What is not good?

The keyboard is sure great but it is not backlit. Especially for those looking to spend nights playing games, this will be a big letdown. But Xiaomi’s Rs 200 LED light comes handy here and I feel this shouldn’t be a huge cost to pay.

The battery life is definitely not worth talking about. Even with very little gaming, Asus R510J couldn’t survive for more than three and a half hours. In 2015, a laptop with less than five hours of battery life seems too subpar for me.

The included charger with Asus R510J is more like a brick than standard laptop charger. It a huge thing that you need to carry around everytime. Probably it’s time for PC manufacturers to adopt USB Type-C port for charging at least.

Verdict

I don’t have any doubt about the abilities of this gaming machine. It does work really well but there are definitely few shortcomings here.

Undoubtedly Alienware is the best gaming notebook available in India but they are priced extremely on the higher side. If you overlook those few shortcomings, Asus R510J is certainly a perfect option for your next LAN gaming party.