While searching for the ideal laptop for myself, I found that all laptops seem to have huge trade-offs. This one is no exception. I chose it because it packed a relatively fast CPU and a decent graphics card into a very portable PC. Every other laptop I found with discrete graphics was a lot heavier, and most were pricier. The trade-off here (as with all laptops that have fast CPU's and discrete graphics) is that battery life is far from impressive. Unfortunately, there is no 9-cell (more powerful) battery available. Based on the location of the battery on the bottom of the laptop, I don't think there ever will a more powerful (and larger) option.Performance on this is great. Windows 7 is extremely responsive, audio production software runs smoothly, and game performance is even better than I expected Dragon Age Origins looks beautiful at the screen's max resolution with most graphics settings somewhere between medium and high. I haven't tried editing video yet, but based on what I've seen so far, I don't expect any performance issues. If you're just planning to browse the web and work on spreadsheets, documents, etc. this may be overkill for you. You would probably have no problems on a cheaper machine with a slower CPU, without discrete graphics, and with longer battery life.
Speaking of battery life, it is pretty short, but I find it to be usable. Asus added a dedicated button for switching power profiles. Switching to battery-saving mode gives a significant boost over high-performance and entertainment modes. I haven't done extensive testing, but it seems that battery-saving mode will get you 4-5 hours of web browsing and other light work, while entertainment mode might let you watch one movie before you need to search for an outlet. Depending on how and where you expect to use your laptop, this may or may not be a problem. In high-performance mode, hot air blows out of the right side, but the bottom doesn't get hot enough to burn laps.
In response to other feedback I've seen:
It's been said that the touch-pad buttons are stiff. I don't find this to be the case at all. They seem quite comfortable to me, my girlfriend, and my mother.
Another reviewer mentioned having issues using the touch-pad scroll. The part about scrolling not stopping without an extra touch is a non-issue. This an intentional behavior that can be changed or turned off in settings. However, the part about having to hit the line is a very real issue. The problem is that the outer edges (maybe 1/4") of the pad do not respond to touch. You don't need to hit the line exactly, but you do need to make sure you're not right at the edge, which frequently requires a look. This is the most annoying problem I have with the n81vp.
Keyboard quality and noise is fine. It's comfortable to type on. It's not silent, but not noticeably loud either.
The function key is where most people would expect 'control' to be, but after a few weeks with the laptop, I find myself getting used to this.
In summary, the Asus N81VP-D2 is great for audio production, multimedia work, gaming, and most other demanding tasks.
It's a waste of money for more casual users and no good if you need long battery life.
ASUS is fast and stable with Windows 7. The machine looks and feels well built. Furthermore, the machine stays cool even under heavy use. The small complaints I have are that it doesn't come with dedicated media keys/buttons, and the keyboard definitely feels different from that of Dell and takes some getting used to. Certainly, I am not faulting ASUS for these. A good thing is that you are getting a bargain buying from Amazon. I was in Taiwan last December the same ASUS model sold there for roughly US$1,300 when you would expect a lower price because ASUS is a Taiwanese brand. I guess Amazon's trade volume must entitle it to a huge discount.
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I regret purchasing this computer; it really is not worth the price compared to others on the market now. I have also had some issues with the computer itself. If you Google "ASUS N81 crash" you will find that many people are experiencing random system crashes, especially when trying to do any gaming at all on this computer. There is a possible hardware issue that causes the crash, which many assume to be from the ATI Mobility card, but ASUS has not acknowledged it.I sent my machine back to ASUS for repairs due to all the random system crashes I experienced; it was updated as "Repaired" and assigned a tracking number the day after received. I called and they said no issues were found with my computer. I called several times and left my number several times, but they would never let me speak with a supervisor, and a supervisor would not call me back. I got my computer back and found that they had removed all the AMD/ATI software from the machine, but didn't make any mention of this on their notes. There is a problem with either the graphics card and/or its software. I did a full reformat and fresh install and got rid of all the ATI and AMD software except for the driver, and my system no longer crashes. The WLAN card included is also really weak. I replaced mine with a Gigabyte GN-WI07HT-RH that I had in an older machine, and it gets much better connection. The hard drive is a Seagate Momentus 7200.4. Just google the name of the hard drive and you see what a piece of crap it is. It's a noisy, clunky hard drive; I guess I will replace it with a Hitachi drive on my own dime. No real reason to RMA it for the loud Seagate because it seems like it's the product itself that is a joke, not just mine.
This computer has had issues with multi-tasking. It locks up and requires a full reboot. When I watch stream feeds, I have to reboot 3-4 times in a 2 hour period. I have a netbook that performs better than this computer. It's pretty much a piece of crap.
I experienced terrible customer service, a poor warranty/repair department, and unaddressed shutdown issues make this a computer to avoid, in my opinion. I have purchased three ASUS laptops in the past three years, but after the experience with this one, it will be my last.When I purchased this laptop I had several criteria
1) Powerful enough to last my family 3 years at least
2) Enough gaming power to do light gaming
3) Portable I didn't want a 17", I wanted 14-15"
4) A maximum of around $1000
5) A quality name/warranty this is a laptop afterall
1) Power The "windows experience" rating is 5.8 but that is due to the replaceable hard drive. The Processor got 6.4, the graphics 6.7. While the stated max of the motherboard is 4gb RAM, its reported to handle up to 8gb. No this isn't one of the lasted i7 or i5 processors but its a very powerful dual-core and if you aren't doing media editing this will last a long time.
2) Gaming I have Dragon Age running at max details and it doesn't even skip a beat. The specs call the graphics chip a HD4650, the sticker says HD4670. The only difference between the two is clock speed, and this is clocked as a 4650. You could over clock it but I don't see the need yet. This isn't a laptop for hardcore gamers but it can play hardcore games.
3) Portable this is a 14" laptop with desktop replacement hardware! Of course the downside is the tiny battery can't keep up. I'd suggest buying a spare battery or staying near an outlet.
4) When I got this laptop it was 1000 w/ a 100 dollar rebate, its gone up a bit but its still a steal!
5) Most laptop companies give a 1 year hardware failure warranty. Asus gives a 2 year hardware and 1 year accidental damage. Oh and Asus laptops are much more reliable than HP/Dell/Gateway ones.
Cons:
1) Battery
2) No DVI output
3) Battery
4) Typical bloatware
5) Battery
Bottomline: Get it while you can!
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Like others have mentioned, I experienced random crashes and keyboard won't register all keystrokes. Customer service is very rude and not much help.I will never purchase products from ASUS again.
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