Product Reviews

The Asus W5fe is the first laptop of its kind to take advantage of an entirely new feature in Vista called Windows SideShow. The idea is simple: a small auxiliary screen (in this case built into the lid) lets you access information on your PC without it actually having to be on. You may have seen displays that show the time or let you play CDs, but the fact that this will be embedded into the operating system of millions of PCs worldwide effectively sets a new standard - and it's also far more flexible.

Vista contains a gallery of 'Gadgets' that can be displayed on the 2.8in screen, and then operate independently even when the rest of the computer is turned off. By default, there's a Gadget for checking your email via Windows Mail, and one for Windows Media Player that lets you browse and play items from your media library. If you install Office 2007, there's an option that checks upcoming appointments in Outlook. To add new features to SideShow, you simply install new Gadgets and these will be available from Microsoft's website.

Trusty sidekick

SideShow isn't completely separate from the PC and needs to go through Windows to access files on your hard disk or to get online. It does, however, have 1GB of flash memory to itself, which you can use to store music or pictures. When checking for emails, for example, it will switch on your PC, download any new messages and then switch it off again. You can choose exactly how often that happens too, so if you are expecting an important email, it's easy to ensure that your inbox is regularly checked. You'll then be able to read the mail at your leisure.

In practice, it works transparently and is more than just convenient. It has a massive, positive impact on battery life too - it's the laptop screen that guzzles the battery.

Thankfully, the rest of the laptop is also excellent, with a great collection of the latest technology. Naturally, it's running Windows Vista, but it's also got one of the latest generations of processor, in the form of an Intel Core 2 Duo T5600. It's got two cores, each running at a maximum of 1.83GHz - enough for even tough jobs like video encoding, or running a full virus scan while doing a couple of other jobs at the same time. It benefits from a full 1GB of RAM too, which is sensible given that memory is the one area in which Vista makes its most stringent demands.

Hey, good-looking

Despite what you may have heard about Vista's neediness when it comes to graphics cards, Intel's low-end integrated GMA950 chip is more than capable of handling all of the shiny new Aero theme effects - including the transparent windows and swish 3D-effect program switching. Although it will only play the most basic games, the upshot is that it consumes much less power than a dedicated 3D graphics chip would, and therefore has far less an impact on battery life.

In everyday use, we'd expect somewhere between three and four hours if you make full utility of power saving settings, although we weren't able to test that on our pre-production laptop's battery. In terms of mobility, the 1.8kg weight makes it

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an ideal travelling companion and it's so well-built (even with that SideShow bulge) that we'd be happy regularly slinging it in a bag.

For when you need to use the Asus, for example, to watch a movie, there's a 12.1in widescreen display. It's a good one too, and although we're not crazy about the glossy finish (this reflects any light around and can cause a distracting glare), as long as you don't spend all your time underneath the fluorescent glow of office lighting, there are no other issues.

We were more than happy with its colour reproduction and the motion handling. It's also got amazingly good viewing angles, so is equally at home whether you're editing photos, writing a document, or watching a film. The 1280 x 768 resolution is a little restrictive if you're used to keeping several windows open at once, though.

Key features

The other key area that's very important if you are using your laptop on a day-to-day basis is having a good keyboard and again, the Asus delivers here. It feels reassuringly solid under your fingers and is laid-out sensibly - all the keys are where you'd expect to find them and, despite the limited amount of space, they aren't crammed in next to each other. We're not fans of the trackpad though, which feels a little bit unpleasant when you run your finger over it. It's nothing that plugging in a USB mouse wouldn't solve, though that's not always convenient.

For storing all your documents, there's a 160GB hard disk inside. This will only become restrictive if you're keeping masses of video or hundreds of CDs, and most people won't even get close to filling it up. Should you want to burn files for backup or archival (or for making Video DVDs), there's a DVD writer on-board, which will work with all the popular formats of disc except DVD-RAM. Dual-layer discs are also supported, storing up to 8.5GB of data. There's also a media card reader in the side, which will cater for the cards of most digital cameras, although not CompactFlash or xD formats.

Get connected

The feature list is comprehensive elsewhere too, with details such as a 1.3-megapixel webcam nestled in the main TFT's bezel - a nice touch. Three USB ports is an adequate, if not extravagant, number to be going on with and there's mini-FireWire for attaching kit like camcorders.

Bluetooth also comes as standard, for communicating with mobile phones, and we like the inclusion of a Gigabit Ethernet connection (faster than the 10/100 standard if you've got compatible networking hardware), as well as the now standard 802.11a/b/g wireless networking. There's also a 56k modem if you're still on dial-up.

The version of Windows Vista supplied in our review sample was the Business Edition. There's nothing to stop this from being a perfectly good choice for most people - just be aware that it doesn't contain some of Vista's more entertainment-focused aspects. This version doesn't include Windows Media Center, which for many is one of Vista's most compelling elements. If you want that, you'll need to pay slightly more for the Home Premium or Ultimate Editions.

It all adds up to a compelling, if fairly expensive package. While you're getting plenty for your money, you could make do with less. It isn't the epitome of style, either, but this form factor is a great balance between usable size and mobility. If you want something that's a bit different, then the SideShow element is unique now, and will grow tremendously in capability in the future. If you're looking for a fully-featured and mobile laptop that makes the most of Vista, it's well worth considering - only the lack of gaming potential and the low screen resolution will put off the demanding.