Notebook Asus PRO57T, also known in the global market as Asus M51TR, is a rather unusual device. The device has a sophisticated design, high-quality webcam and rich equipment that can not be compared with competitors. The latter can play a decisive role in choosing a computer, because many things are in any case purchased with a laptop, so why not lie with it in the kit?
Equipment
Actually, in the package from under the computer you can find a whole treasure:
- Asus PRO57T laptop itself.
- A wire for connecting to the mains.
- 4800 milliampere * hour rechargeable battery.
- Bag for transporting the device.
- A mouse that connects to a laptop via USB.
- Many disks with drivers, utilities and tools for system recovery.
- Countless waste paper (manuals and brochures).
- S-VIDEO to S / PDIF adapter.
- Cable for connecting to an RJ-11 telephone modem.
- Tape for bundles of wires.
Specifications
CPU | AMD Athlon 64, 2 cores, 1900 megahertz (950 idle) |
RAM | 2 gigabytes |
HDD | 160 gigabytes, 5400 rpm |
Video card | Radeon HD3470, 256 + 638 megabytes of video memory |
Display | 15.4 inches, 1280 x 800 pixels, glossy |
Camera | 1.3 megapixels with a rotating mechanism |
Battery | Li-ion, 4800 milliamps * hour |
Dimensions and weight | 365 x 270 x 28 - 41 millimeters, 3 kilograms |
Design and Communications
The laptop has a highly controversial design. He looks clumsy and bulky, while he is also quite weighty. The case is made of black plastic. This material is used in all elements of the laptop, giving it an overly strict and slightly outdated look. The build quality is pleasing, the laptop looks quite reliable, does not creak and does not crackle under pressure, the hinges hold the lid firmly and allow it to literally lie on the work surface, whether it be a table or your knees.
On the right side of the laptop we placed: an ExpressCard slot, a 2nd generation USB port, an IEEE 1394 port , an E-SATA port, an HDMI port, a D-SUB port for connecting an additional screen, and two network ports RJ-11 and RJ-45. On the left, there was only enough space for a CD drive and Kensington lock. On the front bevel there are: a “card reader”, another 2nd generation USB port and two audio ports (for headphones and a microphone). There are 2 more USB ports on the back. This unusual arrangement of communication ports is probably justified by the fact that the CD-drive takes up too much space. Together with the changed thickness in the middle of the gadget, this led to the placement of some ports in the front and rear.
Keyboard, touchpad and mouse
The Asus PRO57T uses an island-style keyboard. The keys are in the shape of a pyramid with a recess at the point of pressing. Key travel is high and sharp, like on keyboards for old-style desktop computers. Engraved English keys in white, and Russian - in green. There is no practical benefit in this, but it looks interesting and unusual. There is a full digital panel. Among the shortcomings of the keyboard is its volume. Due to the high altitude, the keys “click” unpleasantly.
Under the keyboard unit there is a small touchpad with a rough surface, recessed into the body. There is nothing special about it, and the fact that the mouse is included in the kit suggests that the manufacturer does not recommend using it. The mouse is standard, without any frills in the form of additional keys.
Display and camera
The laptop is equipped with a large display panel with a diagonal of 15.4 inches and a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. Despite the fact that the classic TN-matrix is used, the display pleases with a high level of brightness and pleasant color reproduction. Here, high-quality glossy finish literally saved the display. Low resolution remains a cause for dissatisfaction. Individual pixels are striking and spoil the impression, especially after using more modern screens.
At the base of the display is a massive camera with a high resolution of 1.3 megapixels (720 pixels) and a rotating mechanism. The camera is able to observe the person sitting in front of the laptop and follow him, adjusting the image.
Performance and autonomy
For the performance of the laptop meets the slow, dual-core AMD Athlon. In standby mode and when performing simple tasks, the chip saves energy and works at low frequencies (950 megahertz). Under load, the chip accelerates and operates at the maximum clock frequency (1900 megahertz). Graphics processing is done by the Radeon HD3470 graphics card. Specifications ASUS PRO57T is clearly not suitable for modern realities. The power of the chip and the video subsystem is hardly enough for comfortable work with the operating system, and 2 gigabytes of RAM will only aggravate the situation. When buying this “beast”, you should consider installing earlier versions of Windows or a lightweight Linux build. As for the permanent memory, then the user expects a ridiculous 160 gigabytes on an outdated HDD with a disk rotation speed of 5400 rpm.
With autonomy, things are no better. During independent battery testing, the computer was able to work 2 hours in read mode and 1 hour under load. This is not enough. This result will not allow you to leave the outlet for a long time, which automatically makes an almost stationary computer out of a laptop.
Instead of a conclusion
The bottom line is a very mixed gadget. An excellent keyboard, good display, rich equipment, proprietary software, on the one hand, make the “car” a very interesting purchase. On the other hand, we are met by an outdated “filling”, which will constantly remind ourselves of itself and require an upgrade. It is foolish to ignore the fact that computers are evolving, and modest characteristics, such as those that we see in Asus PRO57T, are not suitable for working with modern software. Therefore, consider the acquisition of such a gadget is only as a spare laptop.