Toshiba Libretto 100CT Mini-Notebook Review

Overview

PROS

Small and compact

Good build quality

Reasonable battery life

Good performance

CONS

Expensive

Looks boring

QUICK TAKE

The Libretto 100CT delivers a powerhouse of mobile technology including a 7.1-inch LCD, Intel Pentium microprocessor with MMX technology, and more!

The new Toshiba Libretto 100CT features the latest in mobile technology including a 7.1-inch LCD, Intel Pentium microprocessor with MMX technology, a 2GB hard drive and 32MB of RAM. In short, $2,499 buys one of the hottest devices available for mobile productivity.

Build and Design

The Libretto 100CT’s exterior symbolizes a return to the classic, all-gray color scheme prevalent on computers from two decades ago. The squared-off design gives the 100CT its all-business look and feel. The chassis is both thin at 1.4 inches tall and light at just 2.35 pounds which is remarkable given the amount of technology and features packed inside. Consider that the 100CT is but a fraction of the size and weight of the mobile phones from the 1980s.

[Top_DS_1920] The plastic used in this notebook is of high quality and dyed all the way through, unlike the surface-coated plastics used on imaginatively-colored ‘modern’ notebooks. The build quality is strong; the chassis exhibits no flex and the lid resists twisting as well. The display hinge is sturdy and should withstand at least sixteen years of usage.

Input and Output Ports

In order to maintain its compactness, Toshiba divorced some ports to an included port expander as seen in the photos. The port expander can be connected or disconnected from the 100CT in less than 30 seconds. It adds essential ports such as parallel and serial. The RGB connector supports up to a 1024×768 resolution. All picture descriptions are left to right.

Left: no ports for the cleanest possible look

Right: infrared port; reset button, 2x PC Card slot w/ release levers

Back (with port expander installed): PS/2 mouse/keyboard port, 15-pin RGB connector, power jack, 9-pin serial connector, 25-pin parallel connector

Screen and Speakers

The 7.1-inch display is full color and made up of just fewer than one million transistors. It has an anti-glare surface and 800×480 pixels resolution. This display is sidelit, not backlit, to keep the thickness down to a minimum. The picture quality is satisfactory – it’s full 24-bit color and has ample contrast. One neat security feature of this display is its limited viewing angles; the picture washes out when viewed from extreme angles; this keeps bystanders and others within viewing range of the screen from seeing its contents. This came in handy when I pulled the 100CT out of my bag at a coffee shop and had people looking over every inch of it, staring in wonderment as if it had come out of a time machine.

The 100CT’s single speaker is located on the bottom right of the display; it makes all kinds of beeps sound great and even more complex ones such as the Windows 95 logon chime.

 Keyboard and Touchpad

The enhanced 80-key keyboard includes all of the keys available on a standard 101-key IBM keyboard. Despite its fingernail-sized keys (which are absolutely impossible to touch-type on), the 100CT still provides a more tactile experience than the virtual keyboards available on touchscreen devices. The keys are quiet and there isn’t any flex. I made so many mistakes trying to type this review on the 100CT’s keyboard that I gave up and plugged in my IBM Model M to the PS/2 port (thank heavens for the port expander).

The 100CT incorporates Toshiba’s AccuPoint system; to use, place your right thumb on the round circle to the right of the display (the AccuPoint) and use your index and middle fingers to control the right- and left-click buttons, respectively, located directly behind. Roll your thumb in any direction to move the pointer; apply more pressure to make the pointer move faster. It’s challenging to move the pointer exactly where you want it to go without overshooting the mark. Complicating matters, the AccuPoint buttons have a vague feel; trying to drag and drop is impossible (that’s a fact). This ultra-modern replacement for the mouse is surprisingly difficult to use and would probably take someone sixteen years to master.

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Acer Aspire S7 (2014) Review

Pros: Gorgeous high-res display; Attractive premium build; Fast SSD; Bloatware-free

Cons: Shorter battery life than previous version; Underside runs hot; Tinny audio

The Verdict: Acer's Aspire S7 Ultrabook squeezes a WQHD display and snappy Haswell performance into the same seductive body as its predecessor, but battery life suffers.

Acer Aspire S7 (2014) Review

If you want a laptop that packs both beauty and brawn, Acer's new Aspire S7-392-6807 ($1,399) is a strong contender. A refresh of last year's model, the gorgeous Windows 8.1 Ultrabook offers zippy Haswell performance and a new high-definition WQHD display. However, with this sharper panel comes a trade-off some people may not want to make.

Design

Still as sexy as ever, the all-white Acer Aspire S7-392-6807, whose lid is covered in Corning's Gorilla Glass 2, screams premium. Sharp-straight edges line the aluminum unibody, and a silver, straw-width hinge houses two subtle indicator lights for power and battery. A metallic-gray Acer logo sits on the lid and lights up when the computer is on.

Under the lid is a silver deck that houses a matte-silver Chiclet-style keyboard, and a rectangular touchpad with rounded corners sits below. The glossy, 13.3-inch display is protected by Gorilla Glass, lending it an air of class and security. On the white bottom of the notebook, a vent runs horizontally along the back, while two speakers sit on either side, closer to the front.

Oddly, the S7's power button is on the left edge, next to the power jack, which Acer says prevents accidental pressing and makes it easier to find. We would have preferred it on the deck for easier access, but at least it won't turn on the computer until the lid is open, preventing accidental startups.

At 12.72 x 8.78 x 0.51 inches and 3.0 pounds, the new Aspire S7 has the same barely-there profile as its predecessor. It's smaller and heavier than Asus' Zenbook UX301 (12.8 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches, 2.6 pounds), but somewhat bigger and lighter than the MacBook Pro 13-inch with Retina display (12.35 x 8.62 x 0.71 inches, 3.46 pounds) and Samsung's ATIV Book 9 Plus (12.6 x 8.8 x 0.54 inches, 3.2 pounds).

Display

[Acer Aspire S7 (2014) Display] Acer bumped up the S7's 13-inch IPS display to WQHD (2560 x 1440 pixels), and the result is a stunning visual experience. On a 1080p trailer of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," individual strands of Scarlett Johansson's auburn hair and scratches on Captain America's shield looked crisp.

Colors were also vivid; we enjoyed the bright greens of foliage in wide shots and light gray of Steve Rogers' eyes. Viewing angles were ample, but images washed out a tad when we tilted the screen till it lay completely flat.

The S7 packs the same resolution as the Zenbook UX301 (2560 x 1440p), but it's not as sharp as the MacBook Pro (2560 x 1600p) and the ATIV Book 9 (3200 x 1800p).

Probably due to the higher resolution, text in windows and websites such as Laptopmag.com and NYTimes.com had pixelated edges.

Registering 276 lux on our brightness meter, the Aspire S7 is brighter than the ultraportable average (250 lux) and the ATIV Book 9 Plus (251 lux) but dimmer than the Zenbook UX301 (368 lux) and the MacBook Pro 13-inch with Retina display (340 lux).

The 10-point touch screen on the S7 was responsive and sturdy, budging only slightly to our jabbing fingers, thanks to the right hinge. Windows 8 gestures -- such as pinch to zoom and swiping back and forth -- worked quickly, and we easily swiped in from edges to switch between open apps.

Audio

The Dolby Home Theater speakers on the underside of the Aspire S7 provided booming but tinny sound. We didn't enjoy the canned quality of Lady Gaga's voice and the instruments on "Do What U Want," but the music easily filled a small office.

Plus software, which unfortunately is hidden in the desktop file explorer. Digital Plus lets you select from Movie, Music, Game, Voice and two custom audio modes to adjust how your music filters out.

We found Movie and Game modes delivered somewhat better sound for songs such as "Do What U Want" and "Royals" by Lorde, but the audio had a metallic echo. Music mode delivered a more enjoyable experience, even on the more nuanced opening music for the "League of Legends" game launcher.

On Laptop Mag's audio test (playing a tone and measuring from 23 inches), the S7 notched 82 decibels, slightly lower than the ultraportable average (84 db). However, it did outdo the Zenbook (80 dB).

Keyboard and Touchpad

[Acer Aspire S7 (2014)] Acer added 0.3mm (0.01 inches) of key-travel distance to the new S7, making the black-on-silver island keyboard more comfortable to type on. We still wish the keyboard offered more depth, but given its sleek aesthetic, this is a minor trade-off. On the Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor test, we scored an average of 85.2 words per minute with a 1.6 percent error rate, which is better than our desktop average of 77 wpm (no errors). The keyboard also features adjustable LED backlighting, which was bright and even.

Our biggest bone to pick with the layout on the S7 is the odd key placement. Buttons to quickly toggle the volume, font size, display brightness and connectivity are on the second (QWERTY) row, and you activate them by pressing the Fn and relevant key. The top line lets you switch between numbers, symbols and functions. We also don't like that the tilde button sits next to the Caps Lock, and that the latter has been reduced to a pinkie-size segment.

The 4.25 x 2.5-inch touchpad is spacious and proved responsive when we performed Windows 8 gestures such as two-finger scrolling and pinch to zoom. Only the bottom half of the touchpad can be depressed to trigger clicks; pressing the bottom-right corner activates a right click, while the left side results in a regular click.

Heat

Just as on its predecessor, the new Aspire S7 comes with a cooling system called TwinAir that uses two small, high-speed fans -- one pulls in cool air, while the other expels hot air.

For the most part, this technology was effective. After 15 minutes of streaming a full-screen Hulu video, the laptop's touchpad measured a cool 81 degrees Fahrenheit, while the space between the G and H keys hit 85 degrees. That's about the same as the ultraportable category averages of 79 degrees (touchpad) and 84 degrees (G and H keys). We find temperatures below 95 degrees to be comfortable.

However, the S7 reached 102 degrees on its underside, just below the vent. While that's not scorching, we didn't want to keep the system on our lap for extended periods of time.

Webcam and Ports

[Acer Aspire S7 (2014)] With its 720p webcam, the Aspire S7 took grainy but accurately colored pictures. The lime-green headphones and multicolored iPhone case in our selfie retained vibrant hues, but we saw significant noise on our face.

The Aspire S7 packs plenty of connectivity options, including an HDMI-out port with HDCP support, an Acer Converter Port (which can be used with an adapter to support miniDisplay) and two USB 3.0 ports for faster media transfer. The USB port on the right side even supports power-off charging so you can juice up your other devices without having to turn on your laptop.

Performance

[Acer Aspire S7 (2014)] Packing a 1.6-GHz Intel Core i5-4200U Haswell CPU, 8GB of RAM and a 128GB solid-state drive (SSD), the Aspire S7 is a speedy device for daily tasks. We smoothly typed a Google Doc while streaming an episode of "American Dad" on Netflix and installing the "League of Legends" client in the background.

On synthetic benchmarks, the S7 delivered above-average results, but fell short of some of its competitors. The Ultrabook's PCMark 7 score of 4,755 is better than the ultraportable average (4,033), but not the 2.8-GHz Intel Core i7-powered ASUS Zenbook (5,838) and the ATIV Book 9 Plus (5,017). The ATIV Book 9 Plus sports the same CPU as the S7, but with 4GB of RAM.

The Aspire S7 did better on Geekbench 3, scoring 5,101 to beat the average ultraportable (4,473) and the ATIV Book 9 Plus (5,077). It still trailed the Zenbook (6,862) and the MacBook Pro (6,294).

The 128GB SSD in the S7 booted in a mere 6 seconds. That's less than half the time it took the average ultraportable (15 seconds), and significantly faster than the MacBook Pro (12 seconds), the Zenbook (12 seconds) and the ATIV Book 9 Plus (11 seconds).

On Laptop Mag's File Transfer Test, the new S7 copied 4.97GB of mixed-media files in 26 seconds (196 MBps), which is significantly better than the average ultraportable (118 MBps). Acer's Ultrabook also beat the Zenbook (127 MBps) and the ATIV Book (127.2 MBps), but fell short of the blazing MacBook Pro (299 MBps).

Unfortunately, the S7 trailed its competitors on our OpenOffice Test, matching 20,000 names and addresses in 5 minutes and 15 seconds. While that's almost a minute and a half faster than the average ultraportable (6:47), it's slower than the Zenbook (4:05), the ATIV Book (5:13) and the MacBook Pro (5:02).

Graphics and Gaming

Backed by Intel's HD 4400 graphics chip with 128 MB of dedicated system memory, the new Aspire S7 delivered decent results on graphics benchmark tests. Scoring 33,185 on 3DMark Ice Storm, the laptop beat the average ultraportable (27,905) and the ATIV Book 9 Plus (29,377) but trailed the Intel HD Graphics 5100 (Iris) ASUS Zenbook UX301 (38,338).

On the more taxing 3DMark Ice Storm Extreme, the new S7's 22,499 result trumps the ultraportable category average (20,483) and the ATIV Book (19,511). The Zenbook did better, with 31,151.

For more serious gaming, however, the Aspire S7 failed to deliver. When we played "World of Warcraft" at 1366 x 768p resolution and effects set to autodetect, the S7 averaged 36 fps, just above the ultraportable category average of 31 fps. While playable, this showing is poorer than its predecessor's 39 fps and also trails the Zenbook (62 fps), the MacBook Pro (52 fps at 1280 x 800p) and the ATIV Book 9 Plus (54 fps).

At its native 2560 x 1440p resolution on autodetect, the Aspire S7 pushed an unplayable 22 fps.

Battery Life

Battery] Acer says it has improved the battery life on this version of the S7, but our test results paint a different picture. The notebook's 4-cell 6,280-mAh lithium-polymer battery (the same as the one in its predecessor) lasted just 6 hours and 44 minutes on Laptop Mag's battery test, which involves continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi. While that's on a par with the ultraportable average (6:44), it's more than 2 hours less than the runtime of the previous S7 (8:53), and trails the Zenbook (7:54), the ATIV Book (8:06) and the MacBook Pro (9:31).

Software

Running Windows 8.1, the Aspire S7 is, thankfully, free of bloatware. Acer bundles just its Recovery Management, Live Updater tools and User Manual, with the typical apps you'd expect on a Windows notebook, such as Skype, Xbox Music, Bing and Internet Explorer.

Since you can flip the display all the way back till it lays completely flat, Acer included a nifty rotation feature so you can switch the screen's orientation by pressing the Fn and O keys. This way, you can easily share your content with someone sitting across from you.

Configurations and Warranty

Our unit of the Aspire S7-392-6807 sports a WQHD screen and an Intel Core i5-4200U chip with a 128GB SSD, all for $1,399. You can also get a 256GB SSD with the same processor for $1,499 (S7-392-6425). For $1,599, you get a Core i7-4500U CPU with Turbo Boost to bring the clock speed up to 23-GHz when needed. This version also comes with a 256GB SSD. All the new S7s run Windows 8.1.

The lower-res (full-HD) version (S7-392-6832) of the S7 with the same specs packs an Intel Core i5-4200U CPU with 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD for $100 less ($1,229 on Amazon). You can also get the Aspire S7-392-9890 with a 1.8-GHz Core i7-4500U chip, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD for $1,429 on Amazon. These older versions run Windows 8 instead of 8.1.

All models of the Aspire S7-392 come with a one-year warranty.

Verdict

[Acer Aspire S7 (2014) Outro] At $1,399, Acer's Aspire S7 392-6807 packs a gorgeous, quad-HD screen and capable performance into a drool-worthy package. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough high-res content suitable for this display yet to make up for the trade-off in battery life. For $100 less, you can get the same sexy design with a nice full-HD screen in the older Aspire S7-392-6832, which boasts 2 more hours of juice.

If you're in the market for a quad-HD experience, the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus can be found for $1,299 on Amazon and offers 8 hours of battery life. But if you want a better-looking machine with an equally attractive screen, the Aspire S7 is still one of the better Ultrabooks.

5 Best Acer Laptops

While 2-in-1 hybrid notebooks are getting a lot of attention, there are still a healthy amount of shoppers looking for a traditional big-screen notebook with plenty of power. That's where the Acer Aspire V3-772G-9402 comes in. While it lacks a touch screen, this 17-incher packs a quad-core Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia graphics, making it a multimedia powerhouse for a relatively low price.

see more: ASUS G750JZ-XS72 Review

CPU	1.6-GHz Intel Core i5-4200U with Turbo Boost up to 2.6-GHz
Operating System	Windows 8.1
RAM	8GB
RAM Upgradable to
Hard Drive Size	128GB
Hard Drive Speed
Hard Drive Type
Secondary Hard Drive Size
Secondary Hard Drive Speed
Secondary Hard Drive Type
Display Size	13.3
Native Resolution	2560 x 1440
Optical Drive
Optical Drive Speed
Graphics Card	Intel HD Graphics 4400
Video Memory	128MB
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n
Wi-Fi Model
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.0
Mobile Broadband
Touchpad Size	4.25 x 2.5
Ports (excluding USB)	Combo Headphone/Mic Jack; HDMI-out; USB 3.0
USB Ports	2
Card Slots	Secure Digital
Warranty/Support	One year
Size	12.72 x 8.78 x 0.51 inches
Weight	3.0 pounds

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ASUS G750JZ-XS72 Review

The gaming arms race continues, and the latest to escalate this never-ending battle is the ASUS G750JZ-XS72, a $2,999 system with Nvidia's newest and most powerful mobile graphics card. But in addition to the GeForce GTX 880M GPU, this 17-inch rig also features a 2.4-GHz Intel Core i7-4700HQ processor, a whopping 32GB of RAM, and dual 256GB solid-state drives (SSDs) in a RAID 0 array. Will this notebook ensure destruction for the competition?

ASUS G750JZ-XS72 Review

Design

Part Lamborghini and part stealth fighter, the ASUS G750Jz is just as menacing as its predecessors. Its angled design is identical to that of the G750Jx, with a soft-touch black lid that tapers on either side. The lid feels comfortable to the touch, but has a tendency to show oily fingerprints.

Inside, the unassuming deck is made of black, brushed aluminum, with a triangular power button sitting in the upper-right corner. On the back are the two iconic, oversize air vents that have come to symbolize ASUS' high-end gaming rigs.

Measuring 16.1 x 12.5 x 0.67-1.96 inches and weighing 9.4 pounds, the G750JZ is a beast of a laptop. It's smaller but heavier than the Alienware 17 (17.9 x 12.9 x 2.26-2.23 inches, 9.2 pounds), and is also slightly heavier than the G750Jx, which weighs 8.8 pounds. The MSI GT70 (16.85 x 11.34 x 2.17 inches, 8.4 pounds) is the lightweight of the group.

Display

The ASUS G750JZ's 17.3-inch, 1080p display delivered strong visuals, whether we were watching movies or playing games. A trailer for "Captain America: Winter Soldier" looked crisp and vibrant, and we could make out individual scratches on Captain America's shield.

Viewing angles are wide enough to accommodate several people huddled on either side of the notebook, but vertical viewing angles were much more limited. We liked that the matte display cut down on reflections, but colors didn't pop as much as they would on a glossy panel. Still, it's hard to argue with the high level of detail we saw when playing "World of Tanks" and "Metro: Last Light." Everything from dust clouds to dead aliens was rendered sharply.

At 268 lux, the ASUS outshined the desktop-replacement category average (254 lux), as well as the MSI GT70 (240 lux), but not the Alienware 17 (307 lux).

Keyboard and Touchpad

[ASUS G750JZ Review Keyboard Touchpad] When playing on a notebook as opposed to a desktop, one concession gamers have had to make is the keyboard. Those found on mobile systems generally don't compare to customizable mechanical keyboards you can purchase from third-party vendors.

ASUS is trying to bridge that gap with the keyboard on the G750JZ. Its key travel of 2.5mm made for a very comfortable typing experience.

While we like that the keyboard has adjustable white backlighting, it lacks the fun, multicolored effects found on MSI and Alienware systems. Another feature that ASUS -- as well as all gaming-notebook makers -- should add is the ability to make every key programmable, as on the Razer Blade.

The G750JZ's 4.5 x 2.75-inch touchpad was plenty spacious for executing Windows 8 gestures. There were times, however, when we wished the notebook had a touch screen.

Audio

[ASUS G750JZ Review Audio Wizard] Despite having a subwoofer in addition to stereo speakers, audio from the ASUS G750JZ was loud, but the quality was just mediocre. Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" was on the tinny side. The same went for other genres of music -- Jay Z 's "Encore" lacked a thumping bass line. However, audio on a trailer for "Captain America," as well as on the games we played, sounded full and immersive.

The ASUS Audio Wizard, which is powered by MaxxAudio, has five presets: War Room, Soundscape, Battlefield, Action and Multimedia. None of them did much to improve the quality of whatever we were listening to, but we did like the fact that we could tweak individual EQ settings .

At 80 decibels (as measured from 23 inches away), the G750JZ is on the quiet side for a gaming rig. It's 9 dB below the desktop-replacement average, and 17 dB lower than the Alienware 17.

Heat

[ASUS G750JZ Review Heat Vents] As if its massive rear vents didn't give it away, the ASUS G750JZ is very efficient at expelling heat. Inside, the notebook features three heat pipes and dual copper sinks for the GPU and CPU.

After streaming a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, the touchpad measured 81 degrees, the space between the G and H keys was 87 degrees and the middle of the underside was 88.5 degrees. All are comfortably below our threshold of 95 degrees.

We then blasted enemy tanks for 15 minutes in "World of Tanks," and the G and H keys measured 92 degrees and the touchpad was 81 degrees. However, the bottom, near the right vent, jumped to a toasty 106 degrees.

Not only does the G750JZ do a reasonably good job of keeping its cool, but we never noticed any fan noise.

Ports

[ASUS G750JZ Review Ports] The left side of ASUS' rig houses two USB 3.0 ports, a DVD/Blu-ray drive, and a 3-in-1 card reader. The right side has ports for VGA, Ethernet, HDMI 1.4, Thunderbolt, two more USB 3.0 ports, and headphone and mic jacks. About the only thing missing is the combo HDMI-in/out port that's featured on the Alienware 17 -- but that's nitpicking.

Graphics and Gaming

[ASUS G750JZ Review Gaming] The ASUS G750JZ features Nvidia's newest high-end GPU, the GeForce GTX 880M, with 4GB of GDDR5 memory. According to Nvidia, this chip will provide up to 15 percent more performance over the previous-generation GTX780M GPU.

When playing "World of Tanks" with the settings at maximum, we averaged between 60 and 70 frames per second, and marveled at the details of the buildings, as well as the waving grass and palm trees. When our tank was inevitably destroyed, it went up in an impressive plume of fire and smoke.

On 3DMark Fire Strike, a graphics benchmark that tests DirectX 11, the G750JZ scored 2,780, which is 500 points higher than the average (2,272), and 400 points higher than the Alienware 17 (2,367), which has an Nvidia GeForce GTX 780M GPU with 4GB of memory.

When we fired up our entry-level "World of Warcraft" gaming test, the G750JZ averaged 140 fps with the effects on Ultra and the resolution at 1920 x 1080 pixels. That blew away the category average of 114 fps, as well as the Alienware 17 (103 fps) and the MSI GT70 (105 fps), which also has the Nvidia GeForce GTX 780M GPU.

[ASUS G750JZ-XS72] On the more demanding "BioShock Infinite," the ASUS averaged 65 fps with the settings on High and the resolution at 1080p. While the gap between that frame rate and the average (57 fps) was narrower, it still handily beat both the Alienware (35 fps) and the MSI (44 fps).

Finally, on "Metro: Last Light," the ASUS G750JZ averaged 81 fps with the effects on Low and the resolution at 1080p. On this test, the ASUS was on a par with the Alienware (84 fps) as well as the category average (80 fps). With effects set to High, the ASUS' frame rate dropped to an unplayable 24 fps, which was just higher than the Alienware (22 fps) and the average (18 fps).

But greater performance is just one aspect of Nvidia's new family of GPUs, which includes the 880M. Built into the GeForce Experience app are several features meant to enhance gameplay and endurance.

[ASUS G750JZ-XS72] Battery Boost lets you cap performance at a predetermined frame rate. The app will then throttle the notebook's components, so that gamers can eke out a bit more juice while not sacrificing too much performance.

Battery Boost Custom Game Settings, available in early April, lets you tweak individual titles even further.

ShadowPlay lets users record gameplay at resolutions up to 1920 x 1080p, and broadcast your gaming sessions to sites such as Twitch.

GameStream, previously only available on Nvidia's desktop GPUs, allows you to stream games from your notebook to connected devices, such as Nvidia's SHIELD.

Performance

[ASUS G750JZ Review Performance] The size of the G750JZ allows ASUS to pack in an absurd amount of power. In addition to the 2.4-GHz Intel Core i7-4700HQ processor and 32GB of RAM, the notebook has three hard drives: a 1TB, 7,200-rpm HGST Travelstar 7K1000 hard drive, as well as dual SanDisk 256GB SSDs in a RAID 0 array.

On PCMark 7, a benchmark that tests overall performance, the G750JZ scored 5,969, which is better than the category average of 4,727 but slightly lower than the G750JX (6,115), which has the same CPU, and the MSI GT70 (6,025), which has a 2.4-GHz Intel Core i7-4700MQ processor. The Alienware 17, which also has a 2.70-GHz Intel Core i7-4800MQ processor, scored 5,492.

Duplicating 4.97GB of multimedia files took the G750JZ just 18 seconds, for a rate of 283 MBps. That's more than twice as fast as the category average (131 MBps) and handily beats the Alienware 17 (182 MBps). However, this rate falls well short of the MSI GT70, whose dual 128GB SSDs blazed through at 463 MBps.

The G750JZ booted Windows 8 in a speedy 19 seconds. That's slower than the MSI GT70, which needed just 9 seconds.

For the times when you're not gaming, the G750JZ is also a more-than-capable workhorse. It plowed through our Spreadsheet test (pairing 20,000 names and addresses) in 4 minutes and 3 seconds, which is more than a minute faster than average (5:17). That puts it on a par with the MSI GT70 (4:01), but the Alienware 17 was a bit faster (3:42).

Battery Life

[ASUS G750JZ Review Battery] On the Laptop Mag Battery Test (Web surfing with the brightness at 40 percent), the G750JZ's 8-cell, 88-wHr battery lasted 6 hours and 26 minutes. That's more than 2 hours longer than the average desktop replacement (4 hours), the Alienware 17 (4:09) and the MSI GT70 (4:18). In fact, the ASUS' endurance is pretty good for an ultraportable.

Of course, our battery test was conducted using the integrated Intel GPU, as Nvidia's Optimus technology will automatically switch from its discrete GPU to the integrated GPU if it detects the notebook doesn't require a lot of graphics muscle.

MORE: 10 Laptops with the Longest Battery Life

However, Battery Boost -- a new feature in Nvidia's GTX 800M series of GPUs -- will let you set a predetermined frame-rate average and then automatically throttle components, such as the GPU and CPU, to conserve some juice. We will update this review once we've had a chance to fully test this feature.

Software and Warranty

[ASUS G750JZ Review Killer] Like most gaming laptops, the ASUS G750JZ has a fairly clean software package. Apart from the usual Microsoft apps, there are only a few extra programs, most of which consumers will find useful.

GPU Tweak lets you adjust the clock speed of the GPU as well as the cooling fan, although turning the latter to its max made the notebook sound like a hair dryer.

Killer Network manager is a handy utility that shows you what programs are using Wi-Fi, and lets you block or prioritize them in terms of throughput.

The G750JZ comes with a one-year international/one-year accidental-damage warranty, with a 30-day Zero Bright Dot guarantee, two-way free shipping and 24/7 tech support.

Configurations

Our model -- the $2,999 G750JZ-XS72 -- is the most expensive configuration offered by ASUS. A $2,499 version, the G750JZ-DS-71, has the same processor and GPU, but only 24GB of RAM; a 1TB, 7,200 rpm HDD; and dual 128GB SSDs in a RAID configuration.

The G750JS-DS71 costs $1,899, and has an Nvidia GTX 870M GPU, 16GB of RAM and a single 256GB SSD to go with its 1TB, 7,200 rpm HDD, and has a DVD burner instead of a Blu-ray drive.

The least-expensive model is the $1,399 G750JM-DS71, which has 12GB of DDR3 RAM; Nvidia GTX 860M graphics; and a 1TB, 5,400-rpm hard drive.

Verdict

[ASUS G750JZ Review Outro] With its new Nvidia GeForce GTX 880M GPU, the ASUS G750JZ is one of the mightiest gaming laptops on the market. At $2,999, it's not cheap, but this rig delivers some of the best gaming scores we've seen yet. Hardcore gamers may want to wait and see what sort of performance competing systems from Alienware and MSI deliver, but for those who want the best right away in a rad design, the G750JZ won't disappoint.

 

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