Gadget review: Asus X751LA laptop

A powerful and hefty laptop that is a good option for around the home

The Asus laptop is a powerful desktop replacement. Picture: Contributed

Asus X751LA laptop

£431.99

A QUAD core laptop which packs more power than its price suggests, the X751LA is a substantial and pleasing offering from the Asus stable. At a time when nearly every device on the market abides by the same slender, lightweight formula, this is a machine unashamed to flout its girth and it represents a fine option for those looking for a general family laptop that can cope with various demands.

With a resolution of 1600 x 900, its 17.3 inch widescreen display is seriously impressive for the price tag. The dimensions gives room to breath for the on screen display of any intensive multitasking session, with plenty of space for various applications running simultaneously, especially on Windows 8 where you can add an additional row of tiles. It may not quite meet the specifications for a full high definition display but the Asus more than meets the standard for playing movies via the likes of Netflix. Using Adobe Photoshop, meanwhile, reveals a clarity and detail to the display that you would ordinarily pay several hundred pounds more for.

The Asus is big but its storage and processing punch is generous

Weighing in at 2.6kg, the Asus could charitably be described as big boned and there is no doubt that if you are looking for a laptop to carry with you on the move on a daily basis, this might not be the most convenient option. The power behind its heft, however, makes it a fine option for having a desktop replacement computer in and around the house, supplemented by a netbook or a tablet for when you are on foot. Indeed, its generous 1TB of storage makes it ideal as a central media storage laptop from which to stream content.

The X751LA’s processing power is equally impressive and for the price, makes a good fist of running recent triple A games. Skyrim runs smoothly, for instance, with a few of the graphical settings toned down. A dual core Intel Core i3 keeps the show on the road and although the laptop does not have a dedicated graphics processor, the performance is speedy and smooth enough to make it a good entry point gaming laptop.

The trackpad can feel unresponsive although solutions are available

The one niggle with the Asus is its trackpad. Out of the box, it can feel unresponsive, particularly when scrolling up and down. On occasion, the reverse is true, with the pad overly sensitive to the slightest finger movement. It is a small but grating issue that can be minimised by tinkering with the settings (some of which will make navigating Windows 8 significantly easier) but if your work requires a degree of finesse - using photo editing software, for example - a mouse may be a worthwhile purchase.

The Asus X751L is available to buy from eBuyer