ASUS G73SW-A1

With the look of a stealth fighter on the outside and the combined power of a 2nd Generation Core i7 and high-end Nvidia GTX 460M graphics under the hood, the ASUS G73SW really stands out in a crowd. But for the premium price of $1,784, mobile gamers demand more than just great performance and looks; they want something truly special. Does the 17.3-inch ASUS G73SW fit the bill?
Editor's Note: Portions of this review were adapted from our review of the ASUS G73Jw, an earlier model of the same system.

Design

The G73SW-A1 is identical to the G73Jw-A1 and G73Jh-A2 we reviewed previously. At 8.8 pounds and 16.6 x 12.8 x 2.3 inches, the G73JW-A1 would never be mistaken for an ultraportable, but compared to some other systems we've tested--such as the 10.6-pound, 18-inch Toshiba Qosmio X505--it seems rather svelte. Carrying it and its 2-pound power brick around in an oversize backpack was no problem, even when we had to stand for a long time on the bus.
Modeled after the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter, the G73AW-A1 lacks the bling of colorful notebooks such as the Alienware M17x, but its sleek, angular design and gunmetal-gray exterior make it one of the most attractive systems we've seen. The dual exhausts on the back combine with the subtle silver ASUS logo and the Republic of Gaming emblem to make this product look more like one of the planes you'd fly in a game than the notebook you'd be gaming on. Open up the lid, and the subtle theme continues inside. Only a few small buttons sit on top of the simple black keyboard, and the gray touchpad simply blends into the deck. No colorful status lights or bright red buttons here.
What really makes the G73SW-A1 stand out is the rubberized material used on both the lid and deck. More notebooks should use this type of material, because it's incredibly comfortable to touch, resists finger prints, stays cool, and provides a feeling of durability and quality.

Heat

Few things are more irritating than a notebook that singes your wrists, lap, or fingers. Fortunately, the ASUS G73SW stays ice-cold at all times. After streaming a video for 15 minutes, we measured the touchpad at 80 degrees, the keyboard at 85 degrees, and the bottom at only 83 degrees. We consider temperatures below 95 degrees comfortable and those below 90 undetectable.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Unfortunately, the G73SW-A1's backlit keyboard is a huge drawback, with tiny stiff keys that are difficult for typists and gamers alike. On the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, we got one of our worst scores ever--68 words per minute and a 3-percent error rate as opposed to our average rate of 80 wpm and a 1-percent error rate.
One reason the keyboard is so difficult to touch type on is that the keys give really weak tactile feedback and require really hard and deliberate strokes. Another issue is that their flat, square shape lacks the kind of curves that make it easy to feel your way around the rows, and the narrow space between them seems smaller than on other devices.
Why ASUS decided to not use all available space for the keyboard remains a mystery. The chassis is 16 inches wide, but it has 1.5 inches of empty plastic on either side of the keyboard. Meanwhile, the arrow keys and numeric keypad--both essential for gameplay--are actually smaller than the rest of the keys, making it difficult to use them as controls. To make matters worse, the sharp incline and deep palm rest (more wasted space) can make it hard to keep your hands from slipping backward as you type.
Size-wise, the 4.4 x 2.2-inch touchpad has everything going for it: a large, smooth--but not too smooth--surface, multitouch gesture support, and two discrete buttons that offer just the right amount of tactile feedback. Unfortunately, the G73SW doesn't have a touchpad on/off button like those found on Toshiba's Qosmio series. Such buttons are helpful for gamers who use mice and want to avoid accidentally touching the trackpad while they use the keyboard.
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Posted in: Notebook Asus