Asus K53SM-SX010D Laptop (2nd Gen Ci5/ 4GB/ 750GB/ DOS/ 2GB Graph)

I had been trying very hard to find the Asus K53SV-SX520D but the model was thoroughly sold out.Then I came to know that Asus is going to launch a better version soon with upgraded graphics and I knew that I had to buy this without further delay.

The ASUS K53SM-SX010D is simply,as my title suggests,a beast.
I am not going to go into technicalities as the specifications are for all to see. What makes this model standout is the latest Nvidia graphic card. Some may argue that there is not much difference between GT540 and GT630 but once you start playing, it is noticeable.(I have tried the GT540 too).
Crysis 2 and Elder scrolls : Skyrim easily work on medium settings.

As far as heating up is concerned, the laptop stays cool while watching movies and carrying out normal operations. Once you start a high requirement game,the temperature starts building up. But it's nothing that can't be offset by a decent cooling pad. Just make sure that you don't strain the machine much(I am talking about marathon gaming sessions)

Altec lansing speakers while not awesome,are very good.They are loud in a silent environment and audible in a noisy one.
USB 3.0 is blazing fast.
The laptop color and finishing screams WOW. I am a person who looks for black in everything but I must say brown looks cool on this.

Only thing I'd say could have been better is the battery life.
While playing games,it drains quickly and gives about 4 hours of normal computing.
Also, at 2.6Kg it isn't exactly light but hey I am not complaining.
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Overall I am very happy with my laptop (didn't buy it from flipkart though) and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good gaming machine with other features thrown in.

I order it on 3rd of May, 2012 and writing a review after using it for 18 days. It is a good laptop to buy, but you must know what to expect from it.

0. If you have any doubts regarding the laptop getting damaged in transit, please rule them out. FlipKart delivers it in an "Imossible to Damage" pack. Also, I ordered it on Wednusday night and got this on Friday noon.

1. The Windows Experience Index rating for this is 5.3. Details are -

Processor - 7.0
RAM - 5.9 (could have been better, it is 1066MHz, a VAIO in same range has this 6.1)
Graphics (For Windows Aero) - 5.3
Gaming Graphics - 6.7
Hard Disk - 5.9 (5400 RPM, a 7200 RPM could have been better)

2. nVidia GeForce 630M is just a re-branded name for nVidia GeForce 540MX. So, keep comparisons in check. It is a DDR3 memory GPU and doesn't have an HDMI out. All the display output ports are connected to Intel HD Graphics 3000. However, with nVidia optimus technology, it performs well overall.

3. Linux users may find over-current run messages for USB 2.0 ports while installation and boot and will have to make some serious effort to install "Original" nVidia drivers (from nVidia GeForce website), but it would be worth.

4. I found the display quality good.

5. USB 3.0 helped me to transfer data at around 40-60MB per second which was considerably faster than USB 2.0 (around 10MB per second).

6. ASUS IceCool technology doesn't mean that the laptop doesn't get heated at all. It means that when the laptop gets heated on processor/graphics intensive work for long hours, the palm rest doesn't get heated as much as that happens with the other laptops.

7. Battery life is fair.

8. You may find DVD drive noisy.

Overall, it is good for the price.

Now when Intel 3rd generation processors have been launched with Intel HD Graphics 4000 and you can find ASUS laptops powered by them(and are on flipkart), it is good to wait a little.

I was looking for a laptop in the 45k range and as luck would have it I found this masterpiece. Let me give you a quick review based on my first week experience....

good:
1. brilliant looks...u cannot not like it....the metal body is both good looking and sturdy in equal measures.
2. ice cool technology.... the machine never heats up even after hours of continuous use(7 hrs of non-stop gaming in my case)
3. the graphics are without doubt the best you can get in this range, the might of nvidia gt630m is always at display whether you are involved in heavy multimedia work or just plain gaming.
4. 750gb HD though not enormous but is sufficient to store a fair amount.
5. USB 3...is unbelievably fast.

not so good:
1. the speakers!! the only area where one might complain.....the sound quality is allright but the volume is really disappointing...even the 400% of VLC won't help here....
but hey.....SHAKTIMAAN ain't perfect either....:)

my say.....almost perfect!!

First of all : Thank you flipkart for making this amazing laptop available to us!
Though I am a huge fan of flipkart's delivery service, this time the courier service(Aramex) screwed it up. It took them a week to deliver the laptop to me...but no worries, these things happen in India.

Now, as far as the laptop goes, here's what I thought after using it extensively for a week :

PROS:

1. Intel Core i5 2450M.
Though originally clocked at 2.5 GHz, it uses Turbo Boost to go up to 3.1 GHz which is simply amazing!

2. NVIDIA GeForce 630M.
This is a mid range card and plays almost every game there is with medium to high settings. I have played COD, FIFA and BF and am very satisfied with it.

3. 750 GB HDD.
Ample space which lets me keep all my data such as movies, games, tv series and other random stuff.

4. Ice Cool Technology.
Asus' Ice Cool Technology keeps the palm rest relatively cool even when I am gaming.

5.Battery Life.
The battery gives me a 4.5 to 5 hour backup when I am surfing and an hour and a half when I am gaming.

6. USB 3.0
The USB 3.0 gives me excellent data transfer rates when connected to a compatible USB 3.0 device(in my case a portable HDD).

7. Price.
There is no doubt about it that with these specifications, this laptop is a steal.

CONS:

1. Keyboard.
The chiclet keyboard, though it looks good, is very flimsy. Some keys, like the spacebar and the number 7 key in my case(don't ask me why, I have no idea.) need to be pressed rather forcefully as compared to other keys.

2. Touchpad buttons.
The touchpad buttons are harder than I would like and not to mention extremely loud. The touchpad itself is very good and smooth though.

3. USB Ports.
There are only 2 USB 2.0 and 1 USB 3.0 port. There should have been at least 4 ports in total.

Neither here nor there:

1. Hinges.
I previously had a Dell Inspiron 1545 which had a hinge problem(as in they broke.).
Though it is still too soon to tell, but the hinges (in Asus) don't look too sturdy to me. The only reason I say this is because they look too small for a 15.6 inch screen.
My Dell laptop's (also 15.6 inch) hinges were almost 4 times the size and the left one still broke.
Personally, I would have been happy if these hinges were at least twice the size they are now.

The following is my personal rating based upon various features:

Performance : 5/5
Physical Durability : 4/5
Design : 4.5/5
Feature Set : 4.5/5
Memory & battery life : 5/5

A rightly earned review by flipkart and Asus
Firstly about the laptop.
***Specifications***
1]Style- Looks good, nice brown color. Keys are really soft on the fingers.
2]Graphics - The GT630M card coupled with the 4 GB DD3 RAM works so well with so many games. Absolutely no lag, no perfect movement even with heavy duty games like Crysis 2 and Battlefield 3.
3]USB 3.0 works like a charm. Wish there was more than one of the USB 3.0 ports(though there are additional 2 USB 2.0 ones)
4] DVD ROM works without any problem.

***Experience***
1]The ICE -COOL technology is really "COOL". The laptop does not heat like most laptops after basic use. No need of a laptop fan when only surfing and doing work.
2] While playing you can feel the heat, that's when the fan can be used.
3] Battery life is good, not exceptional.
4] HD display is really impressive. BluRay movies look wonderful on this laptop, gives you a really good movie viewing experience. Fonts look very clear.
5] I run many programs simultaneously and the second gen i5 processor manages all of it with ease. No lacking in response time
6] The speakers is the only dismissal part, but you cant get everything at a throw away price of 39K right.

Overall this is a beauty with beast features ;)

Now about Flipkart
Oh Flipkart! I have fallen in love with you. Your customer service and product and its delivery are the topmost in India.
Never have I seen any online site, provide such fast and impeccable service. Flipkart you have shown that commercial sites in India can give topnotch service. Truly whoever has come up with the business model of this website is pure genius, and thanks to them, customers like me can buy goods from your site, without any doubt of the product being of inferior quality or the package not arriving. Flipkart you have put India on the map in terms of providing first class customer service and product delivery. Kudos and continue to please more customers like me :)