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With its odd combination of highs and lows, the Asus G53Jw sits in an awkward place in the current 3D laptop market. While its stunning performance, striking design and cutting-edge technology mean there's no denying that this is a unique and highly capable 3D multimedia machine, its somewhat limited usability and flawed screen mean it's not the top of the range world beater you sense it was intended to be.
If you can live with its niggling flaws and you absolutely must have 3D capabilities, you'll find a level of power and style all too rare in the modern laptop market, but if you want the best multimedia powerhouse you can get for your money, and don't mind sacrificing the 3D screen, there are many better machines than the Asus G53Jw.
We liked
With its striking Stealth Bomber inspired chassis, the Asus G53Jw is one of the most differently designed laptops we've seen. And it's not style over substance either, because the large exhausts at the rear prove highly effective at keeping the laptop cool and comfortable to use.
Powered by cutting-edge components, the Asus G53Jw delivers fantastic levels of performance for even the most demanding tasks. While its not the most powerful laptop we've seen, few people will feel shortchanged by the stunning levels of power on offer here.
By building the Nvidia 3D Vision receiver into the chassis rather than using an external USB receiver, the Asus G53Jw is one of the easiest 3D laptops to set up and use on the move. And the 3D effect is truly startling, bringing photos, videos and games to vivid life.
We disliked
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With its poor viewing angles, it can be very tricky to get an adequate view of the Asus G53Jw's 15.6-inch screen. While the panel delivers decent levels of brightness, colour and contrast, the screen is just too flawed in use to be truly effective.
As with other Nvidia 3D Vision capable laptops, the active shutter glasses used by the Asus G53Jw render the already flawed screen even dimmer when viewing 3D content. This would be a problem on even the best screen, so here it only serves to increase the problem.
While usability of the Asus G53Jw is generally good, the slightly spongy keyboard and overly firm mouse buttons make this laptop a little awkward to use at times. Thankfully the spacious keyboard and backlit keys compensate somewhat, but we recommend you try before you buy.
Verdict
Despite a few missteps along the way, the Asus G53Jw has enough notable strengths to make it a viable rival in the growing 3D laptop market. With its strong performance, striking Stealth Bomber design and comprehensive specification, you certainly get a lot for your money.
However, the flawed screen and slightly limited usability prevent it from truly excelling and, if you can live without the 3D screen, there are plenty of far better rival multimedia and gaming laptops you could spend your money on.
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