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 Asus W5FA stylish dual-core performer with plenty of bells and whistles. Price:
$1,499
by Jeffrey L. Wilson 
If you crave the multitasking power of a dual-core processor but want to travel light, Asus has your notebook. This 3.8-pound ultraportable delivers fast performance and looks good doing it with an attractive white-and-gray color scheme. Throw in multimedia amenities like a 1.3-megapixel webcam, a DVD burner, and a 4-in-1 memory card slot, and there’s a lot to like for $1,499.
The W5F’s gorgeous 12.1-inch, high-resolution screen makes photos, Web pages, and even program icons look especially sharp and colorful. DVD playback was crisp, but unfortunately, the screen had to be positioned at an exact 90-degree angle to maintain the best visuals; tilting it forward a hair washed out the colors, while tilting it back had the reverse effect. Like the majority of notebook speakers, the sound was average. Despite the notebook’s small body, the W5F’s keyboard is surprisingly spacious. With the exception of a shrunken right Shift key, there’s plenty of room to type comfortably. The unit’s touchpad has a textured surface that prevents finger slippage and grants greater control when directing the cursor. For those who prefer more hands-on navigation, there is support for a Bluetooth mouse, but you’ll have to buy it separately. Thanks to Intel’s 1.66-GHz Core Duo processor, the W5F turned in an above-average MobileMark 2005 score of 253. In fact, the system didn’t hiccup while we simultaneously checked e-mail, played a DVD, and ran the webcam. This ultraportable’s battery lasted a below-average 3 hours and 44 minutes with Wi-Fi enabled. The runtime increased to a more adequate 4 hours and 16 minutes with the radio turned off. The 1.3-megapixel webcam and built-in microphone are located above the screen where the notebook lock would normally reside. It can swivel 180 degrees, which is perfect for capturing body shots without standing, or for filming someone sitting across from you. You can capture WMV, ASF, and AVI video at 640 x 480-pixel resolution. Photographs range in size from 160 x 120 to 1280 x 768 pixels. The LifeFrame software that powers the webcam includes a small editing package that allows aspiring reality TV stars to frame shots, shoot in black-and-white, add snow effects, and more. Recorded video ran smoothly, although the footage was washed out even after tinkering with the settings; swift movements produced blur effects. To the right of the screen are three vertically aligned buttons; the lowest of which activates the webcam, but curiously, doesn’t shut it off. Above it is a button that controls the webcam’s digital zoom (up to 3X) and another that activates and deactivates the microphone. The W5F has an Intel 945GM VGA graphics card, and it scored 1,248 in our 3DMark03 testing, a reasonable score for an ultraportable. Wi-Fi throughput was quite good; the W5F averaged 14.8 Mbps from 15 feet and 15.8 Mbps from 50 feet, so you should expect a fair amount of range. Three USB ports are available for attaching peripherals, as well as S-Video and VGA ports for linking to a television or projector, respectively. Too bad Asus opted for an ExpressCard slot instead of a PC Card slot, which at least for now limits your ability to upgrade this notebook’s connectivity options. As of press time, for example, there was only one ExpressCard EV-DO modem that had been announced from Novatel (but no carrier), and no Wi-Fi cards using the new 802.11n draft standard were available. Asus bundles two programs that make the most of the webcam: Asus Video Security and Windows Movie Maker. Asus Video Security utilizes motion-sensing technology for monitoring specific areas from any location. Windows Movie Maker is an easy-to-use program that allows users to edit and stitch together video footage. The W5F also comes with Symantec Norton Internet Security 2005 and Nero 6.0 In general, we recommend the Asus W5F for highly mobile users. The notebook’s Core Duo processor keeps things running smoothly, even when multiple applications are active, and the swiveling webcam is more than just a gimmick. If you can live without a PC Card slot and don’t mind limited tech support hours (19 hours during weekdays and 9.5 hours on weekends), this stylish but affordable ultraportable is one worth owning. Compare Prices | Asus W5F Specifications
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