Jan 24 2011 - The ASUS Republic of Gamers line has given gamers top-notch notebooks at aggressive prices, and the G73SW-A1 is no exception. Equipped with a 2nd Generation Intel Sandy Bridge quad-core processor, 8GB of memory, hybrid hard disks, and a Blu-ray drive, the G73SW-A1 offers high performance gaming with excellent multimedia capabilities. While the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M graphics card is a midrange card, the rest of the hardware offers enhanced performance culminating with a gorgeous high resolution HD display.
Pros
- Refreshed Hardware (Sandy Bridge CPU and Hybrid Hard Drives)
- 8GB of Memory
- Phenomenal Display
- Blu-ray Drive
- Warranty
Cons
- Graphics Card is Midrange
- Design Hasn't Been Updated From 2010 G73 Line
Description
- Intel Core i7-2630QM (2.0 GHz Quad-Core with Turbo Boost up to 2.8GHz)
- 8GB DDR3 1333MHz (4 x 2GB SODIMM Sockets, up to 16GB)
- 17.3-Inch Full HD (1920x1080) LED Display
- NVIDIA GTX 460M Graphics with 1.5GB GDDR5
- 1TB Hybrid HDD/SSD (2x 500GB 7200RPM/4GB SSD Hard Drives)
- Blu-Ray Combo Drive
- Illuminated Keyboard
- One USB 3.0 Port, Three USB 2.0 Ports
- 802.11 b/g/n Wireless, Gigabit LAN
- Bluetooth
- 8-in-1 Card Reader
- 8 Cell Battery
- Gaming Backpack and Mouse
- 1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty and 2 Year Standard Warranty Included
Review - ASUS G73SW-A1 17.3-inch Gaming Laptop PC
One of the top rated gaming laptops of 2010 was the ASUS G73JW. This year's refresh comes in the form of the G73SW-A1 and includes an updated Sandy Bridge processor and hybrid hard drives. Many of the features remain the same from last year's model, including the aggressive stealth design. It would have been nice if ASUS did add some new design elements to distinguish the system from previous models. However, where ASUS shines is in the display. The 17.3-inch screen offers full HD 1920x1080 resolution, which is truly one of the best displays on the market for the price. Overall, the build quality on the ASUS G73SW-A1 is solid.
The refreshed G73SW-A1 comes equipped with an Intel Core i7-2630QM Sandy Bridge processor. This quad-core CPU runs at 2.0GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.8GHz. You'll find these new 2nd Generation Intel Core i7 chips to be fast and efficient.
ASUS does a good job of providing extra value in the Republic of Gamers line, especially compared to competitors, such as Alienware. The G73SW-A1 features 8GB of DDR3 memory and supports up to 16GB. Graphics are supplied by the NVIDIA GTX 460M with 1.5GB of GDDR5 video memory. This midrange card is standard in many Sandy Bridge-based systems, and provides smooth gameplay.
The G73 line has always been known for an abundance of storage space, and this G73SW-A1 doesn't disappoint. The refreshed model includes two 500GB 7200RPM hybrid hard drives. These new hybrid drives give you the benefits of an SSD, such as extra speed, without sacrificing space are increasing the cost much.
In addition to gaming, the ASUS G73SW-A1 also makes an excellent multimedia machine. Since a Blu-ray drive comes standard, watching movies is a dream thanks to the high resolution display. Other features include Bluetooth and USB 3.0 support. Since the G73SW is a desktop replacement, the 8 pound weight is pretty standard. The system comes with an 8 cell battery, although gamers won't be able to run games on battery power for long.
In summary, ASUS continues delivering high performance gaming laptops that are priced within many gamer's budgets. Retailing for around $1,800, this refreshed Sandy Bridge notebook gives you 8GB of memory, a quad-core processor, and midrange graphics card. Plus, the bonus accidental damage warranty and gaming backpack and mouse add additional value to an already top-notch system.