ASUS K50ID-X1 15.6-inch Budget Laptop PC

Apr 6 2010 - The ASUS K50ID-X1 offers a unique experience over other budget laptops by providing a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GT 320M graphics processor making the system a mobile PC gaming platform. This comes at a cost to the general performance of the system in a slower Pentium dual-core processor. Because of this, the system is suited best for those looking at low cost PC gaming and not a general purpose system.

Apr 6 2010 - ASUS has made some compromises in the overall features of the K50ID-X1 that makes the system a bit more specialized than the average budget laptop. While most companies have switched over to using the new Core i3 processor, ASUS uses the older Intel Pentium T4400 dual core processor. This means the system has much more limited performance for many demanding applications but it is sufficient for most general purpose and even the less CPU demanding PC games. It does feature 4GB of DDR3 memory but it has a lower memory bandwidth than newer systems.

Storage features are pretty typical of the budget laptop market. A sizable 320GB hard drive provides storage space for programs and data. ASUS does an odd partitioning scheme on the drive that would make it worthwhile to reformat and reinstall the OS after making the appropriate recovery discs. Playback and recording of CD and DVD media is handled by a dual layer DVD burner.

The feature that really sets the ASUS K50ID-X1 apart from other budget laptops is the graphics. Most systems use an integrated graphics solution to keep the prices down. ASUS has placed an NVIDIA GeForce GT 320M graphics processor with 1GB of memory. This allows the system to actually be able to play PC games on the system albeit at more limited graphics features. It should be able to handle most games at the native 1366x768 resolution with moderate detail levels and no filtering enabled. Some of the more taxing games may require less resolution or detail levels but none of the integrated graphics laptops can achieve this.

Battery life with the ASUS K50ID-X1 is not particularly strong. In my DVD playback test, it ran for roughly one and three quarter hours. This is well below average for this class of system and is likely the result of the added power draw of the dedicated graphics. Users can expect about two and a half hours of more typical usage before the system goes into standby mode.

Another feature that is noteworthy on the ASUS K50ID-X1 is the keyboard. It uses an isolated or chiclet style that has a very comfortable design that makes it very easy to type. The trackpad uses a dimpled design that some may like or hate. It has a very quick feel to it that mellows after some usage.

Overall, the ASUS K50ID-X1 is a very specialized system. If you want a low cost laptop that can be used for gaming on the go, it is one of the best options to be found for $650. On the other hand, if you don't intend to be using it for PC gaming, you would be better served by one of the better general performance Core i3 based laptops.