Asus N73SV

The machine submitted by Asus for our 2011 multimedia laptops round-up is the only model to rival the HP Envy 17 3D in terms of size. Owing to its 17.3-inch LED backlit Asus Splendid Video Intelligent Technology display, its general proportions are fairly similar. It also runs the same Intel Core i7 2630QM CPU as the Envy, but its pairing with the Nvidia GeForce 540M graphics card (the same as that employed by the Sony VAIO F VPCF226HGB) gives lower benchmark results than the Envy for the most part.

While the N73SV delivered the best results at both resolutions in the Trackmania Nations Forever DirectX 9 test, it consistently managed second best to the Envy in every other graphical benchmark. In purely CPU-based tests, it fared equally to the Envy overall: slightly better in some areas, most likely due to differences in the factory-installed software.

The N73SV sports two power buttons: one boots the PC as normal while the other launches the ‘Express Gate Cloud’. Express Gate is an “instant-on” operating system that allows the user to access key programs and functions (such as images, a basic internet browser, some social networking applications and more) without the need to wait for a full system boot. It’s actually a very welcome inclusion for a portable multimedia machine.

Perhaps because of its sturdy construction, the N73SV is the bulkiest notebook of those we tested in its class, weighing in at 3.40kg and with a thickness close to 4cm when closed. Simply put, it doesn’t mask its considerable proportions quite as well as the HP Envy 17 3D. Its short-reach keyboard, however, is probably my pick of the bunch, requiring the least amount of physical exertion when typing at speed. Alongside it, a range of easily accessible, backlit media keys form a column that run down the left edge of the base.

Between the keyboard and the display rests a powerful, crisp speaker panel courtesy of renowned Danish audio experts Bang & Olufsen. This pumps out some impressively crisp audio that could easily give most dedicated desktop speaker set-ups a run for their money. This is one area where the N73SV trumps the mighty HP Envy 17 3D.

While the N73SV boasts a decent range of input and output options (including HDMI- and VGA-out, three USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 port, a 3-in-1 card reader and, in a bit of a coup, a digital TV tuner that lets you watch Freeview on your PC with the included mini-antenna) it does lack the Firewire and eSATA ports of last generation's multimedia machines. If you need high-speed external storage, that limits you to the latest USB 3.0-enabled devices.

With two 640GB hard drives (1.2TB total), it has the second largest capacity on offer and should allow you to take a sizeable media library on the road with you.

In virtually every area, the N73SV plays second fiddle to the best in show for 2011. But with an RRP that’s significantly cheaper than that of our champ, it remains a highly attractive option for those on a lesser budget. I have no hesitation in recommending Asus’ offering as the second-best notebook in our line-up from a technical perspective, but also as the best-value-for-money option.

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