Product Reviews

It may not be the prettiest notebook around, but its understated design helps the A4760G-LP from Asus appear smaller that it actually is. At 3.9kg, this is one of the larger notebooks we've tested. This is hardly surprising, because it's a true 'desktop replacement' system. It's possible to cart it around - but we'd advise using a sturdy bag with decent padding if you intend to leave the house with it.

The notebook case is muted metallic grey, and although there are plenty of air vents to keep this high-powered system cool, it's surprisingly quiet. Controls to directly access the laptop's CD-playing functions line the case's front edge. These let you play music without waiting for the computer to start up Windows. Unfortunately, the integrated speakers are pretty poor, and there's no volume control, so this is more of a gimmick than a useful feature.

A good, solid keyboard is essential for a notebook, particularly one like this that's likely to be your main PC. Thankfully, the A4760G-LP has a spacious keyboard that's firm and responsive, with an intelligent layout that means even people with chunky fingers can only blame themselves for typing errors. Although not as precise as some, the touchpad is functional (though if you plan to use this as your main computer, we'd advise investing in a proper mouse).

At 15.4in, the 1,280x800-resolution widescreen display is one of the largest available for a notebook computer. The wider proportions of the screen add a significant amount of room to the main Windows desktop, and make it very convenient for working on two documents at the same time. The screen is well protected at the back from knocks, and is connected by sturdy hinges. Colours look rich and clean, with even backlighting, but it's not the brightest screen we have seen.

The display's widescreen format also makes it ideal for watching movies - though you shouldn't expect to lap up blockbusters on the move. To watch a whole DVD movie, the A4760G-LP

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really needs to be plugged into the mains. From a full charge, the battery lasted just one hour 21 minutes in our intensive battery test - time enough for Carry on Camping, but Frodo wouldn't even get out of the Shire before the battery ran dry.

A total of four USB 2 ports are available as well as a single FireWire and a Secure Digital and Sony Memory Stick card reader. This is useful if you have a digital camera or MP3 player that accepts these widely used formats.

The A4760G-LP also has a DVD writer built in, so you can watch and record DVD movies and back up your files. Writeable DVDs can store up to 4GB of data on one disc, which is enough space to hold around 12,000 high-resolution photos from you digital camera. Asus has included both wired and wireless network adapters, giving you the option to surf your broadband Internet connection from anywhere in the house.

This is one of the most powerful notebook computers we have seen at Computer Buyer. Its Intel Pentium 4 processor runs at an incredible 3.2GHz at full power, which together with 512MB RAM, made it fly though our benchmarks. A score of 106 in our standard 2D performance test shows that the A760G has enough power to comfortably cope with intensive photo retouching and video editing, while basic office tasks like word processing are comfortably dealt with.

Asus has split the 60GB hard disk into two partitions of 32GB and 23GB. This is fine for general use, but if you begin to build a serious library of music, photos or video, you may want to invest in an additional external hard disk.

With an ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics chip built in, the Asus offers good scope for running the latest games. It managed a score of 9.9 frames per second in our Doom 3 games test. This means you can expect to run new games at medium level of detail without any problems. Although notebook computers are available with more 3D power than this, they cost a lot more (take a look, for instance, at the AJP on page 50, which will set you back an extra £500). Unless you're a games enthusiast, you just won't need that much power.

With incredible 2D performance and stylish design, there's no doubt the A4760G-LP is good value for money. It's powerful enough to replace your desktop computer, and is solidly constructed with a good keyboard. Our only concern is that the screen could be brighter and have a higher resolution. If you're looking for portability, this isn't the best option, but as a desktop replacement not only is it one of the best - it's great value for money, too.