The good: Windows XP Media Center notebook; reasonably priced; digital and analog TV tuner; excellent graphics performance; integrated Webcam; brilliant and vibrant display.

The bad: No subwoofer; large and heavy; no dedicated volume buttons.

The bottom line: If you have been looking for a desktop replacement for your entertainment and gaming needs, the ASUS A7J has everything but the kitchen sink when it comes to features. For a reasonable price of S$3,198, it comes complete with both digital and analog TV tuners to satisfy your home AV needs.

Read full review of the Asus A7J »

By Darius Chang, CNET Asia
Jul 14, 2006

Though there is really no true replacement for desktop and home entertainment systems, there are times when the room size or ego simply demands an all-in-one machine. Most laptops in this category can easily hit the S$4,000 (US$2,841.72) mark, with some premium models like the Toshiba Qosmio Q30, Fujitsu LifeBook N6410 and Sony Vaio VGN-A60GP getting really close to the S$6,000 (US$4,262.57) line. So when we reviewed the Asus A7J for the Editors' Choice award and found it had almost every entertainment feature on Intel's latest Core Duo platform, we just needed one more factor to tip the scales, and the S$3,198 (US$2,271.95) did the trick.

	The Asus A7J is built more like a draft horse than an exhibition stallion.

Design
If you are looking for a desktop replacement with an exciting design that fits like a glove with your avant-garde living room decor, it's better to look elsewhere. With its two-toned gun metal-gray hues and rather ordinary design, no one can accuse the Asus A7J of breaking any aesthetic frontiers. With a footprint of 405 x 314 x 38mm and requiring a solid 4.1kg heave to lift, the term portable applies very loosely to this desktop replacement.

However, if one can look beyond the plain exterior, you'll find this Asus a well-made machine. Covered with a magnesium-alloy body, it can handle the strain of being ported around and resist attempts at scratching it. The quality even extends to the not-so-obvious details, like the stainless steel hinges which can withstand greater opening/closing cycles without giving way.

A row of multimedia control buttons straddle the front of the unit, blatantly stating its role as an entertainment notebook. Flipping its 17-inch LCD lip open, a 1.3-megapixel Webcam sits flushed above the display. Two rows of speakers lie beside the full-size keyboard, with another two smaller horns located under the chassis.

Users of multiple peripherals may find it easy to manage wire clutter on the A7J. With the ports located on the left and rear of the machine, the only issue one may have is obstruction due to an exceptionally large USB device. Which can be easily overcome with USB extension cables.

Features
Much like a stereotypical geeky professor, the Asus A7J may be overweight and not one of the snappiest dressers around, but its beauty is truly from within. There are so many features crammed within the chassis that it would keep most techies happily playing till the wee hours of the morning, while the Windows XP Media Center Edition offers a simpler interface for those who just want to get things done.

All the usual connectivity suspects turn up in this laptop. Five USB 2.0, one FireWire and an ExpressCard slot permit peripheral linkup. If the 17-inch display is too wussy, a larger cinematic experience may be possible through the VGA, S-Video or DVI port. Gigabit Ethernet and a modem handle wired connections, while invisible wireless networking is possible through infrared, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios.

The entertainment aspect of the A7J is where it differentiates itself from the other 17-inch laptops. News junkies and soap opera aficionados will appreciate that both digital and analog TV tuners are present in the machine. Though there are more analog channels available, digital video broadcasts offer high-quality video with a greater reception threshold. Hence, one does not require a strong signal for acceptable picture quality. If you tire of listening to your music collection, the FM tuner is here to save the day.

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