ASUS N550JV Entertainment Lapto Review

Please note this is not a proper review, it’s just some thoughts that I have after using the machine for about 2 weeks. I have listed a couple of good reviews in the end that you can refer to if you need any more information or just drop me a line.

I have also set up an FAQ post that provides more information.

My machine is a UK version and the specs are listed below:

- Intel Core i7-4700HQ Haswell 2.4GHz - 3.4Ghz with Intel HD Graphics 4600; 47W
- nVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2GB DDR3
- RAM 1x 8GB 1600 MHz DDR3 Hynix
- HDD Hitachi 1000GB 5400rpm;
- ODD MATSHITA BD-CMB UJ162
- Display 15.6 FHD IPS LED Glossy LG LP156WF4-SPB1;
- Audio based on Realtek - 4 speakers + external subwoofer;
- WLAN Qualcomm Atheros AR9485 150 Mbps;
- LAN RealTek RTL8168/8111 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet 1000 Mbps;
- Bluetooth 4.0;
- 3x USB 3.0;
- Headphones/Line out;
- HDMI;
- Mini DisplayPort;
- Card reader Realtek Multicard reader
- HD web camera;
- Full keyboard + white light;
- 4 cell baterry.

There are a few versions of this laptop but they all share the following:

- Intel Core i7-4700HQ Haswell 2.4GHz - 3.4Ghz with Intel HD Graphics 4600; 47W
- nVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2GB DDR3 or 4GB DDR3
- 8GB 1600 MHz DDR3 1x8GB or 2x4GB
- 1080p IPS Screen touch (glossy) or non touch (matte)
- NO SSD cache and no port to install one


I have been using two setups for the past 5 years, a personal built desktop to do the heavy lifting and a latitude XT2 laptop to carry around. Both machines have started to show signs of age and I have decided it’s time to upgrade. This time, instead of spending £1000 to get a mediocre laptop and a mediocre desktop, I wanted to get a good all-around laptop that packs enough power and not too heavy that I can easily slip into my backpack.

After some research, I have narrowed down my choice to the following:

Dell XPS 15 9530
This, in my mind, is a perfect machine. It’s elegant, light weight, powerful, has a fantastic screen and decent battery life. But I just can’t justify spending that much on a laptop.

Dell Inspiron 7000 7537
This was my first choice, a lot cheaper than the XPS but with similar spec except the CPU.

Samsung 7 Series NP780Z5E
Very good all-rounder, only let-down the third gen chip.

HP Envy TouchSmart 15
Rather poor build quality. Poor screen. So it's a no go.


As you can see, N550JV was not even in my original list because I had some terrible experience with ASUS. The screen hinge on my last ASUS laptop broke after about two month use.  It pops up while I was trying to find the best price for the Dell Inspiron 7000 7537 and all the reviews are quite positive. It has a much more powerful processor, slightly less powerful graphic (DDR3 vs DDR5, why there is no DDR4?), shorter battery life but has a optical drive that I can stuck in a 1TB mechanical drive.

In the end, I went with N550JV and now 2 weeks in and I am reasonably happy with my choice but I think that dell would probably have made me happier.

Pros:

-Top-of-the-line 4th gen Core i7 processor
-Reasonably capable dedicated video card
-Full HD touchscreen display with IPS technology (very wide viewing angles)

-All round metal body
-Decent build quality
-Rather thin.


Cons:
-A bit too heavy even as a 15 incher
-Mediocre battery life, all my other choices have much better battery life.
-Optical drive, this is totally a personal choice. I would rather have a lighter laptop or bigger battery.
-Touch Pad, it works but the keys are very stiff.
-Atheros wireless card, it just refuse to connect sometimes for no obvious reason.
-External subwoofer, it improves sound quality but Samsung and HP manage to build the subwoofer in.
-Dropdown Hinge that blocks the air flow and it doesn't give much confidence.
-Horrible webcam



A very thorough professional review
A good user review