subject: The 14 inch ASUS UL80Jt-A1 Laptop [print this page] First impressions of the UL80Jt-A1 are great, with the model featuring a brushed metal lid, matte plastic deck, and an elegant overall appearance in an understated kind of way. The build quality feels really solid on this computer, but it does come at a price of about 4.8 pounds. While this is not overly heavy, it is certainly not the lightest or thinnest 14 inch machine on the market.
The ASUS UL80Jt-A1 features a chiclet style keyboard, also referred to as an island keyboard and found on the majority of new laptop releases. There is a little too much flex in the keyboard action however, and the single mouse button while it looks very cool feels stiff and unresponsive. The touchpad design is also worth mentioning, with a textured finish that blends seamlessly with the wrist rest area and looks very stylish indeed.
The 14 inch screen comes with a healthy if not outstanding resolution of 1366 x 768, and while it looks great head-on, viewing angles are average at best. Connectivity is a fairly standard affair, with a 5 in 1 card reader, HDMI, VGA, and Ethernet all on offer. However, the lack of support for the new USB 3.0 standard didn't go unnoticed.
The main way the UL80Jt-A1 differs from the UL80Vt is in terms of shear power, with a new Intel Core i3 processor and new Nvidia Optimus technology. This laptop switches automatically between discrete and integrated graphics, which is an especially handy function for gamers who are on the move. Laptop Battery life does take a hit from all this new power however, and the amazing 9 hour staying power of its predecessor has been reduced to a still respectable 6 and a bit.
Overall, the new ASUS UL80Jt-A1 is an amazing bit of kit, offering lots of power and functionality at a good price-performance ratio. While the asus laptop battery life is not as impressive as the UL80Jt, it is still way above the average rating of its competition, and the extra power is a pretty good pay-off. The ASUS UL80Jt-A1 is selling for $869, which is an amazing price when you consider the technology and build quality on offer.
