Can upper-mainstream gaming and true mobility coexist? We’ve seen many attempts (perhaps hundreds?) by vendors during the last several years to pack desktop gaming horsepower in a portable package. But performance lagged and did not live up to the claims. We almost got there in 2004 with ATI's Radeon 9600 XT-based Mobility Radeon 9700. Yet, at that time, mobile processing still fell short. Intel released its Core Duo mobile processors two years later, but new games made the elder GPU obsolete. While CPU and GPU manufacturers continuously chase the rainbow of efficiency, technological convergence appears as mythical as the pot of gold at the rainbow’s end.
There have been "desktop-replacement” PCs that are notebooks almost in name only, such as Eurocom’s recently-reviewed Core i7-based D900F Panther. Perhaps light enough to carry from your office to the parking lot, such behemoths appeal mostly to those who want a desktop they can take home rather than a computing device they can take anywhere. This explains the drive by Intel to put Core i7 technology in a smaller, more heat-efficient product suitable for a wider user base, which we recently revealed as Clarksfield.
Always near the forefront of mobile technology, Asus jumped at the chance to build a gaming notebook using the new processor series. Yet, in an effort to reduce both heat and cost, Asus chose a far different product than the i7-920XM that Chris reviewed. Running 400 MHz slower and with 2MB less cache, the G51J’s i7-720QM allows Asus to price its product within easy reach of many mainstream gamers. Let’s see how it stacks up to our most modern gaming notebooks.
| Asus G51J-A1 Configuration Comparison | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Asus G51J-A1 | Eurocom D900F Panther | MSI GT725-212US |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-720QM 1.60 GHz-2.80 GHz, Quad Cores DMI 2.5GT/s, 6.0MB L3 Cache | Intel Core i7-965 Extreme 3.20 GHz-3.46 GHz, Quad Cores QPI 6.4GT/s, 8.0MB L3 Cache | Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000 2.00 GHz, Quad Cores FSB-1066, 6.0MB L2 Cache |
| Chipset | Intel PM55 Express PCH | Intel X58/ICH10R | Intel PM45/ICH9M |
| RAM | 4.0GB PC3-8500 | 6.0GB DDR3-1333 (as listed) | 4.0GB DDR2-800 |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M 1.0GB | Nvidia GeForce GTX 280M 1.0GB | ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB |
| Display | 15.6" LED Backlit 1080p (1920x1080) | 17" WUXGA (1920x1200) | 17" WUXGA (1920x1200) |
| HDD | 2x Seagate 7200.4 320GB, No-RAID | 2x Seagate 7200.4 500GB RAID 0 | WD Scorpio Black 320GB |
| Sound | Integrated HD Audio, Soft EAX 4.0 | Integrated HD Audio | Integrated HD Audio |
| Wired LAN | Integrated Gigabit LAN | Integrated Gigabit LAN | Integrated Gigabit LAN |
| Wireless LAN | Intel WiFi Link 1000 802.11n | Intel WiFi Link 5300 802.11n | Atheros AR928X 802.11n |
| Telephony | None | Integrated 56k Fax Modem | Integrated 56k Fax Modem |
| Bluetooth | Internal Bluetooth Module | Internal Bluetooth Module | Internal Bluetooth Module |
| Optical | H-L Data GT30N DVD-RAM | Panasonic UJ-130 BD-ROM DVD±RW | Optiarc BC-5500S BD-ROM DVD±RW |
| Media Reader | Multi-format flash card interface | Multi-format flash card interface | Multi-format flash card interface |
| Webcam | 2.0 Megapixel | 2.0 Megapixel | 2.0 Megapixel |
| Expansion | ExpressCard/54 | ExpressCard/54 | ExpressCard/54 |
| USB 2.0 | Four Ports (2 left, 2 right) | 4 Ports (right-side) | 4 Ports (2 left, 2 right) |
| IEEE-1394 | 1x FireWire 400 (left-side) | 1x FireWire 400 (left-side) | 1x FireWire 400 (right-side) |
| eSATA | 1x eSATA 3.0Gb/s (left-side) | 1x eSATA 3.0Gb/s (left-side) | 1x eSATA 3.0Gb/s (right-side) |
| Audio I/O | Headphone/Digital Optical Out Combo, Microphone, Line-Input (right-side) | Line-In, Digital Out, Microphone, Headphone (front edge) | Headphone, Digital Out, Line-In, Microphone (right-side) |
| Video Out | 1x VGA, 1x HDMI (left-side) | 1x DVI (rear), 1x HDMI (left-side) | 1x VGA, 1x HDMI (rear) |
| Battery | Six-cell 11.1V 4800mAh | 12-cell 14.4V 6600mAh | Nine-cell 10.8V 7800mAh |
| Weight | Notebook 7.4 lbs, Power Adapter 1.3 lbs., Total 8.7 lbs. | Notebook 11.8 lbs., Power Adapter 2.6 lbs., Total 14.4 lbs. | Notebook 7.8 lbs., Power Adapter 1.3 lbs., Total 9.1 lbs. |
| OS | Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium | Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate | Windows Vista Home Premium |
| Warranty | Two-year parts and labor (w/overnight shipping), One-Year accidental damage | One-year return service | Three-year electronics parts/labor One-year LCD/Battery |
| Support | Two-year toll-free telephone | One-year online and telephone | Three-year online tech support |
| Total Price | $1,500 | $4,586 | $1,600 |
An LED backlit display is one of the G51J’s top features, boasting a relatively-high, “true-HD” resolution of 1920x1080 from its moderate 15.6” diagonal size.
Yet the contrast-boosting, energy-saving LED backlight is somewhat betrayed by the panel’s relatively narrow vertical viewing angle. You’ll need to open it all the way to see true black images, as viewing it from only a few degrees above perpendicular causes the image to become washed out. Larger 1920x1200 pixel 17” displays can be found in similarly sized and priced notebooks, but those competing models have older, lower-performance internals as a tradeoff. This is the balance Asus attempts to strike between features, performance, and price.
The full-sized, backlit keyboard was also obvious from the first photo, but a closer inspection reveals dual-power buttons. The larger power button takes the system directly to Windows, while the smaller one designates booting into Express Gate, Asus’ customized version of the Linux-based Splashtop operating system. This compact OS gives users the option to get online quickly, with boot times of around 20 seconds to promptly check email, surf the Web, or use Skype.
A 2.0 megapixel Webcam is found on top of the G51J’s display. Asus also includes a fairly good software package for optimized viewing under soft light, which is standard fare for mid-priced and better notebooks.
Two speaker ports, a multi-format flash card reader, and a Bluetooth power switch are found along the G51J’s front edge. Putting the majority of frequently used connections on the sides increases ergonomics when this notebook is used on top of one’s lap.
The G51J rear edge features nothing more than a Kensington lock mount, power supply connector, and Gigabit Ethernet port. This author would have preferred to see external-display and digital-audio connectors here as well, as such designs reduce cable clutter at the sides.
VGA, IEEE-1394, eSATA, HDMI, and two USB 2.0 ports are located across the left edge, along with the G51J’s sole heat vent.
Three audio connectors, two more USB ports, and the DVD±RW drive are located on the G51J’s right edge. Rated by a reseller at the same write speeds as the popular GSA-T50N, this Hitachi-LG Data Storage GT30N is not yet documented by any other online source.
Intake vents to the left and below the decorative center grille allow air to reach key components.
That single fan cools both the CPU and GPU via a complex heat pipe arrangement that could somewhat limit the unit’s upgrade capability in the future.
Specific to this model G51J-A1 are the two 2.0GB Samsung DDR3-1066 memory modules and twin 320GB Seagate 7200.4 hard drives. The G51J BIOS provides no mode selection for the hard drive controller, so setting these in RAID is not an option. For benchmarking purposes, it’s best to consider only the single drive that’s being tested, since the other is nothing more than added storage.
The Asus G51J includes a full set of documentation, a complete set of backup software, a warranty card, lens cloth, a power supply, and a cable strap. The power unit is rated at 19V and 6.32A (120W).
Packaged applications include:
- Asus Data Security Manager (file encryption and password management)
- Power4Gear Hybrid (power management profiles)
- WinFlash (BIOS update utility)
- LifeFrame 3 (camera application)
- Asus SmartLogon (face-recognition login)
- ControlDeck (Asus application manager)
- Virtual Camera (camera profiles)
- Asus Live Update (drivers)
- Asus FastBoot (application manager)
- Asus Wireless Console 3
- Asus FancyStart (boot themes)
- Net4Switch
- Asus NBProbe
- Asus Splendid (image enhancement)
- Asus AI Recovery (hard drive imaging)
- Asus ExpressGate Installer
- Asus Screen Saver
- Creative Sound Blaster Audigy HD (software audio control)
- Adobe Reader
- TrendMicro Internet Security 2009
Asus also sent along a custom-branded backpack and a Razor Copperhead laser mouse. We’ve seen that some resellers advertise these as part of the kit while others don’t. Packed in a shipping box along with the notebook’s retail box, buyers who really want these accessories should pay careful attention to seller details.
In order to gauge the CPU performance improvements of Intel's Core i7 mobile technology, we compared Asus’ G51J to MSI’s similarly-priced, Core 2 Quad-based GT725-212US. To gauge the limits of Core i7 mobile technology, we also compared Eurocom’s ultra-expensive, desktop CPU-based D900F Panther.
| Graphics Notebook Performance Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Asus G51J | Eurocom D900F Panther | MSI GT725-212US |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-720QM 1.60 GHz-2.80 GHz, Quad Cores DMI 2.5GT/s, 6.0MB L3 Cache | Intel Core i7 Extreme 965 3.20 GHz-3.46 GHz, Quad Cores QPI 6.4GT/s, 8.0MB L3 Cache | Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000 2.00 GHz, Quad Cores FSB-1066, 6.0MB L2 Cache |
| Chipset | Intel PM55 Express PCH | Intel X58/ICH10R | Intel PM45/ICH9M |
| RAM | 4.0GB DDR3-1066 CAS 7 | 6.0GB DDR3-1066 CAS 7 | 4.0GB DDR2-800 CAS 6 |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M 1.0GB 500 MHz GPU, GDDR3-1800 | Nvidia GeForce GTX 280M 1.0GB 580 MHz GPU, GDDR3-1900 | ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB 500 MHz GPU, GDDR3-1700 |
| HDD | Seagate ST9320423AS (non-RAID) 320GB, 7,200 RPM, 16MB Cache | 2x Seagate ST9500420AS RAID 0 500GB, 7,200 RPM, 16MB Cache | WD Scorpio Black WD3200BEKT 32GB, 7,200 RPM, 16MB Cache |
| Sound | Integrated HD Audio | Integrated HD Audio | Integrated HD Audio |
| Wired LAN | Integrated Gigabit LAN | Integrated Gigabit LAN | Integrated Gigabit LAN |
| Wireless LAN | Intel WiFi Link 1000 802.11n | Intel WiFi Link 5300 802.11n | Atheros AR928X 802.11n |
| Optical | H-L Data GT30N DVD-RAM 8x DVD±R, 6x DVD±RW, 5x DVD-RAM | Panasonic UJ-130 BD-ROM DVD±RW 2x BD-ROM, 8x DVD±R, 4x DVD±RW | Optiarc BC-5500S BD-ROM DVD±RW 2x BD-ROM, 8x DVD±R, 4x DVD±RW |
Encouraged by performance parity in our Benchmarking/OS Comparison and discouraged that Asus’ drivers will only execute under the latest Windows version, we compared all systems with as-delivered software.
| Benchmark Configuration | |
|---|---|
| 3D Games | |
| Crysis | Patch 1.2.1, DirectX 10, 64-bit executable, benchmark tool Test Set 1: High Quality, No AA Test Set 2: Very High Quality, No AA |
| Far Cry 2 | DirectX 10, in-game benchmark Test Set 1: Very High Quality, No AA Test Set 2: Ultra High Quality, 4x AA |
| S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky | Average of 4 segments "A-Tested Object" Test Set 1: High Preset, DirectX 10, EFDL, no MSAA Test Set 2: High Preset, DirectX 10, EFDL, 4xMSAA |
| World In Conflict | Patch 1009, DirectX 10, timedemo Test 1: Very High Details, No AA / No AF Test 2: Very High Details 4x AA / 16x AF |
| Audio/Video Encoding | |
| iTunes 8 | Version: 8.1.0.52 (x64) Audio CD ("Terminator II" SE), 53 min. to default format AAC |
| Lame MP3 | Version: 3.98 64-bit (07-04-2008) Audio CD "Terminator 2" SE, 53 min. .wav to MP3 |
| TMPG 4.6 | Version: 4.6.3.268 "Terminator 2" SE DVD (5 Minutes) at 720x576 (PAL) 16:9 |
| DivX 6.8.5 | Insane Quality, Enhanced multithreading, SSE4, Quarter-pixel search |
| Xvid 1.2.1 | Display encoding status = off |
| MainConcept Reference 1.6.1 | MPEG2 to MPEG2 (H.264), MainConcept H.264/AVC Codec, 28 sec HDTV 1920x1080 (MPEG2), Audio: MPEG2 (44.1 kHz, 2 Channel, 16-Bit, 224Kb/s), Mode: PAL (25 FPS) |
| Productivity | |
| Autodesk 3ds Max 2009 | Version: 11.0, Rendering Dragon Image at 1920x1080 (HDTV) |
| Grisoft AVG Anti-Virus 8.5 | Version: 8.5.287, Virus database 2094, Benchmark: Scan 334MB Folder of ZIP/RAR compressed files |
| WinRAR 3.90 x64 | Version 3.90 beta 2, WinZIP Command line Version 3.0, Compression = Best, Dictionary = 4,096 KB, Benchmark: THG-Workload (334 MB) |
| WinZip 12 | Version 12.0, Compression = Best, Benchmark: THG-Workload (139MB) |
| Synthetic | |
| 3DMark Vantage | Version: 1.0.1, 3DMark score |
| PCMark Vantage | Version: 1.00, System, Memory, Hard Disk Drive benchmarks, Windows Media Player 10.00.00.3646 |
| SiSoftware Sandra 2009 SP3 | Version 2009.4.15.92, CPU Test = CPU Arithmetic / Multimedia, Memory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark |
The G51J’s GTX-260M falls a little behind MSI’s Radeon HD Mobility 4850 in Crysis, using high-quality presets and no anti-aliasing (AA). We also tested the G51J at its native 1080p resolution, but the result was a still unplayable 20.31 average frames per second (FPS). One might call Asus’ loss in this particular benchmark inconsequential, since even the fastest solution failed to maintain playable frame rates consistently at our lowest tested resolution.


Turning up the quality level makes matters much worse for all three notebooks, although Asus’ larger loss could be a harbinger of bad GeForce GTX 260M performance in some other games.

Asus’ GTX 260M squeezes ahead of MSI’s Mobility HD 4850 at our lowest Far Cry 2 settings, but finishes last on average. Alternatively, one can once again look at the averages of both mid-priced notebooks and see a problem at higher resolutions that makes the low-resolution win more significant. We also tried the G51J at the aspect ratio-correct 720p setting, where its FPS climbed to a smooth 48.9.

More increases in detail levels and AA make all three systems unusable at our higher Far Cry 2 test settings, as stuttering prevents us from reaching our goals. Asus fares better than MSI, but to what end?
The G51J beats its older competitor at our lowest S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky settings, but it isn’t as smooth as we’d like. Dropping to a ratio-appropriate 720p allowed the G51J to reach 42.6 FPS average, where it was smooth in all but the “Sun Shafts” test.


Anyone who really wants to play Clear Sky with AA enabled will probably want a desktop computer, along with the more powerful graphics solutions available in those larger form factors.

The expensive Eurocom system continues to dominate in World in Conflict, while its performance here makes the difference between relative smoothness and choppiness. Though the other systems were only tested at the settings shown in the charts, we again tried dropping the G51J to 720p and were rewarded this time with a smoother 40 FPS average.

Those who prefer to play real-time strategy games in real time will be disappointed even by the performance-leading D900F.
The G51J’s improved-efficiency mobile Core i7 nearly matches the D900F’s desktop processor in iTunes encoding. A low clock speed hampers the Core 2 Quad-powered GT725.


The G51J falls further behind in Lame, but significantly outpaces the GT725’s older technology.

Intel Turbo Boost and DivX aren’t happy together--the G51J’s maximum four-core active clock of 1.73 GHz falls behind the 2.0 GHz clock of the GT725 in this eight-thread application.

The G51J looks a little better in MainConcept, but there’s no perfect substitute for the D900F’s desktop-based prowess.
Asus maintains a slight overall advantage over its older, mid-priced rival in 3ds Max, while the desktop-based D900F continues its dominance. A quick check with CPU-Z reveals that the G51J’s 1.60 GHz-2.80 GHz processor ran at its base 13x multiplier throughout this test.


AVG virus scanning is the second application where the G51J’s mobile Core i7 approaches the performance of the D900F’s desktop version.


The G51J barely outpaces the older GT725 in WinZip and WinRAR.
3DMark shows none of the performance gains the G51J made in actual games. It’s no wonder that a great variety of readers question the applicability of its results.

This is probably a good time to mention that all of our 1920x1200 tests required the use of an external display, since the G51J is limited to a maximum of 1920x1080. In fact, this might even be an appropriate place to lodge a complaint against an entire LCD industry that is quickly and silently replacing most of its 1920x1200 computer displays with 1080p versions in an effort to cut costs, and then promoting the cut-rate products as “full-HD” in bold text as if these were improved, rather than compromised. 3DMark requires the higher vertical resolution for its Extreme preset and this editor requires similar real estate for applications like editing photos.


Strangest of all is that 3DMark puts most of the blame for the G51J’s mediocre score on its GPU.

PCMark places the G51J right where we’d expect it to be, halfway between the desktop-CPU D900F and Core 2 Quad-powered GT725 in both system and productivity scores. The only real surprise is its proximity to the high-end system in hard drive performance, since the G51J supports neither RAID nor the related striping mode used in the high-priced Eurocom build.

Sandra Arithmetic shows the balance of moderate speed and Core i7 technology that makes the G51J’s Core i7-720QM an attractive option for mid-budget performance seekers.

Unfortunately, a lower Turbo Boost CPU multiplier is applied when four cores are active, allowing the G51J to fall behind its predecessor in Sandra integer performance.

It’s nice to see the G51J’s dual-channel memory controller scaling well in comparison to the D900F’s triple-channel version.
The G51J consumes less power than the GT725, in spite of its higher-TDP processor. This is most likely due to the relatively high idle power consumption of the GT725’s Radeon HD 4850 graphics processor, as noted in our previous graphics reviews.

Dividing the average performance score of the Eurocom and MSI notebooks by that of the Asus G51J shows how the GT725 and D900F compare. Averaging power in the same way, and then dividing the performance by efficiency, allows us to see how the G51J really is the most power-efficient portable gaming solution.

One might think that a more efficient notebook that consumes less power might also have better battery life, but Asus left us with one surprise.

This specific model G51J-A1 comes equipped with the smaller of two batteries Asus offers for this particular chassis. Had Asus chosen to include the larger battery, the notebook would have been bulkier, heavier, costlier, and, in spite of all those hindrances, arguably more functional as a “mobile” device.
Ed.: Intel has been trying hard to prove that Clarksfield is a more energy-efficient solution than the mobile Core 2s that came before. But it insists that realizing better battery life requires a low-end graphics processor--something we don't think you'll see in one of these desktop replacement-class Core i7 Mobile-based notebooks. I showed as much in my Clarksfield preview, and Thomas' numbers here back that data up.
As was the case with ASI’s IQ17-D2, we can honestly say that the Asus G51J is a solid foundation for the company to build upon. But unlike ASI’s endeavor, the G51J is potentially open to future processors. We can hardly wait to see if Asus is able to adopt near-term updates, such as Intel’s upcoming 32nm Arrandale processor core and to-be-announced mobile versions of AMD’s most-recent graphics technology.
Yet, buyers don’t have to wait for the huge power-saving performance boost we expect to see early next year, because the G51J provides excellent value today. For less money than remaining samples of MSI’s now-discontinued mid-market mobile game system, Asus provides a more efficient GPU and this year’s latest CPU technology. Here’s a quick recap of its specific performance advantages:

The G51J’s performance average is good, but it’s also important to note that its average was reduced by a few losses in games that even the mighty Eurocom D900F couldn’t run smoothly. And therein is the problem: desktop gamers accustomed to moderately high details and resolutions probably won’t be happy with anything less than a desktop computer.
But many professional gamers are accustomed to using low resolutions and/or graphics details to eliminate “stuttering,” which begs the question of how much graphics power they really need simply to be competitive. Gaming legend Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel even used many of the mainstream products he endorsed, shunning the high-cost gear fussy users typically demand for enhanced visual realism. Thus, while none of our recent notebooks stood up to graphics-quality standards to which high-market desktop gamers have gown accustomed, all three could be viewed as competitive gaming solutions. This level of adequacy can’t be touched by typical integrated-graphics competitors, not even those with the latest “high-performance” integrated graphics engines.
Dividing relative performance from the chart above by relative price further defines the performance value of Asus’ mid-priced notebook.

Asus’ G51J-A1 offers two-thirds the performance of Eurocom’s high-end D900F, but costs only one-third as much, giving the G51J a solid 50% value lead. However, more pertinent to the mid-priced market is the G51J’s 15% value lead over previous-generation technology. The G51J also has twice the storage capacity of its older competitor, but loses 120 pixels of vertical-screen resolution. Features that are well balanced against the previous-generation product, new technology, and more-than-adequate performance make the G51J a good value for those who must buy now--especially for holiday shoppers. Meanwhile, we wait with bated breath for even greater improvements in CPU and GPU technology that are expected to come soon after the holiday rush has subsided.
Follow us on Twitter for more tech news, reviews, and exclusive updates!











