Today the market of mobile personal computers simply impressive variety of models with a variety of design, filling and prices. But now, apparently, one design option still prevails over the majority – the “apple” makbukovskaya idea swept the consumer and, as a consequence, producers. Focusing on the preferences of buyers of computer equipment, ASUS has once again not “invent the wheel” and filled the shelves very similar copy of the famous and much loved Apple MacBook Pro in its own performance – ASUS K56CM.
Of course, this notebook ASUS has its own characteristics, starting with design elements and finishing with a complete set, but the overall impression of the appearance of the persistently reminds PC Apple, the world saw the first time a few years ago.
Design
Say stylish – that’s to say nothing when it comes to ASUS K56CM. The laptop is completely made of metal, there is nothing superfluous, pompous, stern gray color in different shades, clear lines, like anything special, but at the same time dramatically – that’s what makes the effect of this laptop when we first met. And, of course, the shadow of Apple MacBook Pro is clearly slipping in the style of execution.
ASUS K56CM weighs just over two pounds – 2.3 kg with battery, to be exact, and it’s a given that his body is almost entirely made of metal. Accepted fact that this laptop is one of the lightest and most delicate in its class, the overall dimensions of the ASUS K56CM – 380x266x21 mm. The cover is dark gray, with a laconic markings of the manufacturer ASUS center. Unfortunately, polished aluminum quickly and intensely grasping fingerprints, particularly showing them on a dark surface, so that the fans of ideal purity have regularly cleaned cover removing refine touches.
UI board and a work surface and metal, but in a light shade. This decision is doubly beneficial – not show fingerprints, and the contrast with the black keyboard and a display frame is very refreshing perspective view, keeping the overall style of austerity and cost.
ASUS K56CM bottom is covered with black plastic. Located on the bottom of the rubber feet for stability, a few gratings ventilation, battery compartment and where the hard drive and memory stick. Wedge-shaped front end is equipped with a plurality of holes in speakers and a card reader.
The build quality and materials used are just high enough to really complain about anything.
Display, audio, webcam
Laptop ASUS K56CM – it’s 15.6-inch sample of mobile computing technologies with a resolution of 1366×768 pixels. Its liquid crystal display with a TN matrix and glossy finish, unfortunately, is not happy user quality images with perfect color and comfortable viewing angles. TN matrix, in principle, does not involve the complete exclusion of converting images at work, but in a situation with K56CM this point is particularly poor – even sitting in front of a laptop is sometimes necessary several times to adjust the cover to use the process continued to remain comfortable.
Color reproduction is also a bit not enough, the image contrast is frankly not enough, the colors dull. Perhaps part of the blame of this deficiency may take the gloss display, but the fact remains, and in cooperation with ASUS K56CM, will have some time to spend on trying to get used to its features and work well together.
Speakers K56CM represented by a set of speakers and audio technology Sonic Master Lite, significantly expanding the multimedia capabilities of this budget model. The overall impression of the quality of acoustics is quite pleasant – the sound is clear and rich, although the maximum volume would be a little bit more. In addition, small but nevertheless not very convenient solution, was the placement of speakers at the front end. The fact that this face is not sheer and substantially sloped towards the bottom, so when installing on a laptop or any soft surface knees sound becomes muffled.
Webcam traditionally placed above the display. Its resolution is 0.3 megapixels, and next to it is a microphone.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard in the laptop ASUS K56CM island style, laid on a metal substrate, light gray, which is absolutely no flex even under intensive typing. The keys are plastic, with a shallow swing, square shape. K56CM tile keyboard has a numeric block and full-size arrow keys.
As usual, the function keys [F1] – [F12] rendered in the uppermost row, they have several uzhaty shape, compared with the basic buttons. Turning on and off the laptop by using the power button, which is located in the upper left area of the keyboard.
The touchpad is large enough, it is very convenient and practical to use. As with the entire inner surface of the ASUS K56CM, it is light gray in color, so continuing the overall style of execution, the touch area is ideal in a concise way and strictly laptop, where nothing is superfluous.
The touchpad has a cast a smooth surface, and the physical buttons are not provided. It supports multi-touch gestures, responsive, fast and easy.
Performance
Laptop ASUS K56CM is quite popular and common model, and this is due not only stylish design but also the variety of available kits, according to which prices vary. Total options modifications of the budget-nearly three decades, so each user can choose the option that best fit affordable and functional.
Personally, we met with the ASUS K56CM in picking 90NUHL424W13135813AY, where there is an operating system Windows 8, power-efficient processor Intel Core i7-3517U, a discrete graphics card NVIDIA GeForce GT 635M and a 500-gigabyte hard drive. All this set in a super premium package will cost around $ 800 – $ 900.
Processor Intel Core i7-3517U is a powerful dual-solution based on 22-nanometer architecture Ivy Bridge. As you know, the marking «U» in the title CPU Intel shows reduced power consumption particular model, so i7-3517U tend to use for their needs only 17 watts of power, and it is given the job of the memory controller and integrated graphics. Figuring ULV-processor in a laptop ASUS K56CM due, apparently, quite a small thickness and a desire to reduce the weight of cars to the maximum extent possible. All other equipment is also equipped with ULV-processor.
But back to our Intel Core i7-3517U, evaluating its performance, it is safe to say that this is quite a powerful solution that can cope with the many demanding tasks. Two processor cores run at 1.9-3.0 GHz, while maintaining multi-threading technology Hyper-Threading and increased operating frequency of the memory controller DDR3 – 1600 MHz, which, however, is common to all third-generation processor architecture Ivy Bridge.
The graphics subsystem is presented ASUS K56CM built into the processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 and discrete solution NVIDIA – GeForce GT 635M. The integrated GPU is traditionally responsible for the decision not too demanding graphics tasks, it runs at 350-1150 MHz processor i7-3517U, and the rate of work can compete with integrated graphics AMD Radeon HD 6620G.
As for the digital adapter, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 635M – it’s the middle-class, productive, which is capable of decoding many data formats, multi-channel mode that allows you to release the processor from performing these tasks, and as a result, increase overall productivity. The volume of GDDR3 video memory 2048 MB calculated.
The amount of RAM in the ASUS K56CM 90NUHL424W13135813AY is 4 GB, but the manufacturer has two slots for expansion, so this figure could increase by half the maximum – up to 8 GB.
Hard drive space will be enough to store important information, the total is 500 GB hard drive, it connects via a Serial ATA interface and operates at a speed of 5400 rev / min.
Ports and Communications
Can not say that ASUS K56CM can offer a wide variety of ports and connectors, but the basic kit is present, and the position of the budget model justifies lack the extended set.
On the left side is a connector for the charger cable, ventilation grille, ports, VGA, HDMI, RJ-45, and one USB 3.0.
On the opposite side, you can find combo jack for headphones and microphone ports, two USB 2.0, optical drive, DVD-RW, and a Kensington lock. Yes, despite the small thickness, ASUS K56CM equipped with drive, which, of course, but extends its capabilities.
The rear face is empty.
On the front end carried a set of six light bulbs, indicators, and in the lower part, on the border with the bottom, placed a card reader and speaker grilles.
As wireless communications ASUS K56CM offers Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11n.
Battery
In order to minimize the thickness of the notebook, the manufacturer has applied the winning move – making a smaller compartment for the battery, it put the battery on the back of the ASUS K56CM, thus adding a portion of his personality. When closed, the battery does not prevent or bulges, merging with the lid and blend into the overall design, but when you open the laptop, it becomes more noticeable as the work rises above the panel. As part of the scenery of the battery has a grooved surface that resembles the speaker grille.
Lithium-ion 4-cell battery has a capacity of 2950 mAh. Of course, from such a relatively small, expect phenomenal abilities of the battery is not necessary in principle, but given the energy-efficient stuffing, a couple of hours with an average load with no outlet laptop is quite able to hold out.
Verdict
Cheap laptop ASUS K56CM, released in 2012, not the ideal. As the bulk of these devices, it has its advantages and disadvantages of forming an individual image. Even at first glance, it is clear that this is not just another ordinary working budget, which in a few months just lost among the myriad of new products, so zealously filling the shelves. No, on a laptop ASUS K56CM can delay the look and opt definitively.
Among its advantages are indisputable highlight plush as in quality and appearance, body, comfortable modern keyboard, touchpad is responsive and productive stuffing (if you do not get the cheapest package). By the way, a huge selection of modifications proposed by the user, as well worthy of attention, it’s not always coincide with the possibility of desire. In general, the combination of the price with the functionality is just great. Plus, the compact size and low weight of only 2.3 kilograms will easily carry the device with you.
A major shortcoming, which spoils the overall impression of the ASUS K56CM, is the screen. Small viewing angles and a pretty dull colors deliver noticeable discomfort during use. In addition, the Low-capacitive battery is not able to extend the period of activity of the laptop for a long time.
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