Asus is a prolific notebook manufacturer that has a wide array of product lines that include everything from high profile gaming lappies, entry level notebooks and everything in between. Today we’ll be talking about their K43SJ, a 14-inch notebook that offers a good mix between affordability and power.
The K43SJ is a 14-inch deal that sports aluminum texture on some parts of the chassis. It comes in several distinct colors (our review unit was blood red), and for the most part the lid design is simple yet elegant and not overly tacky. It has overall dimensions of 34.8 x 24.2 x 2.95 ~3.48cm, which is pretty much the norm for notebooks of its class.
It has all the usual ports you might need (3 USB, HDMI, Ethernet, D-sub and SD card), and has audio powered by Altec Lansing. The keyboard is of an island variety, has enough travel and was very comfortable to type with.
Hardware is your run-of-the-mill Intel Core i3 -2310M running at 2.1GHz with about 2GB of DDR3 memory.
Graphics is done by way of an Nvidia GeForce GT 520M, and you get 500GB of space to put your data in.
While the device is capable of a bit of gaming, it’s not the platform for gamers. The NVIDIA GT 520M doesn’t have enough graphics power to run newer games in the resolutions and graphics detail that I’m comfortable with. With that being said, it can run newer games, but be prepared to lower the resolution and detail levels down. It all comes down to how much of a graphical hit you’re willing to take – your mileage may vary. It handles lower spec games fine though, and if you’re only after casual gaming it’ll hit the right spot.
With an overall weight of 2.44 kilos, it’s pretty hefty. Lugging it around isn’t a backbreaking deal compared to bigger desktop replacements, but it’s not light either. If you’re not looking to develop new muscle groups, it would be best if the K43Sj stays on your desk.
Battery life is good, with the K43SJ lasting for about 4 hours on a single charge. Web browsing and light use was pretty pleasant, as well as some photoshop on the side. The K43SJ had no issues with full HD decoding and playback.
It’s not perfect though, and the major sense of my irritation has got to be the trackpad buttons. I’m pretty sure the buttons need to be level to one another, but the demo unit that we had for the test had buttons that were a bit sunk in the middle, forming a wide V shape. The buttons emit a loud click every time you press on it, and it may not be a big deal to some, but it annoyed me to no end.
But all those considerations suddenly disappear when you find out that the K43SJ retails for a mere Php 29,995 without an OS, and Php 32,995 with Windows Home Basic. Value for money is the keyword here, and at those prices, it’s hard to deny it’s appeal.
What’s Hot:
Design is solid and elegant
Very affordable
What’s Not:
Trackpad buttons are annoying
Slightly underpowered GPU
Bottomline:
If you’re looking for a notebook that won’t break the bank, then the Asus K43SJ is it.
Buymeter: 8.2
Tech Specs:
Screen Size
14-inch, 16:9 HD (1366×768) LED backlit
Memory
DDR3 1333 MHz SDRAM,2 x SO-DIMM socket for expansion up to 8 G SDRAM
CPU and chipset
Intel Core i3 2310M, running at 2.1GHz
Physical Dimensions
34.8 x 24.2 x 2.95 ~3.48cm
Warranty
1 year warranty on parts and labor