The ASUS K Series of laptops has been a very successful mid-range product group for quite some time now, but with the arrival of new technology and new segments such as ultrabooks, its latest and sixth generation has received a nice upgrade in several departments, and is now a more upscale offering all told.
The factory folks sent a sample our way earlier this week and here’s the quick unboxing to show you what the new laptops look like.
In terms of the upgrade mentioned it’s definitely a multi-faceted affair. There’s a sleeker, slimmer, and nicer-looking design, which is also lighter thanks to the use of an aluminium finish. The revamped series offers red, blue, pink, white, smoky black, and dark indigo colours, resulting in a lively roster that’s sure to have something that’ll appeal to you.
For sound, K Series models now ship with SonicMaster Lite audio, and the touchpad has better gesture detection and more intuitive input. Speaking of which, these laptops still feature ASUS IceCool technology, which conveniently places heat-producing components such as the CPU and GPU on the underside of the motherboard, so that your palms don’t get clammy after prolonged usage.
I would also like to mention SuperBatt technology, which nearly triples the battery’s charge cycle endurance. Where normal batteries drop to 70% max recharge after as little as 300 cycles, the K Series with SuperBatt retain that 70% figure even after 1000 recharge cycles. That’s quite energising, isn’t it? While on the subject, ASUS Super Hybrid Engine II manages power consumption to enable 2-second Instant On, plus up to 14-day standby.
Also included are third generation Intel Core processors, as well as discrete NVIDIA 600 series graphics, but do check the specs because these may vary among different K Series models.
In terms of screen sizes, the new K Series has the 14″ K45, 15″ K55, 17.3″ K75, and the beastly 18.3″ K95 with its full HD LED panel.
Now let’s take a look at the pics. The one sent to Tech in Style towers was a smoky black K45.
These are the new Eco Boxes, made using recycled materials and soy ink.
Another look at the box, from slightly afar this time.
Once open, the inside is immediately neat and inviting.
A couple of shots showcasing the textured cover of the new K Series. Looks nice and feels great to the touch.
Side view of the K, showing the slimmer form factor and those nice feet in the back for extra stability.
Other side with the two USB 3.0 ports standing out.
High quality screen, reinforced chiclet keyboard, and Altec Lansing/SonicMaster Lite speakers.
While I definitely love the new N Series, I’ve always been a very mainstream kind of person. The K Series is mainstream with benefits now, upscaled with features that were previously reserved for much pricier laptop PCs. We’ll be able to show you more of these new laptops soon, so please do stay tuned!
Suds McSoapdish
Thirty years ago, toddler Suds got his first taste of just how enjoyable technology can be when his parents gave him an Atari 2600. He soon picked up on the wonders of the Commodore 64, and the rest is history in the form of a long list of consoles, 80’s home computers and PCs built and assembled with great fervor. Writing and technology gradually moved up from hobbies to professions as Suds became the man he is today, and although he’s worked and traveled the world and experienced many things, technology, especially computing and gaming, has remained a solid constant.