ASUS K53E-B1 Review

Our ASUS K53E-B1 review unit has the following specifications:

• 15.6-inch 720p (1366x768) glossy panel with LED backlighting
• Intel "Sandy Bridge" Core i5-2410M dual-core processor (2.3GHz~2.9GHz Turbo Boost, 3MB L3, 35W TDP)
• Intel HM65 chipset
• Integrated Intel HD graphics
• 6GB DDR3-1333 dual-channel RAM (1x 4GB, 1x 2GB)
• 640GB 5400RPM Seagate hard drive (ST9640423AS)
• Atheros AR9285 Wireless network adapter
• DVD burner (MATSHITA DVD-RAM UJ8A0ASW)
• 6-cell li-ion battery (10.8V, 52Wh, 5600mAh)
• Weight: 5.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 15.2 x 1.4 x 10.2 inches
• Two-year warranty
• MSRP: $799

These are relatively good specifications for the money, especially considering the large 640GB hard drive and ample 6GB of RAM. The second-generation Intel Core i5 processor should be able to tackle nearly any task without breaking a sweat, whether that be general Internet surfing or video encoding.

Build and Design
The K53E looks slim chassis at about 1.4" at the highest point. It's also very light for a notebook this size at 5.27 lbs. The palm rest area and lid of the notebook are aluminum, which has a dark copper-colored finish. It looks great and the hue changes depending on the light. The lid is more of a dark gray-colored aluminum.

The use of glossy plastic for the screen surround was not the best idea, as it is far too easy to smudge up. Combined with the glossy display surface, it is difficult to keep clean. The K53E's actual build quality is quite good; the chassis is stiff and does not bend or twist. The lid is not as rigid as I had hoped though the aluminum back helps it somewhat.

I like how the bottom of the notebook has a smooth textured finish. Overall the extra attention ASUS put into the K53E's design paid off. The access panel located on the bottom front edge of the notebook gives you access to the RAM, wireless card and hard drive in case you have any desire to upgrade those components at a later time.

Ports and Features
The K53E has a spartan collection of input and output ports. It does not have any high-speed data connections such as USB 3.0 or eSATA, and there's no way to add it since the K53E lacks an ExpressCard slot as well. All picture descriptions are left to right.

Front: 5-in-1 media card reader

Back: Battery pack

Left: Cooling exhaust vent, AC power, Ethernet, VGA, HDMI, USB 2.0

Right: Headphone and microphone jacks, 2x USB 2.0, DVD burner, lock slot