Asus A53E-XA2

Asus A53E-XA2

For the student or casual user who wants an affordable laptop with solid performance, the Asus A53E-XA2 ($629.99 list at Amazon) holds its own among the top budget laptops, thanks to an Intel Core i5 processor, solid battery life, and a design that looks great. Buyers looking for select features like USB 3.0, WiMAX, or WiDi 2.0, though, will need to look elsewhere. The Asus A53E-XA2 has a slender chassis, measuring 1.4 by 15.12 by 10.12-inches (HWD). It weighs 5.8-pounds, which may not be as light as the Lenovo IdeaPad V570-1066A9U ($629.99 list, 4 stars) (5.47-pounds) or HP Pavilion dv6-6013cl (5.6-pounds), but it's the same weight as the Dell Inspiron i15RN5110-7126DBK ($729.99 list, 4 stars) (5.82-pounds). So it's still light enough to tote to and from classes. The Asus A53E-XA2 has a metal and plastic construction, with a scratch-resistant black plastic lid that bears a handsome pattern across its glossy finish. A cool brushed aluminum panel covers the palm rest and surrounds the keyboard. The silvery aluminum is contrasted against the matte black keys of the chiclet-style keyboard and adjacent number pad. The typing experience is quite comfortable. A multitouch trackpad sits just below the spacebar, which is a little too far to the left for comfortable use.