Asus N53SV-A1

Asus N53SV-A1

The Asus N53SV-A1 ($1,279 street) desktop replacement laptop is a showcase of new technology that includes Intel's latest Sandy Bridge platform, an Nvidia GeForce GT 540M graphics chip, and USB 3.0 ports for faster data transfer speeds. It's meant to complement (or replace) the most powerful desktop in your home with something more mobile, but with the same kind of power. Though the keyboard wasn't as well made as the rest of the laptop, it's a small price to pay for something that's future proofed for years to come. Asus is never one to skimp on design, which is why the N53SV-A1 is topped-off with aluminum, a widely used metal in designs like the Dell XPS 15 ($1,115 direct, 4.5 stars) and HP Pavilion dv7-4283cl ($999.99 list, 4 stars). The Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Thunderbolt) ($2,199 direct, 4 stars), on the other hand, uses aluminum throughout its Unibody frame. The N53SV-A1's metal top is slightly brushed, with a tint that falls somewhere between silver and gray. It's a classier, more refined-looking design than the all-plastic Samsung RF510-S01US ($939.99 list, 3.5 stars) and Dell Inspiron 17R-2950MRB ($949.99 list, 4 stars). It's not the best desktop replacement laptop to take on the road, though, as its 6.4-pound frame is as heavy as the Dell XPS 15 (6.4 lbs).