Asus UL50VF

ASUS UL50VF

You don’t have to flick a switch. Or press a button. Or reboot. You don’t even have to lift a finger. The ASUS UL50VF-A1 ($849), a relatively lightweight 15.6-inch notebook, is the first laptop that can automatically switch between integrated graphics mode (when you need endurance) to discrete mode (when you need more power) almost instantly. The breakthrough behind this capability is Nvidia’s Optimus technology, which is intelligent enough to seamlessly turn the GPU on or off based on the task at hand. We’re not enamored with the design, but overall the UL50VF-A1 is a highly versatile machine. Measuring 15.1 x 10.1 x 1.0 inches and weighing 5.2 pounds, the UL50VF-A1 is roughly the same size and weight as the Dell Latitude Z600. That’s a compliment; you won’t find many thinner or lighter notebooks with this display size. Unfortunately, we’re not fans of the glossy black chassis, a look ASUS has become somewhat addicted to. The brushed aluminum lid picked up fingerprints quickly, and smudges also marred the deck and bezel in short order. Unless you polish the system regularly, it can get downright grimy.