In a world where most netbooks have a similar aesthetic, ASUS's limited-edition Eee PC VX6 really stands out. Based on the Editors' Choice Award-winning EeePC 1215N ($499), this Lamborghini-themed 12-inch netbook ($699) turns heads with its sports-car like appearance --and a roaring engine sound when it boots. Asus backs up that flair with a dual-core CPU, switchable Ion graphics, and super-speedy USB 3.0 ports, which are unique to this version. But does a snazzy chassis and some neat extras justify spending nearly $200 more for a souped-up netbook?
Design
Even though it has the same internal specs as the Eee PC 1215N (Atom D525 CPU, Ion 2 graphics), the VX6 looks completely different. The glossy white lid emblazoned with the Lamborghini logo reminded us (appropriately) of the hood of an expensive Italian sports car. The sides are emblazoned in a subtle matte, chrome color that tapers against a rubberized matte black shade. Inside, the hinge area is one of the most attractive we've seen on a netbook, with chrome hinges and mirrored power and turbo buttons above the keyboard with a script Lamborghini logo sitting in the middle of the mirrored surface.
The touchpad and touchpad button have a sleek, trapezoidal shape and a dark mirrored surface, but we found that this area picked up fingerprint smudges. The webcam also sits against a mirrored, trapezoidal background. The palm rest is made of a matte black, rubberized material that was really comfortable on our wrists and attractive to boot. Even the bottom of the notebook has air vents that look like they belong on an expensive car, rather than a netbook.
At 11.6 x 8.x 1.1 inches and 3.1 pounds, the Eee PC VX6 isn't the thinnest or lightest netbook on the market, but for a system with a 12.1-inch screen, it's more than reasonable. In fact, it's a little bit lighter than the ASUS Eee PC 1215N (3.4 pounds), but it stands a bit taller on a desk due to the difference in hinge design.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The subtle black, island-style keyboard is nearly identical to those we've seen on other Eee PCs made in the past year or so. It offers decent tactile feedback, good spacing, and was more than adequate for typing. Using it, we were able to achieve our typical 80 words-per-minute score on the Ten Thumbs Typing test, with a two-percent error rate. What's more, we noticed that this layout exhibited less flex than the EeePC 1215N.
The 3 x 1.75-inch touchpad on this machine is a bit smaller than the one on the Eee PC 1215PN, but more than adequate for navigating around the desktop. It even handled multitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom with ease. Like all Eee PCs, the VX6 only has a single mouse button that clicks left or right. While it's somewhat stiff, it gets the job done.
Heat
Despite its relatively powerful components, the VX6 stayed pretty cool. After streaming a video at full screen for 15 minutes, we measured the keyboard at 88 degrees, the touchpad at 89 degrees, and the bottom at 96 degrees Fahrenheit. We consider temperatures under 95 comfortable for the top of the system and under 100 pleasant for the bottom.
Ports and Webcam
The ASUS Eee PC VX6 is the first netbook we've seen that provides support for USB 3.0. Using either of the two high-speed ports on the right side of the system, users can connect SuperSpeed USB hard drives and other devices that transfer data up to 10 times as fast as their USB 2.0 counterparts.
In addition to the two USB 3.0 ports, the right side of the system houses audio / in out jacks, an Ethernet port, and a Kensington lock slot. The left side has VGA, HDMI-out, a third USB port, and a memory card reader.
The 1.3-MP webcam provided smooth, sharp images even in low light. When testing Skype from our dimly lit living room, even fine details of our face were visible.
Display and Sound
The 12.1-inch 1366 x 768 glossy screen provided sharp images and bright colors. Viewing angles were solid up to 45 degrees to the left or right, but as is typical, video images started to wash out at wider angles. Despite the power of its dual-core Atom D525 CPU and Nvidia Ion 2 graphics chip, video playback was a mixed bag. We were able to play back streaming 720p Flash episode of Fringe from Fox.com without a hitch, but a 720p QuickTime trailer of The Girl Who Kicked Over the Hornet's Nest played at only 18 frames per second. After talking to Nvidia, we learned that the current version of QuickTime Player doesn't take advantage of discrete video cards like Flash does so clearly the Eee PC VX6's 1.8-GHz CPU isn't powerful enough on its own to enable HD playback in QuickTime.
The speakers provided sound that was loud and distortion-free if not overly rich. When streaming both an R&B and a hard rock tune from Napster, we were able to make out different instruments clearly. The audio was also loud enough to fill our living room.
Read more: http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/asus-eee-pc-vx6.aspx#ixzz138XGAOiS
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