Asus U36SD / U36S review: best ultraportable from ASUS goes Sandy Bridge

One of the best ultraportables launched in the past year was the ASUS U36JC, a very thin and light 13.3 inch laptop with the first gen Core i5 processor. That model had its share of problems including bad screen, overheating and an over $1000 price that coupled with the late arrival (beginning of 2011) made it anything else but a bestseller.

Anyway, we’re over the first half of 2011 and the update called ASUS U36SD (U36S in Europe) has arrived with the new Intel Sandy Bridge architecture and improved graphics (Nvidia GT 520M). It’s also got 6 GB RAM, but I must note the sample reviewed here is a little bit different from the ASUS U36S-A1 you’ll be able to find in store. The retail version will start with 4 GB RAM and will offer an 8-cell battery (our sample came with only 6-cells). All other aspects are identical, so let’s move on with the review.

And here are the quick specs:

• 13.3 inch display, 1366 x 768 pixels, LED backlit, glossy finish (unfortunately)
• Core i5-2410M processor clocked at 2.3 GHz, with HyperThreading and Turbo Boost (2.9 GHz)
• Hybrid graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000 + Nvidia GT 520M Optimus
• 6 GB of DDR3 memory
• 640 GB 5400 rpm HDD (why not 7200 rpm ASUS?)
• Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR, Wireless N, 1000Mbps LAN
• 2 x USB 2.0 , 1 x USB 3.0 , Card-reader, webcam, VGA and HDMI ports
• 6 Cell 4400 mAh 63 Wh battery (downgrade from the 8-cell ASUS U36JC)
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit OS
• Size: 12.9? x 9.28? x  0.76?
• Weight: 3.6 pounds with the 6 Cell battery (3.74 pounds with the 8 Cell battery, if you can find it in stores)

While the ASUS U36SD  is a 13.3 inch ultraportable, it’s not in the same league with the Apple MacBook Air or the Samsung Series 9, but more in the same pack with Lenovo E220s, Sony Vaio SB and the MacBook Pro in terms of size and weight (0.76 inch thick and 3.74 pounds with the 8-cell power plant).

Nice clean design lines

That doesn’t mean the ASUS U36SD is not an ultraportable. And given the power under the hood it’s safe to say this is a laptop capable of running even the most demanding tasks you need it to. And the overall case is pretty sturdy, considering the lid case and the palm rest area are made from magnesium. Unfortunately the screen bezel is made from the same glossy plastic as the previous generation. It’s a small annoyance, to be sincere.

ASUS U36SD-A1 13.3-Inch Thin and Light Laptop (Black)

• List Price: $899.99
• Current Price:
• [Details or Buy from Amazon]
  [Amazon User Reviews]

And to finish with the construction, the bottom part of the case is made from hard plastic (like on most laptops) and offers access to the RAM sticks, but the hard drive is a different story, being placed somewhere under the keyboard. Accessing that area requires skills and I think it’s not detailed in the owner’s manuals, so you have to dig deeper (literally) to replace your HDD.

The island keyboard is good, but the plastic covering the keys is too glossy. A rubberized coating would’ve been nicer. The touchpad is generous in size, made also from magnesium, offers good precision, but the two buttons are pretty stiff to press. Between them there’s a fingerprint reader, the only business concession ASUS makes with the U36S.

The island keyboard exhibits very little flex

The screen is a little bit of disappointment, just like every ASUS screen with 1366 x 768 pixels resolution. You need to stay exactly in the front of the screen to get consistent colors. Color reproduction is decent though.

As performance goes, there’s not much to be said about the ASUS U36SD: it’s just an update to the already powerful U36J laptop. This means you’ll be able to output Full HD videos with ease, perform tasks like video encoding and even play some games at low and medium settings. What more can you ask from a laptop this small?

ASUS U36SD-A1 13.3-Inch Thin and Light Laptop (Black)

• List Price: $899.99
• Current Price:
• [Details or Buy from Amazon]
  [Amazon User Reviews]

Even if the ASUS U36SD uses the latest generation Intel Sandy Bridge platform we’re talking about a full-voltage CPU into a very small case, so this laptop also heats up very fast when performing demanding talks like HD playback and gaming. Make sure it’s properly ventilated at all times.

Battery life is very good considering the 6-cell battery: 6 hours of light use, 5 hours of typical browsing/working and 4 hours of HD playback. Expect roughly 33% more battery life with the 8-cell battery.

While the ASUS U36SD hasn’t surfaced in stores yet, expect a $1000 retail price for it, in line with other 13.3 inch ultraportable laptops. We’d say it’s worth the money.

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