I am willing to bet that if one were to compile a checklist of the features consumers look for when purchasing a laptop, speaker quality will probably rank near the bottom, if at all. And it is easy to understand why: after all, notebooks are designed for the flexibility of work or entertainment while on the move, and blasting your notebook speakers at maximum volume while on the train or at Starbucks is the fastest way to earn yourself a spot in STOMP's webpage. Or more specifically, under the 'Ugly Commuters' section.
But to say that manufacturersare contented with things as they are would be a mistake: after all, the mobile computing industry has taken strides to provide a more surreal audio experience while on the move, but it comes with a caveat;such notebooksusually requirean output toa decent set ofaudio hardwarebefore any improvement becomes noticeable. This presentstwo set of problems: we don'texactly want to cart our impressive 5.1 setup out with us to the train or park, and cheap headphones will all but render any improved sound quality a moot point.
However, it seems that ASUS is determined to eliminate the hassle ofusing external output devices for better sound, and that is readily apparent in the new NX90 desktop-replacement notebook which was launched yesterday in Singapore.
According to ASUS, the Core-i7 powered NX90 uses speakers which are 10 times larger than those found in most notebooks today. This, in addition to the hardware being co-developed with Bang & Olfsen's ICEpower technology, allows the NX90 to attain audio qualities which are supposedly comparable to those found in full surround systems.
“This is the collaboration with ICEPower by Bang and Olfsen. We included a new direction of audio techinology, bringing audio to the consumer, bringing audio in portability....we'll continue to go on, to find more ways to innovate our products. that's where our commitment is; for our consumers to our business partners all over the world,” said Joseph Hoo, country manager for ASUS Technology.
Besides its sound quality, the NX90 also boasts a unique yet unconventional design:it features a polished aluminium surface instead of brushed metal or plastic, has two touchpads instead of one and thespeakers aremounted outside the notebook's frame, resulting in a slightly oversized yet elegant end-result.
Koh Siew Hock, Head of Southeast Asia Marketing for Intel, praised the NX90 for redefining the boundaries of notebook design.
“The Core i7 from Intel offers gaming performance but the real deal about the entire processor series is that it's very smart, it's very intelligent, it can adapt to the consumer and that is the kind of thing that ASUS has really built onand innovated on. And that product is the NX90, a very contemporary form factor. it challenges our conventional thinking of what a PC or notebook should look like, should feel like,” he said.
Asus also took the opportunity to introduce a new line of notebooks: the mainstream-oriented N-series which follow a more conventional design while still retaining decent audio quality, thanks to the company's joint-development with Bang & Olfsen. Available in 15-inch (N53JN) and 17-inch (N73JN), the N-seriesfeature Intel's Core i5 processors, dedicated Nvidia GPUs and will be available for sale immediately, along with the NX90. A 14-inch (N43JF) variant of the N-series is due to hit retail storenext month.
N43JF
N53JN
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