Full Review

19 June 2006 - You can’t deny Asus isn’t trying something a little different with the S6F.

It’s an ultraportable weighing in at a slim and light 1.4kg but if that isn’t enough they’ve gone and covered the back of the lid and the palm-rests in leather.

This may seem a little kitsch, and the pink version that is offer certainly is, but when it comes to adding that all-important touch and feel factor it’s surprising how pleasing it actually is. It’s not only a vanity, though, as the coating means that the machine stays cool to the touch no matter how long you have it running, which can’t be a bad thing.

Aside from the leather coat, which comes in a choice of colours and hues to better match your image and personality, the machine also happens to be impressive. Considering its size and weight we were impressed with how sturdy it felt, with the casing being remarkably robust to the touch.

To keep things trim and slim, the screen is a mere 11 inches diagonally but it comes with a Super-TFT coating that gives images that stunning look. Using a sharp widescreen resolution of 1366x768 pixels, the display is consistently clear and accurate in all lighting conditions. Typical for a slim and light notebook, graphics are integrated but they’re fast enough to handle daily tasks without too much trouble.

Powered by an Intel Core Duo L2400, this dual-core low-voltage chip packs the latest mobile processing technology into a small package. Backed by 1024MB of memory and a 80GB hard drive there is little to complain about in terms of performance, as the machine handled well in all circumstances.

You have to commend Asus in also managing to packs so much into the machine, as you’ll find a dual-format DVD rewriter as well as the standards ports you’ll find on any notebook, so you won’t feel as if you missing out on connectivity options. Also essential for such a portable laptop is its ability to stay connected at all times, and the S6F won’t let you down. Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth ensure users can connect at the highest speeds possible to all networks, wireless hotspots and peripherals.

The only real downside to this configuration is the battery life. We managed to get a little over two hours from the standard battery before running for the power brick, which isn’t ideal if you’re out and about all day but for office bound meetings it’s more than fine.

VERDICT
The leather look may not be one we’re accustomed to but it certainly gives the notebook a certain WoW factor that is missing in the current notebook climate. Aside from the looks this is a powerful solution that is only let down by a poor battery life. If you can live with the compromise, or opt to buy a second battery, you won’t be disappointed by what’s on offer.