ASUS Republic of Gamers G51J-3D 15.6-Inch 3-D Gaming Laptop (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Had this laptop for nearly a month, and my experience with it ranges from 2 to 5 stars, depending on what I'm doing. I was considering giving this 3 stars overall, but considering the price, I think it deserves a 4 star, though it really depends what you intend to do with this laptop. Note that this is a long review. I tried to summarize everything in the first sentence of each bullet so people can skim through it quickly if they aren't interested in the details.
Pros:
- Good value! An Alienware laptop with nearly identical specs cost about $1750 the last time I checked, and that's without 3D Vision (which retails for about $200), a second hard drive and only 1 yr warranty. Also, Amazon dropped the price, twice, since I bought this (probably trying to clear stock as G51JX-3D is coming out - almost identical computer except they replaced GTX 260M with GTS 360M, which is slightly weaker but runs cooler, and replaced the 2nd HDD slot with 2 RAM slots)
- Screen looks great! Not sure if it's the 120Hz or the LED backlight, but this screen blows my old laptop away (Compal FL90). A lot of my games look noticeably better on this screen (not because of extra fps, I'm talking about old games where my old laptop runs great as well)
- 3D was surprisingly good! 3D actually was not the primary reason I bought this laptop, so I wasn't expecting much from it. But I totally don't regret getting the 3D (I wanted a G51J-A1, but you can't buy them brand new anymore - I wanted the 2nd Hard drive, which is not available on the G51JX-A1 - the replacement for the G51J) For those that see a lot of flicker in 3D, try turning up your screen brightness - when my screen is near 100% brightness, the flicker completely goes away for me and my wife. I've put additional comments on games I got to work in 3D at the bottom of this review.
- 2 hard drive bays in a 15". I couldn't find a single other 15" laptop out there with 2 hard drives. Useful if you want to have a solid state hard drive (SSD) but don't want to shell out $400+ for a 160GB SSD (I got the $200-ish Intel 80GB SSD for running the OS and some of the newer games and stuck all my old games and documents on the 2nd HDD).
- Full-sized back-lit keyboard. The back-lit keyboard is actually pretty cool and is actually useful when playing 3D - the shutter glasses make everything look darker like sunglasses do when active. The backlight makes it a lot easier to find the keys.
- Runs graphics-intensive games fluidly. I ran Oblivion, everything on max on max resolution (which is only 1366x768 on this laptop though) with 3D on, went outdoor and the scenery looked awesome! Didn't measure the framerate, but didn't notice any stuttering at all, even during combat (CPU-intensive games are a different matter though, read the Non-G51J-3D Specific Cons section).
- Driver disc lets you select what bloatware to install. If you reinstall Windows 7 using the recovery disc, the first time you boot up, the drivers disc lets you select what bloatware to install, instead of forcing you to install everything then uninstall stuff you don't want (drivers disc is bugged though, see Cons section). There're actually a number of useful programs, but still a lot of bloat imo.
- Lots of ports. Has modem, LAN, VGA, HDMI, card reader, e-SATA and 4 USB (might have missed some, check the official specs). There're 2 USBs on each side of the laptop, so you don't have to worry about a big USB device blocking off all your ports. However, you'll probably end up using all four at once most of the time: 1 for mouse, 1 for 3D IR emitter, 1 for laptop cooler (strongly recommend one), leaving only 1 USB left for your flash drive.
Cons:
- GPU comes underclocked. Probably due to heat and power consumption issues. You can easily clock the GPU back up to NVIDIA's stock clock using the latest Forceware, but then you'll need to watch the temperature much more carefully.
- CPU throttling. The CPU supposedly throttles (or clocks down) if the laptop draws too much power. I haven't yet observed this in any of my games, so I can't comment much. Google "asus g51j throttling" for more info. Note that various other gaming laptops have similar issues, including the Alienware m15x.
- Heat. This is an issue with all gaming laptops, but is particularly an issue with this model. Running Furmark at 1366x768 in a room at 20C resulted in the GPU running up to 94C for me (no cooling, though adding my targus cooling fan only trimmed 2C from that). I think the GPU can take that kinda temperature, and real-world gaming is usually less intense than Furmark, but when summer comes and my room is near 30C, this will become an issue. Also, the CPU shares the same heatsink as the GPU, though I never managed to push the CPU above the mid 70C, even when running Prime95 or Cinebench.
- Warranty void if sticker removed. There's a sticker over the heatsink saying that warranty is void if removed, so basically, I can't replace the thermal compound on the CPU and GPU to help with the heat issue without voiding my warranty >.>
- BIOS is extremely basic. I'm using the unofficial BIOS version that supposedly fixed the BSOD issue (google "G51J BSOD fix"). The only useful thing you can do in the BIOS is changing the boot order. No turning off hyperthreading, setting clock speeds or anything you'd expect a regular BIOS to have (and I'm not aware of any secret key combos that unlocks more advanced functions). Not an issue if you never mess with the BIOS, but rather disappointing for people that want to squeeze more performance out of their machines.
- Low battery life. To be expected for a gaming laptop, though the battery life on this computer is particularly bad. I get slightly over 1 hour when doing actual work (minimum brightness, balanced power scheme, surfing the web, transferring files to and from a flash drive etc.) Others have reported squeezing out 1.5 hours on more aggressive power saving options. You can replace the 6-cell with a 9-cell battery from ASUS, though it's $169 the last time I checked, and it's out of stock. I'm planning to buy a universal external battery pack before I travel with this.
- VGA out sucks, though luckily HDMI works. I've read a number of reviews online before I bought this, and I'm surprised no one brought this up, so maybe I just got a lemon. The VGA connector on my G51J-3D is very loose and flickers majorly when I connect it to my TV. The exact same cable and TV gave me flawless display on my old laptop, so I know the issue is the connector. HDMI works fine and looks great, so it's not the GFX card either (the computer won't detect my TV on HDMI without a reboot though, can't figure out whether it's Windows 7, my TV or the laptop causing problems). If you're thinking of connecting this to your old CRT monitor for 3D, it may not work out.
- Recovery discs are bugged. I tried reinstalling Windows on my new SSD which I swapped into the laptop, and when it asked for the drivers disc, it gave me a file not found error and I was forced to do a hard reboot as it won't move on. The reboot led to a BSOD. Using the recovery discs I created using ASUS's software didn't work either. Interestingly, the second time I tried the recovery discs (not the ones I made) turned out fine, so maybe it was just bad luck (still gave me the file not found error, but hard reboot did not lead to BSOD the second time. Windows 7 now running without problems on my SSD).
- Drivers disc doesn't respond once some drivers are installed. Not sure why, but when some drivers are installed, the drivers disc autorun no longer works - trying to view the contents of the disc in Windows Explorer will also result in a moving green bar that never stops moving. The workaround I found was to put the driver disc into a non-ASUS computer, copy all the contents over to the hard drive of the G51J, running setup.exe from the hard drive solved the problem.
- Lid design and lighting. I'm in the camp that hates the lights, especially the fact that you can NOT turn off the lights on this model unless you open up the laptop and cut some wires (for the record, I also do not like the alien head of Alienware, or anything on the lid that screams "hey, look at me!"). The lights blink when the laptop is in sleep mode, so I usually shut down instead of sleep (boot time is slightly over 1 min with my SSD). The upside is that the real thing looks less ugly than the pictures imo - it's darker and doesn't look as flashy from a distance.
- Size is more like a 16" rather than 15". However, the hardware packed into this thing usually results in a 17", so maybe you can say the size is more like a 16" rather than a 17".
- Looks like it'll be replaced by the G51JX-3D. The JX is supposed to come out around now. The G51J-A1 has been replaced by the G51JX-A1 already. As described earlier, the JX trades 2nd HDD for more RAM and trades the underclocked GTX 260M with a higherclocked GTS 360M (benchmarks show that they're actually comparable surprisingly, though GTX 260M at stock clock will still outperform the 360M, assuming you don't fry your computer). If you think you need 6GB RAM or more or don't care about the 2nd HDD, you may want to wait (the JX is not on Amazon yet, but you can pre-order it at various resellers). If you want the 2nd HDD, might want to buy the J soon before retailers start stocking up on the JX variant.
Non-G51J-3D Specific Cons:
- This section contains cons that are specific to all computers using these components, not just the G51J-3D
- Windows 7 incompatiblity. Certainly not as bad as when I first started using Vista, but I...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS Republic of Gamers G51J-3D 15.6-Inch 3-D Gaming Laptop (Black)

Take Your Gaming to the 3rd Dimension See your games come alive with the world’s first NVIDIA 3D Vision notebook, the Republic of Gamers (ROG) G51J-3D.Featuring an Intel Core i7 processor, ASUS Discrete Graphics Engine (DGE) powered by NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M, and illuminated gaming keyboard, the G51J-3D unleashes an array of features to undertake today’s most demanding games with ease. Now, for the first time ever, you can experience true-to-life reality stereoscopic 3D gaming, movie and photographic experience with NVIDIA 3D Vision on-the-go. This specially designed mobile 3D Vision gaming package includes a pair of 3D glasses, transmitter and the specially designed 120Hz LCD screen. G51J is specially designed for a better Windows 7 experience for less waiting and more playing with exclusive time-saving utilities such as ASUS FastBoot that lets you boot into the desktop in under 30 seconds.Plus, the G51J-3D comes with a free trial of World of Warcraft for a right-out-of-the-box 3D experience.*Take advantage of premium multimedia with EAX Advanced HD audio and master your favorite games in 3D on a vibrant 15.6-inch 120Hz HD widescreen. The G51J-3D with NVIDIA 3D Vision includes all the special gear you need to truly bring your games to life. The most comprehensive notebook warranty package is icing on the cake. Most other brands only offer 1 year of warranty service, and can charge up to $100 for an additional year. ASUS G51J comes standard with a 2-Year Global Warranty and more*:
Thirty-days flawless display guarantee
Free two-way standard shipping
24-hour tech support seven days a week Plus ASUS Accidental Damage Protection: The ASUS G51J is also protected with a One Year Accidental Damage Warranty protecting the notebook from drops, fire, spills, and surge.**


Key Features

World's first notebook to enable HD games, movies and view photos in stereoscopic 3D withNVIDIA 3D Vision
NVIDIA 3D Vision Kit ( 3D Glasses + RF Transmitter) included
Intel Core i7 processor 720QM (Quad-Core) with Turbo Boost Technology1
Uniquely engineered 15.6-inch HD LED-backlit 120Hz widescreen enables 3D Vision on-the-go
Blistering fast ASUS DGE powered by NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M 1GB GDDR3 memory
4GB of DDR3 RAM for smooth computing with Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
640GB (2x 320GB) 7,200RPM hard drives for fast, convenient storage, and access to all your documents and entertainment
Built-in 802.11 b/g/n & Bluetooth wireless connectivity for total wireless gaming freedom
Illuminated gaming keyboard with numeric keypad gives you complete control in any lighting environment
Surreal gaming surround sound with Altec Lansing speakers driven by EAX Advanced HD 4.0
Integrated 2.0 megapixel webcam for connecting with family, friends, and foes
Free World of Warcraft Trial for a right-out-of-the-box 3D gaming experience
2 year ASUS 360 global warranty and 1 year Accidental Damage Warranty
Complementary Republic of Gamers backpack and gaming mouse

Learn More
3D Vision Enabled
Uncompromised Performance for Ultimate Showdown
Enjoy Vibrant Media
Aggressive Styling
Built with one of the World’s Best Notebook Processors
ASUS Makes Your Windows 7 Experience Better
ASUS 360* -- 2 Year Global Warranty
ASUS ADW** -- 1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty**
Warranty
ASUS 360* (2 Years Global Warranty) + ASUS ADW** (1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty**) + Flawless Display Guarantee ASUS G51J comes with ASUS 360 (2 years global warranty), ADW (1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty**) and Flawless Display Guarantee. If the purchaser discovers one defective bright dot within 30 days of purchase, ASUS will replace the panel without cost to the purchaser.
What's in the Box
ROG G51J-3D
NVIDIA 3D Vision Wireless Glasses
NVIDIA 3D Vision Transmitter
Deluxe Republic of Gamers Backpack
Deluxe Optical Gaming Mouse (By Razor)
AC Adapter
6 cell Battery Pack
Warranty Information Card
Specifications
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Display: 15.6-inch HD 120Hz LED-backlit Widescreen (1366 x 768)
CPU: Intel Core i7 processor 720QM (Quad-Core)
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M 1GB GDDR3 VRAM
Wireless: 802.11 b/g/n,Bluetooth v2.1+EDR
LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
Memory: 4GB DDR3 1066MHz RAM, 2 SODIMM Sockets (up to 4GB)
Storage: 640GB 7,200RPM hard drive (320GB x 2)
Optical Drive: DVD Super Multi Double Layer Drive
Camera: 2.0 Megapixel
Speakers: Altec Lansing speakers driven by Creative Audigy HD 3D Gaming Audio Engine
Microphone Digital Array Microphones
Card Reader: 1 x 8-in-1 card reader (MMC/SD/Mini-SD/XD/Memory stick/MS Pro/MS-Duo/MS-Pro Duo)
Input/Output: 1 x Mic-in, 1 x Headphone-out, 1 x VGA port/Mini D-Sub 15-pin for external monitor, 4 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x IEEE 1394 port, 1 x RJ45 LAN Jack for LAN insert, 1 x HDMI, 1 x eSATA, 1 x Express Card 34/54
Battery Pack: 6 cell
Dimensions: 14.6 x 10.3 x 1.3~1.6 -inches
Weight: 7.26 lbs. with 6 cell battery
Color: Blue † Rated number 1 Windows-based PC maker in PCMag.com’s Service & Reliability Report 2009. Rate number 1 PC brand according to SquareTrade, the leading direct-to-consumer warranty company (for more information visit http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109/ ). *For notebooks purchased on or after Sept. 10, 2007. The ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty covers “ASUS” brand notebooks only, and does NOT extend to: “Built on ASUS,” “ASMobile,” “Powered by ASUS,” the Eee PC, or some other models. These retailers are currently among the companies that do NOT participate in the ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty: Best Buy, MicroCenter, and The Source by CircuitCity in Canada. Limit of one claim per notebook for Accidental Damage Warranty. ASUS reserves the right to discontinue this program and to modify the terms and conditions thereof at any time. ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty Program starts from the date of your ASUS notebook purchase, when all the requirements are met. **One incident covered per notebook All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models. Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in photos. Celeron, Celeron Inside, Centrino, Centrino Inside, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Intel Viiv, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, Viiv Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

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