Design and Ergonomics: ASUS A4S00K

The ASUS A4S00K looks massive and cumbersome. The lid of this computer is dark-silvery and the area between the touchpad and the keyboard on the top panel has the same color. The bezel around the screen is black, like the bottom panel. A light-silvery edging goes along the sides of the computer. The design of the A4S00K resembles the A4B00L and A4S00G models from the same manufacturer I have reviewed earlier on our site. This notebook just cannot match the appearance of the gorgeous Ferrari 3200; I would characterize its looks with two words: simplicity and bulkiness.

On the top panel, above the keyboard, there is a power-on button and a group of instant-launch buttons):

• A button to launch the default Internet browser;
• A button to launch the default e-mail client;
• A button to choose among the Power4 Gear+ power-saving modes (for higher performance or for a longer life of the battery);
• A button to block the touchpad to avoid accidental touches when you are typing text;

The system status indicators of the ASUS A4S00K are divided into two groups, one of which is placed above the instant-launch buttons and includes a hard disk drive activity LED, Num Lock and Caps Lock indicators. The second group of indicators is found under the touchpad - not very handy, since you cover them with your right hand when working with the keyboard, and, moreover, these indicators are not visible with the lid closed. This group consists of an Audio DJ indicator, a power indicator (alight when power is attached), a battery charge indicator, an incoming mail indicator (alight when you have received new e-mail messages), and a WLAN connection indicator (it lights up when the integrated adapter is sending or receiving data packets).

Next to the second group of indicators, there are an Audio DJ button with the accompanying player buttons (the Audio DJ function allows listening to CD discs without booting the OS up; you just attach the notebook to the wall outlet or install a charged battery, then press the Audio DJ button and insert an audio CD; the playback is controlled with the player buttons).

The ASUS A4S00K has a full-size keyboard made of black plastic. The letters are white, the functional keys are labeled in blue. The Print Screen, Pause, Insert and Delete keys are in the same row with the functional keys; the Page Up, Page Down, Home and End keys are placed in a vertical column on the right. A numeric pad and two Windows keys are available here. The keys have a clear response to the touch and an appropriate sink depth.

The touchpad has two buttons that replace the mouse ones. There is no special scroll button as you can use the right part of the touchpad instead - there is a special ruler there.