X-bit labs

Portable Gamer’s Dream: Asus G2 Gaming Notebook Series Review (page 5)

Category: Mobile

by Alexander Britvin

[ 06/01/2007 | 11:15 AM ]

The second group of status indicators is located on the right above the keyboard together with instant-launch keys and a Power button:

• Bluetooth indicator (alight when the Bluetooth interface is on)
• Storage indicator (it shows that a storage device, i.e. the hard or optical drive, is being accessed)
• Num Lock
• Caps Lock

The notebook offers the following instant-launch buttons:

• Button to launch ASUS’ exclusive Power4 Gear+ utility which offers several power modes that vary in such parameters as CPU frequency, screen brightness, Windows’ power management scheme, etc.

Five Power4 Gear+ modes are available when the notebook is connected to the wall socket and seven when it works on its battery.

• ASUS Power for Phone button that launches the related program for video conferencing using a Skype-supported Internet-connection

• Splendid button (enables ASUS Splendid Video Enhancement to switch between different display modes – the current mode is shown in the onscreen menu)
• Button to block the touchpad. You may want to do this when you’re using an external mouse so that the touchpad didn’t react to an accidental touch. This is an important button for a gaming notebook, especially as there is a gaming mouse included into the box

This notebook is equipped with an 88-key black keyboard. The keys feel almost like those of ordinary keyboards. The block of the gaming buttons (WASD), the arrows and the functional keys are marked with red. The Enter button is shaped in the classical way like the letter L. The movement keys are shifted a little below the keyboard’s baseline, so there is a smaller risk of your pressing them accidentally. The left Control occupies its customary position in the lower left corner, which is convenient for people who are used to Control-involving shortcuts like Ctrl+C or Ctrl+V. Numeric buttons and three Windows keys are available: the Context Menu key on the left of the spacebar; the two Windows Logo keys are on both sides of the spacebar, over one key to the right and over two keys to the left, respectively. The functional keys are smaller than others. Home, Page Up, Page Down and End make up a column on the right. Pause, Print Screen, Insert and Delete are placed in the same row with the functional keys (you should press them in combination with Fn to access their additional functions). The letters are painted white and the functional keys are painted blue.