The U-series laid bare
Here's the current U-series line-up from ASUS.
The U20A is the smallest and lightest of the quartet and takes in the all-Intel platform of CULV chip - single- or dual-core - GS45 chipset that includes integrated X4500 MHD graphics, and WiFi Link 5100 WiFi.
A 12.in screen, LED-backlit, ships at a standard 1,280x800 resolution. The larger-than-netbook dimensions enable ASUS to include an optical drive, and weight is kept down to a reasonable, but not amazing, 1.78kg, which includes a standard six-cell battery.
Larger models in the range offer discrete graphics, for better gameplay - and the bulkiest of the bunch, UX50V, tips the scales at 2.6kg.
Our sample ships with the single-core SU2700 chip, operating at 1.3GHz, and with a quoted TDP of 10W, sat atop of a GS45 chipset, should provide decent battery life from the 47WHr (six-cell) battery.
On the face of it, the sample's £799 asking price seems awfully steep for what is a cut-down Core 2 Duo augmented by less-than-stellar integrated graphics. ASUS, however, has a few tricks up its sleeve, so let's take a look.
