Asus UL20A review

Netbooks have had their time in the limelight, but with the likes of Asus’s UL20A on the market, their days look to be numbered. Combining stamina and ultraportable dimensions with more power than any netbook can muster, Asus’ latest should tempt cash-strapped buyers to spend that bit more.

Despite costing just £400 exc VAT, the UL20A is a classy little number. The brushed-aluminium lid adds a dash of style, with the silver finish spreading inside and contrasting nicely with the black Scrabble-tile keyboard and glossy black screen bezel.

Build quality hasn’t suffered: the UL20A feels solid and flex-free, and the rigid, slimline lid does a good job of protecting the 12.1in TFT from harm. It’s comfortable too. The keyboard is excellent, with a firm, unyielding base and crisp key action. The layout works, with the Home cluster of keys rearranged and tucked out of the way on the right-hand side. In fact, the only minor moan comes courtesy of the single, rocker-style button beneath the trackpad; it might look good, but we much prefer individual buttons.

Those looking for a laptop they can carry around day-in day-out will find more than enough to love. At just 1.53kg, the Asus is light enough to sling in a bag for a regular commute and, thanks to the 12.1in display, it’s appreciably smaller than the herd of 13.3in CULV laptops dominating this category.

Once you start using the UL20A, its appeal really comes to the fore. The Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 hops along at a modest 1.3GHz, but the two cores are enough to keep Windows 7 feeling snappy enough for most tasks. A benchmark score of 0.67 underlines its capabilities – it isn’t lightning-quick by laptop measures, but it’s twice as powerful as your average netbook.