ASUS has announced U.S. availability of its U30Jc Intel Core notebook. The U30Jc features NVIDIA Optimus technology which monitors programs being launched and chooses the appropriate performance profile to suit. Swapping between discreet and integrated graphics depending on need helps ensure the best graphical experience while keeping an eye on best energy usage at the same time.
The combination of Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processors with NVIDIA's GeForce G310M GPU and Optimus technology gives the U30Jc low power draw and long battery life along with power when it's needed. Up to 4GB of DDR3 SDRAM can be split between two SODIMM sockets and storage is available in a choice of 320GB, 500GB and 640GB 2.5in SATA HDD.
The 13.3in 1366 x768 LED backlit high definition display is said to use 20 percent less energy than typical screens and doesn't contain any mercury. Despite being less than an inch thick at its thinnest edge, ASUS has managed to squeeze in an optical media drive and the U30Jc also benefits from a 4-in-1 card reader, 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1, HDMI out, three USB ports, Altec Lansing stereo speakers and runs on Windows 7 operating system. Its 8-cell, 5600 mAh battery is claimed to give up to ten hours between charges.
For the style conscious, the notebook is finished in brushed aluminum, features a large chiclet keyboard and multi-touch trackpad flanked by oversized palm rests. The Core i3-350M (2.26GHz)/320GB HDD/4GB SDRAM/Windows 7 Home Premium model is priced at US$899 but other configurations and optional extras are available.