Ergonomics and Weight

Asus has definitely put some thought into the design and usability of the G51J. First is the full keyboard – it’s logically laid out with majority of the buttons where you’d expect. My only complaint is the location of the Home, Page Up, Page Down, and End keys – they’re tucked away into the corner of the keyboard which makes them hard to reach. Also the Home and End keys are separated which causes keystroke errors since Home/End and PgUp/PgDn are usually grouped together in pairs.

The keyboard itself is comfortable to use – slightly on the soft side, but still with a soft affirmative click when typing. The keys are firm and don’t wiggle when pressed. While the keyboard has a noticeable flex when striking the keys near the middle of the top row (F4 to F10 buttons), it’s hard to notice at all when doing your work.

Asus has learned a thing or two in laying out the locations of connectors – things that can tangle the user’s mouse (Ethernet, power, and Kensington cables) are now located at the rear of the notebook. Equal amount of USB ports are located on either side making it easy to connect devices. The HDMI and VGA jacks are both on the left side so you don’t have to lean over the lid of the computer to connect another display.



The front of the laptop is free of any connectors so you can use it on your lap and not worry about crushing a plug (makes using the G51J on an airplane a bit more convenient too).

Carrying the Asus G51J in a briefcase or courier bag is going to be painful in the long run. With a total weight of over 7 lbs, you’re going to want to use a backpack or a rolling case if you’re trekking through downtown, or waiting in line for the checkin kiosk at the airport.

Weight

In its class, the Asus G51J would be considered a pretty hefty laptop and has a similar profile to a typical 15.4” system. Doing the one-handed lift test, the G51J feels sturdy without any noticeable flexing or creaking – just don’t expect to carry it very far with one hand before you start to cramp.

At 7.3 lbs., it’s on the heavier side. Best to use a backpack for transporting this (Asus includes one in the box) as the G51J with the power brick and accessories will weigh you down. Expect the G51J to weigh slightly less if there is only 1 HDD, or if you’ve gone with a SSD upgrade.