New Asus U43 Bamboo Series Laptops

"Asus have just released some of the most unique looking laptops you will ever see, with more of their acclaimed Bamboo series. The Asus U43F-BBA5 and Asus U43JC-BBA7 are two members of the growing Bamboo series, which was first realised a couple of years ago and is still being extended in 2010."

image source: Asus

Can a laptop be too retro? Asus' newly refreshed Bamboo series offers two new versions that may (or may not) resonate with North American buyers. Processors offered include a choice of Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors, and an option for TurboBoost, along with Intel Integrated Graphics on the U43F-BBA5, or Nvidia GeForce 310M 1GB with Optimus technology and integrated Intel GPU.

Some software differences exist between the two models, but similarities include: a 14-inch LED display at 1366x768 resolution; 320GB/500GB SATA HD; 4GB DDR3 RAM; webcam; 802.11b/g/n; an 8-cell battery with "Super Hybrid Engine" technology estimated to provide about five (5) hours ten (10) minutes usage; the usual complement of ports; dual layer optical drive; and Windows 7 Premium 64-bit. Unfortunately there does not appear to be an option for keyboard backlighting.

These 1.25-inch thick, 5.1-pound laptops are available online from Best Buy in North America (but currently on backorder) for $949 and $999 respectively.