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    K55VD ... is it good?

    Discussion in 'Asus' started by Maro12, Jul 17, 2012.

  1. Maro12

    Maro12 Notebook Consultant

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    Hi all,
    I am about to decide to buy another laptop and I had a look at this model K55vd and wanted to know if you have any good or bad experiences from it.
    Also I have a question about a feature I read on Asus site that it contains some security software like, Kensington lock, BIOS password, and HDD password.

    I believe setting a password is something that is already included in any laptop manufacture, and some companies already offer HDD password software. But I am not sure whether these are made by Asus or another company.

    ASUS - Notebooks- ASUS K55VD

    thanks in advance
     
    Maro12, Jul 17, 2012
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  2. Prostar Computer

    Prostar Computer Company Representative

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    I play an Asus K55VD-DS71 for about 30 minutes. I think its pricing-performance ratio is above average.

    Be aware if you forget Bios password, there is no way you can retrieve the password. The unit needs to go back to service center to re-set.
     
    Prostar Computer, Jul 17, 2012
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  3. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

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    BIOS and HDD passwords are standard features of any modern laptop BIOS, and are selling points for corporate purchasers. Likewise, most laptops come with a Kensington lock port which is a reinforced part of the chassis that can be physically attached to a stationary object such as a desk via a cable. Think of it as a bike cable lock for a computer.
     
    ALLurGroceries, Jul 18, 2012
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  4. Maro12

    Maro12 Notebook Consultant

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    thanks for the replies.
    @Prostar Computer,
    why do you only play for 30 minutes? do you have heat problem or anything that cause to stop playing for more than 30 minutes?

    @AllurGroceries,
    I have already seen the BIOS password in my Asus N61jv, but not the two other. I can't even see these password protectors mentioning in other Asus models, but are common on almost all Lenovo models.
    Bike locks are not that protective as it should be, is it easy to break the Kensington locks, in case the laptop gets stolen?
     
    Maro12, Jul 18, 2012
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  5. Remmes

    Remmes Notebook Enthusiast

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    kensington locks aren't 100% secure, but it'll keep the person busy for some minutes, I think Prostar has used (a demo maybe) the laptop for 30 minutes somewhere
     
    Remmes, Jul 18, 2012
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  6. edit1754

    edit1754 Notebook Prophet

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    The biggest problems with the ASUS K55VD are that it comes with a 15.6" 1366x768 display and that it comes with a mere NVIDIA GT 610M.

    1366x768 resolution in a 15.6" display makes things onscreen large, and 15.6" displays that have 1366x768 resolution tend to have very poor image quality due to low contrast. The same applies to 17.3" 1600x900 displays, and this type of display should be avoided when it is reasonable to do so, unless the larger text is required for eyesight-related reasons.

    The NVIDIA GT 610M is on the very low-end of dedicated GPUs. It is likely to provide disappointing game performance in modern games. You can easily find a considerably faster GPU in this price range. If you aren't going to game, then this won't be an issue though.

    Many versions of the ASUS K55VD come with a Core i7 processor. But this should not be a primary selling point for you unless you have a particular need for such a processor. Gaming generally doesn't warrant the need for a high-end CPU, because game performance tends to be bottlenecked by the GPU before it is bottlenecked by the CPU, and basic usage is essentially unaffected by the differences between most commonly-available processors.


    If you're attached to the ASUS brand, then the ASUS N56VZ-RB71 comes with a much better display (15.6" 1920x1080) and a considerably faster GPU.

    Micro Center - ASUS N56VZ-RB71 15.6" Laptop Computer - Black Aluminum N56VZ-RB71

    The included GT 650M GPU is only the GDDR3 version, which is slower than the GDDR5 version that is included in other laptops, but it is still far more powerful than the GT 610M in the K55VD.

    There is also the cheaper ASUS N53SM-AS51 which has a GPU (GT 630M) that is quite a bit slower than the GT 650M, but still a good bit faster than the GT 610M. Also a 15.6" 1920x1080 display.
    - http://www.amazon.com/N53SM-AS51-15...?ie=UTF8&qid=1342670130&sr=8-3&keywords=n53sm


    If you aren't attached to the ASUS brand, the Sager NP6165 comes with the GDDR5 version of the GT 650M.

    Sager NP6165 (i5-3210M, NVIDIA GT 650M, 15.6" 1920x1080 glossy display) - $949 no tax
    - Sager NP6165 / Clevo W150ER - XOTIC PC - Sager 15.6" Laptop
    - Select Windows 7 under Operating System if you cannot acquire your own copy for cheaper.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 8, 2015
    edit1754, Jul 18, 2012
    #6