Asus Launches First Quad-Core Notebook

A new version of the just-launched G71 gaming notebook will be the first in Asus' line to pack an Intel Quad Core processor for gaming performance.

Following up on last month’s introduction of the G50 and G71 gaming notebooks, Taiwanese manufacturer Asus today topped off its newly minted G-series with the official launch of the fastest G71 yet. The 17-inch machine holds the distinction of being Asus’ very first gaming notebook to sport a quad-core processor.

Intel’s Quad Core QX9300 joins the more pedestrian Core 2 Duo Extreme and Core 2 Duo as Asus’ processor offerings, the latter two of which have been available since the notebook first appeared in late August. All models picks up an Nvidia GeForce 9700M GT with 512MB of GDDR3 VRAM. The G71 can be equipped with up to 4GB of memory and 1TB of storage, via dual 500GB disks.

Like its smaller sibling, the G71 gets a hearty dose of gamer styling, including blue LED lights on the edges of the lid, around the touch pad, and even illuminating a badge on the back of the screen. It also includes a secondary LCD display Asus calls Direct Messenger, which can display email notifications, instant messages, battery reserves and other data as games are in progress.

According to Asus, the first quad-core-equipped G71 notebooks, which all feature integrated Blu-ray drives, will debut during the first week of November for around $2,999.