BenQ Joybook R45 Sports Leathery Finish

BenQ's latest high-fashion notebook shoots for a portfolio look with leather, aluminum trim pieces and accent stripes.

Plastic and metal may be the de facto standards for plain-Jane laptop construction, but when it comes to making one look nice, nothing says class quite like leather. BenQ built upon its existing line-up of style-conscious notebooks on Wednesday with the addition of a the Joybook R45, a 14.1-inch notebook with a leather-like exterior finish.

Besides a brown faux leather panel spanning the lid, the R45 gets bright aluminum trim inside and a crimson pinstripe. The lid closes using latchless design, and buttons, such as those for Wi-Fi, are spring-loaded for a smoother clicking action.

The R45’s screen puts out an extra-bright 200 nits, and includes a built-in 2.0-megapixel webcam. On the inside, the notebook runs a 2.10GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor alongside an Nvidia GeForce 8400M G discrete graphics card.

BenQ will release the notebook in China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and Russia this month, with prices yet to be specified.