14 DAY TRIAL // NVIDIA's Optimus technology is relatively new to the market, but the Santa Clara, California-based company is expecting that this solution will be adopted by a considerable number of vendors. On that note, ASUS has already shown its liking of the technology, as it was the first company to announce and start selling laptops with Optimus inside. It now appears that ASUS will continue to make good use of the advantages provided by Optimus, which it plans to employ in other systems as well. Such is the case with the new U30jc, the latest addition to the outfit's notebook portfolio.
The said configuration is said to debut with an Intel Core i3 350M processor, which will be coupled with the GeForce GT 310M graphics processor from NVIDIA. Thanks to the integration of NVIDIA's Optimus technology, the laptop will be able to use both integrated and discrete graphics processors, providing the end-user with both high-performance graphics, and also a strong battery life. The laptop will boast a 13.3-inch display, making it an ideal choice for users looking for an ultraportable PC with capable graphics.
Additional specifications include the 4GB of memory that will be available with the laptop, but also the WiFi b/g/n capabilities and Gigabit Ethernet. There's also a 320GB, 5,400RPM hard drive, VGA and HDMI connectivity, as well as Altec Lansing speakers. The battery lifetime is estimated at about 9.5 hours, which you might be able to achieve if Optimus doesn't kick in very often. We should also mention the chiclet keyboard, which appears to have caught on to a lot of new portable PCs.
There are no details regarding the availability of the new ASUS laptops, but you should be able to pick one for yourself soon enough, for about US$899.99, according to Slashgear. Considering the specs and estimated pricing, the U30jc looks like a laptop tailored for on-the-go users.