The G46VW: Gaming Just Got More Portable

The first ever 14" G series gaming notebook has just launched, named the G46VW. The aim of the G46 was to make a smaller, lighter and easier to carry gaming notebook, while still retaining all the performance of its bigger brothers.

Building on the 5th gen design with its rear exhausts, the G46 tweaks the styling with slightly more angular rear vents, versus the G55. Even though the G46 is smaller it keeps the dual-cooling setup, with independent fans for GPU and CPU, so the thermal performance is never compromised on these two major components. The entire backlit keyboard and wrist-rest use a single piece of brushed aluminum, which tapers downwards towards the user by a few degrees. This ergonomically tailored incline has been a feature on all G series models since the G74, and it continues to be a part of G46 design.

Connectivity along both sides includes 3x USB 3 ports, VGA, HDMI, DisplayPort, 802.11n or .ac  WiFi, Bluetooth v4, Gigabit Ethernet & SD/MMC card slot. A Kensington lock is at the back.

Spec List

• Intel Core i5-3210M or Core i7-3610QM
• 1366 x 768 anti-glare display (additional resolutions to be added at a later date)
• Nvidia GeForce GTX 660M GPU with 2GB GDDR5 and Nvidia Optimus Technology to dynamically switch between Nvidia GPU and Intel IGP.
• 3D display support to an external display via HDMI 1.4 & DisplayPort 1.2
• Intel Thunderbolt option at a later date
• ASUS SonicMaster Lite audio (2.0 stereo speakers. 25x14mm: same size as G75)
• Up to 16GB DDR3 1,600MHz (2x8GB)
• 1x mSATA SSD slot and 1x 2.5" HDD/Hybrid HDD options (RAID 1/0 options between the two)
• 802.11n and 802.11ac Wireless options
• Bluetooth v4
• ASUS Super Hybrid Engine II with 2 second resume time for up to 2 weeks (depending on battery level). No loss of data even if battery empties.
• Built in HD camera and array microphone
• Windows 8/Windows 8 Pro options
• 34.8 x 26.1 x 2.3-3.8cm dimensions.
• 2.5kg (5.5lb)

As you can see from the list above it packs the same GeForce GTX 660M as the G55, making it the fastest 14" gaming notebook in its class. It also now has Nvidia Optimius dynamic switching technology built in too.

If you still can't live without HDD capacity, spec'ing an mSATA SSD boosts speeds with SSD performance, while the standard 2.5" drive offers the extra storage size. There's also Hybrid HDD/SSD options as well, which offer performance approaching full SSD through advanced caching technologies.

Intel CPU options include the full Core i7 3160QM quad-core with HyperThreading that boosts to 3.3GHz or fast Core i5-3210M dual-core with HyperThreading, depending on your needs and budget. Both use Intel's latest 22nm technology with the lowest power transistors to date, maximizing battery life, although the offset of opting for the dual-core is that it's TDP is 10W lower, affording slightly better battery life again.

Given its smaller, slender size there's no room for an optical drive, but since most games are available direct through Steam, Origin or your favorite digital distribution service these days it's likely not missed by most people,  and you can supplement any optical Blu-ray requirement via a USB drive, like the ASUS SBC-06D2X-U.

Please note that currently the G46VW is limited to the US market only. Announcements about availability in further markets and specification updates will be made in due course. Any questions comments, drop them in our forums!