ASUS Lamborghini VX5: Hands-On and Video

Yesterday, Joanna Stern brought you news of the ASUS Lamborghini VX5, the 16.9-inch addition to the company’s premium line (inspired by the luxury card brand, of course). In addition to good looks, this widescreen notebook packs quad-core processors, dual storage with combined capacity as large as 1TB, WiMax capability, and an ambient light sensor, which dims or brightens the display based on the surrounding light.

Well, last night, Joanna and I found ourselves wandering around the quiet show floor (this was the day before the show officially opened), and found the ASUS booth delightfully empty. So, we did what any self-respecting tech journalists would do: we crammed in some guerrilla video-shooting and photo-snapping. Unfortunately, the VX5 we found wasn’t a working unit, but we were able to ogle the design up close. (Be sure to check out Joanna’s post on the Eee PC 1000HAE as well.)

In short, the VX5’s design is eye-catching, even when surrounded by dozens of other ASUS notebooks. The leather palm rest is, as always a pleasure to touch, as is the smooth, carbon fiber chassis. And although it’s merely aesthetics, we think the triangular trackpad strikes a fine balance between elegance and sticking to the sports car theme. Even before that, one of the first things that caught our eyes was the backlit keyboard, which glows a faint blue.

We hope to review the VX5 soon, but in the meantime, check out our gallery and hands-on video.