Asus unveils Bamboo series notebook

Computer manufacturer Asus is set to unveil its latest range of eco friendly laptops and computer equipment at the Computex expo in Taiwan.

The Bamboo U series notebooks were first announced back in 2007, and Asus have been busy refining the design. In an effort to establish their green credentials, the company is showing off the range of notebooks, the premium models of which are partially clad in bamboo and feature an Intel i5 core central processing unit.

The use of bamboo is not new – the Asus U6V, which featured a 12.1 inch screen, has been on the market since 2008. Far from being a gimmick, bamboo is a natural bio degradable material, and is one of the fastest growing plants in existence making it more sustainable than many other types of wood. Asus has endeavoured to use less plastic in its new model, and any that is used has been recycled. This also extends to the packaging, which has also been designed to be easily recycled.

Power consumption for the new Bamboo range has also been an issue that Asus has done its best to tackle and improve. Asus claims that its new Super Hybrid Engine, whilst not solely used in the Bamboo series, manages and distributes power more efficiently, and can save up to 50 per cent of the battery’s power. Should you get one, it’s advisable to invest in laptop computer insurance as these models are designed for taking out and about.

Asus have been short on specific specifications for the new bamboo netbooks, but according to one report, the next generation U series will feature an NVidia GeForce 310M graphics cards to support the Intel i5 CPU. USB 3.0 ports will come as standard with each model and the 12.1 inch version looks to be a thing of the past, as the new net book will come in 13.3”, 14.1” and 15.6” sizes. The range will go on sale at the end of June, with prices starting at £890. However, it’s expected that the eco friendly bamboo version will cost more.