Since Asus pioneered the humble netbook around three years ago, its Eee PC range has faced fierce competition from almost every other laptop manufacturer out there. From Packard Bell's Dot machines to MSI's Wind series, there's a mind-exploding variety of netbooks to choose from.
Although most of these mini-machines appear identical on paper, there's actually considerable difference between many of the models. From the incredible battery life of the Acer Aspire One D260, to the solid build quality of the Dell Inspiron Mini 1018, every netbook we see has its own strengths and highlights.
To make things even more confusing for the average consumer, there's also the huge resurgence of tablets to consider, offering a smart and convenient method for browsing the net and consuming media.
Into this saturated market bursts the Asus Eee PC Lamborghini VX6. Inspired by the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 roadster, this is easily one of the most stylish netbooks we've seen.
The curved lid mimics the roadster's drool-worthy chassis and comes in a choice of white or black. Lamborghini's famous crest is planted firmly in the centre and adds an extra touch of class to the Eee PC VX6.
Pull back that lid and the black interior looks just as sharp. Asus has gone for rubberised palm rests, which feel good and add another distinctive touch that sets the Eee PC VX6 apart from its competitors.
We were highly impressed by the Eee PC VX6's build quality, with no flex or weaknesses in any part of the chassis. The lid is incredibly solid and could probably brush off a firm knock without concern.
This quality continues inside, with a firm and highly usable keyboard in place. Asus has stuck with the isolated-key design of its recent Eee PC models, such as the Eee PC 1015PE, and we found the board to be well-sized, filling the width of the chassis. There are gaps between each key to prevent mis-hits, but the gaps are covered to stop crumbs and muck from invading the Eee PC VX6's innards.
It's rare to find an attractive touchpad, but the glossy finish to the Eee PC VX6's pad gives it a sleek chrome appearance that stands out and looks great. The touchpad is smooth and responsive, and a good size considering the netbook's compact chassis, with a firm single bar used for the two mouse buttons.
The pay-off for the solid build is, of course, extra weight and bulk. While the 1.6kg weight isn't exactly going to drag you down, and the 38mm thick chassis can still slip with ease into most bags, the Eee PC VX6 is still heavier and chunkier than many of the netbooks we see.
Unfortunately, it's also much pricier. With an RRP of £499, the Eee PC VX6 is almost double the price of the average netbook. The question is: is the extra cash worth it?
We like some of the little touches Asus has thrown into the Eee PC VX6, which should please any car fiends out there. The netbook actually revs when you switch it on, an effect that never fails to amuse.
Lamborghini fans will delight at the desktop background, which showcases the Murcielago LP640 roadster, and if you leave the netbook idle you'll be treated to a noisy screensaver featuring – you guessed it – cars screeching around the place.
Most netbooks contend with a tiny 10.1-inch screen, but the Eee PC VX6's 12.1-inch display means browsing the web and editing your documents isn't as fiddly. We were impressed by the sharpness of the screen, with a 1,366 x 768-pixel resolution in place of the standard 1,024 x 600.
Images are crisp and also reasonably vibrant, while brightness levels are standard for a machine this size. However, the screen only bends back a fraction past vertical, so finding a comfortable viewing angle can be tricky, especially with the Eee PC VX6 positioned on your lap.
Storage is average for a netbook, with 250GB of space for your files and media. This should prove plenty for most people, assuming the Eee PC VX6 is used as a backup machine and not your main computer.
Some standard Asus features are in place, including the Express Gate Cloud quick start option. By hitting a second power button, the Eee PC VX6 launches an alternative operating system in mere seconds.
This is a basic OS with limited options – you can browse the web, check out your photos and play some simple games such as Solitaire. However, the Express Gate OS is rather slow and ugly, and we much prefer the Windows 7 interface. It's definitely worth the extra minute or so it takes to boot the Eee PC VX6.
Much more impressive are the ports the Eee PC VX6 offers. Most netbooks contend with a VGA port for outputting to an external display, but this machine has an HDMI port too. You also get two USB 3.0 ports, which allow rapid data transfer with compatible devices.
Networking is another highlight and as strong as it comes, with 802.11n Wi-Fi on board for wireless connections and Gigabit Ethernet for good old-fashioned wired communication.
We usually raise the point of a netbook's audio only to mention how tinny and useless it is, but Asus has employed Bang & Olufsen to add a bit of oomph to the Eee PC VX6's sound quality. Initially we were sceptical about the 'ICEpower' audio, which promises 'crystal-clear and powerful sound'.
However, at top volume the Eee PC VX6 does deliver a surprisingly strong aural experience. Music has more depth than usual, while it's actually possible to sit through an entire film without plugging in earphones. This isn't a party machine, though, and a pair of dedicated speakers are required to fill even a small room with sound.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the Eee PC VX6 on paper was the power beneath that highly desirable chassis. While an Intel Atom processor is in place as usual, Asus has gone for the dual-core Atom D525 backed up by 2048MB of DDR3 memory – twice as much as normally found in these mini machines.
Yet despite this extra power under the hood, the Eee PC VX6 performed only marginally better in our benchmarking tests than any other netbook. If your needs are basic, restricted to browsing the web, consuming your media and editing office documents, the Eee PC VX6 will be sufficient.
However, as with other netbooks, don't expect to run several applications at once without everything slowing to a painful and shuddering halt.
Although standard performance may be a letdown, we were highly impressed by the graphical abilities of the Eee PC VX6. Asus has included Nvidia's Ion technology, which offers considerably better performance than the integrated solutions found in almost every other netbook.
We found the Eee PC VX6 had more than enough power to smoothly play HD video and run older games, and you can even get away with some light video editing.
Even better, Nvidia's Optimus technology is on board to help conserve battery power. Whenever the battery-draining Ion graphics aren't needed (for instance, when browsing your email), the Eee PC VX6 switches to the more economical integrated graphics.
The resulting 313 minutes of battery power is enough to keep you active for most of the day away from the mains. However, this isn't a patch on most recent netbooks, such as the Packard Bell Dot S, which managed 502 minutes, and the Acer Aspire One D260, which lasted an incredible 532 minutes.
The Asus Eee PC Lamborghini VX6 is the netbook evolved. Featuring a slick chassis inspired by the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 roadster, this is one of the most stylish mini machines we've seen. Add in an impressive specification and this should – on paper at least – be the best netbook of the year. But is it worth that hefty price tag?
We liked
The Eee PC VX6's chassis is incredibly well put together, as solid as it is stylish. The excellent build quality also extends to the keyboard and touchpad, which are responsive and highly usable.
Performance is nothing special, but the Nvidia Ion graphics mean you can happily watch HD video, edit your home movies and play basic games – quite a feat for a humble netbook.
We enjoyed the Eee PC VX6's 12.1-inch screen, which is pleasingly sharp and reasonably vibrant. Other features also impressed, including the HDMI port for hooking up to external displays and the two USB 3.0 ports.
The Bang & Olufsen speakers are actually decent too, although dedicated audiophiles will need to plug in headphones to get the most from their music.
We disliked
Although the chassis is undoubtedly solid, it's also a little weighty and bulky compared to slimmer models such as the Packard Bell Dot S. Despite this, the Eee PC VX6 still slips with ease into any reasonably sized bag.
Although 313 minutes of battery power will keep you going through lengthy journeys, it's beaten by most modern netbooks. The Acer Aspire One D260, for instance, survived almost four hours longer.
The price tag is also a little steep, although if you want a netbook packed with style and features, we feel it's just about worth the extra spend.
Verdict
Easily the best-looking and most graphically powerful netbook we've seen in the last year, and indeed since Asus conceived the first ever Eee PC. We'd happily take an Eee PC VX6 on the road with us any time, although that price tag might put off many potential buyers.
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