The ASUS U33Jc is different. Both the lid and palm rest are made with bamboo (yes, the wood), which not only gives this 13-inch notebook an elegant aesthetic, but makes it more eco-friendly than your typical plastic box. And the U33Jc is much more than a pretty face. This $999 machine ($949 street) combines a Core i3 processor with Nvidia Optimus graphics to give users a good one-two punch of performance and long battery life. The notebook can’t handle the latest games as well as its predecessor, and it generates a little more heat than we’d like, but overall it’s a winner.

Design

Upon first looking at the U33Jc, you can’t help but be impressed with its premium craftsmanship and organic vibe. We love the fine grain of the smoky brown bamboo in both the lid and the palm rest, which is complemented by a more high-tech brushed aluminum deck around the keyboard. Even the touchpad and single mouse button get the bamboo treatment. Why bamboo? Not only is it one of the strongest plants on earth, it’s also among the most plentiful. ASUS also says that by using bamboo it reduced the number of plastic components by 15 percent.

Of course, ASUS had to treat this wood to prevent wear and tear, a process it has been honing for the past three years. The result is a one-of-a-kind design that oozes eco-cool and also resists fingerprints, though it feels somewhat plasticy. The chrome accents around the edges of the system and in between the touchpad and touch button complement the bamboo well.

Weighing 4.4 pounds, the U33Jc is lighter than its predecessor, the 4.8-pound U30Jc, and it’s fairly portable given that the notebook features both a full-power Core i3 processor and discrete Nvidia graphics. A similarly equipped 13-inch MacBook Pro weighs 4.5 pounds. Still, other 13-inch machines weigh considerably less, including the 3.2-pound Toshiba Portege R700. The notebook measures 12.9 x 9.3 x 1 inches, a pretty compact footprint and svelte profile given the specs.

Heat

With the exception of one trouble spot, the U33Jc kept its cool during our testing. After playing a Hulu video for 15 minutes at full screen, we measured temperatures of 81, 84, and 88 degrees Fahrenheit on the touchpad, between the G and H keys, and underneath the machine, respectively. However, the left side of the system near the vent became uncomfortable on our lap, reaching an uncomfortable 114 degrees.

Keyboard and Touchpad

We appreciated the spacious chiclet-style layout on the U33Jc, which exhibited little flex. However, ASUS didn’t use all the available space on the deck, which results in some undersized keys (like the right Shift key). Overall, tactile feedback was adequate; the keys felt a little mushy, but we were able to type quickly. We just wish ASUS offered a backlit keyboard.

Measuring 3 x 1.7 inches, the U33Jc’s bamboo touchpad was remarkably smooth, making it easy to navigate the desktop. Oddly, ASUS chose not to enable multitouch gestures, so pinch to zoom is a no-go. The narrow touch button works fine when you’re just clicking an item, but keeping it held down for scrolling proved a challenge. And while you can use the right edge for one-finger scrolling, it was a little too fast.

ASUS U33JC-A1 Features

• Intel Core i3-370M Processor (2.4 GHz)
• Nvidia G310M Graphics Engine with 1 GB DDR3 Dedicated VRAM and Optimus Technology
• 4 GB of DDR3 1066MHz DRAM (2 GB x 2 slots), 4 GB Max; Intel Wireless 802.11 b/g/n + WiDi
• 500 GB Hard Drive (5400 RPM); No Optical Disk Drive; Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit) Operating System
• 13.3-Inch HD (1366×768) LED Display; HDMI Port; USB 3.0 port; Bluetooth; 8 cell 5600 mAh battery