August 2014 Zenbooks

[EvanAdams]

Been gone from the forum for a LONG time...

I'm exceedingly interested in the Asus Zenbook UX303LN & the Asus Zenbook NX500JK.

However, I am so confused. What is the deal, the UX303LN will/will not be available in the USA? THe NX500JK seems to get too hot for laptop use (as that is my primary use).

Are they both coming to the USA with the Geforce chips? How hot do they get on the lap?

Ultimately I'm hopeful that their release will cause a Yoga2Pro refresh (has recently been spotted with unlisted AC wireless so something is going on) but just looking for thoughts.

I really want to do the Yoga2Pro route but would love something with a little more horse power. My T500 is ready to be retired and my partner is very happy with her Lenovo Yoga1 thus why I am looking for a refresh on the 2Pro.

 

[GreenMeters]

I'm also looking at the UX303. I've been putting off a new laptop purchase for years. Nothing really catered to the road warrior gamer who wanted light weight, great battery life for office apps, high quality screen, acceptable gaming performance, good build quality, and a business-friendly--or at least non-tacky (looking at you, Alienware/MSI/etc.)--aesthetic.

The UX303LN seems to cover all those issues at least decently well. The aesthetic is understated and polished. I like the screen options (really hope the 1080p comes to the US). The processor choices are good (really hope the i5 comes to the US). Size and weight is excellent. Battery life could be better but is still pretty good. GPU could be better but is still pretty good.

The top of the line LN (Quad HD+ touchscreen, i7, GPU) is definitely coming to the US. Amazon, XoticPC and others have it for pre-order already. It also looks like the LA (no GPU) is coming to the US for sure, as Amazon has a pre-order for that too.

 

[Aikouka]

As an owner of an ASUS Zenbook UX31A, I would be a little wary of buying another one. Yes, they're thin and light, but they're also very susceptible to heat. I'm about 90% sure that heat has ruined my SSD in mine to the point where stressing the drive causes the laptop to BSOD until it cools down. Unfortunately, ASUS uses proprietary SSDs, which means if you have issues, be prepared to buy one off eBay from some dude in China for a ridiculous amount ($200 for my 128GB drive).

 

[GreenMeters]

That's a good tip about the heat issue, will have to monitor forums for reports on that. As for the SSD, it sounds like on this model it should be possible to upgrade storage with standard drives (if I'm understanding it correctly):

http://www.ultrabookreview.com/4274-asus-zenbook-ux303ln-review/

 

[crashtestdummy]

Been gone from the forum for a LONG time...

I'm exceedingly interested in the Asus Zenbook UX303LN & the Asus Zenbook NX500JK.

However, I am so confused. What is the deal, the UX303LN will/will not be available in the USA? THe NX500JK seems to get too hot for laptop use (as that is my primary use).

Are they both coming to the USA with the Geforce chips? How hot do they get on the lap?

Ultimately I'm hopeful that their release will cause a Yoga2Pro refresh (has recently been spotted with unlisted AC wireless so something is going on) but just looking for thoughts.

I really want to do the Yoga2Pro route but would love something with a little more horse power. My T500 is ready to be retired and my partner is very happy with her Lenovo Yoga1 thus why I am looking for a refresh on the 2Pro.

So, here's the trick: You're probably going to be able to find an ultrabook with more power than a Haswell-U, or you can find one that's cool, but you probably can't find both. No matter how good your cooling, there's a limit to the amount of heat you can carry out in such a small package.

 

[Aikouka]

As for the SSD, it sounds like on this model it should be possible to upgrade storage with standard drives (if I'm understanding it correctly):

http://www.ultrabookreview.com/4274-asus-zenbook-ux303ln-review/

Yeah, from this photo, it appears to be a NGFF/M.2-to-2.5" adapter that ASUS is using. Although, here's my first thought: if you replace that M.2SSD, how in the world do you secure the 2.5" HDD/SSD? ASUS can be real arses when it comes to not releasing necessary adapters. For example, a friend of mine bought a ROG laptop a few years back (one of those big, 17" ones). The laptop has two 2.5" drive bays, but the problem is... there's only a drive caddy in one of them, and ASUS didn't sell the drive caddy. :|

Overall though... it's good to see that ASUS learned their lesson. Although, honestly... that seems to be a reoccurring theme with them. I own an ASUS Maximus VI Formula motherboard, which has numerous issues (large and small) that have all been fixed on the Maximus VII Formula.

I apologize for feeling a bit rant-y a bout this subject, but at this point, I'm pretty much once twice bitten, four times shy when it comes to ASUS. I'm actually thinking about going with a 13", terribly-named Sager NP7338 (Clevo W230SS). I can customize it to exactly what I want (from companies like Xotic PC) and it has a GeForce GTX 860M (Maxwell) in it, which is a good middle ground mobile GPU. I spec'd one out, and without the OS and mSATA SSD (I can buy these cheaper from Amazon/Newegg), it's $1200. The only problem is that while I know it has good hardware and I can change things, I don't know how good the keyboard and such are.

All in all, I hate buying laptops.

 

[s44]

So, here's the trick: You're probably going to be able to find an ultrabook with more power than a Haswell-U, or you can find one that's cool, but you probably can't find both. No matter how good your cooling, there's a limit to the amount of heat you can carry out in such a small package.

Yup, basically this. Ultrabooks that don't try to be gaming machines are pretty damn solid. Adding a 60W GPU to those innards... will have consequences, no matter how you slice it.

 

[you2]

I wonder if the surface pro-3 is the way to go these days. THe positive is that the i5 S3 is cost effective and seems pretty darn good. The negative is that the keyboard kind of sucks if you use the floppy one ms sells; naturally a 'real' keyboard can be used with it but that is a lot less portable.

 

[Imaginer]

I wonder if the surface pro-3 is the way to go these days. THe positive is that the i5 S3 is cost effective and seems pretty darn good. The negative is that the keyboard kind of sucks if you use the floppy one ms sells; naturally a 'real' keyboard can be used with it but that is a lot less portable.

The type covers are solid for typing for me, in day to day usage of the Pro 2, and my short extent with the Pro 3 (didn't stick with it because of the pen's software options and exposed slits on the screen side for microphone and speakers). Have you tried one out to determine this?

The footprint of the keys is comparible to a full desktop keyboard for typical typing. It maybe floppy, if one is used to slamming their fingers due to usage of more forcefully applied mechanical keyboards and typewriters.

 

[Imaginer]

Yup, basically this. Ultrabooks that don't try to be gaming machines are pretty damn solid. Adding a 60W GPU to those innards... will have consequences, no matter how you slice it.

This too. Ultrathin notebooks, do not have the volume for housing a large heatsink to help dissipate the heat, leaving a small volume and a need of a high speed (and thus loud and whiny) fan.

Also, with most notebooks having their computer electronics at the keyboard base, thus at your legs and lap, would definitely be uncomfortable in gaming, plugged in or not. The Surface Pros (and like designs) fare a bit better, because these heat generating components are not on your lap, lofted where the screen is, and vents are not potentially blocked if one rests the device in a stand position on a cushion.

 

[tsupersonic]

The type covers are solid for typing for me, in day to day usage of the Pro 2, and my short extent with the Pro 3 (didn't stick with it because of the pen's software options and exposed slits on the screen side for microphone and speakers). Have you tried one out to determine this?

The footprint of the keys is comparible to a full desktop keyboard for typical typing. It maybe floppy, if one is used to slamming their fingers due to usage of more forcefully applied mechanical keyboards and typewriters.

I have a SP2 w/ Type Cover 2 keyboard, and have played with SP3 with the keyboard. For the quick typing it's ok, but if you have to spend a whole day with a Surface Pro, it gets tiring and real fast. The touchpad is also subpar, to the point I consider the stylus more precise as a moving device.

 

[GreenMeters]

Why is the stupid failed platform that is the MS Surface being dragged into every discussion? Does the failed Surface platform have a discrete GPU? No? Is the failed Surface platform an actual laptop or is it an overpriced screen with a junky, flappy keyboard? Overpriced screen and junky, flappy keyboard, eh. So it is in no way comparable to the UX303LN or NX500JK Zenbooks.

 

[GreenMeters]

So, word is that the UX303LN 1080p version is NOT coming to the US or Canada. And people in regions where the laptop is available are reporting that the mustard yellow problem noted in the reviews of pre-production units is still there and still cannot be corrected. Just ridiculous of ASUS to try to pitch this as a premium product with such a lousy display, especially since the QHD resolution really doesn't make sense for the product to begin with. Shame that such a promising ultrabook turned out to be a dud... in North America, anyway.

 

[poohbear]

well i have a UX32LN that i bought for $900 new! (was visiting Japan and as a tourist i didn't have to pay tax!) its only available in Europe or East Asia though, but for the specs and price u just can't go wrong! The matte IPS screen @ 1080 is gorgeous!!! it was sold out pretty much everywhere in Tokyo cause its such a killer ultrabook for the price, but finally found a place with one in stock! here is the official page:

http://www.asus.com/Notebooks_Ultrabooks/UX32LN/

 

[GreenMeters]

Thanks, poohbear, rubbing salt in the wounds!

 

[corkyg]

Be aware that there are not many ultrabooks that allow users to change the battery. If you are really a road warrior, you will want to narrow your search to good business class ultrabooks that have that capability.

http://www.electronicstakeback.com/...ultra-inconvenient-if-you-need-a-new-battery/