ASUS U Series Bamboo Collection Owners Thread (U33JC/U43JC/U53JC)

Hi ACerlover99 (an ironic screen name for someone buying an ASUS!) Ken Lee or someone at GenTechPC can tell you for sure, but it seems the U33/43/35/45Jc notebooks have their processor soldered in and are not upgradeable.

I'm not sure if that applies to all four of those I listed, but several for sure do.

The HDD upgrade is easy and quickly done by them.

GenTechPC is a solid and reputable company. They post here frequently and are very involved with the the forum community here.

 

What is the model of the bluetooth device in the U43/33JC-A1?

 

Hey Guys,

I'm afraid I've spat the dummy and sold out on the U33JC. I waited more than 3 months for the bloody thing and a phone call to simplyasus.com this morning was the straw that broke the camels back. Asus informed them today that the shipment of U33JC's destined for the UK will now not arrive for at least another month!

I've waited way longer than I ever wanted to and I've been without a laptop for the entire time. So I picked myself up from my desk at lunchtime and headed to my local Westfield Shopping Centre and slapped £679.00 down on the counter at Micro Anvika and walked out with a shiny new U35JC (photo's taken from my iPhone 3Gs, apologies for the poor quality):

 

Oh god don't tell me all the asus keyboards are like that! I really hate that little thing besides the shift key on the left. Messes me up all the time...Hopefully the amazon one doesn't have that or I'm gonna have to get used to it >_>. I just sorta assumed that the keyboard was something Canada got as a English/French keyboard...

Edit: Just checked the amazon pictures. Looks like a normal keyboard so I'm happy again

 

You slapped £679.00 down on the counter? You carry a lot of cash on you at any given time!

These summer delays have been brutal, but I can't even imagine the half of it, since I only started shopping for a laptop this past May! All you folks that have been waiting with baited breath since January ought to be pretty miffed.

Oh well. At least Sprinkler can join us in the U35/U45JC thread.
ONE OF US
ONE OF US

 

Haha! No I pulled out the plastic fantastic... just used a bit of poetic license to make my story a little more dramatic. Yep I'm off to join the ever growing crowd on the U35/U45JC thread. Gotta get rid of all the bloatware and get Windows 7 dual booting with Fedora 13

 

Yes I for One can understand the waiting game. i have yet to see ANYONE Comment on the Bamboo System i'm waiting on as its a CUSTOM Config. BUT THE ADD-ONS 2 me are worth the wait. have a look and start leaving some comments on what you think of my wait.

 

Oh Btw If Anyone Is Interested My Post Is On Page 91 !!!

 

hey guys my u43JC-x1 is supposed to come in today so i'll let you guys know how i like it once it gets here...

on a side note: can anyone recommend a good laptop sleeve that would fit on this laptop? i don't need any side-pouches or anything just something that is aesthetically pleasing (looks/feels nice) and is light/fits snugly

thanks!

 

I've been using a Zeroshock for my W7J for the past 4 years. So far, no scratches on the laptop that I see.

 

Yeah my screen name stems from my love originally for my Acer 8204WLMi....then this year I bought a G72GX....the rest is history. Now I am going ASUS again to get a smaller portable laptop....

 

ok i got the laptop a little while ago

some things to note:

as usual, there is a TON of bloatware - it will take you a little while to get rid of things you don't need
there is a noticeable humming in the laptop but it's not too bad
i highly recommend getting a wireless usb mouse to use with the laptop as the touchpad mouse button isn't too bad for one-clicking but holding it down to drag can be a little problematic
the keyboard itself isn't too bad at all although as mentioned frequently the lack of backlighting is a disappointment
there is some noticeable heat on the left side of the laptop but overall heat isn't really an issue
i really love the feel of the bamboo and it looks really nice/elegant
i'll try gaming on the laptop in a little bit...

 

i have a question for other u43 users: how do you get the webstorage to work?

as soon as i click it a box pops up asking for the user name/password but i'm a new user so i don't have either? when i click "Retrieve my password" it just brings me to a page that asks for information from the registration but i never registered for webstorage?

 

About Laptop Sleeves See My POST ON PAGE 91

 

About Laptop Sleeves See My POST ON PAGE 91

 

Sorry Icsantos that post was ment for zyzz

 

No problem.

By the way, you can link back to your post on sleeves, as a single post:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/6616218-post906.html

or part of the thread (you can edit the link description):
Sleeves for U53JC

 

Hey all!!

I'm new around here. This is actually kind of funny. I am typing this from an Asus U43F that I just purchased at Best Buy yesterday. I walked in looking for a new laptop and saw this beauty. Picked it up for $999 but now I am starting to feel that I got ripped off.

The more I look into it, the U43F is crap compared to the U43JC. It seems that the U43JC has a ton more features for the same price. Dedicated video card, 2.0mb cam, among two of the better things.

I am really considering returning my U43F and getting the better model. I never thought Best Buy sunk so low.

Anyhow. I came here to see if anyone has any experience with returning laptops to Best Buy. Is it a fairly easy process? They had already opened my computer prior to me buying it so I cant imagine there will be a restoking fee.

Also, I keep seeing that there are two different models of the U43JC. There is the X1 and the A1. Can anyone help me sort out the primary differences so I dont have to read through 90+ pages on this forum? haha.

Thanks in advance!!

 

In the Engadget review of the Toshiba Portege, they mentioned that they wrote the review on the laptop screen while iTunes ran on their HDTV (using WiDi). I guess this means you can split the screen. Has anyone tried this out on their u33jc or u43jc? I think it would be great to be able to use the laptop to stream Hulu to my TV while surfing the web or doing other work on my laptop screen. That would be enough to convince me to get this laptop over the u45jc.

 

X1 vs. A1

500gb vs. 640gb
no bluetooth on X1
1 year warranty vs. 2 year warranty

 

I actually work for customer service at Best Buy so I know a great deal about returning laptops. There isn't a restocking fee anymore so you should be okay there but I'm not sure why "they" opened it. If Geek Squad performed some kinda of service on the laptop then the service is non-refundable. I work at Best Buy and I already pre-ordered the U43JC-A1 from Amazon. I hope this helps you out and if you have any questions let me know.

 

Yes, per the updated firmware, you can now split (extend) the desktop. If it works as I think, which I'm almost certain it does,this is quite an awesome feature. Playing a movie or music on the TV while browsing the web or writing a paper just sounds fantastic.

I bought my new Push2TV adapter on ebay for $55 total. There is one seller who sells them for $66 total. You can get them cheaper if you wait for the right one to come up.

You could always upgrade the wireless card in the U45JC and then it would be WiDi capable as well... Obviously, I felt it was worth it just to go for the U33JC over the U35JC.

 

Great! It actually does help a lot. They had opened the box originally to burn Windows restoration discs to include with the computer. They had also installed some antivirus and best buy software on the computer. I originally tried to get one from them that hadnt been opened but they said out of the four they had in stock, they had all gone through the same procedure.

So are the U43JC-X1's in stock on Amazon or are they just bluffing? I've called a few online shops and it seems they are all pre-order only right now.

 

Recently I've been looking into the U43JC-X1. I'm happy with the specs, but I'm waiting for more user reviews. In particular, I was wondering if anyone with the X1 can do some heat tests and report temperatures while the laptop during different work loads.

 

Yeah it will be very hard to get your money back on the installation of the anti-virus and the restore cds, that is if your store operates as mine does. If you need any more information just shoot me an email and I'll try and help you out.

As for the U43JC-X1 some people are already receiving their orders

 

I'm weighing my options on the u33jc. I'm buying it for my fiance and am getting impatient. She surfs, watches videos, pix, music, and runs microsoft office. No gaming or anything that requires a lot of graphics.

I looked at the asus ul30a-a2. Its a bit older but a lot cheaper at $650 (b&h, no shipping or taxes). It does not have the i3 but a core 2 duo. It appears to get 3-5 hours more battery life than the u33, depending where you look, and that's important to her for long flights. If I buy her this model instead I could get her a 160gb ssd and sell the 500gb 5400 on Ebay (guessing I could pull $50). I have a deal I can get on an ssd that would make the ul30-a2 total about $100 less than the u33.

I have no idea on how to compare an ssd against a better CPU. Can any of you? If she can do everything she's doing at the same speed or faster with the ssd/ul30a-a2 combo I would probably go with it. It's not as flashy, but the battery lasts a lot longer, it's $100 less with a 160gb ssd, and I can buy it today!

 

Can anyone hear high-pitch noise in a quite room?

I need to decide to exchange U43JC bamboo or not.

 

ive had the laptop for about a week, no high pitched noise, almost no noise at all except when im using the optic drive to burn or copy something

 

Thank you Tony, I have to exchange.

 

Sweet thanks for the help. As for the touchpad and buttons, they seemed fine for the few hours that I used them. However I much prefer a usb mouse. And I'm really digging the feel and layout of the keyboard, but a few of my hotkeys won't work along the f row on top.

And I happily discovered that intel's integrated graphics can run counter strike source and portal just fine on high settings which is just about all I need. All in all i'm very pleased with it.

And as a side note I found out the laptop can run without the battery in it so it won't be overused. I'm not sure if that common for laptops but it's still nice to know I can extend the life of the battery.

 

Thanks. Right now, it looks like the cheaper option is to go for the u43jc (Free adapter on Amazon and $150 giftcard -- since it's an Amazon giftcard, it effectively makes the price $850 in my eyes).

So, have you tried this out yet? I wonder how seamlessly this works. I have read that WiDi is very CPU intensive -- I wonder if this would significantly slow down the work you do on the laptop screen. I also am wondering if this works just like having a dual display monitor -- are you able to just swing the cursor up to your external LCD from your laptop screen?

 

Same sitution here in Italy !!!!

Asus Italy confirm me that they release U35 in next 2 weeks, U53 in next days, U33 next month (october !!!!)

 

I've seen Quatro (and now Case1) claim that the u45jc can be converted to being WiDi compatible by installing the Intel Advanced-N 6200 card. How exactly does this work? Once installing the card, would the WiDi work immediately? Also, is it relatively straight forward to replace a wireless card (relative to the simplicity of replacing RAM)?

Finally, does anyone know how the thickness of these two computers compares? I've seen people say that the u45jc is the same thickness as the u80vt (i.e. 1.1"). The Amazon website confirms that estimate. But then, XoticPC lists "1.4 - 1.5" for the thickness of the u45jc. Similarly, the u43jc is listed at 1.2" on Amazon, but then XoticPC lists it at "1.4 - 1.5". I am willing to pay more if the u45jc is significantly thinner (e.g. 1.1" vs. 1.5"), but not if the difference is minimal (e.g. 1.1" vs. 1.2").

Thanks and sorry if this has already been addressed.

 

Does anyone know if the U43JC will come to the UK market as it's already for sale in the US (and possibly others)?

I'll be happy with the U43JC since there has been endless delays with the U33JC.

 

No, from several articles I've read, the WiDi signal has a delay lag and is no good to use as a secondary monitor. There is something like a 2-second time lag between the image on the laptop showing up on the TV screen.

So WiDi will be great for watching DVD's or streaming videos but not game play or general computer use.

 

Ken Lee of GenTechPC has shown us that the wireless card CAN be replaced (they do it for $35), but due to the design being like the UL80Vt, the wireless card is 90% covered by the plastic housing underneath the HDD. It requires opening the entire notebook down to the very motherboard, including the removal of the MB and (to me) is ill-advised for a normal user.

So it can be changed out, but I'd let GenTechPC do it or some other professional. The wireless card is NOT easily accessible.

As to the actual thickness of the U45, I'd encourage you to PM Ken Lee at GenTechPC and see if they have the actual model in and if he can measure it for you.

. . . and this post should really be posted in the U35/45Jc thread, not this U33/43 thread, unless you meant to say you were talking about the U43Jc, not the U45Jc!

 

Not sure if this has been addressed, but it seems the U43JC-X1 doesnt have expandable RAM?

4 GB of DDR3 1066MHz DRAM (2 GB x 2 slots), 4 GB Max; Intel Wireless 802.11 b/g/n + WiDi

 

First time poster here. I would like to share a tip with you guys who are ordering the U43JC-X1 from Amazon.

You can add BOTH the $150 giftcard AND Netgear Push2TV. Both items will be free once you proceed to checkout.

 

This has caused confusion in the past. We have heard from many reliable sources that the and U/UL series are expandable to 8gb, but they are only certified to work with 4gb. What I take this to mean is that there are no constraints to putting 8gb in there, but Asus only tests them to work with 4gb.

Places like GenTech and XoticPC actually list 6gb and 8gb Ram as upgrade options.

 

Wow!!! Now THAT is a great deal! I just tried it out and sure enough both the gift card and Push2TV get deducted at checkout. If it worked for the U33JC and I didn't just buy a Push2TV adapter I might have to consider changing my order.

If anyone is a student (or has an accessible .edu email address) you can get 1 year of Amazon Prime for free. That means free 2 day shipping with no minimum purchase requirements.

Amazon Student

 

Yeah, what I did was Amazon Student (free) + Free Push2TV adaptor + Free 150$ Amazon Gift Card.

As a side-note, 2 day shipping doesn't actually mean you'll get your laptop 2 days after you purchase it. It took mine 3 days to get here. Not a big deal, but just a heads up.

The Amazon Gift Card hasn't arrived yet but I'm sure it's on its way.

Still no u43jc users about the Asus webstorage? I'd really like to get this service to work...

Also, the humming I mentioned earlier seems to have gone away. For light use, the laptop is extremely cool to the touch. The only noticeable sounds are when using the disc drive. (ie. creating recovery discs)

P.S. I love the screen on this laptop.

Can anyone suggest a nice wireless usb mouse? I'm currently using a Microsoft one which has served me very well for the past couple years but I'm looking to upgrade as the usb connector is a little bulky for today's standards. I was looking at the Logitech Anywhere MX mouse - anyone here using this mouse?

 

If I were you, I'd at least go for a UL30VT. It still has amazing battery life but also has a discrete Nvidia GPU which is almost identical to what is in all of the newer U/UL models. If the UL30a had the newer Intel GPU I'd say go for it, but in the future the old integrated Intel GPU might slow things down.

The U35F-X1 seems like a nice notebook that should easily handle your fiance's requirements. It is $738 on Amazon but you do get a new i3 CPU with the better Intel GPU.

While an SSD is the ultimate, a hybrid drive will also give a very nice boost in performance for cheaper. It also maintains the high storage volume of regular HDDs which may or may not be important.

 

Also I've been looking at 3 notebook sleeves, would these all fit snugly on the u43jc?

Amazon.com: Zeroshock III 14-inch Notebook Case: Electronics

Amazon.com: Case Logic 14.1" Laptop Sleeve: Electronics

Amazon.com: Case Logic ENS-14 14.1-Inch Neoprene Laptop Sleeve (Black): Computer…

 

hey Case1, i was wondering if you could give me a quick run-down on the SSD? I've been hearing a lot about that and the hybrid drives and I've tried looking up online about them but I'm still not exactly sure what they are and why they're good...Thanks! ><

 

Hehe, yikes. I am no expert but I will try to give you a brief rundown.

SSDs use solid state memory so there are no moving parts. This allows them to be very fast. Think RAM and thumb drives.
Traditional HDDs have to read and write to disk platters which spin around.
Hybrid drives combine a small amount of flash (solid state) memory with a traditional HDD. This allows frequently accessed data to be stored on the flash memory for very quick access, yet also provides large storage due to the HDD portion.

So while a SSD is still easily faster than a traditional HDD or Hybrid Drive, a hybrid drive provides a significant boost to performance at a reasonable price while also having large storage volumes.

Quatro turned me onto the Seagate Momentus XT but he is waiting for them to up the solid state memory to 8gb before buying one; which who knows when that will be.

Here is a comparison between a Hybrid XT, a 10k RPM HDD, and a SSD.

Take a look at anandtech's review if you would like more info.

Keep in mind the hybrid drive being compared to is a 10,000 RPM drive. The ones in the Asus notebooks are usually 5,400 RPM drives so the performance boost should be even more dramatic.

 

ah thanks a lot - do you think it's really worth upgrading to a hybrid drive?

 

Yes, absolutely. There are other more meaningful comparisons that could give you a better idea, so I suggest you check out the review.

Here are a few quotes from the conclusion of the anandtech review:

I'm convinced! An SSD just doesn't provide enough space and is more than I am willing to spend. The hybrid drive is just the right amount of bang for the buck for me. I will probably have to wait till later this year before I upgrade my hdd, but if I were to upgrade today it would be with the Momentus XT. Hopefully they come out with a 2nd gen or some competitors jump into the hybrid drive market.

 

anyone having issues with teh touchpad getting worn already and sticky. ive cleaned it thinking it was just dirty but seems like whatever they used to process the bamboo is getting worn down

 

Another review on the U33JC-A1, from The Tech Report:
Asus' bamboo-infused U33Jc 13-inch notebook - The Tech Report - Page 1

No news that hasn't been posted elsewhere before, but always nice to have another perspective. The most interesting thing to me was the "Availability: Now" label. Not sure where they're talking about but seems to be US or Canada.

Any news on whether US distributors are getting their shipments in? Was September 6th confirmed? I'm getting anxious, and I only started waiting in July I keep looking for other laptops but keep coming back to wait for this one despite the delays...

 

I am wondering when that "upgrade" might happen myself. Their largest Momentus XT is built on Seagate's 500GB 7200rpm HDD. It is, presently, the largest 2.5-inch, 7200rpm HDD they make. So if I'm waiting for them to double the flash NAND RAM to 8GB AND the 2.5" HDD to larger than 500GB, I may be waiting a while!

I'm saving for other things right now, but one day I plan to upgrade to the Momentus XT Hybrid.