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

Don't be misled by that video. The XoticPC reviewer is incorrect that it has easy access. Do a search for Ken Lee of GenTechPC showing us photos of that very bottom and what they had to do to replace the card. HERE is Ken's post & explanation.

And HERE is a user who actually did the wireless card change-out. Again, keep in mind that the component layout's wireless card location appears to be the same as in the U35Jc, -- it's to the side of the HDD and under the housing plastic. If you want to be sure, PM Ken Lee at GenTechPC.

If you look carefully at the XoticPC video you referenced, you'll see that the wifi card is NOT under the HDD (unlike what he says). It's turned around and its body is actually under the plastic housing. The card's top part peeks out and is visible next to the HDD but not actually under it. There isn't enough room to lift the card so that it can be pulled out (the way you remove a wifi card is much like RAM, it must be lifted up at an angle and then removed.) Under the HDD is plastic, not a hole for the wifi card and the card itself's body is under the plastic to the side of the HDD.

Sorry for the bad news. And while Ken's photos are about the U35Jc, your video of the bottom of the U33Jc looks identical.

The good news is that GenTech will upgrade the wireless card to the Intel 6200 wireless-N for only $35, which is a great deal for the work involved.

 

I would have done the microanvika thing aswell but decided I would feel conned for that price knowing that it doesnt have widi,which i really want to try,though the wait for this laptop seems never ending here in the uk so went on a search for a uk model that does even checking out different brands (no bamboo ). But then I came across this ASUS U33JC-RX126V Expert Review U33JC-RX126V, i5-460, Windows 7 . So I will give them a call 2mrw and hear what they say.

 

So this machine with a smaller screen and no CD/DVD drive weighs the same as the U43 ??

 

Is there confirmation from an owner that the U43Jc weighs 4.6 lbs? With the larger screen and DVD drive, I would doubt that.

The U35Jc weighs 4 lbs, but the design of the U33Jc housing is quite different.

 

As an FYI, I yanked out the battery on mine and it says it is:
"ASUS Li-ion Battery Pack A42-U53 Rating: +15V --- 5600Ah, 84Wh"

I put it on the digital scale and it weight 15.5 oz (the scale is good to 1/8 of an ounce).

 

I"m hearing alot of editing graphics card settings in the NVIDIA Control panel but I'm not seeing much in mine. Just 4 options:

Adjust Image Setting with Preview
Manage 3d settings
Adjust Video color setting
adjust video image setting

This is all on advance view as well. Is this normal or do I have to update my BIOS and drivers?

 

Those are the normal tasks/tabs offered.

I think most are talking about tweaking settings in the "Manage 3D settings" so that certain programs or games run under the nVidia GPU. Also, if you want to overclock the GPU, you can install the NVIDIA System Tools and it will add an area called "Performance".

 

While I don't feel I've used it sufficiently to give a "review", I think there are people wondering what the U33JC is like and are interested in simply hearing additional comments. With that in mind, here are some initial thoughts after a couple days...

I don't have the vastest experience with laptops, and can't really compare it to recent laptops, but I should add that I have a crappy iBook G4, used several Lenovo T-series laptops over a few years for work, used a Macbook Pro and Air for a few months in 2009, and have dealt with Dell laptops quite a bit, and recently their mini-computer ... thing ... extensively on a recent trip. And like any nerd, I've played around with a wide-variety of tied-down laptops at your friendly neighborhood electronics retailer.

Exterior:

If the pictures didn't make it clear, this is the best looking laptop around. If brush-metal, which I think is pretty passé at this point, floats your boat, then this won't do it for you. For everyone else, make no mistake, we have a winner. From an aesthetic point of view, only the LCD bezel disappoints with it's boring glossy black plastic(?).

The only other disappointment aesthetically is that the bamboo and the chrome edging (I'm not even going to try and guess what it's really made of) are fingerprint magnets. After only a few days, I find myself constantly wiping off where I last held it to keep the exterior pristine. But that's a bit of my OCD peaking through.

Structurally, the keyboard and base is solid and I'm sitting here banging away on it to see if I can get it to flex, but unsuccessful.

On the other hand, the LCD half of the U33JC, structurally, is mediocre. It flexes, and the hinge is not really rigid. I used to often walk around with my MacBookPro/Air holding it by the LCD bevel (i.e., to show other people whatever was on the screen) and not only would the keyboard stick out at 90 degrees, but the "handle" felt like a solid metal bar. I never felt like I was endangering the screen.

Not so with the U33JC where holding it by the top of the LCD is nevewracking. The hinge on the U33JC is strong enough to hold the screen up without a problem in normal usage, but if you carry it around by the LCD half, the keyboard will start to swing down, and it's heavy enough so it feels like you'll crack through the top of the LCD maintaining your grip. And since there's no latching mechanism when you close it, the two halves will separate quite easily. I held the U33JC upside-down, and after a few light shakes, could get the LCD to start swinging downwards.

I don't know if anybody else ever will do this to their U33JC, but I think it gives an idea of the overall rigidity.

Using the keyboard, it reminds me of the MacBook Pro. I was spoiled by the Lenovo keyboards, and I don't have any complaints about the U33JC. An earlier comment, IIRC, implied that it was a little noisy. I took out the iBook G4 I have sitting here and banged one key on each, and the U33JC was a little louder, snappier, but it was easy enough to bang on the G4 to make it louder than the U33JC (and the iBook keyboard sucks for typing, relatively).

Weight-wise, I've posted what it weighed on my scale, and the it is what it is. I entered the market for a laptop looking for something similar to the MacBook Air in terms of weight, and the extra 1.6lbs of the U33JC isn't a deal-breaker even after the fact. Indeed, if you were to offer me an Air with the U33JC's internals/OS, I'd take the U33JC (not just because of weight, but I digress).

LCD

Based on my perusal of in-store LCDs, this is about as average an LCD as they come. I don't like glossy on any LCD, and the U33JC doesn't change anything. Tomorrow, I'll use it in a brighter situation and I'm hoping it won't be impossible to see...

First Boot-Up

This thing really is full of bloatware crap. I'm still trying to figure out how/why I'm supposed to back everything up to DVD when I don't have a DVD drive on it. It was a tremendous hassle getting rid of all this stuff, and I'm still wondering about a few applications that I didn't remove.

Mousepad
I've mentioned earlier in the thread my issues with the mousepad. Initially, it was jerky whenever I'd try to drag using the mouse button. 8 out of 10 times, if I was trying to drag something in one direction, it would jump to the edge of the screen in that direction. The original drivers offered a lot of additional functionality as well, for example, making the edges of the pad scroll areas.

I changed the drivers and now it's more reliable, but I lost all the additional functionality. I'm on the fence about whether to make another go of the original drivers since I liked the scroll zones.

Can't get two-finger scrolling, which I became addicted to on other laptops.

The smooth surface of the mousepad looks really, really slick, but there should have been some indentation to mark the edges, even minimally. You can kind of see the edges of it, but I'm not Daredevil, so I can't feel it.

Normal Usage
I've barely used it so I can't comment too much on this. I've spent most of my time installing/removing software. I have 4 gigs of RAM, and I can't get the usage below 1.3 gigs.

I have the upgraded HD, the "Seagate XT 7200rpm Hybrid Drive", and overall, the system seems pretty peppy. I'm pretty pleased so far. I'll have more thorough impressions over the next week when I have to use it on a day-to-day basis.

So, my use of the U33JC is pretty limited and this isn't meant to be my ultimate conclusion on it. However, at this point, I'm very pleased with the purchase. For some, spending extra on bamboo seems ridiculous when you could use the same money to upgrade components. That's true, but sometimes it's nice to have an item of craftsmanship. In addition to being exceedingly functional, the U33JC is pleasing as an object. I'm going have to deal with it on a daily basis, and it's a much nicer experience than dealing with a purely utilitarian metal/plastic object that may score a few hundred points higher on 3DMark. After many long hours on brushed steel or "Lenovo plastic", the bamboo is a welcome change.

 

Hmmm... so with the bamboo, the U33Jc weighs .6 pounds more. I love the bamboo and specs, but half a pound is a big deal in the sub-4 pound laptop market.

The U35Jc is a potential purchase for me now if the amazon deal disappears before the U33Jc is in stock. I guess since I mentioned having a ODD, a better comparative laptop with similar screen size is your U30JC with dvd drive that weighs 4.8 pounds...and seems to have a great chassis for build and air flow.

Also it was my mistake to assume the U43Jc would weigh about the same as the U45Jc at around 4.6 pounds. Maybe I should assume the bamboo also adds about .6 pounds making the U43Jc around 5.2 pounds. My silly estimates...haha

Edit: Thanks for the review and battery weight, NBB1. Hope you get the touchpad stuff resolved or maybe asus will post up some better drivers. The listed battery options on Asus's USA site are
63WHrs, 4400mAh,4S2P, 8-cell Li-ion Battery pack;
47WHrs, 4400mAh,3S2P, 6-cell Li-ion Battery pack;
84WHrs, 5600mAh,4S2P, 8-cell Li-ion Battery pack.

So yup...we got the beefier one.

 

There is a new bios update for the U33JC (Bios 209) on 9/17/2010. Firmware change for VGA, whatever that means. Anyway, my laptop has not arrived yet... XoticPC is sooo slooow.

 

I really need a laptop as I'm taking 3 online courses... my Livestrong HP finally died... I really want the Asus U43jc-a1 laptop but can't afford to wait to long. I saw on Gen Tech's website that the ETA is 9/23 and Xotic PC has an ETA of 10/5. I think both companies have representation in this forum.... How realistic are your dates? I am desperate need of a computer and can't wait past the end of the next week at the latest... if you don't think Asus can realistically meet these dates, I guess I will have to settle for the Sony VPC-EA27FX/W from Circuit City..... Thank you in advanced for your help... If your websites are accurate... you will be rewarded with my purchase

 

If you're in a rush...get the U43Jc-X1 from amazon. It's a great deal right now with the $150 gift card. Plus the only difference is that the A1 has bluetooth and even bigger hard drive. Hmm...the A1 probably has a 2 year warranty too instead of one. But the X1 seems to be a better buy then the Sony you're considering.

 

Just ordered another U33jc from Micro Anvika as they have stock! waiting on a response for my cancellation of my other, but today being a bank holiday I should get mines Tuesday or Wednesday.
@GottaFeeling, thanks again!

 

Hey everyone. Been away for the weekend but I have been following along the last couple days. I did another clean install since I didn't feel comfortable moving my user folders to the D drive. Pretty much back up and running to where I want to be.

A few issues. I have zero multitouch support. As has been mentioned, the U33's have a Synaptics touchpad. I have been through every menu on the newest driver and there is nothing for even double and triple taps. If anyone has knowledge of the contrary, please let us know.

It seems I can't find a download for the Super Hybrid Engine. I think I am going to have to create in image of the disc that came with the computer and load it that way.

I have been having some issues with download reliability. Many of my downloads have been hanging and won't resume. I don't know if it is a router problem, a driver problem, a problem with some network settings or what, but it is certainly annoying. I did just update the wireless card via Intel's website so that may have helped. The only thing I've downloaded since is the Nvidia driver and that went ok... Hopefully everything is fine now

@isosunrise
Thanks for posting about the updated bios. I have never updated my bios before using the Easy Flash method. It scared me half to death. Everything looked like it went perfect, and then it started to power on, but before it got to the Asus startup screen it abruptly powered off. It did the same thing about 3 more times and then finally I got a normal startup. I guess I psyched myself out reading about the dangers of Bios updates gone bad. Anyway, 209 is installed and I am currently having another go at updating my Nvidia driver. I had tried 258.96 and the beta but they both froze my computer. I'll post my results later. All I really want is a way to tell if the Nvidia GPU is kicking in because I have no clue ATM.


That is awesome, lordfreaker. Let us know when you get it and what you think.

@regdizzle
You could send a PM to Ken at GenTech or Justin at XoticPC. I'm sure they would be happy to give you some insight. I personally ordered through GenTech. You could call up or email and you would get a real person in an instant.
I did a quick search on Amazon and it looks like they no longer have the deals on the U43JC.

 

Dang...They just cut it like 1-2 hours ago then. I guess that means the U33JC won't get the 150 gift card deal then. Cross my fingers and hope they bring it back...but i won't hold my breath.

GenTech and XoticPC definitely have the best deal right now, especially with their 3% incentive.

Glad the bios update worked for you. That would scare the crap out of me too if my notebook started resetting that many times during the process.

 

Ordered my new U33JC 5 hours ago and it's already been dispatched! (UK i5 edition)

 

Thanks for the informatino Quatro!
I sent a PM to Lee as suggested and he came back with pretty good news. According to him, the wireless card is easy to replace in the U33JC and doing that doesn't void the warranty

Easy way to thank me: add me a rep point

So you are getting yours from MicroAnvika as well? Are you planning on updating the wireless card to get WiDi working?

 

Yeah, I ordered mines from there, I don't think I'll change the wireless card, I have no need for WiDi really, I'll only really use this laptop in bed and outside of the house, got a new i7 build on the way.

 

You flashed the BIOS with EasyFlash? SEVERAL bricked their U35Jc using that, perhaps because it is a bad idea to flash the BIOS from within the BIOS itself.

ASUS provides their own ASUS WinFlash utility that is flawless ... works everytime with no hiccups or bricks.

 

Awesome. That is very good news and glad that the problems of design in the U35Jc don't carry over to the U33Jc after all! In this, I'm happy to have gotten it wrong!

 

I unfortunately can't help with any of the other issues, but perhaps you may want to try laptopvideo2go for Synaptic drivers. Any of the ones found on this page will be compatible: Latest Synaptics Touchpad drivers - LaptopVideo2Go Forums. I've had no problem in the past installing these on various Dells with Synaptic touchpads and they unlocked a bevy of extra features. Multi-finger taps, multi-finger scroll, multi-finger swipe gestures, chiral motion, palm check, etc. I believe my SXPS 13 even had a v7 touchpad, which I believe someone had mentioned was the one installed on the U33.

On a separate note, I guess that's why U33 aren't having the stiff button problem as seen with the U43. They're entirely different touchpads from different suppliers.

 

That's curious, because I'd imagine that the safest place to flash a BIOS would be in the BIOS itself. Flashing in Windows is typically safe, but there's always a potential issue with interaction with other running processes. Asus must have some serious issues with their programming team.

 

I flashed mine using Winflash today, worked well. But I had the same fear like Case1. When I switched it on after flashing it turned off again after a few seconds, damn I thougt now it's over :-D
But the second time I tried it just booted up regularly.

 

Nice! Thanks bigdoof, that works! After installing that driver two-finger-scrolling works. In the configuration menue several options are now shown such as three-finger-flicking and three-finger-click.

Regards,
harhar

 

Now I'm thinking about holding off on buying the U33JC until Nvidia's new 400M-series GPUs have really worked their way into the market. Hopefully the U33JC itself may be soon upgraded with the new 420M so that it's a more capable gaming machine.

 

Yes! Thanks a lot! Now everything is cool with the mouse. What a relief!


---------------------------------

Today was my first day of using the U33JC and there's a minor but annoying problem: it beeps. It's a BIOS-based beep, or maybe a "chirp", but I don't know the cause. I went into the BIOS (the most recent) and there's no option I could see to stop it. There is a grayed out speaker volume that is set at "[4]" that I couldn't adjust. It even beeped while I was in the BIOS.

My speakers are muted and it still beeps every few minutes (the fact it made a noise in the BIOS indicates it's hardware and not the OS). I can't discern any kind of pattern. It beeped while idle, it beeped while I was typing, it beeped while browsing the web. It did it when the HD was spinning up, and when there was no activity. It's beeped three times as I type this on my desktop PC. Although, it doesn't seem to beep when suspended/hibernating/sleeping, but I can't say for sure.

There's no visual indication of any kind of problem or warning. I can't imagine what it is because everything else is now working flawlessly.

 

I doubt they will upgrade the machine with the 400 series, the U33JC has a basic card right now anyway, not designed to be a gaming machine.

 

That's my logic speaking, which could be flawed. It just seems odd to try and launch something (EasyFlash) from the BIOS and then ask it to overwrite the BIOS.

What I am sure of is that several on the U35Jc thread have bricked their notebooks while flashing via EasyFlash.

With everything obvious turned off in Windows (incl safe boot if you want), I have never had a problem with WinFlash.

It used to be (in the DOS days) that to flash from within Windows was the worst and flashing from DOS (or a floppy was even more preferable) was the best as few other things were going on. But flashing from DOS or a floppy isn't comparable to flashing from within the BIOS itself.

EasyFlash IS part of the BIOS so I'd think it was safe. But after reading at least 4 stories of bricking while using EasyFlash, I decided it was much better to stay with WinFlash.

Even reading Case1's experience was not encouraging when it comes to EasyFlash. When I turn off as many extras as possible, unplug all USB extras, turn off the sound, wifi & AV and keep it plugged in, flashing from WinFlash has been a very unexciting event each time.

 

The bottom line is that if a BIOS update is screwing up when run from within the BIOS itself, Asus seriously screwed something up in their coding. All other things being equal, a BIOS update occurring with a real-time process should be the safest way. Windows can't do that. I'm not saying that Asus' Windows-based BIOS flasher isn't safer in this instance. Based on people's experiences, this seems to be true. I'm just pointing out that this is typically not the case unless someone butchered their flash code.

With regard to the trackpad on the U33, I'm glad people are having success with the generic Synaptic drivers. This is clearly an instance where Asus/Synaptics have artificially limited their product due to marketing reasons....again. This isn't exactly a new thing in this industry. And it's certainly not disappearing any time soon.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/...rges-customers-50-to-unlock-cpu-features/9742

 

Thanks for the read. Also glad the touchpad drivers have been resolved. So how's the bamboo touchpad fairing now with all the extra gestures?

 

I personally don't own the U33. I have the U43 with the Elan touchpad, which had multitouch from the beginning. On the other hand, the stiff touchpad buttons are still pretty ridiculous, even on my replacement machine. I have a feeling that all of the U43s are made this way.

 

Hehe, see, it is so hard to know which advice to follow. I had originally tried the WinFlash utility as I have used something similar on my girl's HP and WinFlash was listed on the U33Jc downloads page. However, it didn't work for some reason so I went looking for a guide. I came across this:

Bios Update Guide for Asus Notebooks

@bigdoof
Thank you for info on the Synaptics drivers! +rep for sure. I haven't tried them out yet but NBB1 seems pleased. Can't believe they cripple the touchpad like that. Well, I can believe it but it doesn't make much sense to me to give an eeePC more touchpad functionality than a somewhat premium notebook.

As for the touchpad buttons, I wouldn't say they aren't stiff compared to other notebooks I've used, but they definitely aren't a chore to push. I am used to them now.

On a somewhat negative note, WiDi is giving me major problems after my second clean install. I am experiencing really bad stuttering and screen flashes in a rather cyclical pattern.
Major bummer. Had to pull out the HDMI cable today. So as for WiDi performance and stability, YRMV. I know for a fact though that it IS capable of doing what it promises.

I still don't know how to tell if the Nvidia GPU is kicking on. Where is that damn Optimus gadget?

By the way, Super Hybrid Engine is included in the Power4Gear utility on the U33Jc downloads page.

 

WinFlash didn't work for you? Wow. I've never had it not work unless I was trying to downgrade the version or install the same version.

Yes, advice varies. I'm just going by what I was reading on the U35Jc thread of repeated problems with EasyFlash. More than that, I can't say.

I wonder if EasyFlash attempts to do what it does by copying itself into active RAM and then overwriting the BIOS w/o further reading from the BIOS?

When I turned as much off as possible, w/ AV off, wifi off, screen saver off, high perf, USB devices off, etc, WinFlash performed perfectly on my ASUS netbook about three times and on my U30Jc twice.

You mean THIS gadget?

A form of it is also included (though not as an always-on-top gadget) in the latest nVidia drivers. Just click on the nVidia Control Panel that you want the nVidia icon in the taskbar. Then when you click it, it reports if the GPU is active or not. I still prefer the gadget.

 

Ooh, awesome. My rep just reached "Quatro is a glorious beacon of light"! I'm feeling almost transcendent!

You may all bask in my presence.

 

Yes, for some reason it was saying the file was the wrong size. I don't understand. It is the same file I used when I did the Easy Flash method.

That is exactly what I was looking for! I swear I came across that page but the link never seemed to work for me. Either way that is what I wanted. I'll have to take a look through the Nvidia control panel again as I only updated the drivers last night.

So how often do you use the always-on-top gadget? I kind of like knowing when the discrete GPU kicks in.

Congrats on the Rep status! Moving your way up in the world, errr, forums.

 

I've put a link to it in my start menu and when I want to know if it's on or when it comes on, I just open the gadget and watch.

But to be fair, clicking the nVidia GPU icon in the taskbar basically accomplishes the same thing, except that once you click away from it, it disappears and you need to click the icon again to see any changes. With the desktop gadget, when the GPU kicks in, it's easy for me to see it happen in real time.

Though it appeared that even with EasyFlash, it didn't go that easily for you. I wonder if there was a small corruption in your BIOS BIN file? No way of knowing.

I would think that WinFlash did a checksum on your downloaded file and saw that it didn't "add up" would be my guess.

Thank God, it worked out and you flash was successful.

Though when did you start to have problems with your WiDi transmission?

 

Can someone recommend a security / cable lock for the U33JC? It says something about a 2mm security cable (?). I can't seem to find anything on amazon but would this work?

Amazon.com: DURAGADGET laptop security Combination lock and cable for ASUS UL50VS: Clothing

 

If anyone is seeking to get the U33Jc sooner....there's one left available on amazon.com for 999 shipped. hurry and good luck

http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-U33JC-A1-13-3-Inch-Bamboo-Laptop/dp/B003UNOWAS/ref=/ref=cm_cd_f_pb_t

bummed it missed the gift card deal by like half a day. dang it!

 

I like your idea of having a link to it in the start menu. I think I'll do that as well.

The install seemed flawless using EasyFlash, progress was steady and there were no hiccups, it was just when it said it was going to restart the computer that I started to get worried. The power light would come on, I could hear the fans kick on, and then before the Asus logo would appear it would cycle off. It did this about 3 times before it booted up normally. All together it was probably about 10 seconds but it seemed like minutes. It wouldn't do that by design would it?


As for WiDi, I went away for the weekend and brought everything to do another clean install and install my main drivers. Now that I'm back, WiDi just isn't the same. I have several more programs installed now that I didn't have then. May start uninstalling things to see if I can find the problem. Or maybe I'll just do another clean install, I'm getting pretty good at it.
Plus, I know the exact drivers to install the first time. Not sure if it is worth it but it really doesn't take that long.

Were you implying that the Bios update may have screwed WiDi for me? Hmmm, that would be a bummer.

 

Just got my confirmation email from Amazon saying that my U33Jc should arrive on Sept. 24th. Finally! Can't wait to join in the fun.

 

No way to know, though if it works and boots with the new BIOS, it should be fine. I'm not sure I see any area in the BIOS that relates to the wireless card anyway.

But when I've flashed with WinFlash, it just prompts to restart and then I reboot it normally. No three times restarting. That sounds scary!

Good luck on the reinstall & clean up. I hope it fixes your WiDi issues. Do report back how your wireless & WiDi were affected, and hopefully improved.

 

BTW, for any of you thinking about deep discharging your battery to get better readings (or other reasons), THIS article is very informative.

You'll want to especially read his section " Depth Of Discharge (DOD)".

"The relation between the cycle life and the depth of discharge is logarithmic as shown in the graph below. In other words, the number of cycles yielded by a battery goes up exponentially the shallower the DOD."

"Ignoring other ageing effects, one cycle of 100% DOD is roughly equivalent to 2 cycles at 50% DOD and 10 cycles at 10% DOD and 100 cycles at 1% DOD."

"There are important lessons here both for designers and users. By restricting the possible DOD in the application, the designer can dramatically improve the cycle life of the product. Similarly the user can get a much longer life out of the battery by using cells with a capacity slightly more than required or by topping the battery up before it becomes completely discharged."

"Mobile phone users typically recharge their batteries when the DOD is only about 25 to 30 percent. At this low DOD a lithium-ion battery can be expected to achieve between 5 and 6 times the specified cycle life of the battery which assumes complete discharge every cycle. Thus the cycle life improves dramatically if the DOD is reduced."

" . . . since deep discharging may damage general purpose batteries."

"The cycle life of Lithium batteries can be increased by reducing the charging cut off voltage. This essentially gives the battery a partial charge instead of fully charging it, similar to working at a lower DOD as in the example above."

In essence, what I think he's saying is that with lithium-ion batteries, it's best to keep the depth of discharge (DOD) not super low, as in 20-30% and not to fully charge it; keeping it less than 100% and more than 10 or 20% to prolong the life and number of charges of the battery.

 

Quatro, I do agree with that article. I have a Vaio G2 with an extended battery for about 2 years now. Vaio has this battery software that allows me to keep the maximum charge "full" at 80% and I usually hibernate around 20%. I have an excel spread sheet which I have been monitoring the max charge capacity of the battery and it has been superb. I believe I have lost only 6% or so! My previous laptops which I have monitored too would loose about 20% a year.

 

woops...pasted that in the wrong page. sorry... but i'll keep the battery info on mind now. thanks.

 

Hello, forum!

long time lurker, first time poster. Your seminal discussions convinced me that the U33JC could be my replacement laptop but for some reason Asus is not selling it in the Netherlands where I live. No biggie, I could buy it from Germany or UK but I'm too used to touch type on a US layout keyboard to switch (difference between the US and UK layout may not seem big but from experience the frustration for the occasional Z instead of a backslash really mounts up with time).

Since paying the duties, VAT etc on a laptop shipped from the US makes it prohibitively expensive, the big question is: any advice on where I could buy a US layout keyboard for the U33JC? Checked eBay but no joy so any suggestion would be appreciated.

 

Wow. That's very helpful to hear. Thanks for your practical hands-on experience with this.

 

So this is a Sony Vaio F series notebook you've on order?

We look forward to hearing how you like it once it's in your hands. Good price with the software.

Does it have switchable graphics? The HD 4550 should be close in performance to the NV 310M.

How big (mAh or Wh) is the "standard capacity battery"?

Sorry you have to wait 4-5 weeks for it (6 weeks maybe with shipping)!

 

The U33's keyboard is very different from the standard ASUS-supplied keyboards in their other U & UL models. That keyboard isn't set into a well in the top, it is under the entire aluminum top and may not be easy to get to nor find a replacement.

I'd PM Ken Lee at GenTechPC to see what he thinks about where to get a US keyboard for it and how hard is it to replace.

Another Dutch poster bought his ASUS U30Jc (my model) in Germany but was able to find a generic US keyboard easily on eBay in Europe and have it shipped to him. He replaced it himself. The U30Jc's keyboard takes about 30 sec to pop out. I've no idea what's required on the U33Jc.

 

Thanks a lot, Quatro, that's really helpful!

 

I just impulse shopped...hopefully not a mistake. It's the sony Y series. 13 inch at 4 pounds. sony style for some reason put it up 220 cheaper than the normal price. The battery is a 6 cell with 5000mAh. Not sure if the gpu is switchable like asus though. Honestly...still alot of potential to cancel this, since I have alot of time till shipment. The price of my setup on the sony style site is already back up to $870, so sony themselves might cancel my order.