ASUS U24E Review and Owners Lounge

@ijozic it's just held in by plastic tabs as far as I remember.

 

Hi!
I purchased yesterday a brand new U24E-PX002V. I tried to replace HDD with SSD Corsiar Force 3 240GB (CSSD-F240GB3-BK) but BIOS doesn't recognize it. I tried other SSD Kingston HyperX 120GB (SH100S3/120G) (brand new), exactly this same situation. Previosuly SSD corsair worked on my U36JC without any problem. I read on this forum that there is this same situation with Crucial SSD. My BIOS is 202 - the only one provided, so there is no update availble. Is there any chance to force BIOS to recognize SSD? Support tech guy from x-kom.pl (place where I bought my notebook) told me that maybe ASUS blocked SSD function with this model, but it sound radicilus form me. I feel very dissapionted... U24E make sense for me only with SSD and that was the plan when I was buying it.... Anyone can help?

 

Congrats on purchasing a u24e!

You're right, that would not make too much sense to me either. I can verify that Asus did NOT block SSD function. I installed and currently have been using for the past 4 days a Samsung 470 Series SSD (128GB SATAII) in my u24e-xh71. I reinstalled W7 Professional with a bootable usb drive, reinstalled all of the drivers/utilities and now everything is working as it did when it first arrived. Its performance now is beyond what the OEM WD5000BPVT provided. I will not being going back, i am really enjoying my new computer a lot.

If you go into BIOS, is the ssd identified? Are you in AHCI mode? Are you seeing any errors on-screen? How are you setting up the ssd?

 

Thank you for quick answer, good to know that ASUS did not blocked SSD. I tried everything AHCI, IDE, Intel AT on/off... no erros displayed, just no SSD at bootup section, no SSD in sata list, generally no disk identified, Corsair either Kingston. After bootup without entering to BIOS but with SSD instaled inside, computer hangs up on ASUS logo screen. I have no idea what's going on with this matter...
I used for a while SSD in u36JC and now for me HDD is total misunderstandig in such a great notebook as U24E.
What is your BIOS numer? 202?

Maybe U24E doesn't not support SATA 3 SSD?

 

Addamus are you in user mode or administrator mode in the BIOS setup menu? Maybe ASUS Fast Boot is stuck on? You could try enabling it and then disabling it using the sidebar gadget.

 

Hello ALLurGroceries,
Thank you very much for your suggestions. Regarding BIOS I am in Administrator mode, I tried also enabling and disabling instant on function, also fast boot. Nothing help. Moreover I changed firmware in my SSD Corsair from 1.3.2 to newest availible 1.3.3. I did this same with Kingston HyperX - firmware changed to newest one. During firmware change operation I connected SSDs to 2 or 3-years old desktop computer with ASUS motherboard and everything went perfect. I also tried to reflash BIOS in U24E with internal EASY FLASH mode but BIOS file downloaded from ASUS download site, despite it is this same version number 202, is indicated in BIOS flash mode as OLDER than BIOS instaled... so I can't reflash it...
Also I found one more user with this problem... he posted a message on this forum about it only SSD was different than mine (Crucial) - that user purchased his in Sweden I think.
My U24E is brand new, purchased on friday 25-th Nov - PX002V model type.
I think on Monday I will ask seller to check another U24E - factory saled box - to install SSD. If this will work, this will mean my U24E is faulty if not probably ASUS broke somethnig with this model for EUROPE.
Sorry for my english I hope you understand it

Addamus

 

Not sure if any of the current U24E owners have tried this and can answer for me, but I'm thinking about trying to add an mSATA SSD to my U24E, in place of the WiFi card, and then just adding an external USB WiFi dongle.

My question is, do you guys think an mSATA SSD will fit? I know it'll fit the slot, but as far as I know, the SSDs are a bit longer in profile than the standard WiFi cards are, and from the looks of it, the mPCIe slot is pretty close to the heatsink mounting on top of the processor. I'm not too sure if there would be enough clearance?

If anyone can help to answer, thanks in advance.

 

@Addamus that is interesting, please keep us updated with your SSD problems. I do not have a spare to try in my U24E to test this out myself.

@jamesman32, a mSATA SSD will not work. The slot is half-height and the BIOS has no support for them. The form factor of mSATA is normal height mini PCIe but the signaling is SATA II.

 

I received my new G.Skill 8GB (2x4GB) RAM kit today and went ahead and installed it. Three of my Windows Experience Index ratings increased and now they read like this:

Processor: 7.1
Memory (RAM): 7.5
Graphics: 6.3
Gaming graphics: 6.3
Primary hard disk: 7.6
Base score:6.3

I am very satisfied with the upgrade. Occasionally I like to play Minecraft and it seems that this upgrade will help in the gaming department and with general useage.

 

Does anyone know the maximum RAM the system can accept - will it take 2 8Gb modules?

Cheers GPC.

 

I thought I read somewhere 16GB was the max but I cannot confirm. I'll try and find that source again but I too would like to know a definite answer.

EDIT: Here: http://www.excaliberpc.com/611165/asus-u24e-xh71-11.6-ultra-portable.html#TabSpecification

Scroll down to the maximum memory specification, it says up to 16GB.

EDIT: Here: http://ark.intel.com/products/52231

Intel says the maximum memory is 8GB DDR3-1333


On a seperate topic, does anyone know what can void your warranty (for example changing the hdd, ram, wifi card, cpu, etc.)? If i ever need to have Asus service my computer, i don't want to run into any trouble.

EDIT: I contacted Asus and they told me replacing the hdd or ram will not void the warranty. Although, if those parts you replace cause damage to the laptop, then the warranty is void.

 

I received my U24E and I can confirm, I am also having issues with using an SSD. I'm trying with an OCZ Solid3 120gb drive, for reference, and am experiencing the same problems as the other user.

Gonna toy around and see if I can fix this...

EDIT: Using the SSD and trying to boot brings me to the BIOS. The laptop acts as though there is no drive installed, and it doesn't show one in BIOS either. The BIOS mode defaults to User, even though I disabled Instant On with the HDD. The HDD boots fine. I even wiped the HDD and put it back in the laptop to see what would happen, and the BIOS detects the drive and sets me right back to Administrator mode. As a last ditch effort I tried to reflash the firmware on my SSD (which was already current anyway), and that didn't do anything. I also tried to flash the BIOS for the laptop, but couldn't do that because the version on the laptop is the same as the website. In conclusion: The SSD problem some of us are having is because the BIOS will not detect SSDs. I did read that one user in here is using an SSD successfully...and it makes me wonder. I have a feeling that SATA II SSDs work fine, but SATA III SSDs do not. I need to investigate further.

Second EDIT: I can now get the SSD to work. The BIOS must be set with the stock HDD to IDE mode for SATA. The SSD must then be put in the machine after it is set to IDE. BIOS will then recognize it, and it will work. This is how I solved the issue, and I'm now installing Windows. Don't know if this will work for other SATAIII SSD users, but it did for me.

Third EDIT: SSD is visible in BIOS and can boot, but trying to install Windows using the laptop and a USB key does not work. The install errors every time. I took the SSD out and used another computer to install Windows from the USB key, and then moved the SSD back into the laptop. The SSD is recognized by the laptop, but instead of booting, it just hangs. Looks like this isn't exactly a fix.

 

Sorry, I did not notice this reply. My BIOS is 202. I was also wondering whether the U24E supports SATAIII SSDs and ALLurGroceries said that it does. I even asked Asus support last week about this but since there was no information about the laptop available, the representative could not give me an answer.

 

I wish Asus could give us a solid answer. All of the research and testing I've been doing with my U24E seems to say that SATAIII devices do not work in this machine.

I tried 3 SATAII drives, and all worked absolutely perfectly, in AHCI, IDE. I tried 2 SATAIII drives and neither were recognized by BIOS under AHCI, and even in IDE they were recognizable but not bootable.

 

It's a Cougar Point controller so it does support SATA 3, but it sounds like there is a BIOS bug with some SSDs. That wouldn't be unheard of for a new system, I hope someone can nag ASUS support about this to get them to issue an updated BIOS.

 

Hello,

I recevied an e-mail from ASUS redarding trouble with SSD. Asus never tested any of SSD disks for this model so there is no guarantee for any of SSD on the market to work properly. Also there is information that U24E has SATA II controller and STAT III is not supported.

Here is the quatation from ASUS Support in oryginal language, most important parts regarding our problem with SSD.

" Jak juz wczesniej Panu wyjasnialem ten model nie mial testowanych fabrycznie dysków SSD i nie zagwarantujemy Panu ze dany dysk bedzie dzialala prawidlowo.(....)

Podczas rozmowy z Panem wspominalem ze problemem moze byc standard SATA. model U24 ma SATA 2 i nie wspiera urzadzen SATA 3 stad moze byc nieprawidlowe dzialanie.

Firma ASUS nie da Panu gwarancji dzialania dysków SSD SATA 3 na tym sprzecie gdyz posiada on kontktor HDD SATA 2.(...)"

Personally I returned my ASUS U24E to seller...
So... here is the conclusion... I am very dissapointed ASUS

Addamus

 

I contacted Asus support regarding the SATAIII SSD non-detection issue some of you guys are having. I asked if this issue can be documented and looked into by Asus engineers so that a fix can be made via a new BIOS release. He said that for this issue to be further investigated and brought to the attention of Asus engineers, it has to have enough complaints or cases from customers who are having the issue. When and if that will ever happen is the big question.

Unfortunately, the representative also confirmed to me that the U24E has a SATAII controller and that SATAIII SSDs are not supported. According to AllurGrociers though, it IS in fact a SATAIII compatible controller so I am hoping Asus's information is incorrect at the moment and a future BIOS update WILL fix this issue.

I was under the assumption that even SATAIII SSDs were backwards compatible with SATAI/II controllers. But maybe its the other way around and the controller determines the backwards compatibility of the SSD. For example, a SATAII controller will only detect upto SATAII, whereas a SATAIII controller will detect a SATAI/II/ or III SSD.

This is indeed sad news if proved to be true. I too was hoping to use a SATAIII SSD later on in my notebook's life. All we can do now is wait to see how things unfold.

 

@davidricardo86 I got to testing the SDXC card, and it's confirmed as working.

@Addamus please provide an english translation, this is an english-speaking forum.

Here is a screenshot of the SATA port configuration:



I tried a SATA III rotational hard disk in my U24E, a Hitachi 7K3000. It ran at 3Gbps. So I am not sure what is going on here. It runs at 6Gbps on my desktop. SATA III is backwards compatible with SATA II, so there shouldn't be an issue even if this BIOS doesn't support 6Gbps for some unknown reason. There was a long delay at POST, maybe 15 seconds. This is an encrypted data drive so I was not able to test booting from it. I booted from the U24E's internal drive that I put in a USB enclosure.

Screenshot and pic attached, not for the faint of heart.





(If you are wondering what is going on here see this thread. The HDD was powered by my desktop PSU with a direct SATA connection from the U24E.)

 

@ALLurGroceries Sorry for forein language on forum. I just wanted to quote what Asus support said in oryginal just in case. Translation is more exactly this same as in first sentence of my post. Sorry for that

I still believie that Asus will figure out what is going on with ssd issue. Than I will buy U24E again. I'll keep watching this forum thred...

Addamus

 

Thanks again for testing out the SDXC card.

That is odd that your Hitachi ran on SATAII mode. What if this problem is chipset hardware related? or maybe the drivers for the chipset and not just BIOS alone.

 

Anyone hear anything about this computer coming to brick and mortar stores?
I thought by December there might be some places for me to get a hands on look but I still haven't found anything. Anyone have any updates on when it might be coming in and where? Thanks

 

From the research I've done, it's kind of a weird situation. For example, on the ASUS website, the U24E isn't even listed yet. There's no product page for it at all. However, there IS a support/driver download page for the notebook.

Also, if you Google Shop the U24E, it's only really available on a few less-than-well-know websites. I personally got mine from Electronics Showplace. Never heard of it? Neither have I. You'll also notice that almost all the sites that list it for sale have incomplete specification lists, or differing specs from other websites, and almost none of them have any pictures of the laptop either.

All in all, there's next to no general info available on this laptop, other than what we've found out after purchasing it and playing with it.

 

If you look at Gentech's site they offer several ssd hd update options, I would think if you bought one of those brands of drives there would be no problem

 

Would a quad core cpu work in the U24E?

I'm sure as long as the BIOS/chipset identifies it & the socket is the same, than most likely it can work although with the higher TDP of 45W or 55W is something to take into consideration. A quad core will produce more heat than the dual core cpu so my main concern would be if the cooling system be able to dissipate the increased heat, not to mention the increased power consumption.

I am curious because Gen Tech PC is offering an i7-2670QM, 2.2-3.1GHz,32nm, 6MB, 45W as an upgrade from the original i7-2620M, 2.7-3.4Ghz, 32nm, 4MB, 35W as an option when purchasing a U24E.

...

Gen Tech PC is also offering the option of having various SATAIII SSDs preinstalled when purchasing a U24E. I wonder if they too will experience the SATAIII SSD non-detection issue we've been seeing here from other members. If they found a way to make it work then I'd like to know!

 

I wrote to Gen Tech about SSD issue. By now I received this reply:
"We haven't test Kingston SSD in this unit yet, however, I can test it with the SSDs of what we have and post the result.
Thanks.
Ken"

So I think we must wait or if anyone of you from USA can call them and ask about it and post their answer here that will be very helpful.

Addamus

 

I was just wondering if anyone noticed that if you Google Asus u24e in the shopping section there are now less places selling this the computer. Is this computer already being discontinued in the US? Anyone have any ideas?

 

Well... Asus finally did a webpage about U24E

http://www.asus.com/Notebooks/Superior_Mobility/U24E/#overview

 

I've been wondering about the possibility of adding a quad core CPU since I saw the very same upgrade from GenTech as well. I think we've both come to the same conclusion. I may buy a 2670QM and try installing it, as well as 16gb of RAM, and then top it off with a SATAII SSD to really unlock the U24E's power.

On a similar note, I know that in the desktop motherboard realm, Ivy Bridge processors are going to be compatible with Sandy Bridges motherboards. One thing I've been pondering is the possibility of the U24E being backwards with Ivy Bridge mobile processors. I suppose it's impossible to tell at the moment.

 

I far I've tested:

256GB Crucial 2.5" m4 SSD Part #: CT256M4SSD2
Intel 120GB 510 series SSDSC2MH120A2
120GB OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G

The issue with Crucial and OCZ is 8 out of 10 times the drive can't be detect. no detection issues with Intel 510 Series but still have write issues.

It looks like the controller having issues write to all SATA 3 SSDs.

Crucial M4 for example, I can't even update firmware to it, it just won't write anything to it, it's just like you try to copy file into a write-protected drive.

Of all of the SATA 3 SSDs when try to install Windows to it the error messages says it can't perform format to all of the SSDs listed above.

Already reported to Asus and hopefully it can be resolve via BIOS update.

 

Hi

I bought again this great notebook and SSD SATAII. SATA II SSD works great with U24E's BIOS.

On another forum I get advice to mount SATA III SSD and run from USB stick Linux Ubuntu. So first I created USB with Gpart, SSD disk was detected by Gpart but of course not detected by BIOS. Then I created USB stick with Linux Ubuntu, everything bootup great from USB. In Ubuntu 11.1 disk was visible and detected. I even installed Ubuntu from USB Stick to SSD SATAIII! But then after reboot and removing USB stick, SSD was not detected in BIOS, I never expected it will be visible, but this example proves that it is BIOS ver202 fault.

Addamus

 

When I spoke to the Asus rep, I mentioned that the product page was missing and the Specifications tab in the Download & Support page was also missing but they've since added both (although you can't access the U24E from the main Notebooks list).

If you do get a chance to test out a quad core then I'd like to know the results. I hope GenTechPC can share more information regarding the upgraded quad core they're providing (like TDP, heat, performance, battery life, etc.). I'd like to know which, if any, quads we can use too. Another thing to consider are the feature set and clocks of the quads.

If you look at Intel's product page about the i7-2620m ( Intel® Core? i7-2620M Processor (4M Cache, 2.70 GHz)), it says max memory is 8GB. If you look at the Specifications from Asus.com ( ASUSTeK Computer Inc. - Notebooks- ASUS U24E), it also says max memory is 8GB. So if 16GB actually works, I'll be surprised. I have 8GB which is plenty and going to 16GB right now is not worth it for me and unknown. As 16GB DDR3-1333 becomes less expensive and known to work, then maybe I will.

If what you're saying about Ivy Bridge CPUs being backwards compatible with the U24E turns out to be true, I might consider that route as the HD4000 is suppose to be a big improvement over HD3000. Not to mention CPU side performance will see roughly a 15% increase in power ( AnandTech - Ivy Bridge Mobile Lineup Overview).

Where did you hear about this? Is it just a rumor?

Thanks GenTechPC! The more information we have, the better. Can you tell me more about the I7-2670QM upgrade you guys are offering? Asus does not list quad cores in their spec sheet. Which quads would work? Which wouldn't? How does this affect heat, power consumption, cooling, everyday tasks and other applications?


Just some things I noticed and would take into consideration. Looks like the I7-2670QM does not support TXT, VT-d, or vPro Technology, and has a lower MAX GPU clock of 1100MHz vs the I7-2620m's 1300MHz not to mention the lower clock speed and lower max Turbo frequency (this is to be expected though for the most part). However, Intel does say the 2670QM will support upto 16GB of DDR3-1333 so that's a plus. The only other major differences would be the core count, TDP, Bus/Core Ratio, and the amount of shared L3 Cache (which im sure are all very important differences too). From what I understand, few applications are actually benefiting from mult-threaded coding and CPUs. A lot of applications do not take full advantage of the extra cores so the I7-2620M ends up being quite sufficient for most of us.

Comparing the two: http://ark.intel.com/compare/53469,52231

Here everyone: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_i7_microprocessors

That's good information to know. Thanks Addamus. Everyone call Asus and demand a BIOS update! I doubt we have enough numbers but who knows. I doubt we would be stuck on BIOS v202 forever, the U24E is only about a month old. Time will tell.

You can't always assume that. This doesn't seem to be a brand issue as its happening amongst several brands. It's definitely a SATAII/III connectivity issue.

 

The reason I'm planning to attempt a quad core upgrade is basically for all the reasons you just mentioned. Unfortunately, it's still a large unknown as to whether or not it will actually work, so I need to find one relatively cheaply so that if it doesn't work, I'm not boned out of a large amount of money. I don't just have another laptop I can put it into and make use of. It's either the U24E or nothing.

On the issue of RAM, again, I'm just as skeptical as you are. I wish I could say definitively that the U24E either does or does not support 16gb of RAM. Like you mentioned, the 2620m has a reported max of 8gb, so that's a good indication that we currently cannot upgrade to 16gb, but what about the quad cores that may or may not be supported? As you said, those report a max od 16gb. There are a lot of factors to take into account, and we don't have any definite answers, unfortunately.


Finally, onto SB/IB compatibility, I'll bring you a quotation that pertains to desktops.

For desktops, P67 and Z68 motherboards will work with IB processors, but P67 won't support some CPU features like SRT, integrated GPU, etc. Z68 has full compatibility.

For laptops....well, I don't know. Nobody has said anything. We can only guess.

 

I'm waiting to receive an i7 2720QM Engineering Sample Q154 3.3GHz 8MB L2 CPU, to replace the i3 of my u24e. If you want to wait a week or so I can post the results.
I may also replace the LCD for a matte version:
AU Optronics AUO205C Laptop LCD Screen 11.6" WXGA HD Matte LED - AUO Laptop LCD Screens - Replacement Laptop LCD

This could be another mod for you to offer, GenTech guys.

 

jamesman32,

This information might be old and incorrect now but could prove to be true, I am not sure. I just wanted to share with the rest of you since the U24E uses HM65 chipsets, it basically says we won't be able to use Ivy Bridge CPUs.

Thread regarding HM65 compatibility with Ivy Bridge:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sag...s-compatibility-hm65-not-happening-rumor.html

More info on Ivy Bridge backwards compatibility:
Ivy Bridge’s Backwards Compatibility Explained

Awesome find, I will seriously consider this matte display but right now it says it is out of stock. Thanks for finding it.

When you do get your i7 2720qm ES, please share your experiences. I really want to know. And which i3 did your u24e come with? Mine has the i7 2620m.

 

I'd love to know the result when you receive the chip as well. I might buy either a 2630qm or a 2670qm and try that if you report success with the 2720qm.

The only thing to figure out after that is whether or not the 8Gb memory limit is due to the 2620m limit, a motherboard limit, or both. Hopefully it's only the chip, so an upgrade to a quad (if that in itself works) will allow for a full 16Gb.

I suppose I'm eating my own words on this one, but I just ordered a 2630QM from eBay, a 2x8Gb set of RAM, and a SATAII SSD from Newegg. I guess I'm going to be putting my U24E through the full loop this week.

Wish me luck gentlemen, for if this does not work, the NBR Marketplace will be getting some expensive new hardware...

 

Here in Europe you can only get the i3 2330M version yet (model# U24E-PX024V). And comparatively expensive too (600€ . If it wasn't for the delivery expenses ($150) and customs taxes (18%), I would have bought a Gentech modded one :b

 

Just ordered my U24E and 8Gb of memory... now has anyone any experience of the Seagate Momentus XT... the new 750Gb/8Gb (HDD/SSD) unit is supposed to be quite fast?

Cheers GPC.

 

It works so far!

The u24e case seems tricky to dissasemble, didn't want to break the plastic, so I managed to unscrew the heatsink, lift it some and slide the cpu out. The original thermal compound is thick and sticked to the sink. Will have to clean it and put some good paste.

Here ares some results. 100% load was done with Prime95.

 

Dasaki, thank you for the detailed post on the upgrade. Could you possibly expound upon the actually installation of the CPU? After opening my U24E, it looks like there's an "X" shaped retention bracket over the CPU with 4 screws. It appears as though unscrewing the 4 screws would release the retention and allow me to remove the CPU, but I cannot access 2 of the screws because there is a piece of plastic casing running directly over them.

How exactly did you switch your CPUs?

 

Dasaki, Thank you! That is very good news indeed. I noticed that your i7 2720QM ES has 8MB of L3 cache, but on the Intel webpage it says its suppose to have 6MB ( http://ark.intel.com/products/50067). I'm wondering if thats because your quad is an ES?! Also your cpu is suppose to support upto 32GB of RAM & DDR3-1600, NICE! From one of the screenshots above, I also noticed that the temperature rose to 84-85*C for two cores & 78-79*C for the other two. That's not THAT bad for a 100% load test using Prime95. I doubt we would load the cpu as much as that test did, except for maybe while gaming. I like that your scores increased in the Windows Experience Index too, indicating a performance increase. Thanks again for being the brave guinea pig and being the first to test this out. I have to admit, I am a little jealous of you and your nice new quad sir!

And jamesman32, I think you're going to have to disassemble most of the case in order to get at the other screws and the cpu lock-screw. Yesterday I took of the hdd/ram cover and noticed that it would be almost impossible to remove the cpu without first disassembling the bottom case. I found this illustration of the cpu lock-screw im talking about.

Both of you guys are making me want to get a quad core cpu too! lol

Here:

 

@dasaki nice, but seems to run a lot hotter under load, the fan must be really loud. Have you stress tested it with prime95 or something else?

Also what is your power consumption with the new CPU?

 

Thanks for the pics David!

Just a warning for the faint of heart, I got a little carried away and might have hacked up my U24E a bit....



This is the only way I can see that allows access to the necessary screws to change the CPU.

Unfortunately, I cannot find a way to access the copper tongue that sits over the CPU. I can lift it with my fingers enough to dislodge the CPU from the socket, but I cannot slide it out completely. I took all the screws out of the whole notebook, removed the keyboard assembly, etc, and I still cannot find a way to access it.

 

It looks to me like you would have to take the motherboard out of the chassis to replace the CPU.

 

In your review, when you took the notebook apart, did you take it that far? Or did you only remove the top panel/keyboard?

 

No, I didn't go as far as to take the board all the way out. There wasn't anything interesting there (or so I thought). I think it's the only way to upgrade the CPU though. :-/

 

Not related to the CPU upgrade that's on topic right now, but has anyone notice a somewhat loud fan level after a couple of hours of heavy CPU usage?

I am mostly web browsing 99% of the time and the fan ramps up and down on occasion but it's low noise / quiet for the most part, but today I had to transcode a couple of movies and noticed after several hours that the fan ramps up to a level I would consider very loud!

 

UPDATE:

Although the CPU was recognised ok, as it was an engineering sample (that is also why it has more cache), it seems to have some issues:

1) It does not reboot properly
2) GPU hangs frequently, and it does not pass Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool.

So, as an advice: don't buy engineering samples The ebay seller (ck_stock) has return policy so I hope to get my money back.

Anyway the HD 3000 is really poor. My 2 year old Atom netbook's nvidia ION (9400m) really beats it.

P.S.: I didn't break the plastic bar that covers the sink screws, I just carefully bent it.



I just came across this (excerpt):




Any one has found some reference to these performance differences? I though thet were all the same HD 3000

This is how I did it (of course after unscrewing the sink and unlocking the cpu):

 

@ALLurGroceries

I did stress it with Prime95, but also tested it with Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool, and run the Windows experience. With this last one the consumprion reached peaks of 45W, I guess because of stressing at the same time the CPU and the GPU.
It runs hotter but it seems normal for this kind of CPUs. The temperature reaches about 85% of the maximum junction temp. of 100 deg. In the processors like the 2330m, that have a maximum junction temp. of 85 deg., the temperature also reaches 85% (about 72 deg.).
I'm glad to see you run Linux too. I did the tests with W7, but intend to be using Ubuntu 10.04 64bis. Which kernel are you using? Any issue with the graphics? Could you share your glxgears score?

 

@frychiko, I'll try to test your extended usage fan problem later.

@dasaki, I gather the extra fan noise and heat is worth it for the power if you need it. I was just curious what temps you were seeing and if the fan was always running high. It's a tiny chassis to stick a quad core in!

I'm using a 3.2-rc kernel, I posted my .config on the first page in the linux notes section.

I haven't had any issues with graphics, but I haven't been doing much in the way of 3D stuff or games. I'll post some glxgears numbers later (I'm not on the U24E right now).

 

For those wondering, I've finished my installation of a 2630qm and 2 8Gb sticks of DDR3. I'm happy to report that both the BIOS and Windows successfully detect and use both the processor and RAM. Knock on wood, I've been running without a hitch for about 3 hours now. Also added a 60gb SSD (SATAII).

Honestly, I didn't think the upgrade would make much of a difference, but the system absolutely FLIES. It's awesome. For anyone considering either a step up to 16Gb of RAM or a quad core CPU, I can attest to the fact that it does work.

As for temperatures, the 2630qm idles at about 39*C on all 4 cores for me, which is actually 5*C less than the 2620m it replaced. I don't really know why this is, because both processors seem to idle at the same speed (800mhz).