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    ASUS U24E Review and Owners Lounge

    Discussion in 'ASUS Reviews and Owners' Lounges' started by ALLurGroceries, Nov 11, 2011.

  1. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

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    I made that list, complete with sources, here:

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/asu...121-asus-u24e-review-owners-lounge.html#sata3

    Thanks, I added the controller info you posted to the list on the first page. What is the source for the Kingston SSDNow V+ 100? I couldn't find it in the thread.

    If I missed any or you guys find more, please let me know.
     
  2. glen.ng

    glen.ng Newbie

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    Hi,

    Thanks for your great work!

    The controller information comes from google. But I found out that I originally mixed up the V 100 series with the V + 100 series.
    V+ 100 actually use a Toshiba T6UG1XBG Controller and not a JMicron. It is not in the official specs but listed in several online reviews:
    AnandTech - Kingston SSDNow V+100 Review
    Kingston SSDNow V+100 Review (96GB) | StorageReview.com - Storage Reviews
    http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1469/1/
     
  3. Trunkz11

    Trunkz11 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hey guys I was hoping that someone could help me out. I am constantly getting a max of 4hrs on battery saver mode. That is with only Firefox running and a few tabs open no videos playing. Discharge varies between -8.2 to -10.3 on battery bar. I am not coming anywhere close to 6hrs and this is all on battery saver mode. I have the core i7-2620 processor. I am definitely a newb but any advice would help thanks guys! :D
     
  4. glen.ng

    glen.ng Newbie

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    By the way, my unit is a different variant from those listed in the 1st post:
    U24E-PX120V, Hong Kong, i5-2450M, 4GB, 500GB, W7 HP
     
  5. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

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    @glen.ng thanks! I added your variant to the list of known models and the Kingston V 100 to the SSD list.
     
  6. andremats

    andremats Newbie

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    Hello, i'm from Indonesia and my unit is a U24E-PX053D, i3-2350M, 4GB, 500GB, Free DOS.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  7. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

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    FreeDOS! :D Awesome! :D I wish we could get ASUS computers without windows here in the USA.

    Thanks andremats, I added your model to the list.
     
  8. kenneth2008

    kenneth2008 Newbie

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    I've got OCZ Vertex 2 in mine, and I get the bios screen bug on a cold boot... just means that I'd have to ctrl+alt+del on each cold boot to get to the OS. Strangely, a reboot from the OS works just fine - VERY annoying. Bios 206 update hasn't solve it either :(

    K.
     
  9. makan

    makan Newbie

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    Hello, I’m from Indonesia and my specification is a U24E-PX053D, i3-2350M, 4GB, 500GB. I use windows 7, 64 bit. I got problem when booting and shutdown take really long time. But when the windows has start it responsive and no problem. can some one help me?. Thx.. sorry my bad english..
     
  10. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

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  11. Kearu

    Kearu Newbie

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    I just purchased the U24E yesterday after 6 months in search of a laptop and I am happy with my purchase. Although it is yet (if it ever will) to be SATA-III compatible, but for me SATA-III SSDs are more of a luxury than a necessity.

    What I like about this ultraportable is it has a good balance between mobility, performance, quality and battery life given its price in the region that I purchased in. Not to mention that it is user upgradable as shown by fellow U24E owners in this thread.
     
  12. Apache1983

    Apache1983 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I installed the samsung 470, the U24E can recognize it, but I was unable to make a new partition on the ssd, can anyone help me, thanks a lot.
     
  13. davidricardo86

    davidricardo86 Notebook Deity

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    1. What OS are you trying to install?

    2. How are you installing it (DVD, USB)?

    3. Is this a new SSD?

    4. Have you gone into the BIOS and set the storage drive to AHCI mode prior to installing the OS?



    When I installed Windows 7 Professional 64-Bit onto my old U24E, I used the USB installer method since this laptop does not have an optical drive. I never encountered any issues installing the OS.

    a. Go here for Windows 7 Service Pack 1 ISOs.

    b. Use the Windows 7 USB/DVD download tool. In my opinion, it is the most reliable tool when it comes to making a Windows 7 USB installation.


    I hope this helps generate ideas and a solution.
     
  14. Cableman

    Cableman Notebook Geek

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    I am on the market for an ultraportable and I basically stumbled upon the U24E by accident. I am not sure why it isn't advertised and reviewed anywhere, but after reading the whole thread here I found a ton of useful information.

    I was originally going to get the HP dm1, but this seems like a way better fit for my needs. I have a few questions for all the U24E owners:

    1) Is there any particular reason why this laptop is under the radar? Are there any shortcoming besides the problems with the SSDs that are outlined here? From what I read, everything else seems perfect. Please let me know if you noticed any shortcomings.

    2) The build quality seems excellent on the pictures and in the first review here. Is that the impression that everyone has?

    3) I read a few impressions regarding the battery life. It seems on par with the HP dm1 (5-6 hours of "normal use"). The dm1 has an i3 ULV processor and the US version of the U24E has an i7. Is the i7 really that efficient? I everyone happy with the battery life?

    4) Is there any information out there whether this will be discontinued or refreshed with Ivy Bridge?

    I would appreciate any feedback. I need a well built small laptop with a fast CPU and this seems almost too good to be true. Please share any reviews and opinions. Thanks a lot.
     
  15. Apache1983

    Apache1983 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi thanks a lot, David.

    1. I was trying installing windows 7 professional;
    2. I was trying installing it from a external DVD burner;
    3. This is a brand new Samsung 470 128G;
    4. The BIOS default mode is AHCI, I did confirm that before installing it.

    So I think might be something wrong with my Win 7 DVD, for now I used Ghost and clone the image from the old HDD to the ssd and it worked. I will try the way you taught me to install a fresh version of Win 7. Should I input the product key from the original one at the bottom print of the U24E?

    Other questions:
    1. How can I make a new partition on the SSD besides the single OS partition. Because I wanna make another partition for personal data storage, but disk management in windows won't let me do it.
    2. Do you have the Asus OEM certificate to insert to the OS?
    3. I installed the samsung magician, and it automaticlly disabled the Instant On feature, do you think that feature is useful? Is this normal?
    4. After I put it into sleep moade for a while it went to hibernate automatically, is this normal, too?

    By the way, it was a little hard to remove the sticky sponge on the old HDD, hehe...

    Again, thanks a lot and I truly appreciate your help!
     
  16. davidricardo86

    davidricardo86 Notebook Deity

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    I'm surprised that no one's answered you guys but I'll give you my take from when I did have the u24e. I'll try and be as honest and open.

    1. Like anything else, it's never perfect. It is however faster than the DM1. Most people don't like/want small laptops probably. And Asus didn't really do a whole lot of advertising to get the word out. Some will complain the keyboards/displays are too small and the igpu HD3000 is not very powerful for some games but sufficient for the average uses. Personally, I wanted stronger graphics performance so i had to ditch my u24e. Also it lacks a backlit keyboard, the webcam is pretty crap in quality, and one thing i also didnt like was the fact that the VGA port was so close to the HDMI port that you wouldn't be able to drive two displays unless you hacked up the VGA connector. I did a bit of searching but couldnt find a slim VGA cable so you'd have to cut the VGA connector (the fat end with the two screws) off. The SATAII cap sucks, but even with an SSD you'll be flying compared to an hdd. One thing that I do like about this computer, you can swap wifi cards without worry of manufacturer restrictions. In my case, I swapped the oem Atheros card for an Intel card. With the correct drivers everything worked, even the keyboard shortcuts. IMO, do not bother with quad core cpus, the HD3000 is the 99.9% the same, and the extra cores will generate more heat than you'll like and consume more energy draining the battery that much quicker. The dual core I7s are awesome and never really feel lacking. If you need more power, then go for it, but I didn't and ended up going back because the dual core ran so cool and the battery life was good. Some guys in the thread mention how much hotter it ran and one dude modded the cooling system. That's a lot of extra work but if you don't mind all these factors, be my guest. The glossy display can be annoying in direct sunlight making it very hard to use outdoors. Luckily the display does get very bright but i like having my displays somewhat dimmed as that light hurts my eyes after hours of use. I'm now using a matte display and i enjoy it a lot (personal preference). The touchpad is by Elan Tech, I prefer Synaptics touchpads as i find them to be more sensitive and responsive. I guess you do get use to it but its rather small in size. At least there's Bluetooth on-board and a BT mouse can easily be attained from Amazon or Ebay. The speakers are rather small and worst of all, by design, they face downward so the sound can easily get muffled (forget about bass, bust out the headphones or a speaker system). Things I really liked about the u24e, size, weight, keyboard, dual USB 3.0 ports, separate mic/headphone ports, and HDMI output clarity was better than my current E425 (I've tried adjust this but HDMI output is not at clear or vivid AMD vs Intel graphics, don't know?).

    2. It fairly sturdy but there is going to be a bit of flex since most of the case is made of plastic if given enough force. The display/lid is pretty solid as that it made from aluminium. The hdd/ram/wifi access panel has some flex because it covers a fairly large area but its not lose fitting or anything to worry about. If the case were made entirely of aluminium then everything would be solid as a rock.

    3. Yes the I7 is that efficient and the battery life is excellent. Maybe playing around with the power settings can yield a little more.

    4. None that I know or have heard of.

    Yes, use the product key on the sticker on the laptop when installing a fresh copy of the OS.

    1. Not sure man, Windows Disk Management is what I've used in the past. You could try using a third party app if you search for partitioning software.

    2. I'm not sure what you mean?

    3. Instant-On works best with HDDs. It's suppose to speed up resume from Sleep by saving some data to RAM making it resume that much faster but consume less energy or something like this. You might want to look it up though as I forgot exactly how it does this. Although you can leave it "on" with the SSD, it won't hurt anything. I used to leave it on and I did notice that its a slightly different version of Sleep, and the LED indicator has a different blinking pattern. Otherwise, the SSD is fast enough that resume from Sleep will be just as fast.

    4. Going to hibernate from being left in Sleep is normal. This is done to save energy. In Sleep mode, the computer is still technically ON because where you left off is saved to RAM (RAM is volatile). As soon as you press the ON button or open the lid, its back at the log in screen. Hibernate on the other hand writes information where you last left off to the HDD/SSD (non-volatile), creating a more permanent-like state and shutting off the computer altogether, saving even more energy than Sleep mode. In hibernate, you could even remove the battery and connect it back and you will still be ok. Although i have read that hibernate does consume a very small amount of energy but nothing like Sleep mode. How i can remove the battery and still consume a little energy but be ok is beyond my knowledge?
     
  17. Cableman

    Cableman Notebook Geek

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    Thanks so much for the reply. That was really helpful.

    Your opinion (even the problems that you listed) makes me want the u24e even more. I need a small laptop so I can work on it when travelling so I don't really need anything faster than the HD3000. The only thing that I might play is Diablo 3, which might actually run on medium without a problem (judging by Starcraft 2). I care a lot more about the CPU side of things because in my work I use CPU-intensive software and the dual-core i7 will be more than sufficient for that. This is will be my computer to take for meetings, conferences etc. Mind you, this will be a huge upgrade from my current 7 pound Core 2 Duo all-plastic HP.

    I don't really care about stellar webcam performance as long as it's usable and even the problem with the VGA/HDMI that you listed won't be a problem for me because I will be using just one of the connectors when doing presentations. The SATA II limit is also not a problem because an SSD upgrade won't be imminent. In terms of the quad-core processors, I'd rather have a dual core for the reasons that you listed - that needs to be a portable laptop which runs cool and runs for as long as possible on battery. The touchpad won't bother me that much because I am thinking of getting the Microsoft Arc Touch mouse, which gets really small when travelling.

    The only 2 things that I wish were better (from what you described) are the screen and the speakers. If this had a matte screen and decent speakers it would have been perfect for me despite the other issues.

    My biggest concerns were the build quality, any heat problems and battery life. 5-6 hours of battery life and minimal flex especially of the screen sound good to me. From your response, I gather that the heat is minimal (I was researching the ASUS u36, which has heat problems). Does it stay cool even when running CPU intensive tasks?

    I think I am on the way to becoming an u24e owner :rolleyes: :eek:
     
  18. Apache1983

    Apache1983 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Your comments and analysis are very accurate and helpful. We all benefit from it.

    1. I don't know how to describe the "Asus OEM Certifiicate". When you right click "Computer" and select "Property" (I'm still having the OEM OS), you will see the Asus logo under the windows logo, I guess it's called "certificate". If we install a fresh OS by ourselves, the Asus logo won't show up, don't know if it really matter? (sorry for my long and confusing description);

    2. I purchased the Samsung 470 because you have it and other reviews give it reliable comment. And the price for 470 series is still very high even the product is discontinued, around $300 for 128G (retail version), much high then those SATA3 SSD, don't know why? I'm wondering if you have installed the Samsung SSD Magician, is it a necessary and helpful sofeware, is running "Performance Benchmark" reducing the life of SSD? I'm thinking getting a SATA3 SSD for my desktop. Do you recommond the Samsung 830 or any other brand?

    3. Is it gonna affect the performance of the SSD if I have two partitions on the SSD?

    Like you said "If the case were made entirely of aluminium then everything would be solid as a rock". Thanks again.
     
  19. dasaki

    dasaki Notebook Enthusiast

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  20. joseph_lin

    joseph_lin Notebook Consultant

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    How's the battery life of your setup? And the heat?
     
  21. davidricardo86

    davidricardo86 Notebook Deity

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    Well it sounds like the u24e might be a good fit for you then. The webcam isn't the best but its usable of course. As for the display goes, I can't say how good or bad it is compared to other displays. I am not an expert at "rating" displays and where they stand in quality. Like most displays, it goes negative when viewed vertical as does horizontal angles. If you and someone next to you were watching a movie, i don't think that would be a problem. Colors are vibrant and blacks seem a bit grayish. I remember finding an ASUS EEEPC (11.6") that was available with a matte display (not sure if any better in quality). I wanted to try using that display in my u24e but never ended up doing the experiment. Regarding the speakers, they're like the webcam; usable but not spectacular. A comfortable set of headphones helps with that little issue.

    I've heard of the u36 heat issues. The addition of a discrete gpu really does make things hotter especially for a laptop that thin. The cooling systems on thin laptops sometimes are skimpy and cheaply designed. Even under full load the heat coming out from the u24e's exhaust is hot but not scorching hot flames. :p I wish i had a max temp reading image but i cant seem to find one.

    1. Oh okay, now I understand. I don't know how you would do that. But, to me it doesn't matter as long as my OS is operating fine. You could try posting this question in the "Windows OS Thread."

    2. I am selling my old 470 128gb because I bought a 830 256gb. $300 is an insane price to pay considering the 256gb 830 can now be bought for $235-270.

    I do install Samsung Magician, i find it useful. I wouldn't worry about writing too much to the SSD. It would take you a REALLY REALLY LONG TIME and A LOT of writing to kill the drive. Just use it and enjoy it. I recommend Samsung SSDs to anyone who asks me, they're very reliable and dropping in price every month.
     
  22. dasaki

    dasaki Notebook Enthusiast

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    Battery lasts about three hours on normal use.

    I did some cooling mod, even so, under heavy load at 25-30 deg celsius ambient it reaches peaks of 85 deg. I think the processor/system will always prevent rising above 85. Idle is about 44 deg.

    @davidricardo86

    Isn't the 830 Sata 3? Does it work with the u24e?
     
  23. davidricardo86

    davidricardo86 Notebook Deity

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    Yes the 830 is SATAIII (6Gb/s). I don't know if it works with the u24e because I bought the 830 after I had already sold the u24e. If I still had it, I would've tested to make sure it works/doesn't work.

    I am using the 830 in my Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E425 and it operates at full speed. I'm also using the 470 in my E425's SATAII CD/DVD caddie.
     
  24. dasaki

    dasaki Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanx for the clarification!
     
  25. Cableman

    Cableman Notebook Geek

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    Thanks for your input. I am pretty much ready to get the u24e, but wanted to ask if there are any other similar options - similar size, decent build quality and battery life, no overheating issues, good CPU...I asked in the "Which laptop I should buy" section, but the only other option seems to be the Lenovo x220, and to be honest I like the u24e better. Do you know of anything similar to the u24e?
     
  26. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

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    I would go for the U24E if it costs less and CPU power is more of your priority.

    The X220 has a better screen with the IPS (Premium HD) option, and I prefer the keyboard (both the layout and feel) to the chicklet on the U24E, although the U24E keyboard is very good as I noted in the review. The X220 webcam is far superior, it has a fluid framerate where the U24E is laggy. The main weak point of the X220 is the buttonless touchpad ("clickpad"). Besides that they are both great systems, and the U24E is a great, solid machine.

    The X220 is heavily discounted right now, especially via B&N Gold. It offers you an mSATA slot (although there may be cheaper variants without msata) and the option of an IPS display, but is a bit chunkier (11.6" vs 12.5"). It has a 54mm ExpressCard slot so you can add expansion cards (like firewire or esata, usb3, external graphics card dock, etc). Also the HDD bay is 7mm (most drives are 9.5 or 12.5mm) and the BIOS is whitelisted; if you wanted to switch the wifi card to a non-IBM one you would need a de-whitelisted BIOS (I run one on my X220).

    I have owned both systems. I sold the U24E and kept my X220 ultimately because the mSATA+HDD combo is hard to beat, I prefer the thinkpad keyboard, the IPS screen is easier to read, expandability via expresscard and 4 battery options (I get 21 hours with the 9 cell + 6 cell slice).

    Here are some pics of them side by side (X220 has a 9 cell battery in the pics, the 6 cell battery option sits flush):

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  27. Cableman

    Cableman Notebook Geek

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    Thanks a lot for the reply and for your original review. It seems to be quite hard to find any reviews of the U24E and yours was the one that swayed me towards it.

    For me the biggest plus of the X220 is the display, since I don't think I would be using the mSATA option and I actually prefer chiclet keyboards. What is your opinion of the display in the U24E, from your original review I am under the impression that it is not particularly good? A few people mentioned that it is vibrant, is the problem more with the viewing angles?

    Having owned both the X220 and the U24E, how would you compare their build quality? I think for me the build quality is probably the biggest priority. The U24E seems to be quite solid. Any heat problems are also a big thing for me (being an owner of an HP that heats up quite a lot, which causes a lot of longevity issues). If the U24E is well made and stays cool, I think I would disregard any problems such as a crappy webcam and lack of mSATA due to the better price and faster CPU.

    I feel like a faster CPU can help me use the system a lot longer and since I won't really be playing games and my work is 100% CPU based, I think the i7 in the U24E would be a good fit (especially for the price).

    The battery life of your X220 sounds really tempting, but if I could get 5-6 hours from the U24E (as per your review) than that would probably be sufficient. Another question - are the speakers really as crappy as others have mentioned here?

    I have to also say that the U24E looks really nice on your pictures :)

    Guys, thanks a lot for your input, your opinions are greatly appreciated!
     
  28. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

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    The build quality of the X220 feels less solid than the U24E, mostly due to the lid construction and moderate flex on the palmrest above the expresscard slot. The U24E has only a tiny amount of flex, and that is under what I consider extreme pressure only. In normal use, my unit had absolutely no keyboard or chassis flex. I would consider the U24E nearly on par with the B series notebooks from ASUS which are somewhat ruggedized. There are various mass-production defects I have heard about regarding the X220, but luckily I got a unit with none of them. They both have sturdy hinges and a solid feel, although the U24E really feels "rock solid". As I mentioned in the review, taking it apart confirmed that ASUS got it right with the chassis materials. If you look at my profile you can see the ASUS systems I have owned, and the U24E is at the top of that heap for build quality.

    The keyboard on the U24E is simply awesome (compared to others in the same form factor class and chicklet type). I also really like the touchpad surface, although the windows drivers aren't very responsive as far as multitouch and gestures are concerned.

    In terms of the screen, I feel that color reproduction on the U24E is not great, and it has a very overdriven feeling response, which is ironic for such a small panel. Viewing angles aren't bad horizontally, but vertically there is a small sweet spot. There is a small but noticeable "screen door" effect, which is viewable mostly on bright, solid backgrounds. Keep in mind I am not a photo editor or graphic designer, so mine is not an expert opinion.

    The backlight is brighter on the X220 IPS by a significant margin.

    Still, the U24E screen is passable, and as I think I said in the review, it's not offensive. The colors aren't really off in one direction or another (reds on the X220 IPS are bad), but its default color temperature may be a tad cool if I remember correctly.

    I got a consistent 5+ hours in Linux, which is what I ran on my machine once I was done with the review. So 5-6 hours in windows is definitely possible depending on your usage.

    The difference in speakers is basically nil; they are each tinny and the volume levels are about the same -- not great.

    I haven't had heat problems with either system, they are both relatively well cooled even when pushed.
     
  29. Cableman

    Cableman Notebook Geek

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    Thanks for all the info. That answered all my questions. I don't need any more convincing that the U24E is the laptop for me :) You guys are awesome!
     
  30. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

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  31. davidricardo86

    davidricardo86 Notebook Deity

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    Yup. HD3000 is all you will get unless u egpu it up via expresscard (X220, B23E). So think about that too.
     
  32. Cableman

    Cableman Notebook Geek

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    My usual day is in Linux where I run my statistical analysis software, watch movies and the usual multitasking (a bunch of tabs in the browser, music in the background, etc.). I do that 99% of the time and if it wasn't for the analysis software my requirements would be quite low. From time to time I play Diablo 2 and hopefully with the HD3000 I will be able to try Diablo 3 (but that would be a bonus, not really a requirement). I currently have a Radeon x1600 so I think the HD3000 will be an upgrade.

    I saw a few benchmarks of the HD3000 and it seems to be powerful enough unless you run new or demanding games. Did you notice any slowdowns in terms of graphics? Do you think it is sufficient for anything but new games and perhaps complex Photoshop jobs or similar software? My understanding is that unless you are a hardcore gamer, the HD3000 should be ok? I noticed that you sold your U24E because you wanted something with more graphics power. Was that because of game requirements or something else?

    With a dedicated GPU I worry that I won't really be using it 99% of the time and it will be an unnecessary strain in terms of battery, heat and of course the initial investment...
     
  33. davidricardo86

    davidricardo86 Notebook Deity

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    This will depend on the games that you intend on using along with the different graphic settings. You won't be able to play some games at all and most games will either have to be a few years old or with the graphics set to low. The only reason a game will feel slow is because the igp can't keep up with the demands of the game.

    Yes it'll be sufficient. I'm sure you can find Youtube videos of people testing out the programs and apps you're interested in. Otherwise, search for reviews of the HD3000 to get an idea how it'll perform with those programs you use.

    It was mostly game requirements but also the fact that my E425 ended up costing less than my U24E ($463 v. $753). I tried out a I7-2820QM ($275 upgrade) in my U24E but I didn't like the extra heat and the graphics didn't improve much at all. So I decided I wanted to give AMD APUs a try. My E425 also came with better graphics, a bigger matte display, a better quality keyboard (ThinkPad keyboards are great), better sounding speakers, a discrete gpu, a bigger touchpad and ThinkPad Warranty Service (simply amazing). The only thing it didn't have was USB 3.0 but I do have eSATA and ExpressCard Slot so I guess that evens out. I switched the original A4 to an A8 ($120 upgrade) and the difference in games and general computing is very noticeable even without benchmarking. It was an easy upgrade and I can still overclock for a little more performance if needed. I miss the U24E's size, weight, and battery life. Otherwise I'm pretty happy with this computer for now. With an ssd, it never really feels slow and for my needs the cpu is more than sufficient.

    Even if you don't use the gpu 99% of the time, it'll come in handy some times. I'm not a hardcore gamer and I don't have a limitless budget so this ended up being a decent trade off. I really love the matte display though.

    Games I play in my spare time: BF3, GTAIV, COD4, Grid, Evolution, Burnout, Crysis, Crysis 2, Minecraft, Spore
     
  34. Cableman

    Cableman Notebook Geek

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    I will probably not play games at all, I was more concerned with the general GPU performance in everyday usage, when playing HD movies and using any other non-gaming software. I was wondering if anyone experienced any slowdowns outside of gaming, I am sorry that I didn't make this clear. I got concerned following your previous post. My current GPU is quite old, but it's rarely a cause of concern, I play only Diablo 2 once every few weeks and with the U24E I might just try Diablo 3, but definitely don't expect to play anything else. Did you have any problems with the HD3000 besides games?
     
  35. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

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    The HD3000 is more than adequate for compositing window managers and HD video decoding. In terms of 3D rendering and 2D acceleration in photoshop, it's not going to be as fast as a dGPU, but it shouldn't choke either.
     
  36. davidricardo86

    davidricardo86 Notebook Deity

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    No, HD3000 is good to go man! I was able to use generic Intel drivers or Asus specific drivers without a problem. No slow downs, no problems.
     
  37. Kearu

    Kearu Newbie

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    After having played around with the U24E for a few weeks I am pretty happy with this notebook. A side question though, can anyone recommend a good quality sleeve/case to fit this little baby in? The sleeve that comes with the laptop doesn't offer enough protection, imo. It will be great to have a sleeve that offers protection even on the sides while under constant travelling. Any recommendations?
     
  38. Cableman

    Cableman Notebook Geek

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    Thanks a lot guys :)
     
  39. ajw22

    ajw22 Newbie

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    Silicon Power Extreme E25 SSD 256GB (SP256GBSSDE25S25 ; SATA2, MLC) works perfectly on my Asus U24E, bios 206, AHCI mode.

    Windows experience index: 7.0

    Atto benchmarks:
    (transfer size : write read)
    0.5 : 12129 14810
    4 : 77405 122099
    32: 173015 231776
    512: 235987 277309

    with Truecrypt 7.1a full disk AES encryption
    0.5 : 4894 5322
    4 : 36864 41060
    32 : 141701 123781
    512: 193119 176215
     
  40. Apache1983

    Apache1983 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks for the info.
    1. Do you use "Over Provisioning" feature of the Samsung Magician software? If so, do you follow the recommended shink volume or a different size of shrik volume?
    2. I just finished installing the fresh OS and all drivers. But under "Device Manager", there's a exclamation mark under "Generic Bluetooth Adapter", when I right click and choose "update driver software", windows says "The best driver software for you device is already installed", don't know why?...
     
  41. Apache1983

    Apache1983 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks for sharing the info.
    1. I'm wondering where is this SSD available for purchase online? I searched a littlit bit, couldn't find many places have it.
    2. How do you get 7.0 on windows experience index, is it just the index for the SSD or Index for all? I thought it's limited to 6.3 due to the HD3000 Graphic.
     
  42. davidricardo86

    davidricardo86 Notebook Deity

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    I was using this Case Logic 11" Netbook Sleeve. The fit is snug, not loose, I liked it a lot and it did the job. It provided adequate protection, a non-scratching zipper, and a little loop to help pull it out of a bag with just one finger. With this sleeve your laptop is less likely to be scratched while on the go. Case Logic seems to be a more common brand.

    1. Yes and No.

    Yes I've used Over Provisioning in the past but only when I had my 128GB 470 SSD because I was afraid I'd fill it and not leave any leftover room for the SSD to perform its maintenance functions. When I did use it, I just went with whatever Magician recommended (about 10-12GB i think). Otherwise you can set it at whatever you think would be best. I haven't done much research as to what is the "best recommended" amount when it comes to OP'ing so I can't comment on that. I've heard 15GB but I can't say that's accurate.

    And no because when I got my 256GB 830 SSD I haven't bothered to OP because right now I'm only using 45GB. Even without the additional OP'ing, there's plenty of empty space right now for the SSD to perform its maintenance functions anyway that I'm not really worried about it. But, I will be doing OP'ing soon just as a safety measure more than anything now that you brought it up.

    2. Try uninstalling the WIFI/BT drivers. Then, reinstall the drivers once again. After that, I'd install the Wireless Manager so that your keyboard shortcut works too.
     
  43. Kearu

    Kearu Newbie

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    Thank you for your suggestion, davidricardo86. About the sleeve that you mentioned, can you describe a little about the materials used inside the sleeve? I looked around the internet but couldn't find any descriptions concerning the interior of the sleeve. Thanks.
     
  44. davidricardo86

    davidricardo86 Notebook Deity

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    Its not extremely padded. This sleeve adds scratch protection but it won't protect you from falls. I usually carried it in my computer backpack. Its a simple good zippered sleeve and most agree too.

    Here's what some of the reviewers said:

    I hope this helped.
     
  45. Apache1983

    Apache1983 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks for the instruction. By the way, there are two kinds of drivers for Bluetooth on Asus website, Azurewave and Intel, which one should I install or both? I reinstalled the first one and it solved the problem, don't know if I need to install the Intel one, do they conflict with each other?
     
  46. ajw22

    ajw22 Newbie

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    1. I bought it in Japan. Not sure if it's sold elsewhere. It is quite new, yet with SATA2 interface, which I guess is the reason for it being so cheap (256GB @ 18000JPY / 225USD)

    2. Windows Experience index 7.0 was just for the drive component. The total is, as you say, limited to 6.3 due to the graphics.
     
  47. Apache1983

    Apache1983 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I just experienced another system crash with blue screen saying "dumping crash memory to disk......" Don't know if it's because of the Kingston 8G memories I use or the SSD, anyone have a clue? Thanks.
     
  48. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

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  49. Apache1983

    Apache1983 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thank you for the solution. I ran the "BlueScreenView v1.45", it showed that the "athrx.sys" caused the crash. Asus' support website doesn't have the lastest OEM drivers :( . I downloaded and installed the driver version 9.2.0.480 from other website. Don't know if this is gonna fix the problem. Is it necessary to purchase the drivers update software to get all the drivers updated, will the new drivers conflict with the old ones?
     
  50. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

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    No, you should never have to pay for drivers. Atheros drivers are sometimes harder to find, but you can get newer compatible versions with some searching. I hope the ones you found work without BSODs.
     
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