Asus UL20FT Owners Lounge

Haven't seen anyone post one yet, so why not start one?

Well, seeing how my V1J with all the modules can be a bit unwieldly to carry around in some places, I somehow ended up getting a UL20FT (instead of a netbook).

Specs
Model: UL20FT-A1
Base Unit: UL20FT-2D2X-1
Color: Silver
LCD: Hanstarr HSD121PHW1 (HSD04B6) 12.1" 1366x768 LED (glare panel)
Battery: 6 cell 4400mAh (reads 47520mWh)
Processor: Core i3-330UM. Normal mode: 1.2GHz (133x9), Turbo33 mode: 1.6GHz (177x9)
Chipset: Intel HM55
Graphics: Integrated Intel
Hard Disk: 320GB 5400rpm SATA (Seagate)
RAM: DDR3-1333 2G (1x2GB, 1 socket open)
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese selectable on initial startup)
WLAN: Atheros AR9285 802.11bgn
LAN: Attansic/Atheros AR8131 Gigabit Ethernet
Warranty: 1 yr (+accidental damage)
Ports: 3x USB 2.0, 1x VGA, LAN, power, HDMI, microphone, headphones

Other Features:
- ExpressGate,
- Synaptics Touchpad,
- Altec Lansing SRS speakers (underside),
- 0.3MP Webcam (Su Yin Optronics),
- SD/SDHC/MMC/MSPRO card reader (AlcorMicro),
- AC power adapter (listed as 40W, but part appears to be 65W?).

Also included:
- Logitech 25% coupon (up to 300$?, expires September 2010)
- ASUS cable wrap
- Driver CD
- Manuals
- Accidental damage warranty activation form

Preinstalled:
- Adobe Reader 9, AIR, Flash 10
- Office 2010 Starter
- Amazon Kindle for PC
- ASUS: AP Bank, WebStorage, AI Recovery Burner, Virtual Camera, ControlDeck, e-Driver, eManual, FancyStart, FastBoot, Mult, Power4Gear Hybrid, WinFlash, Live Update, Splendid, SmartLogon, LifeFrame3
- Boingo Wi-Fi
- CyberLink Power2Go, LabelPrint
- GamePark: Alice Greenfingers, Chicken Invaders 2, Dream Day Wedding Married in Manhattan, Piggly FREE, Smileyville FREE
- Google Chrome
- New York Times Reader
- Skype 4.2
- syncables desktop SE
- TrendMicro Internet Security TRIAL

Comments

First Impressions: GOOD
- Looks really nice, particularly the brushed finish and glossy black frame.
- Feels really light, can probably carry this in a small bag.

Bundle: SO-SO
- My Z63A got an ASUS mouse and an ASUS bag. My V1J got an ASUS mouse and an ASUS bag. My girlfriend's grandmother's F3V came with an ASUS mouse and an ASUS bag. This came with... errr... nothing?! Let me check that box again... Logitech ASUS 25% off coupon that expires in September... ;
- No Windows restore disk??? This is the norm, but it took an hour for the PC to MAKE restore ISOs, nevermind burn them.
- I suppose it lowers the price of the product, so I probably shouldn't really complain at 700-800$

Keyboard: GOOD
- Chiclets. Never really a big fan, but it feels comfortable and works great.

Touchpad: BLAH
- Buttons are so small that you can accidentally touch the bottom of pad and prevent the mouse from moving
- Buttons are a bit hard, probably harder than my V1J
- Textured surface a bit annoying.

Screen: GOOD
- Decent resolution given the size.
- Good/"average" viewing angles.

First Use: SO-SO
- On initial startup, the system took 10 minutes on an ASUS screen after choosing the language, probably setting up stuff. Would've been nice to see what it was actually doing.
- Windows started up in Turbo33 (overclocked) mode. Turning off turbo mode seems to slow it down noticably when Aero is doing its thing.
- No Windows disk...
- AI Recovery Burner starts up and asks you to make one. Click on Backup, and then it complains no DVD burner present??? -_-
- Got a USB DVD drive plugged in. Then it proceeds to make DVD ISO images to burn... one hour later (literally), it's done and actually starts burning... at max speed (bad for archiving, leaves rings when using certain types of drives). Then it proceeds to delete the ISOs...
- Second comment on burning recovery DVDs: Ummmm, are you serious??? ASUS is supposed to be the value-added vendor and not cheap out like Dell and HP.
- Mixed bag of useful and useless stuff loaded. Need to remove a lot of stuff.

Other Comments: GOOD
- Doesn't get scorching hot like my V1
- Still pretty zippy compared to a netbook
- Sound is a lot better than my other ASUS units (probably because these are Altecs)

Would have been nice:
- Black version (silver is still nice, though black is sleeker)
- ExpressCard slot for expansion (though probably not at this price)
- integrated Bluetooth (for my iPhone tethering! Need to get a slim dongle now)
- eSATA
- XP support (seriously)

Conclusion

Pros
+ Lightweight
+ Comfortable to use
+ It's not an Atom
+ It has decent speakers
+ Decent price for what you get

Cons
- Struggles a bit under Win7 if not using Turbo mode
- Windows 7 HOME? Why not Pro for that little bit more???
- Only 1 yr warranty? Umm... this is still a bit pricier than those netbooks...
- No recovery disk included...
- And it takes a REALLY long time to make one. Ummm, seriously, I wouldn't mind paying the 15$ more just to completely avoid that whole mess and make sure I have a disk that brings the system back *exactly* to the way that it came.

Con but not con: (since it shouldn't really be expected)
- No USB DVD drive included in the package (though most other companies wouldn't include it, retailers might bundle it).
- No way of getting stuff in and out of the PC in a hurry except USB or extracting the HDD (ie: no Expresscard or eSATA).
- No discrete graphics card = no gaming (though it's expected).

Verdict: GOOD
- Very good for casual user (this will blow most of the things away)
- Good for a normal user or business user (except lacking Win 7 Pro and docking)
- Good as a secondary computer for a power user
- So-so as a primary computer for a power user (not that power user would have less than two computers anyway )

EDIT 8/29 1:31AM: Using the panel a bit more, should clarify that the screen has pretty "average" viewing angles... it's still good in the general scheme of things when you consider that it isn't an IPS panel and when you consider it takes a lot less distance to the left or right for the "angle" to change compared to a larger panel.

EDIT 2/11 12:11AM: 6 month review down at post #12: http://forum.notebookreview.com/asu...83-asus-ul20ft-owners-lounge.html#post7149555

 

hi guys i am really interested with ul20ft i just want to know its dimension measured manually not on paper spec compared to my 3820tg can anybody help with that

 

Using a crude ruler (since I don't have a caliper with me):

11" 5/8 wide
8" 3/8 high
1" ~ 1" 1/4 thick (1" the majority of it, but 1.25" at where the battery sticks out on the bottom)

 

I can wait to get my UL20FT. Should be at my door tomorrow. This will be my first Asus laptop. I plan to wipe the HDD and reload with Win 7 Pro 64 bit and and add more RAM. Has anyone done this already? anyone know what kind of RAM is installed stock? 1x2GB or 2x1GB? DDR3 1066 CAS 7 ? brand?

 

Hm, guess i'm digging up this topic from the grave..

Anyway, i'm having a hard time while searching for a decent/full specification list of this laptop, i was wondering how much RAM does this laptop support ?

By the way Spylock, around here we get this laptop with 3GB DDR3 1333Mhz (i'm guessing 1x2GB + 1x1GB) instead of those 2GB, i don't know which brand to be honest.

A few more reviews from owners would be awesome

Edit: if anyone use this notebook for software/web dev, please let me know how it handles that.

 

mine is on the way. really, not more posts than this?

 

@Rjcc this model is not sold everywhere, a lot of resellers don't carry them. I guess the 12" ASUS models aren't all that popular. I have a U20A and considered the upgrade to the UL20FT. Make sure to post some pics.

 

Just unpacked it this AM, getting it all set up. I'll check back in once I've gotten some use on it over the holidays or after CES.

 

I have just bought the UL20FT for school. I am curious if anyone knows of a larger capacity battery that will fit in the chassis? I'd like to use it longer unplugged.

 

I put in 4 GB (2x2GB). Works.

Can't really blame people considering the price compared to what you get considering a U35Jc barely costs 100-200$ more and you get tons more features. This really needs to be dropped down to 1215N pricing territory to be even considered by most people. Also, the B1 model seems to be out.

I'd like to know as well. So far, I haven't seen any.

 

Post-purchase review (6 month mark):

So, in the time I've been using this laptop, I've been using it only as a secondary of sorts. Though it's quite handy to have in addition to my V1J, though can't really seem to fully replace it.

Upgrades:
* Replaced 2GB Asutek module with Mushkin 4GB dual channel kit
* Replaced 320GB Seagate HDD with 60GB OCZ Vertex 2 Extended.

After these upgrades, it runs MUCH faster (it just flies ;-)). Unfortunately, getting the Windows onto it is a bit of a challenge since the recovery disk insists upon putting ~20GB worth of recovery partition on your disk.

Likes:
- Easy to carry around in a bag (especially for travelling). Definitely beats trying to do any sort of browsing or RDP/ssh-ing on a smartphone.
- Decent performance, can play practically all multimedia files without breaking a sweat.
- Decent sound (assuming you have it sitting on a table).

Gripes:
- Light plastic makes it feel cheap (though I suppose this goes hand-in-hand with being light).
- Up/down viewing angle vs contrast a bit mucky depending on how directly you are looking at the screen (very easy to shift up and down since the laptop is small, can't see new/read mails in Gmail very well in some places without readjusting).
- Keyboard "sprongy" for people with long fingers (like me) since the keys aren't as deep as a regular laptop keyboard.
- Touchpad buttons still feel a bit mushy/abnormal.
- I mailed my ADW registration form months ago, but it bounced ??? Maybe the post office messed up... not too concerned considering some people here had it honoured anyway.

Other gripes:
- Waiting for to eStore fully reopened. Can't get any service parts.
- iPhone tether via USB drains your batteries down to nothing really really fast (since it's becomes a battery size rather than battery efficiency issue).
- No extended battery in sight.
- Had a weird pausing/freezing issue until I removed practically all of the preload software and updated everything (left P4G, SRS, ATK, webcam and card reader drivers...).

Overall, still okay, though only if you're willing to pay for that level of portability for that price.

 

Well I just got this laptop. It came with the 1.33ghz i3 instead of the 1.2ghz. It runs at 1.77ghz instead of 1.6ghz in turbo mode. The extra 177mhz doesn't really make a big difference though.

On the other hand, after 6 months on the market. I guess Asus figured that this laptop isn't competitive with the newer laptops on the market anymore and decides to throw in a free mouse and carry bag. I didn't get the wire tie though (no biggie). As a bonus the retailer also upgraded the ram to 4gbs for me.

In all the laptop is pretty snappy compared to the Atoms netbooks out there, it's also faster in everyday use compared to the new AMD E-350 laptops.

Keeping in mind that a first gen core i3 at 1.77ghz will probably have a hard time keeping up with the newer sandy bridge laptops coming on the market. But given the size of the laptop, I still think it was a good buy.

EDIT: Mine also came with bluetooth and a 4400mah battery. Don't know what battery size came with the older 1.2ghz version. And a 2yr international warranty.

 

I'm thinking of getting this laptop the B1 version...
However I'm so torned.... between this and the a full size i3 as it doesnt cost much more to get the full i3 nowadays...

will this laptop last me for the next 3-4 years? If all I mainly do is surfing, logging into work via citrix, watch movies... would this be overkill already?

my other option im looking at is u36jc. I know it's completely and totally different league....but I want something that will last me several years. My current laptop..also an asus...w3v, lasted me 6 yrs....

 

Hi, I would like to change it's wireless card.
Is it possible?

 

Coming from a W3V, the U36Jc might be a better fit considering specs.

Pretty much "at your own risk" for the most part. Not sure why you would want to change it unless it doesn't work.

 

I just put in an Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 AGN card, working great! The only thing is that the wireless light on the laptop isn't lighting up.

It was a lot of work to do, had to disassemble the whole unit, as the wireless is in the most inconvenient place to be.

Fortunately I upgraded to a dual band WLAN card, so my speeds are much faster!

 

For anyone else who is wondering... I ended up getting an intel 6230 card (one of the ones with Bluetooth and Dual band wi-fi) and it works well in this laptop. Only thing is that you have to get down to the bottom part of the motherboard in order to do the replacement, which is quite a bit of work.

 

question, does the a20ft-a1 run 8gb ddr3 1333mhz RAM flawlessly?
also, is there such thing as sodimm+dual channel?
all i see are 8gb kits sodimm, but don't state dual channel.
i'm probably going to pair it with 8gb ram+60gb corsair force SSD.
i can't stand slow computers anymore after using my desktop.
had a netbook and didn't use it cause it was sooooo slow

 

I second you on the slow netbook. I'm running a vertex 2, 120gb with 4GB memory and it's pretty fast (bottleneck is the video card).

 

I've been following the price on the UL20FT-B1 (the beefier version of the UL20FT) since it took a brief nosedive at Newegg a month or two ago. In any case, I had to check my glasses today...it's listed at buy.com for $455:

Buy.com - ASUS UL20FT-B1 12.1" Notebook, Intel Core i3-380UM (1.33GHz), 4GB DDR3 Memory, 500GB HDD, Intel GMA HD, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit (Silver)

Admittedly, the Newegg price was $399 (possibly an error). And while there was an Asus $100 MIR, you could find it at Amazon for $450. But it hasn't been anywhere under $500 for a while. I think the buy.com deal is a good one.

-Matt

 

A couple updates:

1) I tested using 8GB PC10666 RAM and the system worked fine.
2) I installed an intel wifi 6230 into the laptop (one of the cards that also has bluetooth on it) and it works great! You can find those little cards for about $25-$30, it's a dual band wireless N card plus bluetooth.

With the way I have everything setup now, I am from cold boot to internet explorer about 30 seconds. I have a similar gripe about the trackpad/click buttons but am slowley getting used to it. This is a great machine!

 

Just ordered one from buy for $449, you just can't beat that price for what you get!

 

ARGH!!!! I can't get myself to do it with the sales tax (I COMPLETELY realize how stupid that is). It's not the amount, it's the principle that (a) I don't "need" the machine and (b) it was around $450 on Amazon with the $100 MIR last month. Stupid pride.

@trentbg, I see two ways out of this: either you talk me into buying one, or you cover the difference via paypal.

EDIT: NEVERMIND!!!...it's back up to ~$600 again...best price is now $550 at adorama

UPDATE 8/11: J&R is now selling it ~$480 through Amazon and buy.com. About the same price as $449 at buy.com+sales tax.
UPDATE 8/12: J&R dropped shipping ($10) -- now selling for $470 (a little unnerving that it's listed as silver but the image is black)
http://www.jr.com/asus/pe/ASU_UL20FTB1/

-Matt

 

Not sure what sales tax you are referring to, but I payed only $449, that is it, final price, not tax no shipping. BTW the price is $469 now, still not bad.
I have to say this is a great computer for this price, I am pleasantly surprised by it, definitely better build quality of mine 1201n, and love the turbo 33 with it, no big difference in heat and noise produced by the pc.

 

I assume you got it at buy.com, right? I was surprised to see they charged sales tax--strange, I bought a video game from the same site earlier this year, and no tax (maybe it was a third party?). If you didn't it must be a state-by-state policy.

Glad to see you're liking it. How do you feel about build quality? I love my 13" UL30A, but it definitely "sags" and creeks when I pick it up.

J&R has it listed at 3 places for $470. I just noticed that newegg also has it listed again...it would be cool if they offered it again at $400...

-Matt

 

Yes, it is from buy.com, and now tax.
I like it so far, the lid being made (or at least the top part) out of aluminum is much better than my 1201n, the rest is about the same, like that there is an easy access to the HDD, unlike the 1201n, there is a bit keyboard flex, but nothing to be upset about.
Once again for the price, I really don't see any better alternative.

 

PRICE UPDATE: UL20FT-B1 at $419 (w/free shipping) at J&R:

JR.com: ASUS UL20FT-B1 12.1" Notebook PC - Silver in PC Notebook Computers

-Matt

 

I just purchased one of these laptops last week (the B1 silver version from JR) and love it. Before even turning it on, I had upgraded to 8GB of DDR3-1333 memory, and installed a 128GB Crucial M4 solid state with a fresh install of Win7, and have to say this is a blazing fast machine for around $600 including upgrades.

Danifunker, not sure if you are still checking this thread, but I just ordered an Intel 6230 wifi/bluetooth card off of eBay. Do you have any instructions of how to open this laptop in order to install? I took out all the screws on the back, and got the front part underneath the touchpad to separate, but when I slide a credit card to around the first USB ports on each side it pretty much stops. I don't want to force it and break anything. Any suggestions or tips?

 

The WLAN card is on the underside of the motherboard.

The disassembly was tedious - on par with some old sonys
and the first Acer netbooks.

Once you have all visible screws on the bottom of the laptop-
remove the keyboard with the four clips.

The clips are four small slots from left to right under the power button.

Once the keyboard is removed - disconnect it carefully from the
motherboard by removing the cable.

Remove the track pad and sound cables carefully.

Remove all of the visible screws under the keyboard.

Then take off the inner tray above the motherboard.

Remove all screws holding the motherboard in place.

Gently lift the board out out the bottom case- the
wifi black and white antennas will catch as you lift.

Replace the Mini PCI card with a better one - I had a 6200
lying around.

A 6230 would be nice - I thought of trying
a WiMax combo - but the hassle for removal overweighed it.

Carefully re-assembly the laptop in reverse order- keeping
track of all the screws.

Cross you fingers and hope the thing still works when you boot
up the first time.

 

Thanks for the detailed instructions xbill, but I think you jinxed me with your last sentence!

After getting everything back together, the touchpad is now intermittently not working, and my wifi connection is all jacked up. I am connected to the network, but again, intermittently I am not getting internet. I know its not my router, because my tablet and Blackberry are still connected to my wifi just fine, and I wasn't having these issues before I did this today. I don't know what the h3ll I did...I have tried plugging and unplugging the touchpad ribbon about 20 times, and sometimes I can get it to work for a while and then stops. I should have just left well enough alone and stuck to the USB bluetooth! Damn me and my bright ideas!!