Asus ZenBook Pro UX501 Owner's Lounge

So yeah guys, I decided to mod my ux501's bottom case with some cnc machining based on the razer blade's ventilation grills.

The results were amazing.

I could overclock my gtx 960m to a considerably high clock speeds and play bf4 at ultra settings with 4x msaa on 2k without reaching the throttle temperature on both gpu and cpu and I could reach a 3dmark score of about 12k which is almost the same as my overclocked desktop pc when I used an overclocked gtx 750 ti. Because the cnc'ing didn't work as planning we kinda (due to stress) drilled vents into the wrong place, so i'll post pics of the finished result when I do it on my new bottom panel (had to order one because the first one looked kinda messed up after using laser cnc machining before drilling the holes with a drilling cnc machine. Heat can deform your laptop's body so be careful)

Alright now to the other details that i'd like to discuss. My model is the N501JW aka the matte non-touch ux501jw (everything is the same despite that) but I've noticed that windows has really choppy animations on the intel hd 4600. At first I thought it was my ssd, but everything was okay with it with high read and write speeds. So I found in the forum that It was due to the igpu, Well, the choppy windows animations are kinda annoying. Starting from the start where it's really choppy when only opening the start menu or opening a folder to wait for the icons to load up. Even when I restart I seem to get a second circle animation that's insanely laggy. There is nothing wrong with my laptop either, but it appears that it's due to the terrible intel hd 4600 drivers that asus and intel provide. After I automatically installed the windows update version of the hd 4600 drivers my problems mostly got solved. Most of the lag was gone. So could it also be that the intel hd 4600 has really terrible driver support from both asus and intel.

P.S: If someone has lagless drivers then please share them here. I'm pretty sure many others have this problem too...

2nd request:

Can anyone give me the official wallpapers of the ux501vw and ux501jw? I'd love to have them again since they're pretty vibrant and because I Iike the stock wallpapers of asus, but after I reinstalled windows I lost my wallpapers. So yeah, if anyone can provide them to me it would be a great pleasure ^^

 

Was anybody able to find this in-store?

I'm about to lose my current laptop to a hard drive failure so I'm in a bind and looking to get this NOW rather than later. I've called the CostCo and Best Buy's in my area and they don't have it in-stock, only online. If I order it from Amazon today, even with one-day shipping I won't get it until Tuesday... which happens to be the day I'm going out of town.

Worst case I'll ship it to my destination, but I'd love to get one in person this weekend, if anybody knows of any brick & mortar stores that actually carry it in stock

 

Get a new hard drive or upgrade to an ssd?

 

The computer is old and I was getting ready to replace it within the next few months anyway, this just sped up my timeline.

 

Bought my UX501VW from Amazon.com, but I've been like two weeks ago in both Osceola (Kissimmee) and Miami's Best Buys in Florida. They had the UX501VW and the G501JW in stock. By the way they're $100 more than what I've seen in Amazon. Sadly I'm not in the US anymore so I can't really tell you if it's in stock or not atm. Remember that the only configuration available in USA is the 4K + 512GB SSD.

 

Sorry, double posted. I blame it on the failing computer lol.

 

Well I was a little disappointed nobody had it. But I went ahead and ordered it on Amazon and shipped it to my destination, so I'll get it on Tuesday and join you fine folks. Anything I should know?

When I bought my current HP 4 years ago, it's MSRP was like $1500, and I bought it in-store at CostCo. I went in there today and they had maybe 8 laptops total, most of them 2-in-1's, none of them more than like $700. Same thing at Best Buy. They had a bigger selection but still nothing over $1,000 and mostly 2-in-1's. Sad state of the marketplace haha. No market for expensive powerful PC's I guess.

 

We are also on the cusp of new laptop releases, so most stores are trying to reduce stock of current models.

You could try asking them to order for store delivery, or home delivery, the model you are interested it - if they carry it on their web page - they need a SKU to order it for you in store.

 

Sweet, which model did you precisely order tho?

 

The VW model.

Only negatives for me in my research were the super glossy screen, and the fact that the bezel is so huge. Maybe if I had an extra $700 to spend to get the same specs I would have considered a Dell XPS 15, but I think based on my research this is the most laptop you can get for $1500 or less.

 

Hi, whats the version of the Intel HD4600 driver you have? is it 10.18.15.4268 ? thx

 

So would it be worth it to wait a little bit for the newer model to arrive (if we can)? Is there a new Zenbook model being released soon?!

 

With the VW being released not so long ago I doubt it's just around the corner. As with everything tech, if you need it now you buy now, if it can wait you get the something at the next refresh.

 

It's only been mentioned in the UX501VW product page, but I am waiting on the UX501VX release, with TB3:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...coming-a-reality.786639/page-15#post-10179482

 

The ux501vw has tb3. It's mentioned in the spec list

 

Hi everyone! I just bought an UX501JW with i7-4750, 960m, 8gb RAM and 256gb SSD. Also, matte 4K screen. So far, I love it!

What's the first thing to do?

 

asd

 

Do you have an Asus URL to show that the UX501VW has Thunderbolt 3?

Even the i7-4720 UX501J-DS71T model mentioned Thunderbolt last year, but only the UX501VX specifically says Thunderbolt 3...
https://www.asus.com/us/Notebooks/ASUS-ZenBook-Pro-UX501VW/

"Connect Even Faster
Thunderbolt® 3 and USB 3.1 – on a single Type-C port!
ZenBook Pro UX501VX introduces the latest Thunderbolt® 3 connectivity from Intel®, which uses a USB Type-C port to give you unprecedented flexibility and hyper-fast data transfer speeds — up to 40Gbit/s via Thunderbolt® 3 , and up to 10Gbit/s via USB 3.1! This incredible technology makes UX501VX the ultimate mobile powerhouse, allowing you to transfer even the largest files in mere seconds."

Just above that quote about the UX501VX, it shows a graphic saying Thunderbolt 10gbps - for the UX501VW.

Spoiler

Under specifications for the UX501 VW it says only Thunderbolt, it doesn't specify version as 3:
https://www.asus.com/us/Notebooks/ASUS-ZenBook-Pro-UX501VW/specifications/

"1 x Thunderbolt port"

A number of the new USB 3.1 port carrying laptops say Thunderbolt, but when you dig into the specs, it's the 10gbps version, not the full speed Thunderbolt 3 40gbps version.

If anyone with their UX501VW box / unit handy can please check, see if you can determine what version Thunderbolt it has.

 

https://thunderbolttechnology.net/product/asus-zenbook-pro-ux501vw

From the official thunderbolt page of intel

 

Yes, I saw that one too, but that's Intel's site, not Asus.

Asus's site says the UX501VW version has 10gbps Thunderbolt, and UX501VX has 40gbps Thunderbolt 3.

Maybe someone with a UX501VW can determine which version of Thunderbolt they actually have?

 

If you can tell me where to look for it I'll check on mine

 

On my last PC laptop with Thunderbolt, it was visible in the Device Manager, right click on the device -> Properties, and look at the Hardware details for hints.

Also, there was a Thunderbolt entry visible as a Programs and Features application installation - the app gave Thunderbolt details.

hwinfo64 has a detailed inventory drill down with lots of info as well, check there too.
http://www.hwinfo.com/download.php

Maybe Asus has a system tool that will list it too?

Remember to check BIOS first to make sure Thunderbolt is enabled

 

Hi Vasra,

I just received my UX501VW. Yes, it equipped with an non-touch UHD matte screen, 128G SSD, 1TB Hard disk, 4G 960M and 12G RAM. When I tryed installing a Samsung 950 Pro on it, it doesn't work. The SSD not listed on the BIOS. I've contacted Asus customer support, they confirmed this model can support PCIE SSD. But I can't figure it out at the moment. BTW, I am living in Australia.

 

Oh yeah, i remember someone else having this problem in this thread.

From what i've heard is that zenbook pro's with a 2.5 inch hdd usually can't support pci-e ssd's but they can support sata ssd's

 

Hello you guys, i have the UX501 matte version with a 1tb hdd and a smaller battery and i was wondering if it possible to upgrade the battery because its not exactly lasting me a long time. I know i have to change to the hdd to sdd but im also concerned about how i will be able to transfer all my files from the hdd to a sdd..as if nothing happened

 

I can't speak to the battery replacement (although I don't think that's possible), but if you buy a Samsung EVO SSD, it comes with software that clones your current hard drive to the new SSD. You'll just need a USB to SATA cable ($10 on amazon) to do the transfer. Once the cloning is done, simply swap out the drive and it'll be like nothing happened. ...except for a phenomenal increase in performance.

Example of cable: http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-SATA...=1458864651&sr=8-1&keywords=usb+to+sata+cable

 

So i have no chance of upgrading my 4 cell battery to the 6 cell version found on most ux501? thanks for thelink btw

 

Why would you waste your hard drive if you could just insert a sata ssd into the m.2 slot? You'll get the best of both worlds

 

This is quite a bummer. Like GabrielleCordero45 I was planning to upgrade the battery along with plug in a PCI-e SSD into my FHD model JW.

On another note, has anyone upgraded from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 on the UX501JW? How is the performance so far? I am more concerned on the battery side of things. So far I've taken a few weeks of the machine running in Windows 8.1 and found the battery to be just about satisfactory. I.e. about 4 hours on average use.

 

Hey guys, i've been reading this tread for a while but i decided to ask you directly since i didnt find what i was looking for.
1)If any of you has the UX501VW model with 1080p can you give us info about the display? (srgb/adobe coverage, response time, screen flicker etc.)
2)I am looking at a FHD variant here in europe but the keyboard is AZERTY. Do you know where the original one is sold (QWERTY) or if if the keys are removable/switchable?
3)I read about that matt UHD version of the UX501VW but i can't find it! if any of you has a link for EU seller id be thankful!
4)Final question is where do you guys bought yours from? Only place in EU i've seen it on reasonablr price is in DE amazon and some spanish sites... I need a reliable online store with international shipping and i can't find such I am deffinitely going to buy the laptop and i am going to join the lounge to help other people who are considering this laptop! Thanks for the help!

 

The 1080p and matte display didn't show on the specification of UX501VW. When I opened the box, I found my laptop equiped with matte display actually. I bought it from Australian ebay. You can check it out the website as follows:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Asus-Zen...M-4G-Win-10-/361253777405?hash=item541c672ffd
http://www.shoppingexpress.com.au/buy/asus-zenbook-pro-ux501vw-15.6-uhd-4k-ultrabook/UX501VW-FI016T

 

I'm having an issue with my UX501VW and multi-monitor support with HDMI and USB-C. When I use either independently, both work fine. When I use both though, all 3 monitors (the laptop screen and both external ones) flicker on and off.

Here's the real bizarre thing though, if my laptop's power unplugged and then I plug in both monitors, everything works perfectly. The second I plug the machine back in, everything goes haywire again.

Anyone have any ideas of what this could be or seen anything similar? I've tried updating all video drivers on the machine but that hasn't gotten me anywhere as far as I can tell.

Thanks!

 

Wow thats quite expensive! Meanwhile i am looking at 1499$ option in america with 4k screen... too bad i don't live there.I set my budget to 1500$ but in EU i can only find 1080p screens and low ssd storage for this price.. thats why i wanted to ask if the fhd screen is atleast any good.

 

If you can get over the gloss, the display is excellent! ive been using the FHD version for almost 1 year now. Runs butter smooth, 4 hr battery time (since its 4 cell battery) which is quite enough for my needs.

 

Happy to hear that what do you use your laptop for mainly?

 

Guess I can chip in on this too. Got the FHD JW version 3 weeks ago. Same as above, battery runs for about 4 hours because of the smaller battery. When on battery I am mostly on web browsing and adobe reader. When plugged in, I do run minor CFD simulations and a bit of gaming on it too (CS GO) It runs okay on simulations and great on CS GO. In regards to the screen, it is pretty decent, but don't keep high expectations on it. Coming from a Surface Pro 3 with it's 1440p screen, this screen is noticeably worse than that. However, glare is greatly reduced on the FHD version due to the matte screen too. But.. only getting this machine for $1000USD, I can't complain much!

 

Playing games (plugged in), Photoshopping, illustrator, Video Editing (after effects, premiere), Excel, teamviewer. 4 hrs battery on light browsing and movie watching.

 

I did however add a 128GB SATA SSD to my system. 1 TB is allocated for Data and Games, SSD is for OS and programs. I couldn't ask for a better configuration. The only issue is glossy screen for which i adjust the lighting.

 

Where did you buy yours from? I've been looking for good online international stores but can't find anything else than amazon/ebay.

 

I bought mine locally. Even though there werent many places.

Where are you located?

 

Europe, Bulgaria. The model was bought from the local stores and there is no more in stock and i asked them and they all said it is gonna be more than a month until the next delivery. Thats why i wanted from a online store maybe

 

hey peeps, I just ordered this notebook's ugly brother, the G501VW.

Worried about throttling issues.

Has anyone taken the whole bottom access panel off, and left it off, while testing to see if it throttles then?

Based on the asus website, it sucks air in from the back center in front of the hinge... then blows the air back onto the hinge??

 

Throttle your processor at 75% max through power options. It'll generate less heat inside. My temps are usually around 78-80 when I do this. The GPU doesnt throttle. If i let the processor to 100%, temps go higher than 82 and system starts downclocking until fans rid the heat.


I have a separate powerplan when I play heavy games. Otherwise I leave my system at default "Balanced"

 

It's likely enough to just drop it to 99%, as at 99% the Turbo is disabled, so you only run at the Base Clock.

 

depends on the individual CPU and paste job - I use throttlestop on mine and had to go below 25x multiplier to hit a stable 80 degrees (with undervolting) - on my first motherboard/processer I could keep it at 30x (i.e. 3.0Ghz)

 

If you are picking fixed frequencies for multiplier, you are setting the top of the Turbo range.

If you are then setting Power Plan CPU Max 75% you are disabling Turbo... so those fixed multiplier settings are overridden, and you are only using base clock, no Turbo.

Setting Max to 99% disables Turbo, and normal base clock range is in effect.

BTW, you shouldn't ever need to do this in a well designed, well pasted, new laptop. It should be designed to use full Turbo of the CPU without manual intervention.

 

M.2 NVME PCIe x4 Sucess!!

I have the Asus Zenbook UX501VW-FI016T. It's one of the variants with a M.2 SATA3 drive and a 2.5 inch 1TB drive.

From what I've been reading in this thread, it seems that nobody managed to get a M.2 NVMe PCIe x4 drive to work.

Well, did anybody think about updating their bios first?

My UX501VW was built 2015-12 and came with bios 203. I downloaded the latest UX501VW bios 206 and put it on a thumbdrive. Using the Easy Flash utility in the bios, I updated to bios 206. The Easy Flash utility is the safest way to update the bios because you don't get any possible interference from the operating system.

I then put a Samsung SM951 NVMe PCIe x4 drive. It was immediately recognized. There's an NVMe configuration entry that appeared in the bios.

I was able to install Windows 10 on the Samsung SM951. But, I had to disconnect the other SATA drive first. Windows setup still gets confused it there's more than one drive during setup.

That Samsung SM951 runs fine and boots fine.

I don't have a M.2 Samsung 950 Pro to test. But if it can work with the Samsung SM951, it should work with the Samsung 950 Pro, provided that Asus also added support for it in the latest bios.

This shows that the M.2 slot in the UX501VW is a dual support slot. It supports both M.2 SATA and M.2 NVMe PCIe x4, at least for the UX501VWs built 2015-12.

 

My VW has begun booting alot slower and 3d applications will crash at random, anyone experienced something similar?
All the drivers are updated and I haven't installed anything extra other than spotify, chrome, steam and skype.

 

If you recently bought the laptop, it could be because of windows updating itself frequently.

 

anyone hook this up to external 4k 60hz TV?

is there a thunderbolt > Hdmi 2.0 cable that works?