* OFFICIAL UL80VT and UL50VT / VS Owner's Lounge *

Has anybody tried playing Borderlands on the UL80VT yet? I'm really curious to hear about how it runs.

 

I just ordered one Saturday, hopefully all is well for me

 

I'll give it a try..not sure how to do all the fancy shmancy fps testing and such..but i'll let you know how it runs

 

A few weird things to report.

1. After waking up from hibernation, the brightness control (Fn + F5) no longer works. Also, switching between discrete and integrated graphic card sometime stop working after waking from sleep or hibernation.

2. This happened one time. In discrete graphic mode, I close the computer lid so the computer goes to sleep (based on my setting). After two hours, it goes into hibernation (also based on my setting). Then waking it up, the screen is blank. I had to hit the button on the top left corner to switch to integrated graphic in order to get the screen back.

3. Yesterday when I was using the trackpad, all of the sudden it stopped working. The buttons are still working, however. I check the icon in the system tray, and it is saying something is touching the pad even though my fingers are off the pad. Rebooting didn't help. I thought maybe my fingers were oily, so something is shorted. After some cleaning and a couple of reboot, it is ok again. Not completely sure what happened thou.

Just FYI. I still love this laptop (UL80VT). The battery is showing 88%, and 10 hours left of the battery. Amazing!

 

Borderlands plays perfectly fine on this..i had it on native resolution there was no lag..the game doesn't require much graphic abilities due to it's shell shadedness. I did lower the res a lil to get smoother gameplay but it was fine at native.

 

Anyone brave enough for something like Left 4 Dead. Very interested in how that works.

 

left4dead runs great on the ul50vt and i assume it runs just as good on ul80vt.

On native resolution, you get around 60 fps everything low. On medium, u get around 30 with dips.

This can also be assumed on l4d2 btw.

 

For an ultralight that's very respectable. Thanks for the answer

 

Yeah.. I think so too. Although it is mainly because not very many people have opted for the slightly bigger ul50vt..

Perhaps I'll start a new UL50Vt owners lounge when I get mine in the mail. I have my fingers crossed that the fit and finish is better than the UL80Vt and not worse!

 

do they have this laptop in retail stores yet? i want to go to a store and try it out before buying it.

i currently have a Lenovo IdeaPad y730 and am considering giving it to my dad and buying this cause i need it for school.

 

bestbuy is supposed to carry both the ul80vt and the ul50vt in stores.. Unfortunately since i have called them for the last 3 weeks or so, they have no idea what i am talking about.

The reason i know that bestbuy is getting the ul80vt is because it is supposed to be a little different with a rubber palm rest on the ul80vt (specs are the same). Yet they have no idea what im talking about.

You can always try to bug ur local bestbuy and see if they know about it.

 

My Best Buy just got the UL50AG over the weekend and it does indeed have the rubberized palm rest. Sadly though no sign of any VT models. Maybe the will be coming closer to Christmas. I have decided myself to wait for the UL30VT although there are now rumors of an HP dm4 so I might even change my mind again.

 

thanks guys, i will check my local bestbuy and hopefully they will have it.

also, i know the webcam is 0.3mp, and that is pretty low, but i haven't heard anything about it besides that it is 0.3mp. for those owners, do you guys mind showing us the quality of it by possibly taking like a picture of something with it in a well lighted area? that would be awesome if someone could, thanks!

 

Yeah, I played the Left4Dead 2 demo, and it ran great (30-60 FPS)at default settings which were: Native resolution + 2x AA + most everything else high (if I remember right).

You don't have to worry about the 0.3 MP. That is the same resolution web cam as the Macbook Pro, and most programs that use web cams such as Skype only use .125 MP resolution (320x240). You won't even be able to notice a difference between the 0.3 MP and one that is 2.0 MP in terms of actual usage. I have used the web cam but only for the silly log-in program. The webcam worked fine, but the program was more of a gimmick than anything.

ALSO: To anyone that is interested, I was able to run Shattered Horizon's on my UL80VT. It only got around 15 FPS at 1024x768 (the lowest possible res), but stayed at 15 almost all the time. Definitely not ideal for playing, but it was surprisingly smooth for only 15 FPS and might be playable if you are desperate. lol Too bad you can't go down to 800x600. I am pretty confident the game would be playable 25 FPS at that resolution.

I was just pleasantly surprised that it ran it at all, considering that some people said it wouldn't even be able to load the game ("since it only has 16 stream processors"). I would imagine that if you overclocked the GPU you might be able to pull 18-20 FPS at 1024x768, which would be pretty playable actually. I think some of these new games are somehow making games playable at slower frame rates. Crysis's vsync locks the FPS at 24 (instead of the typical 30 or 60), and the game itself runs very smoothly as long as you stay about 22+.

I have also experienced some of those things. I forgot about them and should have put them in my review.

I figured out that the GPU doesn't always switch because the GPU is being used by a specific program. In my case, it was steam.exe that was preventing the switch. If you right click on the graphics swtich icon in the system and click on "Increase Performance," you can see what program you need to close for it to complete the switch over.

I also experienced the trackpad malfunction issue, but all I did was swipe my fingers across the surface to clean it and the problem went away. There's probably a little piece of dust/finger oil/crumb registering a contact that is causing the problem.

 

I get excellent wireless from my UL80vt.

We have an ICF home (concrete walls, 11 in. thick) and before, out on the front porch or on the back patio, my old laptop would barely register 1 wireless bar and the throughput was brutal (always around 1-5 out of 54 MBPS for wireless G)! I could see 4 neighbor's wireless nets, all w/ 1-2 bars each.

Now, I get 3-4 bars outside and throughput is great at 20-35. I can see 5 neighbor's now and the bars are are all a solid 3. I have the latest Atheros drivers downloaded via Windows update -- they are dated late October 2009.

The router is upstairs, so it's ideal for throwing a wireless signal down and out, like an open umbrella. YMMV.

 

anyone try running the ul80vt or ul50vt on borderlands?? and tell me how that works out?

 

I just bought COD: MW2 at the mid-night release. The UL80VT runs it beautifully, just as I expected. I did a fraps FPS test, and it averaged 40 FPS in heavy combat with all textures on high + special effects off except for depth of view.

I also wanted to let everyone know I tested Crysis at native resolution on low settings, and the UL80VT pumped out 30-35 FPS typically, with rare drops to about 18-25. It was perfectly smooth gameplay except for a rare stutter when it was loading something/etc. I would imagine you could turn up several of the settings before you had to quit to keep 24 FPS solid (which is the vsync FPS refresh rate that is optimum if you are getting tearing, which isn't an issue on this LCD screen).

 

OK so the fan is always runnnin but is inaudible? Noise is the biggest dealbreaker for me becasue my current laptops fan drives me crazy. What if you are at a quiet place like a library is it audible then?

 

Fan noise should not be an issue with this laptop. It runs pretty quite.

 

ICF FTW. How well does your router penetrate outside? Can you sit out in the yard and enjoy decent throughput? I unfortunately live between two really old houses in Japan/Oregon, and don't have insulated concrete formed walls, but it still is a good indication of my luck at things like say, leaching wifi from the VIP lounge at the airport. That is assuming of course, that the UL50Vt has the same radio as the UL80Vt.

 

Please read my 2nd paragraph again for outside throughput.

The house does have windows, so that's how the signal gets outside.

 

The signal can actually go straight through walls, just as radio signals can...

I am sitting in my room across the house from my router and am getting 5/5 reception. To me, the wireless seem just as effective as every other laptop I've ever tried. Sitting outside (but not too far away) shouldn't be a problem.

 

You have obviously never lived in an ICF house with 11 in. thick walls.

It's the windows.

 

Anyone know why the VGA port outputs in a very blue shade?

Edit: Nevermind, the cable probably went bad.

 

I ordered my UL80VT from newegg.ca and it should be here in a couple days! I am very excited, but a little nervous about people reporting poor wireless performance as I will be using it primarily on campus. Anyways, I will let you guys know what I find, and any other issues I have with it.

 

hi!

just want to get feedback from those who have experienced using this laptop.
how would you rate its performance when multitasking?

after reading the reviews of Charles and Quadron, I am interested to have a look at this beauty. i'll mostly be needing the laptop for Graphic and Web Design, video editing and rendering, Animation, and typical day-to-day use.

and by the way, is the UL80VT a newer/revised version of the U80V?
Im not sure but would you guys know if U80V is already a discontinued model?

thank you!

 

Sorry Bill, sometimes I am guilty of not thinking before typing.

No, the UL80Vt is a different line. In fact, Asus just released a new U80V. It is available to purchase with Windows 7 preinstalled.

 

Another favourable review:

http://computershopper.com/laptops/reviews/asus-ul80vt

 

http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/11/asus-ul80vt-review/

Everyone but Chazman seems to love this thing.

 

Thought I would mention I am selling my backlit keyboard ul80vt for 850$ shipped.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=5510419

 

I think even in a library you wouldn't hear the fan. I was playing Half Life 2 a few days ago and it was barely noticeable.

 

I, too, occasionally have had the problem where upon exiting hibernation on battery power, I can't change the screen's brightness: not with the Fn keys, nor even through the Control Panel or Power4Gear console. Looked up solutions online, but found none (probably since this is a brand-new build). It only happened when I was using the integrated graphics card, so it's probably an issue with that. The fix I found was to toggle with the Graphix Boost key at the top left corner, and then the brightness controls started to function again. I think this issue needs further investigation.

I would also like to note for anyone considering to buy the laptop from Best Buy: Best Buy (USA and Canada) DOES NOT support the ASUS 360 or Accidental Damage warranties. Therefore, you will be giving up one extra year of manufacturer's coverage, and one year of drop/spill/fire/shock protection. The policy is stated on the warranty website. Personally for me, this is would be a hugely unfavourable trade-off just for aesthetic reasons.

 

I'm looking to compare the UL80VT-A1 and UL50VT-A1. The weights are similar, 4.8 lb and 5.2 lb, while the UL50 has a larger screen area and a number pad. Yet, the UL80 seems to be so much more popular. What are the advantages/disadvantages of each?

 

It's only screen size that's different. One thing that would be my concern is for the extra inch, resolution doesn't get any better. Personally I like the 14" format as it is the best of both worlds and 1366x768 res looks adequate. I found it looks terrible on 15"

 

Btw... is it possible to install the multitouch driver found on the Eee PC? The UL80's multitouch functions seem somewhat reduced compared to what the Eee PC has (that is, it only has multibutton tapping and generic left/right scrolling: no zooming, switching, etc). Can this be done?

 

I'm curious as well. Is anyone able to scroll within windows media player? Everything seems to work with the two-finger scrolling except WMP.

 

windows media player????

I can't be the only person who swears by VLC?

 

I found a simple fix for those with keyboard flex issues. Just remove the keyboard and place a thin piece of foam on the corners with the ctrl and right arrow keys or along left and right side of the space bar. This will prevent the lower half of the keyboard from flexing down.

Just be careful when you push in the plastic hinges holding in the keyboard. They don't tend to stay in their original shape.

I still can't locate the BT/Wifi module, but there is one screw under the keyboard covered with a warranty sticker and I don't particularly want to void my warranty.

 

Yeah, I guess so... lol Well, typically, wifi signals travel through most walls just fine. lol

How exactly do you remove the keyboard? I tried by removing all the screws on the bottom and separating the chasis apart, but it didn't budge. :-/

Just so you guys, I contact Asus about my creaking palm rests, and they issued a service order for repair that included the standard overnight shipping. I'll be sending it in to them this week, and hopefully when they are done, no more creaky UL80VT.

 

If you look along the top edge of the keyboard, you'll see 4 tabs that pop out and holds the keyboard in place. Simply use a small flathead screwdriver and push each tab in, while using another flathead screwdriver to prop the edge of the keyboard up.

Don't push the tabs too hard or you could damage them.

 

I just wanted to say I appreciate the info that UL80VT owners are posting. Until I read this thread, I thought I would wait until laptops with Arrandale CPUs arrive before buying a new laptop. If you are ordering from Amazon, don't forget that you can add a Windows 7 upgrade discounted 50% to your order to use on another computer if you need it (Home Premium for $50 for example).

 

Ok - I have had this computer for about a week and a half now - and the longer I have it, the less I notice the negatives and the more I appreciate what the laptop offers. Specifically, when it arrived (and a few days after) I was getting annoyed with the slight squeaking that the frame did on the left side. Moreover, I was getting perturbed about the difficulty of opening the DVD-ROM drive. However, after a few days, you barely even notice these issues.

What I continue to notice everyday is that I can take this laptop wherever I want to go and work with it without worrying all that much about the battery. Moreover, I love the weight and the fact that I can game with it. Honestly, right now I'm thrilled I made this purchase through Amazon.

 

Yeah, I feel the same. The keyboard seemed real cheapish at first but now I type on it without thinking about it. Also when I'm going to head out it does feel real nice still having the same battery life my 1000he has with a much more powerful noteboook — gives such feeling of freedom.

 

i love VLC too.. so you're not alone.. I've started using MPC-HC (media player classic home cinema edition) more though as it will use the GPU acceleration that ati and nvidia cards have.. which is only ever an issue when playing super fancy HD videos..

 

As a long time user of VLC I was really surprised with WMP12, it is a big improvement over previous versions. I can play xvid, 720p, and 1080p mkv files using less resources than VLC does.

 

I run the K-lite codac pack with WMP/MPC-HC and TMT3 with SimHD for DVDs.

 

The Elantech touchpad is really starting to tick me off. Not only is it too sensitive (accidental single/double clicks), but two finger scrolling will not work with windows media player. I find that the middle region of the touchpad more sensitive than the other region. Am I the only one with this issue?

 

Hum... I've found the laptop touch pad to work quite well. Not too sensitive, just right. Two finger scroll doesn't work in WMP, but I don't use that player for anything except the occasional sync with my MP3 player. I use Zune 4.0 and it works great (two finger scroll works in it too).

On another note, I've published a heavily updated version of my review (including pictures of the UL80VT). You can find the link in my sig.

I also published a more detailed gaming benchmark article for the UL80VT-A1 that includes 82 screenshots (including Crysis, Left4Dead2, and Dragon Age: Origins). You can also find the link in my sig.

 

Has anyone tried the Asus Easy Overclock feature in the BIOS yet? I'm kinda wondering what exactly it does, but I'm waiting to see what other's experiences with it are.