*Official UL30VT-X1 Owners Lounge*

I'm overclocking my UL80VT! And its sweet! I successfully got my 3Dmark06 score up to 3765 so far, but that's without pushing it all the way yet. I am hoping can get it over 4000+. That would really impress me tremendously.

 

Details, details, details!

 

I downloaded the Nvidia System tools, which lets you overclock the 210M (make sure you have your computer plugged in or it won't let you overclock). Anyway, I got the 3Dmark06 score up to 3949 this last run. This run might push me over the 4000+ mark. It's going to be a close call. I'm on the verge of maxing out the graphics card totally, so I'll want to taper it back just a tad once I find its maximum potential.

This could mean some big gains in FPS in games like COD:MW2, Batman: AA, etc.

 

sweet, please write a how to guide after you iron out the details. you rock.

 

Just download Nvidia system tools and see what settings are good for your GPU.Just raise it a little at a time to avoid the Blue Screen of Death.
Every GPU is little different and each can be OC'd to there own levels, you just have to find the sweet spot.

 

Alrighty, a detailed overclocking guide is now posted over at Expert Laptop Review. You can find the link in my sig.

 

Another solution, for whoever decides to ditch the elan drivers, is to install a program called twofingerscroll to get back two/three finger scrolling and tapping. http://code.google.com/p/two-finger-scroll/

 

not sure what other users have experienced, but the intel 80 gig g2 is amazing.

i boot in about 20 seconds.

shuts down in about 5.

every program (word, photoshop, chrome, etc) opens immediately, and closes immediately.

completely silent.

the overall effect is that it makes using the computer extremely relaxing (at least for me).

 

I pretty much have the same experience with my intel SSD 80gb. The best thing has to be getting rid of the annoying clicking/squealing sounds of the stock hard drive, and the fact that it runs cooler. The speed is definitely a nice bonus too.

 

Thanks for the replies! Much appreciated. Will look in to it!

 

'ello all. Because of your crazy folks here this laptop ended up being my first laptop that I have bought. It's also to you folks that I must say thanks as I can't love this thing more...

but being a huge fan of his 3.4ghz 6600 I just want more power. Is there a way I can bump the power of the ul30VT just a bit more. I know "turbo 33" brings it to 1.7 but is there a way to get it to 2.1? There doesn't seem to be the menu for asus quick overclock in the bios so I'm a bit stuck.

 

Hi everyone, I'm about to pull the trigger on a 13" notebook and the UL30vt-X1 is on my short list. I was debating whether to wait a few days for the UL30vt-A1 though, and this morning I notice that Dell's XPS 13 is on sale for $749. Now I realize the battery life on the Dell will be subpar unless I upgrade to the 9-cell battery, but other than that, everything else about the laptop seems pretty solid. Someone please talk me out of buying the Dell.

 

I assume at $749, you're referring to the low end XPS 13.

What the UL30Vt has over the Dell XPS 13:
- XPS 13 Gets uncomfortably hot (from what I've read), poor heat management. UL30Vt has above average heat management.
- XPS 13 is heavy and thick (4.76lbs with std battery)
- XPS 13 will not game better than the UL30Vt (low or high end -- though high end is close).
- XPS 13 battery life will leave much to be desired (~3 hours on idle)
- Better specs on the UL30Vt (more HD, more RAM, better graphics card, etc)
- Too many compromises hurt the overall experience with the XPS 13
- The 9-cell battery looks ridiculous and raises the computer up another inch and will likely only give you an extra hour of runtime.
- Dell stinks. I've read too many problems with dell service and hardware to consider purchasing a dell computer). Asus is highly rated for quality.

What the Dell XPS 13 has over the UL30Vt:
- Processor is clocked higher (2.2GHz)
- Backlit keyboard option
- May have higher quality screen
- Higher res webcam (2.0MP)


I think the UL30Vt will provide a superior experience all around. You'll save a few bucks on the XPS 13, but you'll be kicking yourself in 2-weeks wishing you had spent the additional $100 for a much better laptop and a higher quality experience.

I wouldn't even consider the XPS as competition, but in the end you must choose.

}:^)~

 

I haven't followed the current XPS specs, but it seems Capt'n did a nice job listing the differences.

If it tells you anything, I got rid of my XPS m1330 in favor of the UL30VT and so far am very happy. The heat of the XPS just caused too many problems for me over its lifetime (bad motherboard, touchpad died 3 times, now it won't charge, ...)

With the SSD, I can barely even tell the UL30VT is on because it runs so cool.

 

Thanks Albigger!

Oh sad day! I just did some planning and I can't realistically justify the purchase of the UL30Vt! It'll cost me around $1,000 CDN, and I have a new, less than impressive Inspiron 15 (it was given to me for free), and an Aspire One netbook that allow me to do everything that I need to (besides gaming). While the UL30Vt is extremely attractive, the benefits I'll get with the system (size, weight, performance, gaming, battery life) are not worth $1,000!

So I'm going to forgo the purchase of the UL30Vt, although I think it's the best bang-for-your-buck lappie this year. Had I no computer, it would be an easy choice, but considering that I'm getting by with this one, it's hard to justify spending $1K extra!

I am going to purchase an additional battery for the netbook, which should give me increased mobility (~12hrs total), and perhaps an external drive for storage (or a large microSD card for my mobile).

}:^)~

 

Did you guys experience any issues using the Intel X25-M?

I found the following in the Asus Forums:
http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx...board_id=3&model=UL30A&page=1&SLanguage=en-us

I was hoping to buy a X25-M, but want to make sure there aren't any compatibility issues.

 

I haven't had any such issue with this laptop and the X25-M, although I have a gen2 with the latest firmware.

 

I loaded LOTRO and can't seem to get past login.... Black screen pops up and returns to Login.... Any ideas?

Thanks

 

Hi,

It seems that I will be using virtual box for palm pre dev and maybe a bit of ubuntu dev. Has anyone tried with VT-d enabled? I have read some other reports of issues when sleeping with VT-d enabled.

Thanks in advance,

Dave N

 

Thanks so much, that's exactly the kind of analysis breakdown (and sensible logic) I needed to hear. I'm convinced the Asus is for me (now I'm back to waiting for an A1 or "settling" for an X1).

Thank you also for your response. I know the M1330 is very popular, and the fact that you traded it for a UL30VT says a lot right there.

 

Studio XPS 1340 is a pretty good deal on dell outlet site.. you can get a 2.4ghz(1066 fsb!) core2duo.... 9500m.. 320gb(7200)..4gb..draft.. higher res screen.. dvd drve.. etc.. for about $800.. and if you grab a 15 percent coupon code which are around quite a bit you could be under $700.
The laptops about .5 inch thicker... half the battery life and weighs 1.5 lb's more... but has a dvd drive. performance wise probably a little better.. although the 9500m won't quite get you the g210m's performance.

The size, Battery life and the g210m are Huge to me so I'm going with the ASUS.. which is on order.. can't wait!

 

Having previously owned a SXPS13 and played around with a friend's UL30vt, I can safely say that the trade offs are about the same.

SXPS13 pros over the UL30vt:
-built quality-the built quality of the SXPS13 is EXTREMELY good. I have also owned a Sony Vaio SR. I can safely say that the built quality of the SXPS13 is above and beyond both the UL30vt AND the Vaio SR COMBINED!
-screen-If you get the WLED screen, which should cost $100 extra, then you will have an extremely good screen. Best screen I had ever seen in a long time. Even the normal screen is relatively good.
-processor speed-obviously the SXPS13's processor is a lot faster than the UL30vt's.
-price-the SXPS13 is simply cheaper.
-looks-I know this is subjective, but imho the SXPS13 looks a lot more classy than the UL30vt.
-DELL in-home service-I have had an ASUS before, so I can safely say that DELL's warranty service is much better than that of ASUS. Then again, your laptop shouldn't be frequently breaking apart in the first place. Also, if you really took care of your laptop, the warranty shouldn't matter at all.

UL30vt pros over the SXPS13:
-weight-the UL30vt is 1lb lighter than the the SXPS13. Since the 13inch category of laptops are supposed to be portable, weight should be a big consideration in the purchase.
-thickness-the UL30vt is somewhat thinner than the SXPS13, but the compromise is that the UL30vt lacks an optical drive. Seriously tho, who uses optical drives these days? I know I don't.
-graphics-for the mobile gamer in all of us, the UL30vt's included GPU chip is much better than the SXPS13. Even though the UL30vt's processor is slower, you will still gamer much better on it than the SXPS13.
-heat-imo the heat on the SXPS13 really wasn't that bad at all. It never really got uncomfortably hot on me. The UL30vt, on the other hand, will stay super cool. Great heat management is always a plus.
-battery life-yep, you knew this was going to happen. The UL30vt's battery life is simply unmatched by any 13inch laptop with a discrete gpu. It's even better than the Vaio Z!!!

 

I have both sitting on my desk right now, studio xps 13 has better build quality, and more sturdy. The LCD is brighter and of a higher quality. The keys are backlight.

Everything else goes to ul30vt, I personally prefer the ul30vt more for its battery and much thinner footprint and the video card.

 

Nope... Works fine for me. No idea what would be the issue... Sorry.

 

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

}:^)~

 

Happy holidays, all!

I've been wrestling with the idea of returning my UL30VT after playing with a Mac side by side.

Aesthetically, the UL30VT isn't bad, but is a major fingerprint magnet. Heat is amazing on this thing - it barely ever gets warm and always maintains a comfy temp. The keyboard has no flex. I've actually grown accustomed to the touchpad. It's quite smooth but still pales in comparison to the MBP. Which is fine, but the MBP screen is much nicer than the screen on the UL30VT, which is STILL fine, but the MBP keyboard is backlit, an issue I thought would be moot, but I realized how much I wanted a backlit after pounding away on the VT in bed, at night. Which is STILL fine, but my UL30VT has the loudest, horrible sounding and feeling creaky palm rest right above the left speaker, which is where I rest my palm when typing. This was the dealbreaker.

I like the MBP 13, but wish it was as light as the VT, with discrete graphics like the VT.

A shame, really. I thought the UL30VT was perfect for me.

 

I sold my 13" MBP last week in anticipation of getting the UL30VT but seeing this makes me leery. Honestly, I liked the MBP but I really wish there was a version with more USB ports and NO optical drive. I really don't see Apple doing this unless they completely revamped the Air.

Not sure which laptop I'm going to get now. Maybe the UL30VT-A2 will fix some quirks but I'm not getting my hopes up.

 

For those of you using Linux on UL30VT, here's how you can power down the Nvidia card to save up to 4W of power.

Disclaimer: this is a quick hack that happens to work for me. Use at your own risk. I'm assuming some level of UNIX knowledge in my instructions below, i.e., an ability to compile and install stuff. I used Ubuntu 9.10, 64-bit, with the 2.6.31-16 kernel. The code is derived from "lenovo_acpi.c" by Sylvain Joyeux, which I found here.

Code:

#include <acpi/acpi.h>

MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");

static acpi_handle root_handle;

static int __init kill_nvidia(void)
{
    acpi_status status;
    // The device handle
    acpi_handle handle;
    struct acpi_object_list args;
    // For the return value
    struct acpi_buffer buffer = { ACPI_ALLOCATE_BUFFER, NULL };

    status = acpi_get_handle(root_handle, "\\_SB.PCI0.P0P1.VGA._OFF", &handle);
    if (ACPI_FAILURE(status))
    {
        printk("asus_nvidia: cannot get ACPI handle: %s\n", acpi_format_exception(status));
        return -ENOSYS;
    }

    args.count = 0;
    args.pointer = NULL;

    status = acpi_evaluate_object(handle, NULL, &args, &buffer);
    if (ACPI_FAILURE(status))
    {
        printk("asus_nvidia: _OFF method call failed: %s\n", acpi_format_exception(status));
        return -ENOSYS;
    }
    kfree(buffer.pointer);

    printk("asus_nvidia: disabled the discrete graphics card\n");
    return 0;
}

static void dummy(void)
{
}

module_init(kill_nvidia);
module_exit(dummy);

Save the above code snippet as "asus_nvidia.c". This will need to be compiled as a Linux kernel module and loaded into a running kernel.

Here's the Makefile you can use to compile it:

Code:

ifneq ($(KERNELRELEASE),)
  obj-m := asus_nvidia.o
else
  KERNELDIR ?= /lib/modules/$(shell uname -r)/build
  PWD := $(shell pwd)

default:
        $(MAKE) -C $(KERNELDIR) M=$(PWD) $(EXTRA_FLAGS) modules

clean:
        $(MAKE) -C $(KERNELDIR) M=$(PWD) $(EXTRA_FLAGS) clean

endif

To compile it, simply run:

Code:

make

To install it, run as root:

Code:

cp asus_nvidia.ko /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/
depmod

To try it out, run as root:

Code:

modprobe asus_nvidia

To load it on each reboot on Ubuntu, run as root:

Code:

echo asus_nvidia >>/etc/modules

That last step will be different on other distros, e.g., on Gentoo you need to append the module name to /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6.

You can verify the effect using "powertop". I saw around 13W before loading the module and around 9W after loading it.

One side-effect of using this that I noticed is that, for some reason, ACPI "video" events are no longer generated when using the LCD brightness adjustment hotkeys, so the little Gnome pop-up window does not appear and the brightness does not change; then again, the brightness doesn't normally change without the module either. I'll post more on brightness tomorrow, as I found some workarounds that let you adjust it under Linux.

 

thanks mil2, that works for me, instantly the battery life estimate increased by 60%

ya the brightness doesn't work well, only after reboot it would take affect for me.

 

I think you should take my situation with a grain of salt. Seems like I'm the only one experiencing with such full blown problems. The UL30VT is a very capable, stylish W7 machine.

For me the UL30VT - creaky palm rest + backlit keyboard would be the perfect machine for me at this moment. That, or if Apple decides to release the MBP 13 refresh with dedicated graphics, I'd also be satisfied.

 

I've been following this thread with great interest as i'm on the verge of getting one. Yet, i can't follow what you meant, versusone, by: "such full blown problems".

From what i can tell, one main complaint from your own unit is the creaky palm rest on the left. The other main complaint is really more of a "wish list" / feature point: the lit keyboard. It is not something that broke or a quality control issue.

So from what I can tell, there really isn't such "full blown problems" as such, more along the lines of an imperfect palm rest assembly being disclosed to all of us (thanks for that, btw, to make us alert of this problem!).

From my point of view, i'm grateful to versusone for helping us know where to focus on when we get our own unit to see if our unit has problems similar to his or others. Thus far at least (and i know it's really early on in the product life cycle of the ul30vt since it's only been 3-4 wks since the first units began shipping), the ul30vt has very few "deal breakers" in terms of hardware OR software issues. It appears to have fewer major issues than almost every single model laptop or PC out there - that is, the ul30vt has some problems like every other new model, certainly not a situation that i'd call "full blown".

May I ask if y'all think my take on this is fair or am I overly optimistic?

Thx in advance.

 

Ah, I forgot I haven't mentioned my BSOD problems - probably driver related. My nvidia driver kernel stops working and freezes games. I think I just got a defective unit. Again, the UL30VT is an extremely compelling buy.

Edit: I also have clicking on my right palm rest, though that is a little less noticeable than the creaking on my let palm rest.

 

based on mil2's code, I added post hibernate support

Code:

#include <acpi/acpi.h>
#include <linux/suspend.h>

MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");

static acpi_handle root_handle;

static int kill_nvidia(void)
{
    acpi_status status;
    // The device handle
    acpi_handle handle;
    struct acpi_object_list args;
    // For the return value
    struct acpi_buffer buffer = { ACPI_ALLOCATE_BUFFER, NULL };

    status = acpi_get_handle(root_handle, "\\_SB.PCI0.P0P1.VGA._OFF", &handle);
    if (ACPI_FAILURE(status))
    {
        printk("%s: cannot get ACPI handle: %s\n", __func__, acpi_format_exception(status));
        return -ENOSYS;
    }

    args.count = 0;
    args.pointer = NULL;

    status = acpi_evaluate_object(handle, NULL, &args, &buffer);
    if (ACPI_FAILURE(status))
    {
        printk("%s: _OFF method call failed: %s\n", __func__, acpi_format_exception(status));
        return -ENOSYS;
    }
    kfree(buffer.pointer);

    printk("%s: disabled the discrete graphics card\n",__func__);
    return 0;
}

static int power_event(struct notifier_block *this, unsigned long event,
                       void *ptr)
{
        switch (event) {
        case PM_POST_SUSPEND:
        case PM_POST_HIBERNATION:
                kill_nvidia();
                return NOTIFY_DONE;
        case PM_HIBERNATION_PREPARE:
        case PM_SUSPEND_PREPARE:
        default:
                return NOTIFY_DONE;
        }
}

static struct notifier_block power_notifier = {
        .notifier_call = power_event,
};

static int __init asus_nvidia(void)
{
    int ret = register_pm_notifier(&power_notifier);
    if (ret) return ret;
    return kill_nvidia();
}

static void dummy(void)
{
}

module_init(asus_nvidia);
module_exit(dummy);

 

Thanks! Now I can confidently shop for one.

 

Nice work, o8x8! So there's no need to re-disable Nvidia after suspend, only after hibernation? Cool... I should also mention that I expect this whole approach to work with UL50VT as well.

Anyway, here's the promised info on the LCD brightness under Linux:

The most straightforward solution is to add:

Code:

nomodeset acpi_backlight=vendor

to the kernel command line in grub (GRUB_CMD_LINUX_DEFAULT in /etc/default/grub on Ubuntu). This is sufficient to enable backlight control via the hotkeys and the standard Linux API (xbacklight et al).

But this approach is not without problems. It is not future-proof: "nomodeset" will not be supported in the next version of the Intel driver (2.10). Also, as I mentioned in my previous message, once Nvidia is disabled, ACPI video events are no longer generated when pressing the hotkeys, so one must use software solutions (xbacklight and friends) to change the backlight level, and it seems that at least Gnome has a tendency to fight these changes, but maybe there's a workaround for that (disabling auto-dimming in Gnome power manager did not seem sufficient).

Also, I had the impression that the range of backlight settings was limited, particularly on the bright side. Changing the backlight control method to "legacy" (I think) seemed to help. To list the available methods, invoke:

Code:

xrandr --prop

To change the method, invoke:

Code:

xrandr --output LVDS --set BACKLIGHT_CONTROL legacy

So this was the system-friendly method of backlight control on UL30VT under Linux. Here's another one, that does not integrate with Linux APIs, but it works more reliably and does not require adjusting the kernel commandline (it actually works better without nomodeset and friends). It works by changing a hardware register on the Intel card directly:

Code:

setpci -s 00:02.0 F4.B=XX

where "XX" is the brightness level in hexadecimal, 00 for no backlight and FF for the maximum.

You can forget about xbacklight and friends when using this method, but using the hotkeys is still possible with a few modifications in /etc/acpi. Add "%e" to the end of the "action" line in /etc/acpi/events/asus-brightness-{up,down}, and add the following lines at the end of /etc/acpi/asus-brn-{up,down}.sh:

Code:

brightness=`echo $3 | sed 's/0000001//'`
setpci -s 00:02.0 F4.B=${brightness}f

(the lines above are for asus-brn-up.sh; for asus-brn-down.sh, change "1" to "2"). There is some latency when using the hotkeys with this method; I suggest to wait two seconds or so between subsequent presses.

Incidentally, one could make analogous changes to /etc/acpi/asus-brn-{up,down}.sh to invoke "xbacklight" when using the first solution I described with Nvidia disabled. I'm leaving it as an exercise for the dedicated .

OK, that's all the info I have on brightness. One last thing I wanted to share with you was a patch to libv4l to flip the built-in camera output to get correct orientation:

Code:

--- libv4lcontrol.c.orig        2009-12-20 16:19:46.000000000 +0100
+++ libv4lcontrol.c     2009-12-25 16:01:11.000000000 +0100
@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@ static const struct v4lcontrol_flags_inf
     V4LCONTROL_HFLIPPED|V4LCONTROL_VFLIPPED },
   { 0x04f2, 0xb036, 0, "ASUSTeK Computer Inc.        ", "UL30A     ",
     V4LCONTROL_HFLIPPED|V4LCONTROL_VFLIPPED },
+  { 0x04f2, 0xb036, 0, "ASUSTeK Computer Inc.        ", "UL30VT    ",
+    V4LCONTROL_HFLIPPED|V4LCONTROL_VFLIPPED },
   { 0x04f2, 0xb071, 0, "ASUSTeK Computer Inc.        ", "K40IJ     ",
     V4LCONTROL_HFLIPPED|V4LCONTROL_VFLIPPED },
   { 0x04f2, 0xb071, 0, "ASUSTeK Computer Inc.        ", "K40IN      ",

It applies to libv4lconvert/control/libv4lcontrol.c in 0.6.4-test version dated December 20, 2009 taken from here. I sent it to the author and I just heard back that it will be included in the next release.

This should correct the orientation with any software that uses libv4l, which, as I write this, excludes Skype. A workaround for Skype is to LD_PRELOAD the v4l2convert.so object; if you need more info, Google is your friend.

 

I really don't understand the demand for a backlit keyboard - it will just be another battery drain and increase the cost of the unit. Doesn't everyone know where keys are by now for typing under dim light conditions?

Also, I am trying to decide between the black and silver unit. I like the look of the black alot better but the potential finger print magnet aspect makes me wary of purchasing it. Hopefully, Amazon will have the silver unit up for preorder soon to make the decision easier - if it is $100 more then probably no sale, at $50 more I will have to seriously consider the silver unit due to the increased battery life and no fingerprint issue. How much more does the larger battery weigh?

 

Reinhardt: I am trying to see if I missed out on some listing on Amazon but I still can't figure this out. What do you mean, may I ask, by the silver one costing a bit more but with the larger, I suppose you mean the 5600 mAH battery?

I doubt that it has to do with black versus silver color, but more to do with which configuration that Amazon (or any other etailer) chooses to order from Asus.

I saw the ul30vt in Hong Kong that has a 2GB RAM/5600mAH configuration, while the ones sold on Amazon are 4GB RAM/4400mAH configuration.

I also can't figure out why Amazon appear to have an exclusive of sorts on the ul30vt currently. I wonder if it's merely a 2-month exclusive headstart, much like some new cell phone models (i.e. Tmobile might get a phone first for a few months before Verizon gets the same model as well)?

How are we supposed to even buy one from Amazon now? They don't have a "notify me when in stock" button. I'm traveling now and won't be back in the US till the 2nd week of January. I can't order now because if they DO indeed get it back in stock shortly, I won't be there to accept the package if they ship it right away - which they probably would. If I don't pre-order now, and only order by the time I return, I'd be way way in the back of the line and who knows when the next batch of inventory will come in? Mmm...what to do?

 

The amazon models of the UL30 seem to follow this trend: "X" suffix means it is black and has the 4400mah battery, "A" suffix means it is silver and has the 5600mah battery. Since so many people from this forum bought at amazon, this has become the standard (people refer to the smaller battery version as black, although some places have black models with 5600mah).

I think Amazon has exclusivity to the ul30vt right now because their was demand on the amazon forums for a ul30vt when the ul30a was the only option.

 

Don't forget, the silver one will also have the full 2 year asus warranty + the 1 year ADH. The black ones only carry a 1 year warranty + the 1 year ADH.

That and the 5600mah battery are what will make it a little more expensive.

 

"...The amazon models of the UL30 seem to follow this trend: "X" suffix means it is black and has the 4400mah battery, "A" suffix means it is silver and has the 5600mah battery. Since so many people from this forum bought at amazon, this has become the standard (people refer to the smaller battery version as black, although some places have black models with 5600mah)..."

Ah! I understand now, it's sort of an ad hoc nomenclature of these fora. Cool.

I really want the whole shebang. I want the 5600 mAH battery, the 2-year Asus warranty, the 1 year Accidental, either Silver or Black for me, though I prefer the Silver personally. I wonder how much the 5600 mAH battery ALONE as an accessory might be? Around $100? More? Has anyone actually bought the version from Amazon with the 4400 mAH but purchased the 5600 mAH as an accessory? If it were up to me, I'd have little to no use for the 4400 mAH at all so it would go to waste.

Any inkling or word leaked regarding whether or not there will be a 5600 mAH configuration version available at Amazon at some point soon in the future? Is there a way to find out even a little tidbit here and there leaking out?

Thx in advance.

 

An Asus rep has posted on Amazon's messageboard that the UL30VT-A1 model will be up for preorder sometime this upcoming week and will start shipping the week of Jan 12. It will be silver and come with the 5600 mAH batter and presumably a 2 year warranty? The 2 year warranty + better battery makes it sound very attractive but I wonder how much more it will cost. The price point will determine if I purchase it. Do the silver models of the UL30A or UL80VT look nice in person? I hope it doesn't look too much like a Macbook Pro..


Potentially, you could pre-order the silver A1 model since that will be available mid-January, but as for the X1 (black) model it may come back in stock any day now so preordering that one would probably not be advisable. Just keep a look out this coming week for the UL30VT-A1 preorder to appear on Amazon's website.


I just hope the preorder for the A1 goes live before the X1 starts shipping again since I already have the X1 ordered....

 

Yes, the UL30Vt-A1 will be up for pre-order on Amazon in the next few days, and will ship no later than 1/12, as confirmed by the Asus rep on Amazon. It'll have the 5600mAh battery, 2-year warranty, silver color, and be ~$850.

 

Wow, that is just totally awesome.

for $50 more, there's just no comparison from my point of view.

i don't want to carry the 5600 AND the 4400 batteries together thereby negating the benefits of buying/owning/carrying an ultra lightweight laptop.

plus, if i were to get the X1 version, i.e. the version with only the 4400 mAH battery, i'd likely be itching to buy the 5600 mAH battery as an accessory purchase, which would basically render the included 4400 mAH battery useless and it will be left in a drawer. Buying a 5600 mAH as an accessory can easily set one back around $100 if not even more (many laptop batteries are around $150 to $175, as we all know).

So i'm thrilled that the "A" version will be available shortly.

The real problem is: if we don't pre-order the moment it appears, will there be enough stock for me to order around 1/12th when I'm back in the US? Sigh.

 

Hey guys, I need you help in comparing the ul30vt with another laptop. I've been pretty set on the ul30vt for a while, and have actually read through most of this thread (hundred or so odd pages is quite the fun read)

However, I've recently found a Dell Studio 14z used for around the same price as the ul30vt, $800. The Dell has a Core 2 Duo P8600 clocked at 2.4Ghz and a NVIDIA GeForce 9400M. This seems like pretty good deal for the price, considering it has a upgraded processor.

I've searched both threads for opinions on which machine is superior, and haven't been able to find anything. I'm more concerned with their gaming capabilities and value than battery life.

Which would deliver more bang for the buck, the faster processor of the dell, or the better graphics and overclockable processor of the asus?

 

As far as I know the geforce G210 included in the ul30vt is quite a bit more powerful than the 9400m which is integrated. So gaming experience should be better on the ul30vt.

Yesterday I installed mirrors edge on my ul30vt and I was suprrised at how good it looked and how great it ran, I even activated PhysX and got all the cloth particles in the game without noticeable slowdown.

Cheers

 

Review for Studio 14z: http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=5198&p=2

According to this, it gets 2233 in 3DMark06, while the UL30Vt gets 3453 (first post of this thread). UL30Vt is better for gaming.

 

Here is a great comparison. The UL80vt has the exact same internals as the UL30vt, just a bigger screen and optical drive. So the benchmarks should be nearly identical. This is a link of comprehensive benchmarks of the UL80vt and the 14z. But the reviewed 14z had a slightly slower T6500 processor (2.1ghz and slightly worse battery times.) Should still give you a good ballpark:

http://www.laptopmag.com/review/lap...x?mode=benchmarks&cids=2011,1156,1924,2017,pa

In terms of pure processing speed the p8600 is about 30% faster than the over-clocked ASUS. While the ASUS's graphics chip is about 75% faster and gets 80% more battery life.

The Studio Z weights about 10 oz more.

 

does anyone know how to disable the touchpad when i plug a USB external mouse?

i went into the mouse options and checked the box for it but the touchpad is still on.

i also tried fn+f9 but it doesn't work.

edit: i reinstalled the ELAN drivers and it started working again, but also on top of that, the jerky feeling came back.

anyone know a solution to fix both?

 

Has anybody used premiere elements 8 on this machine? If so how does it handle it?

 

You can get a refurbished Studio 14z from Dell Outlet for no more than $500. Wait for a 15/20% coupon and shop @ Dell Outlet. I almost NEVER buy a Dell brand new.