S96J Owners Lounge!!!

right - thats what I meant(awww joke taken apart)

 

patiently waiting for my laptop..............

ahdont

 

GenTech gets them tomorrow supposedly... Hopefully I can get it within the week.

 

yess am waiting on my s96 aswell

locloc a quick question : why do you vote in a poll that you have the grainyness problem on your s96j ,when you dont have one yet ??

 

hopefully I'll get mine first since mine is just a barebones

 

At least I don't trust Nokia monitor test software. About 7 years ago, had a customer walked in to buy a CRT monitor with Nokia test software. We opened one Viewsonic monitor, test failed, 2nd one, failed again, 3rd one, failed; and then go to Optiquest( also made by Viewsonic ), failed again, and then KDS, failed, and then Sony, also failed, algother we opened 6-7 minitor boxes, all failed. Finally I asked:Have you ever seen any monitor passed the test? He said: yes, my Nokia monitor.

 

i just had i mail that stated due to probems by intel i have to wait till next week on my laptop . but to aid the pain they will give me a free notebook bag .
i dont really need a bag i want a backpack but heyy beter than nothing

 

there's a mini Z96J review written by the milestone team in the .ca forum, pretty interesting

 

Oh boy, i got confirmation that the Z has shipped! I should be getting it by Friday.

 

I've checked every notebook + all the monitors in my office with this test and on every display solid colors were solid... except my Travelmate 8204... BTW, I've tried many tests, but Nokia was the first one I've found free to download... You can use any screen test you want - you'll see this noise for sure (if you have it)...

 

Anyone else order from GenTech and waiting for their laptops to ship this week? Still no word from Ken yet on if their stock as arrived.

 

They got the stock pushed back, most pre-orders will be shipped first week of August. Is the suspense killing gentech customers? Its killing me too.
-Ham

 

Whaaaaaaaaat? Their Z96j came last week and Ken told me their S96j were coming this week. Where'd you get the info that their stock got pushed back?

 

I called Ken
-Ham

 

Hmmm, we are in stock and shipping daily.

Maybe if you called Ken again tomorrow he will have a more hopeful update.

 

I was hoping to get it shipped today, but he said that I would probably get it in the first week of August.
-Ham

 

:/ I was hoping they'd have it ready to go this week. When did you order yours? Also seems a bit odd that he isn't replying to me emails.

Hey Hamshu, what's this post about on the 18th? You have more than one S96j?

 

my dads and mines. I thought I got mine, but it was my dads lower speced version -_-.

 

****. Ken just comfirmed that their shipments got jacked up and S96j is coming in "early" August... Pretty ticked since I was expecting it to be shipped this week. Early August better mean next week as well....

 

well ya know whats even worse? knowing that your S96J is sitting in the store all but a few hours drive away, and not being able to get it! AAAHH!! I hate ROYAL BANK! BUWEHUHUARHA..look at me, i'm twitching..its been 2 days..plus the weekend..i cant take it....

 

I was ripping a DVD on my laptop last night while playing a game on my desktop. At one point I looked over, and noticed that the cpu temp was at 66C! This seems a little high to me, and even though I was doing something that is very processor heavy, I don't think it should get up to 66 just maxing out one core. I was a little worried that it may damage the cpu, so I stopped it. Am I just being paranoid, or are these temps unusally high? I've got the 2.0 ghz processor without artic silver on it. I know AS will drop the temp, but I really don't want to have to open it up, clean off the processor and apply the AS myself.

 

Is it hot where you live? It might go up due to the higher outside temp. I have AS5 on my processor and the highest ive ever gotten it is 62C(while ripping a CD-R). If you are worried about the temps, you might want to get a lapcooler or try to apply AS5(though it is kinda hard)

 

You are being paranoid

66C is nothing to worry about and quite within normal range. Your processor will turn itself off at about 104C for perspective.

 

oh, thanks paladin. Most of my experience is with desktops, and I know 66 is pretty high for those.

 

Actually we don't like to see them get above the mid 80's, at least not for very long, but they are self protected at 104C so not to worry from a damage standpoint.

If you see yours regularly in or over the mid 80's while pushing it hard for hours...then you might want to go in and clean your fans and heat sink.

 

Does anyone know if the DVD Drive from the S96J would be comatible with the Compal HEL80?

 

I am sad to report that today my S96J has experienced extereme defect in the screen. I came from work and turn the comp on and what I was was my screen was showing red shadow effects all over the screen. I tried everything but could not figure out the problem I called powernotebooks.com support - but all i got was RMA - I really hate sending it for repair

IS there anything that somebody can suggest how to fix it.

I tried to download the drivers, but could not find the file that Donald (paladin44 was refering to (setup.exe) I see others that say set up but not that particular. I click on one set up and it took my trough the installantion, but no fix

I am really mad because this is a new comp and already it is acting up on me

PLEASE someone help me before i send it for repair

 

it sounds like a gpu or lcd defect. nothing you can do if that is the problem

 

vasylko, what ejl says is true. Both that it sounds like either the video card or the LCD has failed and the only solution is to rely on your warranty for repair.

Please remember that we pay Next Business Day shipping both ways, and we rarely have them in our repair facility for more than 2-3 days.

 

S96J ANTI-REVIEW

Hi all. Well, I've finally gotten around to formulating my own opinions about the S96J and I'd like to share them. Others have already reported on the technical aspects, so I’m not going to cover that too deeply. I, however, found that their reviews were far too positive and so hopefully I can contribute a more objective opinion as well as shed light on some of the other features that have escaped notice.

I’m not a notebook expert. In fact, this is the first notebook I’ve ever bought. However, unlike a lot of other people for whom the S96J is a replacement of their antiquated machines, I was in the market for two laptops at the same time – one for my sister and one for myself. Therefore, I could make a comparison between two laptops of the same generation and am less likely to favour one over the other just because one is newer and faster. That being said, I do know a few things about desktops, so I’m not completely ignorant either.

The two laptops that I bought served different purposes. For my sister, I needed a laptop with a nice screen for graphic design that was simple to set up, future-proof and affordable. In the end, the Acer 5612 fit the bill. For myself, I needed a laptop with a nice graphics card for gaming, was future-proof and affordable and the Asus S96J won out. Here are the specs:

Acer 5612 WLMi:
15.4” 1280x800
Intel core duo T2300, 2 Mb L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB
1 Gb RAM DDR2
100 Gb 5400 RPM HD
DVD burner
Intel 950 integrated graphics
WinXP home installed
~$1100 CDN + tax

Asus S96J:
15.4” 1280x800
Intel core duo T2400, 2 Mb L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB
512 Mb RAM
80 Gb 5400 RPM HD
DVD/CD-RW combo
ATI X1600 graphics
No OS
~$1300 CDN + tax

The two should not be comparable, but as we’ll see, even the 5612 boasts many advantages over the S96J. At this point I would like to introduce my relative rating system that compares the S96J to the 5612. I’m steering clear of absolute ratings because that would require an extensive knowledge of all laptops, which I do not possess. There are five levels: much worse, worse, equivalent, better, and much better.

Graphics and 3DMark05
This was a no-brainer. The S96J won handedly 3917 to 560. Not even close. That’s alright because my sister is not at all into any kind of games. So am I happy with the gaming performance of the S96J? So far, it’s not bad in terms of horsepower, but for reasons to come, it’s not completely satisfactory either. I must reserve my comments at this point since I have not yet put it through Oblivion etc.

So are they future-proof? Well, they both support DX9, which I understand will be a requirement for Vista but I’ve heard that despite Microsoft’s claims the Intel 950 integrated graphics will not actually be enough. So has the S96J won in this category too? We’ll have to see.
------- S96J compared to 5612: much better

Heat
The 5612 has absolutely no heat issues – it’s cool as a cucumber. And why should it have any issues? It’s not running a dedicated graphics card. The S96J on the other hand, gets hot. I suppose it’s common for similar machines to run hot but at the same time, it’s undeniable that it causes discomfort. I can stand the cooking of my right wrist, but resting this beast on your lap is a no-no. That rear vent exhausts some pretty hot gas onto your right thigh and after a while it is unbearable. Well, maybe not that bad, but certainly enough to make you wonder what you’ve done to deserve this. All that said, the S96J is efficient at cooling since it returns from gaming temperatures to idling temperatures of about 52 C within 10 seconds.
------- S96J compared to 5612: worse (but with good reason)

The Chassis
There’s quite a bit to say here since it encompasses not only build quality but also the layout and design. First off, let’s talk about layout. The S96J has almost every port on the right hand side. This is bad for a right-handed user like me because your mouse will be in the thick of LAN cables, modem cables, S-Video cables, VGA cables, firewire cables, and USB keys. On the left hand side we have the optical drive only, making for a clean area of desk space that my mouse would prefer to reside. On the other hand, the 5612 has most of its ports on the left hand side and the optical on the right. Since the optical tray is mostly closed anyway, a mouse roams happy and free of obstruction. Tsk tsk tsk. At the risk of sounding discriminatory against lefties, Asus wasn’t using their noodle on the layout. (I’ve got nothing against lefties, but since righties are the majority you’d think they’d design with us in mind, or even better, provide two different layouts)

A little pet peeve I have is how USB ports are always arranged one on top of the other. Asus doesn’t break the mold on this one. It conforms to this same design that bodes poorly for USB keys everywhere (iPod Shuffles included). Whenever my key is plugged in, the other port is blocked enough to be inaccessible to another device. Damnation! But I suppose Asus can’t be blamed for this. Or can they? The 5612 has all of its USB ports side by side rather than stacked on top of each other. They’ve boldly parted company with the flock of poor designs and that’s commendable.

The media keys. The play/pause, stop, FF and REW buttons. On the S96J, they’re accessible using the Fn key and, oh yeah, a HUGE hand. There’s only one Fn key and it’s at the bottom left corner of the keyboard. The media keys are on the top right. Go figure. I suppose something has to be at the top right corner, but then wouldn’t a second Fn key or dedicated media keys like the 5612 be nice? Admittedly, this is nitpicky, but did I mention the Fn key is the bottom left corner where the Ctrl key should be? C’mon, I know you guys are complaining about this too. And yes, the 5612 has the Ctrl button at its rightful place. At least the S96J makes up some ground by having better (larger) arrow keys.

With regards to the trackpad, I’d again have to prefer the 5612. The S96J has a dedicated vertical scroll bar that’s annoying since it decreases the usable space. It’d be much better if it weren’t dedicated like the 5612. In terms of sensitivity, they’re both quite good. As for tactile feel, the 5612 wins hands down. Not only is the texture better, it doesn’t suffer from the heat problems that make your fingers sweaty and exacerbate friction. Yeah, the S96J trackpad is great for starting office fires.

The overall look of the S96J is unimpressive. It looks like one of those metallic suitcases you see in movies and carry loads of cash, coke, or bombs. Being an unbranded laptop, there are empty recesses that give it an unfinished, unpolished look, made worse by the seemingly cheap and shiny plastic framing the screen. It’s also got 4 LEDS for power, battery, mail, and wireless that are quite ugly and dirty looking. While it isn’t easy on the eyes, it’s got the horsepower under the hood to make all this forgivable. The 5612 has about the same look as all other non-Ferrari Acers and it looks great. The rounded edge is a very nice touch, giving it an easy win in this category.

As for the build quality of the S96J, it’s not exceptional in my opinion. It’s solid but not outstanding. There’s a bit of flex in the keyboard that you wouldn’t ever notice unless you’re a sadist. Pressing on the back of the screen gives ripples in the upper right hand corner only (the 5612 has no ripples whatsoever). My major complaint is with the screen. The entire right hand side is not sealed. There’s a crevice between the plastic border and the screen that runs the entire length of that side. Perhaps it’s a new style of cooling vent but it looks to be a dangerous gathering spot for dust. At least there were zero dead pixels, which makes me very happy (not that the 5612 had any either).
------- S96J compared to 5612: equivalent (being lenient here)

Ports and I/O Devices
Both laptops come with 4 USBs, a VGA, LAN and modem ports. I’ve tested all of these and they all work (more on the modem later). Additionally, the S96J has an S-Video and a firewire and they both work. The 4-in-1 card reader, as far as I can tell, works. It’s got a headphone jack and microphone jack, both of which work. It doesn’t have an analogue line-in like the 5612, though, which would be nice should I decide to digitize my collection of old school audio cassettes.

The S96J has a built-in webcam that’s not too shabby. Not as good as the Macbook, in my opinion, but will suit most needs. And no, the 5612 does not sport a webcam.

Both laptops have built-in microphones but the S96J is the only one that’s stereo.

The speakers, as others have noted, are weak. I’ve found, however, that it is exceptionally weak in DVD playback but quite decent when running MP3s and WMVs. Just be sure to open up Realteck HD Audio Manager and crank up the sliders. The 5612, on the other hand, has incredibly good speakers. I was in awe of it the first time I heard it. HUGE difference.

Finally, we come to the modem. The 5612 modem worked fine right from the get go. The modem in my S96J on the other hand did not. It could not detect a dial tone and thus would not dial. I’ve tried uninstalling and reinstalling drivers all to no effect. I finally got it to work by forcing a blind dial so that it wouldn’t check for a tone. Apparently this same issue has happened to a few others, so maybe it’s just a crappy modem.
------- S96J compared to 5612: better

Software
The 5612 came with Windows XP Home preinstalled, along with a rich suite of utilities for power management, encryption (nice!), etc. It even came with a very snazzy Acer promo screensaver. This made it supremely convenient to start things up and get going. The S96J came with a clean hard drive and so I had to install Windows XP Pro myself along with all the utilities that came on the bundled CDs. While this meant I could not actually start using my laptop until the next day, it was actually preferable to have all the individual drivers on CD. For the 5612, you basically have to back up the factory default and restore to it from a DVD that you provide yourself (Acer claims that this happily removes clutter and makes things better for the user, but IMO, they’re just too cheap to supply their own DVD). And in the end, I can’t really blame the resellers for anything since I asked for the clean drive.

Without degenerating to a discussion of the stability of Windows, I did have a boot issue that mysteriously disappeared.

Next, let’s talk about the bundled programs. Generic Chkmail is a program that lights up the “new mail” LED when you have new mail. I had no luck getting it to work with my IMAP mail account, even in Outlook. I eventually had to download a replacement known as ledBirdXP. A crippled version of Nero 6 came bundled, which I promptly uninstalled and replaced. Cyberlink Medi@show claims to be an interesting alternative to Powerpoint, but only seems to work for media files like movies and music and pictures. What’s more, it doesn’t even support the S96J’s native resolution! Very crappy. Finally, Cyberlink PowerDirector looks good and seems to be serve all the functions of the ULead video software I already own. Yep, bundled software isn’t great, but no one expected it to be.

Let’s end this section by talking about the utilities that run the laptop. Power4 gear kinda blows. It’s got a whole bunch of profiles I wouldn’t ever use and for some reason it doesn’t always let you change the settings that really matter like LCD brightness and CPU speed. Yeah, it’s a piece of crap, far worse then the Acer power management utility. As for the Intel PROset wireless software, I’ve got nothing against it, but it seems like the wireless is weaker than the 5612 (which uses Acer’s SignalUp, whatever that is). There are places in my home where if the two laptops are side by side, only the 5612 would get reception.
------- S96J compared to 5612: worse

Screen
Finally, we reach the screen, the supreme weakness of the S96J (or at least the one in my possession). In terms of viewing angles and brightness it’s all fine, though even in this category the 5612 wins. While the S96J is fine, when you put it next to the 5612’s Crystalbrite screen the former looks washed out in comparison. It’s nothing to complain about but since I am using a relative rating system I have to compare.

The S96J goes into standby when the screen is closed to 20 degrees, which is too wide for my taste. The 5612 goes into standby at 13 degrees, which suits my taste better.

At last we come to the screen graininess issue. The S96J shows a highly mottled screen when displaying certain colours. For me, the problem is most noticeable with the various shades of grey. It is severe enough that photo-editing is impossible. There is also an apparent lack of colour depth when playing certain games. I’ve posted a screen cap of Doom 3 in the S96J Owner’s Lounge that showed just how severe it can get. Admittedly, I never tried to run Doom 3 on the 5612 and so I can’t say anything about that, but I can, however, say that the 5612 gets none of the mottled look with solid colors when running regular 2D applications. There have been some discussions as to whether or not the cause is software or hardware but my own feeling is that it is software (hopefully) since the severity decreases after starting and quitting Warcraft III. In any case, if you’re looking to do heavy photo work or anything where the fidelity of the colours is crucial, then the S96J is not for you.
------- S96J compared to 5612: much worse

So there you have it. The S96J is a powerhouse when it comes to performance, but is really rough around the edges. I don’t think we can expect much more since it is a bargain and the costs must be cut from somewhere and that somewhere is the screen. If looks and style are important (I know a few people for whom that’s a priority), then get an Acer or a Macbook. Other than that, I would recommend this laptop to the discerning shopper.

That is all for now. I will update if I’ve left anything out.

Oh yeah, here's a picture of my screen:

 

And now its my turn to state the facts:

1. Heat - Yes the s96j heats up and gets warm, but not hot. Its comfortable to type on, and is not an issue.

2. Build quality - As Mystery said once; All LCD's will ripple, even the toughest ones(W3J for instance). The build quality is exceptional on my S96 and is just as robust as even my cousins HP. The layout of the ports and connectors are standard(and Im a lefty and its not a problem). Also I dont know what you mean by a rt side vent in the screen, so something must be wrong there.
3. Software/Ports - Some people dont want encryption, and snazzy wallpapers. I ordered with XP Home, and cleaned it myself and it was fine. Who really needs a shortcut button when it takes a couple of secs to access you mail by clicking on icon or link. The Nero version is OEM, and works fine. Did you expect Nero Full or something? Im happy I dont have to get buring software now. The speakers are decent. They work fine and when I want to watch a movie or listen to music, I put a pair of headphones on and works perfectly.

If you expected a full mainstream notebook, go for the Acer or a Dell. When I made choice for the S96j, I knew there might be some bugs due to being a VBI platform, but for you it seems not.

 

well, it's all got to do with personal preference. For you it is warm, for me it's quite hot.

I never complained about the ripples. Just stating that it happens. BTW, the 5612 does not ripple at all.

And no, it's not a vent. I'm simply sneering at the crevice in my screen.

I didn't expect anything for the bundled software. I could swear I specifically said that.

You seem to be upset by my comments, but just keep in mind that I still have an overall positive opinion (it's an anti-review, not an anti-s96j review). And while in many attributes the S96J is quite standard, one cannot ignore the fact that better does exist.

 

Rudiger thanks for the objective view of the s96j, as all the reviews of it on this site due infact seem far too positive and bias in favor of it.

 

So there is better, and the Acer is in some aspects better than the S96j, I agree on that. The Acer though, has been known to have problems too. But there are many aspects of the S96j that show why there are gripes. As Paladin has even said, the VBI program has its shorcomings and is really tough on the vendors. As this program gets older and more parts and support come out, the S96j will continue to improve. Without the support of owners and vendors, this program will be come down to the level of MXM notebooks(just an example). I am not upset, im just stating how this is the first generation of these notebooks(im not sure) and if Intel was able to give more support, it would be more sucessful.

 

For i guess perspective, my s96j gets warm sometimes, but never too hot to comfortably place on my lap. The trackpad has never gotten any warmer for me than it is when the notebook is off.I've heard of other notebooks that would burn/hurt if placed on your lap.

As for the scrolling part of the trackpad, do you really need those 2mm of space? You can turn the scrolling option off.

I appreciate the objective review but it is not anti-review, this would mean that reviews in general are all positive. It was just a not-so-positive review with a little exaggeration on the heat issues. Hope you get the screen fixed, it seems like it shouldn't take more than 5 days from what palladin says. Keep us posted.

 

Well, again, it is just personal preference. I'm guilty of a little bit of exaggeration, but i did it so it's not so dry to read. I can honestly say you're not going to start office fires.

Do you know how wide 2mm is? The scroll bar is at least 1.5 cm. And no it's not a dire need, just a preference. When I'm dragging stuff across the screen it would indeed be nice to have extra real estate. Scroll bars aren't going to change your opinion, but why can't I note the fact that other notebooks handle the scroll bar dynamically?

"this would mean that reviews in general are all positive." Aren't they?

 

If the vertical area size is bothersome for you, it can be adjusted smaller (or even turn it off altogether) through Synaptics' touchpad properties under Mouse in Control Panel .

 

Hi all

Update on my screen. When i was finished talking to tech support at powernotebooks.com which I might add were very helpful and tried to resolve the issue and was all upset about sending it back - I excidently touch the edge of the screen and teh problem went away. So I wonder maybe this was some sort of disconnect between Screen and actual comp.

I will keep an eye on it going forward but at this point it seems like it is working. if I will see it again i will then send it for repair

but it is still comforting to know that powernotebooks.com will be right behind me in case something serious does happen - for all 3 years. WOW!
Thanks Donald and powernotebooks

vasylko

 

^ Yea, looks like you have a loose connector or something. Another bump and it's back to square one

rudiger, if you think the S96J is hot, you ain't seen nothin yet. Since this is your first laptop i can understand where you are coming from. I wish there was a reliable way to control the fan, then maybe we can see temps even less than they are now.

 

Yes. I fully agree. While temps are not bad, they would be MUCH better with fan turned up... and it's not like its even that loud. At it's loudest, it as about as loud as the quietest of my other 3 laptops on low. Since the fan speeds are always so low on this, a lot of heat builds up in the heatsink and is conducted to the corner of the bottom of the laptop. It is... distracting... but not too bad in the least. I can definately put up with it.

So who wants to write a fan control utility with me? Haha!

 

Speedfan?
-Ham

 

it is in! the Z is in! thanks donald!
there are way more features than my 2003 model t0shiba! i dont even know where to begin.
i can post more now that i have a Z to relate to.

 

My s96j has never gotten untolerably hot, and I use it on my lap to watch recorded tv shows and movies on the train during my commute to work at least 2-3 times a week. Under heavy use the right "wrist pad" does get quite hot if you aren't resting your hand on it to soak up some of that heat. It's mostly noticeable when I'm playing a game with a mouse and external game pad (nostromo n52 ftw), and then use the keyboard to type something. The heat dissapates fairly quickly though.

The USB ports on the right side are slightly annoying, but not a big deal since there are two ports in the back. I use those for my game pad and mouse, and rarely need to connect anything else. My biggest complaint with the ports is the headphone jack in the front. With the limited space on the train my notebook is pretty close to me, and the headphone jack digs into my stomach. And you almost always need to use headphones, since the speakers are terrible. Also, I love the dedicated scroll on the side of the touch pad, using notebooks without it now is a pain. And yes, power4gear sucks. Does anyone else have a different profile software they use?

I finally saw this "graininess" issue that a few people have mentioned on my screen, but it really isn't that big an issue for me. If I was doing photo editing it might be, but this isn't meant to be a full desktop replacement. If you are doing video and photo editing you'd probably want a WXGA+ (or whatever the type of screen the z96j has) for the added resolution. I only noticed it looking at those Vista backgrounds someone posted, it's barely noticeable in games on my screen. Other than that I have absolutly no complaints about this screen comparing it with other dells, HPs, and Toshiba's.

For me, the bottom line on the s96j is you are getting a powerhouse of a laptop for very little money. You aren't going to be able to find another laptop with this kind of gaming/performance potential for this price. I looked around, and the only other laptops with x1600s or compareable were at least 200-300 bucks more.

 

i`ve heared good things about the s96j from this thread (and thanks, I almost buy an acer for the same price), but i don´t decide where to buy it:

powernotebooks seems to be a good place, and a serious one, but how is the s96j that ibuypower sells? ( http://www.ibuypower.com/ibp/store/configurator.aspx?mid=173), it comes with a "color panel", and has a best procesor for the price, cheaper. (also comes with the MS windows media center 2005 for free)

saludos^^

(sorry if my english sux)

 

http://www.resellerratings.com/seller2001.html

They seem to have a kinda meh rating. I'd personally recommend powernotebooks.com or gentechpc.com for a s96j. I got mine from gentech, and couldn't be happier. I do also know a few people who get them from powernotebooks.com, and their service is excellent as well. Donald from powernotebooks regularly posts on this site, and I know Ken from gentechpc also reads to forums (he called me after i had made my order in response to a post I had made on these forums, you don't get much better service than that). But yeah, those are the two places I'd reccomend, they both have good prices and stellar service.

And your english wasn't bad at all, I understood exactly what you wanted to say. It's probably better than 90% of what people write on the internet, and thats when english is their first language!

 

with all these hot or not issues, i guess no one will complain as much when the winter is here, by that time, most people will considered as an extra function from asus.

ahdont

 

^ Good point

Isn't that the program that someone used and had their notebook go to 90C or something like that?

 

whoa... 90C... that's way hot... If that is true SaferSephiroth, I wouldn't ever want to touch that program.

 

iam intrested in that program aswell , can somebody confirm that story?

 

IBUYPOWER SUCKS. STAY AWAY. PRODUCTS ARE UNRELIABLE(POORLY ASSEMBLED) AND CUSTOMER SERVICE IS A JOKE.

I BOUGHT A UNIWILL BASED LAPTOP FROM THE LAST YEAR. I USED IT FOR ONE MONTH. THE OTHER 11 MONTHS IT WAS IN RMA. I HAD TO RMA IT 5 TIMES BEFORE THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. AND THAT WAS AFTER I TOLD THEM WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE TO FIX IT EVERY TIME I RMA'D AFTER THE 2ND TIME. IF YOU WANT TO USE THE COMPUTER, DO NOT GET FROM IBUYPOWER. THEY ARE SLOW, UNRELIABLE, AND A COMPLETE RIP-OFF.

BE WARNED!

I've had mine for a week and a half. Got it Thursday before last. Working ona a review at the moment. Thanks to Eddie from G2P for getting my order out so fast!

It doesn't work with the Z96. Doubt it would with the S96.