Z96 Owners Lounge!

What drivers are you using, and what wireless utilities? Do you have have all the Asus wireless console utilities, and the intel pro-set drivers? You could try reseating the wifi card. Perhaps the antennae cables are loose, or the card isn't seated properly. I've never had a single problem.

 

hi
i just purchased a barebones z96j
i was wondering if i could get any ram reccomendations
i am lookin for one stick of 1gb ddr2 667
thanks

 

I have a 1gb stick of Corsair ddr2 666.66(667) that I am happy with. I got it on Newegg two months ago for $85. I think the price has dropped $5~$10.

Congrats on the purchase!

 

Ive uninstalled all the other drivers and installed the intel drivers 10.1.1.3 and only using the windows wireless applications

ive tried it with all the other applications and it's always the same

Anyone else have any ideas, and as far as antenna and reseating, how do i go about either

 

First try and use intel pro-set. You should also have the asus wireless console two utility running, so you can turn off the card, and your computer can access it's features.

I had a problem with my old uniwill laptop that used an intel 2200b/g. If you weren't using the pro-set utility, the laptop would disconnect for a split second every few minutes. This would normally be unnoticeable, but when you play online games, you end up getting disconnected if the game is written so that you are kicked from the game as soon as you lose connection.

Post back with results once you install the above. If that still doesn't help, I'll walk you through reseating and such.

 

alright so I installed the pro set, tried to connect, got an error about not being able to apply profile, tried to turn wifi off and on and it won't let me. It's like the entire wifi adapter just stops functioning.

Also a little new addition

Before I installed the pro set I got an error about my intel network adapter not allowing my computer to go into standby, now It goes into standby but can't come out

I think either the card is bad or not seated correctly? just my guess

 

Ummm.... don't use standby. I have heard of issues with standby on a few recent Asus notebooks, most fixed with a BIOS update. Haven't even considered putting my Z96 in standby.

Uninstall all your wireless drivers and everything relating to wireless. Then reinstall everything IN ORDER from the support cd concerning wireless. It sounds like your drivers are all jumbled up.

EDIT: By the above, I meant that the notebooks refused to come out of standby.

 

Ok so did all of that and back to where I was before.

Intel Pro says wireless off even though its on, turn it on in the console 2 program and it says on but pro never sees it on.

Try to turn it off and on in pro wireless but never able to get it to off in the drop down list.

when i try to disable and renable or repair the network adapter it's just frozen.

any other ideas?

 

Yeah that's weird I just finished installing the omega drivers and as you said the difference is minimal. I got around 3872 on the 3dmark05 and I haven't done the 3dmark06 yet.

Does anyone have any experince overclocking the graphic card? What's acceptable? What's too much? Where can I find instructions on how to do it? And finally is it worth it?

But again I stress it's great so far

 

did a fresh uninstall and downloaded the 10.5 drivers, seems to be working fine now!

 

does anyone's touchpad feel uneven? it sure as heck feels like mine has....warped

 

Glad to hear it. Like I said, it sounded like your drivers were all scrambled up.

The Omega's are old. Cat 6.5. Even though they are optimized, the Cat 6.6 and 6.7 are just as good. So are the Intel and Asus drivers. Right now everything is basically equal. Once updated ATI's or Omega's come out, those will probably be the fastest.

I would suggest not OC'ing the graphics card. Performance gains are minimal going by what people have gotten on their W3J's. They went from about 4200 to 4400 or 4500 in 3D mark 05. The clocks just don't like being raised. Heard lots of people complaining about how they wouldn't OC their w3J's because the laptop kept crashing. I would advise against OC'ing the card. There are no ways to monitor the graphics card temperature. You will also void your warranty. Seems to me that there is little to gain and a whole lot to lose. I suggest staying out of it. If this were a desktop, however... in many cases I would suggest doing some OC'ing. Buy mid-low end parts for your desktop and OC them. You can cut the price in half, and get better performance that a high end desktop if you do it properly.

For example, I built my desktop with an AMD 3800x2. At the time, that was $300. Stock speed 2ghz. For the 4800x2(stock 2.4ghz) it was well over $1000. I have mine OC'ed to 2.6 ghz, and a lot of people report going higher. OC'ed the 2.6ghz, the 3800x2 outperforms the 4800x2 by a fair margin, at 1/3 of the cost. I built my entire desktop for $1000. As you can see, this is what some people will spend on a processor alone.

Sadly, this kind of thing just doesn't happen with laptops. OC support is limited, risks are much higher, cooling is a major limiting factor. And laptop parts generally don't OC well.

EDIT: My touchpad feels fine. No warping. Perfectly flat and smooth. Very happy with the toucpad actually.

 

Nope touchpad is fine with me

 

I agree although I am fine now, but might want to do it a year's time to that extra push of performance Were you able to install the cat 6.7?

 

That "extra push of performance" you'll get from OC'ing in a year won't make any noticeable difference. Unless you go out and mod the cooling system like crazy and then happen to have an X1600 that overclocks really well.

I would advise not voiding your 3 year powernotebooks.com warranty. Definately not worth it.

 

you should be able to hold a steady 450/450 thats the default for a w3j which runs much hotter than your z96js..and if they're stable im positive it can work for the larger and cooler z96j..i currently use everest to monitor my gpu temps along with cpu and hd..you could also you nhc

what i don't understand is why the z96j's memory is clocked slower 450/370 but the core is clocked the same?? does that really affect heat

 

Well the core is cooled... what about the memory? I don't remember from looking at pics, and I'm not allowed to touch my heatsink or I void my warranty. Unless I have a valid reason for doing so and contact my reseller first that is.

I have heard from other owners that their computer locks up a little over 400 on the memory. They have reported similar core overclocks to the w3j.

Everest can monitor gpu temps???? You're sure of this???

 

Just ordered my Z96 today from MilestonePc... so happy

I got a question though... does underclocking the video card void warranty just like overclocking the video card?

 

As you know, overclocking the GPU too much will cause the laptop to freeze and void warranty if it gets damaged.

But as you also already know, when you set P4G to max battery it automatically underclocks the GPU. So this is OK.

However are you talking about further underclocking it?

If you didn't know, underclocking a GPU too low will also cause the laptop to freeze, meaning the GPU has a certain range in which it can operate at.

 

I mean using ATI tool and underclocking it when I'm not playing games

 

Hey Keiki, I'm also thinking of purchasing a Z96 from Milestone. Quick question though was yours a barebones or ensemble and if it was a barebones, what extras did you choose?

Thanks

 

Umm... the Z96 is a Built on Asus model. No matter where you get it, it will not be an Ensemble. The Ensemble units are preconfigured and setup by Asus. You can buy the Z96 as a barebones, the way it comes from Asus, or have a reseller assemble it for you. It will still be a Built on Asus model.

To the person on the other page(Sorry, I do not remember your name):

The X1600 will underclock itself automatically. There is a function for ATI mobility cards known as PowerPlay. This will do the underclocking for you. You can reach the settings from Catalyst Control Center. Be sure to have this setup for your needs, so that it does not underclock the graphics card if you are gaming on the battery, or it is not underclocked when you want longer battery life.

 

Hmmm, can anyone comment on the Z96's LCD screen quality versus something like the MacBook Pro (or macBook glossy screen) in terms crispness and brightness? I really like what I see on the Mac's but would love to save some money and stay with a 2-button trackpad .

Also, this "shimmer" and "grainy" LCD issue with the S96's have me worried... Anyone know is it anything like the Acer 8200 complaints?

 

JPZ...at the moment I do not see the need to OC the GPU, it's just something I'm thinking of doing sometime down the line. My other question and this is directed to anyone, has anyone installed the latest catalyst drivers on their Z96J's with no problems? I tried and it didn't work, I was told by powernotebooks.com that ATI does not support Asus therefore the drivers will not work. Anyone knows if this is correct or not?

 

I've never used a mic on a computer before. Is there actually a mic on the top of our screens? If so, how do I used it?

 

To Derawk21:

It was barebone and the configuration I chose was:

1024M / SODIMM ( DDR2 / 667, Corsair, OCZ )
Core Duo Processor T2500 ( 2GHz ) 667 2MB (Intel)
Hard Drive 80GB Internal 2.5-inch SATA 7200RPM 8MB, Seagate
Intel Wireless card WM3945AGM1GEN
Windows XP Professional (OEM)

The total came to about $2000 because I ordered the extended warranty as well

 

There is no mic built in the Z96J, not to my knowledge anyway

 

yukon, have you looked to the right and left of the camera? there's 2 mics (stereo sound?!)

 

yes, this is a stereo mic, works nicely with skype

 

Yes. KenshinX is right. There are two microphones. I was using my Z96, and whever I had headphones on, I could hear whever I touched the computer. It was really weird. I could hear amplified vibrations from my fingers sliding along the plastic. That was when I realized that the microphones are turned on by default, and output sound through the speakers.

You use the microphones like you would use any microphone. I managed to take videos with the webcam along with sound(as part of the video). The sound quality is pretty good.

For ATI Cat Mobility Drivers:
Asus has need given ATI permission to release updated drivers for their machines. So if you have an Asus notebook, it will not pass the verification test done by ATI when you try to download the drivers. The drivers will still install fine on your machine, the problem is getting a hold of them. One way would be to download them on another laptop, but that laptop has to have an ATI mobility dedicated GPU, and must be on their list of supported manufacturers. There is also a direct link to the drivers on ATI's site so that you can download them straight onto the Asus, but I do not remember the link. You can find it on these forums in the Asus section somewhere.

For screen quality... Not sure how they compare to macs. But Asus manufacture's apples notebooks, so I would imagine the screen quality to be similar. The "graininess" you have heard about is present on basically every laptop with a mobility radeon X1600. It's really not that big of a deal. I'm not going to deny that it exists; it does. It's just not a major problem. It's a VERY nice screen. It is relatively bright, but the color quality, vividness, and clarity are amazing. This is really one beautiful screen.

And just so all of you know, the notebook looks much better in person. Everyone who has seen my notebook has complimented it; even mac users. It was so great to hear all the mac fanboys at my school say, "Woah! What is that? That looks so nice... and the screen!" instead of "Hey, you got a new notebook. Why the **** didn't you get a mac???!!!! Mac's are amazing... blah blah blah".

 

JPZ, i had the same reaction from a macbook pro owner
(whos been a mac user since the olden days)

 

I read through this entire thread, and it seems there are several owners who feel like the Z96J is really light. One said weighs around 5lbs?! I'm sure thats thats an exaggeration, but when you guys say its light, what are you comparing it to. Are we talking hold in one hand and walk around comfortably light? Specs I've read say something liek 6.6 lbs w/ battery or something around there.

 

Official spec is 6.3 for weight. I have weighed it multiple times, and the most accurate weight I have for it, full configured with a 6 cell battery(no power supply) is 5.25 lbs. I also have an 8 lb 15.4" notebook, and the Z96 feels like it weighs half as much as the 8 pounder.

Which experience? The praising the Z96, or the insulting it because it wasnt an apple? HAHA!

 

!!JPZ, 5.25 lbs? powernotebooks.com lists it as 6.8 including 6-cell battery, could you enlighten me on your specs? do you have a open bay or something? I mean the Compal HGL-30 14.1" is listed as about 5.5 lbs, so if this Z96J is... 5.25 lbs.. that is.. unbelievably amazing.....

 

praising, jpz

 

Thanks for the response on the MacBook comparisons guys .

Now, how about screen brightness? I love sitting out on the deck (in the shade) for some work in the nice summer weather... Does ASUS publish the brightness in "nits", along with contrast ratios, etc... for this glossy WSXGA screen?

Thanks... Would love to decide and order when Merom comes out...

 

Umm... screen is sufficiently bright. You can definately use it outside, the only problem is the glossy coating. When you are outside, with any glossy screen, you see the reflections of all the objects around you. Now, under the conditions that cause this to become apparent, a normal matte screen would be so washed out that you would not be able to see anything at all. Screen is still beautiful, with vibrant, rich colors. You just see yourself and all the things around you in the screen kind of like a sort of "overlay".

As for the weight:
Standard Z96J barebones purchased from G2P. I have a QSI 8x DL DVD burner, standard with G2P Z96's. One stick of DDR2 667 Corsair ram. 7200 RPM 60GB hitachi hard drive with with 8 mb cache buffer. T2400 processor. Standard 6 cell battery. Now, unless my optical drive and hard disk happen to be light, I don't really see why mine should weigh less than anyone else's. I only weighed the notebook itself, fully configured with battery in it. I DID NOT WEIGH IT WITH THE POWER ADAPTER. This could account for the extra 1 lb difference in weight. Asus official spec is 6.3 lbs. If they weighed it with the power adapter, and the power adapter weighs approx 1 lb, that would account for the difference in mine being lighter. Like I said, it feels to weigh half as much as my 8lb Uniwill. And that Uniwill with the poweradapter, and accessories weighed around 15lbs. Which sucked to carry around high-school campus. Since the Z96 gets good battery life and I don't need to carry around my accessories, I end up carrying a little over 5lbs now, which is MUCH nicer.

If you guys keep pushing this on me, I'm going to have to go out and get a digital scale of some sort and take pictures... which I don't feel like doing.

 

so how do i activate it? when i press the VOIP button during my game, my teammates can't hear me. when i try to record from the mic, i can't hear anything during playback.

 

Make sure the microphone is not muted. Use windows sound manager to check this. The microphones are probably set to "mute", and your programs would not acknowledge the existance of a microphone.

NOTE: The microphones are seen as one microphone with a left and right channel.

 

right you are! thanks for the tip.

i guess ill have to get a mic/headphone combo anyway since i speak softer than i should.

 

Thanks Keiki this will help a ton !!!

 

Would that be $2000 Canadian or US? Mine without my spare 6 cell(I got 3 year warranty as well) and without my mouse and(and I got a T2400, and an60GB Hitachi 7200 rpm drive came to a little over $1500 US.

 

My notebook was $2000 CDN... basically configured like a W3J+ (except for the 80Gb 7200 rpm HD compared to the 100Gb 5400 rpm HD).

 

Aye. Thought that seemed rather much to be USD.

FOR THOSE INTERESTED:

I MAY have come across a way to disable hypermemory. Using ATI tray tools, there is an option somewhere to disable "shared graphics memory". I am assuming that this refers to ATI's Hypermemory. I normally do not use ATI TT, and just happened to quickly use it in order to test the framerate of a program I've been writing. Don't have to time to mess around with it. I re-ran 3D mark 05 with "shared memory" disabled and got pretty much the same score.

Just a tip to those looking for a way to disabled hypermemory.

 

anyone that needs them:

http://www.ati.com/online/mobilecatalyst/

 

ps, mine came out to 1619 (shipping was free) specs are in sig
going to review it in a few days, gotta clean up the display hehe

 

My bad on my earlier statement that the Z96J doesn't have a mic, it was muted therefore thought it wasn't there

 

Nice Avatar KenshinX, did you take that with the onboard camera? Hehe.

Good to know you got the mic working, Yukon.

 

If I hook up a Z96 to a CRT monitor, will the resolution be of the laptop LCD or the monitor? I am asking this because I play CS 1.6 at 800X600 resolution, and it NEEDS to be that ingame resolution exactly. Can I get that resolution on the laptop screen or on the monitor?

 

You can get it on both. I don't know why you would want to play it at 800x600, because it would probably run great at native WSXGA 1680x1050. You can run CS at any resolution the CRT supports on the CRT, and on any resolution the laptop supports on the LCD.