Z96 Owners Lounge!

Hey I have a question, should I buy a spare battery for my Z96J? Does the battery that come with it last? I think Asus gives a 1 year warranty on batteries right? So if the battery dies Asus can replace it right away, or so I'm thinking.

I don't really need long battery life but I plan to plug in my Z96j to an outlet for most of the time (while I'm playing games.)

So would it be a good idea to purchase an extra battery?

However I really don't want to spend any more money on my laptop since I still need to buy my laptop bag, any comments/opinions appreciated!

 

Hmmm.... I woudln't. Read my review to get ideas on how long battery will last. I don't think you are going to need a backup battery because I don't think there is much of a chance of your battery failing.

The Z96J comes with a free bag. You can also pickup a nice slipcover at BestBuy for ~$20 like I did. Much cheaper than buying a spare $150 battery which you probably won't use.

 

JPZ, infact i did take that with the onboard camera, it was a test pic and the first one i did

 

Haha. I managed to take a video of myself playing guitar with the webcam. It recorded sound as well, using the onboard microphones.

 

it has a low frame rate, so it sucks for anything serious...but thats why i have a sony vx2100 ^_^

 

Yeah... but if you turn the resolution way down, you can get some decent framerates. I don't even care, it's not like I every do or would use the webcam. It's just nice to have.

 

i might use it in a few weeks when school starts so i can video chat with the folks at home...on second though.. ^_^

 

Just got my Z96J today! So happy ... anyways, I got a question... do those F key buttons work? There are things like pause underneath F9, wireless underneath F2 etc.

Do I need to install some drivers or something?

 

they work, make sure to install everything from the ASUS driver cd you got

 

Is there a way for me to see which ones I installed already and which ones are not? MilestonePc was nice enough to install the OS and some drivers but I'm not quite sure which ones they installed and which ones are not installed yet

 

Well they should work already... I haven't found an application that they didn't work for. The best thing is, the buttons even work for applications running the the background. So you can be running windows media player minimized, in some sort of fullscreen application, and still be able to play, pause, etc. what you are listening to.

If the buttons don't work... I would try installing the ATK driver first. Although I would think that should be installed already. You could just work your way down the list, installing everything you can't rule out(i.e. wifi,bluetooth,vga drivers).

 

My Z96J is on its way. It should be here on Wednesday. Im really excited!!

 

Hi guys,
I was wondering what you guys have done to get around the bad speakers the Z96J? I have a desktop at home, and it would be a huge hassle to get another pair of speakers for the laptop. I'm currently using a logitech headset. I was looking through Creative's website the other day and I believe they have "clip on" speakers for laptops. That would be a great idea if the sound quality is decent.

Thoughts and views on this subject would great

 

I don't think any kind of clip on speakers would be any better than the onboard speakers. The sound quality isn't that bad, the volume is OK(could be much louder), but there is pretty muc no bass and the mid-level tones are kind of weak. I actually just use the onboard speakers 90% of the time. Ther other 10% I use earphones. Sound quality on a decent pair of earphones from an mp3 player is pretty amazing.

If you don't like the onboard speakers, I would definately suggest using headphones, unless you are planning to use the thing to play music at parties or something where you would need normal speakers......

What you could do in addition to using headphones is find some sort of cable splitter so you could leave your desktop speakers constantly plugged into your desktop, and the other line you plug into your laptop when you want to use the speakers with your laptop.

 

Actually, I find the onboard speakers to be pretty loud (could be just me) and also, using mp3 headphones are pretty amazing

 

Hi all, first time poster, some-time reader,

I'm not a Z96 owner, but I hope to be one in the near future. The thing is, the Z96 isn't available yet here in the Netherlands. Stores here do sell the S96, but I'd rather go with the "Z", as it has a WSXGA+ screen.

Does anyone know whether or not the Z96 will be released here (if at all), and if so, when? (approx.) I tried mailing Asus Holland, but all I managed to find was a support form for Asus notebook owners, the Dutch Asus site is quite a pain in the *** IMO. Used the form to mail my question, but I haven't gotten anything back. (I know it's weekend at the moment, but it's been a couple of days)

Any information on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

 

Aye. They're loud "enough". But there are quite a few notebooks that are twice as loud. You can hear the sound if you are playing a game or watching a movie, listening to music, etc. on the speakers. But if you are in a kind of noisy environment, then you might have a little trouble.

The audio out quality is AMAZING.

 

Hey JPZ,
(I originally posted this in another one of your started threads but it doesn't look like you're looking at it any more).
Could you post a screen shot of your coding enviornment in 1280x800 (most you can get on the S96J) and 1680x1050 (most you can get on the z96j). I really want to see how both resolutions look side by side. Thanks!

 

Look at my Avatar. The blue laptop on the left, my Uniwill, is in WXGA. The Z96J on the right is in WSXGA. There are basically the same amount of icons on the screen. See the difference?

Look at my Z96J review. I think I have more pictures showing the difference between the resolutions, with open web pages and such. Go down to the bottom of the review and look at all the side by side photos.

 

Coda, I have a 19" monitor at home with a 1280 x 1024 resolution at 2 ms and IMO the Z96j screen is a much more detailed screen. Obviously, compared to my 2 ms monitor you notice some ghosting when playing games but still, its a great screen which high brightness

 

Yeah that's the problem I am in a noisy enviroment Ok using headphones is a soultion but after awhile I kind of get tired of it and would just like to lay back and hear the audio from the laptop. Don't get me wrong I'm not arguing on the quality of sound, just the loudness is the issue.

Didn't get this point right. I mean this setup would require only one of the two be it the desktop or the laptop to be working at any given time right? If that's the case it wouldn't work since I use both most of the time.

 

Which is exactly why I would love to get my hands on the Z96, but again, it is simply not on the market over here. I really want that glossy hi-res screen! (and with good reason, considering all the loving talk about it)


[offtopic]Another option would be the V1J, which has a WSXGA+ screen, but it's matte from what I've read.[/offtopic]

 

Well there has been conflicting information about the V1J from the start.

Some people believed the V1J was goign to have a low resolution screen, now that the specs are released for other countries, we can see that the screen is a WSXGA+.

Furthermore, the screen says "colour shine" meaning glossy, look at the link here.
http://www.morecomputers.co.uk/textra.asp?pn=V1J-AK007P

Again conflicting info regarding the screen, I say just wait till these V1j hit North American grounds and then make your decision, because anything can change. And it is worth the wait, when you can compare V1J to Z96j.

 

It may be worth the wait, but it is almost $2000 more than what I paid for my z96j. :| I was all bummed when I first read a new model is coming out, but felt better when I saw that it is going to cost $3000+.

 

I asked this same question in the Video section of this forum but nobody could give me a straight answer.
I was at costco looking at the Acer 5000 to get an idea what a 15.4" laptop would look like with more then 1280x800 res so I could decide between the Z96J and the S96J. After increasing the resolution on the Acer beyond 1280x800, I noticed that instead of everything becoming smaller, the only thing that happened is the screen was able to pan if you moved the mouse to either edge of the screen. If the Z96J does the same thing beyond 1280x800, then I see no point on spending the extra money over the S96J. Could one of you Z96J owners set your resolution beyond 1280x800 and tell me if this paning action happens?


Thanks

 

The Z96J will do that. BUT NOT AT NATIVE RESOLUTION. Most ATI graphics cards will do that when you set the resolution above the max supported resolution of the lcd. On the Z96J you can go up to 1680x1050. After that, you will pan around. It is possible to set the Z96J to 2536x1829(no clue what it is, but it is like SUXGA or whatever) but as I said, anything above 1680x1050 will force you into pan mode.

Take a look at my Z96J review. Look at the pictures at the bottom that show my Z96J next to the Uniwill in my sig. The Uniwill is WXGA(1280x800) and the Z96J is set to WSXGA(1680x1050). You can really see the difference. Twice as much info in a web page(zoom in on the NBR shot) and a whole lot more desktop space. I really like the extra room for fitting as much code as possible on the screen which helps a lot when programming.

 

Thanks for the quick response JPZ!
I realized that the Acer I was looking at had a max res of 1280x800, which explains why it went into paning mode.
I think I'm gonna pull the trigger tonight....Z96J here we come!
btw..if I order from g2p (live in California) when should I expect to receive it?

 

Does anyone know if the Z96 will be released in Europe?

 

Not sure. Eddie only had two dozen units from the first shipment a few weeks ago. No idea whether or not he has any left. I asked him yesterday and he hasn't responded.

G2P will ship your order out after a max of 5 business days. Ground shipping should take about 3-5 days. Could be anywhere from 5-10 business days. Less if you pay for rush or faster shipping.

EDIT: Unless G2P's website says otherwise, Eddie should have the Z96J in stock. Try IM'ing Eddie at ynot2kllc. He will tell you how many he has in stock, and when to expect the unit.

 

Thanks JPZ. I just talked to Eddie and he said that there are some left.

 

Where do I get a text version of the assembly guide for a Z96? Just ordered mine yesterday from g2p but will be installing my own memory so I need some good instructions since this will be my first notebook.

Thanks

 

Here is your text version of assembly guide.

1. Turn laptop over.
2. Unscrew 3 screws that hold user access panel on(in the corner with the fan).
3. Slide panel toward front of laptop.
4. Memory sockets are toward the center of your laptop.
5. Insert RAM at an angle, push in firmly, then tilt the RAM flush with the motherboard. Initial angle should be about 45 degrees.
6. Follow steps in reverse to close up the notebook case.

There, that took 2 minutes. Let me know if you have any trouble.

 

Thanks JPZ I'll let you know as soon as I have success.

 

I just got my Z96J!! The screen is AMAZING!!! It is so clear. Right now I am installing XP Pro. When I get Windows installed do I put the NI546 CD to install the drivers?

 

Congrats.

Pop the driver CD in, and install everything on the list from top to bottom.

 

Wooo!!! Thanks man. Too bad I have to work in 2 hours. Hopefully I can get all the basic stuff installed and then install my games/stuff tonight when I get off.

I was also surprised by the free case. My sister got that one for her Gateway laptop last summer and it was like $30-$40 at Best Buy. Its a pretty good one as well.

 

Eh, I don't really like the case. The handles look...erm...

Anyway, I have two cases that came for free with my two previous laptops, and I have a nice slip cover that will fit a 15.4" notebook which I normally put my laptop in before I slip in in my backpack.

What do you do that requires to start work at 5:00 PM?

 

I work in retail. Heh... How much does a good slip cover cost?

 

I picked one up at BestBuy for about $20. They had about 3-4 different 15.4" ones to choose from. I bought the Targus one. I've used it with both the Uniwill and Asus(Z96J) in my sig. Very nice to have so you can bring just the laptop with you where you go instead of bringing a big case with all your accessories. I don't need any accesories with my Z96J, since the battery life is much better than my Uniwill so I don't need to bring the AC adapter. I also normally use it for programming and such, so I don't need a mouse or anything else. And if I'm going to be gone for a while, I can just slip my 9 cell battery in my backpack or my pocket or something.

 

I finally received the Z96J. i have been playing with it all afternoon and so far i am very impressed.
My spec:

Asus Z96J 15.4 Inch WSXGA+ ATI x1600 256MB
Intel® Yonah Core-Duo T2500 2.0GHz 2M 667 FSB
8x DVD-RW Dual Layer Super Multi
2GB DDR-2 667 SODIMM ocz
80GB 7200rpm S-ATA
Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945

i ordered mine from MilestonePC aka CanadaSys about a month ago, it took longer than others due to some minor errors with the shipment, nevertheless, they kept me inform with details and reply all my emails promptly. i have to say the are very friendly and willing to answer questions, i feel very comfortable doing business with them.
i got my tracking code on monday ngiht and received the package on wednesday early morning.
the laptop is well packaged and arrived in superb condition.
The package consists of the laptop, a carrying case and all bunch of softwares and driver cds.

I will mainly address with the major issues that people are having in here with my current “hands on” comparison.
i have owned 2 other laptop before the Z96J, none of them are a widescreen and i must say the resolution on the Z96J is pretty. i have no problem reading website with fine letters whatsoever (even with hours and hours in openOffice calc).
The screen is very bright with 15 notches to play with (the lowest two is just rediculously dim). I have been playing games ( oblivion, half life 2 and x3: reunion) and i had no issues with the brightness whatsoever. With the on going grainyness issues being discuss in the forum, i really don't notice it at all, even wihen i did some effects work in 3dmax and photoshop. However, when i was playing x3:reunion, i noticed the light spills on each corner of the screen. But after an hour or so it went away, i turn on this morning and check it again with black desktop, loading x3:reunion i still don't see it. But i did noticed it at the beginning (the first hour of the laptop).
The screen, i will give it a 9/10.

heat issues, the right palm area gets warm as various people have already mentioned, but it is comfortable, it didn't annoy me at all. Same with the touchpad, it gets a tad bit warmer but still comfortable. It pretty much stay comfortably warm even when i was playing games or doing simulations for over a few hours. Compare with my old sony Z series laptop, the temperature with the Z96J is considered as cool, my ols sony was so hot that it burns my right palm. I **** you not.
I would give the temperature issues a 8/10 mainly because the heat vent on the back ventilate hot air that makes it a little bit uncomfortable when i place the laptop on my knee.

The keyboard is good except the fact that “Fn” and “ctrl” key is reverse makes it a little annoying at times. The hotkeys beside the power button works perfectly but i rarely use it though.
The touchpad is good, i understand that people complained about the touchpad button makes a lot of noise, but i like it that way, i always like the old fashion keyboard and mouse where it makes a unique solid sound.
9/10 for both the keypad and touchpad.

the webcam works perfectly, i have no problem with it whatsoever. 10/10
It surprised me the amount of noise this machine creates. It doesn't creates at noise!!!my old 20 gig ipod (with four buttons) creates more noise than the laptop!! the only time that i realize the computer is alive is when i put a cd in the drive and it spins and creates that unique “phooom” sound. When i was playing games, the machine remains really quiet. I didn't noitce any hard disk spinning noise at all.
A 10/10 for the noise issues.

Lastly, the speaker. just horrible. Yes, it is loud but it has no bass, no treble. It is very very very very very vey flat. It works perfectly fine with earphones, but make sure you turn down the volume before you plug in the earphone or you are going to blow your ear drum.
3/10 for the speaker only because i can adjust the volume and it works.

For the amount of money i pay, i am happy with the z96j and the services provided by MilestonePC.
Thanks everyone in this forum for posting, i would not have chose z96j with the help.
Meanwhile, keep smiling guys

ahdont

 

I just received my Z96J last week (from MilestonePC) and I love it.

But I'm having one annoying problem. Sometimes when I try to wake my computer from standby/hibernation mode, it won't wake up. So then I have to do a hard reset, which is never fun.

Any ideas how I can fix this? I haven't touched any drivers or BIOS or anything on this machine. Which of these should be upgraded?

Thanks!

 

I'll agree with everything you said, but with three exceptions.

First off, there is no light leakage. I have looked, but I have never found any.

Second, I find that the rear corner of the laptop will get warm when you are doing intensive tasks, but not uncomfortable. The only time it really gets warm is when you are using it plugged into a wall and doing intensive tasks. If you are on the battery, the processor rarely budges from 1ghz. There are no performance issues, and it keeps the laptop very cool. So basically, whenever you would have to use the laptop on your lap(when you are away from a table) you will also be away from an outlet, so you won't have any problems with heat. I do still find it useable on your lap when gaming, etc. on the AC.

Finally:

I don't find the speakers to be very loud at all- but I agree, there is no bass. Mid-ranged tones are weak, but noticeable. High tones are crisp, clear, and loud. I actually don't mind gaming and listening to music with the onboard speakers, but it sounds MUCH nicer plugged into external speakers or headphones.

One thing to warn you guys about though. When you use it with earphones, be sure that you have the volume ALL THE WAY DOWN first. The volume is VERY loud coming out of the audio out plug. I normally listen to music loud, and I never go above the third volume notch.

One thing I must say though. The laptop gets a 2/10 for speakers, but a 10/10 for sound. The onboard HD sound card is VERY nice. Excellent quality sound. The downside is, in order to take advantage of this, you need either external speakers, or headphones. This laptop outputs higher quality sound than my desktop.

 

There should be a kensington laptop lock on the Z96J right? I'm thinking of getting one... how safe/useful do you guys think such a lock would be?

Btw, does anyone use a bluetooth wireless mouse on their Z96J? how is it? I'm thinking of getting one of those too...

I'm going to drive down to Bestbuy after work today!

 

I dont use a bluetooth mouse (just extra waste of power when its on battery)

Yes, Kenigston laptop locks fit, as for how safe...it's a deterrent, so don't think leaving your laptop locked up in the middle of the park with it will make it invincible, as someone can still vandalize it or cut the lock. It does prevent the "Yoink, Dont mind if i doooo" thief (occasional) from stealing it

 

AHHH Is it true that the Z96 doesn't have a DVI out?? I think I'm gonna cry. I FINALLY decided on a notebook, and am hearing that this one doesn't have DVI out. I swear I saw somewhere that it did. SON OF A...

 

No DVI, sorr joeaviator

 

Thanks for the reply bro. That suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks. Was that a feature you were considering when shopping? I was under the impression that it had a DVI out, and that was the reason I eliminated the Compal Hel80 from my options.

I'm still probably gonna buy it, but now what kind of corner does that paint me into if I want to hook it up to my HD tv? I have never been impressed with the quality of hooking up to a TV via SVideo or VGA.

Anyone know anything about the add-on DVI PC cards??

 

Z96J does not have DVI out. You will not benefit from DVI-out on an HD tv. Only on extremely high resolutions monitors, but even then, there is basically no difference. Not for now, atleast. When the industry starts using monitors with resolutions higher than the highest available now, they will need to use a DVI. But for now, I'm under the impression that it doesn't really do any good.

I know they are expensive, and that you won't be doing much with them. It'll be like using a 10 year old integrated laptop graphics card. VERY slow. You might be able to get away with power point presentations or maybe a little word processing, but you can forget 3d applications or gaming.

I never considered a laptop with DVI. Makes no sense for me. All my monitors and my projector use VGA connections.

I find bluetooth hardware to be expensive, plus you will have shorter battery life with the bluetooth module constantly on.

Never used one of those security locks... but of course they won't make it impossible to steal your laptop. Sure, it might help, say, if you are a college student and leave your notebook lying around campus and you want to keep other students from picking it up and walking away with it. But it won't stop people from breaking the lock if they really want to steal it.

 

although the z96j intergrated the anti-theft system into the covers and appearance but i still wouldn't trust those physical locks out there.

ahdont

 

indeed. i've secured my laptop with many software barries, if someone steals it, they now have a paper weight (4 passwords to get theough to get to windows/linux log on screens,, and then another there )

hopefully they like $1600 paperweights