~ Asus F8 Owners' Lounge ~

Hm... Can anyone tell me what your battery's capacity is? (If it's reasonably new).

GNOME's power management tool says its design charge is 51.3 Wh, while its last full charge was 43.3 Wh. (With a capacity of 84%).

Those numbers smell of bad battery, but the odd thing is that the computer seems to keep up with battery life estimates in reviews and the like. Perhaps this is just how they come...

 

The F8P is going to have an 8600GS? Thats pretty cool! Do we know pricing or release date yet?

 

Ken, any more news on the B1? Today? Tomorrow?


Sorry, I'm getting excited.

 

Hi guys, I notice some of you already purchased the F8Sv-A1.
My uncle is helping me get the same laptop in Hong Kong, but I have some questions I want to ask.
1. Which model would perform better? The F8Sv with the GeForce 8600M GT or the F8Sa with the Radeon HD2600?
2a. Based on the F8Sv stats on the first page, would it be cheaper to get the F8Sv-A1 + 2GB to a total of 3GB or just the F8Sv-B1?
2b. Performance wise what would you see from the 0.2GHz processor speed difference? Higher battery consumption?

Sorry for asking so many questions, just stressed not knowing which to get!

 

F8P-B2B w/ ATI HD2400 256MB, MSRP:$1399
F8P-B1W w/ ATI HD2400 256MB, MSRP:$1349 (Christmas Edition)
F8P-X1W w/ ATI HD2400 256MB, MSRP:$1399
F8SV-A1, in stock.
F8SV-B1, ETA: this week.

 

between the f8sv-a1 and b1 you have to take into account that the b1 has higher screen resolution, larger HD, faster processor and that extra gig of RAM... and if you ask me i'm pretty sure it's worth paying 200 more for those especially when you're buying a non-upgradeable equipment

 

Hi there

Here's Europe (Poland) with it's F8SA. Personally i have F8SA-4S026C:

T7500
HD2600 512MB
2GB RAM
160GB HDD
TPM
FINGERPTINT
Without Remote Control

But... what a mule (I mean Vista and a lot of stuff like Norton) It really loads a while.

 

Hi from Europe as well (London)!

My F8SV-4S023C is on its way and I'm really looking forward to seeing it.

Here are the specs:
Intel Core 2 Duo T7500
8600M GT 256
2048 MO
160 Hdd 5400
14 TFT WXGA+ ( 1440x900 )
DVD/ DVD burner

Here is a website with a list of games with native widescreen support, and solutions for those who don't have it:
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Has anybody tried to replace Vista with XP ? I wonder if the drivers for specific peripherals will be available (fingerprints, 8600m gt, etc.) Please help! I'm not staying with Vista if I can do otherwise!

Thank you for this great thread!

 

FYI as store in Toronto, www.lucomputers.com carries the B1 version for $1,499.00.

Any one here had an experience with this store?

 

Hey guys, I really need your help:

I just got an asus F3SA with the same video card as the F8SA (HD2600) with 512.

I got a anoying problem:
I can't get the laptop to display 1640X1050 on a 22 inch screen, using the dvi. with analog is fine.
The 1640X1050 option is just NOT THERE at all under DISPLAY PROPERTIES.

heres the thread:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2759091#post2759091

Any help would greatly appraciated !

 

No way!!!!!!!!! Really in UK is the Sv version? Shot i thought in every europe country is the same SA. Shot i could buy Sv in London too it's not so far away. But it's all after the time. Cheers.

 

I've ordered it from France! Never found any in UK.
It costed me 1200 euros, with external hard drive.

You probably wouldn't like the keyboard layout

 

Hey websto, are you able to connect to an external 22 inch display at 1680X1050 using DVI?
I am asking this cuz i got the exaclty the same video card on my F3SA, but i can't do it

 

Minor updates to original post. Feel free to come with suggestions for improvement and additions.

 

Cebolao,

Make sure your F3SA is identifying your external monitor correctly, model and refresh. You will not get the selection to display 1680x1050 if you are using the wrong monitor model/driver.

 

Thanks, but I have already tried every single conventional method known to men! Everything from trying 3 different monitor to 7 different version of the catalyst to multiple drivers for the monitor.

All I want at this point is to see if someone whos got the same video card as me have the same problem, and if he/she has a solution or know how.

The discution about the problem is here
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2767089#post2767089

 

Hey cebolao. I have no idea if i can, because i don't have an external LCD :/ But i can almost assure you that it is not only your problem. Unofrtunately i always had a lot of problems with ATI cards :/ even now I can't watch wideos on youtube on full screen, because i have just a grey-white screen. Do you have the same problem? If i turn off the hardware acceleration it works properly, but so slooooow. My solution is you should change the drivers. It could help. Try to download a driver to normal not mobility radeon hd 2600 and then mod it with this http://www.driverheaven.net/modtool/ to mobility wersion. It is awlays something wrong with the drivers from ATI :/

BTW: I have different problem. I'm looking for my warranty card, and precisly for the contract code and the password from warranty and i can not find it anywhere. Just of course i have a some warranty book (blue-white) but it's all empty, no information in it. Heeeelp I need it because i want to extend my warranty (there is a possibility on asus page for free. You just need to register your notebook.)

 

OMG!!! never tried full screen utube until just now. WWWWTTTTFFFF is that?
Black and white diagonal half/half?
why is that? and what hardware acceleration u talking about??



Wait you need to register for your wanrrantee to be effective?
I never knew that. I always assumed as long as you have your receipt to prove you date of purchase then i guess it should be fine.

man, more problems, man buying this laptop is turning out to be quite the nightmare!! I was afraid some hidden problems like this would happen!!

MAN i wonder what other **** problem this thing got

 

I mean when you click right mouse buton on the youtube flash video you choose settings and there you have option to turn off hardware acceleration so the accleleration of the grafic card. Well i'm sure that Windows Video (in the web pages) work properly. This Notebook has some mistakes that's right, but in general i'm satisfied ;P. But I'm sure that Sv version with Nvidia is heaven to Sa with Ati (because of the drivers) Ati always makes problems.

 

Hello

A possible solution to your problem.

I have a F8SA, and I mainly connect to an external display. My problem was that I wasn't able to get the native resolution of my screen 1280x1024. I was only able to select either 1280x720 or 768. I tried powerstrip as well but that didnt do anything.

When enabling the external monitor I initially used the "clone" mode, and after som trials and errors I found that if I disabled the main laptopmonitor and put my external as my primary monitor , I was able to get the native resolution of my screen (1280x1024).


I believe this is definitly a driver problem and not hardware or Vista related. Since I'm going to upgrade to a 22" myself I'm interested if this method works for you as it did for me. I will try hooking up my F8 to a 24" on work tomorrow and the what results I can get.

best regards

 

Ya all and all, cant complain about this laptop. The price/feature ratio still makes it worth a while. It's just annoying to have a new problem every 2 weeks!

 

Ya all and all, cant complain about this laptop. The price/feature ratio still makes it worth a while. It's just annoying to have a new problem every 2 weeks!

I have tried that, and it doesn't work In dvi, the resolution of 1680X1050 is still not there.

But here's the good news.
Asus tech support email me back, and told me that they are in the testing phase of a new driver that will solve this problem:

version is V8.44-071116a1-056577C_logo_Vista32_64.

So let's cross fingers and hope it comes out soon enough.

Anybody got any ideas on those drivers?

 

Hi

Hmm....sorry to hear it doesnt work for you.

I just successfully connected to a 24" at work with 1920x1200 without any issues using that method....

But good that asus are on it as well

 

I dont think its an issue of whether or not the video card is capable of getting to that resolution.
Its definitelly driver.

I have been getting a different problem now. I can't shut down my laptop!
ie, The laptop literally wont shut down! I got "shut down" for start menu, after which the laptop just hangs there for 5 mins, then turn off the monitor, and they hangs there with HD moving non stop, and then CRASHES with a BLUE SCREEN, and then a Memory Dump WTF?
After with it restarts, with a HD check and back in to the Windows.!
I never realised this before because I never wanted to turn off my laptop.

Any ideas?

 

Has anyone found an IR Driver for WindowsXP ?

 

Whoo hoo! My sweet new B1 just arrived. I'm in the process of deStickering and deCrapifying it. It is really a beautiful laptop. Thanks EXcaliberpc!

 

Your laptop seems to have WAY too many problems for its own good. See if you can RMA the unit, or just try reformatting and reinstalling Windows. (dunno if you have already tried that, but thats what I would try.)

 

Haha ya, i know. I was thinking about the samething. Both possiblity of RMAing, or reinstall.
But i still would like to figure out what is causing this power/shut down/restart problem. I think might be something to do with windows power management, until i firure it out, the problem might still come back.

Or it might something to do with the new RAM module i installed?

Also, when the computer goes to hybernation, it cant "wake up". So basically i have to force shut it down, and restart.

 

Hello,

Since yesterday I'm a prod owner of a ASUS F8SA. However, I do have some problem with the grafic card, HD2600. When playing COD4 in resolution 1440x900 or 1280x? the system shoots down?!? I was able to game for an hour or so but then for no reason(the was not lagging at any time) the system reboots. Why is that? I have not change any grafic setting or drivers.

Could it be Vista who cause this problem?

Anyway I'm very happy with my ASUS F8SA notebook

 

I don't know if it is related to your problem. But I have had my F8SV-A1 suddenly reboot at several occassions while doing some heavy file transfering (from laptop to external HD).

 

Off top of my head, i m thinking overheating.
Was it getting really hot?

 

Ok figure out the problem.
The whole reason why the laptop cant be shut down is because of the damn ATI TOOL I installed. Even after I unistalled the thing, it didn't reset my original settings.
I had to uninstall the catalyst and reinstall it.

Never in the world i had any idea that ATI was this ****ty with the drivers!!

 

I think its overheating aswell. Normaly the cpu temp is around 50 and GPU 20. While gaming the temp was about 72 on the cpu and 30 for the gpu.

What can I do about overheating?

 

Before I got my F3sa, i was really considering getting an F8SV. The key reason being the fact that everybody who got it said it has exellent heat dicipation qualities, even while OCing.

Now GPU of 20 is unheard of . Thats way too low.
And during OC, people were refering to temp of up to mid 80C as being "good".
And as far as i know, the computer wont crash until it reaches over 100C.

So my guess is either you got a defective model, or your driver is not set correctly.

Also, i almost forgot, HD2600 is known to have TONS, and i mean TONS of driver issues.
I am suffering for it right now, althoght not overheating, but nothing seems to work.
Hopefully, this is solved with their new driver

 

20/30C is way too low for a GPU temperature....And my CPU runs like 75C when gaming all the time, while my GPU goes to the mid-80s. So from what you have said, I don't think its overheating.

 

OK, thanks for info. Is this new driver for ATI Mobility Radeon HD2600 out yet? And what about updating the Catalyst Controll Center? I still have the pre-installed ver. And it seems my problems are driver issues. I ran a tool that told me that the failure would be solved by updating my drivers for HD2600.

What about crossfire? Is this an option fot this videocard?

 

I never tried crossfire, but i believe its for Nvidia. (someone please verify that).

Regarding the new driver: no it's not out yet. I been needing this since day one i got my laptop. According to the Asus tech support, this would solve my problem(DVI output of 1680X1050) along with tones of other, which probably would include yours. The driver is still being tested, the rep will let me know as soon as it's released.(I HOPE SO)

Reinstalling catalyst drivers didnt do squad for me, other than wasting like 12 hours of my time, since i tried every version from 7.4 to 7.11. You might have better luck with your problem.

Just out of curiosity, do you have an external 22inch display? If so can you try hoocking it up thru a dvi?( i still want to be absolutelly sure its driver )

 

My external display only have HDMI and I don't have a DVI->HDMI cable yet. Soon as I try I'll let you know

About installing CCC. Does the newer ver overwrite the old one or do I need to uninstall the older first?

 

What? Really? I thought F8s didn't have HDMI, wth. Oh man, that would probably have won me over to an F8, sh*t

You can install over, but like all drivers, its not recomended, specially ATI. For all my trials, i uninstalled it and intalled a new copy

 

F8 doesn't have HDMI. Only DVI and VGA.

 

oh no, F8 does not have HDMI only DVI. But my tv only have HDMI. That's why I need a DVI -> HDMI cable

 

haha ya my bad, misread it

 

Just got my B1 in today.


It's awesome. Installing Ultimate 64 on it to get 4GB of RAM cause it was such a great price with Gentech.

Then I'm loading up all of my games and seeing what they look like on a great machine.

 

Could any of the lucky owners of a F8SV tell me if you can set up the BIOS to boot from USB? ie from a external USB HD?

The problem with my video card is taking way too long. God know when they Asus gonna release the new driver.
If i can, I want to exchange for an F8SV, but since it doesn't have an eSATA port like the F3SA, i need to know if i can boot from usb.

Thanks

 

I'm happy to be part of the F8 owners lounge

Just recently got my F8Sv-B1, it's a great notebook

 

afaik, you cannot ever boot and run Windows from an external drive - has to do with hardware limitations/mapping or something. Others may have more detailed insights.

 

Are you sure about that
Cuz i just checked my bios and it offers bootting from removable usb devices. In fact i have a usb memory card adaptor(sd, memory stick, mini sd, etc) pluged in when i went into bios, and i saw all 7 "drives" under boot sequence option.

Called Asus tech support, and they told me its normal too.
As long as the bios have it.
So thats why I am asking to those who has the F8SV to take a look in their bios

 

New signature.

 

There are other OSes oher than Windows, you know... As far as I know you can boot linux from a USB device, but not Windows. When Windows starts there is a moment that it scans the hardware, and If I'm not mistalen, at that time you loose connection to the USB ports. Thus, if you're running the OS from a USB you'll lose the necessary connection.

 

YEP

Wow, interesting.
I was really surprized that my wireless usb keyboard and mouse worked when i was setting up the BIOS, and i found that out by accident
But its awsome, cuz this means its BIOS thats taking care of the usb.
Ya linux is good, and i cant imagine how fast my system would be running that, but the hassle are the drivers. Fingerprint reader, the webcan, and SPECIALLY the video card! Heck if ATI can't even make their card to work windows, can't wait to see that it does with linux

Ok so no usb, but what about eSATA? Can i boot from that?
and which Linux is the best? I haven't used Linux that much. I was told tha Ubutu is the best