~Asus G73JH-X1 Official Owner's and Technical Upgrade Enthusiast's Thread~

THIS IS THE OFFICIAL THREAD FOR UPGRADING, HACKING, MODDING THE G73 X-1.

ALSO FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR BENCHES AND EXPERIENCES.


We need a thread for owners of the X-1 to congregate and share tips. For $1,400 today many of us just got a machine that has the same hardware guts as the super expensive A-1 minus a hard drive and Blu-ray ROM.


My X-1 will be here tomorrow. I plan to turn it into an A1 killer.

Better actually.

I am going to go with dual SSDs in Raid 0 and replace the DVD drive with a Blu-ray drive.

This thread will serve for those of us that buy X-1s for the basic components (5870, LED screen, Intel Quad, 8GB etc.) to congregate and share tips, reviews and upgrade info to actually make our laptops better.

I will share my review tomorrow at 10AM when it arrives and share pics and installation info to make the upgrades easier should other users also want to do this and surpass the A1 in every way!

Post here if you got an X1, whether you plan to use it barebones or are going to take it to the next level!

 

I love your enthusiasm, but there are several critical errors. First, you probably don't need your own thread since it is essentially the same machine as the other variants.

Second, you didn't read the other threads closely enough because you would have realized two things.

1. There is no raid option for the G73. It was a typo.
2. Raiding an SSD yields diminishing returns in the same vein as a tri-sli setup on a game that only supports one gpu.

Welcome to the fold though!

 

There is a second open bay.

I called and confirmed this @ NewEgg before buying the X1.

 

But there's not an option to stripe them in a RAID array in the BIOS. You'll have to just use it as a secondary drive.

 

You are correct. Unfortunately there is no Raid option in the BIOS rendering a second drive useless for RAID purposes. You can always use Windows Disk Management and set up a software RAID, but...

That's what I'm doing... Don't forget about the blu ray drive that separates the A1 from the A2...

 

This is most unfortunate.

If that is the case - I will move the OS and major applications onto a single SSD and use the 500GB for storage.

Still the X-1 or A-1 are the only deals - I don't understand buying a A2 for almost the price of the A-1 for only a 500GB HD.

I can buy a 500GB HD and put it in for less than the price difference.

 

Well, first off, All three models are deals.

The X1 is perfect for those that are planning on buying their own SSD and install themselves so they don't have to find an additional use for their unused 500GB. Additionally, it has the same benefit as the A2.

The A2 is for those who really want a blue ray burner and not just a reader (or don't want either). No one wants to pay $250 for an upgrade when they can do it themselves for a lot cheaper, an then they also have a blue ray reader drive that is left over that they gotta find a use for.

The A1 is for those who want it exactly as it is and either don't know how to upgrade on their own, or think it is perfect as it is. Or are blowing enough of there money on a steal of a deal, bad laptop, and don't have the money to spend on a SSD or a blueray burner at this time but still wanted to be able to play blue rays and needed more than 500GB.

Now the whole $1400 for the X1, where did u find this at. I'm assuming u rounded down as many places said newegg had it the cheapest at $1429.99 a couple of days ago and now I just looked on there and it is $1449.99 plus $16.51 for shipping.

So lets compare oranges to oranges for a second. My A2 is coming in at the end of the week, with free shipping, upgraded to the intel 5300 (Im gonna have to find a way to get another antenna so I can mod it in), and it cost me $1502. So at the most I paid $56 for a wifi link N 5300 and a 500GB 7200RPM HDD.

Come to think of it, your right, I got ripped off! OHNO! LOL

 

I just ordered the X1. I had orderd a M17x, but they just delayed it again, from the 4th, to the 16th, now the 22 of Feb. I am sure I will be happy with this bad boy, and saved my self a hunk of cash too. I can even get the wife a new lappy with the extra money.

 

And 1 year of extra warranty! unlocked achievement - deal breaker

 

Where did you pay that price with an added intel 5300? I'm not finding that anywhere.

 

Sorry, could someone points me to post regarding RAID on G73JH? I saw the bios settings on YouTube - at least I did not see any RAID options there ....

Still there is only one BIOS version for all models on ASUS support site so there is a high chance there is a RAID controller or at least I hope so.

 

According to the user manual ( page 17) on ASUS web site there is a model with only 2 RAM slots 1 and 3. Could someone confirm that with X1 this is not the case?

 

Newegg raised the price of the X1 since I bought it.

I think they also realized that you could buy the X1 and get a 500GB HD for less than the cost of a A2.

They also lowered the price of the A2.

So people who bought the A2 immediately at the higher price got double ripped off.

Mine will be here in about 4 hours!!!

 

Please, werry333, post a little something on the second bay, RAID controller, and RAM slots... Please! Though I already ordered an X1...

 

A user in another thread is also reporting, who has had one hands on that the dvd drive is easily removed and should be able to upgrade to a blu-ray with just some screws!

I will wait until I see mine but that would be perfect news.

 

Also according to the technical PDF I downloaded:

THERE IS NO RAID on ANY of the G73s, no matter X-1, A-2, or A-1. So there will be no raid possible unless you try to do it through software add-on.

The native BIOS does not support RAID and any website advertising it is wrong.

 

Thanks a lot A bad news for me ... I will have to use a Patriot Torqx SSD and a seagate 500GB. We will have to wait and see if the new 750 and 1Tb 12.5mm 2,5'' will fit in ...

 

What technical PDF, link?

 

I don't have a direct link. I was able to download the user manual when my order shipped.

 

Do you want me to upload it to rapidshare or something?

Also it looks like the extra hard drive will go in the bottom.

 

Yes please

 

full service manual would be better.

 

Images are up.

Review and technical help to follow!

 

LOL I literally did a fist pump when I found out the X-1 had a 2 year warranty

 

Hard drive bay please!

And yeah, I did too Sloth- that and the 1333mhz RAM.

 

Just an FYI, we already have an owners thread for Asus G73 (I'm sorry but small options likes optical drives and hard drives do not constitute different machines). The thread over in the owner's lounge is head up by Viscousxusmc who is a LONG time community member and contributor. Viscous has owned almost every Asus gaming laptop in the past several years and has provided this community with years of help and support.

 

If you don't want me to post this here I won't.

Happy to keep images and mods to myself if they are not wanted.

 

I think he's saying that you may aswell put them on that thread. Or just make this thread an upgrades thread, not an owners one, cause we got that already.

 

I can confirm my 8GB RAM running at 1333Mhz, and the warranty card says 2 year GLOBAL warranty.

Just to dispel the misinformation.

 

Not saying your contributions are not welcome or wanted because we can only benefit from more people contributing. As TheCheat pointed out, I'm just letting you know we have an owners lounge already set up and running and there are some EXTREMELEY knowledgeable members contributing awesome information in that thread and it would be a mistake to try and break away from that because of very minor differences in our machines. ViciousXUSMC has had his G73 for a couple days now and is only a few more away from posting one of his fantastic ultra in depth reviews.

There are currently 4 threads I am having to follow on the G73, the 3 out here and the 1 in owners' lounge. Would be nice if everything was consolidated so people could just look at one thread for all the information. As it stands now we have to scan 4 threads to make sure we don't miss anything or posters with good information will need to post it 4 different times.

 

Any chance of a pic of the caddy already installed or a shot of the bay? I've already already started to fabricate one but I just need to figure out if how it attaches to frame/board is like a G71 or not.

 

Werry could you do me a massive favour and measure the exact weight and dimensions of the retail box?

Will be lots of rep in it for you

 

The LED back-light keys are fantastic!!!

It is going to be SUPER EASY to upgrade the optical drive. This one is very standard and you can probably just use the bezel method.

The HD too will be easy - I am in the process of taking another HD bay from an old ASUS laptop and it looks like it will be plug and play.

Not everyone has an old ASUS laptop on hand so you may need to experiment.

Another round of pics coming once I get some things working.

Will also post benches soon.

 

If the caddy works for you, please let us know the make and model of your laptop it came from. At minimum, people could order it online or ebay.

*edit* Clientterror, check out sleey0's signature. There's a pdf of the G73 that shows the caddies in detail.

*edit 2* http://cid-53b6a6af4ef065d6.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/G73 Series Chapter 02-v1.0.pdf is the link. Sleey0, if you want me to remove that, please let me know and I'll be happy to. It's the only one I've seen though.

 

Is this the caddy you are trying to use by chance?



*Edit* OMG thanks a ton Aramis +1 rep for you and sleepy =D

 

OMG the bloatware.

This is going to take a while, apologies.

 

I'm working as fast as humanly possible I am going to get the bloatware off and prepare the machine before installing the SSD.

Pics are coming - this is going to take all afternoon - but I think I have the drive bay issue solved, although it is not installed yet so I cannot say for sure until it is functioning!

 

This is correct.

 

Also happy to report that it passed the tests and I have zero dead or stuck pixels which is a relief.

Actually the screen is amazing in its picture quality.

I'm sure from the LED.

 

Gonna ask possibly a stupid question here. Why are you uninstalling the bloatware on the original drive when you're just going to wipe it and install the OS on the SSD? Or are you going to bench it before the SSD and after?

 

^

I was thinking the same. lol

 

I am going to install the SSD as a secondary drive to make sure my custom drive mount is okay and everything is recognized by Windows 7 and the BIOS, run some tests etc.

Then swap the OS to eventually run off the SSD. I am not doing a clean W7 install today - just want proof of concept first and some testing to be cautious.

Probably won't get around to that OS switch until the weekend, just want to prove that a second drive is possible and that this one will work, then benches.

It will also let me know what I gained from the SSD. This is my first one so I am curious to compare.

 

Ah ok gotcha

 

werry333, come on sir!! Put some video with some crysis, and benchmarks!! Bored from looking to same photos/videos

 

I think NewEgg just raised the price again - must be only a very few left.

My one complaint is the tactile feedback on the keyboard is VERY strange to me and will take a lot of getting used to - I keep mistyping.

I should have the SSD up shortly and a bonch for you

 

So it's 2 years warranty on the card? How abt the underside of the laptop? What does it say?

 

^

Warranty: 24M

 

Back of lappy from Neweggs website....Yea 24 months

 

Told ya Asus won't sell a machine through newegg with a gimped version of their warranty. Only through WorstBuy.

 

hey,werry333, Do you think you could share some information about the caddy you're using to keep your SSD ? because I'm also thinking about getting a SSD as my primary drive. I know you're taking another HD bay from an old ASUS laptop. However, this doesn't work out for me since I don't have a Asus laptop. So, any idea where I can get a decent caddy which would work with X1?