~U3S Owners Lounge~

I'm waiting from the paycheck in fact. I had to spend on something else recently... I'll place my order as soon as I get paid!

 

I going to try to get a review up in a couple weeks. Basically I am swamped with midterms right now. It will be my first time doing a review, after I started working on the review I found out to do something thorough, a weekend is not enough.

Basically I had time at the beginning of the semester but now its all about the crunch time.

 

We will wait for you...lol take your time dude

 

I just got my u3s in the other day. I had to setup vista to my liking, and now I need to install linux on it (I intend on creating a fairly simple walkthrough for asus users to follow using Ubuntu 7.10).

Overall I love the laptop. It does get a tad hot from the dedicated card, but it's not enough to bother me. I'll hopefully write up a review in the next few days (midterms for me as well).

Oh, and buy it with the external cd drive btw -- you need it to install the map software, and such.

 

I can provide you some black colour version U3S pictures for your review, please pm me if you need them...cheers

 

Can you post some of them here Kennyy?

 

Newegg usually has pretty good pictures of their products. Check out the U3S product page on Newegg.

 

I have made some photos comparing the size of U3S with my gf's Vaio S series

They both 13'3 inch but very obvious Vaio is smaller then Asus...

check out the pics

 

Just a heads up -- The Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon release runs like a champ on the u3s.

I had to add a switch script to the init.d to toggle the proper xorg.conf for the selected video card, but otherwise I had no issues. It actually runs blazingly fast on the computer. Only issue right now is the sound not working (looks to be an alsa bug?). I'll try to get a little write-up and such for it as soon as I'm done with midterms.

 

Do you consider that the battery life is poor?

 

Many people have mentioned that Dell M1330 and Sony SZ6 have longer battery life than the U3S. Personally, I'm ok with the 3 hours battery life. If I really want something that'll last me all day long, I'd pick up a Thinkpad X series

I'd buy the U3S again over a Dell or Sony, since it's cheaper and have more connectivity options (eSATA, HDMI). If Dell and Sony decides to lower their price and add eSATA/HDMI, then I'd have to reconsider.

 

is there any heat issue or fan issue (such as loud fan) in the U3S? my friend want to know

 

If you push the CPU and GPU, the fan noise will be noticible. For web/email and battery saving setting, you can barely hear the fan.

The notebook is cool to the touch regardless of what you do.

 

I can vouch for the cool to touch, but when plugged in don't use performance mode with the 8400 on. Otherwise it gets hot real fast.

Use the other options if you can, and that all you really need. You only need that speed if your gaming.

Eugenes, did you notice the battery life improve after some updates?

 

Does anyone have a solution for how one could use duel external monitors with this machine?

 

I thought the battery life was a settled issue... It seems to me that 3 hours is enough and, considering the two closest competitors (SZ6 and M1330), the U3's life is shorter but then again the U3 is around $500 less. Your choice.

Kenny:
if the U3S is bigger than your gf's Vaio, it doesn't really show on the pics! I really looked hard and besides the U3 being slightly larger (in the sense of width) I think in fact the U3 *looks* smaller on those pics. First the U3 seems thinner (and I am sure it actually is), and second the U3's edges are kind of "cut" which reinforced the thin aspect.
But thanks for the pics!!!

 

I've only used duel displays with the HDMI port. Vista/Nvidia driver will automatically detect something plugged into the port and give you options for displaying on the LCD and external display.

I'm not sure if it's possible to use both the HDMI port and VGA port at the same time.

 

I haven't done any formal tests, but the latest MS (Oct 1st) updates seems to improve battery life a little (at most 30 minutes).

I'm actually thinking about picking up the U1F and giving my sister the U3. She needs a new notebook and I could use something even more portable

 

hey, i was wondering if any of you guys tried half-life 2 campaign. what kind of FPS did you guys get? you can just type in cl_showfps 1 in the console and check

 

i get the notebook today and my first impression is that it is very nice

but one problem .. the speed fan.... it runs all the time, how could i get it more silent? (Battery Saving Mode is at the moment on)

 

Are you using the integrated GPU or 8600M? I can barely hear the fan when running on battery saving mode, regardless of the graphics chip used. Your hearing might just be a lot more sensitive than mine.

 

Don't forget to flash your bios with the latest version (mine shipped with a 2 version-ago release). It fixed a lot of bugs with video and sound

As for the sound, on the onboard card you should barely hear it. On dedicated I can barely hear it regardless (but I do use it on a cooler pad).

 

Anyone has installed windows xp?

 

does anyone use "non" asus Tools to step the CPU /GPU?

like speedswitch..

i think in battery mode for example it should be possible to get the cpu fan @minimal speed....
I really hate it if the fan is running and the cpu is in idle...

T7500 -> TPM = 34Watt and a "banias - 1,5Ghz P-M" probably the same...

 

I wouldn't mess with fan speed settings if I were you.

 

How's the GPS function? Does it recalculate routes fast, if you miss a turn? How about the maps? Will I be able to plan my route, from Detroit to Toronto? THnX!

 

My itch for buying a laptop has returned. I was going to get a V2S back in August, but the delay, gimped video card, and battery life made me back out. I've changed my needs somewhat since then. Battery life has become a greater want over gaming ability. I still want some gaming functionality, but it's not a great need. Basically the Dell 1330 and the Sony SZ are what I want now, but the price tag is not. So that led me here to the U3S.

I have enjoyed reading this thread and all the great information. Thanks by-the-way! I have some questions though...

1. GPS functionality? This feature is one reason I want this laptop.
2. Travel weight? (Laptop, DVD drive, mouse, bag, etc)
3. Ubuntu battery life? Thinking of dual booting, curious if battery life is similar in ubuntu.
4. I imagine I'll be using integrated graphics most of the time, but I'm curious how long the reboot time is?
5. Is there still a full user review still in the works? ETA?
6. Owners, would you recommend this laptop? Simple question to sum things up.

I like to do tons of research before I buy something this expensive, hence the questions. Thanks in advance.

 

balzerco,

I'm also in the market for a new laptop since my vaio vgn-a150 died. Right now, I'm considering either the v2s-b1 or the us3-a1b.

1. The gps uses NavMate software from Horizon Navigation Inc. I believe you can find a copy of the user manual somewhere in the forum, I saw it the other day. I'm not sure if the gps built inside the u3 contains a sirf star iii chip (the best gps receiver chip currently) as I couldn't find any info. Most sites just list the gps as "integrated gps".

I checked out the Horizon Nav website and it appears that future map updates will be pricey. They split the map into different regions, and you can spend up to $300 upgrading all 9 maps!
http://www.horizonnav.com

I guess a more feasible option for map upgrade is to get Microsoft Streets and Tips 200x in the future, as you will only pay $40- $50 for the software with complete updated North American maps.
2. Various sites list different weights for the laptop, from 3.9 - 4.2 lbs. And slim external dvd drives weigh from 0.91 to 2.7 lbs, so I guess at least 7+ lbs.
3. not sure
4. I'm guessing it depends on how you've tweaked your vista.
5. Most complete review to date.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/notebooks/review/2007/08/23/Exclusive-Asus-U3-Hands-On/p5

Now if I could only decide, to get v2 or u3!

 

It's worth noting that the production U3 does not have an LED backlit display even though the unit in that review does.

 

Balzerco, here's some answers:


1. I have it, but I haven't really tested it (since it's in Vista only and I typically am running Ubuntu). I'll check in a few minutes for you though

2. Overall I'd say about 5-6lbs with everything. I have the laptop (very light), cooling pad (for gaming reasons), mouse, and charger. It's far less than my old notebook for sure.

3. It claims 2 hours right now at full charge. I haven't installed a proper speed stepper to help throttle it all, and that's on the dedicated card. I'll check on the integrated soon.

4. Reboot is fast (especially for Ubuntu), Vista itself is a bit slower since it loads everything in the world. I'll try to grab #'s soon.

5. As soon as I don't have exams and projects due back-to-back

6. I would recommend it. I originally thought the leather wrist pad would be horrid, but actually love it now (as do my friends). It's a hard texture, not a real "leather" feel to it. Also, my friends are rather jealous of the laptop. It really outshines its class as far as metallic look, shiny-ness, and overall weight are concerned. The one thing that angers me is the touchpad mouse buttons are hard to push at the top, so you need to get use to pushing them near the bottom. Otherwise, it's wonderful.

 

Thanks D3R3K and Scythe for the quick response and info. I'm pretty much sold on getting this laptop, just waiting for my next paycheck. As for more info on the gps functionality, I'm just mainly curious as to whether it's useful or not. Like can it easily be used in a car for turn-by-turn directions or is it just a nifty, but not so useful gadget. So yeah, just a users general feel on it's functionality would be much appreciated.

 

Sorry for sort-of jumping in like that, but this thing does not have LED display does it? Also what is the weight and dimensions? Thanks!

 

radx, the NA version does NOT have a LED display. From the way I understand it the European version does have the LED display, but minus the GPS. I could be wrong on the European part, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Dimension: 12.4"(W) x 9.5"(D) x 0.87-1.3"(H)
Weight: 3.9 lbs

 

Scythe,

So the leather texture is more like Louis Vuiton bags (kind of stiff, plasticky like)? Have you noticed any wear and tear so far? How about color discoloration? Do you have the black or white u3? The white one looks really nice, but I'm concerned about getting stains on the leather, as I have sweaty palms.

Did you get the original ASUS external dvd drive ($169) or another brand? I saw a Sony slim one on tigerdirect.com for a lot less:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...u=S167-1017&SRCCODE=CNETFEED&CMP=OTC-CNETFEED

 

I don't think the EU version has the LED screen. They would brag about it in every store -- and I've checked 5 stores, noone says anything about it. Chances are it doesn't have it.

 

I'm buying one! Found one for $1735CA with tax in my province.

Now I just have to decide, Black or White? and I can't decide.

 

I would get a black for now, those white eepc that have come out look very similar to this pc when closed(judging from pictures).Don't get me wrong, the white is really nice, but those eepc look so similar and soon we are going to see a flood of eepc soon on the market. I think I have time to do the review now. I will try to get something done by sunday night.

The leather is really really durable. You can scratch it as hard as you can with your nail(atleast the white) and you could not make a mark. I would akin the leather to the leather in a car dashboard. The texture is in a way similar to the louis vuitton canvas.

I don't think stains would be a problem, it doesn't seem like the absorbent leather.

I didn't get the external drive for the u3s. I didn't like the asus one because it is silver in colour which doesn't exactly match a white notebook.

I want to get the white one of these when it comes out.
http://www.techgadgets.in/periphera...-ultra-thin-usb-powered-external-dvd-burners/

Battery life for me is 2.20 hours if I leave the dedicated on.

For classroom purposes here is the battery life I get on power saving mode and integrated graphics.

3 hours and 20 minutes with 30 percent screen and wifi on.

If you use as a typing machine in class with wifi off. I was typing for about 3 hours straight and I still had 33 percent battery left. So I am imagining 4 and a half hours with I would say 25 percent brightness. All these results have no BT on.

Also these number take into account taking off the sidebar which is a huge battery killer.

 

Hi tajoh111,

Could you test out the gps in a vehicle? I'm going to Toronto from Michigan for Thanksgiving break and was wondering if the software would be helpful since my standalone gps only has US maps. I've seen screenshots of the navigation software but that doesn't tell me how good the u3 picks up the signal. I've asked Excaliber PC whether is has a sirf star iii chip, and they're getting back to me on that.

If the software sucks, then I may be better off just getting a v2s-b1. If you factor in the the 1gb ram upgrade (total of 2.5 gb) and the external dvd drive, the price is almost the same.

 

Forgot to ask, does your leather smell different from your initial purchase? Like funky? Have you applied anything to protect it? I've own several leather jackets and it was troublesome to take care of them. "Leather is like skin", if you don't condition it on a regular basis, it will become dry and crack, and maybe even have dry rot.

 

Heard back from Excaliber PC and they said "The U3S uses Azurewave GPS module". From my brief research, Azurewave is a TW company that provides various chips. Here's the info on the gps module:

http://www.azurewave.com/product_GPS-M01_1.asp

I'm not too sure how this compares with the sirf star iii chip.

 

My leather didn't have any peculiar smells like a leather protector or anything. The software is OK. The details the map gives you are not the most detailed but it will get you to your destination. Its definitely not up to a nuvi.

A few things I don't like so far about it.

1. When it says proceed to the starting area for the beginning for the route of of your trip, the starting point can be a bit far and I would rather it take you there with directions(it does have the direction your should follow as a shaded portion on the map).
2. The detail on the map could be better.

3. I wish it was like other gps that say take next turn in 200m in the voice prompt like the garmins. It basically it will tell your turn is coming up and when you are super close to your turn it will beep. So I wish the voice prompts had more detail.

4. I wish entering your destination was as seemless as a garmin. Garmins all you have to do is enter the address. For this Gps you have to enter the city and then your address. I wish you could set it so that it just knows the city you are in.

I say would say this about the GPS. Its very useful and will get you to your destination. However something like a Nuvi, which is far more portable, better as gps(voice prompts, map details) and ease are worth the extra money if you have it. Dont toss out your garmin if you have one. But if you only have a map and this is your only option, its much better than a map.

 

1. + 4. That's quite odd. With my Mio gps, only thing I need to do is enter the "route to address" and then it will calculate my direction based on my current location. For the u3, if you have no idea where you are, sounds like you're screwed cause you can't enter in your current location.

3. Sounds inconvenient, especially if used in an urban environment like Toronto, where so many streets interconnect .

Have you used MS streets and trips 2008 before? I'm guessing that software sounds more useful than the Navmate. (approx $ 90)

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3949

 

How you mount your U3s? Or u just put it at the passenger seat?

 

Haven't tried it, but I still feel it will get you there.

The safety of the gps improves greatly when their is someone else in the car to clarify the directions. When you use a gps the best way to use it safetly is not to look at the screen at all and rely on voice prompts. On consecutive turns this wouldn't give you the best directions, but if you look at the map on the screen it would tell you need to turn after even those the voice might not keep up.

I live in a small city of about 200,000 people so I can't put this gps through the gauntlet.
I just passenger seat it. I guess if I wanted I could put the seat belt on if you want a ghetto mounting method.

The best thing to do is have a passenger have it and hold it seriously.

 

tajoh,

Did the software recalculate your route if you missed a turn, etc?
Do you think this will work w/the MS streets by itself? There is a version of that program w/o the gps for around $40 I believe.

Then again, it might be inconvenient as I believe MS streets runs off the dvd and for the u3, you need to connect it to an external dvd player.

 

Can I ask just ask, people who own this laptop. Which color do you own? and why did you choose it?

Thanks, im having trouble deciding between white or black.

 

white. because I already have a black notebook.

 

there is a "new" review on a UK website (01/17/07) http://www.tech.co.uk/gadgets/portable-video/digital-video-players-and-recorders/review/asus-u3 , testing the uk led version. battery time seems to be quite a bit better with this display, although the price difference compared to the us or german version is very big.

not sure though if the review is legit, found the exact same text on an other website...... very short too.

btw: in germany the first version doesnt have gps or 3G but the external drive is included and vista ultimate.
a new one popped up last week having 3G, but costing some 400 euros more (only one dealer has it right now)

h

 

there is a new bios version - 205

205 2007/10/24 update
OS All OS / Vista 32bit
Description BIOS 205
Update EC BIOS v1000B8F to fix that battery pre-charge fail
File Size 506.18 (KBytes)


-> i have the european version - no LED Display.. no 3G/GPS

Package:
ext. LW (burner)
Notebook^^
cables
bag
cover for the notebook (if the bag is too big...)
vista ultimate recovery dvd
...

does anyone run xp on this notebook?

 

To current owners:

How does your u3 handle vista with 1.5 gb of ram? Is it necessary to upgrade? A lot of ppl recommend using at least 2 gb for vista.

And if I wanted to upgrade the ram, would I need to unscrew every single screw on the bottom, or can I just access the specific compartment like the G1s? Could you guys post a pic of the bottom please!

I'm no cpu techie so I would be doing this for the first time. I was reading a DIY guide and the person said if you didn't have that compartment "then it will probably require installation from an authorized technician."