Zenbook 3 XG Station?

You guys think the Zenbook will support the new XG Station?

I think this is my slim and light winner since it packs in a full core i7 instead of a gimped U version.

I was going to go for a pascal refreshed Razer blade but I dont know now. It would be more expensive with a razer core but I could game anywhere with it.

Decisions Decisions

 

Yep, this is probably my next laptop. It's not just that it's light and full powered at 2 lbs, but also that it's so compact. The smaller physical size makes it super appealing. There's the Samsung Notebook 9 13" that weighs even less 1.86 lb, but it's physically so much larger. Combine that with a docking solution for gaming, and it would be perfection.

 

Do we know its Thunderbolt 3 for sure? I got mixed responses reading those reviews.

 

I'm as lost as you on that. I'm guessing probably not because they would have flaunted that feature to belittle the MacBook and exalt the Zenbook even more. Nothing comes up whne doing a Ctrl+F for "thunder" on the official page. Surely it would have been mentioned if it were present.

Official Page: https://www.asus.com/Notebooks/ASUS-ZenBook-3-UX390UA/

 

Looks to be USB 3.1 only; no Thunderbolt.

Still a really nice system.

 

@Raptor5150 the only 3 laptops that Asus advertises as working / supported with the ROG XG Station 2 are the Transformer 3 Pro (2 models) and the ROG Strix GL702.

ASUS Transformer 3 Pro + ROG XG Station 2 (Computex 2016)


Asus ROG Strix GTX 1080 & XG Station 2 Graphics Dock (Computex 2016) | Allround-PC.com

 

Yeah, ASUS announced the GL502 and the GL702. Both come with a 6700HQ and an onboard 980m. Both are light and thin...I'm VERY interested to see how they do with heat management. The GL702 has a TB3 port and is definitely going to be compatible with the XG2. The GL502 has dual USB Type-C ports so I'm not sure...I'm pretty sure I read or saw somewhere that the XG2 has two different types of connectors--a way to hook up via TB3 and a way to hook up via USB T-C. Regardless, I'm very interested in pricing and availability for both. The 980m will be a decent upgrade over the 970m in my MSI GS70 and being able to connect to the XG2 will be the icing on the cake. Although, I'm interested in the GL502 more. If the GL702 is anything like the GS70 I currently have, it's very hard to find bags that it will fit into. I'd much rather get the GL502 and not have to worry about it anymore.

 

Geez man, really? Too hard to find a bag?

There are lots of 17" plus bags, from $40-$400, there is no problem to find a backpack, or a messenger bag, or a satchel, or a briefcase.

The GL502 in it's current design won't support connecting with the ROG XG Station 2, it's sad, but there it is. Timing.

The GL702 looks a lot svelter than the previous 980m/970m Asus models, way thinner.

You get used to carrying what you carry, but even so, whose to say you have to have 1 laptop only?

Carry an ultra-light note taking device with you when walking around.

Keep the laptop for desk use where you can plug in - like at the office, friends, coffee shops, libraries, bookstores, airports, hotels, all the places you take a computer to set up temporarily to work like you do at home.

It's really not difficult to carry a 17" or 18" laptop everywhere, you just do it

You could get a Transformer 3 Pro + ROG XG Station 2, that TF3 Pro is very light

 

Asus has changed the way they interface, starting not using TB3 because it doesn't have enough bandwidth on it's own... yes, that's right

Asus tried to dual purpose connectors - providing PCIE x4 through USB-C ports - not standard and not implemented on any other Asus laptops than the experimental one(s) they had.

The current version, from what I can gather from the little info available, is using a TB3 link and supplementing that bandwidth with a 10-20Gbit USB-C standard connector - but it is likely higher bandwidth- 20Gbit/sec - than would normally be in the same class laptop - 10Gbit/sec - bumped up in expectation of using it with the TB3 port for use with the ROG XG Station 2.

 

I do carry it regardless. I've tried five different cases/backpacks that were supposedly made for 17" laptops...some don't fit the GS70 at all and the two that do fit, have the corners of the laptop stretching out the corners of the bag so that if the bag falls on any of the corners, it's practically not protecting the laptop at all. That being said, I make do and I'm careful while carrying it. It's not a deal-breaker for me, just an inconvenience. And part of the reason why so interested in the whole eGPU market is because I do not want to carry around two machines. If I didn't care about that simple fact, I most-likely would get the Transformer 3 Pro as it's a very nice piece of technology. However, since the Transformer 3 Pro can only be paired with a 6500u, I'd prefer to get a proper gaming laptop with a quad-core processor. That's what brings me here--investigating the GL702.

As long as the GL702 and the XG2 are both priced reasonably, that is probably what I'll go with. The Razer Blade 14 and Razer Core are at least $2,400 for both components. As long as ASUS can price the XG2 lower than that and keep the GL702 decently under $2,000; they'll have no problems selling their products.

 

The 6500U in the Razer Stealth does work "ok" with the eGPU Core, and paired with a 980ti / 1080 would do for gaming performance, not as good as a quad core CPU, but likely for some more than good enough for 1080p gaming.

The Transformer 3 Pro + XG 2 should do as well, maybe even better given Asus makes available more bandwidth than just the single TB3

The GL702 980m + XG2 might be around the same cost as the Razer Stealth+Core, but you are getting a real laptop, with a Quad core CPU and a 980m.

Maybe if Asus offer the GL702 with a 970m it will be closer to $2000 for the XG2 eGPU setup.

Case shopping can be disappointing, that's why I bring the laptop with me and run down the line of available backpacks - but I live in an area with many retail stores that stock lots of different backpacks. If I had to do mail order only, it would be much more frustrating.

It's really not that tough to support more than 1 computer, and in fact I can't imagine being constrained by having only 1 computer... if it goes down, what am I supposed to use to get work done??

Besides, do you really want to carry 100's of GB's of Steam / Battle.net / Uplay / Origin / GOG / etc /etc game libraries in your everyday carry laptop?

Seems like a waste of limited space, and something that can be optimized out and left at home, in an external high speed storage, or a desktop, or a second laptop also carried but only set up when you can plug in.

 

Will the Transformer 3 have a U i7 in it or a full i7?

 

https://www.asus.com/2-in-1-PCs/ASUS-Transformer-3-Pro-T303UA/specifications/

 

It's a shame they couldn't include TB3 in the Zenbook 3 as well. Would have been ideal. Maybe not enough room for the controller unlike the Transformer Pro 3. The regular more compact Transformer 3 also has TB3 strangely. Maybe the Kaby Lake chipset will have native support?

Does anyone know if the Zenbook 3 has USB 3.1 Gen 1 or Gen 2?