Gigabyte U2442 Line

I'm very much looking forward to this getting released now. It hadn't been on my radar before because I was looking for something with an optical drive. I had a brief think about it and then realised I use my current optical drive maybe once every couple of months. I think an external one will suffice.

Oh and here's some sexy photos from a Chinese (or somewhere far-east) unboxing: 这，才是超极本-GIGABYTE U2442 开箱-笔电控-数字尾巴

 

other shops are now saying 24th sept release date
GIGABYTE Extreme U2442V Ultrabook 9WU2442V0-GB-A-002 - Laptops Direct

 

In Germany it is definitely available, I have it in my hands ;-))

Gigabyte Ultrabook U2442N 35,65 cm (14") mit 1600 x 900dpi in edlem Silber/Gold Intel® Core

 

Yes, and we're all still eagerly awaiting your detailed video review + teardown!

FWIW, it looks like UK and Australia are getting it next, and I guess US last (not sure about South America!).

-Matt

 

What exactly do you want to know? As I already said, it is really sexy and light, but perceivably out of plastic. I am a bit worried whether it will be OK for a longer time, in particular about hinges (they are not so stable anyway)... But there are at least no current signs that something will break.

I really like the display (1600:900 is relly cool), keyboard and touchpad - bad that's definitely matter of taste. The touchpad seems to have some short interrupts... Still need to check that.

Performance-wise: I do not have a lot of comparison. I have never used benchmarking, and I am not a gamer. I am running a soecial software, produced by my own company, making extensive use of the GPU. And this is running like hell (as expected).

The rest is a lot of office work, not really challenging.

I have already posted the built-in SSD and HDD.

Sound of the speakers is definitely not overwhelming, but it is OK.

Anything else?

 

You know I was teasing, right? A video overview would be great, but that's asking a lot.

Here's a simple question (I asked another owner, but don't remember if they answered): please describe the temps on the palmrest (and trackpad) under normal load. Try to provide more detail than "about body temperate" or "slightly warm". It's a big usability detail for me, so the more descriptive you are, the better!

Thanks!

-Matt

 

Video review is definitely too much, and I am not an expert anyway, so it wouldn't be awfully helpful ;-))

Temperature is amazing in my eyes. I tried normal office work, playing videos (full HD videos in MTS format, should be quite a challenge), and some special software which should really stress GPU and CPU. I couldn't detect so far that it exceed room temperature (~20°). I try to take care a bit more about temperature in the next days than I did in the first days... And then Ill let you know if my current impression is not correct.

 

Wonderful, thanks.

-Matt

 

Im holding out for the V - ive waited this long - any longer and I might as well wait for Haswell though!

 

What about the touchpad? Multifingers, gestures etc?

 

Grmpf, I have never used multi-fingers, gestures etc.... If you tell me how to do that and what to test it, I am happy to learn and tell you whether it works ;-))

 

The basilar thing for me is two-finger scrolling, swipe down with 2 fingers and for example the web page will go down. The old touchpad did have a zone in the border to use with one finger, very uncomfortable.
Another basilar is the 2 fingers touch, thats emulate the 3rd button of a mouse, useful to click on a link and it'll be opened in another tab.

There are a lot of things like these, from pinch-to-zoom to tree/four-fingers swipe. If the touchpad supports them, you surely have a configuration tool.

 

How is the noise during normal eg web browsing? Was also wondering if there was any temp/noise comparison between v and m CPUs?

 

Thanks for the lesson! Man, that's cool! Didn't know that... 2 finger scroll works. Zoom in/out works. 2 finger touch does NOT open the link in another tab (not sure where to configure in IE).

Where the hell can I configure the gestures? Can't find it...

Noise: sometimes the fan starts for a couple of seconds. I guess other users have reported that as well. But maybe I should reboot, I think this happend just since yesterday. Have not rebooted for 4 days now...

 

Thanks! In this new ultrabook, i've read the 2 fingers touch should emulate the right click, not the 3rd mouse button as in my netbook. But gigabyte has phisical right/left click, so i don't know the implementation on this model.
I'm wondering the pinch to zoom works right, as i know it is the most difficult gesture to catch, and few apps are supported.

For sure you have in the backgroud app, one called synaptics or something similar. That is the configuration tool.

 

Ah, I found it, it is called ELAN! A lot of things an be configured there, but I haven't tried it so far.

I could post a screenshot if it helps. But it is in German, and I do not know how to post pictures here ;-)) (the latter can be solved ;-))

Zooming with 2 fingers works, but not very well, at least in the internet explorer.

 

Hi everyone, I came across this user review from a Korean forum for the U2442V (with some pictures):

Çູ¼îÇÎÀÇ ½ÃÀÛ! ´Ù³ª¿Í (°¡°Ýºñ±³)

From what I gathered from Google translation, the review was fairly positive. It looks like the cons were mostly centered around the display with poor horizontal viewing angles and possibly some dead pixels? It would be great if we had some native Korean speakers translate this better. I couldn't gather exactly what the reviewer thought about the keyboard and overall build quality.

 

i used google translate korean -> italian hoping to get some more information. Seems like the review author likes a lot the ultrabook silence, perfect for a very silent ambient, doesn't like the 4 and half hour battery in normal use (40% screen light) and the other things you already said.
Hoping for a video review soon ^^'

 

There's a new video review of it here:

Gigabyte U2242 Ultrabook with Nvidia GT640M Graphics Unboxing - YouTube

It's mostly unboxing and a quick review. The reviewer shows the boot up time, keyboard flex, mentions about the fan noise, the trackpad, and plays a video. She didn't really comment about the display.

Sorry Gigabyte, it looks like I won't be waiting for you anymore. My eyes are now set on the ASUS U500 15" Ultrabook with 650M and full HD IPS display.

ASUS 15-inch Zenbook U500: Ivy Bridge, optional NVIDIA graphics and a full numpad (update: hands-on) -- Engadget

 

Thanks for both links Sh3ngLong! Good to finally see some footage, the keyboard flex doesn't look as bad as I feared. Looks like it's there only if you're really trying to push the frame down. Is that what the rest of you are seeing or did my eyes not catch it all. Boot time is not too shabby, I'm surprised there was no mention of the display quality. Hopefully a full review is available soon.

Actually I would've gone for a Zenbook a long time ago if it wasn't for Asus' poor quality control. Head on over to the Asus forum to see all the problems reported about the primes. It's pretty ridiculous. That being said, I would love it if they actually introduced a Zenbook in a 14" form factor.

 

Some information from their Gigabyte NB facebook account:

I'm curious about the GT650 that your developers are testing with the u2442. Is it a DDR3 or DDR5 version?

We are currently testing the DDR3 version. No confirmations on whether there will be a DDR5 test.

Thanks! I encourage you to try a DDR5 card. I realize it would be more expensive, but there wouldn't be a machine in the world that could touch it on a size/price/performance scale.

Thank you for your comments. We really appreciate them. We will pass this on to our R&D Team.

 

If they are unsure whether they're going to test the DDR5 then it looks like if it does come out it will be months away. I think the GT640m will suffice. Its OC levels are on a par with the GT650m DDR3, aren't they?

 

About the keyboard flex - I don't consider it critical. I can't even really detect that. Not sure how tough you need to push... Maybe I already have a different version?

 

that does look pretty good - I wonder how much it weighs?
Also Asus have had issues with fans etc - so I would wait for some reviews first. And when is their Win 8 press event? same time as MS? like in end Oct?

 

its high time gigabyte updates u2442n with quad core cpu, cuz asus just launched the zenbook u500vz at ifa 2012

the u500 has i7 quad core ,gt650m gpu with GDDR5 memory easily making it the fastest ultrabook around along with 15inch full hd IPS screen and ssd options,backlit keyboard, gud air vents, but i still favour gigabytes u2442n cooling system, gigabyte ! get your EXTREME ULTRABOOK throne back !!

 

i still prefer the gigabyte cause the 14 inch
i want a small pc i can fit in my bag, 13.3 is perfect but 14 is nice too! 15.6 is way too much, a lot of people search for a small and light weight computer

 

Maybe my eyes are tricking me, but the way the reviewer handles the demo model, it looks like it weighs between 3-4lbs. At that weight, the bigger concern (no pun intended) for me with a 15" machine is the footprint, e.g., putting it on an airplane seatback tray! Shouldn't be a problem in the backpack.

-Matt

 

If the asus can match the ~1.2k price point then yes, gigabyte needs to play catchup. But in all honesty I can't see that asus selling for less than 1.5k which may play a significant factor.

Not saying I don't want gigabyte to boost the specs... still waiting on the release so I can replace my damn clevo!

 

High time? Is it still being rolled out in initial release!

 

Notebookcheck review: Review Gigabyte U2442N Notebook - Notebookcheck.net Reviews

so..
PRO:
- great cpu
- amazing gpu
- loving ssd + 2.5 addition hd
- nice touchpad

FAIL:
- fail lcd
- cheap keyboard
- low capacity battery
- indecent speakers

and it seems to be pretty noisy all the time :\

.. maybe i'll wait an asus counterpart, hoping in a good configuration

 

I guess a lot of things are a matter of taste.

For me:
- the LCD isn't that bad
- I like the keyboard!
- battery is ~5 hours with office work (with enabled WLAN). Could be better.
- speakers: yes, not very good

On the other hand:
- I have some interrupts with the touchpad
- the built quality is not totally convincing

 

It's a shame they have to cheap out on the screen front. But I wasn't very impressed with Sonys 13 inch model either.

Gigabyte:

http://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3temp/pics/43b926b073.jpg

Sony S13P:

http://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3temp/pics/0f699d971d.jpg

 

yeah, things are just a matter of taste. the LCD is really not that bad. and i come from a sony vaio z. freaking love that screen to death. i can't look at any other screen the same way, but im starting to feel fine with this screen. really not that bad at all after i did some adjusting.

keyboard is just fine for me too, i don't have a problem with it, i still get 70-80+ wpm with it.

speakers are totally fine for me. the sony vaio z speakers were utter crap and were not loud AT ALL. and this laptop costed me 2000$. these speakers are wayyyy better than the vaio z so im happy there. but even then, i usually have my headphones in when im with my laptop anyways

and the fan hasn't been a problem for me, sure it gets the bottom of the screen sort of hot. but the noise level wasn't a problem. i was using it in the library and i could barely even hear it. and i was just browsing the internet and whatnot

i do wish there was a bigger battery though

but this is all for 1099$, come on. GW2 is a beast on this thing, which is the only thing i care about haha. i have medium settings on with a few high. i get like 50+ fps

 

and then.. asus happen'

http://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3temp/pics/144ac7e852.jpg

thats the ux32vd, that full hd 13.3 lcd is really something awesome <3

 

Anybody ordered with amazon uk? Still out of stock.The main thing I want is a desktop replacement using external monitor so the screen while having bad viewing angles ain't great it's just as bad as Sonys so called premium model.

The Asus is still on my list but still finding it hard to get one

 

Isn't the UK release date 10th September? I guess Amazon won't have them for delivery until then. They're at a handful of other UK online retailers as well. Not in stock though either.

Also, does anyone have information about the maximum amount of RAM it can take, and the type (more than 1333 mhz?)

 

Hi guys, i've just ordered u2442v from czc.cz, awaiting this nb in a week, i will definitely try to play battlefield 3 on it so if sb want to know how it runs it, i can post some results

 

The GPU is crap. You're in the wrong thread. You're looking for Sims 3 players.

 

we're talking about lcd quality bro, try to understand better the context
Try to imagine an asus 14'' with THAT lcd and a 640m, i still hope thats possible! Now the closer model is a ASUS S46CM (click me) but it has crap lcd and geforce 635 (still crap)

 

I understood the content. The Asus IPS is wasted for gamers. And, there is no decent 14" IPS display ATM, so the prospect of the U2442N getting one is remote. You have to live with what you have. For now, this is probably as good as it gets for gamers.

 

yup, im a gamer, and this is the BEST option. i always wanted an ultrabook gaming laptop. and this is it

 

i agree, but i don't need a new laptop in the next 1,2 months, so i'm looking even forward in 2 months
Sure U2442N is the better laptop for gamer, but gigabyte told about a version with geforce 650m and asus could release new ultrabook with great hardware, so i like to judge every single component of those pc while waiting new models.

my sys just bought an asus ux32vd and that LCD is really awesome, a gaming laptop with such an ips display can be something exceptional!

 

Been following this thread for weeks, finally decided to go for it and received my machine yesterday from PChome. Its such a step up from everything I have had previously. I probably would have kept lurking if it wasn't for a small problem I've been having. Any HDMI device I plug in, whether that device is powered on or off, results in a BSOD. Tried uninstalling/reinstalling drivers as other threads have suggested to no avail. Wondering if anyone with a U2442 out there has had the same problem. I'm just dying to use this machine with my 27in korean ips!!

 

Man, after seeing the new computers revealed at IFA (I saw them through ultrabooknews.com), I don't think I'll be getting the gigabyte anymore. Asus and hp are finally making lightweight laptops with ssd, discrete graphics, and high quality screens (Asus U500 and Hp Spectre XT Touchsmart). All their prior models have been lacking one of those three features. The only lightweight laptop currently available with those features (besides the gigabyte) is from the Sony S series. The main thing to wait for now is the pricing on those HP and Asus models. Assuming they can be below $1500, I would definitely choose them over the Gigabyte u2442 and Sony S series.

Would any of you still prefer the gigabyte to the newly announced Asus U500 or HP Spectre XT Touchsmart. These models are comming out probably a few months after the gigabyte and I don't know what they'll cost, so those are the only two drawbacks I can see at the moment.

 

If you don't care about the size and the weight.

 

Notebookcheck finally translated U2442N review: Review Gigabyte U2442N Notebook - Notebookcheck.net Reviews

 

Sorry, I'll have to correct myself. I just read that none of the Spectre XT Touchsmart model options are going to be sold with a discrete graphics card, so that computer gets crossed off my list.

So the only three computers that I'm keeping an eye on right now are the gigabyte u2442, Sony Vaio S, and the upcomming Asus U500.

I consider all these to fall in the category of lightweight (<5lbs) and including an ssd, discrete graphics, and higher quality screen (better than 1366x768). My cutoff for pricing is $1500. Both the gigabyte and Sony S have models that satisfy these specs for under that price limit, but I'll have to wait and see for the U500 pricing.

 

Even though the HP doesnt have discreet it does have thunderbolt and costs $1400
http://www.techshout.com/laptops/20...ouchsmart-ultrabook-price-ship-date-official/

 

I wasn't expecting a IPS display on this but it would have been great if they had used a better TN panel. I don't want 15" - that is way too big for portability. The Sony S13P is nice in spec but has a awful screen (as bad as this one). The Sony in the UK is expensive and doesn't even have a SSD. The ASUS has a weak GPU and isn't available in the UK. It also doesn't have gigabit ethernet, which I would like. I also think 1080p is too much for a 13" panel. 900p works better for me.

If it wasn't for the screen I wouldn't hesitate to buy this. I can buy it now as well. But their is really limited choice of good ultrabooks.

Their is also the lack of information regarding the CPUs. It would be interesting to know if the U version means that the cooling doesn't have to work so hard, or if it makes no difference and you could save £100? Too many questions at the moment for me to make a purchase decision.

We also don't know the spec of the 13" MacBook Pro Retina - will that a dedicated GPU or not, nobody knows.

So at the moment there is no ultimate notebook, maybe next year!!

 

How does this display (in practice) compare to the S13p?