Asus A8Js Review (pics, specs)

jfgoqiru, thanks for your review! Out of curiosity, do you have a copy of that wallpaper that you'd be willing to post or PM me? I like it

 

Here is a small negative for my 2 weeks old A8Js. I used an InCase sleeve and Timbuk2 bag, and despite my being careful with it, the lid is already scratched. I keep wishing that it has the W3 aluminum lid cover. I would pay extra for that.

 

My criticism is pointing out things that I need to include in my review.

I get mine friday, it will take me a few days.

The nbr shoppers need the information I asked about.

So I am not necessarily asking the orignal reviewer to add it Im just saying out loud what else is needed.

 

This must have a new screen completely because the viewing angles on my A8Jm are catastrophically bad. I mean, HORRENDOUS, at least in the vertical direction.

The battery life is a very serious issue as well. I'm not sure why people think that < 3 hours is even close to acceptable for a lightweight notebook. A 14.1" < 6lb notebook is designed to be travelled and is hardly a DTR. 3 hours should be the minimum acceptable. It wouldn't be so bad if a 9 cell were available to bump it up to 3.5-4 hours, but one isn't.

By comparison, my 3+ year old GAteway 505XL has ATI 9200, 1GB RAM, 4200 RPM HDD, 15.4" @ 1280x800 and gets almost 4 hours and weighs 6.5 pounds.

 

answer: Nvidia Go 7600/7700

If you can find one 14 or 15.4" notebook using either graphics card and gets nearly 4 hours let me know because all of them get roughly 3 hours on their 6 and 8 cell battery. Only Compal's line up (with the larger 9 cell) come closer at 3:45. newer GPUs consume more power.

 

the vertical viewing angle is the same as your a8jm, one of the worst I have ever seen.

looking at it from the front though I think it looks much better than the a8jm screen the added resolution is great

You know what is so weird? Mine gets over 3 hours battery life. I am looking into finding out the stats of my battery.

my out of box 3dmark 05 score was 4283

 

I know bluetooth doesn't come in the NA model, but is there anyway to add it manually w/out voiding warranty? What type of specific card is used and how easy is it to install? Thanks.

 

If you order from btotech, you can have them build in bluetooth, swap in a faster HDD, up the memory to 2GB, pay $50 for a no dead pixel guarantee, and extend the warranty.

For adding bluetooth after market, not sure, but they could obviously tell you what card you would need.

 

I was planning on buying the ASUS A8Jp, which is currently being sold in Australia with the ATI X1700 and the 1.8 GHZ CPU. Can anyone tell me if the Nvidia 7700 on the A8Js is faster by much? They're about to release the A8Js here, I think, though on the local Asus website the model doesn't exist. I'm wondering if it's worth waiting the extra, unspecified time. I know the 2.0 GHz CPU on the A8Js would be a fair bit faster with its 4 Mg cache.

 

Goren, you are contradicting yourself
The Compal has 9 cells, so 1 more than 8 cells, it comes close to 4 hours. So with a 7600 gpu and an 8/9 cell battery it is possible to get 3.5-3.75 hours.
With the 7700 gpu however, this doesn't seem to be so. A shame because i really want one, preferrably in a machine with the sticky-outey 9 cell battery.

 

no because the Asus A8 uses a 6 cell battery. its 3 more not 1.

 

Whats the maximum resolution that can be displayed on a secondary monitor for this machine? I'm really looking for a new one, but I have a 24 inch Dell LCD @ 1920 x 1600 that I'd really like to compliment it with.

 

the max is 3840 x 3200

so 4 of your monitors.

 

But I read you can't use 30 inch Dell LCDs for this thing?

 

nope, no dual link, you can use max 1900x1200 on the dvi port

 

my mistake.

The higher resolution must be virtual resolution. I just checked my display properties.

 

Generally an ok laptop.. its got the best bang for ur buck if your a gamer and such.. after using it for a while.. i got a few complaints on this product..

1. It comes with Vista, and if you try to reinstall it using XP, it sucks ass with all the drivers that you have to download.. and the order you install them in could mess up the drivers itself.. i had problems using skype downloading the drivers myself and installin the mone by one for xp..

DRIVERS DONT COME FOR XP.

2. the ****ing keyboard sucks... i have been using m2000 for a while.. and typing on those are easy and doesnt give u errors in ur typing or the whole ergonomic feel is a lot better...
this keyboard feels so weird and cramped up and keeps giving me typos... my WPM DECREASED BY MORE THAN 20% USING THIS DAMN KEYBOARD

3. the mousepad isnt as good as the previous ones...

4. i did not realize how plastic this owuld be... i enjoy touchin a piano finish and such mroe... and so the style does disappoint me..

--i am pissed esp. the keyboard.. its so hard to type.. and feels awkward.

a ibm or sony keyboard is much better.

 

oh yeah... and low battery life... as well as the dvi port doesnt seem to work..(one connectin to tv)