Asus F8VA Montevina Mobile Platform review

F8Va-B1



M70VM-B1 and F8VA-B1 Video:
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Introducing:
The F8Va is the refresh model for F8Sv is the new Intel Montevina Mobile Platform, the new platform fetures:
-Intel PM45 Chipset
-1066MHz CPU FSB
-DDR-2 800 MHz
-ICH9-M SATA Controller.
-E-SATA Port
-HDMI
-No more DVI Port

Everything else look exactly the same like F8SV, the only different is the inside:
-Mainboard
-CPU
-RAM
-Video Card




The new F8VA now has the HDMI and E-SATA port in the back that F8Sn does not have:





Specification:

F8VA-B1::
MSRP: $1299
14" 1440X900 WXGA+
Chipset: Intel PM45 Montevina Mobile Platform
Southbridge: ICH9-M SATA Controller
GPU: ATI HD 3650 1GB VRAM DDR2
CPU P8400 2.26 Ghz 3MB 1066 FSB
4GB DDR2 800MHz
250GB 5400RPM SATA
Intel Wireless 4965 N
DVDRW Super Multi
1.3MB Swivel webcam
Fingerprint Scanner
5X USB 2.0 Ports
1X IEEE 1394 Firewire
Microphone in
S/PDIF
E-SATA
VGA Out
HDMI
No DVI
6 Cell battery
Windows Vista Home Premium 32

Device Manager::



Battery life: 2 hours and 12 minutes with 6 cell battery.





Everest:



New features: Asus Express Gate:




The Express Gate is the instant on OS built-on on the mainboard, it turns on almost instantly. It can be useful if Windows Vista OS is not needed and can save battery life.

Splashtop Browser:


Chat


Skype



Music Player



Photo viewer


Online Game


Configuration settings


Performance::

WEI



3Dmark06:


1024X768: 4103
1280X768: 3760
1440X900: 3306



1024X768


1280X768


1440X900





Crysis Demo









Game Video:

COD4:



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XP Drivers:




For easy installtion press F2 at asus logo screen to enter BIOS, go to Advanced tab and IDE Controller, setup SATA mode from Enhance to Compatible, press F10 and exit.


Below is the drivers you can install from drivers DVD:

Always install Intel INF Update first:
D:\SOFTWARE\INFUPDATE\SETUP.EXE

D:\DRIVER\ ATK0100\VISTA32\2KSETUP.EXE
D:\DRIVER\ KB_FILTER\VISTA32\2KSETUP.EXE

D:\SOFTWARE\ ATKHOTKEY\SETUP.EXE
D:\SOFTWARE\ ATKOSD2\SETUP.EXE

D:\SOFTWARE\ RICOH\SETUP.EXE
D:\Software\ BTOOTH\AZUREWAVE\WIN32\BRCM\DPINST.EXE
D:\SOFTWARE\ MODEM\LSI\VISTA32\Setup.exe
D:\SOFTWARE\ EXPRESSGATE\SETUP.EXE
D:\SOFTWARE\ FINGERPRINT\VISTA32_64\SETUPAIM.EXE
D:\SOFTWARE\ TOUCHPAD\VISTA32\Setup.exe
D:\SOFTWARE\ WCONSOLE\SETUP.EXE


Drivers you need to download:

Video Card:
Step 1:
Download Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0

Step 2:
Download the ATI Catalyst Desktop driver:

Step 3:
Download Mobility Modder from driversheaven.net and follow the Installation guide to mod the ATI driver.




Atheros AR928X Wireless lan (use update driver from Device Manger to install):
http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=14858

Realtek Lan Driver (use update driver from Device Manger to install):
ftp://61.56.86.122/cn/nic/Driver_5694_XP_0619.zip


Audio
There are 2 audio drivers you need to download:

Realtek Audio Driver:
I don't know if this has ben resolved but I found a driver for WinXP that works for the infrared port. Here you go:

http://consumersupport.lenovo.com/lenovo/drivers/2412/1568.html[/QUOTE]

Above IR Driver link no longer available, not sure if this one works:

http://dl.okglb.com/consumerdl.leno...Downloads and Drivers/Y530/XP/IN1CIR12WW1.exe

 

Thanks for the details regarding the performance of the HD 3650. Any details on how the new Montevina platform improved battery life?

 

thx for the review.... but now i want to exchange my f8sn

 

F8Sn still a nice notebook, new platform coming out doesn't slow down your current notebook, your GPU and CPU still running at same clock speed.

I just started the battery test right now, one thing about the new battery saving mode is it'll automatically change Windows scheme to basic mode and disable Windows sidebar.

 

Nothing too exciting about this notebook, then.

 

Is it a 320gb HDD? On your site as well as some of the others I checked, it was a 250gb hdd standard.

 

Sorry, typo on the review, it's 250GB hard drive.

 

Do these refresh models have the "Express Gate" feature ASUS announced a couple months ago?

 

No it does not have Express Gate, I believe the Express Gate is only available for their desktop motherboards.

 

Hmm... It's mentioned here that ASUS would start rolling the feature out on their new laptops. They must've scrapped the idea...

 

Lol... it says i have to spread some rep before I can rep you again, Ken.

Great review! I love the fact that the F8 now has HDMI and ESATA

 

I was wrong and you are right, both F8VA and M70VM DOES have Express Gate:

 

waaah an F8VA! and now i have another option since i had already finalized and made up my mind to buy the F8Sn-C1 laptop.. Hope this montevina laptop can also be downgraded to XP..

By the it's a great review Ken. Keep us posted on the battery life of the F8VA. If the battery life had improved much, and its OS can be downgraded to XP, probably i'll get this instead of the F8Sn.. Thanks!

 

well... I stopped the battery life test since I found out there is Express Gate on this machine.

 

Holy awesome-ness! Do you know/think the M50Vm will have it as well?

 

Yes M50VM will also have Express Gate.

 

Excellent! I ordered the M50Vm-B1 (from GenTech ) just a couple hours ago with hopes that it had this feature. Can't wait to get it now.

 

What's with this ExpressGate application that is included with the asus montevina laptops? does this program greatly enhances the laptop performance and battery life? and does it also have some advantages and disadvantages? Pardon me for my inquisitiveness.. i'm again weighing my options on what laptop to buy since the montevina platforms had already come out..

 

The Express Gate has
Splashtop Browser:


Chat


Skype



Music Player



Photo viewer


Online Game


Configuration settings


The advantage will be the MUCH better battery life, I still haven't finish the battery life test yet but I am pretty sure it'll be way better than Vista.

Also the boot time, if you not needed to using Vista OS you can just hit the instant on button and the Express Gate only take few seconds to come up.

 

wow that's very nice! that means i'll just blink after turning the laptop on and i could readily browse the net and do instant messaging without booting into vista.. now i wonder if this thing's OS can be downgraded to XP, which can convince me to buy this laptop hmm..

 

The Express Gate will still functional even you have XP installed in your HD, when using Express Gate it actually bypass the hard drive so even you don't have hard drive installed in your laptop the Express Gate will still functional, by the way, it only took 3 seconds to turn on the Express Gate.

 

Well just placed a order for one from you GenTechPC. I cant wait! What do you reccomend the 8GB SSD for? Would it makes sense to install windows to it for quicker boot or is it just for backup?

 

Lol, I also just bought the f8sn-C1 and havent receive it yet and this laptop comes out

Well, too bad!

 

What's the weight of this thing? And any idea on battery life?

Edit: 5.7lbs or ~2.6kg

 

I wish it was under 2kg. Thanks for the review

When can we expect those small form factor notebooks, likw U6, U3, etc.,(at most 13'3" and 2kg) with Montevina and nVidia discrete gpu? I'd really appreciate a quick response, if possible

Cheers

 

Hey Guys,

Do you have any idea of a refresh version of F8SN-C1 in Montevina with P9500 processor? It's time to renew my laptop and I am looking for an 14.1" WXGA+ with P9500...

Thanks && Regards

 

The f8va-b1 can have the p9500 if you upgrade to it when ordering, it just isn't standard. Maybe in a c1 version it could have it standard in the future.

 

The F8VA-C1 will probably be the T9400 not P9500, but final specs not confirmed.

 

How come all of the pics of the laptop from xoticpc and gentech do not show HDMI or esata. It shows the older model I think, with the DVI. The detailed specifications sheet from xoticpc does not even show HDMI or esata.

 

Because it's something new, will update the picture soon.

 

Like CstrikerDan said above, could the 8GB SSD be used to boot windows faster, or would it not make much of a difference?

 

I think it's primarily meant for utilizing Vista's ReadyBoost.

 

If you read Ken's first post in his M50Sv-A1 review here, you'll see that Ken has done some benchmarks utilizing the 8gb SSD with ready boost and it's quite impressive - about 20% performance jump with the SSD ready boost enabled.
There's of course, the other option of using the 8gb SSD for storage, just like a normal USB thumb drive.

 

Thanks for the info. Is there any update on how long the battery life is? Sorry for all the ?'s, I want to buy this laptop and want to make sure its the right choice.

 

I don't think the battery life should change significantly from the F8Sn. You should expect 2.5 - 3 hours, but best to confirm the exact figures from Ken at GenTechPC.

 

Battery life: 2 hours and 12 minutes with 6 cell battery.

 

How durable is this notebook?

 

interesting, that's around 15 minutes less than the f8sn-c1

 

I guess we can blame the ATI GPU!

 

i thought it was supposed to be smaller and required less power than the 9500m?

 

i think it's the same shell as the f8sn so it should be pretty durable.

 

Oh I'm just rambling here Yea, the ATI 3000 series are smaller (55nm architecture compared to the 80nm in the 9500m). I'm just not a huge fan of ATI since it's performance is slower than the nvidia counter-parts

 

ya i understood what you were trying to get at lol

gpu "issues" aside, i find it interesting though that the battery life is shorter with a worse 3dmark score compared to the f8sn-c1.

gentechpc, could you also tell us the temperature of the gpu when idle and when stressed?

thanks

 

Thanks. Guess I'll be avoiding this potential mistake then.

 

Are the loud touchpad buttons some kind of feature on Asus laptops? They all seem to have it.

 

Yes. As is bad batterylife.

 

I'm just curious, but what would the battery life be if the ASUS Express Gate was only used? Can you guys do a test on that?

 

tried all GPU monitoring tools, ATI Tools, ATI Tray Tools, RivaTuner...non of them can detect the GPU temperature sensor.

You mean the "Eee PC" mode? yes I can test that tomorrow.

 

Why do Asus laptops have poor battery life?

 

We're thinking bad or sloppy ACPI/BIOS coding.