Asus N550JV - user review and owners lounge

Not sure about the Notepal U2 Plus, but I got the Notepal X-Slim for this laptop and it's been quite perfect for it.

 

How is the temperature work for you? Before and after you get the cooling pad, that is?

 

I agree with you in that specs wise, this laptop is great. However, I feel that the build quality and the materials used are not that good. The keyboard feels kind of cheap and the Aluminum bezel have started to get scratches and chips although I have barely used the machine (1 month). This laptop has the premium look of a macbook pro, but definitely inferior build quality and materials.

 

Great thanks! looks like HP just lost a potential customer. Hah

 

Just to keep things into perspective, one can buy two N550JV for the price of one Mac Pro.

 

Did you saw that in the Asus webpage, you can not find the model N550JV they changed it to N550JA

do you know why??

 

They haven't changed it, it's another model, look at the specs.
N550JA has no dedicated graphics like N550JV, the rest of it seems to be the same.

Another user already wrote that they are updating their product sites, he wrote with the chat support, so my guess is to just wait for it to come back.

 

Thanks a lot Morv!!

Actually i can not enter right now to the N550JA

 

I love this computer but the keyboard doesn't work.

Specifically, the letters b, n,, the left shift, and the enter key on the main keyboard.

If I apply pressure to the left side of the touch pad it might fix itself.

Tried installing drivers but to no avail. I'm on bios 204. Problem first happened a week after I bought it but it went away. It returned today and there is no sign of a fix.
My N56 had this problem initially but I replaced it. I live in Nicaragua and bought the N550 via GenTechPC and I don't think I can return it.

 

This might be a software issue. I had this happen once while on battery. Even the keys you mentioned seem to be the same, or at least similar (i remember z,b, left shift, main enter).

The problem went away in 5-10 minutes or so, but i cannot say what action triggered and/or fixed the issue. (changing to main power, machine reset, entering bios etc)

The other odd thing was that while i was trying to figure/fix the issue, the keys started working partially at some point (they would register some press events, but not repeating events). It was as if there was a conflict of some kind rather than a simple mechanical problem.

[Edit] morning typos

 

First update your BIOS.
Beside the possibility of fixing your problem with the keyboard it will prevent getting the Nvidia GPU bug and probably some other things.
Always update all software versions if you have a problem and check again, the BIOS counts for this too.

You can find everything there: N550JV - Notebooks & Ultrabooks - ASUS
Graphics drivers for both Intel and Nvidia can be downloaded in newer version on the respective sites.

The N550JV site is working again: http://www.asus.com/Notebooks_Ultrabooks/N550JV/

 

Hi,

I've just weighted my N550JV in a digital scale, and its 2.3Kg... Product specifications says 2.6Kg... there is something strange in here! I've changed the HDD for a SSD, but that's like 60grams difference... not 300gr

 

Thanks for reminding me to do that.
I was sceptical about this since I received it as the Samsung Chronos 770Z5E I had before was about 2.3 kg and the Asus N550JV didn't feel like 300-400 g heavier.
I weighed mine just now and got 2.4 kg with HDD on a normal personal scale so it might be 2.3 kg if it were a more precise scale, I don't know if it's rounds up or down or just cuts after the first place behind the decimal point.

 

Just as a simple update. I've been using this machine for 2 months day and night and have no complaints whist still on BIOS 203. No serious glitches to be found. Works like a charm. Keyboard hasn't had any problems either. The touchpad does ... very infrequently (maybe once every few days) stop working for a couple seconds before working again. It's probably just related to the fact that it's a heavier software than previous generation touchpads (due to multigesture).

 

Does your N550 have touchscreen?

 

Constant browsing along with being in a skype call, with iTunes playing, and some downloading, gave me 40-43 C without the cooling pad. I was doing this for around 2-3 hours.

With the cooling pad, the laptop doesn't pass 40 C while doing all of this.

I'll edit this after I measure the temperatures while gaming with and without the cooling pad.

 

Hi guys,

I got this laptop a few days ago and I have a small issue with the earphones jack. Basically, when my headphones are plugged in and no music is playing, there's a constant squeaking background noise. Speakers are fine. Anyone else have this issue? Do you guys think it's an hardware defect or just a driver problem? Would suck to have to RMA this otherwise perfect laptop :S

I installed the latest drivers from the Asus website and it doesn't fix my problem...

Thanks!

 

No, it's the normal matte FullHD version.

 

Everyone has that problem haha. Most definitely a driver issue because if you uninstall the Realtek driver and let Windows install the Microsoft driver, the hiss will disappear, along with support for the subwoofer and MaxxAudio. So if you aren't willing to sacrifice the extra audio functionality, you should wait for a new driver

Actually I had my mainboard replaced by ASUS but it didn't help solve the issue I'm kinda used to the noise now so it's not a big problem anymore.

 

I don't get the point of cooling pads unless you're going to do a lot of gaming. 40 degrees isn't even near dangerous, and if you're not going to be able to take that with you wherever you go.

 

Guess I'm lucky I have a cooling pad for it then, because I will be doing gaming. I was just answering the guy's question, and I'm sure everyone knows 40 degrees isn't dangerous at all

 

The noise is due to the Realtek drivers. If you remove them and let windows install default drivers, the noise goes away. However, the subwoofer stops working because it needs the Realtek drivers. After removing Realtek for a while, I missed the subwoofer and so I installed Realtek again. Up to you, and hopefully they fix the drivers at some point.

 

That noise might be to do with the subwoofer, it is usually hardware related rather than software so much.

 

lol, mine went up to 85 once with just Chrome open, 0% CPU utilization/no active processes running in the background either.

And yes, I plan to play CS:S and dota2 on this laptop in my (once in a blue moon) free time, and the last time I tried running CS:S, it shot up to the 80s range within half an hour.

 

Mine does not go above 80C even at sustained full load (Prime 95, 8 threads). Another user ran his unit fanless (fans unplugged) and reported a maximum of 49C while watching a 1080p movie.

If your CPU reaches 85C while doing nothing you should have your unit checked.

 

Then maybe the 2.6Kg spec is for the Touchcreen version... who knows?

 

I don't have that problem... with realtek and maxxaudio instaled...

 

No, mine is advertised with 2.6-2.7 kg at all websites(Amazon, other big shops, the one i bought it from too), even the Asus site itself.
Also, the touchscreen version isn't available in Germany, so I can't have read it wrong.
I'm wondering why Asus isn't advertising it with the correct weight, around 300-400 g more or less might count for some people.

 

New bios released, version 207! (changelog: Updates Intel GOP driver)

 

how good or bad is the new Bios driver??

 

can't wait to try that new bios !!!! i dreamt about an intel gop driver update for so long !!!!

(lololol)

 

Are you sure? I can't see a new BIOS here -> https://www.asus.com/Notebooks_Ultrabooks/N550JV#support and neither does Live Update Utility.

Ok, if you edit the address from http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/nb/N550JV/N550JVAS206.zip to http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/nb/N550JV/N550JVAS207.zip it works

 

Actually, does having a virtual machine running in the background + about a dozen tabs of Chrome opened all at once can be considered as idle still...?

 

I have one of these computers, I bought it about 3 weeks ago. It will no longer boot into Win 8.
I have done a refresh and it still will not boot. I don't want to do a refresh as I have files I need to get off first.
It keeps booting into the automatic recovery. Tried fixing the bootmgr and automatic repair, they keep failing to repair.
I have tried ASUS support and they were hopeless.
Has anyone else had this experience. I just need to get all of my pictures off.
I have tried booting in a live Ubuntu, but cant find the pictures.

 

What is normal Cpu Temps for this laptop under full load? i get 87C at most and is that bad?
Any tips on how to keep this notebook cool? I am planning to get a notebook cooler. Oh and does ambient temps(32C here) affect the laptop and can having an electric fan keep this notebook slightly cooler till i get the cooling pad? much thanks

 

In general, ambient temp will always play a major role here, because your laptop/desktop/whatever pull the air from its surrounding to cool off your CPU + GPU.

If you can reduce your ambient temp, ie by using an AC, that will help much more than a cooling pad that blasting hot air into the computer.

 

Thanks, as i have noticed that during the night it tends to run cooler.
Is sudden fps drop in game due to throttling or is it just because the game is too extensive for cpu or gpu? ie Metro LL

 

hi, I told ASUS that there was this annoying background noise when using earphones and they replaced the motherboard without telling me lol. The noise didn't go away (as expected LOL), but now a bigger problem kicks in.

When I boot the laptop, it doesn't go straight to the screen with the ASUS logo plus the loader below, instead it shows a ASUS + Intel screen, then the Windows 8 logo + the loader. Strangely, the screen with the Windows 8 logo is stretched horizontally as if it was made for 4:3 screen lol. Does anyone have any idea why this happens and how to fix this? Thanks in advance!

 

If you don't use ThrottleStop or my program ThrottleToggle then it will be the throttling that causes the FPS drops.
If you already use them then it's just the game but I guess you would have figured that out by yourself.
The notebook throttles if the CPU gets over 80°C and the GPU is in use, too.
If you only use the CPU it won't throttle but it won't get over 80°C that easily aswell.

 

Something like metro will push those temps up a lot on both CPU and GPU you are going to run into more thermal issues.

 

Is it possible that the N550JV has been discontinued? Most shops in my country don't have it in stock anymore and their response is "we won't be getting anymore inventory anytime soon".
Some online stores also marked it as discontinued (newegg.ca) and i also read it on another forum.
Too bad as i was planning to buy one soon.
What are your thoughts?

 

There have been several and severe delays with getting new stock of this laptop, especially the touchscreen version. Searched around a bit before I was able to get mine but seems like xoticpc has them in stock now. The limited availability tag is gone. Still oos at gentech and most other retailers/resellers.
I don't think Asus would discontinue this so quickly as this is a refresh of last year's N56. So it should have a yearly release.

 

How are you guys measuring your temps? I dont have anything to accurately read temps on this thing, but I notice sometimes the laptop runs nice and cool, and other times (like right now!) the left side runs so hot I can barely keep the thing on my lap!

All I have open is Chrome, and Quickbooks....both of which are not processor heavy.

 

Mine is 2.57 kg with an SSD having replaced the HDD, using a digital scale. The screen was advertised as touchscreen, but I have never used Win 8 on the machine and haven't tried to check that it really is touchscreen. If you add the power cord and adapter, the weight is slightly over 3.0 kg. Purchased from Amazon in US.

 

I ordered the non-touch version from XoticPC a month ago, and I got an email today telling me there is still no firm ETA, and they're hoping for a new shipment in 2-3 weeks. They have been telling me this the day I ordered... seriously getting frustrated now, especially since they just charged me for the order when they don't even have a laptop for me. They apparently have the touch version in stock and suggested I switch my order.

 

Is it possible to boot from USBs that are not formatted for UEFI?

I am trying to boot from an OS on a USB. It works on fine on a desktop.
But when I try it on the ASUS, the boot sequence skips past the USB, seems to just ignore it, and goes straight to the hard drive.

I've got Secure Boot turned off, Launch CMS enabled, Launch PXE OpROM policy enabled, and the USB is listed first in the boot order.

The USB shows up at UEFI: USB-name-here. I don't know how to get it to list the USB as non UEFI.
(I mention this because the dekstop BIOS lets you choose UEFI vs non-UEFI for the USB.)

 

I think I figured it out.

Here are the BIOS settings (BIOS 206):

Under BOOT
- Launch CSM enabled
- PXE OpROM policy enabled


Boot Option priorities
- Boot Option #1 UEFI: Name of USB stick here

Hard Drive BBS Priorities - key
- Boot Option #1 [select Name of USB stick here]

 

Anyone have a problem with the keyboard?

Like, after I wake the computer up from sleep, some keys become unresponsive for quite a while before they start to work normally again. Why is that?

 

Are you guys able to install new Intel HD Graphics drivers from the intel site?
It says the driver isn't validated for my computer when I try to update it

 

Had this issue too once, it seems to be a Intel problem: uninstall current driver, then install the new one.

The only cause i can think of for this error is that the current driver has some OEM signature in it, and the new generic driver refuses to install in order to avoid loss of customization made for that OEM. Yeah, I slapped my face too when i realized what they were "thinking" (and what error message they invented to explain that to the user)