ASUS A6U - opinions?

Looking for a budget notebook that can do basic tasks and play video. Has anyone seen one of these, are they any good, design, build quality??? or should I consider something else

 

I'll tell you this.... It's certainly a great budget notebook. At the same time it's certainly the bottom of the barrel of what we sell. That doesn't mean a lot maybe to you, but the majority of this forum if they don't already own an Asus notebook, they're certainly looking at one...... and most are looking at more the middle or upper end of the spectrum.

DVD playing is basically the limit for the integrated graphics on this unit... and it's really an internet, email, word processing type of basic system, for someone with basic needs and a lower budget who still want to get the best they can get at that level.

I just wanted to say that because you'll get people in here on both sides of the issue who probably have never seen any of Asus' notebooks and will base their logic on a couple hundred dollars more here and there..... The bottom line is, some people have a budget and $50 here and there isn't doable. From someone who's plenty of hours on 30 some Asus notebooks since we started imported 5 year ago..... The A6u is my least favorite for the year, but I also have more expensive tastes and higher end computing and graphics needs.......... I don't feel like I need to sell anyone on anything, but it's the best of the lower end and one of only a few AMD Turion models even out on the market.... Design is blah (you can see pictures on our site) but all AMD models from Asus are based on old P4 designs as the money isn't there in the market to design AMD units the same way they are the Intel side. Build is good, but all plastic like the Z71v...... Personally I like the carbon fiber models, but you could see what people with Z71v's think of their build quality since it's on that same level........

I guess I can sum it all up by saying even though we'll all mainly thinking higher end in this forum, you get everything you should for the price. I guess that's really all you can expect.

 

I was going to go for an IBM R50e for the build quality but ASUS seems to be getting a lot of good ratings on these forums. My requirements are minimal, the laptop would be used as a spare computer when I'm away from the desktop mainly for internet surfing and video playback but build quality and design is important. Do you know anything about the Asus A3L or A3E? They've just been released here in Europe but there's been no mention of them on these forums. http://uk.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=5&l2=25&l3=0&model=519&modelmenu=1

 

Basically........ the A series on a whole is budget in my mind no matter how you face it...... the design of them can't come close to say what the W or V series..... or even the M series (like the z61 or z70 models). I'm sorry but I'm a little biased as I perfer the higher end models (which progressively get better builds and better design) and I also have degrees in architecture and design....... I'm just attracted to the nicest stuff we've got...... I'm sorry.

The A series notebooks are just fine but may not be exactly what you need given what you just mentioned....... Your requirements are low enough that you could basically get any laptop with the minimum configuration and be plenty happy for years down the road. What I'd rather you do is consider screen size and weight and come up with figure of what you'd want to spend. I don't know what's giving me this feeling..... but I think something like the Z33a (12" / 3.4 pounds) is probably a better bet for a machine that can be more portable since it's a secondary system to the desktop..

 

I'm looking for something with a 15" screen, under 3 kg (6.6 pounds) and good build quality and reasonable design. A few months ago I sold my Inspiron 510m laptop as the build quality was very poor, something I really want to avoid this time. You mention carbon fibre, which Asus laptops are made of carbon fibre?

 

S5/M5(z33)/M6(z70 series)/W3(z63) are carbon fiber. M3(z61) is weird... only because it's new, but the design came before all of the other ones...... it's got a magneium lid and then a fiberglass chassis...... still better than plastic.

 

So in your opinion, how does the A-series Asus compare to other manufacturers with similar price/specs?

 

Justin won't want to advertise anything but an Asus machine...most of Asus's notebooks are high-end, designed for the business professional or high-end user.

For your needs you would probably go alright with an HP dv4000 or a similar, fairly cheap 15.4 inch system with integrated graphics. If you wanted a quality Asus machine and are willing to spend a little more for Asus quality, look at the Z70A, which starts at about $1390 at Proportable.

Hope that helps.

 

fenderboy,

I found this link for an M series notebook here in the UK:
http://wehavethings.com/uk/product.php?xProd=67139

Is this the same or similar to the Z70A? Made of carbon fiber? Seems reasonable. I have a budget around £800 (approx $1500 USD).

 

The M68NE in the link is the predecessor to the Z70, with a 4:3 ratio screen instead of a 16:10 widescreen. It is a very reliable, well designed chassis, and would be suitable for your needs, except if you are viewing movies you might want to concider a widescreen version.

Also, the M68NE in the link has the older Pentium M "centrino" chipset, but will still be very powerful, and the ATI radeon 9700 graphics card in it will be much more powerful than any integrated graphics.

I searched the online store in the link, and found the widescreen versions of the M series:
new chipset model: http://wehavethings.com/uk/product.php?xProd=67040
older chipset: http://wehavethings.com/uk/product.php?xProd=67039

I think the older chipset model should be fine for the purposes you have listed.

 

We don't sell anything else for a reason..... but yeah you're right but maybe not for all the right reasons...... I think Asus has ventured out to try to fill the gap between what other people have and what they're known for......... For me (the M and S series and of the last year and half... the W series) are what I consider their best work. The A series was always cheaper and filled with little gadgets to try to lure the masses that would normally look at a Dell or something similiar.

Now if you're looking at an M6ne, it's closest relation is the Z70v. The Z70a is similar but doesn't have dedicated graphics like the others do. The M6ne was also a regular ratio screen which we don't have on these models anymore. If you don't need dedicated graphics, which you don't.. the Z70a is a great machine for you. I just think it still may be up out of your price range.

 

I've changed my mind now about going for an A series notebook. I'll be using it a lot anyway so it's worth making the extra investment especially if its chassis is made out out of carbon fiber.

I'm considering importing one if it's cheaper. Anyone done this? Good idea/bad idea? Though I'm a bit worried about dead pixels.

 

Just so you know, it's always the people looking for the best deal who get screwed the most because they think they know what they're doing. Dead pixels is going to be the least of your worries.... you're looking at international shipping, duties, and having to ship it back there for warranty work. Good luck with that....

 

Depends really, for importing goods such as laptops to the UK there's no duty, just 17.5% tax which is what we pay here already when buying stuff.
I purchased an IBM laptop while in the US some years ago and that came with an international warranty. Does Asus provide international warranty? I travel a lot also.

 

Wait, where are you? Asus' international warranty is only on their models.... those are the ensemble models........ not what you're looking for.

If you're paying 17.5% tax, that must mean you're in Canada....... but as far as the duties thing on laptops, I think that's only laptops coming from the US. That's what NAFTA was for......... but coming from the UK or something, you're going to pay duties.

 

I'm in the UK. If an individual imports a laptop theres no duty just 17.5% VAT added to the total cost and shipping.

 

Oh you're in the UK.... ok.... I think it might be a good idea to start introducing yourselves when you start posting. In your case, yeah it might be cheaper. Asus notebooks sell for a lot more in the UK for whatever reason. I was thinking you're in the states and wanted to import from the UK and I just thought you were nuts.... obviously I was wrong and I apologize.

 

Some of the M6's have the ATI RADEON X600 and others the 9700, and some the 9600 what's the difference in performance between them? What price gap should I expect between these?

 

M6n /bn -- 64mb ATI 9600

M6ne /bne -- 64mb ATI 9700

M6v (Z70v) -- 64mb ATI x600

M6va (Z70va) -- 128mb x700

 

Will I experience a lot more fan noise or heat with a higher spec graphics card in the M6? A quiet machine is very important to me.

 

"fan noise" is a term I want to abolish altogether....... "fan noise" is a byproduct of cooling the system properly with the space you have to work with. The more heat you have and the smaller the system, the smaller the fan is and the faster it needs to run to cool...... Heat of course is a byproduct of all that performance people "have to have"..... so it's a give and take. If you don't need dedicated graphics.. if you don't need a 7200rpm hard drive.. if you don't need a top end cpu....... DON'T GET IT.

Some people don't understand this, but when I explain this to them, most people start to get it. It's not like a desktop where as long as you have the money, the worst thing that will happen when you get more than you need..... is your wallet is a little emptier and you'll probably never know what your computer can really do. In a laptop....... you could do that and end up carrying more weight.. having less battery life... having more heat....... noise... etc.

 

I see what you mean about not buying an extra upgrade if you don't need it. The problem is here in the UK, firstly there aren't many retailers that sell the Asus. Secondly, different retailers are selling different specs (prebuilt) at a similar price and not much choice either. For example one place selling with a radeon 9100 but only 256mb ddr1 memory and the other selling for only a few pounds more with a radeon 9700 and 512 mb ddr2.

 

You won't get a custom asus outside of North America..... the last I knew anyway.... they started that here and I don't think it's their model in Europe or Asia.