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    ASUS Zenbook Infinity UX301LA - just announced at Computex

    Discussion in 'Asus' started by droyder, Jun 10, 2013.

  1. mishref

    mishref Notebook Enthusiast

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    mishref, Oct 17, 2013
    #301
  2. Aegrum

    Aegrum Notebook Enthusiast

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    $2200 for the top SKU? Jeebus. That's a few hundred dollars more than the new 13" rMBP will be with very similar specs.
     
    Aegrum, Oct 17, 2013
    #302
  3. Meaker@Sager

    Meaker@Sager Company Representative

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    Well that's for if you need something specific after all.
     
    Meaker@Sager, Oct 17, 2013
    #303
  4. minnus

    minnus Notebook Consultant

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    Have they made the machine lighter? Specs on Asus claim the laptop is a little over 3lb, but Amazon, and now BH both say 2.6 lb (pretty big difference) - anyone know whats right? I always figured Amazon was slightly off since it wasn't official yet.
     
    minnus, Oct 17, 2013
    #304
  5. mishref

    mishref Notebook Enthusiast

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    Does the MBP come with iris graphics? That seems to be the differentiating thing the high-end Asus laptops.
     
    mishref, Oct 18, 2013
    #305
  6. joshmcx

    joshmcx Notebook Evangelist

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    Nice to see preorders becoming available but... why no white?!

    Is White going to come later? Anyone seen any news suggesting why the white version is a no-show so far?
     
    joshmcx, Oct 18, 2013
    #306
  7. Aegrum

    Aegrum Notebook Enthusiast

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    Yea, based on early leaked benchmarks, it looks like Apple is going to be putting the same HD5100 Iris graphics into their 13" rMBP (and probably HD5200 Iris Pro into the 15" rMBP). We'll get confirmation Tuesday.
     
    Aegrum, Oct 18, 2013
    #307
  8. SpuTnicK

    SpuTnicK Notebook Guru

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    get an SSD and twick your system to it and all your "faster" problems are solved. And for gaming look for Gaming series notebooks from Asus. Ultrabook is not for games, its for casual everyday work, IMO
     
    SpuTnicK, Oct 18, 2013
    #308
  9. Derek712

    Derek712 Notebook Virtuoso

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    Maybe last year, but the iris models will make medium gaming possible on an Ultrabook. There is a market out there for portable gaming and its growing.
     
    Derek712, Oct 18, 2013
    #309
  10. bamaster

    bamaster Notebook Consultant

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    I certainly agree with this. This reminds me of the argument about subwoofers. Back in the day... quality, tight bass meant small 8" to 10" subs. The big 15"+ subs were sloppy. But that isn't the case any more. There are amazing 15" subs out there with amazing SQ. Heck, even these shallow mounts are surprising people.

    What was unthinkable just a few years ago is now possible. No one will accuse this of being a serious gamer's rig, but the tech has come a long way. This ain't yo daddy's Pentium, haha.
     
    bamaster, Oct 18, 2013
    #310
  11. plastus

    plastus Notebook Enthusiast

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    UX301LA-DH51T in stock at Adorama Camera.
     
    plastus, Oct 18, 2013
    #311
  12. slacka-vt

    slacka-vt Newbie

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    Dammit! Why is newegg.com so freaking late to the UX301LA-DH51T party ?!! I got 12 months interest free financing with them and it's burning a hole in my pocket.
     
    slacka-vt, Oct 18, 2013
    #312
  13. minnus

    minnus Notebook Consultant

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    Anyone have any thoughts on this? If the laptop is 2.6lb, that is a pretty big deal / improvement over the announced spec.
     
    minnus, Oct 18, 2013
    #313
  14. taylor09

    taylor09 Newbie

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    taylor09, Oct 18, 2013
    #314
  15. tetrismaster

    tetrismaster Notebook Consultant

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    tetrismaster, Oct 19, 2013
    #315
  16. mart198i

    mart198i Notebook Enthusiast

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    I'm very keen on buying the UX301 but with the 1920x1080 screen instead of the 25xx x 1400, beacuse it's only 1499 euros for a i5, 8 gb RAM and 256 SSD. How much better do you guys think the battery life will be when it's only a Full HD screen instead of the 25xx x 1400 screen?
     
    mart198i, Oct 19, 2013
    #316
  17. Mark_K

    Mark_K Notebook Consultant

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    Mark_K, Oct 19, 2013
    #317
  18. MikeTLB

    MikeTLB Notebook Consultant

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    The unit I have for tests weighs 3.1 pounds (i7-4558U, 8 gb ram, 512 GB SSD). See the video here, at minute 2:10 Asus Zenbook UX301LA review - the Zenbook UX301 Infinity tested - YouTube . So I'm sure that 2.6 lbs listing is wrong.

    BTW, if any of you are interested in what I think about the UX301, my review is over here: Asus Zenbook UX301LA / UX301 review - not just a regular Haswell ultrabook

    Feedback is appreciated and if you have any questions, well, I'll be around.
     
    MikeTLB, Oct 19, 2013
    #318
  19. minnus

    minnus Notebook Consultant

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    minnus, Oct 19, 2013
    #319
  20. minnus

    minnus Notebook Consultant

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    One main difference though, between the 1800 AB9+ and the UX301 is that the AB9+ has a faster processor. Something to bear in mind.
     
    minnus, Oct 19, 2013
    #320
  21. bamaster

    bamaster Notebook Consultant

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    Thank you for this! Great review!

    I don't see any real competition for this ultrabook (i7-4558U config). Everyone is using the lower spec'ed i7 with Intel HD 4400 chip. This is the best option for those not needing dedicated graphics or wanting to sacrifice the battery drain that comes with that. I also think the benefits of RAID 0 configuration doesn't get enough press coverage.

    I can't wait for mine to arrive!
     
    bamaster, Oct 19, 2013
    #321
  22. AdamJensen

    AdamJensen Notebook Enthusiast

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    Which model is this?
     
    AdamJensen, Oct 19, 2013
    #322
  23. slacka-vt

    slacka-vt Newbie

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    The UX302 will have the 1920X1080 resolution.
     
    slacka-vt, Oct 19, 2013
    #323
  24. matthias2468

    matthias2468 Notebook Consultant

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    no, most models of ux301 have 1080p, only the top model has more.
     
    matthias2468, Oct 19, 2013
    #324
  25. AdamJensen

    AdamJensen Notebook Enthusiast

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    From MikeTLB's site:

    Zenbook UX301LA-C4003H - ~1300 euro - Intel Core i5-4200U, 4 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD, 1080P screen;
    Zenbook UX301LA-DE017H - ~1400 euro - Intel Core i5-4200U, 4 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD, 1440P screen;
    Zenbook UX301LA-DE027H - ~1550 euro - Intel Core i5-4200U, 8 GB RAM, 2×128 GB SSD RAID 0, 1440P screen;
    Zenbook UX301LA-DE016P - ~1700 euro - Intel Core i7-4500U, 8 GB RAM, 2×128 GB SSD RAID 0, 1440P screen;
    Zenbook UX301LA-DE002P - ~2100 euro - Intel Core i7-4558U, 8 GB RAM, 2×256 GB SSD RAID 0, 1440P screen;

    US UX301LA - Notebooks & Ultrabooks - ASUS
    All three of these have WQHD (2560x1440).

    Intel® Core™ i7 4558U 2.8 GHz ~ 3.3 GHz Processor
    Intel® Core™ i7 4500U 1.8 GHz ~ 3.0 GHz Processor
    Intel® Core™ i5 4200U 1.6 GHz ~ 2.6 GHz Processor
     
    AdamJensen, Oct 19, 2013
    #325
    pepemosca likes this.
  26. phil917

    phil917 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Based off the few reviews I've seen so far it's definitely looking like this laptop has been worth the wait. It's got the best performance I've seen on any ultrabook and the build quality/looks are probably only rivaled by the Samsung ATIV Book 9+. I was also interested in the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro but I've been seeing a lot of people complain that the screen isn't displaying colors properly, so I'm scratching that off the list for the time being. Now that Samsung has an 8GB, i7 version of the Book 9+ coming out it's pretty much just down to that and the Infinity.
     
    phil917, Oct 19, 2013
    #326
  27. bamaster

    bamaster Notebook Consultant

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    The Samsung looks enticing, indeed. Where I draw the line is the i7-4558U processor because of the higher TDP and it has the Iris 5100 graphics chip.

    Mike, what other 13 inch ultrabooks are using the i7-4558U processor?
     
    bamaster, Oct 19, 2013
    #327
  28. MikeTLB

    MikeTLB Notebook Consultant

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    None that I know of, for now.

    The new 13 inch rMBP is rumored to use it, but that's not an ultrabook...
     
    MikeTLB, Oct 20, 2013
    #328
  29. Derek712

    Derek712 Notebook Virtuoso

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    Sager also has a model using it but again, it's not an Ultrabook
     
    Derek712, Oct 20, 2013
    #329
  30. bamaster

    bamaster Notebook Consultant

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    That's what I thought. If someone is considering the lower end Infinity (i5-4200u w/ 2560x1440 display) , I would have to recommend the Yoga 2 Pro (i7-4500 w/ 3200x1800 display). Better cpu and higher res display. Heck , Best Buy has it for $1,200!

    Can't beat that!
     
    bamaster, Oct 20, 2013
    #330
  31. matthias2468

    matthias2468 Notebook Consultant

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    Interesting, in Germany, all have FHD except the Iris version.
    I wonder if the FHD screen is of the same batch, i.e. if it has the identical quality as the 1440p except number of pixels. Will be difficult to find a store where both are on display for comparison.
    Resolution-wise I prefer FHD because you can run it at 100%.
     
    matthias2468, Oct 20, 2013
    #331
  32. Meaker@Sager

    Meaker@Sager Company Representative

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    It will be a different series so it's unlikely to have the same characteristics.
     
    Meaker@Sager, Oct 20, 2013
    #332
  33. Bitech

    Bitech Notebook Consultant

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    Are you serious? So if I only wanted the Core i7-4558U CPU I have to get the extra memory, RAID 0 SSD and the higher resolution also?
     
    Bitech, Oct 20, 2013
    #333
  34. bamaster

    bamaster Notebook Consultant

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    The i7-4558U is Intel's best ultrabook CPU.
    Intel® Processor Comparison

    I would think that the folks interested in the top-spec'ed CPU are also looking for maxed out RAM, SSD and pixel density. I know I am!
     
    bamaster, Oct 20, 2013
    #334
  35. el3ctronics

    el3ctronics Notebook Guru

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    el3ctronics, Oct 20, 2013
    #335
    pepemosca likes this.
  36. eightballwest

    eightballwest Notebook Enthusiast

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    If this is a premium series ultrabook, why did Asus drop the TPM module? The Vaio Pro Ultrabooks all have TPM!

    It's the only shortcoming of the UX301, but a deal breaker for those who need it.
     
    eightballwest, Oct 20, 2013
    #336
  37. Sunfox

    Sunfox Notebook Deity

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    Hmm, interesting. After reading so much and being disappointed by so many ultrabooks... I'm starting to warm up to this one. I wish the screen was 3200x1800, I think the cursor keys are too small and the power button placement in the keyboard is stupid, I'm not fond of the air exhaust blowing on the screen (and you), and I so wish it had a wired gigabit ethernet port... but otherwise, it's by far the most powerful in its size and weight class, it looks nice, and it has an international warranty (bonus, so I can buy in the US and get a proper english keyboard instead of the bilingual crap they force on Canadians).
     
    Sunfox, Oct 21, 2013
    #337
  38. Mark_K

    Mark_K Notebook Consultant

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    Sunfox,

    Are you saying that with the Ethernet dongle you cant get gigabit?
    At least it has ac WiFi.
     
    Mark_K, Oct 21, 2013
    #338
  39. ananny

    ananny Newbie

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    Noob question here. Can the RAID 0 configuration be easily changed so that you just have 2 individual SSD drives instead ?
     
    ananny, Oct 21, 2013
    #339
  40. Sunfox

    Sunfox Notebook Deity

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    Well, first off it's a dongle - when companies like Fujitsu came up with a much better integrated port for their ultrabook using a real Intel controller and no adapter cable. Samsung's Book 9 Plus requires an adapter cable, but at least it's real and it's there. Second, there's only 2 USB ports, so having to blow one on Ethernet is a pain. Third, USB adapters rarely offer the speeds of true hardware options.

    So it's something, but not much of a differentiating feature for Asus because you can add adapters to any Ultrabook. I know everyone's wireless-wireless-wireless, but when I'm in a hotel that doesn't have it or it's operating at like 1mbit speeds, I want to have a convenient wired option. And when I want to copy 20 gigabytes of data as quickly as possible or even a hundred gigs of raw video footage, I'm not going to wait around for hours for it to slowly (and hopefully!) finish on wireless.

    Someone would have to check the BIOS options. Sometimes on laptops they don't let you change the controller mode or RAID style.
     
    Sunfox, Oct 21, 2013
    #340
  41. Meaker@Sager

    Meaker@Sager Company Representative

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    When you can only create so many SKUs then yes you may run into such issues but as said typically the people who want the higher spec storage will want the CPU too.
     
    Meaker@Sager, Oct 21, 2013
    #341
  42. Kevin@GenTechPC

    Kevin@GenTechPC Company Representative

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    When you change the SATA mode from RAID to AHCI to use each drive independently then you will need to reload OS.
     
    Kevin@GenTechPC, Oct 21, 2013
    #342
  43. dariusnaz

    dariusnaz Notebook Consultant

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    Anyone seen any US retailers offering in white?
     
    dariusnaz, Oct 22, 2013
    #343
  44. phil917

    phil917 Notebook Enthusiast

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    As someone mentioned earlier I wish ASUS and other ultrabook manufacturers followed Apple's lead when it came to releasing products. This laptop came out last week and I have yet to see it available in any stores. The only thing I'm seeing are pre orders with a vague ship time of sometime in November. I'm ready to drop 2000+ on this product ASUS, stop dropping the ball. I almost jumped on the Book 9+ the other day after seeing it in person, not sure how much longer I'm able to wait as my current laptop is at the brink of death..
     
    phil917, Oct 22, 2013
    #344
  45. Amassaic

    Amassaic Notebook Guru

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    ASUS needs it's own store already. I dont understand the business model here either
     
    Amassaic, Oct 22, 2013
    #345
  46. slacka-vt

    slacka-vt Newbie

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    Sick of waiting, I just bought the newly announced MacBook Pro w/ Retina Display for $1700

    13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display

    $1,699.00

    With the following configuration:

    • 2.8GHz Dual-core Intel Core i7-4558U, Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz
    • 8GB 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM
    • 128GB PCIe-based Flash Storage
    • Intel Iris 5100 HD 2560 X 1600 Resolution
    • 802.11AC
    • Full size HDMI port
    • 9 hour battery

    Granted it's a little thicker and a little heavier (3.46 lbs) But you get the best keyboard and track pad in the business and it's shipping today. I could care less about touch screen. Who would have thought that an Apple product would provide more value ?!
     
    slacka-vt, Oct 22, 2013
    #346
  47. tetrismaster

    tetrismaster Notebook Consultant

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    For those that want top SSD performance, the Samsung AB 9+ uses mSATA while the Zenbook uses the faster PCIe.
     
    tetrismaster, Oct 22, 2013
    #347
  48. joshmcx

    joshmcx Notebook Evangelist

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    Not yet... This is what I'm waiting for...

    Honestly, I'm about this close to pulling that trigger without news on the white UX301...
     
    joshmcx, Oct 22, 2013
    #348
  49. Mark_K

    Mark_K Notebook Consultant

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    The only problem it's an Apple.
     
    Mark_K, Oct 22, 2013
    #349
  50. bamaster

    bamaster Notebook Consultant

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    Haha, you're worse than me. I'm getting impatient, too. And Apple makes fine devices. But there/s nothing that could get me to use that OS. Yeah, you can run Windows on one but that doesn't make any sense.

    I'm convinced the UX301 will be worth the wait. Of course, it doesn't hurt that my Surface Pro 2 shoed up today! LOL!
     
    bamaster, Oct 22, 2013
    #350
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