Asus U35JC/U45JC

Hi Odysseus.

Could you please download GPU-Z from here. Run it and tell me what your default GPU clock, memory & shader speeds are?

Once opened, you'll need to select "NVIDIA GeForce 310M" from the drop-down menu at the bottom.

I'm wondering if the hit you're taking in 3DMark06 is due to ASUS downclocking your shaders speed. (They CAN be pushed back up to the regular speed again). Your CPU is faster and so should score higher, but your shader scores (I suspect) are lower. It may be their way of saving on battery life.

BTW, the link is to GPU-Z 0.4.3. There is a newer version 0.4.4, but it is acting weird on my system whereas 0.4.3 works fine. Download whatever one you like.

 

So would this just take some manual overclocking to get the shaders back to their normal level?

 

Hi Odysseus

Thanks for confirming the material of the palm rest!
I am wondering, how well does it hide fingerprints/oil?

 

Yes. Mine is easily overclockable (see THIS thread) by installing NVIDIA System Tools (Performance Tool) on the 257.21 and up NVIDIA drivers for the 310M.

Cooling for overclocking the GPU may vary with the model & thickness.

 

Just tried Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer on my friend's Sony S Series (Core i3, G310M) and it ran a bit worse than I'd hoped but it was satisfactory.

At 1280x720 resolution, all settings medium it only lagged at large shootouts (which happen reasonably often) so I'm guessing some settings at low it would run good. Should be similar on the U35JC I'm planning to get.

 

The clocks are as follows:

Gpu 606mhz
Mem 667
Shader 1468

You are welcome GT, and let me put it like this: IT DOESNT
I am very picky when it comes to keeping my systems clean and neat, and it is a fingerprint magnet, especially the lid.

 

I think the US version of the U35JC only comes in silver for now...so hopefully it will be as fingerprint resistant as the UL30VT, but look a bit more snazzy

And to quote Quatro's thread about overclocking the 310m,

So it appears that there has been some slight underclocking.

 

Hmm ... as I suspected. Same GPU, different clock speeds.

My 310M default clock speeds in my U30Jc are:
CPU: 2.26 GHz (2 core/ 4 thread, NO turboboost)
GPU: 625
Mem: 750
Shaders: 1530
3DMark06: 3770

The UL30VT's 210M clock speeds:
CPU: 1.73 GHz (2 core/ 2 thread, C2D, ASUS Turbo33)
GPU: 606
Mem: 790
Shaders: 1468
3DMark06: 3461

So the U45Jc's's 310M's memory has been underclocked compared to the 210M and it has been underclocked in all 3 catagories compared to my 310M.

A "slight" underclock"? To me, a loss of almost 350 points in 3DMk06, in spite of having a more powerful processor that has turboboost, is significant.

What are you doing, ASUS or NVIDIA? "The GPU is the same. Only the speeds have been changed to protect the innocent."

Odysseus, what kind of i5 processor do you have and stock processor speed? Is it the i5-450M running at 2.4GHz as reported in the Techtree.com Indian review?

 

I got the I5 450m with turboboost. I will try changing the clocks to match those of a "standard" 310m and see what scores I will get.

 

Running stock 310m speeds on the U45JC yields 3812 points in 3dmark06

sm02 1427
sm03 1409
cpu 2664

 

By "stock speeds," I assume you mean you set it at MY 310M's stock speeds. If so, that's the score I would have expected all along on your setup; that you were SUPPOSED to get before they underclocked it.

An increase from 3422 to 3812 points? Nice. And you should be able to just leave it at those speeds.

This proves my point. ASUS or NVIDIA are, for some reason, underclocking some of the 310M GPU's and not telling us.... that all 310M's are not being clocked equal. Perhaps it is for cheaper cooling options or easier cooling in thinner laptops (my laptop is thicker than yours).

I'd suspect the reason is one or both of those: passive cooling in a thinner area & battery life. So do watch your GPU temps under GPU-Z when/if you game on it. Tell us what they are.

Others with the 310M under Optimus, WATCH FOR THIS!

 

Yes the PROPER stock speeds. My gpu temperature at idle is only 58 degress celcius, which I think is okay considering that this is a notebook.

 

I just hit 80 degress after a stint of L4D2 on mid-high settings.

 

That's a bit too hot. I think 90C should be the max. ( Anyone else know the safe max on the GPU?)

My 310M on idle is 46C. OVERCLOCKED in-game, about 65-70C.

I think we're seeing why they underclocked the GPU: cooling issues in that thinner body. Sorry.

You can play o'ced, but be careful.

 

To be honest I have a hard time believing those readings as the notebook itself is pretty cool to the touch, and the fan when I was gaming did not kick into the highest speed setting, so I am not the least worried.

 

What framerates where you getting in L4D2? And what settings were you playing on?

I'm just curious because I play a lot of games that use the Source Engine, and I'd like to know what I'll be able to play

 

Were you going by the temps reported in GPU-Z or which app?

If the fan wasn't high-speed (and again, you weren't really overclocking it) and the notebook felt cool-ish to the touch, then you're surely okay. You'd know.

And if it was really hot inside , the system fan should kick in quite loudly.

Now when I overclock my GPU (and I mean really overclock) and play a game, the fan kicks into high and the vent air is pretty hot.

 

How confusing (not you.) Another U35Jc owner reports that his chassis top/palm rest is plastic, not metal at all. And it printed on with a design.

Which is it? :confused2:

 

Ill take some nice up close pictures, maybe someone can make an educated guess.

 

Well, there are already several Taiwan unboxing-type of blogs with numerous close-ups of the U35Jc. To me, they look like plastic, esp with the print & the way it follows the surface as it dips and bends. It doesn't look like what metal does .... but pics aren't a replacement for feel & close eye inspection.
___________________________________________

*Ahem* ... Okay everyone. Please give me some reputation points. I just noticed that I seem to be stuck as "Quatro is a jewel in the rough" when I put my pointer over the rep points area.

Help me out here. I don't want to be stuck as something in the rough.

 

Odysseus, would it be possible for you to do a battery test (wifi browsing, dvd, under load) with your u35 on i5-450m? Because I am looking at getting a u30 with that processor - the only one available here in Australia.

Cheers

 

Gave up with the U35JC and just bit on a 3820TG with 5650, hope I don't regret it

 

Where did you find it for sale? Others are loving that notebook. Very fast GPU.

Just two days ago, a friend said they didn't have it in stock in all the US. Something about shipments having been sent back to China.

... Oh, I see. You're in New Zealand and you're ordering from a seller in Taiwan. Wow. The lengths folks are having to go to get this 3820TG!

I hope it gets to you safe & quickly and you enjoy it.

 

Don't be so surprised that this laptop has some difficulty handling some games at certain resolution levels.

It is not a portable gaming laptop where FPS and higher graphics games are concerned.

It is better suited for RTS games and the like.

 

Do you think that this laptop would be capable of playing Everquest 2 at moderate settings? It is more of a processor intensive game. My desktop is a Core 2 Duo E6400 overclocked to 3.2 Ghz with an ATI 1950XT that has no problem playing the game is that helps for comparision. When my desktop is at stock clock (2.13) I get a HUGE drop is frames that to about 10-15 FPS.

I'm really looking forward to this laptop, if I can find a place that has it in stock in the US!!!

 

Hey quick question about this topic:

I've recently been looking to buy a new laptop and I've been torn between the Asus U30jc and the U43jc. My main concern is whether or not I'll be able to get the U43jc in time for school, and the fact that there aren't too many reviews on the laptop because it is relatively new.
(Or maybe even the Asus g51vx at a low price of $599.99 but with a slightly outdated processor.)

@Quatro: You have the Asus U30jc, would you recommend it? The webcam is only 0.3MP is it unclear or unusable? If I were to get it should I try upgrading to an i5-520 processor? Should I upgrade the harddrive and/or RAM as well? I would use the laptop primarily for schoolwork, internet browsing and some games like TF2 and SC2.

Thanks a lot!! =D

 

ASUS U45JC-A1 14" Notebook. ASUS U45JC-A1

They're starting to come up on pre-order. Only thing? This one has the i3 CPU.

 

J&R has it up for preorder ($760 after cash back, +$15 to $20 shipping), as do XoticPC, Excalibur, and Gentech. I ordered mine from J&R.

And from what I've read, the i3 370m "should be between a 2.5 and 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo (upper class CPUs in the last year)" (via Notebookcheck.net). Keep in mind that this refers to mobile C2Ds. I'd Google around and see if other folks with mobile C2Ds have had any trouble with that particular game.

 

Yes, I really like & recommend the U30Jc.

The chassis feels very solid and the brushed aluminum palm rest & trackpad are honestly always cool to the touch. I like that. No fingerprint issues either.

The webcam is noticeably grainier than on my ASUS netbook (1.3 MP), but it works. Especially if I try and be sure there is no backlighting turning my face into a shadow.

My 2.26GHz i3-350M is plenty fast for me. It would depend on the cost of the upgraded i5. That 520M is a better & faster processor (2.4~2.66).

The notebook is uniquely very cool. It really never gets hot (though vent air in gaming gets hot, of course.) There are NO VENTS or grills on the bottom so no air vents to cover up. It draws air from the front near the speakers and out the left side. It works.

My fan is exceptionally quiet.

For gaming, the U30Jc gets 3730 or so in 3Dmark06. I can easily oc the GPU and get 4330 points stably.

Battery life is about 7-8 hrs no wifi and 50% brightness. (And this screen is VERY bright). 6-7 hrs with wifi but no flash video. Flash video (HULU) or movie watching: about 4 hrs. Gaming: 2 hrs.

The downside of the U30Jc (to me) is the screen contrast level and viewing angles, but my wife's white 1-yr old MB has the same problem and my Dell Vostro 1000. Blacks on a full-screen movie look more like a washed-out gray. Lots of lightbleed, IMO. In normal work & the desktop & apps, the lightbleed is NOT noticeable.

BUT for color & clarity & brightness, the U30Jc's screen gets A++. Best screen I've ever owned in that area.

4GB DDR3 under Win 7 x64 is pretty good. I'd use it and if I found I needed more, I'd buy more down the road (but I don't see needing more.)

Same advice for the HDD. Depends on what they charge you. But if you wait, you can use the 320GB as an external backup and buy the HDD you want. Up to you and the cash you have on hand.

Does that help?

 

Wow that information helps me a ton! Thanks Quatro!

The upgrade to an i5-520M would be about 330 dollars. Is that worth it? And where is a good place to buy this laptop? I've been looking at xoticpc and gentechpc for pricing and what not, but the exoticpc site labels it as the Asus U30JC-A2B. Is that the same as the U30JC-A1? Would Amazon.com maybe be a better place to buy it from?

Also, do you think its worth waiting for the U43JC to become more available? Or just purchasing the U30JC.

Once again thank you so much for the information and help! =D

 

This was posted in the 33 43 53 thread. Though some of you might be interested.

 

You have got to be kidding me. I am furious right now.

Also, I don't know if I have to change my shipping location, since I head back out to school that last week of August

 

Let's see. The base notebook is at XoticPC & GenTechPC is about $889 and comes w/ i3-370 2.4GHz. The i5-520M for $330 extra is ALSO 2.4GHz by can go up to 2.9GHz on one core when needed.

So for the same speed processor but a potential of 500MHz more on one core, it will cost an extra 37% of the price of the notebook.

Worth it? Absolutely not. For that kind of money, you'd see more real-world speed improvement by installing an SSD.

Any of those three are reputable. One is probably not better than the other. Mostly it's price for what you get and looking at the shipping, if any, and the return policy.

The endings after the U30Jc mean that something is different. Usually small differences: (BT means bluetooth)
A1: i3-350M (2.26) / 320GB 5400rpm / No BT / W7 Home Premium / No WiDi
B1: i3-370M (2.40) / 320GB 5400rpm / No BT / W7 Home Premium / WiDi WiFi card
A2B: i3-350M (2.26) / 320GB 7200rpm / BT / W7 Professional / No WiDi card

Depends on what you want and how much you want to spend. U43Jc has the same processor, but differences from the U30Jc:
1) 14-inch screen (you don't like the 13.3" U33Jc but you do like the 13.3" U30Jc??)
2) has classy bamboo wood palm rest & lid
3) has aluminum on the entire keyboard area
4) 2.0 MP webcam
5) USB 3.0
6) i5-450M (2.4~2.66GHz)
7) 640GB 5400rpm HDD (that's double the HDD space)
8) BT
9) WiDi

That's quite a list of differences, when you think about it and for close to the same price!

And the U33Jc has the same list of differences except for an i3-370M (2.4) and a 500GB 5400rpm HDD.

 

Thx for the info but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I leave for school on Aug 28th so it looks like I won't be able to get my U35JC

Argh that's depressing considering amazon lists the U35 @ $822 CDN, but the cheapest price I've seen the U30JC at is $910 - almost $100 more for what will end up being an older laptop.

 

Oh wow that is quite a lot of differences. I would definitely go for the Asus U33JC or U43JC except the fact that the ETAs are slightly unknown and the fact that there aren't really any substantial reviews on them are a bit unnerving. Also because I have to go back to school at the end of August.

If I pre-order the U33JC or the U43JC what does that exactly mean? Does it mean that when the supplier gets the product it will be shipped out then? Because then getting the laptop before the end of August seems most likely not probable. I'm in quite a dilemma =/.

 

Odysseus: While we wait for the pictures of your U45jc (if I remember correct), could you tell me/us if these pictures from Asus' global site is correct?

ASUSTeK Computer Inc.

I am wondering if it's this aluminum colour, or plain black (like that Indian-test review posted earlier in this thread).


Great help so far guys, you should be paid by Asus for doing their PR-work!

 

I'm guessing this is an error on Amazon.ca's website. It just makes no sense that the more powerful U35JC is $100 cheaper than the U30JC.

 

J and R said that they expect to get the U35JC by the end of the month. That's a big difference!

I wonder who's right?

 

I had my doubts with the Gentech ship dates, since they do offer extensive modifications to the laptops. But I doubt that they would, for any reason, delay the shipment of the unmodified laptops to line up with the shipment of the rest. When I called J&R last week, they said they should be receiving the laptops this week. And at the beginning of this week, when I emailed them to see if they had received and updated ETA from Asus (I had heard rumors of a possible delay into August), they told me that they had not received any such news.

Also, the U35JC has a slightly better processor than the initial U30JCs. I would hesitate to call it more powerful. And the U30JC-B1 is available for $850, which is $30-$50 more than the U35JC. It has a 370m and widi. So not a bad deal overall, considering that it has an optical drive.

 

J&R confirmed my earlier information about expecting to receive the U35JC within the next week.

Also, I would think anyone thinking about the U35JC wouldn't be interested in the U30JC, the optical drive would be a deal breaker! The smaller and lighter.. the better.

 

Fingers crossed. I'll be checking my inbox like a maniac for the next two days. Luckily for me, I'm off until Saturday

 

Really this withing next week? i will head over there and check i hope they have not filled up all pre orders for the u43. my order at EXOTICPC is as stated delay till August.

 

GenTechPC & XoticPC both say they spoke with ASUS directly. The same with the ASUS shop in the UK. They spoke with ASUS directly too. It seems to be a problem with ASUS itself supplying the laptops.

J&R is bigger with lots more stuff (like Best Buy). I'd wonder if any one there actually called ASUS directly. They'd go by what the computer told them on their company website.

I'd believe the dates given them, ignore J&R's claim and hope for a sooner shipment.

Bad news for those off to school at the end of Aug, though the U33Jc is still scheduled for Aug 4th & the U43Jc for Aug 12th!! Both before colleges start.

 

XoticPC has just informed me that they were updated today that the U33JC is expected to come to them at the end of August. =/

Hutsady: Hello and thank you for your interest in Xotic PC!
Jon: Hello, When will you be getting the Asus U33JC?
Hutsady: hi Jon, ASUS has provided a ETA of end of August
Jon: Why does it say the ETA is Middle to Late July?
Hutsady: ASUS just updated us today and we're in the process of updating our website, that was the original ETA provided by ASUS to us

 

BTW everyone, the 258.96 drivers have now been WHQL-certified. You can get them HERE.

And sorry for everyone waiting to get anything new ASUS notebook before school starts. That stinks.

 

Just in case any of you folks missed it. Promo code GEICO10 works for an extra $10 off at J&R, so w/ Bing CB (which is stackable, right?), total cost is $750 + shipping (which was $16 to Chicago) for the u33jc. Not a bad deal if you can wait.

 

I REALLY hope the U35JC comes out this week. If it doesn't come out until the 25th I will not be able to get it as I start school on the 23rd.

I hope I won't be too disappointed having to go with the UL30VT-A1 if the U35JC doesn't release in time.

 

750?!? thats got to be a typo right? With BCB + Coupon it comes out to about $892 + ship&tax on J&R

 

Yep, typo. Meant 35, typed 33.

 

What is looking more plausible? U35JC in 1-2 weeks or end of August?