Asus UL30JT

I'm not clear on your question. It is whatever the specs list in the link you included. The list looks clear.

The UL80J(T) is to the UL80VT what the UL30JT is to the UL30VT. The 80 is 14" the 30 is 13.3". The JT model features the improved i-series processor, Optimus auto-switch dual graphics and an aluminum palm-rest. The VT series have the SU7300 C2D processor, manual switching between the GPU's and a glossy plastic palm-rest.

Best Buy's version of the VT ASUS line had some differences like a rubberized palm-rest & maybe battery size (I don't remember now). The BB "J" version of the JT may also have a few differences.

 

I mean what is the ul80j? Is it the same model as the ul80jt? im asking because the ul80jt isn't out in us/canada right now.

or is the ul80j a new series of the asus ul line.

 

err.. my guess is that it's the BB version of UL80JT, with i3 instead of i5?

 

My guess as well. i3 instead of i5 plus with the BB listing of 5hr 20min for battery life (10hrs on ASUS' site), I'd guess it has a smaller battery and perhaps a different palm-rest like they did with the BB version of the VT. JT's palm-rest is aluminum. BB's may be rubberized plastic.

 

It only say "8 cell battery," but there's no mention of how it's rated in terms of Wh (the "standard" Asus 8 cell being 84 Wh). In the pictures, it appears to have the same metal finish as the rest of the J laptops. The UL50VT that Best Buy sells has the rubberized palm rests in pictures (and in real life)in addition to all the standard specs, but is the same price.

I will be stopping in my local Best Buy after work tomorrow, so I'll get the lowdown on all the details then.

In other news, this really does belong in the UL80JT thread

 

Oh, oh! I see the difference ...... the Best Buy UL30J has the words "ALTEC SRS Premium Sound" printed on the metal of the upper right side of the palm-rest instead of on a sticky label on the upper LEFT side of the palm-rest, like on the UL30JT.

But silly joking aside, looking closer at the BB pics, you're right. It does look like it has the metallic palm-rest as well.

 

Got the Optimus Test Tools finally posted up at LaptopVideo2Go. These are essential IMHO if you have an optimus notebook. You can finally see when the Nvidia GPU is working.

 

AWESOME! Thanks, Nautis.

 

I just bought the UL80J at BB yesterday and checked it all out. There are some definite BB modifications that are deceiving to the normal consumer. First, the processor is the i3-330UM mobile processor and has a clock speed of 1.02 pre-overclock (it also has Turbo 33, as do all Asus laptops now). The normal retail version should have the i5 UM processor. Second, The battery it comes with is rated at 63Wh (4400 mAh), compared to the 84Wh battery that the normal retail version should come with. And last, it comes with a basic one-year warranty, and thats it. Amazon will most likely sell the normal retail version, better battery and processor included, with two-year global and one-year accidental warranties. And it will only be, at most, a couple hundred more than the BB version. The Asus guy I talked to said it will be only a hundred more, but I'm putting a buffer on it so I don't look completely wrong. That's a way better deal, and I'm returning my laptop today and will wait for the Amazon version.

 

Yeah, there's a pretty serious typo on the product page where they mistake it for a i3 330m and report the clock speed as 2.13ghz. My local Best Buy doesn't have this in stock yet, so thanks for the information! I may hold out for the normal retail version as well, or even buy a UL30/80VT instead.

 

Thanks for getting back to us on that.

I think you meant to write that the i3-330UM has a stock speed of 1.2GHz (not 1.02), at least that's what the Intel site says.

Thank heavens it comes with Turbo33 or 1.2GHz would be really slow for Win 7 x64. And imagine its speed when it clocks even slower to conserve battery power!

Not all ASUS laptops come with Turbo33 (I wish). Perhaps only the UM chips. I think it is limited to the ability of the processor. For example, my U30JC with the i3-350M (2.26GHz) does not come with Turbo33 (it doesn't work on it, even if I download it from another location) and the processor appears to be locked to prevent overclock.

 

Well, he said it was 1.2 PRE overclock, meaning that Turbo33 wasn't turned on (which is curious, since most Asus laptops with the feature come overclocked right out of the factory). Keep in mind that the C2Ds on the previous UL line ran at 1.3Ghz (1.7 with Turbo33), so the 100Mhz won't leave us hurting too bad if even 1/3 of the hoopla about the new Core ULVs is to be believed

Also, I think only the UL series can use Turbo33 because of the low clock speed/TDP. An i3 with Turbo33 would be very very fast...an i5 with Turbo33 AND Intel Turboboost would burn down the house!

 

You're right, I didn't think twice about what I wrote before. I got ahead of myself when I said all Asus's have Turbo33. It seems that all UM's have it. Also, you're right that the processor has a stock speed of 1.2. With the Turbo33 I'm assuming it runs at a 33% higher speed.

 

No, actually he wrote " 1.02 pre-overclock" as you can see on the previous page. I was merely pointing out his small typo. Not a big deal. Just a typo.

The i3-330UM at 1.2GHz with a 33% Turbo33 overclock, would go to 1.6GHz, which would not be my definition of "very, very fast". Adequate, but hardly fast.

Now, if only I could overclock my 2.26GHz i3-350M. That would be fast(er) .... but it would also eat up my battery life!

I, for one, will be utterly content with what I have -- ( ... after I get that SSD or hybrid drive upgrade! :wink: )

 

ASUS UL30VT-A1 Core 2 Duo SU7300 500GB 13.3" LAPTOP PC - eBay (item 350370811768 end time Jul-04-10 13:08:38 PDT)

$587.95 - (seller claimed, bing eligible)

 

Note that by July 30th, Bing Cashback will no longer be available (according to Bing's site.)

So enjoy & take advantage of it while you can!!!

 

When do you guys think this will be available?

 

It's up for preorder on xotic pc.

http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-ul30jta1-p-2827.html?wconfigure=yes

Looks like it will only have the Intel i3-330UM processor.

 

NOOOOOOOOO..... how accurate is this stuff??

time to import from taiwan??

 

Hi, i'm not an expert but i would like to clear some thing out: Firstly the Intel i3-330UM processor runs at 1.2GHz and as all i3 processors does not have Intel Turbo Boost Technology. Secondly the 'T' letter in the name of UL30JT indicates that this model comes with Asus Turbo33 technology so after enabling it this processor will run about 1.6 GHz (exactly as Quatro wrote).

The Asus Turbo33 technology is based on changing the FSB speed of the processor. All UM processors have down-clocked FSB to 800Mhz and Asus just rise it back to 1066Mhz, so these processors can take advantage of DDR3 1066Mhz RAM. U30JC processor already have FSB on 1066MHz so asus can't help here

PS this is my first post here but i have been following this thread since his very beginning and i am still following it even despite i already bought UL30JT which is the best laptop i ever had (Although it was a time when i was considering the U30JC model)

 

wahaha, should I order from xoticpc (are they good ?) or should I wait until they put it on amazon ?

 

The UL30JT does NOT have a metal palm rest. It is a plastic that is supposed to look like brusher aluminium but its only mate plastic.I know because I'm writing this post on my UL30JT The screen lid is still aluminium BTW. So the main difference between U35 an UL30 is the processor and amount of aluminum used. Here - some U35JC pics from far est(click those blue link to see pics )

 

Thank you for that clarification. I was going by the look of the photos and others' comments (others who thought their palm-rest was metal). I wonder how ASUS does that, making the palm-rest surface appear as metal but is faux brushed aluminum?

Good to know from an actual user!

I am lucky then, as my U30JC's palm-rest is actual brushed aluminum and metallic-cool to the touch. Much nicer on my palms than plastic!

 

Totally agree. I sometimes even close my laptop and put my hands on the lid to feel that metallic-cool. But in my case the main concern was the weight of the laptop. I had both U30 and UL30 in hands and U30 lost this comparison. Besides i don't need power of normal voltage processor because 2,5Ghz of my i5-520UM is good enough. BTW in my country U30JC was available with i5-520M and 500GB HDD.

 

I think much of that extra weight of the U30JC is the internal DVD drive. It IS bulkier & heavier. But ASUS could put the aluminum palm-rest in the no-ODD models without adding much to the weight.

Is that what they will do with the U35JC?

Do they have or are planning to have a non-DVD version of the U30JC (only with a different numbering, of course)? I think the basic chassis design of the U30JC is very nice. Just slim it down with no ODD for those who don't want it (I like my internal ODD).

 

Fiszer are you sure the Palmrest isn't aluminum?

I'm still not sure The lid does feel more metallic-cool, but maybe that's just because the layer of aluminum is just thinner on the palmrest.

The website were I bought the UL30JT clearly states, that it has an aluminum palmrest.

 

I' pretty sure that palm rest is not aluminum, but it is cold indeed( As Asus advertise it as: ice cold palm rest) but not so cold as the lid is. It is definitely different from U30JC palm rest and even from UL30VT.
Maybe this misinformation came from that Asus describe it on official site(in Poland) as :"matt, metallic-black palm rest". I cant translate it exactly but the meaning of this sentence is that it looks like black metal but it isn't made of metal. Besides of that the website from where i bought my UL30JT clearly described it as aluminium lid an plastic case.
I still would enjoy aluminum palm rest more butt i have been waiting for perfect laptop for 8 months so i just couldn't wait more for U35JC.

 

Hmm, so if the T signifies Turbo33, then the Best Buy UL80J doesn't even have Turbo33? One more reason to stay away from their gimped laptops! $700 for an i3 330um with no Turbo 33, a 1 year warranty, and a 64Wh battery is a pretty mediocre deal.

 

Hard to say. ASUS' product site page for the UL30JT states (in English) " matte black metallic palm rest" which, in English, makes it sound like it is metal.

The U30Jc's plam-rest is clearly metal as it's not painted and is very different looking from the rest of the painted plastic chassis.

 

I'm glad I returned mine.

 

So the only way to be sure is it metal or not is to scratch the palm rest surface But do not expect me to do that with my brand new laptop
BTW i asked few of my coworkers what they think about it and the all were sure that this is just a plastic.

 

On the Danish/Swedish website dustinhome.dk where I bought it, they state that both the lid and the palmrest are made from aluminum.

If the palmrest is in fact plastic do you think I could return it because of false advertisment?

 

Can't believe they gave us an i3 model, although it does supposedly have Turbo33. No bluetooth either BTW. It is obvious that Asus wanted to hit a certain price point for the US market and to be honest, it is a pretty reasonable price ($820). But c'mon, jack-up the price 15 bucks or so and at least give us bluetooth.

Seeing that the U35JC is also listed (although the product page is blank), I think that will be the model I buy depending on processor/bluetooth. If it doesn't have what I am looking for, the U33JC will be the ticket. It has USB 3.0 and bluetooth. It also mentions Intel Wireless Display which sounds neat. Plus, BAMBOO! F***ING BAMBOO! I think it is cool. Plus, what is a little extra scratch when I only buy a new computer every 4-5 years. Amazon lists the U30JC-A2B at $970, and Xotic PC has the U33JC listed at $960.

I don't understand though why the U33JC/U43JC don't have Turbo33. The u33 I could understand as it has and i3, but the U43 has an i5. Perhaps incomplete product page? All I know is that I have a few questions for Mr. Asus. Hope some reviews start popping up too as I can't buy anything without reading a few.

Hope all these new lappies start showing up on Amazon too.

 

Ugh, I didn't realize the U33JC (and U35JC?) has the same chassis design as the U30JC. What is the point of that? Same size and weight but minus a DVD drive? Also, did anyone else notice the Blu-Ray logo on the U30JC-A2B on Xotic PC?
I guess the only way to get the UL30 body is with a ULV processor, right?

 

Ugh? I'm crushed. Many people think the U30JC's chassis is very elegant and sharp-looking with the brushed aluminum finish on the trackpad, palm-rest & lid. And the hinges seemed sturdier than the UL30VT's.

In fact, many people wanted the U30JC, but thinner & lighter & without the DVD drive.

Sounds to me like that is just the people ASUS is pitching the U33JC to. (The GenTech page lists it at 3.75lbs, a pound lighter than the U30JC, and less then an inch thick ... because there's no DVD drive.)

PLUS, the U33JC has USB 3, BT, WIDI & a 2.0 MP webcam, all things the U30JC's release was too early to get (at least in the US release, we didn't get BT with the U30JC and only a 0.3 MP webcam).

Come on somebody! Buy my U30JC so that I can buy the U33JC! (Although I do really like my ODD ... and there's room for an SSD or extra HDD later if I wish it.)

UPDATE: On GenTechPC's page, the U33JC photos seems to show the entire keyboard & top (not just the palm-rest & trackpad) is covered in brushed aluminum. ... oh, of course. I keep forgetting that this is the more expensive Bamboo edition. Very nice indeed! And not a lot more expensive ($969) than the U30JC was on opening ($899).

 

Oh my God!

I just found exactly the laptop I always wanted! U35JC!!!
Its light, long battery, no optical drive, i5 and switchable graphics!

Does ANYONE sell them in the US? I will buy one tonight is someone does...

 

That is exaclty what I want! Thinner and lighter! It isn't according to the product pages on Xotic PC. I think the U30JC has a great chassis if you want a DVD drive, but I can live without it. That is my gripe. What is the point of making a notebook with the same size as the U30JC but just without an optical drive

The links to each laptop I am considering are below, plus the U30JC for comparison:
UL30JT
U35JC (product page not available as of 6/30)
U33JC
U30JC

If you notice, the U33JC lists the size and weight as 4.8lbs with 8-cell battery 13.12" x 9.52" x 0.8-1.2", which is the EXACT same thing the U30JC lists. The UL30JT on the other hand shows 3.7lbs with 8-cell battery 12.68" x 9.17" x 0.59-0.97".

I really hope there are some mistakes on these product pages...

 

Xotic PC just listed it yesterday, but the product page isn't up yet. It looks like it will likely have an i3 instead of an i5, and perhaps lack bluetooth as well. I say this because the UL30JT has an i3 with no bluetooth and they are the same price ($820 before cash discount).

This is a list of Xotic PC's new laptops. Asus' are all at the top ATM since they were just released.
New Products Custom Laptops, Gaming Notebooks, Custom Gaming Laptops | XOTIC PC

Keep an eye on Amazon in the coming week as they should be popping up there as well. Hopefully with different (better) specs!

 

I'm fairly certain the thickness & weight IS a mistake on the XOTIC page. The GenTechPC page lists the U33JC as less then an inch at it's thickest point (0.98") and 3.75lbs. That's 1lb lighter than the U30JC ... about the weight & dimensions of the UL30VT/JT.

I think it's what you want.

And looking at the specs & body design of the U35JC ... the U33JC has more and looks better IMO.

 

Look here at GenTechPC.com. It's in the US, has a phone # ... and uses the i3-370M (2.4GHz).

 

Wow! Thats amazing! Reasonably priced too...

Is there anything wrong with the i3 370M? It seems to be the best option there, with 4.8GT/s compared to the other 2.5GT/s processors. And the 2.4 GHz is not bad at all, even without turbo. The only better option there costs almost 400 dollars extra...

Also, has anyone ever ordered from these guys? What can i expect if i do?

EDIT:
I was looking at the u35 and u33 on the same site and found this:

"That’s right, the U33Jc Bamboo is the only notebook in its category with an optical disc drive built in! No clumsy externals, no clutter – we give you the added convenience and safety of physical data portability and backup."

WHAT? I thought the point was NO optical drive. There is none in the photos, or on the spec sheet, but this is written...


EDIT AGAIN: This site seems to have a better base processor (i3 370 compared to the i3 350 on xoticpc)...

 

Do look at the U33JC as well. It's about $150 more, but has a vastly superior finish on the lid, trim & entire keyboard area and has USB 3.0, BT, WIDI & a 2.0 MP webcam, all things the U30JC's release was too early to get (at least in the US release, we didn't get BT with the U30JC and only a 0.3 MP webcam). But the U35JC is a good deal for it's price. You'll be amazed how fast the i3-370M is at 2.4GHz. I'm using an i3-350M (2.26GHz) right now on my U30JC. Word 2007 on my laptop opens the first time in 4 sec and every time after in 1.5 sec. That's fast.

Of course, if you had an SSD, it would be extremely fast, but they are very expensive. I'm looking to get a Seagate Momentus XT Hybrid drive later. Fast(er) yet not so costly.

GenTechPC is VERY well-known & reputable. You'll find many on this board here who've bought from them. And you can call and talk to an actual human at their shop, not a sales person in India!

This is CLEARLY a mistake on the listing. The specs, dimensions & photos show you that it doesn't have a DVD drive.

 

Thanks! I'll call in the morning. I am not too keen on pre-orders, but if they can give me a ship by guarantee or late July, I might as well go for it.

 

WOW! Thank you Quatro! You are on top of things. I couldn't think of the other retailer that gets Asus products at release to verify anything. Thank you for posting the GenTech link. I do think you are right. I am so happy now. I just may have to place my order for a U33JC. I always thought the U33 and U35 were thinner and lighter than the U35 but that Xotic PC info through me off. It is funny that GenTech says the U35 has an optical drive though
I think I am going to place an order now as I won't get charged until it ships.
Always planned on getting the UL30JT, but the U33JC has won me over. It is what the UL30JT should be, just with a different finish.

 

Looking over the specs & photos of the U33JC, UL30JT & U35JC, I think the U33JC has so much going for it (if one has the extra $150 to spend) that I'd order one in a flash over the other two.

It looks like even better construction than my U30JC (if you don't want an ODD).

And last time, at the release of the U30JC, Amazon's price was no better than GenTech's or XOTIC. And the later two offered an extra discount if you paid by cash instead of credit card.

 

Well, it is official. I just placed my order for a U33JC through GenTech for $939.93 tax free with free shipping! Quatro convinced me. I really hope bamboo is a quality building material for a laptop. It will be interesting to see how the trackpad feels. I will still be looking out for reviews of the UL30JT, U33JC, and U35JC as I will have several (hopefully not too many!) weeks before my new baby will ship.
Didn't expect to have USB 3.0, WiDi, and a 2.0mp webcam in my new Asus

 

Oh wow. Congrats.

For the fun of it, you can look at several demo pre-production U33JC's videoed on YouTube (for example: here and here for a ASUS general release on the Bamboo line.) Some were shown in CES expo and in Taipei, but you'll find the specs a bit different ... and the look above the keyboard different. And the look on these Bamboo demo appears more reddish-brown than the photos over at GenTechPC.

There are several videos of the U33JC to look at, so enjoy. ( Here's one to test your German!) Just keep in mind that they are all pre-production/pre-release models.

Having never owned a Bamboo model, I've no idea what it will actually look like though the GenTechPC photos should be the most current thus far.

 

I have been lurking on this page waiting to see what the UL30JT was about and the release date. Now that the xoticpc link was added I don't know which direction to go in.

I want a 13" or 14" that has either the i3 or i5 processor that's light and runs cool with a good build quality.

I have bad eyes, but is their a big difference between 13" & 14" & is a pound heaver noticeable in every day usage on the lap or moving around in the house?

13" wise it looks like the u33jc-a1 is now the way to go & 14" the u43jc-a1 is the way to go but I don't really know for sure because I haven't seen them in person & I have never owned a Asus.

Here is a 14" model U43F-RBA5 that the Microsoft Store is selling,is it similar to the u43jc-a1? Asus U43F-RBA5 Bamboo 14-Inch Notebook - Buy from Microsoft Store

Non of these will come with a backlit keyboard right?

 

Thanks for the video links, Quatro. I'll check those out. It has been almost 7 months waiting for the UL30JT but I have finally ordered a damn laptop, and it wasn't even the one I was waiting for. I really don't see how I could be disappointed with this purchase.

My only concern would be the i3, but the reviews of the U30JC seem to speak highly of it. I still don't fully understand all the benefits of stepping up to i5 and i7 CPUs and I hope they won't be cause for any buyers remorse. I'll have to look at some benchmarks to see where this i3-370m stands in the world of mobile computing.

 

For me, no, the extra pound is no big deal. For others, it is. Depends how much you carry it around and how.

Looking at the 13.3" & the 14" side-by-side (16:9 ratio) I don't see a huge change in screen space; about an extra 1/4" on the side and an extra 1/2" on the height.

It depends on your budget and whether you want an internal DVD drive or not (which also affects the thickness & weight of the laptop. The Bamboo models are more expensive (U33JC is $150 more than the U35JC) and have extra/improved options.

Yes, your Microsoft link looks identical to the U43JC listed & pictured over at the GenTechPC site.

The main difference between the U33JC & the U43JC is a bit like the UL30VT and the UL80VT. The first is 13.3" screen & no ODD. The second has a 14" screen & an ODD (adding about 3/16" to the height and 1lb to the weight.)

Nope. No backlit keyboard on any of these U or UL models. It would be nice, though.