Asus UX31 Ultrabook

Yes in the UK, Comet, Pc World and currys do the same thing.

 

You just have to look at the up & coming Sammy Series 7 queries with the Best Buy model

Pays to make sure I guess!

 

They say it's officially on sale, but almost no one carries it. Surprise there's no consumer reviews yet

 

I thought I got screwed up by some overselling web site but, apparently my order is soon to be processed by UPS from J&R...
With a bit of luck, it should get here before Tuesday, though it has to cross the border to Canada, otherwise I would have waited until November 10+!

I first saw that J&R was selling through Amazon.com, but for some crazy reason I'll never understand they don't ship electronics to Canada...
So I went directly to J&R's website while amazon was showing their stocks (20, 15, 10 ... 0!), go figure!

Anyway, I intend to install Ubuntu 11.10 64-bit on it...
I'll try to give an update next week if I can find some time!

Good luck to all...

 

nooo. play around with this machine in windows for a while, report your findings here and only then install Linux.

 

Not sure I can report anything useful from Windows unless you have a very specific request?
I haven't used it for so long ...

 

i mean battery life, overall smoothness of operation. maybe some benchmarks...

 

In the mean time I picked up a Samsung 3 series 11.6" with Core i3 for $349,-. It's a different class of laptop but the value for money beats the Asus in my opinion.

I might still get an UX21 or 31 next week when I can play with them.

 

Only thing I don't like on that Samsung is the 4000mAh battery. Wonder what kind of battery life it gets?

 

Anyone thinks a Macbook Air case will automagically fit the UX31 too?

 

Since the dimensions are so similar, it probably would. Unless you're talking about an incase style molded hard case/cover.

 

UX31 comes with its own case in the box.

but i see no problem with the MBA case either.

MBA: 12.8 in (325 mm) wide × 8.94 in (227 mm) deep × 0.11 in (3 mm) to 0.68 in (17 mm) high

UX31: The dimensions are 325mm wide, 233mm deep and 3mm – 18mm in height from front to back.

 

Uhm, good to know!

Specs for Asus Zenbook UX31 | Laptops | CNET UK
... is reporting : 325x17x224 mm

 

Wow, that is an incredible deal!
Unfortunately Samsung computers are not available in my country ((

 

First, I've been an occasional lurker in the forums; very informative. My new Asus UX31 has finally forced me to post.

Got my UX31 in the mail. Looks great, runs fast, blah blah. The damn thing makes a clicking noise like the hard drive click of death!

"Click click....click click...click click..." You get the idea. The noise is most pronounced in a quiet room. I have to turn on my desktop PC, packing 8 fans, to escape the click.

The noise is located under the escape key. It must be a capacitor or something related. I tried muting the speakers, plugging/unplugging the charger, removing USB devices, holding it upside down; it just keeps click-clicking away.

I've submitted a technical inquiry to ASUS. I'll let you know what they say.

Very disappointed with my $1100 ultrabook, ASUS!!!

 

@GuywithSocks

Underneath the esc key would seem to be around the fan... maybe yours is defective?

http://ic.tweakimg.net/ext/i/imagelarge/1317905940.jpeg

 

Wait, where did you order from to get the UX31 already? Amazon says they can't deliver until November

 

I received mine yesterday. I live in Canada (Toronto) and ordered it from J&R in New York. Arrived in one day via UPS worldwide shipping. Had to pay HST only (brokerage was included).

Fantastic machine. so much sexxier in person that the pics and review videos. I have to get used to the keyboard, as I'm used to typing on luscious Lenovo keyboards at work.

The screen is BRIGHT

Speakers sound really good for notebook speakers.

Let me know if there is anything you want to know...

 

@bananachipz: Could you tell us a bit more about your impression of the screen?
I have heard very conflicting reports about it. Some people say it is a little washed out and doesn't have very good blacks or colour rendition.
I'm also wondering how you feel about such a high resolution on 13" screen. Does it make it hard to read things?

 

The fan is really the only moving part, right? Not sure much else would cause noise.

 

I'd prefer a matte screen, but when the brightness is high, you don't notice any reflection... it's really bright.

The colours and blacks are no better or worse than other TN panels i've used. I'm going to calibrate it with my Spyder and see if that makes a difference. I certainly wouldn't use this machine for Colour-critical editing or anything (out of the box at least, we'll see what the spyder can do). It's really a shame they didn't put an IPS panel in, but I understand why. MBA's also have TN panels..

LOVE LOVE LOVE the resolution. I couldn't stand the lower res on other machines. When writing code, or comparing documents etc it comes in so handy. I also have a Lenovo that runs 1900x1200 so this is nothing compared to it

 

Sounds good, man. Can't wait to get my UX31

 

Cool. Thanks for the info bananachipz. Sounds like a pretty awesome machine.
You don't happen to have an MBA as well do you? I would love to know how they compare

 

Ok, mine is confirmed for delivery on Monday...
I just have to figure out how to be here during the day as I have to leave for a few hours, argh!

How "good" is the camera?

 

How is it heat wise? i5, correct?

 

@RR1RR, would be very interested to see how it behaves under Ubuntu, so any updates would be much appreciated.any chance you could run 'Ubuntu friendly' test on it too?

 

Hi Guys,

I am a new poster so apologises in advance if I infringe on any rules…
I also would like to take this opportunity to say, what a community, fantastic bunch!
I can see a few of you have already purchased this dream machine and I was hoping you could shed some light on a few questions.
Is the Ethernet adapter USB 3.0, do you know what speeds it achieves?
How advance are the gestures on the trackpad are they anywhere as advance as on a MBA?
Has anyone loaded Ubuntu or backtrack on it, is so any issues?
How much bloatware comes with the Laptop, or do you need it all so it is optimised?
What about the USB HDD, looks great did you get it, can you get it, is it in raid or am I dreaming?
What size, spec and or accessories did you go for and do you regret your decisions.
On the dissembled picture only 1 fan, won’t this puppy over heat when you push it.

And lastly, probably most importantly if you didn’t believe in love at first sight, do you now?

 

Ahahaha

 

Sure, I'll post how it goes installing Ubuntu 11.10 64-bits and explain what I managed to get working (hopefully most things!).
And the output of lspci(8), dmesg(1), etc. here and there too, I guess... ;-)

Hopefully by Tuesday evening...

 

check out this video... pretty big sound difference!
Hands-on with the ASUS UX31 Zenbook - YouTube

 

Thanks for the link to the photo. You're probably right about the defective fan. I'll keep everybody updated about the clicking noise and ASUS' response to it.

Edit: Photo link credit to AllurGroceries
http://ic.tweakimg.net/ext/i/imagelarge/1317905940.jpeg

 

Ewww, all those external adapters to break, get lost, or stolen. I'd rather add another 1/4" have these ports built in. What's the deal with the super thin laptop trend? Is it really that horrible to carry around a 3/4" laptop as it is now?

 

I myself personally have not used a Ethernet port for 1-2 yrs on my laptop. Nor have I had the need to plug in my VGA port!

 

That's exactly right. Neither have I. The thing is supposed to be something else, not yet another thick laptop.

 

Thanks RR1RR Will be really interesting to see if the innards are compatible.
BTW Which model did you go for?

Anyone know anything about the USB Hard Drive that should be available with this laptop, it's all brushed aluminum as well and its got me drooling like a pervert.

 

13" laptop is a mobility laptop. What is the point of having all these ports that limit your mobility? realistically speaking I'd rather we move onto hybrid ports such as MHL(HDMI + USB port in 1) where one design fits all. or esata/usb design.

To me its about the weight, not about how thin it is.

As for break/lost/stolen, they only cost like $1-$2 on ebay or your favorite china based site.

At the moment USB port is the msot common port I use so adapters for Ethernet/VGA is no big deal.

 

Instead of the odd "mini-VGA" port, I sure wish they would have put a mini-Display port on there instead. Now I have no way to hook this thing up to my large Dell Monitor (DisplayPort running 2560x1440). It has a VGA connector, but I think the max on that format is 1920x1080.

 

Doesn't it have a DVI or HDMI port?

 

It has a mini hdmi port.

 

Yes, and that HDMI port will come in handy if I ever want to hook it up to my TV. Unfortunately, my large computer monitor doesn't have HDMI input (DisplayPort insead).

 

You can get an HDMI to DP adapter or cable. They are not expensive.

 

get an HDMI->displayport adapter..they should be cheap enough

edit: ALLurGroceries beat me to it :/

 

Unless if the HDMI port is a hidden DP++ port (very unlikely), it will NOT work that way. You can go DP-->HDMI, since DP has DP++ requirement to operate at higher HDMI voltage and include a TDMS clocking signal, however, HDMI does not have such a spec. In addition, the DP reciever end does not have any specification for recieving HDMI signals (not to mention lic. costs both ways).

A Sony Vaio SC owner has tested this with the dell U2311h monitor (it has DP). Intel HD3000 and AMD HD6470m both do no operate using a HDMI-->DP adaptor into the DP port (the premise was if AMD HDMI ports were really DP++ ports in HDMI physical form, apparently, they are not). A few dissappointed Vaio owners with HDMI only on 1000-2000usd base price systems here... all that engineering, not even DP for use on 2560x1440/1600 monitors. Instead, we have to clock our HDMI refresh rate down to 35Hz and use a reclocking tool to do so . Totally elegant solution. Seriously, even Dell puts DP on nearly all of their computers. Hell, Acer is starting to catch on...

 

Any idea if the micro HDMI will do 2560x1600? From what I could gather on Wikipedia, micro HDMI is rev. 1.4 and supports upto 4k resolution? I'm hoping to connect this to a Dell U3011, which has HDMI 1.3 so it should support 2560x1600 in?

 

Yeah, they should incorporate DP and HDMI in every laptop. DP to VGA adapters are cheap and should work just fine.

 

@jeremyshaw

Oops you're right about that. Wrong direction.

Maybe one of the newer displaylink adapters would give you a semi-acceptable solution if you're set on this laptop... I can't find one shipping yet but they're supposed to output DP.

 

So far so good.. keeps pretty cool, but I haven't used it extensively yet.


I'm not sure if the ethernet port is USB 3.0. I doubt it though, as I don't beleive they would force you to take up the 3.0 port constantly if you had a wired connection.

The drive looks interesting, but i'd rather get an external usb 3.0 SSD... I need to run development VM's for work, and that would absolutely SCREAM!

I'll try and calibrate the screen tomorrow with my spyder, to see if it can make the colours richer.

Lol @ the "love at first sight".

 

Whoops, I just checked again, and my Dell U2711 does indeed have an HDMI input!
Don't hate me!

 

HDMI 1.3 and above support 2560x1600.

HOWEVER... to get HDMI 1.3 cert, you don't need to meet all the specs. Few notes:

At 60Hz, Intel HD3000 IGP HDMI max resolution is 1920x1200. AMD is 1920x1200. nVidia is unknown, but assumed to be the same. Why? They don't clock the TDMS signals high enough (probably technical reason).

Only way to get higher refresh rate (120Hz - true 120Hz, not the frame packed or interpolated garbage) and/or resolution is to double up on TDMS links (DL-DVI) or use another standard (DisplayPort).

Also, check out Dell's spec site. The U3011 and U2711 only support 1920x1200 over HDMI at 60Hz.

Again, as noted, at a lower refresh rate, higher resolutions are possible.

 

Why do they keep the VGA port on laptops!