Asus w3v mini-review: Bottom of Asus w3v... no fan hole??

Well, let me start off by showing you the image from Original w3v's manual as an image tells 1k words..


this clearly show that at top left at the back of the laptop has fan holes.. apparantly it's not on my laptop! As shown below..


Since the cover has blocken the cpu to flow freely, this might caused the holes on the right side of keyboard(next to power button) blows hot air and somewhat makes up more noise than if it's not closed.

However, there are some ways to reduce the temperature.. by program: such as CHC, by drilling holes at the cover (I'm not sure if THIS ACT will void the warranty? -because it is ONLY the cover..) Drill only the case, though..and at your own risk.. i'm not responsible for any mistake you made ;P Another thing is to bombard Asus with CALLS, EMAILS, WRITE LETTERS demand for the right CPU cover with holes!

I tested the temperature it is down by 4-5 degree celcius when cover is opened! These are temperatures when computer running in battery.


closed:
http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/3600/clock1closedcpufanwadapter5qz.jpg
(w/adapter)

opened:
http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/3208/clock1openedcpufan6ep.jpg
(w/battery)

this last one is when computer runs in adapter(dynamic switch):


Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting

Thoughts and comments all welcome! Oh, does anybody know any program really works for changing Fn and Ctrl key (most program out there cant change Fn keys.. bummer!)

 

This was mentioned in another thread and apparently air is drawn from the keyboard area. Holes were on the prototype but not production model. Thats all I remember of the discussion.

 

Hey,

I just got my W3V and have been using it for a few days. I had originally read reviews citing excessive heat in the right palmrest. Other reviews dismissed this as a non-issue. So when I decided to take the plunge, I was hoping I could trust the word of those claiming that heat wasn't a serious concern with the W3V.

Well, after using it for a few days, I have to say that I'm disappointed in a few ways with this computer. I will probably do an indepth review at some point, so I won't go into all the details now. However, I will discuss my feelings about the heat issue.

Let me start by saying that I have never been a frequent laptop user. I've used those of friends and family from time to time, but this is my first. I don't recall heat being an issue in any of the other laptops I've used in recent years, but at the same time, I didn't even think to analyze these laptops' good and bad points, as I was busy perusing the net or chatting on AIM, etc.

Obviously I'm being a bit more critical when using the W3V, now that I've just bought it for myself and spent so much on it. And I can say, without a doubt, that heat is definitely an issue. Basically the entire right side of the machine puts out excessive heat compared to what I've witnessed with other laptops. Even running CHC instead of Power4Gear, with the "dynamic switching" option turned on for both battery and AC power, the CPU still seems to hover above 45 degrees fairly often. Unfortunately, this heat isn't dissipaited well via the fan. Therefore, the bottom of the machine, in the right rear corner, puts out a lot of heat. This is only a problem when actually using the machine on your lap, but that is often the case.

Unfortunately the hard drive puts out excessive heat, too. In fact, the area on the bottom of the machine where the hard drive is (front right) is often warmer than the rear right area (where the CPU is). And while the heat in the right palm rest doesn't render the laptop unusable, it will make your wrist/palm mildly sweaty after a while.

The heat on the palm rest may or may not be an issue for you, depending on how picky you are about that stuff. But no matter who you are, the heat on the bottom of the laptop will definitely be an issue when being used on your lap. Your right leg becomes very hot after only a few minutes.

Maybe there are other power settings I'm not using that I should be. I only have CHC running, I don't have any sort of fan control program installed. I have attempted to update the BIOS with the most recent on the Asus site, but I don't think it made any difference. Again, maybe there is another place to download better versions of BIOS from that I don't know of.

If other W3V users have found good solutions for the heat problems I've discussed above, please let us know.

-Brian

 

Brian, thanks for sharing..

Yes, definitely heat is one of the main concern for people who owns w3v (despite the stupid Fn key!) but to be honest, I have no problem with the palmrest itself.. there might be one or another time it gets warm but it never leave comfort zone.. somehow, it's not uncomfortable. I can live with a little bit of warm. Maybe it's depends on the person.
Again, I learned that probably the best solution is to drill the case(cpu and hdd) it surely lowers it by at least 3-4 degree celcius.. Does anyone know if it could void warranty if we do that? it's just a case....

how about buying parts?? Anybody know where to find 'em? It'd be great that way we could do anything we want with the case. Better yet if for whole case, we could paint it in black as some ppl mentioned on my other post.

 

I have a v6 however, the heat issues seem to be the same.
I switched from power4 gear to CHC (best move thus far) and actually found that the "max. bat" setting, even on AC is the best way of keeping the heat down. If you're running office or internet apps, you won't notice a performance hit. If you need high end power - rendering 3d or heavy duty 2d compositing, etc. the dynamic switching is better.

I too hope that something can be done about it. My main issue is the HD heat, since that is where my right palm rests.
I also do feel the exhaust heat when I'm mousing with my right hand since that's where the v6 exhaust is.

 

Heat is uncomfortable for the user... but it also shortens the life of components. Any people had stuff get fried on their w3vs or v6v?

 

My hard drive once reached 56 C (one degree higher than it should get according to the specs 45-55). This was while gaming for a few hours in a hot room, and the laptop was on a solid wooden table (which may retain more heat). Other than this one time its never been over 55, and that is pretty rare (usually 50 or less when not gaming). I doubt that this very occasional high temperature will reduce the life of the HD or anything else; I think the heat is just an annoyance, but nothing major unless you use it on your lap while on AC power.

 

My hard drive has reached 58 C on hot days under average use. Hearing that the hard drive is not made to go over 55 C kinda made me worry but I've been using for a few weeks now and haven't had any problems. As for the heat, undervolting will definitely help, it lowers the CPU temp around 10 C, but seeing that your cpu already runs at 45 C I am guessing that it is already undervolted somewhat.

At first when I recieved by w3v I was also dissapointed with the heat, but then I realized that it is a required sacrifice in order to have such a small form factor and such good specs. Basically all 14'' laptops with dedicated graphics are going to be hot, it is just not possible to get so much power in such a small and light chasis without it getting warm. If you're worried about heat then I suggest you go for a bigger and heavier notebook (15.4'', ~7-8lbs).

Just as a side note, my friend heard about the heat issues on the w3v and the sony S series and went out of his way to find a sony s270 with the older dothan chip hoping that it would be cooler. However, much to his dismay, the cpu still reaches the low 70's when benchmarking, exactly the same as a w3v. The heat seems to be simply unavoidable.

 

still holes like the prototype, as your screenshto shown, it bring the HDD temp close to its minimal factory spec.

 

This is my original thread:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=22278

I'm waiting for justin to get back to me so I can order the cover off of him (has he been out this whole week?) I still need to find a way to drill the holes though

all in all, I'm not too worried about the CPU temp, I'm more worried about the hard drive. The palmrest gets warm after a while, and that's not a big deal, but the underside just gets plain HOT.

 

Hey - I've been very busy for the last week and out of town and away from a computer (it's very hard at once, but after a day or so it's so relaxing to not have to deal with computers).......

I think I already mentioned that I didn't have extra hard drive covers.... but I could get some from Asus. Also, I've got the ability to mill out vents in those covers and I can tell you from experience.... it's not going to do much. If you replaced the entire bottom cover with a hard mesh screen, it's still not going to help much. Take your cover off and run the system without a cover and read back your hard drive temps..... it'll help, as would running the hard drive through a bucket of ice..... but the holes in the cover aren't going to help.

 

Can you get the cover for the cpu and memory?

 

no prob.

I wasn't planning to get the hard drive cover, just the CPU/Memory cover

 

any updates?

 

I think I'd need both.. is it free? just kidding...

 

taking out the cpu/memory cover decreased the temperature by 5 degrees

 

Completely taking it off only lowered it 5 degrees? If it lowered it 15-20, I'd say we're getting somewhere.... but it's still well within operating temps and, like I said.... slots or holes in those covers weren't going to do much. From what I've see... a degree, maybe maybe 2.... but that's not even worth the hassle. For only a 5 degree drop with no cover at all, that's not even going to be noticable if you could use it like that all the time.

Placing some reflective heat tape facing downward in the hard drive bay (down away from the palmrest and towards the hard drive) is a "solution". The problem there is, the palmrest would stay cooler (you're only looking at 1/32 of an inch between the hard drive and your palms), but all that heat would be reflected back to the hard drive. So, technically the hard drive itself would reflect a higher temp in any software you've got, but the palmrest would be a bit cooler. I don't think this is safe for the hard drive though, even though it'd still be within operating temps.

 

something is better than nothing

 

it's 5ºC not 5ºF...

 

opps, ya i am talking about C not F

 

that's for the cpu, I haven't tried with the HDD cover off..