Need to decide which Asus to buy within next 2 days...help!

Ok, I have tons of questions and I've narrowed it down to either A8jm, F3jm, s96j, or z96j. This is going to be a laptop for college (engineering) and moderate gaming. My configuration is pretty usual...1.66+ core duo, 1 GB ram, x1600/7600, dont care about bluetooth.

Best price to performance ratio goes to the s96j, but with graininess issues, VBI system, and other things I've been hearing it may not be the best choice. It runs at around $1300 at my configuration. Then, there's the z96j which goes for about $1500, but I am probably going to be using it at 1280x768 for normal use then bump it up when multitasking/coding. How much worse does the wsxga+ scaled down look compared to the wxga+ at native? If there's a noticeable difference, I probably should not even consider this one.

Now, I'm leaning toward the ensemble notebooks from Asus. The A8j and F3j both run at about $1500 with my config. Here's the question...I can't really tell from the pictures...does the A8jm look considerably better than the s96/z96 and is it built with better materials? I like the darker finish on the F3j but I'm wondering whether the 15.4" will inhibit mobility in addition to the extra weight.

The w3j looks so sexy but I just can't get myself to justify the $250 price jump based on that brushed aluminum lid. But it still may be an option.

The laptop will be in my dorm most of the time, in a desktop setup, but I would still like the ability to take it around.

I'm thinking milestonepc is the best place to get the latter two, whereas powernotebooks/gentech for the first.

OK, so that's basically it, please let me know if you need anything more to guide me; I need to decide on one fast!!!

 

For someone who seems to have done a lot of research, that $250 difference is not just for a brushed aluminum lid, but a better quality build and design on a whole.....

I should say that you nor most people may be able to appreciate that at this time, but a year or two down the road you deffinately would.

 

Yes, the brushed aluminum lid was kind of like a metaphor for the overall better build quality and design...

 

Oh yea and if I was paying for it I would buy a w3j in a flash, but I'm not.

 

Ok, well not to be funny or rude, but if you think that's a metaphor, stick with engineering - I went through Architure ungrad and grad I know that's neither of our strong points...... but $250 for a brushed aluminum lid... no it's not worth it.... but $250 for a system that is better designed and built with better materials...... it's up to you if YOU think it's worth it for your situation, but you're getting what you pay for. The lower end Ensemble's and the custom systems (the A series, F series, and this year's Z series) aren't going to be much better than a dell or hp over the course of a year. On the other hand, the W and V series are designed and built better and although the W3 hasn't been out all that long, I have had one for just about 18-19 months now and outside of some keyboard shine, it's structurally as sound as it was new. I've got a W1 that's been used everyday as our sales managers main system for about 27 months now and if it weren't for the old configuration and shine on the keyboard - it could be sold as new - no word of lie. After half of that time I've seen A series models get noticably weaker and start to fall apart...... Not that they're bad, but you pay for quality and although most people don't expect it out of a notebook... that's what you'd get out of the W series. Yes, the aluminum holds up better, but it's really the unlying carbon fiber chassis and the my time and money invested in the hinging where these models exceed..... going to school to be an engineer, you should be able to appreciate that and being a college student, you should understand the need for something that's going to last 3-4 years.

 

I know what it's like to being in college and have parents or grants/loans paying for things. The biggest thing as I mentioned in my post above is that regardless of who's paying for it, if the difference in what you're looking at comes to $250, that's a like one monthly college loan payment over the next 30 years or so that you'll be paying back your schooling. If it's going to keep you from needing another system by even one more year, that's one more year that they're not dropping another $1,500-2000 on a system. You're not talking about 60-70% increase in cost, you're looking at what... 15% maybe.

In the end, it's not up to me, I can only help you by giving you what my experiences are over the last six years........ I don't know how long you're beeing looking at them, but you need one in the next two days..... just take the advice and whatever you go with, you go with..... and if you go with one of the systems I said won't hold up over time....... give me a shoot out in a couple years and let me know how they're doing.

Good luck.

 

None of the laptops in question should have any trouble lasting 4+ years physically. They will become obsolete but they should hold up quite well. Its a matter of how the owner cares for it and treats it.

 

Ok, well I hae experience with the plastic builds verses the carbon fiber and aluminum builds.. and likewise with the various hinge designs. If you'd like to give more of an opinion on why you feel they will all hold up the same over 4+ years, by my guest, but It's my job to know how they're going to hold up and I'm the one here testing them and comparing them to various older models......

I mean, everything has a lot to do with the owner, but a W1 for instance used in exactly the same way as a Z96 is not going to hold up the same over the same period of time. Something like the W1 can take a lot more abuse and doesn't need to be babied and after 6 months, I don't know anyone who continues to baby their system and then it's between then and another year and half that you'll really see that wear. If you plan on babying it for ever, that's another story, but that's not being realistic.

 

Justin: I have a set budget of around $1600 and anything over that I can't get, period (already been through plenty of arguing). Also, I'm quite confident in the metaphor usage; I got an 800 verbal 800 writing 800 literature . Anyways, thanks for your build quality concerns and wish of luck.

Sephiroth - thanks for your PM, quite like yourself the minor problems with the s96j don't really affect me either or keep me from buying the laptop. It's only a matter of looks since unfortunately I'm a teenager and you know how we are.

Could someone please answer some of the specific questions and say which one out of the 4 they would buy if in my position?

 

Hmmm... you say you will be doing coding. Is there any chance you will be running Linux on this? Linux support would be much better with the nVidia card.

I would also highly advise getting something with a high resolution. Will help you much for coding and give you more space to work with your school apps.

I myself feel that the Z96J is one solid notebook; for it to fall apart on you after 3-4 years, you'd have to be using it as a booster seat during class. If you knew enough about computers to buy a Z96J barebones and get parts separate and assemble it yourself, you could save a lot of money and perhaps get better warranty policies.

Just so you know, the graininess issue you mentioned applies to any and all notebooks with an ATI mobility X1600. So that means the S96J, Z96J, and the W3J. The S96J has just gotten the most attention; actually, half the people in the S96J graininess thread do not have an S96J, me being one of them. A lot of the people there have a Z96J, W3J, or an Acer with an X1600.

 

I agree that metal is a step up and carbon fiber is even better. But that does not mean that plastic is horrible or not adequate, especially that in the S/Z 96J.

I have personal experience with laptops (mostly old P4 notebooks) that have lesser build quality (i.e. extremely crappy plastic) than an S96J and i've had no trouble keeping them together. Those have since moved onto other owners and are still doing quite well. I can't say if the S96J will hold up with absolute certainty until after the 4 years, but im very confident. Although i don't have much experience with laptops and life testing, I do have extensive experience in accelerated and highly accelerated life testing in my field of work/study.

Ofcourse, if you have tested these models then please provide the results and describe the process used to simulate 4 years of average use. I think we would all be interested in this data.

Im not denying that your opinion carries more weight in this discussion, but i think the S96J's build quality is already superior to many laptops out there and is sufficient for it to last a long time. Now that the OP is aware of this, im done here.

 

No no... I mean we're on the same pages there, but I'm talking comparing both, if you're going to baby the system, then you can own a dell or hp and be happy with the build over those 4 years... but that's not the norm.. but it can be done. Heck, if the thing never leaves a desk for a couple years, there can't be all that much wear on it... especially if you say never close the screen... the hinges will stay like new.

But there's no "data" needed. I base what we sell on how other systems have held up from us and our customers. We've found that certain hinges and build types just don't work over the long run. It's not a secret that Asus' W series is the top end of what they make and I'd say they're all basically at the top of the pack in the world for each of those models..... Those are just the expensive, cutting edge models........ older designs and build methods are still going to be used because they're cheaper and cheaper notebooks can result.

I really don't care who someone believes or what your opinion is........ they're all valid. My opinion is however based strictly on my experiences with Asus over a much longer period and common issues we see over that time and how they can effect new designs and so on and so forth. People want to know why we don't sell the S96 and for now have decided not to sell the Z96 and it's because of quality issues. When someone wants to say that a dealer in this forum is just here because of the almighty dollar, hearing that someone isn't carrying something they could make good money on because of an issue.... I'm sure they'd like to know what that issue is. The weight that carries should be more than anything else. Then again, it's not my laptop and if it falls apart in a couple months, it's physical damage / wear and tear and wouldn't be covered under anyone's warranty policy anyway..... So it's a no lose for us if we carry it..... except to our reputation down the road.

But you're right, anyone would technically keep anything from falling apart for ever if they really tried..... I've seen that done too.

 

Good points and i agree.

 

The SAT's don't mean a thing. But that probably means nothing to you coming from a 15 year old.

Actually, the funny thing is, you used a simile to get the metaphor message across. I find that rather ironic.

I feel the same way.

Not quite. You can baby a laptop with poor build quality yet still be unhappy with it. If it creaks, bends, and feels like it is going to fall apart in your laptop, I doubt the user will be happy with it. Sure, they could keep it together, but that doesn't mean they will be happy with it.

One thing I have to say. While the W3J chassis is unarguably stronger and more durable than the S96J, I must say this:

Whatever would damage the S96J is more than likely to damage a W3J. Whatever does not damage a W3J is more than likely not to damage an S96J. Sure, if you tap on a laptop once every 3 seconds on the lcd until it breaks, the W3J is going to last longer. If you test how much weight it takes to crack a W3J chassis, it will be more than for an S96J. But when would a real life situation matter like this? Regardless of whether can withstand 10 lbs of force on the LCD, or 50 lbs, if you sit on it, both are going to break. If you drop a normal sized book from a few feet above, neither is going to break.

 

Yeah and still....... "$250 for an aluminum lid" is not a metaphor.... not implicit or even figurative..... I don't really care how it was meant, if others didn't understand it or someone else read it and actually thought that was the only difference, that's a bad thing. You could mean it as a metaphor but it was still inappropriate for the comparison....... regardless of your SAT score...... but honestly, to brag about your SAT score only means that's not what you got. I've never once in my life heard anyone with a good SAT score ever brag about it... I don't know what it is, but no one does... either because it's in bad taste to mention it to help prove your point as a genius or what.

In terms of durability...... dropping it and putting weight on it are not the issues.... that's out of the ordinary, but you're right, most people are going to physically break their system that way. My experience lends me to look first at the hinges..... hinge design is very important, but then physically how those are made can tell me a lot about how many cycles they can go through. Nothing is going to piss someone off more than a lid that just flops around on them. Issues there can also then lead to cracking of the lid and bottom chassis.......... so that whole region of the back of the system is very important in terms of what I'm looking at. Now where it gets tricky is in a system like the W7... the hinge design looks like an older, regular hinge design, but the hinges themselves are a lot beefier under the covers. Still, the forces that are distributed to the bottom chassis and the lid are different across all of the models and some better than others.

I'm just trying to help people understand what it is that breaks down. Everyone with a S96 / Z96 are raving about the build and 99.9% of them have never even seen another Asus notebook, and if they have, I think they're heads would explode if they thinks those models are awesome..... But that's just it..... what are they coming from and what are their expectations? People believe whatever they read and that's the scary thing.