New model ASUS X555LB-NS51 15.6" 940M - questions

I just saw this model show up recently on Newegg. Some of the basic specs:

• Intel Core i5-5200U 2.2 GHz
• 15.6" 1920 x 1080 non-touch display
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 940M 2GB
• 8 GB DDR3L 1600
• 750 GB 7200RPM HDD
  
• DVD±R/RW
• 37WHrs, 2S1P, 2-cell Li-ion Polymer Battery Pack
• Weight: 5.1 lbs; Dimensions: 15.0" x 10.1" x 1.0"

My main questions are:

1. Is this an IPS or TN screen? Is there any way to find out, without an official ASUS product page?
2. With a 2-cell, 37WHr battery, is it safe to assume battery life will be pretty poor?
3. I don't see much for cooling vents on the bottom of the laptop. Any idea what kind of cooling system this uses? (Chances of 1 vs. 2 fans, quiet vs. loud, running hot vs. reasonably cool during normal use or idle.)

If anyone has more info on this model, please post / link to it. Thanks.

 

Hi Wraithtek,
I searched all over the US site for the X555LB. The closest thing I could find was the X555LA. The X555LA hosts a 800m series graphics card therefore this leads me to believe that the X555LB is possibly a yet released laptop that somehow newegg is ready to sell. It is an updated version hosting more powerful hardware? I'm just taking my best guess with what is provided. Also in terms of battery life I don't know enough about it to comment on. However in terms of cooling I would look at the X555LA because the case and chassis seem to be identical. Best of luck.

 

The exterior does look very much like the X555LA. Though that model appears to only be offered with a 1366x768 display and integrated graphics. (And previous-gen CPUs.)

 

You can get the x555 with a discrete graphics card just check their website. I think it's just updated for more demanding games. Seems like a pretty good gaming platform for the price although I would worry about heat. On the upside it does have a very thin profile.

 

I was able to get some information from ASUS's B2B Live Chat:

• Display is IPS, non-touch. Did not have information on glossy vs. matte.
• RAM is user-replaceable, battery is not. Hard drive probably not. (From pictures of the bottom of the notebook, there is a panel for accessing RAM slots.)
• ASUS does not have an estimated battery life in their specs.

I forgot to ask about the cooling system, but most likely they don't have anything about it in their specs.

So for those more familiar with ASUS notebooks, are you pretty much locked into mailing your laptop back to ASUS when the battery fails, or could you replace it yourself (even though they don't make accessing the battery easy)?

 

Are you talking about the X555LA? When I go to that product page, it says "NVIDIA® GeForce™ 800 series graphics processors graphics card" on the front, but "15.6'' 16:9 HD (1366x768)" and "Integrated Intel® HD Graphics 4400" under Specs. The only X555LA models available on Newegg, Amazon, TigerDirect, and B&H are the -DB51 and -DB71, which both list 1366x768 and HD4400 graphics (or don't list GPU at all).

If there's another X555 I'm not seeing, please link to it.

 

GM108 wont require much cooling to be fair when paired with the 5200U.