The New Asus UL20A....

Since the UL20A has an official price, it deserves its own thread.
http://www.liliputing.com/2009/09/a...-core-culv-processor-coming-soon-for-599.html

I've(and most others) have been eagerly awaiting this notebook.
A perfect blend of looks, size, power and battery life.
I bought an Acer 1410 recently and I lover everything about it minus the keyboard.
The UL20A is a far better looking notebook and I'm willing to pay a premium just for looks alone but it has more than just looks.
Better cpu and battery are the icing on the cake.
I don't mind paying the $100-$150 premium over the 1410.
Let the countdown begin.....can't wait to get my hand on it.

 

I hope it will have 1Gbps LAN and not crappy 100Mbits LAN.

 

What i really like about the UL-Series is the aluminum casing, but i haven't found any indepth infos about this.

Is it a full aluminum casing or is only the top of the casing made of aluminum (area around the keyboard, ..) ?

I would have prefered a smaller footprint, like 11.6", but i am used to 12.1" - so thats ok to me
Whats not ok to me is the glossy display, but i think i will have to live with that since all manufacturers at this price point tend to use the glossy displays


Tobi

 

yup. this ul20 is going to be (from my way of thinking) a piece of gold...

 

^ No it won't. It ain't got dedicated graphics.

 

looks like only the outer shell and only 10/100 for the lan. here is a ul30a link....

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/SKUSearch_v3.asp?px=FO&scriteria=7703206

 

is it so hard to combine nvida's gpu with intel's culv or that kind of joining is impossible due to intels interest? who wants intel core duo culv processor with nvidia/ati gpu in 11,6" netbook? i do and everyone else. so what's the problem? if there is big interest (with big profit ofcourse), only monopolistically and/or selfish ideas are preventing us from those "fast-long battery-lovely gpu speed" netbooks...

 

I don't want a dedicated gpu.

My reason is simple, a netbook/subnotebook is not designed as a gaming or heavy rendering pc - it is for surfing, mailing and office. And for that the netbook has a very low power consumption, leading to a low heat dissipation, a low fan noise and long battery life, thus you can use the netbook for years without a letdown.
A dedicated gpu will give you a gaming experience for the next 2 years or so, then the gpu will be to weak. And you will be left with a underpowered gaming pc with a low battery life and higher heat dissipation.

So if you want a gaming notebook with a dedicated gpu, you should stick with the bigger notebooks

just my two cents,

Tobias

 

Majority of OEM's and ODM's are still sour at Nvidia over their faulty chipsets and their ability to properly state the chips thermal characteristics.

 

any idea on when it's going to come out? a release date or something? soon could mean a week or a month...or more.

I'm really interested in this , but if it takes forever to reach stores i might just pick up an acer timeline...

 

It's between this or the 1810tz, if it ever comes to the US that is...

 

I have a major weak spot for brushed aluminum lids.
I can't stand manuf. that keep producing glossy lids.

 

I like the fact that it's screen is 0.5" inch larger than the Acer 1410/1810. Price will be higher though.

I'm guessing 22nd of October, together with windows 7.

 

I couldn't wait anymore so I sacrificed and went to BB and got a U80a.
not a CULV but only 14.1" and 2.1 GHz. This flies and if any indicator even Poker Face 720P Flash only uses 30-40% cpu with Win7 so the SUxxxx dual cores should have no issues..........

 

BTW, The UL20a is already in the Asus brochures here in Taiwan.
With the SU7300 cpu, list price is $31,900 nt, which is $984.50 US.
Hard to believe, but computers are typically 20 to 30% cheaper in the US.
So estimated intro price is $985 minus 30% = $699

Notice HDMI is not indicated on the UL20a, as it is on the UL30a.
And all Asus 12" & 13" models that do not have an internal DVD come with
a "free" external DVD. This may be a promotional item. I don't know.
Attached scan of the Taiwanese Acer UL20a & UL30a brochure.(Sept 19th).

Updated information at the NotebookReview UL20a Forum.

 

Why does that ad list the specs of the UL30 as a 14"?

 

Price has already been determined.
$599 for SU7300.
http://www.liliputing.com/2009/09/a...-core-culv-processor-coming-soon-for-599.html

 

US price should be $599.

My understanding is that there won't be a Vista model here in the US. So we're waiting for Oct. 22nd before most of us will be able to get our hands on it.

 

That would be a serious deal breaker.

1.49 kg looks good though.

 

That's exactly what Intel wants you to think, and has more or less brainwashed us to think this way.

 

This also confirms no HDMI.



Right Side:

1. Flash Memory Slot
2. USB Port (2.0/1.1)
3. Display (Monitor) Output
4. LAN Port
5. Power (DC) Input

Left Side:

1. Security Port
2. Air Vents
3. USB Port (@.0/1.1)
4. Headphone Output Jack
5. Microphone Input Jack

 

@phil:

No no no - Asus can't be that stoopid
No hdmi, no deal.

Where have you found this info ?

@hahutzy:

OMG, Microsoft has done what with me ?? Thanks for letting me know

I assure you, i don't need microsoft to come to this conclusion. I had notebooks with high power gpus and so on. And my 12.1" Toshiba R100 (2004, 1.5 cm "thick" and 1.1kg "heavy" - and all that for a netbook-price in 2007) converted me
I think the difference is that i want a portable notebook to work with and for that 11-12" is perfect and a dedicated gpu is just a hinderance.
Why would you want to play games on a small 10-12" screen ? (just for portable gaming ??: get a 13.3"+) And if you play games on it, what would be your ratio between "office" and gaming ? It would be mostly shifted to office i guess, so most of the time the higher power consumption for your casual gaming would be a problem and spoil your "netbook-experience" (cool running, low fan noise, long battery life, ...).

If you want to play games buy at least 13.3" and here you have your gpus suitable for gaming - its easy as that. Or buy a real PC.

Just my two cents,

Tobi

p.s. sorry for the offtopic.

 

No HDMI?! game over for the UL20A in my book.

 

Someone from a dutch forum took these pictures from the manual.

 

why is no hdmi so terrible. its an ultraportable computer

use it everywhere you go then come home and connect it to your desktop monitor.
and on a side note, my hdtv has a vga input just in case you want to hook it up to the tv. just need an audio cable to feed the audio signal.

not the end of the world. what hurts the most is waiting till october 22. i really hope they release it with vista soon, and then just give an win 7 upgrade. i really want this but may just splurge on something else.

 

HDMI is great for hooking up to higher end HiDef TV's for viewing video's photos the like..........

 

I can connect to my HDTV through VGA but the picture isn't as clear as with HDMI. Also, when connecting to a 24" LCD with 1900*1200 the picture won't be as clear.

Releasing an ultraportable without digital output in 2009 = bad idea.

I'm looking at Acer 1810TZ and HP DM1 now. Asus is exit. Except for UL30a but I don't like the weight.

 

HDMI output has been the new VGA for the last couple of years.
But, we must hold onto VGA output because of so much existing external hardware (like projectors).
Sad but true!

Err... don't get too excited about this guess of no HDMI.

 

Interesting, does the UL30 have the VGA in addition to the HDMI? Just wondering, thanks.

 

@headbanger64:

VGA has a worse quality than hdmi, due to the signal loss with the conversion needed with vga oputput (DC-> AC ->DC). I see no point in a vga output since its soooo 20th century Well some beamer want vga, but for this some laptops, like the acer 1410/1810t, have an additional vga-port.

A additional advantage of HDMI is, that it has video and sound output. I just need to connect my laptop with my AV-Reciever and can enjoy the movie


Tobi

 

Back to the UL20, what is the battery life supposed to be like?

I realize running an optical drive will suck energy, but I am wondering just in general.

Has that been reviewed anywhere?

 

While I concur with this sentiment, here's some potential evidence to the contrary (that UL20A will have HDMI). A google search reveals that the UL20a is selling in Singapore already, or at least its being bundled with a broadband contract. One such UL20a is up for bids/sale here and the graphics chipset in it is listed as Intel GMA 4500MHD
http://www.phing.com/listing/223464-ASUS-UL20A-notebook-for-sell

A review of the same chipset reveals that it contains the HDMI interface, so there's hope.
http://pcgamingcorner.com/wordpress/?p=820

Its possible that Asus will sell a lower priced model with Core Solo and without HDMI maybe, but my hope is that since they are targeting a pricier UL C2D for the U.S. market at least, they'll not leave out the HDMI port just for the heck of it Asus may also sell different models in different geographies, but leaving out an HDMI port when the chipset supports it would quite unlikely, I think!

 

There are many GMA 4500MHD laptops without HDMI, so don't count on it.

 

Acer 1810TZ all the way if this has no HDMI. I already love my 1410 which I plan to sell on eBay once I can get the dual-core 1810TZ. WHY leave off HDMI Asus? That would be a very dumb move.

 

The UL30a shows and HDMI port........

http://www.laptopmag.com/review/newgallery.aspx?id=36606&img=11

 

That DOESN'T mean that the UL20a will have one. I just downloaded the PDF of the User Guide (US) that is available on the Asus Support site and all it has is VGA with no mention of HDMI. I would therefore assume that this has NO HDMI and NO GigaE although there is no specification list in the manual. Feel free to go check the Asus Support site yourself as the downloads are there (this is where the initial image came from earlier).

 

So, does anyone have any updates on whether and if yes, when, the Acer 1810tz (or its equivalent model with whatever they choose to name it) will be available in the U.S. ?

 

22nd of October is the day many new laptops are expected. Together with the Windows 7 release.

 

been waiting for that day all summer!
time for me to get rid of my G1s..

 

It kind of pisses me off that the world revolves around Microsoft. I'm sick of looking at XP and don't care much for Vista. I'm mildly interested in Windows 7, but I'm happy with Ubuntu Remix right now. I would love to get my hands on the UL20a now and not have to wait on Windows.

 

before this thread gets loose...

I have been an Ubuntu user since version 5 and understand why its so attractive. It has improved greatly over the years and I believe has reached the stage that any consumer could pick up a computer running it and feel comfortable using it.
Microsoft just beat them[Ubuntu] to the punch in creating such an interface and in general people are afraid of changing what they already know.

Sucks that it'll take so long for linux to take over (I still think it will though, sometime in the future).

Now back to the UL20a...

 

That's the problem. Manufactures don't want to mess with Linux because most people are afraid of it. They don't want to ship Vista because most people hate it. So we wait.

Okay, back on topic...

If they claim 12hrs battery life and it cost less than $600, I WANT IT. All I need is one USB port and a headphone jack.

 

Also, there's nothing outstanding about Ubuntu Desktop, it just works. The one I really like NetBook Remix. I have it on my Acer AS1410 and my Dell Vostro 1400. It's fresh and it just feels right.

Okay, I'll shut-up and wait till 10/22.

 

After carrying my G1s in college and realizing the excess amount of power it provides vs. what I really need, I'm more than happy to buy a laptop less than half the cost that is less powerful, but lighter and has longer battery life. The market for these "sub-notebooks", I imagine, is huge.

 

I agree. I just picked up the Acer AS1410. I love the form factor. It has a 6hr battery, but that's only with wifi off and the system tweaked for long battery life. If I'm using it, it gets around 4 hours. Now 4 hours is nice, but to be truly portable it should last longer. I'm thinking a 12 hour battery should give you at least 8-9hrs of use and that's a full day of computing at full power. To me, that makes it ultra portable.

 

With browsing internet, dimmed screen, wifi on and Vista in Energy saver you should get 6 hours quite easy. This has been reported by several users.

I easily got 8 hours but that was with 5600mAh battery.

If you don't get to 6 hours try comparing powerdraw and settings in the 1410 thread.

 

I haven't spent more than a couple of hours in Vista, but it looked like I was going to get 4-5 hours out of it in either balanced or power saver mode. Ubuntu Remix is worse out of the box at about 4hrs, but I can extend that to that to 5 hrs using powertop. I'm always listening to music while I'm working with the computer. Most of the time I get my music from my YouTube playlist and I might be compiling some code or building a project so I'm using the CPU.

I'm very happy with the Acer but I want just a little more power and a longer battery life than I'm getting out of the 1410. I figure the dual-core Acer will come with the 5600mAh battery so that's still on my list, but it will probably be a 6 hour battery with that processor. If the UL20a ships with a 12 hour battery, it's going to be hard to pass up.

 

Anyone have any more info on the UL20?

 

Must admit to also being curious about the battery life of this one....

 

Also wondering if it has HDMI or not.