US 'Built on Asus' names vs. Asus 'Brand' names

Right: The different naming conventions with the 'Z-series' used for the US built on Asus notebooks seem to be causing some confusiuon between the continents. Anyone has anything to add to this?

<pre style='font-size:larger'>Z33a = M5A
Z63a = W3A
Z70a = M6A
Z70v = M6V
Z71a = ?*
Z71v = ?*
Z80k = A2K
Z81k/d/g/l = A4K/D/G/L
Z9000 = L4R
Z91 = A3N</pre>
Components and color may vary, but the mainboard, build, and general features should be the same across models that belong to the same series.

*I wonder if the Z71a/v is only officially launched in the US for some reason? I've seen them available other places too, but these appear to be paralel/'grey' imports. It's kind of the odd one out in the Asus lineup with a somewhat different look and the only one using a nVidia graphics solution.

 

Well... Asus doesn't have any subnotebooks/ultraportables with dedicated graphics in their ensamble lines, so it's no wonder thay don't have such a barebone. For that matter I don't think anyone else have either. There are, however, some ultraportables using Radeon Xpress 200M coming up (half a X300 integrated, optional dedicated memory) which should be about three times as good as Intel's GMA900 in the I915 chipset. I was half hoping that Asus would show something like this at Cebit as they did make an attempt with the 9100IGP last year, but alas it was not to be.

 

Yeah, I'm very curious why ASUS decided to offer a "built on asus" barebone model with dedicated graphics in the Z70V and not on any of the other models...why not a Z33V or a Z63V...why only offer one barebone model with dedicated graphics. I never really saw the logic behind not offering them, even though I know what their reasons were...but now to offer one and not others, I really don't get it???

If I could buy a Z33V/M5V or a Z63V/W3V barebone I think I'd be all over it...I think others would be very interested in options like that as well. I'm buying the W3V for the dedicated graphics and global warranty (among other things) but If I could have those things plus dedicated graphics and configure the other components to my liking, I'd have a serious decision to make...I know I'd be giving up the Global warranty, but I wouldn't be paying for it anyways in that situation so???

Anyways, I find that decision very strange...Justin, is there any hope of ASUS following that trend in models of the near future? I know what you've said in the past, but could this change things?
[8D]

 

That's the whole purpose...... the custom systems are property of the dealers who build them and do not come with some of the same things the "ensemble" models would come with worldwide and also are customer where as worldwide you may only have a couple configuration choices.

Asus DOES NOT want people to see an M5a review and then get one from a "built on" dealer and expect the same package. The most notable is often the little mouse Asus throws in with the ensemble models.... people always used to think they should have gotten those with their custom systems. Asus encouraged all of it's dealers to come up with their own naming structure and only those companies who already source from many other computer makers even really considered it. Asus' model numbers make it easier for those specifically looking for Asus' notebooks to find them.

To be more specific.... I've said it a million times....... The "ensemble" and "built on" series are never going to completely cross paths as Asus would be stepping on their own feet if that happened. Again, if there was a completely customizable W3v ------ Asus' W3v that they are bringing over pre-configured would never sell.... even people wanting the same configuration that's offered now would want one custom built for them, unless they were under some strict deadline..... It's not going to happen.

The CLOSEST thing we may see to a very comparable "ensemble" and "built on" may be what MAY be a W1 barebone. Now, this is the LAST barebone that is still on the table and probably the last notebook we'll have for the summer... The new M3 refresh, W1 refresh and all new W2 will be out before it for sure........ And it would lose it's aluminum lid and palmrest..... may retain it's current screen while the new W1 takes a colorshine.... would lose bluetooth and probably the tv tuner..... but MAY still come with dedicated graphics. If so, this would be the best graphics machine that the "built on" series would have this year.

This isn't confirmed, but was included in talks as something they were considering for next quarter...... But then again, I don't think anyone would think that a barebone W1 would lose everything including the graphics..... I mean, at that point, what would be the draw?

To answer your question about the Z71 series.. those are M7's ... A and V.. The M7 has been around for a year, but never brought into the states..... now it appears to not be anywhere but..... however Asus' site has listed M7000 drivers for at least the last year or so.

Thanks,
Justin
PROPortable
www.proportable.com
[email protected]

 

While I can perfectly well understand that sentiment from the Asus' US office standpoint and their resellers. I would expect, though, that for people visiting a forum such as this that most would welcome knowing that these are basically the same model when discussing and looking for information. Often across regional sales office boundaries.

Don't make the double folly of being both to US-centric and reseller-centric at the same time when many others interested in Asus products are not in the US and most, if not all, are consumers.

Edit: Surely you're not suggesting that the Z70v will be so different (or inferior in any way, as the M6V here will be what you refer to as an Ensemple product) from a M6V that I, for example, couldn't offer a valid or interresting opinion to an American looking to buy a Z70? So they won't get a bag and a mouse if buying from you, but otherwise they are the same basic notebook, no? The only other difference beeing that I would have three to five different configurations to choose from (the M6N(e) came as both low-mid and high-mid end for both WXGA and SXGA+ as well as a top of the line specced WSXGA) and they would have a degree of customization options.

As for the M7 thingy. Never saw that referenced anywhere before, and that series is not mentioned on the global Asus support site. Any links? (They have an M8000 listed, but the menu choice doesn't lead anywhere.) Just hoping that it, whatever it's going to be called, will be widely available in Europe soon.

 

To keep it simple then, I'd really like to see at least an M5a and a M5v option. Since It's strictly a barebone model and doesn't really have an ensemble counterpart...it would be no different than what the Z70a and Z70v currently are, correct me if I'm wrong? I understand It's a small notebook and in a certain class...but there's definitely a market for it...and all I'm saying is, since they kinda broke the mould with the Z70's, it not so far off for them to offer the same options on the Z33 series. Trust me Justin, I know where you stand, and where you say ASUS is coming from...and up until the Z70's release I didn't question it...but now that they've done it with one barebone series, why not another? [8D]

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by bugmenot

 

I would like to add some of what I know about Asus’ global marketing strategy.

Any one who has looked at Asus’ launch page on the internet can appreciate the monstrous job they have serving so many markets. While some markets are similar, each one is evaluated and approached in its own unique way. In every country outside of the US, Asus has tremendous name recognition and has chosen to market their laptops under the Asus name rather than to build on the whitebook market. In the US it is the other way around with the whitebook market being the larger of the two.

Globally the Asus laptops are configured in Taiwan to specifications deemed appropriate for each region, the same as it is for the NA market.

3 years ago Asus, in an alliance with Intel, moved to establish the whitebook market in the US. Intel has been the main architect of the whitebook program worldwide and has in the last year taken it globally. In the US it has been a relatively successful program but not so elsewhere. At the time (3years ago) it was the right move for Asus as it gave them a strong lift in promoting their laptop products in the US. At first they were providing the same products to us, as barebones, as they were selling assembled in the rest of the world, primarily a reflection of different attitudes in different markets.

About a year ago, Asus began to promote the Asus branded laptops in North America. Along with this move and beginnings of a whitebook market in Europe and Asia, etc, they needed to address the specific needs of both markets worldwide. They began a switch to unique part numbers for those units that would be used for the whitebook market, thus the Z series. The M6 and M5 were already out at that time in the US, so their model numbers would not change until they were to be refreshed this summer. If you look at the other web sites around the world, you will not find the Z series notebooks but they are indeed there in those countries. Asus actually competes with itself in most of these markets. Like the M6 vs the Z70. The whitebook market overseas is very small compared to the Asus branded products sold there, so Asus chooses to push the branded product in those markets and the Z’s are currently not listed on their web sites. Its alliance with Intel keeps it in the whitebook market there it is their branded product that gets the emphasis.

Since the white book market is already established in NA and Asus is at the same time trying to build their branded product it is on the US website that you find both series of models. When picking the ingredients for the US whitebook chassis, a lot is taken into consideration. They don’t want to have the two lines competing and at the same time they need to provide the whitebook units that the system builders, like ourselves, need for our own lines of laptops.

You will continue to see Asus working booth sides of the fence, so to speak, but like Justin said it is unlikely that you will ever be able to compare exactly one against the other. Asus will continue to push the unique and stylish features of their branded products and provide quality and feature rich barebone units for the whitebook market in the US. Its sort of Chevy vs Buick or Cadillac… close, but still different. Asus will always be the Cadillac.

CalibratedComa
You forgot the Z71V, that unit is whitebook only and along with the Z70V also has dedicated graphics.

I’m sure, going forward, you will continue to see resemblances between some of the Asus branded and whitebook products but they will endeavor to keep them from competing with one another.






Thanks
Bill Smith
Star Tech, Inc

 

Right, well put..... I always used the toyota and lexus analogy.... but the GM stuff works too.

Thanks,
Justin
PROPortable
www.proportable.com
[email protected]