What do you know about "Built on Asus"?

Ok, I really want an X1600 notebook, and this seems the cheapest way to do it. My concerns are basically centered around build quality. Are these going to be as solid as any normal laptop. I mean I'm not expecting Thinkpad-like build, but will it be a quality fit and finish? Not like is was built in some guys basement. I have read several posts from the resellers here and have found all of them to be stand up guys and everybody seems to have good things to say, so that boosts my confidence. I just want some experiences. Basically, if you have one or have a hands on experience with one, do they look like professional builds, are they solid?

Also, I am interested in the s96j, but really want a WSXGA screen, so z96j. Will these two cases look the same, and when is the z96j coming out? I am looking to buy the second week in June(going to Vegas the first week, wanna make sure I have money left!). Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance!

**EDIT** Also, are there plans to release a 14" barebones with X1600 anytime soon? I can wait little longer than the second week in June, that's just when my wife gave me the ok for!

 

Some of these are actually built in some guys basement. You would be very surprised to find that there are quite a few of their avps are fly by nite vendors

 

Build quality on the "built on" series, while not as superb as the ensemble series, is still excellent. If it is an Asus you can count on it being solid. The z96j I believe is still a month off but I don't remember for sure. Someone who knows better can tell you more accurately.

 

That's why I am doing my research lol! I plan on buying from one of the resellers on this forum, possibly yours. Hopefully that will weed out the fly by nite problem. Basically, is the savings worth going to a built-on?

 

I think it is. It really depends on whether the aesthetics of the built on series bothers you. You get to customize the laptop to your needs/wants and it costs less. You also might get a 2 year warranty out of the deal instead of a one year.

 

That's actually not 100% true....... the build quality of all of their systems are close to the same... from great to superb..... The finish of all of them certainly vary from mainstream to super highend.... if that's what you're talking about, then you shouldn't be talking about build quality, although I know sometimes people get those confused.

In response to Ed.... Asus will (and has) put a "company" logo on their "where to buy" site that is far from established....... at least half on their list haven't been around a year... another 1/4 is bordering on 2 years... and most want be around by this time next year.

In response to Cashmonee (nifty handle by the way).... The cost difference between a custom and an ensemble isn't just because some one other than asus is making it for you..... there's a difference in cost to produce the machine and the margins are still about the same.... so they are cheaper for a reason. In 95% of the cases this year, it's a lower cost for the chasiss... by far.... so you don't get that nice of a system, but it can still be a powerhouse.

 

"Built on Asus" is flexible to provide many options to customize the parts. If a user is looking for a specific brand name , model and speed of the parts, ensemble laptop cannot do this. We believe that only Asus is the best to let us custom build.

 

I think for the most part the Built on is just as good as ensemble. Look at the Z63 and z33. the z70 was good as for the z71. But the newer ones coming out is what is going to matter. I guess we will see if asus is going to cut corners.

 

The thing not to forget is that Asus never wanted their name attached to the custom systems (they're the brand of the dealer) and to push that to the next level this year, all of the custom systems are totally new chasiss' and are not from any other ensembles that were ever made... and will not appear on their main website.... Technically, they're generic notebooks and this year just pushes them more into that realm..... can't blame Asus, really... I mean, companies can, but end users really can't.... if you don't like them, Asus would certainly suggest buying their ensembles.... so what can you do? The customs are to fill the market the ensembles can't fit into on a large scale....... always has and always will be... unfortunately.

 

The only problem is now they are just like clevo and uniwill twinhead. super generic looking. If they just made them look alittle nicer they could snatch up more of the other generic makers share. But now they are just as bland still good machines though. also asus now only is more bland but in some ways behind in the GPUS compared to the others. So i think the looks was one way for them to compete.

 

Steve - I totally agree..... they want to seperate the ensembles from the customs so make sure they don't eat up each others markets..... I think they could have done that by leaving the customs nicer looking, and just making the ensembles better... but they are making the customs more generic and the ensembles even better... making the gap huge. My understanding of the look change has more to do with corner shops selling to small businesses and the more generic look appealing to a broader group of people.

.... none of us in this forum can fully understand that, but in a business sense, I could certainly see how the broader your range and the less something sticks out, the more you could sell... It's like a honda accord or something... they're not ugly looking, but they're not much different than any other sedan out on the road... It's a shame, but unless you can afford it, you're not going to be owning something very different from anyone else.

... appealing to a broader group makes things cheaper.......because they can produce more..... putting less design and fancy finishing into a chassis also make them cheaper...... so in the end....... no one can really say what's right, because there really isn't a wrong, just different points of view.

 

So in the end, it seems that if I am ok with the looks of the barebones then that is the way to go. Correct? From what everyone seems to be saying, there are no quality differences between Ensemble units and Built on Asus units. It is just hard for me to pay significantly more for an ensemble unit. Is there any word on a 14" with the x1600 barebones?

 

Built well, yes, but one being built well with plastic, and another being built well with brushed aluminum, magnesium composite, carbon fibre, carbon fibre conposite, etc. can't compare.

 

Well, I am trying to decide between a barebones or W3J, With the W3J being delayed over and over again, it is becoming harder and harder to consider. If neither Asus works out I will probably go to a Dell Latitude D820, but I really want the x1600. At this point, it seems that I should see what's going on with the W3J at the beginning of june.

 

Just wait, you will be FAR happier with the Asus W3J than the Dell. Why? Because of built quality.

The W3 series is SOLID. Just awesome. My friend has the Z63A, a built-on version of the W3V without the dedicated videocard and he recently dropped it from his desk's keyboard tray, yes he's an idiot. He dropped it on its lid and nothing happened. Only the keyboard semi-popped out, but he just snapped it back in and had his reseller check it out and everything is A-OK except for a small scratch.

The feel of it is something else all together as well. You will be pleased. As for the dell, I have not used a Dell D820, but I have used other people's Dells and they all were sub-par in my opinion.

I noticed Asus has some variation in the parts they use for built-ons vs ensembles. I had my palmrest and everything else in my notebook, Z70Va, replaced recently and noticed the palmrest to have a rough feel to it and not like the previous part that was nice and smooth. Weird.

Anyways, yeah the Built-On series is just friggin' great~!

 

Ya I am pretty sure I have made my decision to go Built on. If the z96j is out in the beginning of June or about to be out, I will get it, if not I will just go for the s96j. One more question for all you guys, are they fairly easy to build? I know that resellers will usually build them for free, but I was kinda interested in doing it myself. You knoe bond with the computer! lol! I have poked around my desktop and upgraded several things, just never anything like a heatsink or processor. Would I be in over my head, should I just let them do it? Or should I take an afternoon, or however long and build it myself? I really think it would be fun.

 

I have to agree with the whole "bonding with the computer" thing. I'm in about the exact same situation you are (trying to decide on a new laptop).

I've decided to build my own. I've built every one of my desktops going back to the TRS-80, but I've never built my laptops. Although my current lappy is pieced together from about 3 other laptops (not sure if that counts).

While there is some risk in doing it yourself, the bonding thing has some value. I tend to take better care of "my" computers and it's easier to upgrade them later, because you know how it was installed the first time. I've even gotten my wife to stop blaming the computer when things go wrong (she knows I'm sensitive about "my" computers).

Good luck either way.

 

just make sure that you ask the reseller for the building manual. i know that one of the individuals that built it themselves said they had some difficulty, especially since his reseller didn't send him a manual. oh, and if you are waiting for the z96j for the higher resolution, powernotebooks.com offers wsxga+ in glossy (though you have to wait til 6/7) and geared2play.com offers teh wsxga+ in matte.