Z33A Battery Life / Pictures / Screen

Hi guys,

I'm new the forums, but have been actively reading for the past week in search of my next laptop. I currently have an Averatec 3225 12.1" and I'm thinking about staying in the light & small section (possibly looking into the replacement for the M3, the Z61A... unsure, not too much info floating around about it!) but need a little power boost and just something different. The Z33A is looking really good to me right now, but I had a few questions about the battery choices. Does anyone have experience with batt life on a mid-range processor & 5400 rpm hard drive. How do you feel 9 cell stacks up. More importantly, does anyone have a photographic comparison of a 3 cell vs. 9 cell in the system. I'd like to see the impact size-wise of putting on the 9 cell and how it will affect the system sitting in my case (a Shinza 12" sleeve). Also, I saw some great shots of the M3 screen, is the Z33A scren comparable in colors and brightness? One thing that really turns me off about my current laptop is the yellowing of whites and the washed out colors. I do web design and I stray away from working on my laptop vs my desktop lcd because of this.

I'd also like to give props to Justin @ PROPortable. It seems like everywhere I go in this forum he's there with an answer. Nice to see that kind of interaction from a dealer.

Thanks!

Ian

 

right...... no, it's a good call then.

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

 

As far as the Z63 goes, I think its a sharp machine, but I'm not a fan of the glare-type screens. Especially in sunny florida.

 

Well, You can ask this question to anyone with an S5 or M5 series notebook.. all the same batteries.

You're going to be looking at about2 hours of normal usage on the setup you're looking at.

I don't know if I've posted photos, but the 3 cell sites flush with the back of the notebook, the 9 cell sticks out about an inch or so..... You're not going to get it in that case with that 9 cell on it.

As far as battery life, if you get 2 hours on the 3 cell, you'll get 6 on the 9..... some people get more, some people get less. If you're going to be all hardcore on the notebook, look at about an hour and 45 minutes on the 3 and a little over 5 hours and 15 minutes on the 9 cell.

the M5 (Z33) screen is nice, same res as the M3 screen, but smaller so it's sharper. Never heard a complain on the S5/M5/Z33 screen in over a year and a half.

12" is certainly small for doing web design.. I wonder if you'd be better off with a z63a?

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

 

Well, I do 90% of my graphical stuff on my desktop with a 19" LCD, it would just be nice to know I can get decent performance with a similar screen to my desktop. The laptop is mainly for showing clients work on-site, those trips to the bookstore / coffee shop when I felt like getting out of the house, and I've enjoyed the 12" because of its portability. I know I get some limitations by staying so small, but this laptop basically lives with me and I take it everywhere, so I want to stay light and have enough juice to last me through most of the day if i was running around town.

 

Any review of the Z33 somewhere? Or a review of a simillar pre-built asus? (not sure what model number that would be! Asus numbering scheme is weird to me [ ])

I am basically doing some research ahead of time. I wont be needing an ultra portable before September, but would like to know what to order the day I get back from summer break. Will there be any other ultra lights coming out within this period? I don't mind glare type screens. As long as it is light and lasts me the day without a charge (6 hrs minimum)

Thanx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
N6010: P4M 3.2G, 1GB Dual 400MHz, 60GB 7200RPM, ATI 9700M, 17" WXGA+
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

looks a lot like a 6-cell battery to me, actually - that's about the amount my 6-cell battery sticks out on my M5N. It lasts about 3 hours.

 

Oh ok... Didn't know there was a 6 cell.

 

Yeah, again, the Z33 is just the M5 update...... you can read plenty of reviews including one from last year in LAPTOP. You're not going to see a Z33 review for a while.

http://www.proportable.com/m5n_review.jpg


About the glaretype screen... they are actually better outside than a matte type display..... both suck in direct sunlight, but as far as being outside, I can see still my W3's screen, while my M5 washes out......... go figure, right?

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

 

Actually, here's a M5A/Z33A review I ran across earlier today for anyone interested, has some good benchmarks too.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/mobile/display/asus-m5a.html

I was actually a little confused, maybe Justin can clarify, in this review the battery in the pictures is not flush with the system. Is this the 9 cell?

It looked like the 9 cell to me, yet the article's tested battery life was 2 hour 49 min - 3 hour 15 min depending on mode, which led me to believe they were testing a 3 cell, not a 9 cell.

 

That's the 6 cell... 6 cell is only available on the W5's.... and the 3 and 9 cell are on the S5/Z33

6 cell is something asus never wanted to bring in, as 3 and 9 are good enough and the 6 cell is only like $10 cheaper than the 9 cell........ however they put it standard on the W5's becasue of the extra wireless and the built in camera.

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

 

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

 

about a 1/2"

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