choosing an asus notebook is a tough decision

ok, its come down to a8js vs v1jp vs g1s (all refresh models of course)
i really dont know which i should choose--- i need portability as much as possible because i plan on carryin my notebook in my backpack along with other books--so the a8js would be perfect but i heard quality suffers and it is not attractive

i would get the v1jp but after reading mysticgolem's review and learnin about the issue of loud fan noise and heat, i was kinda turned off-- i need sumthin quiet so i can type away while i'm at a library or while sum1's sleepin .. and its kinda on the heavy side as well

i almost made up mind to just get the g1s but its pretty big and the looks are a little too much for me--its a look for serious gamers and i perfer a modest look

anyway, they all have their pros and cons, but which would be a better choice overall
sorry for the long post but i need ur help guys

 

The A8s series should be out within a few weeks if you can wait, it'll have the new DX10 nVidia 8000m series video cards. That is, if gaming is important.

All notebooks are quiet when they need to be, like surfing and basic word processing, if anything a small hum.

 

supposedly, asus is supposed to come out with an f8 model that is like a 14" g1....but no word on when it will be out.

 

that would be perfect, as long as 1) it doesnt have too much of the gamer look 2) it is light and portable without giving up performance and quality

 

Have you looked at the V2? It's a 14" (rather on the largish side however, for 14" notebooks). It has a poorer video card than the A8s but it's much better built and less flashy looking than the G series. (Is it available in the US? I have no idea)

Be aware also of the battery issues with the V1, before buying: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=106773

About the fan: indeed almost any notebook will be quiet when clocked down and well maintained (i.e. dust-free). But many (or all) ASUS notebooks will kick the fan at full speed when booted up prior to starting the OS so you might get some looks in a quiet place happenned to me.

 

EBE is correct, have a look at the V2 series this may be of interest, great look, a lot of features, and a X1450 for the video card. The current V2Je comes with 2 batteries, the main, and an extended one. You can read the review I have written, it is in my signature.

The V1Jp fan and heat is just like EBE mentioned, when you boot the notebook, you will hear a gush of wind come out the vent then everything runs normally. I have found most, if not all Asus laptops to be fine in terms of using them in a quiet environment aslong as your using the battery.

The A8js is a very popular laptop, once again ,the V2Je review compares the W3j and A8js so look for that. In my opinion the A8js is relatively attractive.

 

Well, I am very biased towards the V1JP refresh since it's what I've been waiting for all these months now...it has all the specs of the G1 and then some, and is built better and looks much better IMO (no lights, etc.)

All the 14" notebooks sacrifice at least *something* for their size though - the V2 uses an inferior graphics card, the A8 isn't built as well, etc.

If you're going to the library fairly often with it, you might consider investing in a laptop backpack for protection and so you can carry all your books. With that, you probably won't even notice the extra 1-2 pounds.

 

I don't think the reason for poor build quality on the A8 is size... it's price.

 

You're most likely right.

What I intended to say was that there simply isn't a 14" Asus laptop that has both the specs of the A8 and the build of the V1.

 

The other bad thing about A8 is the screen quality in some of their models [I saw many complaints about the A8Jp screen quality here]

 

do you think the v2 refresh will have a stronger video card like an 8600m or x2600 in it? if so, then i will be definately getting that

 

V2 will step up to a DX10 video card, probably ati variety, along with the Santa Rosa upgrade. Exact specs still TBD - all else is speculation at this point.

 

Oooh if they manage to fit an x2600 XT into the V2....now that would be nice

 

The V series chassis are hampered somewhat by thermal management restrictions; don't expect the world when it comes to graphics cards. It is more likely to have a mid-range card, as it is not designed as a major gaming platform, and it will very likely be underclocked from spec (as is Asus' history).

 

The 2600XT and the 8600M GT are mid-ranged cards though...I certainly hope the V1 at least will have one of those...it would be quite sad if it did not

 

I'd love to see a V2 refresh in the $1500 range.

 

Asus' pricing never goes down for model refreshes or updates. $1500 will not happen for any V2 until the model is either discontinued or has several refreshes ahead of it (and then you're buying "older" tech).

 

and we all know that during the majority of our time, we are using our laptop with an AC adapter...

 

The A8S is a lower model with only an 8400 graphics card. You should also take a look at the F3SV-B1 - nice video card, WSXGA+ screen.

 

Aside from business looks and features what does the V1 have that the G1 doesn't? I really want a G1S (All the lights and stuff I like, I'm 19 sue me), but if the V1 is a big improvement I will reconsider...

 

No clue on the V1 refresh specs....
But pre-SR, the G1 had a better GPU (go7700 vs ati1700).

G1 came factory-installed with a bunch of stuff that were more geared towards gaming (more RAM, higher clock speeds on GPU), but nothing that couldn't just as easily be changed or upgraded to the same. It has more ports than the V1, but no expresscard slot (no clue if this is different for the G1S).

A lot of people have noted high heat in the V1, and it has a bunch of battery problems. There's also a lack of drivers for the x1700.

On the other hand, V1 looks better (IMO), is lighter, built better, sturdier (magnesium top, carbon fiber bottom, or something like that), has a spill-proof keyboard, fingerprint reader, slightly better battery life (when it's not broken). No clue about anti-shock protection for the HD. V1 also allowed for a matching docking station and a "smart bay". It has an expresscard slot. Also, the ATI x1700 came with GDDR3.

Oh..and the G1 comes with a backpack instead of a laptop case by default...

 

AND A MOUSE! I love that mouse, even though I already have a G5