NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Asus Forums › Asus Notebooks › Considering an Asus 14" for my needs, suggestions please
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Considering an Asus 14" for my needs, suggestions please

post #1 of 21
11/27/06 at 5:47pm
Thread Starter 
Hi Folks,

I am in the mood for a nice new laptop, possibly even an expensive one. I have had a Acer Ferrari 3200 for nearly 2 years, I did very careful research on it before buying it, got it secondhand for a song and it did everything i asked except give me good battery life.

I am thinking about a sleek Sony VAIO, but have just seen some nice looking Asus 14" , not sure if there is anything there that will fullfill my needs. The Sony VAIO SZ 330p was close, but it has the weedy Geoforce Go 7400 in it (and no DVI for external monitor or TV, particularly important for a notebook with a 13.3" screen i would think... ), I do like the idea of flicking a switch between crappy intel graphics and a dedicated graphics card though....

Here is what i need.

Sleek design, i don't want a big ugly Dell, slim+light=SLIGHT
15.4 or 14.1, 13, wide screen
Lightweight (6lbs max, but preferrably less!)
Great battery life (4+hours)
Bluetooth
Wireless (a,b,g)
DVD+-RW (a good speed, 2.4x is an ass pain)
Hard drive doesn't matter if it is serial. (i have a 7200rpm in my Ferrari)
Good fast Ram specifications
Core 2 Duo specs
DVI? (i want to plug in a TV for Gaming and a monitor for work at home, this is essential)
High quality graphics gaming quality(i do not want rubbish intel intergrated graphics)
Reasonably future proof (if i get 2 years i will be a happy bunny)

Here is what i would like.

That it has most things a laptop would need to interact with other electronics. The ferrari's have good specs like that i haven't had to buy anything for the PCI slot, because it already has all i need built in.

I have no interest in TV tuners
No interest in Blue-ray drives
No interest in Floppy drives
Higher spec battery options would be nice
As high quality graphics for gaming as good battery life will allow. I am not a big gamer, but i don't have a desktop, so a would like to have the option to play latest games at low-med settings .


What i really use it for.

Internet communication (VOIP, Browsing, Downloading, Online Movies)
Watching DVDs
Photo editing with Photoshop CS
Fieldwork (away from mains power, so out in sunlight quite often or rain)
Writing reports (burning them on to disc)
Some gaming, I don't want to hear "oh you have got one of those notebooks, they don't play this really good game..." I don't play so much, so i don't care about having 62.5fps or 63fps, i just want it to run reasonable without lag (bear in mind i have a 7200rpm SATA to swop drives at home.


If you folks can make some suggestions, then i will check out the models and tell you what looks good to me.

I can't say enough times how 2-2.5 hours battery life isn't good enough....

Thanks,

I look forward to reading up on suggestions
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 21
11/27/06 at 7:31pm
regrettably and to the best of my knowledge, there are NO core or core 2 duo notebooks with performance range graphics that get much above 3 hours battery life standard. it is possible to get 4 hours battery life IF you buy a notebook with a modular bay and you're willing to buy a modular bay battery and use it all the time. The Asus W3J or V1J would work for you as long as you are willing to make this concession.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 21
11/27/06 at 8:12pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Djembe
regrettably and to the best of my knowledge, there are NO core or core 2 duo notebooks with performance range graphics that get much above 3 hours battery life standard. it is possible to get 4 hours battery life IF you buy a notebook with a modular bay and you're willing to buy a modular bay battery and use it all the time. The Asus W3J or V1J would work for you as long as you are willing to make this concession.


What about Xtreme Noteboks? They have 14.1" notebooks with a 256mb Geoforce Go 7600 which they claim lasts up to 4 hours, it weighs in at 5.5lbs, a big improvement on my 7lbs monster
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 21
11/27/06 at 8:30pm
Djembe is correct:

There are 4 ASUS laptops that come to mind for your needs, however each have their own hit and miss for your particular needs.

PS: I think it should be sleek + slim + light = Slight :P haha

ASUS A8js: Click Here
13.3" x 9.7" x 1.38"/1.48"
5.37lbs (2.44kg)
14" WXGA+ (1440x900) Glossy
Go 7700 512mb
2.0Ghz Core 2 Duo
1GB DDR2 667
100 GB HD @ 5400rpm
DVI port
Estimated battery life 2 hours 45 minutes MAX (you could purchase another battery and swap it once the other runs out.

ASUS W3J: Click Here
13.1" x 9.8" x 1.2"/1.3"
4.8lbs (2.2kg) <- Real weight roughly 5.4lbs
14" WXGA (1280x768) Glossy
1.66Ghz Core 2 Duo
X1600 256mb/512 hypermemory
1x1024M DDR2 667
100GB 5400r HD
Bluetooth
No DVI port
Multi-bay [this feature allows you to remove the optical drive and put in a modular bay battery or an extra hard drive, and in the case of battery life, your main battery + modular bay battery = roughly 4+ hours.]
This is definately a "Slight" laptop

ASUS V1JP: Click Here
14.4" x 10.4"x 1.1"/1.4"
6lbs <- Real Weight roughly 6.4lbs
15.4" WSXGA+ (1680x1050)
2.0Ghz Core 2 Duo
1024M DDR2 667
120G HD @5400rpm
ATI X1700 512M
mini-dvi port
Multibay feature, just like above mentioned for hte W3J, estimated total battery life should be 4+ hours but we will wait and see once we test if it can do more with a modular bay battery.

Also the G1P: Click Here
Asus G1 Intel® Core™2 Duo T7200 / 15.4" WSXGA+ (1680x1050) ColorShine / 2048M DDR2 667 / 160G HD / NVIDIA GeForceGo 7700 GPU 512 MB / DVDRW, Windows Media Center Edition
Estimated battery life according to some reviews is anywhere from 2 hours and 30 mins to 3 hours and 30 mins.

Both V1J and G1 are available for pre-order, they will be released sometime near and around christmas.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 21
11/27/06 at 9:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by richarddesmond
What about Xtreme Noteboks? They have 14.1" notebooks with a 256mb Geoforce Go 7600 which they claim lasts up to 4 hours, it weighs in at 5.5lbs, a big improvement on my 7lbs monster
There are often significant differences between manufacturer's & seller's claims and real world experience. When I bought my computer, an Asus Z71V, Asus was saying it could get up to 6 hours of battery life with the standard battery. Real world figure: slightly over 4 hours max (although to Asus' credit, they did revise that estimate when it was obvious that 6 hours was a dream). Similarly, they say that the W3J can get 4-5 hours battery life standard. Again, this is a massive overestimation as the W3J needs the modular battery in as well to get that kind of battery life. The Xtreme system you referenced is their branding of the Compal HGL30. There are 2 battery options for it. If you get the 9-cell battery (the bigger one that sticks out a bit), then according to this review on NBR, the absolute maximum battery life is just under 4 hours, with average low workload battery life of about 3 and a half. While it still doesn't quite get to 4 hours, it's probably the best you'll find without a modular bay, but if you need 4 hours minimum battery life with your requirements, The Asus W3J with modular battery is the only 14" notebook currently available that meets all your criteria.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 21
11/27/06 at 9:27pm
Djembe that's correct but the W3J doesn't have DVI which he needs/wants to connect to his TV, therefore the next thing that comes to mind that totally has everything you want is the V1J since it has the modular bay battery and mini dvi port, also the G1P might also meet your requirements once we get on to test battery life.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 21
11/27/06 at 9:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MilestonePC
Djembe that's correct but the W3J doesn't have DVI which he needs/wants to connect to his TV, therefore the next thing that comes to mind that totally has everything you want is the V1J since it has the modular bay battery and mini dvi port, also the G1P might also meet your requirements once we get on to test battery life.
ooh, good point!
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 21
11/27/06 at 11:26pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks Milestone PC. That is a lot of usefull information. I suppose like all notebook users with money to burn anbd specific requirements, i am left wondering whether waiting a few more months will result in some kind of breakthrough, but i am in the US until early January, then have to go back to Ireland, where prices are much higher....
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 21
11/28/06 at 12:35am
Ah ok, I understand your situation, well one good thing you do have is time, I know others who have also waited, especially for the V1J, since it basically has everything that some people are looking for.

Here's what i can suggest, wait as along as you can, but beware of stock levels in reputable resellers, since there are new products being released at such a demanding time, things may become hasty around these times.

Take some time to think it through again, before you jump into this.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 21
11/28/06 at 7:58pm
Thread Starter 

I have narrowed it down a bit, but nothing is quite...well...perfect enough...

Hi Folks,

I have spent excessive amounts of time searching the last couple of days and I have come up with a few possible options, but none of them quite meet my requirements.

If i can get a 13" with a geoforce go 7600 and DVI I would get that (assuming that didn't just gobble up all my battery life, Hybrid Technology (Sony VAIO intergrated intel and dedicated GPU's with a hardware switch to choose which one, brilliant ) iin other systems would be a dream, I don't know why no-one else uses it! That would solve that battery life problem for many gaming level notebooks!!!)

1) ASUS A8js 14" (1440x900) , DVI, geoforce 7700 , 667mhz FSB and RAM, 5.37lbs, but only 2.5hours battery (other than battery life everything else is perfect! Why oh why the crappy 6 cell battery? Make a sticky-outey battery for this fantastic machine!!!

2) ASUS V1JP:
6.4lbs, 15.4" WSXGA+ (1680x1050), Core 2 Duo, DDR2 667, 120G HD @5400rpm, ATI X1700 512M, mini-dvi port

This machine has a modular bay so it would get 4 hours with second battery, but then i am back with a 15.4" and all that weight. I also don't like having to swap out components, all that means is you still have to carry them with you all the time...

3)Compal HGL30, perhaps the Xtreme version, as it is customisable:-
Core 2 Duo, 667 FSB and RAM, Geoforce go 7600, DVI, 5.3 lbs with approximately 4 hours of runtime with 9 cell sticky-outey battery.
The only let down with this machine is the 1280 x 800 screen, if it had the lovely 1440x900 of the Asus and/or the Geoforce go 7700 (without losing too much battery life, then it would be my choice.

Anyone else have any suggestion? I am not a brand snob, so anything will be considered (assuming it is reliable...)

God my eyes are sore from staring at my Ferrari screen, help me out with a magic bullet people

P.S. Can someone tell me if there is much of a power consumption difference between the Geoforce go 7600 and 7700 cards for notebooks, i can't find power specs for them!
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 21
11/28/06 at 10:12pm
The most powerfull laptop out of the 3 you mentioned is the A8js.

Go 7700
3DMark05 = 4200
3DMark06 = 2700

Go 7600
3DMark05 = 4000
3DMark06 = 2000

X1700
3DMark05 = 4000
3DMark06 = 1900-2000

With that said, I still recommend the A8js with an extra main battery and carry that with you, so with a total of two main batteries you will get 4+ hours of battery life.

Of course the V1J is a nice option but it is expensive and not as powerfull as the A8js but has a lot of features, but its bigger and weighs more like you said.

The Compal HGL30 is also a good choice if your willing to settle with a GO 7600, compare the A8jm vs A8js (7600 vs 7700) respectively.

You basicaly have the best 14" performance machine in this thread.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 21
11/28/06 at 11:42pm
Thread Starter 
I am very close to getting the A8js, but after searching for battery weight, which comes out to 1lb, i don't see that a 14" notebook weighing in at 5.37 +1lb for the additional battery will really do anything for me? For me the original idea in going a bit smaller was to lose some notebook weight and gain battery life.

Maybe i am getting too greedy about the graphics card? Originally, i thought the Geoforce go 7400 was too weedy and i think that is correct.
Perhaps the 7600 will be sufficient? Can anyone tell me whether there is any difference in the power consumption between the 7600 and the 7700? The 7700 is a 80nm process, stretched silicon, blah blah blah (compared to the 90nm 6600), but Nvidea slyly DO NOT say anything on their website about the power consumption.....
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 21
11/29/06 at 12:49am
battery life of the A8Jm is about 45 minutes more than battery life of the A8Js, based on comparison reviews, so it appears that the 7700 consumes considerably more power than the 7600
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 21
11/29/06 at 1:06am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Djembe
battery life of the A8Jm is about 45 minutes more than battery life of the A8Js, based on comparison reviews, so it appears that the 7700 consumes considerably more power than the 7600
Then i think i will end up getting a notebook with the Geoforce go 7600 in it. I think it would be a nice step up to the 7700, perhaps futureproofing for games rather better, but I don't know if the batterylife loss is really acceptable. What would be nice for me would be if i could convince Xtreme Notebooks to stick a Geoforce 7700 in their version of the Compal HGL30 , then it would have a 9cell sticky-outey battery, with about 3 hours battery life (I would guess) only thing is, it wouldn't have that yummy 14" WXGA+ (1440x900) display on the ASUS A8js
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 21
11/29/06 at 1:37am
Actually Djembe it is really hard to tell what causes the reduction in battery life when comparing the A8jm to the A8js. There was a review that states that the A8js gets something like 20 minutes less battery life under the same conditions.

There are actually 3 major differences that could potentially cause this to happen.
A) Increase in screen resolution - this requires the computer to load more onto the screen, thus draining more over time.
B) Core 2 duo vs Core Duo, C2D technically consumes more but not by much if you take 2 identical laptops one with C2D and one with Core Duo.
C) The GPU 7700 vs 7600, in order to tell what consumes more, someone would have to indulge in a big test, by watching power consumption, discharge rates and more hours of testing.

Unfortunately i can't fidn that review.

PS: If you want my personal opinion in this matter of chosing between these 3 laptops, I would still pick the A8js and with an extra main battery, because it is the computer itself that will be doing the work, and I would like the absolute latest thing out there for the needs/wants. (this is my thinking)

NOTE: There's no real wrong decision here, The A8js/A8jm/Compal HGL30 (btw we sell them too) are all GREAT laptops, if you look back to the past you will see once again the A8 series is just extremely popular, same with the Compal HGL30 because it is a grea alternative to the A8 series.

I hope this helps, if any.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 21
11/29/06 at 3:49am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MilestonePC
NOTE: There's no real wrong decision here, The A8js/A8jm/Compal HGL30 (btw we sell them too) are all GREAT laptops, if you look back to the past you will see once again the A8 series is just extremely popular, same with the Compal HGL30 because it is a grea alternative to the A8 series.
I wonder Milestone PC, would you consider sticking in a Geoforce go 7700 into an HGL 30 for me, are there reasons why this shouldn't/couldn't be done? Then i would have a 6lb 14" with a 9 cell battery...
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 21
11/29/06 at 10:38am
Technological barriers, prevent that from happening, plus platform problems, and possidble thermal dissipation problems. However, as previously mentioned all 3 are very popular laptops, in which their owners are very happy to have them.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 21
11/29/06 at 12:49pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MilestonePC
Technological barriers, prevent that from happening, plus platform problems, and possidble thermal dissipation problems. However, as previously mentioned all 3 are very popular laptops, in which their owners are very happy to have them.
OK. I think i will go for the Asus A8Js with extra battery, as per your suggestion. I notice from your website (which i would use because you have been very helpfull and indeed all have a similar price, barring sites which want to paint their logo on a notebook for $400...) that you don't have them until Dec 11'th plus configuration and shipping (I need the bluetooth option)? I think that that would be too late for me, as i have to field test it before heading back to Ireland on January 4'th 2007. Let me know if there is anything i can do.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 21
11/30/06 at 4:06am
Thread Starter 

I went ahead and got an Asus A8Js

I would like to take the time to thank Milestone PC and Djembe in helping me run through the options for the specs i needed.

I went ahead and purchased an Asus A8Js, with bluetooth, 2gb RAM, 2Ghz c2d, second battery. 100gb 5400rpm HDD (I have a 100gb 7200rpm SATA, i can swap in.)

It will be just my luck if Asus announce a 9cell battery for it in a few weeks...
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 21
11/30/06 at 1:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by richarddesmond
I would like to take the time to thank Milestone PC and Djembe in helping me run through the options for the specs i needed.

I went ahead and purchased an Asus A8Js, with bluetooth, 2gb RAM, 2Ghz c2d, second battery. 100gb 5400rpm HDD (I have a 100gb 7200rpm SATA, i can swap in.)

It will be just my luck if Asus announce a 9cell battery for it in a few weeks...


Congrats!
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Asus Notebooks
NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Asus Forums › Asus Notebooks › Considering an Asus 14" for my needs, suggestions please