# ASUS X83VP-A1 Review



## Firestorm252

Asus X83VP-A1
A cursory search shows precious few reviews of the X83 model. Existing reviews use the old N80 or X80 platforms in their reviews. Hopefully this can be useful to anyone else ^_^ b

Recently Asus appears to have revisited its N81 series notebooks and the X83VP is one of the resulting variants recently released.
This model in particular eschews the growing 16:9 trend by using a 16:10 screen ratio.

Also worth noting is that this model has a solid mid-range graphics card in the ATI Mobility HD4670 HD4650 HD4670. This compares favorably against Nvidia GT240M's.

Another addition is upgrading the base N81 platform from Windows Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Home Premium. Saving you from having to pay the shipping costs incurred from Asus' own free Windows 7 upgrade program.

Additional reviews
Notebookreview.com forum user saincteye has kindly allowed me to refer to and link to his unofficial review of the X83VP-A1
Recently I found an excellent review using one of the _newer_ N81VP platforms over at Notebook Review by Kevin O'Brien.
Another forum member, dratman86, reviews his X83VP in this post
Table of Contents _search for section title for easier navigation_
Specifications
Packaging
Initial Impressions
Benchmarking and Tests
Game Benchmarks/Observations
Subjective Useability
Conclusions
Note: higher resolution images available in my gallery under ASUS X83VP_

_Specifications_

*Price*
$999 from Newegg (link)

*Summary of Newegg Hardware Specs*


> CPU: Core2Duo P8700, 2.53Ghz, 1066 FSB, 3MB L2 Cache
> RAM: 4GB DDR2-800
> *GPU: ATI Mobility HD4670 1GB*
> HDD: 500GB, 5400RPM Prepartitioned into two (2) ~250gb partitions
> Screen Size: 14.1"/35.8cm
> Native Resolution: 1280x800
> Wireless: 802.11n
> LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps
> Webcam: 1.3MP Integrated
> Optical Drive: DVD MultiRecorder
> Battery: 6-cell Lithium Ion battery
> Weight: 5.5lbs/2.49kg
> OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit


*Included OEM Applications*


> Express Gate
> Power4Gear Power Manager
> ASUS Splendid Utility
> ASUS CopyProtect
> ASUS Data Security Manager
> ASUS Live Update


*see 1/24/2010 update below*
Now, why did I highlight the GPU? Simply, I was naturally expecting a laptop with an HD4650 in it when I opened the box. However, a quick review of the specs sticker seen below shows otherwise










Pardon the flash, that's just the manifestation of my joy coming from a lappy with 915gm integrated video.

Yup, Newegg's got it listed wrong. It's actually an _HD4670_ in this little lappy. Granted it's just a higher clocked version of what I was expecting, but I also can't say I'm too bummed out about getting a better GPU than I intended









2/4/2010 addendum
Follow-up by Asus techs show it's an OEM version of the HD4670, not listed in the ATI product pages.

I swear, all I wanted to know was what video card was in this thing. I didn't think it would go this long and be this involved.









*1/24/2010 addendum - Major update on VGA*
What you may notice in the monitoring utilities and benchmarks below is that the card shows a striking similarity to a downclocked version of the HD4650. Even though every label and every system device ID says HD4670.

After a number of e-mails back-and-forth between Asus support I've been told this:

Quote:



Dear Valued Customer,

Thank you for contacting ASUS Customer Service.

Acording to the S/N you provided, your notebook is N81VP-4B4P/8SL/V/WN/VT,the Video Graphic is HD4650.
Please contact the reseller to deal with this problem.

For more information feel free to refer to our self-help pages by
clicking the links below:

Troubleshooting: http://support.asus.com/troubleshoot...Language=en-us
FAQ: http://support.asus.com/faq/faq.aspx?SLanguage=en-us
Live Support: http://asuswiki.asus.com/usaSupport/...itle=Main_Page
Warranty Info: http://support.asus.com/repair/repai...Language=en-us
Notebook Drivers: http://support.asus.com/download

If you continue to experience issues in the future, please do not
hesitate to contact us.

Best Regards,
Lathan
ASUS Customer Service


*I apologize to those who have used my review. I should have noticed the problem much earlier, but I did not.*

12/22/2009 addendum
A user of Notebookreview.com's forums, saincteye managed to track down the original model:

Quote:



Originally Posted by *saincteye*

for those who don't know ..just found out it's real model number is N81E87Vp-SL Rihanna edition.

the laptop itself is base on the song theme of 《Umbrella》 MV



Quote:



yeah even excaliberpc and gentechpc don't even know it's real model number , I think what happen is that they try to avoid some copyright fees or something . 
N81E87Vp-SL Limited Rihanna edition. Because there is a regular N81e87Vp-SL for sale in Asia countries with the same spec but different screen (the same as N81VP-D1/D2 16:9 not 16:10) .


_Packaging_
Packaging is a fairly cut-and-dry affair. Apparently the X83 isn't different enough to the N81 line that it warrants its own box. Also I realize that someone just laid the rice serving spoon on the cooker instead of washing it

















Once you get inside there's still nothing to really set it apart from anyone else. The manuals, battery, power brick, and included microfiber cloth in one part and the lappy in the other.









Opening the laptop up reveals even more packaging material. It's well warranted, since the body is so prone to fingerprints but more on that later.









_Initial Impressions_
Okay, seems that all that protective meshing was held on with either static or light adhesive. Much good that did me as they all apparently wanted to cover up the breathing holes typically found on the human face.

Anyway, here's how she looks like. Mind you it took some effort getting the protective cover from her bare top, but once I managed it I found it was well worth it







. Be glad there aren't [many] fingerprints on it, you've no idea how strong the sudden desire to _grope it_ was.









It is worth it to note, though, that the blue is so dark you really can't see much of the design. I was completely unaware that there was a webbed design on it in the first place!

saincteye of Notebookreview states

Quote:



Originally Posted by *saincteye*

the laptop itself is base on the song theme of 《Umbrella》 MV


Connectivity is available in spades, there's ports all over this thing. There's a total of 5 USB, 1 eSATA, 1 HDMI, 1 1394 port, 1 mic, 1 headphone, 1 ExpressCard slot, 1 LAN, 1 VGA, the power port, and the card reader.

NOTE: for those of you who still require a modem, there _is not_ one on this model. The pictures below show that it is actually blocked off.
_Right_








_Backside _
















_Left_









_Initial Impressions - The Inside_
You all knew this was coming

Not even 20 minutes out of the box and I had to strip her down and feel out the insides









A picture's worth a thousand words, so I'll just let them do the talking
_Full shot:_








_CPU, GPU, and RAM:_








_RAM:_








_Wireless Card and HDD:_









Benchmarks coming in the next few days to weeks. I'm a busy college student with a part-time job so I'll squeeze in benching as I can get to it









hopefully to come:
HDtune 2.55 tests
3dmark06 (hey, I don't have Vantage okay!







)
Furmark ratings
SuperPi
CS:S FPS test result


----------



## Firestorm252

*Possibly more to come*

_Benchmarks_

Here's probably what a few of you have been waiting for!
*Special thanks to saincteye for allowing me to use his Vantage and MW2 results*

Testing notes:
Video Driver version: ATI 8.65
Resolution: 1280x800
Testing runs per average: 3
A laptop cooler was used throughout the testing
GPU Shadercore temp: disabled because GPUz reported a temperature of 7 _million_ C
*Thermals* _Ambient at time of this test was roughly 72-74F_
This was a test that I only ran for the short period of 120s on Furmark 1.7 on "Xtreme Burning Mode". The GPU tops out at 105C within two minutes


















However, there are two interesting things to note.
The laptop itself was barely warm except for directly on the CPU/GPU heatsink and the vent (which was blowing out rather hot air)
The fan only kicked up to maximum after it hit roughly 85-90C
Oddly, the hottest thing that I handled was the power brick. Likely due to it not having any sort of active cooling.

12/12/2009 addendum-------
Oddly, whenever I play any recent game I notice the max temp inevitably goes into the low-to-mid 90's celsius. What I find interesting is that the GPU seems to chug quite happily at that temperature, even during the Furmark thermals test (the one that hit 105C in two minutes) the GPU clocks stay up and it did not downclock to throttled state. I've gone several hours playing on it at the ~90C temperature range with, so far, no ill effects.

A laptop cooler doesn't seem to have any effect on the temperatures either. With and without there were negligible to no gains. I tried without the panel covering the CPU/GPU/RAM and I got, at best, a 1-2 C decrease but that could be due to a change in ambient.

*SuperPI 1.5*
Basic CPU bench. I stopped at 8M mainly because it's 1AM right now, but also because the calculation time has a linear increase (or if you don't wanna mince words: twice as many numbers to calculate nets you twice the calculation time). 
Is it still relevant? Not sure, but y'know what? Here you go ~_^










*3DMark06*
Not the most up-to-date benchmark, but it is the only one I have readily available to me that is still somewhat relevant

As described above, this represents the average of three runs for each test.









*3Mark Vantage*
This bench was not run by myself, however, saincteye of Notebookreview.com allowed me to refer to his results found in his unofficial review.

Quote:



3D Vantag.... entry lvl , clearly the GPU is capable of some medium gamings but cpu is a bit lagging behind. This will demonstrate the power of the GPU in later MW2 testing.











*HD Tune 2.55*
Here's the HD Tune result for the 500GB 5400RPM drive. I had taken 3 tests, one after another, and they were nearly identical. In this result I used the median result.










*Furmark 1.7*
Readings were taken using GPUz to limit the number of extra applications running.
Furmark 1.7 was run at custom resolution of 1280x800 full screen, MSAA 0x, and post-processing disabled.










_Game Benchmarks/Observations_

*Modern Warfare 2*
saincteye of Notebookreview.com kindly allowed me to reference his MW2 results. He included many, many in-game screenshots found in the original thread

Quote:



Originally Posted by *saincteye*

screen res is @ 1280 X 800 , I forgot to click the check mark on fraps ...so yeah ..hehehe. But during gaming it never dips below 30 FPS , average above 40s . So I guess maybe I shall've tested it @ a higher setting....











*Left4Dead*
_Settings_1280x800, 2xAA, 2xAF, Shader Quality set to Medium, every other setting to high
FPS - very rarely dips below 25-30, with an average of what appears to be greater than 30 FPS. One instance that I remember: Crash Course finale, fire was everywhere, a burning boomer exploded on half of us, and there were more angry and on-fire horde running around than there should be on Advanced... also the generator went out during it and we died

I need to add a L4D timedemo for an objective result; I may use the Guru3D one posted up on their site last I checked.

*Counterstrike: Source*
Again, pictures are worth a thousand words.
Note - This was done using a clean configuration without any of the popular tweaks available in the Source engine









_Testing - Subjective Usability_

*Keyboard*
The keyboard's a standard affair, nothing really sets it apart. The keys are a textured matte finish. There are two mild annoyances. One being the "Fn" key is the bottom, far left key where "Ctrl" is on a standard keyboard. The other being a "rattle" on the top left of the keyboard, beginning with "Tab" and "Esc" and extends right to "F3" and the next row until "3".




























"Fn" key labels are, however, missing on some of the more model-specific features. For example I was playing a CD whilst typing this and wanted to get to the beginning of a long word. Naturally I hit "Ctrl+left" only to find the CD rewind to the previous track. Thanks for the heads up that this model in particular supports that feature










Another minor issue are the Asus hotkeys above the keyboard. Didn't notice they were there?
The buttons are plain to see, but the icons describing what each one does happen to be on the reflective part above each one. Now here's another situation like the design on the laptop itself. _Something_ is there, you just can't see it. Imagine a series of buttons, except the labels are behind one-way glass... and you are on the wrong side of it.










But in order from left to right they are, "Power4Gear" presets hotkey, Bluetooth on/off key, WLAN on/off key, Asus "Splendid" presets hotkey, and my favorite of the bunch the ExpressGate key.










Worth noting is the fact that this model _does not_ have a Bluetooth receiver. The hotkey and indicator light do not do anything on this model.

*Trackpad*
Okay, where'd my mouse nib go?!








There's no mouse nib on this laptop. Not a big deal I guess, but I like the nib more than a blasted trackpad.

That gripe out of the way... The trackpad is, again, nothing to really write home about. It is obnoxiously smooth which was initially off-putting. It's like really smooth plastic. But a trackpad's a trackpad.










Touch pressure is initially set somewhat high, currently I have the touch threshold as low as it goes and it's still a bit too high, but more than adequate. It is _not_ multitouch capable, but I see this as a good thing as most of the multitouch commands I've come across are faster via keyboard shortcut.

All hardware and device IDs classify it as a Synaptics Touchpad v6.2.

*Audio*
The speakers are on the front, underside of the lappy. I prefer it there since they're aimed at you instead of broadcasting to the world. Although they do tend to get blocked.

*[insert photo of speakers]*

In any case, they're average for a laptop. Meaning they lack any real bass or mid-range. But from my personal experience that's pretty much the case with most laptops.

For the headphones front I _initially _thought there was a problem with the port. I got frequent static when no sounds were playing; sometimes while there shouldn't have been sound at all. I _was _about to write a scathing report on this issue. Then I tried my other sets of cans and found out my HA-RX900's cable is the culprit; the wire's looped for stowing and if it moves, static... woops









Software audio tweaking is done using Realtek's HD Audio Manger, meaning preset EQs and various simulated room effects. I largely left it alone as I've found those are very user-preference items.










*Microphone*
Placement of the microphone is adjacent to the "Fn" key on the left-hand side of the keyboard.










Recording quality is variable but overall good. Unfortunately, the placement almost requires you to talk to the the keyboard in order for it to cleanly pick up your voice.

*Chassis*
One reason I enjoyed my old D610 so much was that I never really had to clean it.
This one?
Fingerprint. Magnet.

I forsee myself obsessively buffing out my own fingerprints for quite some time.

*Battery Life* 12/12/2009

Quote:



Originally Posted by *r34p3rex*


Beautiful machine







What's the battery life on this? Once I sell my Macbook Pro.. I'll be needing a new laptop


Using the Power4Gear Hybrid app makes those ##'s pretty wide ranging.
In the "stock" setting of Power4Gear Entertainment, the GPU downclocks to 200/300 core/memory and the CPU downclocks from stock to a minumum of 5% and maximum of 80% of full operating frequency.

In any case, the timer while idling under "Entertainment" mode showed 4 hours, and now 30 mins later it's reading 3:30 remaining. And I'm notoriously impatient so I don't think i'm gonna wait three-and-a-half hours just to verify









_But I do know_ how long it drains its battery running full bore, running 3dmark06 on continuous looping.
Everything set to "High Performance" and, as far as I'm aware, the GPU at stock clocks the entire time.
*About 2 hours before it went into 5% charge remaining standby mode*

*Overall Subjectivity Comments*
Fn key where Ctrl should be - I'm still getting used to it :/
built-in mic placement sucks - quality is variable and overall good, but you nearly have to talk _at _the keyboard for it to work well
Hotkey labeling sucks or is non-existent - documentation is there, but unclear
Bluetooth indicator and hotkey are there, but no BT receiver in the machine
Decidedly audible, but not loud DVD drive 
edit--------------------------
Change log
12/12/2009
Added Overall Subjectivity Comments
Added to and moved Thermals to top of benchmarks section
Added Microphone section
Added note on Bluetooth hotkey
Added Gaming Benchmark/Observation and Left4Dead observations
Added Battery section
12/13/2009
Added subsections to table of contents
Added Counterstrike: Source test result
12/20/2009
Grammatical corrections
Added dratman86's write-up
12/22/2009
Added saincteye's review link
Added saincteye's find on original model number
Added saincteye's Vantage score
Added saincteye's MW2 results
Cleaned up additional reviews and added a new header
1/24/2010
Modified VGA findings
Added findings from ASUS support regarding the video card discrepancy
2/4/2010
Modified VGA findings
Added findings from ASUS support regarding the video card discrepancy
Removed a number of corrections from the 1/24/2010 update as they were, in the end, incorrect


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## Dowelled60213

This was the only forum I could really find about this model. I was wondering if you have any information on the touchpad? I recently had some problems with Dell's studio 14z Alps touchpad and it was giving me a lot of grief. And about the mouse buttons? Thanks a lot


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## Firestorm252

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Dowelled60213* 
This was the only forum I could really find about this model. I was wondering if you have any information on the touchpad? I recently had some problems with Dell's studio 14z Alps touchpad and it was giving me a lot of grief. And about the mouse buttons? Thanks a lot

This one is identified in all the device and hardware menus as a Synaptics TouchPad V6.2, on a PS/2 port.

The pad itself is really, eerily smooth. I haven't used a pad like it before, almost like there's a smooth plastic film over the actual touchpad itself.

The buttons are okay, rather annoying because the pressure to click appears to be uneven. Little effort to click toward the inner side (where the two buttons meet) and simply refuse to click if you try the outer side. No tactile feeling really, but a nice loud *click*


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## tubers

thanks for the review! how much does it cost?


----------



## Firestorm252

Quote:



Originally Posted by *tubers*


thanks for the review! how much does it cost?


Cost me $999 shipped from Newegg. edit: I had a free shipping thing from a previous shipping mishap with them. /edit
I'll add that to the "Specs" part later. thanks for reminding me I knew I forgot something









anyway. added some benchmarks and testing.

I'll be working more on "Usability Testing" soon as I get some time to actually use the thing instead of bench it to death ^_^


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## r34p3rex

Beautiful machine







What's the battery life on this? Once I sell my Macbook Pro.. I'll be needing a new laptop


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## Stellarex

Oddly enough, this looks alot like my G71 lappy with the GTX260M GPU, the guts are almost identical to it.

Great laptop. I got mine right before windows 7 came out at best buy, now the new one came out and they changed the look of it.

All I can really say for the Asus laptops is these things pack alot of power in such a small box!


----------



## Firestorm252

Quote:



Originally Posted by *r34p3rex*


Beautiful machine







What's the battery life on this? Once I sell my Macbook Pro.. I'll be needing a new laptop


Using the Power4Gear Hybrid app makes those ##'s pretty wide ranging.
In the "stock" setting of Power4Gear Entertainment, the GPU downclocks to 300/300 core/memory and the CPU downclocks from stock to a minumum of 5% and maximum of 80%.

In any case, the timer while idling under "Entertainment" mode showed 4 hours, and now 30 mins later it's reading 3:30 remaining. And I'm notoriously impatient so I don't think i'm gonna wait three-and-a-half hours just to verify









_But I do know_ how long it drains its battery running full bore, running 3dmark06 on continuous looping.
Everything set to "High Performance" and, as far as I'm aware, the GPU at stock clocks the entire time.
*About 2 hours before it went into 5% charge remaining standby mode*

I'll add it to the review once I get some more time with the machine. I've a few things to write about, but not enough to really call it an "update" yet


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## rpgman1

Nice looking Asus laptop. I was considering one to replace my underpowered Compaq Presario. I'm a college student as well, but I'm still job hunting anyway to get the money I need to buy a new laptop. Asus does use quality components, but their laptops do get warm and have shorter battery life compared to some other brands.


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## UndertheGun

Quote:



Originally Posted by *rpgman1*


Asus does use quality components, but their laptops do get warm and have shorter battery life compared to some other brands.


Well said. That is true but for some the performance in that small form factor can't be beat and worth the very slight issues.


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## Firestorm252

added some subjective usability tests.

didn't go in-depth since I'm not a fan of subjectivity in reviews, but figured a section on it would be appropriate.


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## AOwpr

Cool, this makes me really happy about my purchase last night: X83VP-X1.

From what I can tell, the only differences are mine has a smaller but faster hard drive, and CPU isn't as great. $200 though so I bought a sound card for my desktop and kept in-budget.









I'll post a review within the next couple of weeks. Btw, did it come with a Win7 install disk? I think I might install on my desktop.


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## Naris

I believe the Bing Cashback still works for Ebay as well. You could get it for as low as $830 on there if you get lucky with the amount of discount they give you.


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## Fyi?

Thanks for this review! I was planning to get this since I was looking for something smaller than 15.4" but still having a decent GPU. What can it handle?


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## Firestorm252

Sorry for the delay in responding. Been trying to figure out why my current amp build isn't working as well as why my camera's still on the fritz









Quote:



Originally Posted by *AOwpr*


Cool, this makes me really happy about my purchase last night: X83VP-X1.

From what I can tell, the only differences are mine has a smaller but faster hard drive, and CPU isn't as great. $200 though so I bought a sound card for my desktop and kept in-budget.









I'll post a review within the next couple of weeks. Btw, did it come with a Win7 install disk? I think I might install on my desktop.


yes, it does come with a Windows 7 install disc. but it's an Asus one and from what I saw, it _does_ look for some identifier that says the machine is actually from Asus. It didn't work in my parents' Dell.

If you've got a plain Win7 upgrade disc, try modifying it to get a "One Disc to Rule Them All" as people put it. I find it very useful, as I'll be sticking Home Premium onto my parents' laptop, while I run Professional on mine, and any future build already has a copy of Ultimate waiting in the wings.

and yeah, I saw that model but the proc didn't support virtualization. I've already needed to use virtual XP mode for some old apps and testing some things.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Fyi?*


Thanks for this review! I was planning to get this since I was looking for something smaller than 15.4" but still having a decent GPU. What can it handle?


Lesse

I've been playing Frontline: Fuel of War on it at 1280x800. Most of the settings are Highest, except for Shadows and AA/AF.

TF2 plays smoothly at 1280x800 and mostly highest except AA/AF, but I haven't really logged any time in to see if there's any hiccups along the way.

I'll get ahold of L4D 1 and, if the demo is still active, L4D 2 at some point to see what settings it can take.

CS:S is still on the "to test" list, but I get the feeling it'll pass with flying colors.


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## AOwpr

Oh well, that's too bad about the install disc. I can probably get a student discount anyway, just not now.

Not to be cliche, but tried Crysis on it?







I'll probably try running Borderlands.


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## thabes

hi I want to buy gaming laptop. But at the same time I want to be it small. but when it comes to deciding X83 and Msi 1651 barobone I am stucking . Could you help me to decide!!!!!!!

http://www.xoticpc.com/force-3551-bu...28-p-2596.html

http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-x83vpa1-p-2702.html

regards


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## saincteye

I would go use bing ....either ebay or overstock.com just go to bing.com and click shopping then type in the search box X83VP the overstock.com will pop up with 15% cashback which rounds up @ $83x ....and now Asus offer $100 rebate for this model from Dec 1 to Dec 31 2009 ....


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## rpgman1

Quote:


Originally Posted by *thabes* 
hi I want to buy gaming laptop. But at the same time I want to be it small. but when it comes to deciding X83 and Msi 1651 barobone I am stucking . Could you help me to decide!!!!!!!

http://www.xoticpc.com/force-3551-bu...28-p-2596.html

http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-x83vpa1-p-2702.html

regards

I think the Asus will be the better option (more RAM, better warranty). Just click on the link in my sig and choose your laptop like the Asus. It does have some nice features.


----------



## thabes

thank you for the suggest. But i am not sure yet about the size. Msi 1651 i thing just only 1 cm wider than x83 . Is that So?


----------



## ko12

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AOwpr* 
Cool, this makes me really happy about my purchase last night: X83VP-X1.

From what I can tell, the only differences are mine has a smaller but faster hard drive, and CPU isn't as great. $200 though so I bought a sound card for my desktop and kept in-budget.









May I ask if it's good. I'm gonna buy this one also, just wait for your response







.


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## AOwpr

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ko12* 
May I ask if it's good. I'm gonna buy this one also, just wait for your response







.

I actually don't know yet... got a faulty one with a hardware error (I can say with decent confidence that it wouldn't happen to you, though...). I think it's hardware, so I turned it over to my school's tech support for now, and if not I'll try to swap it for a new one.

Anyone know if I should use the Asus warranty or RMA through Newegg?

Edit: By the way, welcome!


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## ko12

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AOwpr* 
I actually don't know yet... got a faulty one with a hardware error (I can say with decent confidence that it wouldn't happen to you, though...). I think it's hardware, so I turned it over to my school's tech support for now, and if not I'll try to swap it for a new one.

Anyone know if I should use the Asus warranty or RMA through Newegg?

Edit: By the way, welcome!









Thanks for your response ,hehe. But what kind of error is it?

I live outside of the US so if something goes wrong, I hardly get the thing fixed. I just want to make sure everything will work


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## AOwpr

It shuts down randomly. I think it might be a circuit breaker.


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## thabes

Firestorm252 Could you add some pictures of the keyboard and other stuff of your laptop??


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## Firestorm252

Quote:


Originally Posted by *thabes* 
Firestorm252 Could you add some pictures of the keyboard and other stuff of your laptop??

You are in luck then. I figured out the problem with my camera, kind of, the SD card got messed up somehow and I needed to format it.

Anyway picture additions in Section 2 of the review:
Keyboard shots
Hotkey shots
Trackpad

If you need high-res images of the photos, see my gallery here. The laptop will be under title _Asus X83VP__ followed by a number


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## logan1

Hi,

I really liked your Asus X83VP-A1 review. I am going to replace my current laptop, and I am having trouble deciding between this model Asus and the Samsung Q320-32P. FYI, here are its specs:

Quote:

Operating System Operating System Genuine WindowsÂ® Vista Home Premium - 64 bit
CPU CPU Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 (2.53 GHz)
System Memory Standard System Memory 4 GB DDR2
Display Screen Size 13.4" HD LED (1366 x 768)
Graphic Graphic Memory 256 MB
Graphic Processor Nvidia 105M GDDR3
Multimedia Audio Speakers 3 W (1.5 W x 2)
Integrated Camera 1.3 MP
Storage Hard Drive 320 GB 2.5" 5400 RPM
Optical Disk Drive DVD dual layer +/- RW slot loading
Communication Wired Modem No
Wired Ethernet LAN 10 / 100 / 1000 Base TX
Wireless LAN 802.11 b / g / n
Bluetooth No
I/O Ports VGA Yes
HDMI Yes
Headphone Yes
Mic-in Yes
USB 2.0 3 x USB 2.0: 1 USB 2.1, 1 USB w/ charging function, 1 e-SATA & USB combo
Multi Card Slot 3 in 1 (SD / SDHC / MMC)
Serial No
RJ11 (Modem) No
RJ45 (LAN) Yes
PC CardBus Slot ExpressCard
Input Keyboard Type 87 keys
Touch Pad, Touch Screen Yes / No
Security Fingerprint Reader No
Power AC Adapter 90 W
Battery 6 cell
Size and Weight Dimensions (W x H x D) 12.83" x 9.0" x 1.3 -1.44"
Weight (including Std Battery 4.92 lbs.
Warranty Std. Warranty 1 year parts and labor
Sorry if it's a bit hard to read. There are many of the same specifications, as you can see, so which one do you think I should get? I think that the main difference is screen size, but there may be another difference that I am not seeing.

Thanks.


----------



## Firestorm252

Quote:


Originally Posted by *logan1* 
Hi,

I really liked your Asus X83VP-A1 review. I am going to replace my current laptop, and I am having trouble deciding between this model Asus and the Samsung Q320-32P. FYI, here are its specs:

Sorry if it's a bit hard to read. There are many of the same specifications, as you can see, so which one do you think I should get? I think that the main difference is screen size, but there may be another difference that I am not seeing.

Thanks.

*Major differences:*
screen size and resolution (16:9 ratio)
hard drive size is smaller
GPU is a full step down in performance
Samsung is 2 lbs lighter

Notebookcheck.net's GPU gaming comparison list shows that the 105M has poorer performance than the HD4670 in... well... all the games they list.

if you're wanting a solid gaming laptop the Asus has better specs for it. but if you only need a general-purpose laptop with limited to light gaming then the Samsung may better suit your needs. That is unless they are very close in price, then the Asus would win my recommendation due to the better specs for the money.

The Asus also sports a standard 2 year warranty and a world-wide 1st-year accidental coverage when you register the laptop with them.


----------



## kwl331

Hey Firestorm, first of all good job with all the info. I really appreciate it!!


----------



## r34p3rex

Dang, I'm torn between this, and the UL80Vt.. the UL80Vt gets ~10 hour of useable performance and has switcheable graphics, but this one is quite appealing too


----------



## kwl331

I was wondering if you notice any problems with the ASUS X83Vp-A1 yet? I'm not so great with laptop and reading the specs. I'm looking to upgrade my laptop. I'm looking for a gaming laptop that can handle some games.(L4D, WOW, HON, DOTA and maybe CS). And also use for the school work( download powerpoints, essays on microsoft word and etc..)

Does it overheat alot?
Is the graphic card good for those games?
What are the CONS for this laptop?

I'm also a college student, that is tight on money. The ASUS X83Vp-A1 is about $800-$900, so i just wanna make sure this is worth the money.

I was also looking at the Toshiba Satellite M505D-S4970. It cost about $700.

which one is better 
Toshiba Satellite M505D-S4970
http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/tosh...=mncolBtm;rnav
OR 
ASUS X83Vp-A1


----------



## Firestorm252

*Overheating?*
Oddly, whenever I play any recent game I notice the max temp inevitably goes into the low-to-mid 90's celsius. What I find interesting is that the GPU seems to chug quite happily at that temperature, even during the Furmark thermals test (the one that hit 105C in two minutes) the GPU clocks stay up and it did not downclock to throttled state. I've gone several hours playing on it at the ~90C temperature range with, so far, no ill effects.

A laptop cooler doesn't seem to have any effect on the temperatures either. With and without there were negligible to no gains. I tried without the panel covering the CPU/GPU/RAM and I got, at best, a 1-2 C decrease but that could be due to a change in ambient.

I've still not had any luck finding any published "thermal specification" or "maximum operating temperature" on the video card so I'm not sure what to make of the numbers.

*Is the graphics card good for those games?*
It's played everything I've thrown at it so far. But from those games you list I only have experience with L4D, which should be one of the more graphically taxing games you mention.
L4D - 1280x800, 2xAA, 2xAF, Shader Quality set to Medium, every other setting to high
FPS - very rarely dips below 25-30, with an average of what appears to be greater than 30 FPS. One instance that I remember: Crash Course finale, fire was everywhere, a burning boomer exploded on half of us, and there were more angry and on-fire horde running around than there should be on Advanced... also the generator went out during it and we died









I need to add a L4D timedemo to the benchmarks; I may use the Guru3D one posted up on their site last I checked.

*Cons*
Fn key where Ctrl should be - I'm still getting used to it :/
built-in mic placement sucks - quality is variable and overall good, but you nearly have to talk _at _the keyboard for it to work well
Hotkey labeling sucks or is non-existent - documentation is there, but unclear
Bluetooth indicator and hotkey are there, but no BT receiver in the machine
Decidedly audible, but not loud DVD drive
_Not a con for me, but for some people -_ Average usable battery life is about 2 hours without using an overly aggressive power-saving mode, and up to 3.5-4 hours if you get really aggressive with the power settings

*Between the Toshiba and Asus:*
baseline #'s: 
AMD M500 processor specs and Intel P8700 processor specs.
_Aside from operating frequency and cache sizes, they are largely identical: both 45nm and supporting virtualization. The AMD has a slightly higher wattage._
ATI Mobility 4670 specs versus the ATI Mobility HD4100 (which may be a slower clocked HD4200)
_Simply put, the 4670 beats the HD4100 with a club the size of an oil tanker in respect to gaming. But the 4670 uses the UVD 1 decoder whereas the HD4100 uses the UVD 2, so it's more equipped for HD entertainment._
Toshiba
cheaper for nearly same overall specs
GPU is somewhat better than an Intel 4500MHD, but in the end it is still integrated video


> More suited for HD playback rather than gaming



Asus
Significantly better GPU
So what you're really paying for is a difference in GPU.

I'll add excerpts from my previous posts to the main review so pertinent information is on one page.


----------



## tonyny13

Hey Firestorm252 I'm thinking about getting this laptop and adding a blueray player. how long does the battery last!!?


----------



## ko12

Quote:



Originally Posted by *tonyny13*


hey firestorm252 i'm thinking about getting this laptop and adding a blueray player. How long does the battery last!!?



Quote:



Originally Posted by *firestorm252*


average usable battery life is about 2 hours without using an overly aggressive power-saving mode, and up to 3.5-4 hours if you get really aggressive with the power settings


: ]


----------



## tonyny13

Should I order it with the Blue ray drive!!? or should i get the N81VP-D2 which is 100$ more but better CPU!!?


----------



## Firestorm252

Quote:



Originally Posted by *tonyny13*


Should I order it with the Blue ray drive!!? or should i get the N81VP-D2 which is 100$ more but better CPU!!?


Bluray's kind of a personal choice depending on your personal use. A family friend of mine paid an extra $250 for a Bluray drive on his laptop about two years ago. He watched 2 BD movies over the course of next 2 years then sold the laptop; I wouldn't exactly call that drive heavily used. If you plan on using it often, then go for it. But if you want it just for kicks, that money could be better spent elsewhere.

The difference between the T9600 and the P8700 is just a bumped up multiplier (10.5x and 9.5x, respectively) netting about an extra 300Mhz and 3MB of cache. The operating frequency difference is probably negligible for most applications. The cache is somewhat in the same boat, but there have been reviews where the extra cache in CPUs does net _some_ improvements in "normal" applications (encoding typically) and benchmarks.

If you plan on encoding/decoding a lot of HD stuff then you may notice an improvement as the 4650/70 in the laptop uses an older UVD 1 decoder and will typically result in higher CPU utilization. I personally would save the $100 towards some guitar/audio gear down the line but that's just me


----------



## nicholam

I just ordered this same laptop. Can you confirm that it also comes with the 4670 io the 4650 as listed?

Thanks and good luck! I got this for my wife who's a huge Day of Defeat fan and i'm hoping it can run the game. Also, is it windows 7 64 or 32 bit?

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AOwpr* 
I actually don't know yet... got a faulty one with a hardware error (I can say with decent confidence that it wouldn't happen to you, though...). I think it's hardware, so I turned it over to my school's tech support for now, and if not I'll try to swap it for a new one.

Anyone know if I should use the Asus warranty or RMA through Newegg?

Edit: By the way, welcome!


----------



## r34p3rex

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nicholam* 
I just ordered this same laptop. Can you confirm that it also comes with the 4670 io the 4650 as listed?

Thanks and good luck! I got this for my wife who's a huge Day of Defeat fan and i'm hoping it can run the game. Also, is it windows 7 64 or 32 bit?

This would definitely blow through Day of Defeat. Most video cards nowadays would stomp on the HL1 engine


----------



## nicholam

Quote:



Originally Posted by *r34p3rex*


This would definitely blow through Day of Defeat. Most video cards nowadays would stomp on the HL1 engine










I meant Day of Defeat Source. It's based on the HL2 engine. It should still get rocked by this card...IF it's the 4670. I really wonder how the X83VP-A1 and the X1 compare side by side. The A1 has a faster processor, but the X1 has a faster drive. Do they actually have the same card, or does the X1 have the 4650 and the A1 have the 4670?


----------



## r34p3rex

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nicholam* 
I meant Day of Defeat Source. It's based on the HL2 engine. It should still get rocked by this card...IF it's the 4670. I really wonder how the X83VP-A1 and the X1 compare side by side. The A1 has a faster processor, but the X1 has a faster drive. Do they actually have the same card, or does the X1 have the 4650 and the A1 have the 4670?

4670 is just a higher clocked 4650







If you do end up receiving a 4650, just overclock it to 4670 speeds


----------



## Firestorm252

I happened to have time to get CS:S on it and ran the video stress test. I'll try to get other tests in, but my list of recent games is not impressive at all







. add to that, finals on Tuesday so they take priority.
Adding it to the 1st page review, but here's the screenshot of the settings and result.

This test was run using a clean, stock configuration and is not using a custom configuration file to account for available memory and other Source engine variables.


----------



## rpgman1

Wow, that's pretty good for running CS:S. I really need to replace my Compaq with an Asus laptop. The video card is pretty powerful for a mobile version.


----------



## tonyny13

Hey I might end up getting the x83vp. Is the memory upgradable to 8gb? Because this website gentechpc.com its selling the unit with 8gb ?...


----------



## ko12

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nicholam* 
I just ordered this same laptop. Can you confirm that it also comes with the 4670 io the 4650 as listed?

The X83VP-P1 also comes with a 4670


----------



## Firestorm252

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tonyny13* 
Hey I might end up getting the x83vp. Is the memory upgradable to 8gb? Because this website gentechpc.com its selling the unit with 8gb ?...

It should be able to take a maximum of 8GB since it is an Intel PM45 chipset.
There's only 2 memory slots available so you would need a 2x4GB kit, and at last check the prices are, frankly, abso-freaking-lutely insane... pardon the word-smithery









sidenote:
I'm pretty sure I've massacred my testing methodology by continuing to add/run testing over such a long period of time haha.


----------



## nicholam

Hey thanks everyone for the answers to my questions. This laptop looks like quite the gaming power house for sub $1k.


----------



## kwl331

AHHHH I don't know what to choose. The Asus X83VP-A1 or the SONY CW190x PLEASE HELP!!! My friend told me that if I was looking for a pretty good gaming laptop, he suggested a SONY *CW190X*. I never heard of it, so i researched it. It was pretty good here are the specs on it..

*SONY CW190X*

*Processor*- Intel(R) Core 2 Duo Processor T6600 2.2Ghz/2MB/800Mhz
*Operating System*: Windows 7
*Memory* 4GB/PC8500 DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
*Hard Drive* 320GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
*Display* 14.1" Back Light Technology 1366x768
*Graphics* 512MB dedicated NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® GT 230M GP
DVD Burner Blu-Ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW Double Layer
Webcam Built-in MOTION EYEÂ® camera and microphone with face-tracking technology
*Networking* 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T (Gigabit) IntelÂ® WiFi Link 5100AGN (802.11a/b/g/n)
*Battery* Standard Capacity Lithium-ion Battery
*Ports*:
# DC-In : 1
# Ethernet Connection(s) : 1
# HDMIâ„¢ Output : 1
# Microphone Input : 1
# USB Port(s) : 3 (2.0 compliant)
# VGA Output(s) : 1
# i.LINKÂ® Connection : 1 (4pin) i.LINKÂ® connector (IEEE 1394)
*COST* $950~


----------



## tonyny13

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Firestorm252* 
It should be able to take a maximum of 8GB since it is an Intel PM45 chipset.
There's only 2 memory slots available so you would need a 2x4GB kit, and at last check the prices are, frankly, abso-freaking-lutely insane... pardon the word-smithery









sidenote:
I'm pretty sure I've massacred my testing methodology by continuing to add/run testing over such a long period of time haha.

Is there a way to confirm if we can put 8 gb in the future!!? thanks for the answers







i need to order mine by the end of this week plus i can get 100$ rebate


----------



## tonyny13

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kwl331* 
AHHHH I don't know what to choose. The Asus X83VP-A1 or the SONY CW190x PLEASE HELP!!! My friend told me that if I was looking for a pretty good gaming laptop, he suggested a SONY *CW190X*. I never heard of it, so i researched it. It was pretty good here are the specs on it..

*SONY CW190X*

*Processor*- Intel(R) Core 2 Duo Processor T6600 2.2Ghz/2MB/800Mhz
*Operating System*: Windows 7
*Memory* 4GB/PC8500 DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
*Hard Drive* 320GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
*Display* 14.1" Back Light Technology 1366x768
*Graphics* 512MB dedicated NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® GT 230M GP
DVD Burner Blu-Ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW Double Layer
Webcam Built-in MOTION EYEÂ® camera and microphone with face-tracking technology
*Networking* 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T (Gigabit) IntelÂ® WiFi Link 5100AGN (802.11a/b/g/n)
*Battery* Standard Capacity Lithium-ion Battery
*Ports*:
# DC-In : 1
# Ethernet Connection(s) : 1
# HDMI™ Output : 1
# Microphone Input : 1
# USB Port(s) : 3 (2.0 compliant)
# VGA Output(s) : 1
# i.LINKÂ® Connection : 1 (4pin) i.LINKÂ® connector (IEEE 1394)
*COST* $950~

I bought this one for 1000$ with the 7450cpu and the 230m GPU is weaker than the 4650 of the x83vp. i couldn't run crysis full settings with the 230m not even street fighter 4 at full settings







that's why i returned it . its a pretty good machine but, i can get the x83vp for the same price and better performance!!







btw can any of you guys run the SFIV benchmark demo with the x83vp to see if the GPU can handle the game full settings and AA


----------



## guiwu

hi, this is the only place where i found a review on x83vp... I was between these two: N83vp-d2 or X83vp-a1
Does anybody know anything on these? Which one should I get?
Right now on amazon, they have a difference of about 50 dollars between them so I dont care much about that.

Both seem to be pretty good. But the only difference is between the processors. Is the difference in battery life very big between these two models?
Thanks!

X83vp:
http://www.amazon.com/X83Vp-A1-14-1-...9363364&sr=8-1

N81vp:
http://www.amazon.com/N81Vp-D2-14-In...9997315&sr=8-1


----------



## dratman86

Ahhhhh... i am agonizing which Asus laptop to go for...X83Vp-A1 vs the UL80VT. Two vastly different laptops, but there is no complete review of the X83 battery life or LCD screen quality. I m guessing the X83VP will have slightly longer battery life than the N81VP or anything with a TXXXX processor.

Specifically, can anyone say that the X83VP-A1's LCD is better than the UL80VT?..It has to be right....given all the reviews saying the UL80VT screen is crap and washed out.









*Oh no...what have I done







...after agonizing like hell I finally placed the order for the X83VP-A1, I should get it by monday or even tommorow, but not sunday. I m sweating like hell that the LCD screen doesn;'t suck*
I'll make sure to post pictures and get a second revuiew up.


----------



## dratman86

And yes, of course the X83 is not going to get anywhere near the battery life of the UL80, but 3-4hr would be nice..web surfing and listening to music.


----------



## thabes

Is there another owner of the x83 in here. If there is can he/or she add pictures and comments about he laptop.????


----------



## tonyny13

Quote:



Originally Posted by *dratman86*


Ahhhhh... i am agonizing which Asus laptop to go for...X83Vp-A1 vs the UL80VT. Two vastly different laptops, but there is no complete review of the X83 battery life or LCD screen quality. I m guessing the X83VP will have slightly longer battery life than the N81VP or anything with a TXXXX processor.

Specifically, can anyone say that the X83VP-A1's LCD is better than the UL80VT?..It has to be right....given all the reviews saying the UL80VT screen is crap and washed out.









*Oh no...what have I done







...after agonizing like hell I finally placed the order for the X83VP-A1, I should get it by monday or even tommorow, but not sunday. I m sweating like hell that the LCD screen doesn;'t suck*
I'll make sure to post pictures and get a second revuiew up.


nICE I'm ordering the N81 later today it's only like 50$ more so why not lolz i get some free items too lolz


----------



## dratman86

Ok, Apparently I got my X83VP laptop earlier than I expected, thank goodness for local pickup. First things first,








Why did I try to remove the stickers on this thing? left an ulgy smudge.
So I left the other ones on.

Ok on with the review. laptop measurements: 34cm (13.4in) length








by width 25.5cm (10in)
















its 14in laptop afterall and quite compact for a gaming laptop. The build, well, to pack everything in, the chasis is solid, no flex at all, not even on the keyboard and pretty much built like a rock....feels like a rock too. Weights like a rock, 5.5lb, its just slightly heavier than the UL80VT. As for aesthetics, laptop is dark, pretty dark, I mean, if Batman had a laptop, this would be it, dont bother trying to type or look for things around the laptop in deem light unless you got a flashlight or laptop light. You pretty much going by feeling. In my room, the thing just sucks all the light into it, like a black hole. Of course all the reviews of the N81 or UL80VT with the glossy finish is correct, total fingerprint magnet, which is why Asus includes a dry rag to help you buffer the laptop. An electric bufferer would be better with the amount of finger prints this thing attracts.

Monitor and display, well, this thing is a heck of all better than my old Toshiba A100 display and from the reviews of the UL80VT on notebookreview.com, definitely better than that. The contrast and brightness is high and playing C&C3 at ultra resolution showed excellently. The monitor is small measuring 14.1 in diagonal. So overall, very good monitor.









Webcam seems decent and it has bluetooth, although I dont use it. Touchpad is fine, just that it doesn't work well if you have wet fingers. If your the sweaty palm type, the touchpad feels like sandpaper, but if your using speedstix on your fingers then its quite smooth.







Ports, well, it has everything: 5USB, HDMI, e-sata, head n mic jacks, VGA, multimedia reader, DVD-RW, LAN

Keyboard...standard keyboard, although I get the feeling it is one sided even though it isnt. I keep missing the "A" key for some reason. FN key is in a crap position, I m used to having the Ctrl key there.

If all this is starting to sound familiar, its because it is. The X83VP-A1 is basically the N81VP packaged as the X83VP. In fact, the sticker on the front says its N81. The review of which can be found on notebookreview. I guess Asus wanted to make a cheaper model for whatever reason.








You see, even on the back, N81...lolol...so if you read the review on the N81Vp, you noticed there are very little flaws except for one..battery life.

Well, I tested the X83VP-A1 battery life and they are just about comparable to the N81. At high mode, with everything on high, you get about 2 hours. But I was able to squeeze 3-3.5 hours on the things listening to music and streaming music videos. Brightness was at 30-40% and using Power4gears (yes keep this software) and I was using youtube and streaming video off muchmusic for almost 3 hours. Ultimately, the battery on the first charge lasted 3 hrs, but can be push to 3.5-4 even. The reason for keeping the Power4Gear program from Asus is that it allows you to configure how much processor power you want to allocate. Mine was running at min 5% and max 60%, but this is a 2.53GHz C2D, so even at 30% max. it would still run great.

Furthermore, the hotkeys on teh X83VP allow users to dim brightness and turn off wifi, and of course you can turn off bluetooth, all steps leading to better battery life.

Gaming, well the first review already touched on the graphic cards. Yes, I saw Firestorm's Bender type porno on the X83VP's insides. It true, for some reason, Asus ships with with the ATI HD4670 and I've only tested one game C&C3-TW at ultra level, AA2, native res. and it was flawless. Update that more later. Oh yeah, did mention how tiny the power button on this machine is.









Sound system: located in the front facing down. So if you have this lappy on your lap, then it could dampen the sound.







They are quite loud speakers, but quite average quality sound, louder music sounds hallow, but fine..not much bass. Or maybe I should get my hearing check.

Heating, not much heating at all, maybe because my room feels like a fridge or I m in Canada, but running of battery produced little heat. Fan is quiet, but like all laptops at startup, it roars.

Conclusion: Ultimately, my decision to go with teh X83VP-A1 over the UL80VT-A1 was mainly due to the reviews of the poor LCD display of the UL80VT. I had experienced crap screens with the Toshiba A100 and I say.."No more!!"







I figured if your going to get 10+ battery life and be staring at a lousy screen, might as well go for better performance and game yourself silly. The price difference at least in canada and at the place I brought it at is 100$ so not big of a gap. Some other reason by some guy in some country mentioned the X83Vp to be one of the better gaming laptops under 1000USD.


----------



## Firestorm252

sorry for the delay in replying. Wrappd up finals week and I'm prepping for a week-long trip down to Florida.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *tonyny13*


Is there a way to confirm if we can put 8 gb in the future!!? thanks for the answers







i need to order mine by the end of this week plus i can get 100$ rebate


The PM45 will support a max 8gb and the X83VP has enough slots to use a 2x4gb kit. So yes, it can hold 8 gigs

Quote:



Originally Posted by *guiwu*


hi, this is the only place where i found a review on x83vp... I was between these two: N83vp-d2 or X83vp-a1
Does anybody know anything on these? Which one should I get?
Right now on amazon, they have a difference of about 50 dollars between them so I dont care much about that.

Both seem to be pretty good. But the only difference is between the processors. Is the difference in battery life very big between these two models?
Thanks!

X83vp:
http://www.amazon.com/X83Vp-A1-14-1-...9363364&sr=8-1

N81vp:
http://www.amazon.com/N81Vp-D2-14-In...9997315&sr=8-1


It's a ~300 Mhz difference + a bigger cache as far as processor goes. I believe they're the same core design, just the P9600 has a higher multiplier (read: faster clock speed) and larger L2 cache . At that slight of a difference there's not much noticeable improvement.

The other difference is the N81 has a smaller, but faster 320gb _7200rpm_ hard drive. So you'd get some noticeable improvement in load times and other hard drive intensive tasks.

Kind of a case of "which hard drive do you want" I guess.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *dratman86*


*Oh no...what have I done







...after agonizing like hell I finally placed the order for the X83VP-A1, I should get it by monday or even tommorow, but not sunday. I m sweating like hell that the LCD screen doesn;'t suck*
I'll make sure to post pictures and get a second revuiew up.


Sorry I didn't get a post up about the monitor before you purchased. I hate those "going out on a limb" purchases myself.

Nice writeup as well







I'll stick a link to your post above the table of contents.
And +1 on Power4Gear. Of all the random apps I've had to deal with packaged into computers that's been the most useful, hands down.

As for the heat, I've noticed only one area gets hot: the vent. Which isn't so bad, since it's winter and my mousing hand stays warm


----------



## thabes

thank you for the photos. I have been also thinking about the get rid of the stickers because It tells hey please come and steal me!!!


----------



## SaucePauce

I want to buy a new laptop and i cant decide between these 2 models:
X83VP-A1 or N51Vn-X1A

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16834220667

i somehow enjoy gaming and other things...
the main differences are in the screen size, harddrive and resolution. i heard the videocards are pretty equivalent. i also need a decent battery, i understood the x83 can last around 3.5hours, would it be similar on the n51 with the larger screen?

also, windows vista on n51 is not a problem as i will install win7 immediately

thx for the help


----------



## SaucePauce

forgot to mention there is also a -100$ mail in rebate on the x83 but regardless of that prices are pretty similar as well so, i wouldnt take that into consideration to make a choice


----------



## youknowjack8

This question is directed at any experienced Asus users (Firestorm)









I currently have a n81vp (ATI 4650 with 2.8GHZ 6MB L2 1066mhz front bus)

Should I switch over to the x83vp???
(I'm am able to do a trade with my local store since I just got the laptop)

IF so, should I get the
2.2ghz L2 2mb (i'll get cash back)
OR
the 2.53ghz L2 3mb (same price as n81vp)

Please let me know asap, as I only can do this within the next 2-3days.


----------



## youknowjack8

forgot to add, this will be for the purpose of gaming.
I'm currently playing l4d2.

Would the increase in GPU and decrease in CPU effect and hinder the game performace?


----------



## youknowjack8

Another question.

If i stick with the 4650 ATI card, can I overclock it to 4670? Will it void warranty or cause damage? How do I overclock, I don't know how to overclock mobile GPU's. Thanks


----------



## ko12

consider the weight as well

Code:



Code:


Weight  [n51]6.49 lbs. [x83]5.5 lbs.


----------



## dratman86

Oh yeah, here is where I brought my X83VP-A1...

http://www.anitec.ca/search?q=X83VP-A1

its about 100CDN dollars cheaper than the newegg Canada. ONly catch is there is no chance for exchange for anything else or direct refund. So once you pay, you get it unless you resell it on craigslist. Theyare Canadian and ship country wide I think.

Although in the US, ebay was selling it for the cheapest price, just the shipping to Canada is crazy expensive and you probably get ding with teh taxes too.


----------



## Firestorm252

Quote:



Originally Posted by *youknowjack8*


This question is directed at any experienced Asus users (Firestorm)









I currently have a n81vp (ATI 4650 with 2.8GHZ 6MB L2 1066mhz front bus)

Should I switch over to the x83vp??? 
(I'm am able to do a trade with my local store since I just got the laptop)

IF so, should I get the 
2.2ghz L2 2mb (i'll get cash back)
OR 
the 2.53ghz L2 3mb (same price as n81vp)

Please let me know asap, as I only can do this within the next 2-3days.


The 4650 and 4670 are actually the same cards. The 4670 is just higher binned (found to be higher quality after the die's been punched out of the wafer).

I don't have first-hand experience with the 4650's, but according to Notebookcheck.net's GPU chart, the 4650 gets an average FPS of 78 (1024x768, very high, 0-AA and AF) while a 4670 gets 91. they are run at 1024x768 resolution, but it does give at least a cursory idea of the difference between the two.

I would probably just stick with what you have right now.

As for overclocking:
ATI's Catalyst Control Center does not give you the option.
If I remember correctly Rivatuner 2.05 gave me the options, but I didn't use them (mainly as I didn't know max temperature limit).

Anyway, for anyone else posing questions... I'm headed out of state for a week or so and I won't be able to respond. If you have one go ahead and shoot, but understand I won't be able to address it til I get back









edit----------------
found an excellent review over at Notebookreview.com's forums.

The user, saincteye, has kindly allowed me to refer to and link to his review.


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## thabes

thank you for the your efforts budyy!!


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## xxicrimsonixx

I have the X83VB-X2 (basically the same laptop -- same image on top, as well as design and size). Anyways, must say that it is an amazing little laptop. Awesome review.


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## longrange2

What kind of battery life are you guys getting with this laptop? The N81 is supposed to be terrible in this department, just wondering if the X83 is any better.


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## youknowjack8

the n81vp-d2 I have gives me 3:30 battery on low setting for all, low brightness. I stream TV shows and lasts a around that time.

how about the n83? that will be my deciding factor.


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## youknowjack8

by the way, thanks firestorm for the great info.


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## xxicrimsonixx

I get ~4 hours 15 mins with everything on low, and my CPU undervolted to run at 1.0375v @ full load.

EDIT: Using the X83VB-X2 with a T6400 CPU and a 9300M GS.


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## longrange2

I'm having a hard time deciding between the X83VP-X1 and the UL80VT. I've also been looking at the sony Vaio VPC-CW series laptops. The thin design and long battery life of the UL80 are attractive, but the better performance of the X83 and the extra connectors like e-sata and more usb ports is also enticing.


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## Neenjah

So the battery difference between the n81vp-d2 and the x83vp-a1 is only around 30 minutes?
Also, is the n81 better for gaming? Is there better gaming performance in the n81?

Also, I thought the n81 and the x83 had the same graphics card? I read that the n81 shows up as a 4670 but has the clock speed of a 4650. (Underclocked for better battery life?)


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## Firestorm252

Sorry for the hiatus guys. vacation and all that jazz








it seems the battery question has been addressed by someone with the same model laptop so...

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Neenjah*


So the battery difference between the n81vp-d2 and the x83vp-a1 is only around 30 minutes?
Also, is the n81 better for gaming? Is there better gaming performance in the n81?

*Also, I thought the n81 and the x83 had the same graphics card? I read that the n81 shows up as a 4670 but has the clock speed of a 4650. (Underclocked for better battery life?)*


I've been wondering this myself actually.

I get the feeling it may actually be an underclocked 4670 for a few reasons:
if you look at the GPUz screenshot, you'll notice that the "max" core and memory clocks are 550/700 (actually 697, but you get the idea). a 4670 has 675/800 and a 4650 has 550/800.
if you check the higher resolution images for the CPU/GPU/RAM section, the GPU has the markings "M96-M". a 4670 should be marked "M96-XT" and a 4650 "M96".
if it were a 4650, GPUz would read it as such since, to my knowledge, the latest version can tell the difference in device and vendor IDs between the two
I've checked all my system settings and as far as I'm aware, the GPU _should_ be sitting at maximum clocks whenever I load it up. There may be a GPU BIOS thing I can look into









edit-----------------
some more fishing around and I find this ATI product page for the mobility HD4650. It has the right core/memory clocks and the right specs.

I'm somewhat embarassed I didn't notice this sooner









I'll shoot Asus an e-mail. See what their take is


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## thabes

I also thing 4670 much more better. dose this laptop coming with mouse and carrying bag? and also firestorm could you do video for review ? because there is still no offical review I dont know why.


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## xxicrimsonixx

Quote:



Originally Posted by *thabes*


I also thing 4670 much more better. dose this laptop coming with mouse and carrying bag? and also firestorm could you do video for review ? because there is still no offical review I dont know why.


The laptop does not come with any accessories (apart from the basic A/C adapter and manuals, etc.


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## Lazume

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Firestorm252* 
I get the feeling it may actually be an underclocked 4670 for a few reasons:

1. if you look at the GPUz screenshot, you'll notice that the "max" core and memory clocks are 550/700 (actually 697, but you get the idea). a 4670 has 675/800 and a 4650 has 550/800.
2. if you check the higher resolution images for the CPU/GPU/RAM section, the GPU has the markings "M96-M". a 4670 should be marked "M96-XT" and a 4650 "M96".
3. if it were a 4650, GPUz would read it as such since, to my knowledge, the latest version can tell the difference in device and vendor IDs between the two


Any news from Asus regarding this issue? According to a previous post, the GPU gets heated up to the 90s pretty quickly, so would overclocking beyond 550/700 generate overheating problem?


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## sLowEnd

That's some devil ram you've got there


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## jac

Hey guys,

I'm trying to decide between the Asus that is talked about and a Lenovo I found on the Newegg website.

ASUS X83VP-A1 NoteBook
Intel Core 2 Duo P8700(2.53GHz)
14.1" Wide XGA
4GB Memory DDR2 800
500GB HDD 5400rpm
DVD Super Multi
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650

Lenovo IdeaPad Y550P(324156U) NoteBook
Intel Core i7 720QM(1.60GHz)
15.6"
4GB Memory
500GB HDD 5400rpm
DVDÂ±R/RW
NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M

Both are selling for $999, except that the Asus gives a $100 rebate and it gives that 2 year warranty. The difference I see here is that Lenovo is giving a freakkking badass processor but a graphics card that is lower compared to the Asus. I want a laptop that is reliable and that can play the latest games and has preferably lesser weight to carry around.. But I'm willing to sacrifice the weight issue if there's something literally better.

Does the huge processor in this Lenovo account for its lower graphics card when compared to the Asus? Which notebook should I get? Can those games that need a lot of graphics perform better on the Lenovo or on the Asus? Please let me know.

Thanks!


----------



## Firestorm252

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Lazume*


Any news from Asus regarding this issue? According to a previous post, the GPU gets heated up to the 90s pretty quickly, so would overclocking beyond 550/700 generate overheating problem?


It's been 10 business days since I contacted them, but no response as of yet. However, I haven't had much luck with Asus' non-telephone support responding in a timely manner so I'll hold out hope or send another message to them.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jac*


Hey guys,

I'm trying to decide between the Asus that is talked about and a Lenovo I found on the Newegg website.

ASUS X83VP-A1 NoteBook 
Intel Core 2 Duo P8700(2.53GHz) 
14.1" Wide XGA 
4GB Memory DDR2 800 
500GB HDD 5400rpm 
DVD Super Multi 
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650

Lenovo IdeaPad Y550P(324156U) NoteBook 
Intel Core i7 720QM(1.60GHz) 
15.6" 
4GB Memory 
500GB HDD 5400rpm 
DVDÂ±R/RW 
NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M

Both are selling for $999, except that the Asus gives a $100 rebate and it gives that 2 year warranty. The difference I see here is that Lenovo is giving a freakkking badass processor but a graphics card that is lower compared to the Asus. I want a laptop that is reliable and that can play the latest games and has preferably lesser weight to carry around.. But I'm willing to sacrifice the weight issue if there's something literally better.

Does the huge processor in this Lenovo account for its lower graphics card when compared to the Asus? Which notebook should I get? Can those games that need a lot of graphics perform better on the Lenovo or on the Asus? Please let me know.

Thanks!


To be honest, I have no idea how the i7 CPU stacks up against previuos generation CPUs. Notebookcheck.net's CPU comparison table (restrict results to notebook processors only) and the i7 720QM is no slouch.

However, it is worth noting the i7 you're looking at is a quad versus the P8700 being a dual-core. If you typically run apps and/or games that are very processor heavy (GTA IV and Supreme Commander are great examples) then the i7 will definitely outpace the P8700.

Graphics-wise, the HD4650, HD4670, and GT240M are all similar performers with the HD4670 leading out the three by a small margin. I was kind of torn between the three myself, til i realized the benchmark differences between them were usually measured in +/- 5 FPS and synthetic benchmarks were within ballparks of each other.

Personally, I'd think the Lenovo's a better bang for buck deal (I use multi-threaded apps so the quad _would_ be quite useful) although slightly heavier.


----------



## xxicrimsonixx

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jac* 
Hey guys,

I'm trying to decide between the Asus that is talked about and a Lenovo I found on the Newegg website.

ASUS X83VP-A1 NoteBook
Intel Core 2 Duo P8700(2.53GHz)
14.1" Wide XGA
4GB Memory DDR2 800
500GB HDD 5400rpm
DVD Super Multi
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650

Lenovo IdeaPad Y550P(324156U) NoteBook
Intel Core i7 720QM(1.60GHz)
15.6"
4GB Memory
500GB HDD 5400rpm
DVDÂ±R/RW
NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M

Both are selling for $999, except that the Asus gives a $100 rebate and it gives that 2 year warranty. The difference I see here is that Lenovo is giving a freakkking badass processor but a graphics card that is lower compared to the Asus. I want a laptop that is reliable and that can play the latest games and has preferably lesser weight to carry around.. But I'm willing to sacrifice the weight issue if there's something literally better.

Does the huge processor in this Lenovo account for its lower graphics card when compared to the Asus? Which notebook should I get? Can those games that need a lot of graphics perform better on the Lenovo or on the Asus? Please let me know.

Thanks!

For gaming, the ASUS will be faster because it has the better GPU. Unless you are going to run a lot of encoding/decoding on the laptop, you really don't need the Core i7 for gaming, as the dual core + faster GPU will do gaming better.


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## Lazume

Hey guys this might be slightly off-topic, but has anyone used this laptop with a Microsoft Intellimouse Optical Mouse 1.1a ? I have been experiencing disconnects and reconnects quite frequently. This mouse is a week-new, but it's already experiencing this. I have updated to the latest patch also, for windows 7 64bit. The port that I use is located on the right side. There are two of them, and both would do the same thing. Could it be a failing usb port? This laptop is quite new too. Or could it be the overheating GPU that's causing this?

Thanks guys.


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## Firestorm252

I can't say I've had any issues with USB on my laptop. sorry.

also, update on the HD46*0 confusion from Asus:

Quote:

Dear Valued Customer,

Thank you for contacting ASUS Customer Service.

Acording to the S/N you provided, your notebook is N81VP-4B4P/8SL/V/WN/VT,the Video Graphic is HD4650.
Please contact the reseller to deal with this problem.

For more information feel free to refer to our self-help pages by
clicking the links below:

Troubleshooting: http://support.asus.com/troubleshoot...Language=en-us
FAQ: http://support.asus.com/faq/faq.aspx?SLanguage=en-us
Live Support: http://asuswiki.asus.com/usaSupport/...itle=Main_Page
Warranty Info: http://support.asus.com/repair/repai...Language=en-us
Notebook Drivers: http://support.asus.com/download

If you continue to experience issues in the future, please do not
hesitate to contact us.

Best Regards,
Lathan
ASUS Customer Service
I'll update the review when I'm able (it's ~6am right now, I'm leaving for campus).
Although I don't plan on pushing the point, since I had accepted the HD4650 initially posted on the Newegg specs.

do note that the HD4650 and HD4670 are the same chip, although the 4650 is lower binned than the 4670 and therefore usually won't handle 4670 speeds


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## Firestorm252

Alright, updated the review to reflect that mine has an HD4650.

Again, sorry to anyone who's used this review so far. It's a mistake I should have caught about a month earlier


----------



## Darkfox_chile

Hi to all

First, I'm from Chile, SouthAmerica, so excuse me for my english..

Second, I read all this thread because I want a buy a Asus Notebook, and I have see the model ASUS U80V is in amazon in stock...

But I didn't know this model ASUS X83VP-A1 and are very similar..

So, What notebook you say I have to buy? Or do you know an other model of asus arround 1000 dollars?

An other question, How Can I do use of the RMA of asus Here in Chile?

Please help me.

Thanks from chile.

PS: Sorry for mi english I don't use a web traslator.


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## Firestorm252

haha, so the GPU identification issue continues. It's the damnedest thing getting this sorted out XD

Anyway, I've been writing with Asus support still and they finally bumped me up from the initial techs that fielded the initial message.

Apparently the HD4670 they used in the laptop is an OEM model not listed on the ATI product pages.
It's like the Dell-only model of the Crative xfi XtremeMusic for those of you who followed the XFI modding fad of the previous year or two.

And to answer Darkfox:
Sorry for the delay.

Asus has a worldwide warranty for their notebooks, it will work anywhere. That is a very attractive option for many people









The U80V and X83VP are two different laptops. the U-series is for the most battery life and portability. the X83VP is a reduced-size gaming notebook.

which one you need will depend on what you plan to use it for.

edit----------------------
re-updated the review. hopefully I caught all the "corrections" from 1/24/2010.

man, this "find the video card" thing is turning out to be terribly annoying.


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## FoggyMan

Quote:



Everything set to "High Performance" and, as far as I'm aware, the GPU at stock clocks the entire time.


Hi,

I have done the same test (with FurMark 1.7, GPU-Z and CPU-Z). I get similar results (Furmark score between 1920 and 1950).

A few questions if I may.

Are you all getting similar scores ?
Isn't this a little low or is that what you would expect ?

I have read somewhere that Furmark does not always work well with an ATI card. Don't know...

Is there a way to monitor how the cpu and gpu are downclocked with the different performance settings ?
Especially, I would like to verify that everything is really maxed out at "High Performance".

Would you recommand upgrading any of the drivers ?

I still have to load a few games to see how well they run (I don't have any !) 
I'm getting FSX soon and I am really curious to see what I can do with that on this laptop. 
Looks great so far. But boy is that screen like a mirror !
Any recommendation for something to reduce glare ?

Thanks.


----------



## Lazume

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Firestorm252* 
Alright, updated the review to reflect that mine has an HD4650.

Again, sorry to anyone who's used this review so far. It's a mistake I should have caught about a month earlier

Does that mean you can OC it to the HD4670 speed?


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## mangamaster99

sup i'm new here but i ordered the same notebook at around 10 am march 4 ive been looking at all sorts of notebook for the past 2 months i decided to get this one since it was on discount (got it for $800 +plus $15 shipping lol) but it be here till monday

so heres my question(s)
what kind of bloatware does it come with? a list would be helpful (if there is one a available)
which ones are not needed(to be uninstalled) 
and what kind of software/drivers would you guys recommend (to be installed)

i was planning to reinstall windows and put a small partition on it for linux (windows for play and linux for work)

and if there are any hacks for it (ie clock the gpu back to being a 4670 instead of a 4650)

the reason i chose this notebook is its size/specs/price plus my friend got one last spring around this time for his birthday not the same model tho his had a nvidia 9650m in it i think from the n80 series im still giggling about the model number says x83vp-a1 but as in the first post it not the true model number (no wonder i couldn't find it on asus site lol)


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## xxicrimsonixx

Quote:



Originally Posted by *mangamaster99*


sup i'm new here but i ordered the same notebook at around 10 am march 4 ive been looking at all sorts of notebook for the past 2 months i decided to get this one since it was on discount (got it for $800 +plus $15 shipping lol) but it be here till monday

so heres my question(s)
what kind of bloatware does it come with? a list would be helpful (if there is one a available)
which ones are not needed(to be uninstalled) 
and what kind of software/drivers would you guys recommend (to be installed)

i was planning to reinstall windows and put a small partition on it for linux (windows for play and linux for work)

and if there are any hacks for it (ie clock the gpu back to being a 4670 instead of a 4650)

the reason i chose this notebook is its size/specs/price plus my friend got one last spring around this time for his birthday not the same model tho his had a nvidia 9650m in it i think from the n80 series im still giggling about the model number says x83vp-a1 but as in the first post it not the true model number (no wonder i couldn't find it on asus site lol)


Let's just say reformat it when you get it. On my X83VB-X2 (same laptop, just different GPU/CPU/HDD), came with a bunch of trial software, and a bunch of programs for the built-in stuff which I never ended up using.

The moment I got it, I reformatted it, removing everything was a much bigger PITA than just reformatting to a clean start...


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## mangamaster99

hehe thanks

judging from post times that was fast lol

but will do


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## mangamaster99

heres another question will this lappy run virtual xp


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## xxicrimsonixx

Quote:



Originally Posted by *mangamaster99*


heres another question will this lappy run virtual xp


Yes. The CPU has Virtualization.


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## mangamaster99

awesome thanks


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## Notasoccerstar09

i have a question for anyone who used the rebate back in january

what exactly is the Original UPC/Serial Number Barcode Label thing? they rejected my original rebate but said i could submit it again


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## mangamaster99

i don't kw about the above post but did anyone notice that the express card slot can hold memory cards like 2 sd cards or 1 sd and 1 memory stick pro

what i mean is that the spacer can hold those type of memory cards

oh also is the express gate really needed ive benn downloading the zip file for more than five hours and only 45% finished

reason why i ask is because i re-installed windows and got almost everything setuped so far only prob i had with windows install is that it cd driver was that comaptible (luckily i had a external cd drive lol) said it needed drivers but i got it 95 percent finished on the windows side







just need to install linux on the other partition then i would be happy for a linux flavor i choosinfg to go with linux mint and for my old lapy re-install linux but a different flaver prolly archlinux tho

i am still sursprised with how light it is to my old lappy (16" acer aspire 6920 intel gma 965a intel t5750 2.00ghz and 4 gigs ram( crap to me since it couldnt play games right but for mysql dev lol)


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## blinkee_115

Have any of you owners of this laptop experience loud fan noise? Seriously the fan in this laptop is louder than my brothers computer when gaming! Even during normal tasks like web surfing or instant messaging, the fan is on continuously. It rarely turns off. Is this normal or is it just mine?


----------



## Rockwater

Quote:



Originally Posted by *AOwpr*


It shuts down randomly. I think it might be a circuit breaker.


Aowpr, did you find the solution for that problem. Mine does the exact same thing. Asus TS told me to change the power management options and re-install the OS. After that it's RMA. Did you find a better solution?


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## lechip

I know this is pretty old and stuff, but ever since I decided for this lappie I've kept this post in my favs as some kind of bragging bible. Anyways, The battery life is not THAT long and I'm planning in some investing. The official ASUS site in Germany (ehere I live right now) offers a battery for something around 200USD which is outrageous lol. I settle for some well known good quality battery german vendors but I want to be 100% sure that the battery will go with my lappie.
I found this option and http://www.amazon.de/OXENDOX-Notebook-Akku-Li-Ion-4400mAh-black/dp/B004BFPZLY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1306228352&sr=8-2]this other[/URL].
They show to be compatible with N81 series, and since the REAL series is an N81 I guess it will work just fine. What you guys think (aside from that I am actually buying non-asus stuff, I am aware of the risk yet I trust german quality)


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