New 11.6-inch Sandy Bridge Asus U24E

[frychiko]

Updates
- Added a hands on video of mine.
- More pics (Nov 7)
- Added a few more pics (Nov 5) taken from a user
- US Model may have Core i7, see this post
- Added a few more pics
- The first video is out! (added at bottom)

I've been waiting years for Asus to release a new mid-range 11.6-incher! They've just announced a new 11.6-inch Sandy Bridge notebook today, to be released this week (5 Nov). It's the Asus U24E.

- 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 (most likely glossy)
- Core i5-2430M processor + Intel HD 3000 gfx
- 4GB of RAM (DDR3-1333, 2x SO-DIMM slots)
- 750GB HDD
- 2 x USB 3.0 + 1 x USB 2.0 sleep and charge (USB Charger+)
- HDMI, D-Sub
- 0.3MP webcam
- 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth 3.0 + HS
- Gigabit Ethernet
- Card reader (up to SDXC)
- headphone / SPDIF out and mic jacks
- 6.8 hour battery
- Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
- Altec Lansing speakers
- Available in Silver
- 291 x 207 x 27.6 mm size
- 1.5 kg weight

Costs 59,800 yen, which I guess might be around $550. (Don't look at currency converted price)

Looks like the battery sticks out a bit.
I'd expect a few more CPU / RAM / HDD variations by region, as always.











Nov 5 (from a user):





Nov 6:



Nov 7:



Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eBMVGuBIJE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI_vAizBK58

[rfs830]

i like this. this just might replace my ul30vt as my work laptop. I wonder when it will come out to the us.

[saturnotaku]

I was thinking of getting an Eee PC Transformer, but I like this a whole lot more. Would be a nice system for when I travel, certainly more powerful than the AMD Zacate Eee PC netbooks, especially if this one can be had for about $500.

[Bronsky]

Wow! I am not a big Asus fan, but this is a really nice combination size and power. An I5-2430M in an 11.6" notebook for $500. Why get a low powered UX-21 for $300 more? This combination looks really interesting.

[rfs830]

I wonder how well the hdmi port can play full 1080p movies. This may turn out to be a good price of a machine for me.

[frychiko]

I mentioned $500 but looking into the matter it'd more likely be $550 with the same configuration.
Also forgot to mention Altec lansing speakers and one usb is sleep and charge type.

[Bronsky]

I wonder how well the hdmi port can play full 1080p movies. This may turn out to be a good price of a machine for me.

HD 3000 graphics with an I5-2430M will play starcraft with decent frames. It will play a 1080p video seamlessly.

[rfs830]

thank you for the info. As long as it can play my full (uncompressed) bluray rips im good to go. Like to have that option when I need it.

Being that is smaller the my current ul30, this will be at a nice price point.

Need to get more info on this laptop. I wonder when it will be out in the US.

[felinoter]

60,000 yen is something more like 750-800 dollars sadly

if it really is 500-600 i'd jump on it. i love notebooks around the 11.6-13.3 inch range (exception of alienware, and i like windows more than os x) but most are either crazy expensive (sony), have problems (acer 3830tg) or are very underpowered compared to full i5. oh and the keyboard looks a little strange, but hopefully they change to suit americans more (my main priorities=big shift on left, big enter, big backspace, moderate tab/caps lock)

[frychiko]

60,000 yen is something more like 750-800 dollars sadly

Products are priced according to their market they'll go on sale in and not another country's price / tax rules. Products are way more expensive in Europe, Japan, Australia, the UK and what not. It'll be around $550 or maybe even $599. The U24E is basically "$100" equivalent more than the 1215B with E-350 / E-450 over here (price at launch), which cost $450 in the U.S and about "$650" in Japan. That should translate to about an extra $100 - $150 on top of $450.

Also don't worry about the keyboard - it's a Japanese keyboard and keys are usually significantly smaller as they have to cram more keys onto the keyboard. I'm never a fan of home / insert / end etc. keys vertically aligned on the right edge though, that's likely to make it's way through.

EDIT - On closer inspection, the pictures show some kind of European keyboard.