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| Asus Asus produces stylish, powerful and solidly built Notebooks. |
09-14-2005, 05:56 PM
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NBR Super Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 14,038
Rep Power: 71 
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The ASUS Notebook FAQ [Newbies Read First please!]
The ASUS Notebook Frequently Asked Questions Thread
Last updated February 21th 2007
Welcome to the ASUS FAQ! Here the common questions for ASUS notebooks and ASUS in general will be answered as accurate as possible by your fellow forum members as well as a moderator, or two!
Remember this FAQ is still being updated as frequently as possible, and without the helpful suggestions and additions by forum members, this wouldn't have been possible. That being said, feel free to Private Message me or any of the ASUS moderators (AuroraS, Goren,Jason and Mujtaba) if you want to add something. Of course, credit will be included.
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RULES:
Due to constant and uneccessary anger in the Forum I have decided to put a short list of rules which I hope people can abide by.
BUT first a welcome to all new members who read this..I hope you can find the information you need to maximise your ASUS laptop experiance!
1) This is/should be a open welcoming forum..where new people and old wise guys can come to discuss and ask questions about ASUS notebooks.
2) This means that its quite possible that the same question will be asked more than once (replaceable GPU anyone?) While this maybe annoying its not the end of the world, users you have the choice to NOT reply...if you DO feel the need to reply then:
a) say something nice
b) gently suggest the search feature for more info
3) On the flipside new users please have a read through the FAQ's first....and or try a search for the info you want this will often be the quickest way to find info and will help keep the forum more manageable through less repeat posts.
4) Personal attacks or disagreements are not for the forum...nor are expansive personal rants in posts...it clogs the forum which in turn reduces the effectiveness of the search feature. So if you take offense at someones post then contact them directly (im) or report the post to the mods. From now on all personally directed posts will be removed.
5) Take a chill pill. The world doesn't reside inside this forum...if its making you upset maybe thats a good time to switch off the pc and take a walk outside or something.
I think that should just about do it...not quite the 10 commandments =)
Thanks for reading and please play nice
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The ASUS satisfaction thread :
To the new buyers : Please post your opinion about your purchase here.
Table of Contents
- 1. ASUS General
- a Who is ASUS?
- b. What is an ODM?
- c. Why buy an ASUS?
- d. Interesting Information about ASUS
- e. How to contact ASUS
- f. Built On? ENSEMBLE?
- g. ASUS resellers?
- h. What about the warranty?
- i. How do I buy (insert ASUS notebook here)?
- j. Dead Pixels?!??!
- k. Vista Upgrade
- l. Vista Drivers
- 2.General ASUS notebook inquiries
- a. Can my (insert ASUS notebook here) be upgraded?
- b. Can the video card on my (insert ASUS notebook here) be upgraded?
- c. But it is removable/PCI-Express!
- d. Omega? ATi modded? Stock drivers? Huh?
- e. Matte Screens vs Glossy Screens
- f. Undervolting?
- g. Battery Calibration?
h. What's in a name?
i. How do I upgrade BIOS?
j. Ok, I have a barebone, how do I build it?
k. How do I upgrade my RAM?
l. ASUS Benchmarks
- 1a. Who is ASUS?
- If you check your desktop computers, most of the time, it is an ASUS motherboard. From January 2004 to January 2005, ASUS shipped 40 million motherboards, which means one out of every 4 desktop PCs sold last year is based on ASUS motherboards. For the last 4 years, the elusive Technology site, Tom's Hardware guide has listed ASUS as the top maker of Motherboards 4 years in a row, and tops in Graphic cards for the last two years. Not only that, they make various sorts of devices from Pocket PC's, to wireless cards, to, of course, notebooks.
- 1b. What is an ODM?
- When you think of Apple's iBook line, or of Dell's Inspiron line or IBM/Lenovo's legendary ThinkPad line, you think that it's by them, meaning they made it but that is not necessarily true. They are actually rebranding(In Apple's case, pure manufacturing), in renaming a notebook as their own and selling it. It's not stealing; they have contracts with ODM's to do such a thing. So those big named companies just take a model by a company, and sell it as their own, as the research, the design, the construction and testing is done by the ODM. They just sell their name and service to consumers like you and I, along with the notebook.
Oh, I forgot to mention that ODM, is the abbreviated version of Original Design Manufacturer. So these ODM's sell their notebook barebones(Chassis, LCD screen, keyboard, motherboard, sound/video card) to different larger companies, who then install a Processor, Memory, Hard Drive and other accessories such as a wireless card, Bluetooth, etc., then label it as their own and sell it, which then gets sold into our hands.
Some examples of ODM's include Quanta, ASUS, Winstron, Clevo, Arima, Twinhead and Compal.
- 1c. Why buy an ASUS?
- Well why not? Not only is ASUS ranked in the top 5 ODM companies in the world, their reputation in quality is second to none. They have small and slim 12.1" laptops, to sexy, portable and light 14.1" laptops, Affordable yet slick gaming 15.4" laptops, to full media center 17" laptops. With unbeatable quality, customization and unheard of customer service(From various dealers for barebones, and ASUS for ENSEMBLE units aren't shabby neither)
- 1d. Interesting Information about ASUS
Thanks to Danny from MileStone PC for compiling these facts!
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From Reed Electronic Business
...Apple will purchase $5.4 billion worth of IT equipment from Taiwanese manufacturers in 2005 and an estimated $7 billion in 2006, making it the third-largest purchaser of OEM equipment from Taiwan, trailing only Dell and HP. The changes won't be earth-shattering, but two companies—Asustek, Apple's current notebook manufacturer...
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Quote:
From DigiTimes IT News
Asustek currently has notebook orders from Apple computer, Sony, Samsung Electronics and JVC, the sources indicated.
Asustek has forecast that it will ship four million notebooks this year, with 1.5 million going to the OEM/ODM segment.
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March 10 2005. iF Design Awards won by ASUS
On March 10, 2005, the ASUS W1 notebook took home the iF Gold Award. It is the first time in iF's 50-year history that a Chinese company won this distinguished honor. In addition, ASUS also received four honorable mentions for the V6 notebook, MyPal A730 Pocket PC, SDRW-0804P DVD rewriter and P505 PDA phone, making this year's iF award ceremony the coming-out party of a new industrial design giant.
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Quote:
• We all know, Asus is the No.1 of the Desktop Motherboard manufacturer in the world. Why ASUS is the No. 1, Quality and Quality Control is the main reason. Please reference Asus Corporate Mission. ASUS made some models for SONY, Apple and IBM.
• Asustek received volume orders for 12.1-inch OEM notebooks from Sharp
Original date: 2005/1/17, Source said.
Sharp has increased its outsourcing of electronics products from Taiwan, placing orders with Asustek Computer for the manufacture of a 12.1-inch slim-type notebook. (It was modified by Asus S5N model.)
Asustek may produce about 30,000 12.1-inch notebooks for Sharp, who will unveil the model in Japan on January 21, the paper said, adding that the contract project may carry over to include another 12.1-inch model and one 10.6-inch notebook in the near future.
• Asustek to begin volume shipments of 17-inch notebooks to Sony in 2H
Original date: 2004/6/9, Source said.
Motherboard maker Asustek Computer has reportedly received orders for 17-inch wide-screen notebooks from Sony, with volume shipments to begin in the second half of this year, according to sources at Taiwanese notebook makers.
• Asustek likely to land OEM notebook orders from IBM
Original date: 2004/2/23, Source said.
After becoming an OEM notebook contract maker for Sony and Apple Computer, Asustek Computer is expected to land notebook orders from IBM.
Asustek and IBM are expected to soon finalize an initial order for up to several hundred thousand units a year, with deliveries starting in the second half, the report said.
Sources at Asustek declined to comment on the report but are confident that the company will be able to ship about three million notebooks in 2004, according to the paper.
• Asustek passes Wistron to become third-largest notebook maker in Taiwan
Original date: 2004/1/9, Source said.
Asustek Computer shipped between 1.85 million and 1.9 million notebooks in 2003, more than doubling from 900,000 units in 2002 and propelling the company past Wistron to rank as Taiwan's third-largest notebook maker, sources said.
• Asustek replaces Acer as a larger notebook vendor in China in 3Q
Original date: 2004/11/7, Source said.
Asustek Computer shipped 29,200 notebooks in China in the third quarter, replacing Acer as the sixth-largest notebook vendor in the domestic market, according to data from the China Center for Information Industry Development (CCID), as cited by Chunghwa Information & Communication Technology (ICT).
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- 1e. How to contact ASUS
- For support, go here: http://support.asus.com/service/serv...Language=en-us
">However, for Canadians, there doesn't seem to be one, but I believe that there is a Service Depot that opened here recently and well, ASUS needs to update!
Also, for all the phone numbers and emails here is the list:
Headquarters Address:
44370 Nobel Drive, Fremont, CA 94538, U.S.A.
Sales
Notebook Sales Hotline
Tel: 888-678-3688
Technical Support
Motherboard and General Product Support:
Monday - Friday: 5:30AM - 9PM PST
Saturday and Sunday: 6AM - 3PM PST
Email: http://vip.asus.com/eservice/techserv.aspx
Tel: 502-995-0883 (select option 3)
Fax: 502-933-8713
Notebook Support:
Monday - Friday: 9AM - 6PM PST
Email: http://vip.asus.com/eservice/techserv.aspx
Notebook ONLY Hotline: 510-739-3777 ext. 5110
PDA Support:
Monday - Friday: 5:3AM - 9PM PST
Email: http://vip.asus.com/eservice/techserv.aspx
PDA ONLY Hotline: 1-866-732-7108
Server Support:
Monday - Friday: 9AM - 6PM PST
Email: http://vip.asus.com/eservice/techserv.aspx
Tel: 510-791-3700
Fax: 510-797-2102
RMA Support:
Monday - Friday: 9AM - 5:30PM PST
E-mail: rma@asus.com
Tel: 510-739-3777 (select option 3)
Fax: 510-608-4511
- 1f. Built On? ENSEMBLE?
- ASUS has two main lines of notebooks, Built On and ENSEMBLE. Built On units come from Taiwan as barebones. The Chassis, LCD Screen, Motherboard and GPU. It then is sent to resellers where they are sold to consumers after we customize it to our needs. We can pick out own processor, Wireless card, Optical drive, RAM and Hard Drive. This type of notebook sales are one of the main reasons ASUS is so popular and is rising rapidly, as it gives us a freedom to choosing a notebook, from 12", to 15.4" and soon 17" to match our needs, whether we are a student, a traveler, or a photographer. However, the warranty is from the dealer and not from ASUS, but at times, resellers have a better customer service!
ENSEMBLE is ASUS's premiere line, where everything is included and is not customizable. This line is usually more expensive as it is the top of the line high quality machines made by ASUS and engineered and designed to be the best. From the slim v6 to the Media Center known as the W2, everything is included, The Windows OS(In a recovery style disc), a case, a mouse, 2 years of international warranty and a great notebook. Note this is usually for Europe and Asia, in North America, it is a standard 1 year, and may or may not include freebies. However, as of Q4 of 2006, All the Merom(Core 2 Duo) ENSEMBLE units will include a 30 day Zero Dead Pixel policy, a Mouse and a Bag, as well as a full 2 year international warranty.
- 1g. ASUS resellers?
- Barebones are sold by resellers. Why? Because barebones let us customize it to what we want, how we want. And ASUS would of had alot of work in its hands if it wanted to build them themselves, but instead they opted to sell barebones to smaller dealers/resellers and let them sell the full units. This not only made the barebones cheaper, they are FULLY customizable. Smaller stores also tend to have greater customer service, and they are real people living in that city, who knows what they are talking about.
- 1h. What about the warranty?
- The warranty for Built On units are different for most resellers but the constant is that 1 year of warranty on labour and parts are included on the base price. There is more but of course, costs more. For barebone units, the warranty for the barebone is from ASUS, the HD, RAM, etc. is from the manufacturers of the parts and your reseller acts as the middle person who RMA's, and helps you out instead of doing it yourself - which is a chore for some places!
The new warranty(As of Q4 2006) for ENSEMBLE units in North America is an 2 year International warranty on parts and labour. There is an option to add 1 more year of North American warranty for a fee, and is valid in N.A. only, with the first year being global. Check out ASUS support site for more info and locations of their service depot, at http://support.asus.com
The warranty for ENSEMBLE units worldwide, sans N.A. is 2 years International warranty on partys and labour, with an option to increase it to 3 years for a fee as well.
- 1i. How do I buy (insert ASUS notebook here)?
- There are lots of resellers that are official resellers but also others who are not. Here is a list of all the resellers generously compiled and created by djembe over at NotebookForums! Thank him
Quote:
For those who want to see & try out your computer before you buy it (which is always a good idea, if possible), here's a list of all the resellers listed on the "Where to Buy" section of Asus' North American website, listed by state & province for easy location.
***Note: there were a couple resellers whose websites offered no help whatsoever in finding their location, so they were left off this list. Also, there may be those who sell Asus notebooks, but are not on the official list. If you represent one of these companies, feel free to post your location, and I will add it to the initial post.***
To those who want to know who the best dealers are, there's a web site that tracks user comments and rates online shops. It's called Reseller Ratings. And it has 3 levels of recognition for the top stores on the internet: Gold, Platinum, & Platinum Plus. A store with one of these ratings (the higher, the better) is more likely to be a good place to buy from. The Asus notebook resellers who fall into each level are as follows:
the good...
Reseller Ratings Gold: (marked with a G in the state listings)
A jump http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1728.html
Directron http://www.resellerratings.com/seller2114.html
J & N Computer Service http://www.resellerratings.com/seller2110.html
Mwave http://www.resellerratings.com/seller2089.html
Netlink http://www.resellerratings.com/seller2064.html
ZipZoomfly http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1991.html
the better...
Reseller Ratings Platinum (marked with a P in the state listings)
GenTech PC http://www.resellerratings.com/seller594.html
*Genitech http://www.resellerratings.com/store..._Computers_Inc
Integrated System Technologies http://www.resellerratings.com/seller9617.html
Star Tech / All Asus http://www.resellerratings.com/seller2549.html
the best!
Reseller Ratings Platinum Plus! (marked with a P+ in the state listings)
*Discount Laptops http://www.resellerratings.com/seller3507.html
*EXcaliber PC http://www.resellerratings.com/seller4153.html
BTO Tech http://www.resellerratings.com/seller3758.html
eWiz http://www.resellerratings.com/seller5721.html
Newegg http://www.resellerratings.com/seller2121.html
PC Club http://www.resellerratings.com/store/ClubIT
Power Notebooks http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1980.html
ProPortable http://www.resellerratings.com/seller5631.html
Asus Resellers by US State:
(a * in front of the company's name means that it's not on Asus' official list)
Alabama:
The O/S Company www.theoscompany.com
California:
Agear Notebooks www.agearnotebooks.com
G A Jump www.ajump.com
Central Computer www.centralcomputer.com
P+ eWiz www.ewiz.com
*P+ EXcaliber PC [posting as EXPCman on Notebook Forums] www.excaliberpc.com
P Gen Tech PC [posting as GenTechPC on Notebook Forums and Notebook Review] www.1toppc.com
MilestonePC [posting as MilestonePC on Notebook Forums and Notebook Review] www.milestonepc.com
G Mwave www.mwave.com
P+ Newegg www.newegg.com
P+ PC Club www.clubit.com
QES (Quality & Efficient Services) Computers www.qescorp.com
R & J Technology www.rjtech.com
Top Micro www.topmicrousa.com
G ZipZoomfly www.zipzoomfly.com
Florida:
Tiger Direct www.tigerdirect.com
Missouri:
C9 Tech [posting as c9tech on Notebook Forums and Notebook Review] www.c9tech.com
Nebraska
XoticPC [posting as Justin@XoticPC on Notebook Forums and Notebook Review] www.xoticpc.com
Nevada:
*P+ Discount Laptops [posting as DiscountLaptops on Notebook Forums and Notebook Review] www.discountlaptops.com
P+ Power Notebooks [posting as paladin44 on Notebook Review] www.powernotebooks.com
New Jersey:
Raw Power PC [posting as Unleaded on Notebook Forums and Notebook Review] www.rawpowerpc.com
Source Micro www.sourcemicro.com
V-Micro www.viewmicro.com
New York:
P BTO Tech [posting as Geared2Play on Notebook Review] www.geared2play.com
G J & N Computer Service www.jncs.com
Red Barn Computers www.redbarncomputers.com
RK Computers www.rkcomputer.net
North Carolina:
P Integrated System Technologies www.istnc.com
Ohio:
Provantage www.provantage.com
Pennsylvania:
P+ Pro Portable [posting as ProPortable on Notebook Review] www.proportable.com
P Star Tech / All Asus [posting as startech on Notebook Forums and Notebook Review] www.starpcs.net & www.allasus.com
Texas:
G Directron www.directron.com
Utah:
Xmeld www.xmeld.com
Asus Resellers by Canadian Province:
(a * in front of the company's name means that it's not on Asus' official list)
Alberta:
BCOM Computer www.bcom.ab.ca
Computer Rack www.computerrack.ca
Memory Express www.memoryexpress.com
British Columbia:
Anitec www.anitec.ca
ICI Computer www.icicomputer.com
G Netlink Computer www.ncix.com
Ontario:
1 Click 2 Computers www.1click2computers.com
Canada Computers www.canadacomputers.com
Computer Source www.computer-source.ca
Demital www.demital.com
Etc Computer www.etccomputer.ca
Evolution NT www.evolutionnt.ca
*P Genitech [posting as G-FORCE on Notebook Forums] http://www.genitechcomputers.com/
Grey Tech http://www.accountwizard.com/clients...0&subclass=362
ICCT www.icct.ca
Infonec Computers www.infonec.com
Logic Computer House www.logiccomputerhouse.com
Lu Computers www.lucomputers.com
MilestonePC [posting as MilestonePC on Notebook Forums and Notebook Review] www.milestonepc.com
Pacific Notebooks www.pacificnotebooks.com
PC Cyber Computer www.pccyber.com
PC Metro www.pcmetro.ca
PC Village www.pcvonline.com
Premier Computer Canada www.pccanada.com
Primelite www.primelite.com
Sonnam Computer www.sonnam.com
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- 1j. Dead Pixels?!?!
- Dead pixels are pixels on the LCD that are stuck and do not change colours and are often a major annoyance. For barebone, or Built on ASUS laptops, resellers often check your screen on request(sometimes without!) for dead pixels before shipping it to you! But they do form over time, due to wear, accidents, etc. There are not many ways to stop or remove it but to get used to it or get it replaced which could be costly. For ENSEMBLE units, from Q4 2006 and afterwards, all ENSEMBLE notebooks have a 30 day Zero Bright Dot policy from ASUS, so if anything arises on the screen, they will send you a new notebook.
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The ASUS ZBD Guarantee
Unyielding commitment to quality has driven the promise of the ZBD Policy. ASUS is the first to stand out and make a promise to users worldwide that guarantees LCD panels with zero bright dots. Even if only one bright dot is found, a free panel exchange is guaranteed within 30 days of original purchase. Currently available in selected notebook models before Q4 2006, and all ENSEMBLE units after Q4 2006.
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- 1k.
Quote:
THE Vista Express Upgrade Thread
Below is all you need to know about Microsoft's Vista Express Upgrade as it pertains to your new Asus notebook.
I, like many others have grown tired of answering the same questions over and over (at no fault of those asking), but because the questions are being posed in various off topic threads, others can't easily pick up on them. For that reason I'm going to start this thread and include some basic information.... read it, understand it, follow it... get your upgrade! Feel free to drop me a line if you don't understand or they throw back some lanuage you find confusing... If you follow the steps below you should do just fine.
ARE YOU ELIGIBLE:
If you purchased an Asus system which has a full version of XP (Home, Tablet, MCE, Professional) in one form or another (Notebook, Tablet, UMPC), on or after 10/26/2006 you can get this upgrade.
WHERE YOU GO:
https://upgradeweb.moduslink.com/vista/Asustek/
When you get on the page you'll be asked what language and country you're from. Then you'll click on the big "Windows Vista" button on the bottom. From there you'll be asked what version and language OS you currently have. When you make that choice, you'll then be given the options below depending on the OS you have.
WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS:
When you go through the options, you can pick either 32bit or 64bit. Basically these are the options you have depending on the OS you got with your system:
Windows XP Home Edition:
Upgrade to Vista Home Basic 32bit - $65.00 USD
Upgrade to Vista Home Premium 32bit -$95.00 USD <-- If your system can handle it, it's totally worth the extra $30.
Windows XP Professional Edition:
Upgrade to Vista Business 32bit - $0.00 USD
Upgrade to Vista Business 64bit - $0.00 USD <-- Good idea if you have a 64bit Core 2 Duo CPU but won't update for a while. 64bit drivers will be scarce for a while, so I wouldn't suggest installing this till maybe the fall or later... but will be nice to have for the future..
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition:
Upgrade to Vista Business 32bit - $0.00 USD
Upgrade to Vista Business 64bit - $0.00 USD
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005:
Upgrade to Vista Home Premium 32bit - $0.00 USD
There is NO Option to upgrade to Vista Ultimate (which I believe will come in 32 and 64bit, and is basically ALL of the added stuff in the business OS plus the media center side of Home Premium)
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
From there, you'll need to pick your model from the drop down list, enter the serial number off the bottom of your computer, enter the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) number (14 digits) off your windows sticker, which is also under the system. Then you'll simply put the date that's on the invoice you got with your notebook in as the "date of purchase". After you complete that order, you'll get some form of order number. You'll then need to send them a copy of the invoice you got from your dealer by means of fax or emailed .pdf. It's probably a good idea to mark the order number given at the end of the vista order process on the invoice you send them so that they can easily match up the information. After they confirm your invoice you should see an "Order Confirmed" messasge under order status when you log back into the site. This should occur within a week of you forwarding the invoice.
WHEN WILL YOU RECEIVE VISTA:
Microsoft's Vista Fulfillment Center says you will receive your Vista upgrade within 6-8 weeks from your order completion (this is when you get your invoice in to them), after the OS is released in your country and barring any sort of software shortage. So, since it'll be released in two (2) weeks from now, it's possible you won't receive it until April 1st or later.
COMMON ISSUES:
The paper that is included in your notebook box is simply a form letter explaining the upgrade and how it will work. They were printed before Microsoft got their stuff together. Forget everything you've heard or read to date - and anything that seems confusing on the upgrade site. Take what I've said above and just go with it... you'll be fine.
For good measure, there are three other threads that have these questions have been asked and answered over the last few weeks... you may like to glance over them:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=96989
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=98522
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=95482
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For discussion, the original thread is here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=98906
Thanks to Justin from PROPortable for writing the guide.
1l. Where can I find the Vista drivers for ASUS notebooks?
The thread is here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=100357
Thanks to Ken from GentechPC for compiling and finding them, as well as various others for finding them.
2a. Can my (insert ASUS notebook here) be upgraded?
Like most notebooks in the market, the RAM, Hard Drive, wireless card and the Optical Drive is the easiest to upgrade, just unscrew them out and put something new in. The processor is also possible as long as it is in the same family and same socket, but is a bit more advanced. The GPU, or video card, is the hardest of the bunch with perhaps alot of physical modifying of the GPU unit. The Optical drive is tricky, since it needs a Bezel to merge itself within the OD tray, as if a 3rd party OD is inside, the 'plate' is abnormal looking. Normally, ASUS makes two kinds of Optical Drive for most of their laptops - one a regular Combo DVD/CDRW and a DVD+-Dual drive. The 'warranty void' issue is a big one, as there is no written rule for what is tolerated, but in the end it would be safe to assume that replacing the HD/Ram if a repair was needed when shipped back is the safest way.
2b. Can the video card on my (insert ASUS notebook here) be upgraded?
The 8 ball points to no. And unfortunately, even if the GPU is removable physically, it does need to be replaced by something else. Not only must it fit, it has to emit less heat to prevent overheating and must be modified to take in the right amount of power. Overall, its not recommended unless your warranty is over and you are skilled enough to solder and such.
2c. But it is removable/PCI-Express!
Indeed you can take it out. But as mentioned above, you must find something to fit inside the notebook chassis, and it has to work - without overheating or burning the notebook.
d. Omega? ATi modded? Stock drivers? Huh?
The drivers for dedicated video cards such as the 6600 Go on the z71v and the x700 on the z70v have stock drivers, meaning their drivers are stock, they are by and been installed , and they are made by nVidia/ATi. However, there has been alot of people"modifying" the drivers so that the GPU will perform better and is better then the stock drivers in various ways. However, being open source and publically released, it is a bit risky, but at times, Omega drivers(A pretty awesome mod driver), and modded drivers give extra performance, compatibility and overall is better.
2e. Matte Screens vs Glossy Screens
Matte screens are the traditional LCD screens, while Glossy screens are the ones with a reflective mirroring which boosts the vivid colours and light. ASUS has three types of screens, Matte which is the regular screens and are often not mentioned, ColourShine which is their Glossy reflective screens with enchanced and vibrant colours and lastly, Crystal Shine which is a screen, could be either Matte or ColourShine(For example the W2v is a ColourShine with CrystalShine and the v6v is matte but with CrystalShine) and adds higher brightness and rich color contrast to the screen.
Definition of ColourShine/CrystalShine from ASUS themselves:
Quote:
Crystal Shine LCD Technology
Crystal Shine LCD Technology makes ASUS notebooks screens brighter and more vivid. Movies and images that are more vibrant. Text is clearer and easier to read.
Color Shine LCD Technology
With Color Shine LCD Technology images are displayed with increased higher contrast. Blacks are blacker, whites are whiter. Movies, pictures, and games are displayed in their natural brilliant and vibrant colors for a more realistic and immersive experience.
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2f. Undervolting?
Quote:
Here is a short guide on how to basically make your notebook run smoother, cooler, quieter and use less battery life. Remember, your mileage may vary!
Note: Undervolting will NOT damage your notebook, since it is all software based. The worst that could happen is your computer locking up and you'll need to reboot.
Note: Some people use RMClock while others use Centrino Hardware Control - they're both good, but I've only used CHC so...
edit: CHC v1.09 beta 3(released Sept 2005) requires .NET version 2.0.
You need to download 3 programs, as well as .NET Framework
Microsoft's .NET Version 1.1 Framework
Everest
Centrino Hardware Control
SpeedFan
Once you've installed all these, first run the .NET framework, then CHC, then Everest, and lastly, SpeedFan.
After rebooting your notebook, run CHC, and in the window that pops up, it should tell you your CPU Clock, CPU load, CPU voltage, Charge time, CPU Temp, etc. Remember the CPU temperature, compare it after and see if its any cooler!
http://thewafflehouse.net/stuffers/undervolting/01.JPG
In the next tab labeled CPU Speed, you will have two dropdown menus, this is where you select how the CPU will act if its on D/C and if its on battery.
There are 5 options to choose from, Max performance, Max Battery, Battery Optimized, Dynamic switching and default. Most of them are obvious but Dynamic switching is a pretty neat option. It automatically clocks your CPU to whatever speed you need it, for example, If I idle on A/C power, it clocks to 800mhz, so it will be cool and quiet. If I needed to use PhotoShop, it would instantly clock to 2.00(Or whatever max processor speed you have).
I tend to use Dynamic Switching if I'm plugged in, and Max battery when I'm on battery.
http://thewafflehouse.net/stuffers/undervolting/02.JPG
Now, in the next tab, we choose how much we undervolt it, and there are 4 dropdown rows.
By order it is, A/C power minimum voltage, Battery minimum voltage, A/C Power maximum voltage, Battery maximum voltage. This tells your computer how much to clock it to and to use the amount of voltage based on your processor speed.
For me, I've used the average voltage, where most users found this acceptable over long uses and most users will find this working well. Remember to set it to test if it works. If you want, you can always set the voltages lower to see if it is stable.
http://thewafflehouse.net/stuffers/undervolting/03.JPG
Now, to underclock(or overclock) the GPU!
Depending on what video card, you may or may not be able to do this. In my case, the ATI x700, I could choose whether to let it stay at default overclock or underclock it. Just check off one, and if you click on the 'Change Core' values, you can select at what speeds your GPU can be set at.
Now your CPU is underclocked! Let it run for a while and then compare it with the original temperature! Remember, your mileage may vary.
On to Speedfan, but first, run Everest before you run Speedfan - it is crucial that you do, since Everest detects the fans so Speedfan can access it.
In Speedfan, you should see this window,
http://thewafflehouse.net/stuffers/undervolting/05.JPG
The left 'box' shows the speed of the fans in revolutions, and the right box shows the temperature of, in my case, Hard Drive, Temp1 I honestly don't know but perhaps the insides?
, Remote2 is my video card, CPU is obviously, the CPU, and Local should also be the insides of the notebook heh...
At the middle, near the bottom on the left side, there are 3 'fan controls' but trying to use it now doesn't affect the fans.
Now, click on Configure and you'll get a popup window. There are multiple tabs, but just click on Advanced. There will be an empty window and empty dropdown, but click on the dropdown, and select ADT7463 at $2...
http://thewafflehouse.net/stuffers/undervolting/06.JPG
You'll see a whole new list now, and now manually change PWM 1 through 3(Depends on how many fans you have, mines has 2 so only PWM1-2 work) to manually controlled. Then click remember it. Now press OK, and go back to your original SpeedFan menu.
http://thewafflehouse.net/stuffers/undervolting/05.JPG
Remember those Speed01-Speed03 options? Now you can choose the speeds of the fans to your liking, if its getting hot, make it go faster, if its not, make it slower!
However if you don't want to do it manually, you can always go back to Configure -> Advanced and in the same dropdown menu, and set it to AUTO on xxxxxxx, where xxxxxx is where your fan is. In other works, my Fan 1, or PWM 1 is near the CPU. So if I set it to auto to CPU, and I set a figure where fans turn on at a certain speed when the cpu gets to a certain temperature, that runs like that.
However, I haven't figured that out - so I'll manually do it anyways
-coriolis
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2g. Battery Calibration?
What's battery calibration? It's meant for a battery that is charging to 100% and the charging light turns off as if it has finished.... then when you pull the plug it goes from 100% down to 90/85% in a minute or two....... this is something very common to every type of battery over the years. What the calibration tool does is it drains and fills the battery and tells the computer ok.... it'll fill 9/10 of the way....... so that is now 100% instead of 90%.... so your life still keeps going down, but the system will just tell you this is what the battery is capable of now and this is 100%. Thanks to Justin from PROPortable for the info!
2f. What's in a name?
Yes, ASUS has quite a confusing naming system for their laptops, but here's a general breakdown.
As shown above, it is an example of the 'Z' series.
Here's a quite long and intensive breakdown of all ASUS laptops, the info is compiled by Androo and hiomin.
Quote:
Note: not all models are available in the United States, this is a global list.
"Digital Home" : These laptops are at the breaking edge of portability and multimedia capabilities. These models are the exceptionally thin and light versions of typical media centers.
Capable Tasks include: Higher level gaming, video and audio playback/editing, and web browsing
Models include: W1, W2 series
"Personal Entertainment Center" : ASUS considers these laptops “Multimedia Stations for Room-to-Room Enjoyment.� Similarly to the w series, the A5 is smaller in size than the A7 series.
Capable Tasks include: (Similar to the "Digital Home") Higher level gaming, video and audio playback/editing, and web browsing.
Models include: A5, A7 series
"Superior Mobility" : This is Asus's line of ultra portables. These laptops are less than 14.1 inches and often weigh far less than 5 pounds.
Capable Tasks: Low functionality gaming, video and audio playback, and web browsing.
Models include: M5, S2, S3, S5, U5, W5, W6 series
Business� : This laptop series is Asus's mainstream (15.4�) portable line. These laptops are large enough to be used as a primary machine or small enough to carry to classes / office meetings. Asus's power4gear technology allows for longer battery life unplugged.
Capable tasks include: Audio and Video playback/editing, moderate gaming, and web-browsing.
Models include: A3, A6, L4, M6 series
Performance� : These laptops are meant for stationary use and occasional travel. They are equipped with either intel's power hogging: Pentium 4 or AMD's powerful athlon 64 processor. These computers also utilize ati's older AGP mobility radeon series. Because of increased performance and battery life, these power hogs are soon to be obsolete.
Capible Tasks: Gaming (with higher performance), video and audio playback, and web browsing. Short battery life.
Models include: A2, A4, L5 series
Portability� : Asus's version of the thin and light notebook (14.1-15�) weight is also a determining factor of this category. These computers vary in power and battery life, and can be larger rival of the ultra portable series, or a smaller version of the mainstream line.
Capable Tasks: Mid-Upper level Gaming, video and audio playback/editing and web browsing
Models include: A8, M2, M3, M9, V6, W3 series
The First Letter: W
The W in this model number is the chassis style. There are many versions of notebook chassis' such as: the "W" series, the "V" series the "A" series and the "M" series.
Each chassis has specific benefits and features. Examples include: thinness, construction of carbon fiber, etc.
Although this is an over simplification, it is a good starting point. You will see that there is a lot more to the first letter than simply a chasis type or style. In fact, this is the most confusing part of the model number system. You will see what I mean when I break it down into the Asus categories.
Now, here's where the exceptions come in:
Although two models may have the same starting number, Asus has still taken the liberty to separate them into different categories. Now this may seem odd, but it makes quite a bit of sense.
To clarify: Concentrating on the popular "W" series, lets take a look at the W2J and the W3J. Although they share similar builds, they are not placed in the same categories due to size differences. The W2J is a 17" multimedia machine while the W3J is a thin and light laptop. It is not a good idea to classify them in the same group.NOTE: A fourth additional letter can be found in specific models. A prime example is the A7 series from the portable entertainment center category. Rather than create a customizable version of each series, ASUS created lower, middle and higher end models of each. This changes the model number from the A7J (which is a model in itself) to a A7Jb or A7Jc. Often these differing models may offer a better video card or another upgrade such as a larger hard drive as well.
Breakdown of an Example Unit, the ASUS W3j
The First Letter: W
The W in this model number is the chassis style. There are many versions of notebook chassis' such as: the "W" series, the "V" series the "A" series and the "M" series.
Each chassis has specific benefits and features. Examples include: thinness, construction of carbon fiber, etc.
Although this is an over simplification, it is a good starting point. You will see that there is a lot more to the first letter than simply a chasis type or style. In fact, this is the most confusing part of the model number system. Because there is so many different types of areas a laptop can specialize in, there is no single 'model' base that a laptop belongs in. To make it even more complicated, ASUS North America tends to rename the unit.
Though, there are exceptions:
Although two models may have the same starting number, Asus has still taken the liberty to separate them into different categories. Now this may seem odd, but it makes quite a bit of sense.
To clarify: Concentrating on the popular "W" series, lets take a look at the W2J and the W3J. Although they share similar builds, they are not placed in the same categories due to size differences. The W2J is a 17" multimedia machine while the W3J is a thin and light laptop. It is not a good idea to classify them in the same group.
The Second Digit of the W3J: 3
This number differentiates between other various models of the same chassis type. The 3 in W3J separates it from the W2j and the W1J. Generally these numbers have to do with differing screen size.
This is where it gets weird. The W2J is the largest (17") "W" while the W3J is the smallest (14"), and the W1J (15.4") will be in-between. WHY IS THAT? You would think the W1J would be the smallest, while the W3J would be the largest. Why is the largest one in the middle?
Now, I am guessing that when ASUS created their first ensemble models in the "W" series, the first model made was the 15.4" version, the second was the 17" version and the third was the 14.1" version. Thus the order of W1, W2 and W3. (Please correct me if I am wrong, just an assumption). The size of the number does not correlate with the screen size in this case.
3rd digit (letter): J
This my friends is the easiest to explain. This is the chipset type. A good example again is the difference between the W3V and the W3J. The W3V is the Pentium-M chipset while the W3J is the Core Duo chipset. Another popular example: V6J versus the V6V.
The most commonly used suffixes are:
Pentium M(Centrino) generation:
--v : dedicated graphics
--a : Intergrated graphics
Core Duo Generation:
--j : dedicated graphics
--f : intergrated graphics
The rest of the suffixes are shown below:
J---- : Core Duo/Core 2 Duo with dedicated graphics[/i]
P----: Performance(?) Dedicated graphics
F---- : Core Duo/Core 2 Duo
R---- : Celeron M
V---- : Pentium M 700[/i]
G---- : Pentium M 700 ( ? )
L---- : Pentium M 715-765
E---- : Pentium M 740
N---- : Pentium M 855
D---- : AMD Turion 64
K---- : AMD Turion 64 ( ? ) (Could this be the low watt version ?)
U---- : AMD Turion 64 (another wattage difference?)
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2i. How to upgrade BIOS?
To upgrade it easily, check ASUS's support site:
http://support.asus.com/technicaldoc...Language=en-us
Thanks to gusto5 for the info
In addition, a few ASUS notebooks have screen graininess issues, all of which could be fixed using a BIOs update. Thanks to Ken Lee from Gentechpc.com. Original thread can be found here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=95731
2j. Ok, I have a barebone, how do I build it?
There are plenty of Assembly guides, but for a basic outline on a few units, check this out: http://www.directron.com/buildalaptop.html
Thanks to sCuBaDoC for finding the link!
2k. Ram Upgrading!
There are two slots for RAM on the units, one at the bottom of the notebook, really easy to find, unscrew the cover and it will be there. The other piece is harder, heres an easily step by step guide(Note this applies to most but not all models):
It's under the keyboard.
Just do this:
1. Turn off notebook, flip it over
2. Unscrew the screws marked 'K', should be two
3. Flip it over, open the lid
4. Take a credit card(or a hard plastic card of some sort) and press down on the 4 tabs that are located at the top of the keyboard(Usually above Esc-F1-F2, F5-F6, F10-F11 and Prt-Sc-Ins)
5. Keyboard should pop up at an angle
6. Place KB face down on wristpad and look for the RAM(Should be right there).
To take off the RAM, unlock it by pressing the metal(aluminum?) tabs, it should pop halfway at a 45 degree angle.
To put back the RAM, place the contacts in first at a 45 degree angle, then press down and lock it back into place.
2l. ASUS Benchmarks
Original thread and further discussion can be found here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=28568
Quote:
To provide more benchmark info of Asus laptops to help customers to make their decision, we ran 3DMark05 and PCMark05 on more than 10 different Asus laptops, we also had speed test: Calculates Pi to 2 million digits to see how long each model takes.
For all asus branded models, we just ran the tests under standard configurations.
For all built-on Asus models, we ran the tests under the same configurations: CPU: 2G / Memory: 1G dual channel / HD: 5400rpm.
Besides the standard tests, we ran more tests on Z70Va and Z71V, changed parts one by one to compare the score differences caused by part changes.
We will add more models into the comparison table.
Benchmark table of Asus notebooks
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Thanks to Danny from MileStonePC for creating the table!
ASUS Assembly guides
ASUS z71
Assembly Guide (z71v)
http://www.synnex.com/sb/docs/june05...20Training.pdf (Thanks to ocn)
CPU dipswitch guide (z71v)
Assembly Guide (z71a)
http://www.synnex.com/sb/sept05/Z71A%20Training.pdf (Thanks to ocn)
ASUS z70va
Red demon? Red flash? What?
This term is to describe the pixels on certain Z70va screens which were sold roughly between the October-November period, as the batch of Z70va's had faulty Samsung screens, which resulted in the screen's having 'red' ghosting, where pixels were slowed down and had quite an annoying effect. If your laptop shows such 'ghosting' notify your reseller so you can send your laptop back to ASUS to get the screen replaced.
For more information, these threads can help:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=29295
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=29877
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=30001
ASUS z63a
Assembly Guide
http://www.synnex.com/sb/docs/june05...ing.pdf(Thanks to ocn)
ASUS z33a
Assembly Guide
http://www.synnex.com/sb/docs/june05...20Training.pdf (Thanks to ocn)
=)
__________________
ASUS EEE 1000H Black|Intel Atom 1.6ghz|2gb RAM|320gb 5400rpm|Intel GMA950|10" WXGA|Windows 7
Acer Timeline 3810TZ-4630|SU2700 1.4ghz|4gb RAM|320gb 5400rpm|Intel X4500MHD|13.3" LED 1366x768|Windows 7
ASUS UL30A-A3B - Delayed|SU7300 1.3ghz|4gb RAM|320gb 5400rpm|Intel X4500MHD|13.3" LED 1366x768|Windows 7
Desktop|Intel E8400|ASUS P5e3 Premium|Corsair XMS3 DHX DDR3 2gb x2|OCZ Vertex 60gb SSD + 1TB|Corsair TX750w|BFG GTX 260 OC 896mb|Lian Li PC7+|2x Hanns-G 28" LCD
NAS|D-Link DNS-323 | 2x 1TB Western Digital Caviar GREEN
Last edited by coriolis : 06-06-2007 at 06:23 PM.
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