ASUS U30JC-X3K 13.3-Inch Laptop - 9 Hours of Battery Life (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have spent many nights reviewing ultra portable and thin & light laptops comparing build quality, processor power, battery life, and of course, price. I finally decided upon the Asus U30JC when I caught a sale. Laptops under consideration were the Dell Latitude and Adamo, Sony Vaio Z series, Acer Timeline, and Asus' various versions using C2D and I3 series CPUs. My main desire was for the laptop to be my mobile workstation and entertainment hub. Primary activities include office productivity (MS and Open Office, Visio, GIMP...), video streaming, light gaming (WoW, Call of Duty, online Flash games), light coding, and web design. I was willing to spend up to $1k for a laptop which quickly ruled out the Adamo and Vaio. Battery life was key for me as I wanted the opportunity to sit outside and type for hours at a time. This laptop has met all of those requirements and more! Build quality is very nice and the black brushed aluminum looks fantastic! Being black it does require periodic fingerprint removal but I expected as much. I agree with others that there is some very minor flex on the keyboard but it is minimal and does not disturb my typing nor feels so flimsy that it will crush the motherboard. One minor gripe is that the spacebar does not always register if I tap on the far left. I have adjusted to it and press the spacebar more firmly with my thumb now. All other keys are sensitive enough for quick tap registry. The touchpad, when tuned to my liking, is a joy to use. The differentiation in texture from it and the aluminum palm rest is nice and I have acclimated to it and the rocker style mouse button just fine. Optimus technology works seamlessy and I have had no issues with any DVD and video playback using VLC or streaming standard and HD from Netflix, Youtube, etc,. I have not tried any current games like Black Ops but I have enjoyed WoW (up to Lich King), MAME, Call of Duty MW, and multiple Flash games on Kongregate. Battery life great for the performance and is adjustable. I can reach a little over 7 hours running the CPU @ 25%, display@ 25%, and devices (webcam, DVD) off. This allows me to type and remain online via wifi. Playing videos, installing apps, and other similar activities take a hit on the battery but have not dropped it to anything unreasonable. I will be running some battery tests and will update my review when I have time.
I did experience one minor issue with the touchpad not working which occurred during the initial setup process. It was not that big of a deal as I hopped through the Windows forms using tab but it could have been a real pain if one were not comfortable working without a mouse. Once the system rebooted it worked fine.
Overall my experience has been great and I absolutely love the laptop!
Wish / Improvement List
Backlit keyboard
Matte finish screen
Onboard bluetooth
Locking lid
CONS
Glossy, reflective screen

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Optimized Performance for up to 9 Hours of Mobility The sleek 13.3-inch U30Jc-X3K has incredible features that take you far beyond standard entertainment notebooks. It's powered by the new Intel Core i3 processor that's smarter and faster with Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology for enhanced multitasking.Plus, the U30Jc-X3K features NVIDIA GeForce graphics with NVIDIA Optimus Technology that seamlessly switches between powerful NVIDIA graphics and Intel® embedded graphics to give you smart visual performance and battery-savings when you need it. With Full HD playback capability and HDMI connectivity, you can easily connect to any HDMI-enabled HDTV and enjoy a complete cinematic experience. What the PC experts are saying: "Overall the ASUS U30Jc is a solid sub-$1000 notebook with good performance, very good battery life, and an appealing design aesthetic.... the U30Jc is easily one of my favorites..." -Notebookreview.com, Editor's Choice Award "ASUS really executed well on the U30Jc, from the gorgeous design... not to mention the power-saving and intelligent NVIDIA Optimus solution. A Five-star machine at a reasonable price..." -Hot Hardware.com, Editor's Choice Award

Key Features
Up to 9 hours of battery life1 of unplugged freedom(Learn more)
Intel Core i3-350M processor gives you smarter multitasking performance(Learn more)
13.3-inch HD LED-backlit display for crisp visuals without compromising battery(Learn more)
NVIDIA GeForce 310M Graphics 512MB DDR3 VRAM delivers great HD entertainment performance(Learn more)
NVIDIA Optimus Technology instantly switches between power NVIDIA and energy-efficient Intel graphics for the task at hand(Learn more)
Intel WiDi HD Wireless Display technology2 makes it easy to wirelessly stream YouTube videos and Hulu TV, and watch movies in HD 720p (Learn more)
Chiclet keyboard and multi-touch trackpad lets you intuitively navigate through Web pages, documents, and pictures
Super Multi DVD to watch DVD films and burn CD/ DVDs of your own (Learn more)

Learn More
Achieve More, Longer
Latest in Mobile Graphics Technology
Mobile Brilliance
Efficient Multitasking
The Complete Multimedia Package
Enhanced Connectivity
ASUS Makes Your Windows 7 Experience Better
ASUS 360 – 1 Year Global Warranty
ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty
What's in the Box
U30Jc-X3K Notebook
AC Adapter
8-cell Battery Pack
Warranty Information Card
Specifications
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Display: 13.3-inch LED-backlit HD display (1366 x 768)
Processor: Intel Core i3-350M Processor (2.26 GHz)
Graphics: NVIDIA Optimus-Enabled: NVIDIA GeForce GT 310M with 512MB DDR3 VRAM + Intel HD Graphics
Wireless Data Network: 802.11 b/g/n (@ 2.4GHz), Intel WiDi support
LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
Memory: 4GB DDR3-1066 DRAM (up to 4GB)
Storage: 500GB 5400RPM hard drive
Optical Disc Drive: Super Multi DVD drive
Camera: 0.3 Megapixel
Speakers: Altec Lansing speakers with SRS premium sound
Microphone: Digital Array Microphone
Card Reader: 1 x 5-in-1 card reader (SD/MMC/MMC+/MS/XD)
Input/ Output: 1 x HDMI output 1 x Headphone-out jack (S/PDIF support) 1 x Microphone-in jack 1 x VGA port/ Mini D-sub 15-pin for external monitor 1 x RJ45 LAN Jack for LAN insert 3 x USB 2.0 ports
Battery: 8 cell 5600mAh battery (up to 9 hours)1
Dimensions: 13.12 x 9.52 x 0.8 ~ 1.2 –inches (W x D x H)
Weight: 4.8 lbs with 8 cell battery
Color: Black
All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models. Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in photos. All trademarks are registered to their respective companies. ASUS shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. 1 Subject to system configuration and/or usage and the test method (estimated data only). Actual operation lifetime subject to product model, normal usage conditions and configurations. 2 Intel Wireless Display requires a compatible laptop, TV adapter, and a TV with HDMI or composite A/V input. 3 Rated number 1 Windows-based PC maker in PCMag.com's Service & Reliability Report 2009. Rate number 1 PC brand according to SquareTrade, the leading direct-to-consumer warranty company (for more information visit http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109/ ). Rated number 1 reliable PC maker in Spring 2009's RESCUECOM report http://www.rescuecom.com/RESCUECOM269.html. 4 For notebooks purchased on or after Sept. 10, 2007. The ASUS Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty covers "ASUS" brand notebooks only, and does NOT extend to: "Built on ASUS", "ASMobile", "Powered by ASUS", the Eee PC, or some other models. These retailers are currently among the companies that do NOT participate in the ASUS Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty: Best Buy, MicroCenter, and The Source by Circuit City in Canada. Limit of one claim per notebook for Accidental Damage Warranty. ASUS reserves the right to discontinue this program and to modify the terms and conditions thereof at any time. ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty Program starts from the date of your ASUS notebook purchase, when all the requirements are met. Check your retailer for specific warranty information. One incident covered per notebook.

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Sony VAIO VPC-Y216FX/B 13.3-Inch Laptop (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It's a great little laptop for school - it's simple, light, the battery lasts longer than regular laptops. It does get only around 5 hours on a charge and not full 7 hours as advertised, but it's no big deal if you consider that there is a great feature that SONY failed to advertise - MULTI-TOUCH. It has Synaptics touch pad that supports multi-touch gestures.
I love the design of this laptop. SONY is the Apple of PCs and makes the best laptop designs. This one is no exception. Everything is matte black (not really black though, more of a gun metal - dark grey) and it is not a fingerprint magnet like all the glossy black laptops. It really does make a huge difference. The lid is covered with some magnesium alloy, the rest of the laptop is plastic, but the laptop still has a high quality feel to it. One negative is - the lid bends easily when closed, so every time I put in my backpack - I make sure it lays on top of my books and not the other way around.
This laptop makes some weird high pitch noise, but it's barely noticeable and you can only hear it in a completely silent room. The vent is very quiet and most of the time isn't even on, because the laptop never gets really hot, warm -yes, but never hot. Also, there was a loud high pitch sound sometimes (coming from speakers) when I connected my iPhone, but after contacting VAIO support and upgrading drivers for the sound card - it was gone.
It doesn't have a disk drive, but how often people use them nowadays?
Overall, I would recommend this laptop to anyone who likes SONY products or who is looking for a Windows laptop in general. I'm a student and I'm really proud to own it and use it everywhere, because, believe or not, it stands out among all the silver MacBook Pro's out there. It is not the best SONY laptop, BUT it is the best SONY laptop for the money.


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Sony VAIO EA Series: Easy Portability and Long Battery Life
Step up to the portable and powerful 13.3-inch Sony VAIO Y Series laptop.A breeze to carry at just 3.9 lbs (with standard battery), this VAIO Y (model VPC-Y216FX/B) delivers up to 7 hours of standard battery life for true mobile freedom. And with the smart performance of the ultra-low voltage Intel Core i3 processor and the new Microsoft Office Starter 2010, you have everything you need within reach to power through daily tasks and enjoy your media wherever you are. Add to that durable magnesium casing and you get a laptop that's perfect for those who are always on the go.
The Sony VAIO Y Series laptop in black (see larger image).

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Apple MacBook MB402LL/A 13.3-inch Notebook (2.1 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive) White Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the ultimate laptop! Whether you just got into the Mac world, or you have been using these awesome computers for years, this laptop will suit you! I'm just a normal college student with normal computer needs! This laptop flips every bill I could put up! Even down to upgrading, it excels! I put in 4 GB of RAM so quickly and so easily! No messy innards to remove, just slid out the battery and boom, there you go! I love it! Don't hesitate, if you're looking for an all-around amazing laptop! Just get a mac!

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You'll never run out of space for all your important files with this advanced and seamlessly Integrated MacBook with 120GB of Hard Drive space. Multitasking is faster than before with 1GB of Memory and the latest Intel Core Duo processor. Its specialized trackpad has two-finger scrolling, which makes moving around your screen faster and easier. You'll have complete freedom from endless wires with the AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless. Bonjour lets you easily share files with others on your network. Connect a Printer to the AirPort and you're ready to print from anywhere in your home. Sync up your Bluetooth-enabled phone with the built-in Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR technology. The high-res 13.3" widescreen TFT LCD screen gives you sharp-looking text and graphics. Use the built-in iSight camera to Video chat or even create your own movie. 3MB of shared L2 Cache and a newly enhanced SSE4 vector engine makes this MacBook a top performer.

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