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4 Reasons Why People Hate Netbooks

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:42:14 +0000

Whether people like it or not, netbooks have been part of the portfolio of notebook manufacturers. Since Asus hit the nail on the head in 2007 with its EEE series, there has been much controversy around it. Are they worth the money or are they junk and should be replaced by something else?

I’ve come across comments about netbooks that they are completely useless. It got me thinking because I’ve been a happy netbook user for six months, in fact it is the only computer I used during this period of time and I’ve been satisfied so far. It does things it was never made for, and gets me surprised every day that technology can put this much power in such a small case. So I was wondering why people hate them so much, while they could be happy about their new mini computers instead.

1. People don’t educate themselves about the differences between netbooks and normal laptops. They buy them because they think the friendlier price tag only comes from the small size. It does not, there is much more into these portable bundles of joy than they’d think.

2. They don’t think about the screen size before they pay money. I’m wondering if they read the label looking for feature list before they spend their hard earned money at all. It would make sense to me to check out what the computer knows, how big the screen is before I take it to the cashier. The small screen doesn’t automatically mean that the computer doesn’t worth its price, but it is definitely a point of interest when making a decision.

3. They loathe the slow processor in their mini notebook. Netbooks are designed for what the name implies; browsing online content and keeping contact with people through the net. They are good for much, much more than that but if you expect them to play 1080p high definition movie, or Crysis, you will be disappointed.

4. They don’t think the computer is of high quality. There are manufacturers who don’t take netbooks seriously enough and they should leave the market while they can. Netbooks are not only for fun and browsing the net but getting serious work done, too. If I haven’t had my netbook I wouldn’t have been able to get any work done at all while on the move. It comes down to checking the product out physically before giving money for it. If you have the chance, shake it, try the hinges, and check if the keyboard feels quality you could spend time working on.

Netbooks can be a great companion for your travels, but unless you are patient or have another computer you can use in case the netbook fails to run your software well enough, don’t buy it, or at least think about other options as well.

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ASUS UL80Vt-A1

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:48:30 +0000

The ASUS UL80Vt is a 14” thin-and-light laptop with 10 hours of battery life, an overclocked processor, and switchable Nvidia graphics. Read on to find out if this battery-friendly powerhouse is worth your money.

Our ASUS UL80Vt-A1 has the following specifications:

14-inch 720p (1366×768) display with LED backlighting
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 Ultra Low Voltage processor (1.3GHz/3MB L2/800MHz FSB) overclocked to 1.73GHz/1066MHz FSB
Switchable graphics: Nvidia GeForce G210M w/ 512MB GDDR3 dedicated and Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated
4GB DDR3-1066 RAM
320GB 5400RPM hard drive (Seagate Momentus 5400.6/ST9320325AS)
802.11n wireless (Atheros AR9285)
DVD Super Multi drive
Two-year warranty w/ one year accidental damage coverage
8-cell Li-ion battery (5600mAh)
Weight: 4.8 lbs
Dimensions: 13.5” x 9.6” x 1.1”
MSRP: $849.99

It’s also worth mentioning that ASUS informed us that Amazon.com has a rather attractive promotion going on after November 1, 2009. Anyone who purchases the UL80Vt-A1 from Amazon gets a $100 Amazon gift card.

The same promotion also applies to the ASUS UL50Ag-A2. Additionally, if you purchase an ASUS UL20A-A1 Amazon will include a $75 gift card. Details regarding this promotion were not available at the time of this writing, but you might want to check out Amazon.com for more information.

Build and Design
The UL80Vt has a classy design. With a height of only 1.1 inches it is certainly a thin machine, and the inward chiseled sides make it look even thinner. The lid is the most visually attractive part of the notebook with its brushed aluminum back and angled hinge design. The island-style keyboard also adds to the visual appeal; it sits flush with the surface of the notebook. Although the UL80Vt’s 8-cell battery is large the designers cleverly integrated it between the display hinges for a flush appearance. The UL80Vt has an understated look and fits in both home and work environments.

The UL80Vt has a plastic construction with the exception of the aluminum-backed lid. All visible surfaces are glossy which means dust and fingerprints show up easily; keeping this notebook clean is a chore. The plastics themselves are of reasonable quality.
Unfortunately the good news ends here. The UL80Vt’s build quality and construction are subpar. I was able to visibly twist the chassis using only modest pressure, and pushing down on the touchpad literally causes the chassis to sag and touch the surface it is resting on.

This unusually high amount of flex indicates that the notebook’s internal frame is not strong enough. The lid also twists easily despite the aluminum back. Furthermore, the plastic screen benzel below the lid is very flimsy and can easily be pulled away from the screen about a half centimeter. Pushing on this area causes the screen to bend outward uncomfortably far. Lastly, the plastic trim above the keyboard is unsecured and has a few millimeters of up-and-down play. Overall while the build materials themselves are of reasonable quality the strength and construction of the UL80Vt are disappointing.
Screen and Speakers
The UL80Vt has a 14-inch display with LED backlighting, a 16:9 aspect ratio, and a 1366×768 resolution. Its glossy coating makes images look clearer at the expense of glare. The display has plenty of brightness but the contrast is low, making pictures look slightly washed out. Side-to-side viewing angles are adequate however are limited vertically; the display needs to be tilted just right to get an accurate picture. A better quality display would have been appreciated on a multimedia notebook like the UL80Vt.

The speakers are poor despite the Altec Lansing branding. They do not get loud enough and are very tinny. The headphone jack is fortunately static-free and the best way to get audio out of the notebook.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The UL80Vt has a chiclet/island style keyboard with extra space between keys. The keyboard is unfortunately mediocre and does not do anything well. While typing the keyboard feels loose as if it were merely resting on the chassis rather than being secured and has a cheap rattling sound, especially on the left side. Flex is also a problem on the left side. The tactile feedback is limited at best; there is not enough of it and key travel is too short. Moreover the keys are noisier than we prefer. As a result of these deficiencies typing is uncomfortable especially for extended periods.

The touchpad is also below average. Its glossy surface is difficult to track on and the single-piece button is somewhat noisy and difficult to press. I had to apply pressure at the far left and right edges of the button to get clicks to register.

Ports and Features
The UL80Vt has an adequate selection of ports, including HDMI. The notebook strangely does not have a Kensington Lock slot or built-in Bluetooth. All picture descriptions are left to right.

Performance and Benchmarks
The UL80Vt has a unique ability to overclock its Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) Core 2 Duo processor from 1.3GHz to 1.73GHz, giving it a significant performance advantage over competitors with ULV processors. Coupled with 4GB of RAM and a quick 320GB hard drive, the UL80Vt is more than capable of handling everyday tasks and more intensive applications, and the Nvidia graphics card allows for casual gaming. All benchmarks were run with the processor overclocked to 1.73GHz.

The Nvidia GeForce G210M is a mainstream graphics card and unable to play newer games like Crysis well. I tested an older game, Counter-Strike: Source, informally and it ran at all high settings without difficulty. The reality is that there is only so much that can be done with just 16 shader units and a 64-bit memory interface. For older games (~2005) the G210M will suffice but for newer games look for a notebook with a more powerful graphics card.

Heat and Noise
At idle the UL80Vt is essentially silent for all intents and purposes. Under full load the fan speeds up but is still muted; there is no fan whine or annoying tone. The fan exhaust is located on the left side of the notebook and does not expel a lot of heat unless under full load – this system simply does not produce much heat to begin with. The chassis manages heat well; the palm rests stay near room temperature and only on the left side does the notebook get slightly warm.

Battery Life
The UL80Vt lasted an extremely impressive nine hours and fifty minutes while surfing the web in power saving mode with low screen brightness. The large eight-cell battery is certainly a welcome feature. The switchable graphics and ULV processor greatly helped power efficiency.

Operating System and Software
The UL80Vt-A1 comes with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and too many pre-loaded utilities. Several of these pre-loaded “bloatware” utilities (shown in the image to the right) are startup items which increase log on time whenever you turn on the laptop. If ASUS could consolidate all of these utilities into a central control panel then this would not be such an issue. The sheer number of them at present is unnecessary.

Since one of the key benefits to using Windows 7 is faster system startup, there’s really no reason to slow down the computer with this much bloatware.

Conclusion
The ASUS UL80Vt is a notebook we really want to like but has too many drawbacks to overwhelmingly recommend. While it has a stellar ten-hour battery life, sleek design, and good overall performance, its weak build quality, abysmal keyboard, and unfriendly touchpad prevent us from signing its praises.

Pros:

Sleek design (see cons)
Stellar battery life
Switchable graphics
Good overall performance
Runs cool and quiet
Good warranty coverage

Cons:

Subpar build quality
Abysmal keyboard
Unfriendly touchpad
Screen needs more contrast
No built-in Bluetooth
Too many pre-loaded utilities

ASUS N90SV-A2

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:38:32 +0000

The ASUS N90SV-A2 is an 18.4″ multimedia gaming notebook designed for people who might not need the power of a W90, or have the budget for one. Offering dual hard drives, NVIDIA Geforce GT 130M graphics, optional Blu-ray playing capabilities, and a FullHD 1080P display the N90 is perfect for someone who wants a true multimedia hub for their dorm room or office. With prices starting as low as $1,399 online depending on configuration, is this 18.4″ multimedia rig worth it?

ASUS N90SV-A2 Specifications:

Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64 bit)
2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9550 (1066MHz FSB, 6MB L2 Cache)
Chipset: SiS 671DX+968
4GB PC2-6400 RAM (2GB x 2GB)
2 x 500GB Seagate 5400rpm
NVIDIA GeForce GT 130M 1GB GDDR2 VRAM
18.4″ 1080P HD FHD LCD 1920×1080 (Glossy)
Optical Drive: BD-ROM + DVDRW+/-
Wireless: Atheros AR928x B/G/N Wifi and Bluetooth 2.0
8-cell 14.8V 4.4Ah 62Wh battery
Dimensions: 18.4″ x 12.4″ x 1.8″
Weight: 9lbs 8.3oz
Warranty: 2-year global, 1-year accidental damage
Price as configured: $1,799

Build and Design
ASUS gave the N90SV a clean and sleek look with sharply defined contours and a classy pinstripe glossy black finish. When closed the N90 appears to be quite slim (for an 18.4″ notebook) with a sharpened front edge that slowly expands out over the screen and gradually slims down again towards the rear. The exterior is tastefully finished with the glossy black plastic and a thin plate of chrome that connects the two screen hinges. While the ASUS logo is displayed front and center, it doesn’t appear to be too large or obscenely flashy.

Inside the N90 the pinstripe black finish continues around the palmrest and keyboard, transitioning to solid black directly around the keyboard and media keys. I was hoping for touch sensitive media keys on a notebook at this price range, but these worked very well, and the physical volume control was a nice perk. The speakers are located right above the keyboard, covered with a fine mesh grill. Overall I think the looks are great, but I wish they went a bit further with the high price tag of this model.

Build quality feels very good with solid feeling plastic and few creaks or squeaks. Given the thin chassis that also happens to be over a foot and a half wide, there is some additional flex if you are holding it near one of the corners … but that is expected. The glossy surface feels durable and scratch resistant to a point, but not scratch-proof. One side benefit of having no touch-sensitive media keys is less swiping over the glossy plastic around the keyboard, which can sometimes create fine scratches over time. The only complaint I have in relation to build quality is so much space was left open and utilized. ASUS could have easily fit on almost double the USB ports, but instead left a lot of open real estate.

Screen and Speakers
The 18.4″ FHD 1920×1080 display is above average in quality, with bright colors and very good contrast levels thanks to the glossy surface. For a small dorm room or office the screen is large enough to properly sit back and watch a movie with a few friends. Paired with the Blu-ray drive the movie experience is great compared to even tiny 15.4″ or 17″ notebooks. Viewing angles are average, with about 15 to 20 degrees of vertical viewing range before colors start to distort. Horizontal viewing angles span further, viewable to about 70 degrees before reflections off the glossy surface overpower the displayed images. Backlight brightness is fine for viewing the screen in a brightly lit room, but limit any outdoor use to a heavily shaded are.

The speakers are located below the display, underneath a thin plastic grill. The oddly small speakers feel misplaced on an 18.4″ multimedia notebook and sound underpowered. Peak volume levels were weak, and the speakers sounded very tinny at higher volume levels. Bass and midrange were lacking, leaving only higher frequencies to fill the room. For enjoying a quick movie or listening to streaming music they will probably be more than adequate, but for the best listening experience use the headphone jack or HDMI out for digital audio through a stereo.

Keyboard and Touchpad
ASUS was easily able to fit a full-size keyboard into the N90SV, with room to spare on each side. The keyboard is comfortable to type on once you get used to the keys, which are shaped different from more common keyboards. The keys are more squared off with sharper and more defined edges, and have less of a “cup” to the key surface. Once you get past the shape of the keys the typing surface feels great, with very good support under strong typing. Some flex was noticed under significant finger pressure, but it was minimal at worst. Individual key action was smooth, with a shallow press needed to activate it. Noise while typing wasn’t significant, with only a mild click when each key was pressed.

The N90 offers a large Synaptics touchpad that is a dream to use. Sensitivity is great and with a soft matte finish it is easy to flick your finger around the touchpad and accurately move in on your target. No lag was noticed during use, with my only complaint regarding the touchpad being the default settings. The sensitivity was set a little high, and it was easy to lurch the pointer across the screen by touching your palm to the side of the touchpad by accident. Some minor tweaking of the settings helped fix this, as well as just getting used to the large layout of the notebook. The touchpad button is a rocket style button, with a single solid bar for triggering the left and right button. Moderate pressure was required to activate the button, having shallow feedback and giving off a muted click when pressed.

Ports and Features
Port selection on the N90SV is average compared to other notebooks we have reviewed, but it feels underutilized with the amount of open space around the sides of the notebook. The notebook offers four USB ports, VGA, HDMI, two headphone out, microphone in, and LAN. For expansion the it has an ExpressCard/54 slot and SDHC multi-card reader. One feature lacking that is very disappointing is eSATA, used for high speed external storage. This connection should have not been left out of an 18.4″ multimedia notebook. For HD movie playback, the N90SV-A2 sports a Blu-ray drive, which is nice if the notebook fill the role of multimedia hub in a home theater.

ASUS includes a notebook carrying case and wired mouse with the N90SV. The case works well to protect the notebook from scratches and damage, but doesn’t have as much padding as other retail bags. The wired USB mouse works as intended, but feels and looks pretty cheap. In a pinch it is a good mouse to store in your bag as a spare, but beyond that I think most people will replace it with something better.

Performance and Benchmarks
System performance with the Intel Core 2 Duo T9550 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 130M was excellent, showing little lag except under higher resolution gaming tests. The notebook flex through normal tasks such as web browsing, startup and shutdown, and playing HD movies with ease. Testing both 720P and 1080P movies files the notebook played the video without any framerate problems, and outputted clear digital audio in-sync out through HDMI.

Gaming performance is slightly below full-on hardcore gaming notebooks, but still very respectable. In Call of Duty: World at War with high detail settings the notebook handled 1080P resolution at 16 to 20FPS. Lowering the resolution down to 720P, speed increased to25-30FPS. Bioshock varied more at 1080P resolution, going between 20-30FPs depending on the amount of action on the screen. Lowering the resolution to 720P, framerates sped up to 40-45FPS. Left 4 Dead was similar, going to 20-30FPs at 1080P, and 40-50FPS at 720P. If you tweak the detail settings, you should have no problem getting consistently high framrates in most games.

Heat and Noise
Thermal performance of the N90SV is excellent. The notebook barely breaks a sweat even after running benchmarks and games. The large surface area of the notebook helps dissipate heat quickly, and the end result is a very lap-friendly notebook. Cooling fan noise was also minimal, staying off most of the time, and when on it was very quiet.

Battery
Power consumption was oddly high with the SiS chipset, just like the F50SV we reviewed a while ago. During low activity the system idled at a high 26 watts, whereas slightly smaller sized and similarly equipped gaming notebooks might draw closer to 20 watts. Because of this our battery figures were below average. With the system set to “Balanced” mode, screen brightness set to 70%, and wireless active the N90SV stayed on for 2 hours and 9 minutes.

Conclusion
Overall ASUS N90SV-A2 is a decent large format multimedia notebook, handling most modern games and HD video without any problem. It has great design with very good build quality, something that is becoming a common trend with ASUS notebooks these days. Feature selection is good, with the onboard Blu-ray player with this model, but the missing eSATA is a downside. While the price is high compared to similarly configured 17″ notebooks, most online retailers are selling the lower model for $1,399, which drops the second hard drive and Blu-ray reader. With the 18.4″ display this notebook could easily take the place of a small TV in a dorm room, playing HD movies and games in full 1080P resolution.

Pros:

Excellent 18.4″ 1080P screen
Good gaming performance
Responsive touchpad

Cons:

Missing eSATA
Mediocre battery life