ASUS K42F-A1 Notebook

[timwhit]

I'm going to be ordering two notebooks for my parents. I recommended something in the "large netbook" size, but my Mom prefers a larger screen, so I'm looking at 14" displays. It appears that most notebooks these days have a screen resolution of 1366x768 with screen size between 13.3" - 15.6". I guess it's impossible to find a 4x3 display anymore?

I initially looked at Lenovo, but I can get so much more for the money with Asus. Specifically the K42F-A1. Opinions?

 

[time]

What do they want "notebooks" for? True portability, transportability, space saving or coolness? If the answer is in the last two, there are better solutions.

When they first stormed the market 5 or 6 years ago, Asus were a terrific buy. Now, I'm not so sure, although AFAIK they still have a decent repair network and by default a longer warranty than most.

It's disappointing that there isn't a competitive Lenovo. I guess you could always sell your soul and look at the brand that rhymes with Hell. Personally, I'd rather take a punt on an MSI or similar than do that - life's too short to have to deal with the customer 'service'.

 

[time]

Don't know what you've been smoking, but a quick look at NewEgg turns up this:

Comparable weight (+155g), same HDD and RAM, possibly(?) equivalent graphics, comparable CPU, but a 15.6" screen instead of a 14".

Just $20 more.

If you're not in love with Win7, this offers:
Same weight, reasonably similar HDD and RAM, possibly(?) equivalent graphics, slightly slower CPU (C2 vs i3), but a 15.6" screen instead of a 14".

And $80 cheaper.

 

[Mercutio]

The Thinkpad SLs are pretty nice units. They haven't been refreshed to support the i3/5/7, but that's probably so they don't cannibalize sales of the T-series.

They do have really nice screens and touchpads.

The thing I notice about the Asus is that its warranty claims to cover accidental damage. That's a good thing and something you normally have to pay extra for, if it's available at all.

Personally, I'd still buy the Thinkpad.

 

[timwhit]

Don't know what you've been smoking, but a quick look at NewEgg turns up this:

Comparable weight (+155g), same HDD and RAM, possibly(?) equivalent graphics, comparable CPU, but a 15.6" screen instead of a 14".

Just $20 more.

If you're not in love with Win7, this offers:
Same weight, reasonably similar HDD and RAM, possibly(?) equivalent graphics, slightly slower CPU (C2 vs i3), but a 15.6" screen instead of a 14".

And $80 cheaper.

I would rather get a Windows 7 unit. I was also looking at 14" screens to get a smaller unit, especially because the resolution is the same between the 14" and the 15.6". Though, the 15.6" might be easier for them to use since they aren't young (my Dad is almost 73).

These will mostly be used at their house at a desk. They do travel, but mostly by car, so having the most portable unit really isn't a concern. Though, they also don't want some 17" behemoth that weights 9.5lbs.

Lenovo has 14" and 15.6" units that are pretty comparable:
ThinkPad SL Series SL410
ThinkPad SL Series SL510

The difference is about .5lbs between them.

The battery life is crap on these Lenovos, I can't find the battery life on the Asus K42F-A1, but other comparable Asus models get 10-12 hours. I think I'll talk to them and see if they prefer 14" or 15.6". Thanks for the replies so far.

 

[ddrueding]

I'm sure you know this, but the battery stats are lies. The more reputable the vendor, the smaller the lie, but none are true.

 

[timwhit]

I'm aware that they are exaggerated. I'm just not sure how much depending on manufacturer. Would you rather have a Lenovo that gets a supposed 4 hour or a Asus that gets a supposed 12 hours?

 

[Mercutio]

I can say that in real world use a 14" SL-series is around 3:15 - 3:30 if you're using wireless networking and not using the DVD drive. It probably is 4:00 if nobody is doing 802.11 or bluetooth on one.

I have no idea what laws of physics Asus is breaking to get 12 hours out of theirs, unless Asus is using nanotube batteries or something. There was something a couple months ago about astonishing battery life for having dynamically switchable discrete graphics on Asus notebooks, but the notebook you're talking about doesn't have discrete graphics.

 

[timwhit]

My friend recently got the Asus UL30Vt-X1, which has the dual graphics. He says it gets ~5 hours of battery life. It is rated to get 12 hours.

So, it looks like the Asus gets slightly better battery life, but it's not 2.5x as the specs say, and the difference may be even smaller with a 15.6" screen.

The fact that Asus doesn't have a price-competitive model at 15.6" makes the decision easier. Plus, my Mom prefers to have the larger screen.

 

[ddrueding]

Not an answer to your question, but this is the one I would get right now for me.

 

[Mercutio]

Why would you give up the service, durability and support that come with a proper Thinkpad?

 

[ddrueding]

Price?

 

[Mercutio]

You're not a price-sensitive buyer and you know it.

 

[time]

Not to mention any semblance of battery life ...

In my experience, Asus has similar battery runtime to other brands.

IMO, battery runtime is primarily an inverse function of screen size, with graphics and CPU power having secondary effects. And of course wireless reduces it further.

The Asus of Timwhit's friend has a 13.3" screen and a 1.3GHz CPU. Real battery runtime is comparable to an equivalent Lenovo, but better than the 15.6" with 2.2GHz CPU. Netbooks, with 10" screens, can run for longer if they use power-efficient chipsets.

The only two machines that we've tested that lasted longer were a pair of Asus' Eee PCs, both of which claimed to last far longer than they actually did yet still came dangerously close the six hour mark. Bravo for being honest here Lenovo, and double bravo for getting 5.5 hours from your S10-2.

That's with WiFi on and screen undimmed, BTW.

 

[udaman]

The Thinkpad SLs are pretty nice units. They haven't been refreshed to support the i3/5/7, but that's probably so they don't cannibalize sales of the T-series.

They do have really nice screens and touchpads.

The thing I notice about the Asus is that its warranty claims to cover accidental damage. That's a good thing and something you normally have to pay extra for, if it's available at all.

Personally, I'd still buy the Thinkpad.

I would rather get a Windows 7 unit. I was also looking at 14" screens to get a smaller unit, especially because the resolution is the same between the 14" and the 15.6". Though, the 15.6" might be easier for them to use since they aren't young (my Dad is almost 73).

These will mostly be used at their house at a desk. They do travel, but mostly by car, so having the most portable unit really isn't a concern. Though, they also don't want some 17" behemoth that weights 9.5lbs.

For a desktop replacement I'd go for the largest screen & lightest weight they would be comfortable with. Who uses a desktop these days with anything smaller than a 17in screen? Unless your parents plan to mirror the laptop screen on a larger stand-alone monitor @home?

The fully spec'd (compared to most comparable PC lappy's) MBP 17in LED backlit, comes in @6.5lbs...3lbs less, or what some of those cheaper 15.6in PC lappies weigh! It will get 5hrs too, depending on what you do.

http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/apple-macbook-pro-2009/4505-3121_7-33485018.html

My friend recently got the Asus UL30Vt-X1, which has the dual graphics. He says it gets ~5 hours of battery life. It is rated to get 12 hours.

So, it looks like the Asus gets slightly better battery life, but it's not 2.5x as the specs say, and the difference may be even smaller with a 15.6" screen.
Plus, my Mom prefers to have the larger screen.

What do they have now, and could you wait until next spring, when the next gen, more energy efficient Intel mobile chips will be shipping and the possibility of an OLED screen ...what I'm waiting for.

Is battery life *that* important for your folks?

Same resolution on a 14 vs 15.6 is going to look bigger (text) on the 15.6 which will be of help to anyone with less than great eyesight.

Make sure you don't get one of those glossy screens like all newer Apple laptops, sans the option on the MBP17in, have. Glossy screens are not good for older folks or those with bad eyesight...I hate them too

Why would you give up the service, durability and support that come with a proper Thinkpad?

I think you meant to say Apple, didn't u Merc , unibody MBP's have the most rigid bodies out there, other than a tank like the ruggedized Panny's. Apple support/customer satisfaction is almost always tops...yes, Merc meant to say Apple .

You're not a price-sensitive buyer and you know it.

Yes he is, otherwise he'd be running XP or 7 on a MBP17in.

W I guess you could always sell your soul and look at the brand that rhymes with Hell.

Apple rhymes with Hell?

 

[ddrueding]

Yes he is, otherwise he'd be running XP or 7 on a MBP17in.

If they would get out of the stone ages and offer an i7, then yes, I would buy a 17" MBP were price no option. But it (of course) is. Just because I buy higher on the price/performance curve doesn't mean I don't aim to be on the price performance curve. Apple computers haven't been on that curve since they were the only ones on it. Here they are again, charging i7 money for a C2D machine.

 

[timwhit]

Thanks all for your input, I ordered 2 ThinkPad SL Series SL510.

 

[timwhit]

What do they have now, and could you wait until next spring, when the next gen, more energy efficient Intel mobile chips will be shipping and the possibility of an OLED screen ...what I'm waiting for.

They wanted me to get something in the next week.

Is battery life *that* important for your folks?

Not really, but if a 15.6" model could really get 12 hours that would be nice.

Make sure you don't get one of those glossy screens like all newer Apple laptops, sans the option on the MBP17in, have. Glossy screens are not good for older folks or those with bad eyesight...I hate them too

I hope the Lenovo I ordered doesn't have a glossy screen, those things are terrible in just about all light conditions. Most of the Asus notebooks I have seen have glossy screens, just a heads up to others.

Apple rhymes with Hell?

Dell.

 

[timwhit]

I also ordered Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 Licensed for 3 PCs. Seems like a decent deal for 3 "licenses." I personally use O at home, but my parents will be more comfortable with Office (except that stupid ribbon).

 

[timwhit]

I received both of the notebooks today. I would like to setup everything the way I want on one of the machines and then take a disk image and restore it to the other notebook.

Is this feasible?
Will I have to reactivate Windows?
Any other caveats I'm not considering?

 

[ddrueding]

Reactivating is easy. Don't forget to rename one of them if they will be on the same network.

 

[timwhit]

Will I need to contact Microsoft for that?

 

[ddrueding]

A 2 minute phone call. No identifying information beyond the activation code. I do it a dozen times a week.

 

[timwhit]

This notebook is quite a bit bigger than I was expecting. I don't think I ever used a 15.6" widescreen before.

 

[timwhit]

A 2 minute phone call. No identifying information beyond the activation code. I do it a dozen times a week.

I'll tell them you sent me...

 

[Mercutio]

You shouldn't have to reactivate those machines. They use the same product key and the same base disk image. They both bypass activation through BIOS ID + royal.sys information.

They're wide, but they're also relatively lightweight, unless you went with the nine cell battery. And the screens and keyboards on those are gorgeous.

 

[Santilli]

Mercutio:
What is the issue with a 'proper Thinkpad'?

Lenovo are some sort of lesser IBM laptop?

 

[Mercutio]

There's a different product group that works on Thinkpads compared to the unit that deals with Ideapads. Ideapads are less sophisticated products, missing little touches like channels in the keyboards for liquid spills, hardened frames, gyroscopes for hard drive protection and removable internal AC ports (it's pretty common on notebooks to need to re-solder the AC plug to the laptop mainboard, but on Thinkpads, the plug is a separate piece that is attached with a cable).

 

[timwhit]

You shouldn't have to reactivate those machines. They use the same product key and the same base disk image. They both bypass activation through BIOS ID + royal.sys information.

That's good to know. I haven't finished setting up the first machine, but hopefully it will work the way you say.

They're wide, but they're also relatively lightweight, unless you went with the nine cell battery. And the screens and keyboards on those are gorgeous.

It's a 6-cell battery. I guess it's light enough. The screen seems good to me.

If it was for me I would have gone with a 13.x" screen at the same resolution. But, it's not for me.

 

[timwhit]

I was able to clone the drive successfully with Acronis. No activation necessary.

 

[time]

... removable internal AC ports (it's pretty common on notebooks to need to re-solder the AC plug to the laptop mainboard, but on Thinkpads, the plug is a separate piece that is attached with a cable).

I'm having trouble visualizing this (possibly US and international markets are different?). I don't suppose you've got a picture or a diagram?

In Oz, they come with AC to DC adapters (bricks).

 

[CougTek]

Merc means that internally, the DC connector isn't directly soldered on the motherboard, but on a detachable cable that connects to the motherboard. I've seen this and while you have to disassemble most of the unit anyway, it still is quite a bit easier to replace when the user will inevitable break the connector than soldering a new DC connector to the motherboard (or repair it with epoxy).

 

[CougTek]

Like this for the T40 :

http://www.getlaptopparts.com/images/P/jack-ibm-01.jpg

 

[time]

Ah, I see. That's clearly a superior design to other laptops and just about every printer then.

Thanks, CougTek.

 

[Mercutio]

That is what I was thinking of, yes.

I'd love to know why they don't all do that.

 

[Handruin]

With that design there is also a little more play (movement) in the internal connector. I didn't know it wasn't physically connected to the board until reading this thread, so it was a little alarming because I thought the connector was coming loose from the circuit board in my lenovo. I'm glad that is not the situation.

 

[Mercutio]

Thinkpads also use magnetic connections for quick-release, so that extra play might be part of the overall design. I think the idea is to prevent a snagged cord from causing a notebook to take a tumblel the cord just pops out instead.

Again, it's a tiny detail but it makes a huge difference.

 

[Handruin]

I've noticed that the cord which connects into the power brick separates easily. I've tripped on the cord once or twice and it disconnected easily which saved the laptop from tumbling off the table. I haven't noticed magnetic connections for the power connector though. When it is connected it feels more like a mechanical click.