ASUS UL80Vt-A1 14-Inch Thin and Light Black Laptop (11.5 Hours of Battery Life)

by Asus

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 13.5 x 9.6 x 1.1 inches ; 4.8 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 7.6 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B002Q8HK7K
• Item model number: UL80Vt-A1
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (110 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,971 in Computers & Accessories (See Top 100 in Computers & Accessories)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 18, 2009

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Style and Performance in Perfect Harmony

The energy-efficient, slim, and stylish ASUS UL80Vt-A1 notebook redefines ultraportable notebooks with new power boosting features. Free yourself from power cords and start exploring with up to an amazing 12 hours of all-day battery life¹. Powered by the ultra-low-voltage Intel® Core™2 Duo processor SU7300, and optimized with 4GB of DDR3 DRAM, ASUS GraphiX Boost switchable graphics, and exclusive Turbo33 technology, the UL80Vt-A1 takes you further than most other notebooks with eye-catching style, optimized performance, smart power usage, and a generous 320GB of storage. Its ultra-slim profile makes traveling a breeze and its 14-inch HD LED-backlit display offers bright, vibrant visuals and advanced energy efficiency.

Effortlessly navigate your e-mails and favorite websites with the enhanced multi-touch trackpad and complete important assignments with ease using the comfortable chiclet keyboard. The UL80Vt-A1 also features Altec Lansing speakers, plus SRS surround, for a home theater experience on the go. The UL80Vt-A1 is built from the ground up to give you the best value; it’s an ultraportable notebook that truly delivers mobility and power on demand.

Now there is an even bigger reason to get the UL Series by ASUS. Adding to a whole trophy case of awards is the latest 2009 Editor's Choice Award by Engadget.  Voted by Engadget's editorial staff as LAPTOP OF THE YEAR, the UL series is the ultimate companion for your mobile computing needs.

The most thoughtful notebook warranty package is icing on the cake.

Most other brands only offer 1 year of warranty service, and can charge up to $100 for an additional year. ASUS UL80Vt-A1 come standard with a 2-Year Global Warranty and more*:

Thirty-days flawless display guarantee

Free two-way standard shipping

24-hour tech support seven days a week

Plus ASUS Accidental Damage Protection: ASUS UL80Vt-A1 also come with a One Year Accidental Damage Warranty protecting the notebook from drops, fire, spills, and surge.**

Also check out what the media has to say about the ASUS UL80Vt series notebooks:
AnandTech: "... the UL80Vt is one of the best laptops we've looked at in a long time... If you've ever considered buying a netbok simply because they're small and get good batter life, the UL80Vt is like a netbook on steroids. It will easily provide twice the performance of your typical Intel Atom-based netbook, and it can do that while still going toe to toe in terms of battery life..."

Key Features

• All-day computing with up to 12 hours of battery life¹ (Learn more)
• Exceptionally compact and light, just over 1-inch thin, and less than 4.8lbs
• Powered by the Intel Core2 Duo Processor SU7300 for energy efficiency (Learn more)
• Exclusive Turbo33 Technology for 33% performance boost during process-intensive multi-tasking (Learn more)
• GraphiX Boost that instantly switches between the energy-efficient built-in graphics and powerful ASUS Discrete Graphics Engine (Learn more)
• Color Shine 14-inch LED-backlit widescreen HD display that uses less energy and gives you an immersive cinematic experience (Learn more)
• 4GB of DDR3 system memory for smooth performance with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit installed
• 320GB 5,400rpm hard drive for responsive, convenient storage and access to all your documents, music, videos, and photos
• Chiclet style keyboard and multi-touch trackpad for comfortable and intuitive use (Learn more)
• Built-in high-speed 802.11n wireless connectivity that enables ‘real-time’ video conferencing and Internet browsing
• Integrated webcam for connecting with your friends and family
• Altec Lansing speakers enhanced with SRS Premium Sound for home theater quality acoustics
• ASUS IceCool Technology provides a cool-to-the-touch palm rest
• ASUS 360 two year global warranty and ASUS ADW one year accidental damage warranty* (Learn more)

Learn More

Takes You Where You Want to Go

Experience up to 12 hours of all-day computing with the UL80Vt-A1 *. Thanks to its ultra-low-voltage Intel Core2 Duo processor SU7300, 8-cell battery, LED-backlit display, and ASUS Super Hybrid Engine (SHE), you can maximize your time on the move and minimize time plugged-in. And with our new FastBoot Technology providing an ultra-fast boot time of only 30 seconds, you can use your PC anywhere, virtually right away. A generous 320GB of hard drive storage holds your favorite music, videos, and photos. Compact, and just over 1-inch thin, the UL80Vt-A1 fits virtually anywhere –freeing space up for books, files, or whatever else you need. The UL80Vt-A1 lets you focus on the essentials in life. With this kind of mobility, you get the peace of mind you deserve.

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Energy Efficient Processing

The ASUS UL Series Laptops are the perfect balance of style and performance for mobile computing. They all feature an Ultra-Low-Voltage Intel® Core™2 Duo processor so that you can enjoy the performance and long battery life you need in the sleek designs you crave. Sleek new ultra-thin laptops powered by the latest ultra-low-voltage Intel® Core™ processors deliver this unique balance of performance and power consumption to let you travel light and provide the performance you need for music, HD video, photos and more. Intel® ULV processors are also optimized for battery life, so you can stay unplugged longer and use your laptop on the go without having to search for power outlets. Full feature computing on the go – thin and light with long battery life – with Intel Inside®.

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Instantly Boosts PC Performance

ASUS has innovatively designed the UL80Vt-A1 to provide you even more performance when you need it. The ASUS exclusive Turbo33 technology automatically boosts the system performance by 33% and more. When process-intensive multi-tasking is needed, Turbo33 automatically takes CPU, memory and even graphics performance to a whole new level to ensure a smooth and seamless computing experience. With this performance booster, the Intel Core2 Duo SU7300 is over 25% faster than a SU9400 CPU. This translates into almost 20% more overall system performance than a notebook powered by the SU9400.***

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Switch Between Extended Battery Life and Full Speed Graphics

The UL80Vt also features GraphiX Boost to instantly switch between the energy-efficient integrated graphics and the powerful ASUS Discrete Graphics Engine powered by NVIDIA CUDA enabled GeForce G210M. This ASUS exclusive feature gives you the ability to maintain a perfect balance between conserving the battery life and enjoying surreal high-definition graphics. With GraphiX Boost, you no longer have to sacrifice all-day battery life or jaw dropping graphics. Now you can switch between the two on-the-fly whenever high graphics processing demand is needed without having to reboot your system. It is truly graphics power on demand.

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Comfort Included

With ASUS IceCool Technology, you’re ensured extended battery life and a cool-to-touch surface, so, even after long computer sessions, there’s limited heat for optimized comfort. With plenty of space to place your hands, the generous palm rest area makes typing on the chiclet style keyboard an enjoyable experience. It’s comfort made easy.

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Eye-Catching Sophistication

Impress onlookers and complement any setting with the UL80Vt-A1’s black anodized brushed aluminum cover and a high-class appeal. From the first time you open the UL80Vt-A1 you notice the stunning interior casing around a display that brings color to life, and shines with a brilliant, high-gloss finish. Plus, the chiclet style keyboard and spacious keys not only allow for a comfortable typing experience, but also prevent dust buildup, helping to keep your keyboard clean every time you use it. Inspired by a butterfly’s grace, the UL80Vt-A1 carries the hallmark contours and slim elegance that separates it from the typical cookie-cutter notebook.

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High Definition That Doesn’t Break the Bank

If you’re looking for mobile HD playback that doesn’t break the bank, with its 14-inch 16:9 ratio High Definition display, the UL80Vt-A1 is a great solution when you’re on the go. When you’re at home or in the office, you can easily stream high definition media to external displays with its HDMI connectivity. Complemented with Altec Lansing speakers and SRS premium surround sound, the UL80Vt-A1 provides high-quality audio playback so there’s no need to invest in expensive speakers. With the UL80Vt-A1, you can enjoy all your favorite movies and music where you want, when you want, with crisp clarity and great value that you will appreciate every time. You can also instantly switch from integrated graphics to the ASUS Discrete Graphics Engine –powered by NVIDIA GeForce G210M GPU –to enjoy casual gaming and all your favorite movies and music with crisp clarity that you will appreciate every time.

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ASUS Exclusive Windows 7 Features

Experience FastBoot, the unique performance boost for Windows 7 made possible by ASUS’s close partnership with Microsoft. With ASUS exclusive FastBoot technology, Windows 7 64-bit-enabled ASUS notebooks start up in a staggering 30 seconds. That is 40% faster than 32-bit operating systems. ASUS helps get you up and running faster than ever before. System performance is subject to system configuration. This data is based on a comparison between a FastBoot-optimized ASUS notebook running 64-bit Windows 7 and an identically-configured notebook without FastBoot running 32-bit Windows Vista. For more details regarding the test results, please visit the information site.

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ASUS 360* -- 2 Year Global Warranty

ASUS complimentary notebook care package. ASUS 360 offers a level of coverage that would add hundreds of dollars to the price of competing laptops: Two year global warranty Thirty days flawless display guarantee Two way free standard shipping 24/7 tech support

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ASUS ADW* -- 1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty**

Accidents happen. But when they happen to your ASUS notebook purchased in the US or Canada, you have extra protection. Whether your notebook is damaged by accidental spills, drops, electrical surges, or fire, ASUS will fix it or replace it for you during the first year after purchase.** Warranty covering accidental drops, spills, power surges, and fire damage Target 3 business day turnaround time for repair / replacement; not including receiving and shipping time One-way shipping (from ASUS to the user) at no additional cost 24 hour toll-free phone support One incident covered per notebook

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For PC’s running Windows 7 Home Premium

Get more features with Windows Anytime Upgrade. It’s the best way to add features to Windows 7, takes as few as ten minutes, requires no software or downloads, and you’ll keep your existing programs, files, and settings. Windows will walk you through the simple upgrade process. Don’t forget… Microsoft Office is not part of Microsoft Windows In order to get the most out of your new PC, don’t forget to purchase a Microsoft Office suite. Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. And you can watch shows for free when and where you want with Internet TV on Windows Media Center.* Get the best entertainment experience with Windows 7 Home Premium. * Internet access required. Free TV content varies by geography. Some content may require additional fees.

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Warranty

ASUS 360* (2 Years Global Warranty) + ASUS ADW* (1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty**) + Flawless Display Guarantee

ASUS UL80Vt-A1 comes with ASUS 360 (2 years global warranty), ADW (1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty*) and Flawless Display Guarantee. If the purchaser discovers one defective bright dot within 30 days of purchase, ASUS will replace the panel without cost to the purchaser.

What's in the Box

ASUS UL80Vt-A1

AC Adapter

8 cell Battery Pack

Warranty Information Cards

Specifications

Operating System: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Display: 14-inch HD LED-backlit Widescreen (1366 x 768)

Intel Platform: Intel Core2 Duo processor SU7300 (1.3GHz)

Graphics: Switchable: Intel GMA 4500MHD and ASUS DGE powered by NVidia GeForce G210M with 512MB VRAM

Wireless: WLAN 802.11b/g/n (draft 2.4GHz n)

LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet

Memory: 4GB DDR3 DRAM, 2GB x 2 (upgradable to 8GB)

Storage: 320GB 5,400RPM Hard Drive

Optical Drive: DVD Super Multi Double Layer Drive

Camera: 0.3 Megapixel

Speakers: SRS Premium Stereo Speakers by Altec Lansing, Hi-Definition Audio CODEC

Microphone Digital Array Microphones

Card Reader: 1 x 5-in-1 card reader: MMC, MS, MS-Pro, SD, xD

Input/Output: 1 x Mic-in, 1 x audio-out (S/PDIF), 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x RJ45 LAN

Video Output: 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA port/Mini D-sub 15-pin

Keyboard: 13.70-inch keyboard with MS Windows function keys

Battery Pack: 8-cell Lithium Ion Battery, 5600mAh - Up to 12 hours¹

Power Supply: Output: 19 V DC, 4.7 A, 65W / Input: 100~240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal

Dimensions: 13.3 (W) x 9.45 (L) x 0.55~1.06 (H) inches

Approximate Weight: 4.41 lbs (with 8-cell battery)

Color: Black

¹Estimated maximum battery life test was done in ASUS Power4Gear battery saving mode with Mobile Mark 2007. Actual battery life may vary based on product settings, usage patterns and environmental conditions.

*For notebooks purchased on or after Sept. 10, 2007. The ASUS 360 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 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty: Best Buy, MicroCenter, and The Source by CircuitCity in Canada. Limited 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.
**One incident covered per notebook
***Performance figures were tested in PCMark 2005 v1.2.0 in 1366x768x32bit. Figures are for reference only and may vary depending on system setup and conditions.
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.
Celeron, Celeron Inside, Centrino, Centrino Inside, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Intel Viiv, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, Viiv Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

Check Out Other ASUS Notebook Computers and Accessories

ASUS UL50VT-A1 Thin and Light Laptop Want a bigger screen size and bigger storage space? Check out the 15.6-inch UL50Vt-A1 with a switchable NVidia G210M Graphics Engine and a 500GB Hard Drive.

ASUS Eee Top ET2002-B0017 Need a sleek and stylish PC for the family? Check out the ASUS ET2002 All-in-One Desktop PC.

ASUS VW246H 24-Inch Widescreen LCD Monitor The VW246H delivers vibrant images with exceptional features such as HDMI input and Full 1080p resolution.

ASUS Skype Video Phone Touch SV1TS A truly revolutionary technology, the ASUS Skype Video Phone Touch allows you to make unlimited video Skype calls at a touch without a computer or additional hardware or software.

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Product Description

Asus Notebook 14Inch Ul80Vt-A1 Intel Core 2 Duo Su

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

313 of 318 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ultraportable with Excellent Performance and So-So Build Quality, November 4, 2009

By 

Brandon (IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ASUS UL80Vt-A1 14-Inch Thin and Light Black Laptop (11.5 Hours of Battery Life) (Personal Computers)

EDIT: An updated and revised review of this laptop can be found at over at Expert Laptop Review: [...]

I recently went on a laptop buying rampage and have ended up with the Dell Studio 14z, HP dm3z (L625 + Radeon 4330), and the Asus UL80VT-A1 in possession all at once. The first part of this review will focus solely on the Asus UL80VT-A1 and the second part of this review will compare it with my experience with the Dell Studio 14z and the HP dm3z.

ASUS UL80VT-A1 DETAILED REVIEW

First and foremost, let me say that I ordered the UL80VT-A1 because I thought it was simply an awesome idea to have switchable graphics in a laptop because you get excellent battery life + excellent performance when needed. There were no reviews of the UL80VT out when I purchased it, so I purchased the UL80VT-A1 from [...], which has a 100 percent refund on purchases just in case things didn't work out with me and the new lady.

While I was waiting to recieve the laptop in the mail, I read a review over at [...]. Oh boy, was I disappointed considering all the bad things the reviewer had to say about it (i.e. bad keyboard, bad track pad, horrible build quality, poor gaming performance). Needless to say, I had second thoughts about even opening up the Asus UL80VT-A1 because I didn't think it was worth my time considering the all the problems the reviewer had with his review model.

So that morning I got my HP dm3z in the mail and was really excited about how incredibly beautiful the laptop was. It is definitely sexier (in my opinion) than every other ultraportable out there, including the Macbook Pro 13" and HP Envy 13. I'll get to the dm3z a little later... either way, my first impression led me to believe that I'd probably be keeping the dm3z and just returning the Asus. When the Asus came in the mail, I wasn't even watching for it like I had been the dm3z. But I did take it upstairs and opened it up. (Unboxing video coming soon...)


FIRST IMPRESSIONS

My first impression was astoundingly contradictory to review I had read. I picked it up, squeezed it, pushed on the keyboard, which had minimal flex that wasn't noticeable to me when typing. My other first impressions were just how well the trackpad worked. The two finger scroll worked flawlessly (though it isn't as smooth of a scroll as Apple's, it functions equally responsively and is just as useful).

GRAPHICS PERFORMANCE - Rating 9/10

Over the last view days, I've been taking the UL80VT-A1 out for spin in a series of gaming tests. The first game I tested was the ever popular Counter-Strike: Source. I was astounded by the computer's ability to put out 150 FPS in the stress test at native resolution of 1366x768. I had been expecting to get closer to 80-100 FPS. I then tested it with 4x AA on, and it resulted in 99 FPS, which is phenomenal considering that AA usually cripple weaker graphics cards like the Nvidia 210M.

I was eager to test out the UL80VT's performance in some of the latest games because of the previous review I had read that had denounced its ability to play modern games. I had recently purchased Batman: Arkham Asylum. I loaded it up with the default settings, which were set on Very High at native 1366x768 resolution. Game play was moderately smooth and playable, but it was also noticably choppy at times with those settings (26 FPS average in the video stress test), so I dropped the settings down to medium. This time the Asus got 40 FPS average in the video stress test, and the game play was perfectly playable and smooth.

I then downloaded Team Fortress 2. It has been known to give ultraportable gaming machines a tough time due to its high shader requirements. When playing, I averaged about 50-60 FPS at native resolution with everything on High with no AA. I noticed drops down to 30 FPS when in heavy action, but it was not too disruptive to game play. I don't think it went below 30 FPS during the time I played.

After hearing claims that Asus UL80VT could not run Need For Speed: Shift well. I downloaded the demo to see if these claims were true. Fortunately, they were not. I was able to achieve playable frame rates, though it was a little choopy with the default settings, which had the screen at 1024x768 resolution and everything else up in detail. I tried changing the settings, but after changing the settings to lower the resolution to 800x600, the game repeatedly gave me an error and crashed right as the race was about to start. Unfortunately, I was not able to do a formal test, but it was clear that the game was getting at least 30 FPS at 800x600 resolution with texture settings on High. I would expect the game to be very playable as long as you are content with 800x600 (or maybe slightly better res) and medium settings.

I also managed to squeeze in a little play time in Protoype, another recent game that was released earlier this year. It played very smoothly at the default 1280x720 (which was the max res for some reason) and on the default medium settings.

Another game I was able to try was Call of Duty: World at War, which has identical specs to the latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. People will be glad to know that I was able to achieve 35-40 FPS constant at native resolution 1366x768 with texture settings on "normal" (except for "shader settings" which I set to "low"). I also turned off all of the extra graphical features, which didn't make much of a difference in visuals anyway.

In conclusion regarding the gaming peformance of this ultraportable laptop, it has excellent performance and handles most modern games fluidly at native resolution.

BATTERY LIFE - Rating 10/10

Yesterday, I used the laptop for 3 hours early in the morning with wifi on and brightness up. Later that day, I used it for about 15 minutes running Batman: AA. I then used it about 7 hours more with brightness at about 20% (2.5 hours with wifi on and 4.5 with it off). In total the laptop lasted me 10.25 hours between a mixture of wifi, gaming, and note taking/paper writing. I was extremely happy to get this excellent of performance out of it. This was precisely what I was looking for in terms of battery life.

BUILD QUALITY - Rating 6/10

My initial impression was that the build quality was just average--not great, but nothing bad about it either, but now after having it for a couple days, I now agree with Charles' review about some of the issues with build quality. Yesterday morning when I was typing, I noticed that when I pressed down on the front edge of the left palm rest it squeaked annoyingly (it hadn't pressed down on this part of the laptop when it was on a hard surface yet because it had always been on my laptop up until this point).

I began squeezing the front edge and noticed that top part of the chassis isn't cemented to the bottom part of the chassis very well so that when you put pressure on it (such as when you rest your palm on it) it made a noise. I tried placing about an inch long piece of scotch tape across the part that was sqeaking, and the squeaking went away completely. It was disappointing to find this because it was the first issue with the build quality. Also, I now understand what Charles meant when he said that when he pressed in the center of the laptop it causes the bottom of the laptop to touch the surface it is resting on...

It's not if you press in the middle of the keyboard like I had thought Charles had said (my bad!!)... it's if you press on the trackpad buttons (like Charles had really said), he was right that you can feel the laptop touch the surface it is resting on, but the thing Charles was wrong about is that it isn't the bottom of the laptop touching the surface below it... it's a little "support peg/foot" that protrudes from the bottom of the laptop about 1/10" of an inch.

The overall chassis does flex a tad, but it is just the peg touching, and the peg is maybe moving 1/16" of an inch tops (probably less). So yes, the chassis does flex just a hair, but not as bad as the review makes it sound (I think the review should be updated with this information personally).

I am thinking about putting a drop of super glue on the edge of the left palm rest to keep it from squeaking. I'm pretty sure it would work without a hitch unless you put too much glue and then tried to take the casing apart and wasn't able to. I figure it wouldn't void the 1 year accidental warranty but maybe the 2 year standard warranty if they figured out what I did. I'm not sure though... I figure you can always "cut through" the glue so that the chassis can be opened if you needed to send it in for repairs.

I also noticed that the entire surface (including the aluminum top) acquires fingerprints. I was disappointed that the aluminum top also was prone to oils from my fingers.

HEAT MANAGEMENT - Rating 10/10

The heat on this bad-boy is hardly noticeable. I think more heat is generated because it is restricting the airflow over your lap more than anything. Whenever my lap started to feel a little warm, I would feel the bottom of the laptop but the bottom of the laptop never got hot. It was always just the fact that my legs weren't getting as much air to cool them down.

I was also able to play Batman:AA while on my lap just fine, though it was starting to be mildly uncomfortable by the time 30 mins rolled around. Still, as far as gaming on the lap goes, I think it would be doable, and far more doable than on any other laptop I have ever tried.

This laptop is by far the coolest running laptop I have ever owned (I've owned about 14 different laptops...). For this reason, I give it a 10/10 in heat management... Read more ›

155 of 157 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Laptop Ever! My first review! Cuz it rocks that much!, October 31, 2009

By 

M. Hwang (Phoenix, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: ASUS UL80Vt-A1 14-Inch Thin and Light Black Laptop (11.5 Hours of Battery Life) (Personal Computers)

I don't usually spend my time putting in reviews because it doesn't benefit me much (I know, kind of selfish) but this product was just too good to not leave a review, especially since there's no review here yet.

I've been looking at laptops for years now, always looking for the one that hits all the sweet spot. I didn't NEED it so I was able to just keep waiting for the right one. Here were all the things I was looking for.

Fast speed - For gaming like World of Warcraaft, etc.
Long battery life - It's not mobile if you're chained to power cord.
Decent price - Nobody should be paying more than a grand for a laptop.
Temperature - This is something many people don't think much about until too late. Laptops get HOT, and then they're no longer LAPtop, but a DESKtop.
DVD drive - Because I like to keep my options open.

Every laptops I've seen through deal sites, etc NEVER met all of these criteria. Until now. This computer really is THE laptop to get right now.

Pros-------------
Great speed - I just ran World of Warcraft and it runs SMOOTH with mid-high setting. I also saw from another review that this can run Farcry2 or Crysis2 at 40fps which is pretty damn good.

LED screen - This takes some getting used to since I'm not used to seeing such rich black on monitor but it looks bright, crisp, and shiny. (latter might be issue if you live with many light fixtures)

Video - YES it has Nvidia video card on top of Intel integrated. This allows for awesome gaming which many other laptops just can't do.

Temperature - It doesn't burn! :D It still gets warm, especially on left side near vent but it's not so hot that I have to put something underneath to shield my lap like previous laptops I had.

Weight - I'm kinda scrawny guy and I can lift this with one hand with no issue. This will be handy as you move around the house or carry in yer bag.

Battery life - AWESOME. just check any other review on this because they'll all tell you this thing last a loong time. It was tough to find laptops that can last long WHILE also having great performance AND be under a grand. Now there is.

ExpressGate - It allows you to turn on a laptop from off or hibernation mode, into special operating system that has skype, photo, and web browser among others. So if you need to google something quick, now you can! There's downside to that in cons section.

Cons----------------------

Keyboard - This is very minor annoyance but I want to be thorough. When you type, sometimes, you hear this light metal ringing-ish sound that's coming from metal underneath the keyboard. It's not the quietest keyboard you'll use but it won't drive you crazy either.

Touchpad - I had to figure out the issue with this because it was bugging the hell out of me. It has two and three finger gestures like scroll and right/middle click. Issue was it wasn't accurate and working sporadically. Scroll especially was driving me nuts because it'll scroll at its own speed/time. I tried pressing my fingers lightly/heavily but difference. Then I figured it out. You have to have you movement straight up and down or left/right. When people use the touchpad, we usually have our hand in an angle so we end up scrolling in almost like \ instead of |. Well, touchpad doesn't like that. Same goes for right/middle click that requires 2-3 fingers. It works best if you have your fingers in same x axis. Some people won't be affected since they'll use mouse but if you'll be using touchpad a lot, be prepared for bit of adjustment. Oh, and if you prefer to click the button instead of tapping the touchpad for mouse clicks, exercise your finger because button's bit harder to press than other touchpad buttons I've used.

ExpressGate - Idea is great. Execution, not quite. I was expecting instant on like when you come out of sleep mode but unfortunately, there's still some wait involved. 10-ish seconds I believe. Also, Asus installed regular monitor version of expressgate onto this widescreen laptop so everything's stretched to fit widescreen. So far, I haven't figured out how to change resolution in this mode. It's good for quick browsing but not for long session.

Power cable - OMG, where do ASUS think people live in? Castles!? Power cord is the longest I've ever seen. About 10-11 ft total (big power block right in the mid point). And although it comes with velcro strip to manage the cable, I found there's too much cable to roll the cable neatly. Just prepare for some mess when packing cable. Good thing this has 10 hour battery life so you won't have to deal with cable too much.

All in all, Pros are all important crucial items and Cons are minor annoyance at best. This is really the best laptop you could get at this price with this much features and performance. I remember coming across Sony and HP that had similarity (good speed, light weight, dvd) and those were going for 1800ish.. and it didn't even have 10hr battery life. If you don't believe me, when you go out for laptop shopping, just have this computer's feature written down and compare. You ain't gonna find one that beats it easily.

EDIT:
Couple things I came across after prolonged use.

1. It does get hot, especially near vent but only when I'm using it intensely like 3d games. but it doesn't get hot on the surface much. Just underneath near vent.

2. Changing performance mode requires you to quit any apps that use video card, such as Photoshop, games, etc. So change before you load them. Otherwise, when you press the button to change the power mode, nothing happens.

3. OMG FINGERPRINT MAGNET. EVERYWHERE. >.<

Still loving it though.

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just plain awesome!, November 29, 2009

By 

z1Ryan (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: ASUS UL80Vt-A1 14-Inch Thin and Light Black Laptop (11.5 Hours of Battery Life) (Personal Computers)

I have never written a review of any kind, not that I don't come across good products or service, but it's like the next item on one's list which one never gets to. However, the ul80vt-a1 is just too awesome a laptop that after one week of ownership, I am still jumping up and down like a little puppy, given my typical enthusiasm normally lasts no more than 48 hours.

By the time you read my review, you've already known all the good things about this laptop -- very long battery life, fast performance, cool to touch, bright screen with sharp resolution, clear and loud speakers, thin and light weight in spite of the presence of an optical drive, fast to boot. The list goes on and on, and it is all true. By the way, there is one item I haven't seen mentioned yet -- the battery charges extremely fast without getting hot. And no, I don't work for Asus. In fact, before I started researching for a good laptop to buy, I didn't even know who or what Asus was, and I still cannot pronounce its name.

But what makes me so happy is that all the bad things I heard in these reviews are also not true. Not every single feature is perfect. There are some items one can fault with, but they really amount to nothing. This is what I want everyone to know so one doesn't gloss over this great laptop because someone out there doesn't like the feel of the keyboard.

1. Regardless of what other people said, the build quality of my laptop is very high, no different from the HP's, the Dell's and the Lenovo's I have owned. No, it is not flimsy, and everything snaps correctly with no gap or sharp edge.

2. The keyboard is fine. It does not feel the same as a Lenovo, but it doesn't flex like others say either. It's just that the keys are not as bouncy, so they feel a little bit soft.

3. Some reviewers mentioned the screen does not have sharp contrast. It is true when the brightness is set on high, the screen may look a little washed out, but it's not something you cannot solve by tilting the screen a little up or down. By the way, reflection from the glossy screen is not an issue, to my surprise, and you can see fine outdoor.

4. The touch pad arguably is the worst feature on this laptop. It is more sticky than one with a matte finish, and once in a while you will go out of boundary without realising it. The large single touch pad button below is positioned awkwardly and is quite honestly hard to press because the frame the button is set in is in the way. The touch pad one can get used to; the button, highly questionable.

5. Yes, fingerprints do show up, but they can be readily wiped off without much fanfare. However, if you like having a bag of greasy chips in one hand and use the computer with the other, this laptop can be a problem for you. On the other hand, it may help one kick one's junk food addiction.

6. So far I have two minor problems. Both are related to switching the power management mode:
6a. When I plug and unplug from the power cord, the screen does black out for a couple of seconds, unlike other laptops I've owned. Furthermore, sometimes when the screen comes back on, it will flicker when I mouse over something on the screen. The only remedy I have found so far is to close the application (IE 8 in my case) and start it again.
6b. When I press the Graphix Boost button, it changes the time zone automatically to pacific time (GMT-8). I haven't tried changing through the power management tool by selecting any of the Power4Gear options, but it probably will change the time zone just the same. It's minor to change the time zone back, provided you notice something is wrong with the time.

I genuinely think there is more than a good chance you will be very happy with the laptop. I know I am.

p.s. If reliability is important to you, a Nov 2009 study published by SquareTrade on the 3 year reliability records of 30,000 laptops from 9 vendors ranked Asus at the top. [...]