Review Summary – Asus UL30A
The 13.3 inch Asus UL30A is the best affordable portable notebook i got my hands on ever, period. Comes with very good looks and overall almost impeccable construction quality, decent autonomy and a good price for what it has to offer. It uses a low power CULV processor, but one of the best in its class and packs some great specs: 4GB of RAM, 500 GB hard-drive, Intel GMA 4500 graphics. In terms of connectivity there’s nothing missing: Bluetooth, Wi-fi and 3G, all of them are here.
It is actually quite hard to find a fault for the Asus UL30A . There are some minors ones i found though, but I’m quite picky and most won’t even notice them.
All in all, i have to say again I’m really impressed by this device. From the chiclet style keyboard to the quality of the screen and the performance levels, everything is just as it should be. That’s why this UL30A is now on top of my ultra-portable notebooks list.
Pros:
- good looking and overall great build quality, with brushed aluminum lid cover
- good chiclet style full size keyboard
- 13.3″ HD Ready (1366 x 768 px resolution) LED lit display
- great specs: Core 2 Duo SU9600 CPU, 4 GB of RAM, 500 GB hard drive, Intel GMA 4500 graphics
- dimensions: 12.9 x 9.28 x 0.98 inches and 3.74 pounds weight with the battery on
- Wi-Fi Draft N, Bluetooth and integrated 3G module
- HDMI video output
- decent battery that provides up to 6 hours real autonomy (9 on paper)
- very easy to access RAM and HDD thanks to the detachable dedicated back covers
- good and loud sound speakers, made by Altec Lansing
Cons:
- screen is glossy, so difficult to use outside, during the day
- keyboard flexes just a little bit too much
- touch-pad is not physically separated from the rest of the body, and some might find this annoying especially when scrolling
- poor webcam; only a 0.3 MPx one
Where to buy:
The Asus UL30A is available in a couple of different versions. None of them has the exact hardware as the version i tested in here, as Asus only decided to offer the SU7300 dual core processor for this notebook. Anyway, check out the most popular versions of this netbook below.
Asus UL30A-X5 – $599 + Free Shipping
Currently one of the best sold and most appreciated laptop in the US, this 13 incher offers the SU7300 processor, 4 GB of memory, a 500 GB storage and the Nvidia 4500HD integrated graphic option. Alongside comes the Windows 7 Home premium OS and a 8 cell battery capable of up to 12 hours of life. This version is only available in black and comes with a $130 discount, having a retails price of only $599. No wonder this laptop is so popular, as reviews and marks from previous buyers prove it also (click the link above to see them).
Asus UL30A-A2 – $694 + Free Shipping
This is in fact the silver version of the above model. Has the same specs and features, but the increased price is explained by the fact that this one comes with 2 years global warranty and 1 year accidental drop warranty, while the X5 version only offers 1 year global warranty.
Asus UL30Vt-A1 – $748 + Free Shipping
Unlike the two versions above that only offered integrated Nvidia GMA 4500HD graphics, the UL30Vt-A1 is way better, as it comes with a hybrid switchable solution with the same 4500HD and an Nvidia G210M dedicated GPU. You can easily switch between the two with the click of a single button, as this laptop does not yet use Nvidia’s Optimus technology able to switch automatically between them. Still, this version offers way better graphic performance than the above UL30As, being capable of running modern 3D games and 1080p content (can output it via HDMI). Thus, the extra money you’ll have to pay for this model are worth it for sure.
These are the best options for the Asu Ul30A right now, but more could be available in the future. So stay tuned on this site for more details.
Luckily for me, my contact with Asus rewarded me once more with a goodie, the ultra-powerful version of the UL30A netbook, announced just yesterday by Asus . I was very excited to get it and spent the entire last night playing with it so i can post my review right now. And I’ll probably update it in the next days with new info as i spend more and more time with it.
Anyway, i have to say the UL30A is impressive from almost any point of view. And I’m not at all an easy to impress person and always pick on the tiniest of details. In the next lines you’ll find a little bit of every aspect of this ultra-portable netbook and understand why i like it so much.
Quite a looker, ain’t it?
The exterior
It’s actually very hard not to like the Asus UL30A once you get it out of the box. The ultra thin 1 inch body with the low profile and the brushed aluminum lid cover are especially made to make you drool. I have the black version, and I’m sure i like it a lot more than the silver one (similar to the one of the silver UX30 i tested last month). Battery connects on the back just to make the overall shape almost perfect. The gadget weighs around 3.7 pounds with the battery connected and some might say that this is just a little bit too much for an ultra-portable device.
left side
right side
On the sides you have:
- left: cooler grid, VGA output, HDMI, USB slot
- right: CD In, Ethernet port, 2 x USB, Mic, Audio jack, card reader and SIM slot
There’s nothing on the back, except the battery. And on the front you get some tiny and very discrete blue system activity LEDs, just bellow touch-pad.
Once you open the lid, you notice the glossy (yachs) interior, the chiclet style keyboard, touch-pad and the Power button on the right corner.
On the back you’ll find the battery, heating admission grills and two detachable covers for easy access to RAM memory and hard-drive.
Keyboard and touch-pad
Keyboard is actually very nice, with keys just the right size and perfectly spaced, so typing proves to be a pleasant activity. It even comes with full size Enter and right shift keys, and that’s something you rarely see on portable notebooks. But, there’s a little bit too much flex in there and the entire keyboard seems to wobble a bit when typing and pressing the keys harder. It’s not disturbing after you get used to the effect though.
Touch-pad changed a little bit from the other Asus notebooks i tested lately. It used to have tiny bumps, not it has tiny holes (inverted bumps), and i for one find the new approach a lot better in terms of tactile feeling. Precision is OK and so is the click button (there’s only one big button and not two different ones for left/right click). Still, touch-pad is not delimited by the rest of the surface in anyway and some might find this inconvenient, especially when you have to find the exact area for scrolling up/down on the right part of it.
Display
The glossy screen
The UL30A notebook from Asus packs a 13.3 inch screen with a HD ready 1366 x 768 resolution. This combination offers just the right rapport to make the working space big enough, without becoming tiring for the eyes when browsing and reading texts. Screen is LED back lit and also glossy, so colors and brightness are towards the upper limits. Still, because of the glossiness, it will be nearly impossible to use the device outside in broad day light, and that really sucks and i can’t understand why aren’t the guys from Asus offering some versions with matte displays also (they’re not from what i know and i don’t think I’m wrong).
I might add that horizontal viewing angles are very good, but the vertical ones are not. They’re in fact similar to the ones on the other notebooks in this class (except the more expensive Vaios or Macs): only perfect in an exact position. But hey, that’s not really a problem, you can easily adjust the screen to provide just the best image quality for you.
Hardware and performances
Hardware specs are in fact one of the strongest points of the UL30A. Asus equipped it with a CULV porcessor, but one of the most powerful at the moment, the latest generation 1.6 GHz SU9600 (3MB cache, 800 Mhz FSB) with Virtualization Technology. Along with an Intel GMA4500 graphics, 4 GB of RAM and a 500 GB hard-drive , this portable notebook really kicks some ass in terms of performance.
3.7 mark on Vista
It comes equipped with Windows Vista Home right now and runs it without any problem, with Aero and all the effects turned on. And I for one can’t wait to get Windows 7 installed, as this config simply craves for that OS. This is of course the most powerful configuration Asus offers for the UL30A at the moment, and you can get others with poorer CPUs or smaller hard-drives, if you want to cut some bucks out of the final price.
In terms of performances, this laptop scored a 3.7 mark in Vista, that’s because of the low consuming graphic solution. Cause else the score would have been a lot better. Thus, this device is not meant for gaming or other applications hungry for graphic resources, but it can run every-day standard software and easily play 1080p movies (with CPU load around 60% – see the picture for details) .
Can easily play 1080p movies
In one word, this is the most powerful portable notebook i tested lately. Even though it has a CULV processor, it can manage almost any type of application with fair ease. And since it uses a low power platform, it does that without sacrificing battery life.
Connectivity
In terms of connectivity there’s just nothing missing to the UL30A. Wireless 802.11 draft N is here, along with the standard Ethernet port. Bluetooth with AD2P is in there also. But these are features other portable notebooks have too.
What most of them lack is however the integrated 3G module this one has. The SIM slot is easily accessible on the right side of the device, just above the card reader.
So, with Wireless and 3G, this device can easily become a best friend for an Internet addict like me, that also learns its living on Internet. And that’s simply another reason to love it.
Autonomy
Asus equipped the UL30A version i received with a 4400 mAh 64 WHr battery. It perfectly fits the overall design of the device and slides easily in its place on the back. In terms of autonomy, this battery should offer a life of up to 9 hours, on paper. In reality, things are a little bit different:
- you can squeeze up to 6 hours when working on balanced mode, with Wi-fi on and screen brightness below half, while doing only basic stuff like writing texts.
- Once you get to web surfing, battery life drops a bit, according to your actions (watching movies online for instance will damage the autonomy faster)
- In the end, when visualizing a 1080p in High performance mode and with screen brightness at maximum, you battery won’t last for more than 2.5 hours
Still, a pretty solid performance in terms of autonomy. You can squeeze around 4 to 6 hours easily when using the device every day, and that’s satisfactory for me, considering this is not a powerless Atom equipped netbook, but a way more powerful toy.
Also, the versions on the market come with bigger 8 cell 5600 mAh batteries, so expect even better autonomy from the.
Chiclet style keyboard
Sound
The first time i started playing a movie i actually went through a hell of a scare, as the speakers of the UL30A are freaking loud when at maximum volume. Once you set them right though, you’ll find out sound quality is actually quite good, definitely above what many other portable notebooks can offer. So it seems putting Altec Lansing speakers in this ultra-portable really worked for Asus, as the UL30A scores good points on this aspect.
Noise and heat levels
I can say this notebook heats more than some of the other CULVs i tested and definitely more than a regular netbook. The back part especially gets pretty hot when playing 1080p movies , but it’s still OK to hold it on your lap. I wouldn’t recommend putting the laptop on your bed though when running such resources hungry apps, as it’s better to allow the CPU enough air to cool (admissions fans are bellow and they should be kept clear if possible).
The UL30A is also pretty silent, you can barely even hear the fans. In fact, the noisiest part on the device I got was the hard drive that kind of clanked when accessed, but I’m sure that’s more a particular case. As for the fans, I for one didn’t even hear them when I watched some movies for like 3 hours in a row, but hey, my friends consider me pretty deaf and i might not be the best standard here. Kidding of course 😛
Other details
There’s actually not much else i could say about this laptop. I do have to mention the camera, which is pretty shitty with its 0.3 MPx, but still good enough for messaging or skypeing with your friends. Mic’s OK too, but nothing extraordinary. After all, these features are just there because they have to and i doubt most buyers would even use them at all.
Slim and stylish brushed aluminum body
Price
You would expect to pay quite a lot for a device like this Asus UL30A, that offers looks, portability, top performances/features and good autonomy in a single gadget. However, price tags aren’t that high.
The Asus UL30A is available in a couple of different versions. None of them has the exact hardware as the version i tested in here, as Asus only decided to offer the SU7300 dual core processor for this notebook. Anyway, check out the most popular versions of this netbook below.
Asus UL30A-X5 – $599 + Free Shipping
Currently one of the best sold and most appreciated laptop in the US, this 13 incher offers the SU7300 processor, 4 GB of memory, a 500 GB storage and the Nvidia 4500HD integrated graphic option. Alongside comes the Windows 7 Home premium OS and a 8 cell battery capable of up to 12 hours of life. This version is only available in black and comes with a $130 discount, having a retails price of only $599. No wonder this laptop is so popular, as reviews and marks from previous buyers prove it also (click the link above to see them).
Asus UL30A-A2 – $694 + Free Shipping
This is in fact the silver version of the above model. has the same specs and features, but the increased price is explained by the fact that this one comes with 2 years global warranty and 1 year accidental drop warranty, while the X5 version only offers 1 year global warranty.
Asus UL30Vt-A1 – $748 + Free Shipping
Unlike the two versions above that only offered integrated Nvidia GMA 4500HD graphics, the UL30Vt-A1 is way better, as it comes with a hybrid switchable solution with the same 4500HD and an Nvidia G210M dedicated GPU. You can easily switch between the two with the click of a single button, as this laptop does not yet use Nvidia’s Optimus technology able to switch automatically between them. Still, this version offers way better graphic performance than the above UL30As, being capable of running modern 3D games and 1080p content (can output it via HDMI). Thus, the extra money you’ll have to pay for this model are worth it for sure.
These are the best options for the Asu Ul30A right now, but more could be available in the future. So stay tuned on this site for more details.
Photos (made by us)
A couple of photos with the important aspects of the UL30A, all 100% original and made by me and my friend George (here’s his photo blog, by the way).
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- Quite a looker, ain’t it?
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- right side
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- keys the right size
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- 3.7 mark on Vista
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- Slim and stylish brushed aluminum body
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- touch pad and system LEDs
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- The glossy screen
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- Chiclet style keyboard
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- Can easily play 1080p movies
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- Asus UL30A black
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- SIM slot
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- left side
Final verdict
The UL30A i tested here is not just a standard portable sub-netbook. No, it’s actually THE BEST 13.3″ mini laptop you may get at the moment in the under $1000 price range. And yes, there are better alternatives; for example, I would instantly give this UL30A for a Vaio Z, but heck, that one costs at least twice as much so it’s not really an option.
This toy has its flows, but nothing important: style, speed, battery life, construction quality, these are all towards the upper limit. And yes, i do have to recognize I haven’t been impressed by a laptop as much as i am by this one for a long time. That’s why I just placed the UL30A on top of my potential netbook replacements lists, as I’m looking for something better on all the angles than the standard everyday netbook.
What do you guys think about it? Is this UL30A as good as I’m telling you or did it just manage to full me somehow? Really looking for your comments on that.
olga
September 11, 2009 at 10:40 am
hi,
what about the acer timeline 3810t with the su9400 cpu? they look similar on paper.
is the asus is really much better?
Mike
September 11, 2009 at 10:58 am
There’s one thing i liked better on the Timeline, the battery, which was a little better (it last around 7 hours during my tests). But besides those, the Acer had a mediocre screen and no 3G (at least the one i tested a couple of months ago). Also, i personally find the Asus better looking and overall better built.
Anyway, to answer your question, i can’t say this UL30A is much better than the 3810t , but it definitely has some advantages.
olga
September 11, 2009 at 11:12 am
thanks!
I’m looking to buy a new laptop and wanted to buy the timeline but so the UL30A and wondered if I should wait. This review and your answer really helped me (though i still can’t choose)
Mike
September 11, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Since i tested both, i would personally pick this one. In terms of performances they are more or less the same; features, design and construction quality make the difference 🙂
olga
September 11, 2009 at 2:56 pm
thanks again!
i’ll try to wait till ul30 will be avalible, hopefully it’ll be before i’ll have to by a new computer and not only want one (a mounth i guess)
purell
September 11, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Does this run a lot hotter than 3810t?
purell
September 11, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Would love to see a Acer 3810t review with su9300 by you to compare to this.
purell
September 11, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Does it run hotter because of the cpu, hard drive?
Mike
September 11, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Purell, i had the 3810T back in spring when this site was not live yet. It’s hard to write down a review now from memory … But from what i recall, i believe they were both more or less the same in terms of heat level, and this heat is produced of course by the CPU and graphics.
Anyway, when i said in the review it’s hot, that doesn’t mean it’s uncomfortably hot by any mean. It’s just hotter than a regular netbook or other portable notebooks equipped with the single core CULV processors. And that ‘s just something normal.
Mike
September 11, 2009 at 11:15 pm
I believe that’s a mistake on their site (it won’t be the first time, i’ve seen others in there in the past). This 8 cell 4400 mAh battery is the best you can get at the moment and i doubt there will be a bigger 5600 one cause i can’t see how will they fit it in there.
purell
September 11, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Does it run cooler than a regular laptop?
purell
September 11, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Did ASUS give you any estimation as to when we can purchase the model you reviewed online?
andrew
September 12, 2009 at 6:32 am
Thanks for the review. Is the keyboard backlit? From the photo of the keyboard it appears it might be…….
Mike
September 12, 2009 at 9:41 am
no, it’s not
murat
September 12, 2009 at 7:20 pm
i just ordered a ul30a-x1 with su 3500 processor. i prefer having the notebook on my lap when working with it. do you think acer 3810t has any advantages over asus in terms of running cooler on your lap -as asus speaks of keeping the palm area and keyboard cool with its icecool technology while acer boasts of its comfytouch technology for both hands and lap?
Mike
September 13, 2009 at 10:07 am
Murat, i had the 3810t back in spring but i didn’t give it quite a spin at the time. However, from what i remember, that one didn’t heat too much. But I quite doubt there’s a noticeable difference between the two though. Still, i don’t have them both right now to make a proper comparison 🙁
Solster
September 13, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Mike, thanks for the expansive review. I am already sold on the UL20a however, because I need the smaller size for portability reasons.
Do you have any plans to review the UL20a ? Do you have any idea when the UL20a will hit the market (in the US), given that the UL30 already has ? Many thanks!
Mike
September 13, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Sry mate, i have no idea right now. But I am currently trying to find out when i can get my hands on it (the UL20A of course) 😛 Hopefully pretty soon I’ll be able to come with a review, but i can’t say nothing for sure yet.
Erikk
September 13, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Is it true that it only has 100Mbps LAN instead of Gbps LAN?
Mike
September 14, 2009 at 12:01 am
@Erikk : yeah, but that really ain’t a problem. Do you really have have a connection that will allow you to surpass the limits of a 100 Mbs LAN (that’s 12.5 MB/s 🙂 ) ?
@Muhannad: I just saw Amazon has a couple of new versions available since today, but still no word on this particular one. I believe it should be available in a couple of weeks tops, but i can’t say nothing for sure . And no, i couldn’t find this version on any store just now.
Muhannad
September 13, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Hi Mike,
Thank you a lot for this review, it really helped.
I was this close just about now to buy the one from amazon, but since you mentioned that this one carry a better CPU and 3G connectivity, I’m kind of holding down right now.
Where I can find this one? Besides, what about the ones from newegg and amazon? Amazon.com is $100 extra for the 500GB, carrying bag, and mouse.
Can I find the one you reviewed now, or should I wait?
Thank you again and I’m looking forward to hear from you soon.
Take care
Erikk
September 14, 2009 at 1:24 am
Mike, a LAN might do more than 100Mbits and when copying over X264 HD movies, 1Gbps is just so much faster 😉 All modern devices have 1Gbps LAN. Ah well..
Muhannad
September 14, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Thanks Mike. 🙂
Muhannad
September 15, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Mike,
I went with the one from newegg. As from your helpful review and the new laptops that came to Amazon, for sure that the one you had reviewed is going to be at least + $300 on top of newegg price.
What do you think about the one from newegg? I hope I can hear your opinion in terms of the processor in comparison to the one you had reviewed.
Core 2 Duo SU9600 vs. Core 2 Solo SU3500.
Thanks. 🙂
Mike
September 15, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Yeah, I am expecting for around $900 for this version.
As for the the one you got, well, i tested s similar 13 inch laptop with such a CPU, you can read my opinion here: https://tlbhd.com/asus-ux30-review-portability-with-style-238/ . In short terms, if you’re looking for power, you won’t get it from that Single Core CPU. For standard aps like browsing, watching some movies (not Full HD) etc, will be OK. Also, running Windows 7 with Aero and all the features turned ON might get sluggish from time to time.
So, if i’ve been in your shoes, i would have waited for at least a SU9400 version 😛
olga
September 15, 2009 at 4:06 pm
hi,
thanks for your answers. I saw only the su7300 avalible in the US (correct me if i’m wrong), what do you think about it?
anyway, do you by any chance know when the su9400 model will be in the stores?
thanks again 🙂
Andrei Girbea
September 17, 2009 at 10:21 am
I couldn’t find the Su9400/Su9600 in US stores either. And i have no idea when will it come, but hopefully Asus will bring it along pretty soon.
They always use this policy: launch the low powered versions first and then the stronger one. Perhaps just to heat the ground and not scare potential customers with the price tags of the high end version 🙂
askquestion
September 19, 2009 at 11:33 am
Hi, Mike.
Thank you for the great review!
The 1101HA fan gets very loud if used for a while with moderate load.
Is this the same with UL30A?
Thank you.
Mike
September 20, 2009 at 4:09 am
No, not at all. I’ve tested the 1101HA and i know how loud that fan gets, but that’s not at all the case of the Ul30A. Like i said above, in this case you can barely hear it.
Muhannad
September 27, 2009 at 2:43 am
Hey Mike,
I got the UL30A-X1 from Newegg.com. It’s good and somewhat fast, but not that fast as my processor scored 3.1 in Windows Score System.
I see now that only few UL30A has been shipped with SU7300 1.3 Core 2 Duo in Amazon.com and Newegg.com.
I’m thinking of replacing my laptop with one of the SU7300 processor, what do you think?
The only difference is the dual core instead of one and mine is 100Mhz faster!
I mean from your review, the one you got scored 4.9 and that is amazing as it can be compared to one of the regular T8400 core 2 duo’s.
Waiting for your comments thought. 🙂
Thanks
Mike
September 27, 2009 at 1:45 pm
As you can see, the one i reviewed got a 4.7 for CPU, so that’s quite a difference from yours. So, i;m not sure what to say, but like i said before, if i were to buy one of these, i would definitely go for a dual core, even though it will be more expensive.
kosm
October 2, 2009 at 12:01 pm
so where can I buy this version? I really want 3G on this fantastic laptop.
Andrei Girbea
October 5, 2009 at 4:28 am
Sry kosm, i still can’t find this version on the market yet. I don’t know what’s keeping Asus from making it available, as i’m sure lot’s of customers would love the better CPU and the integrated 3G
Chris
October 6, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Mike, thank you very much for this review. because of this review, i plan to get the UL30A-X3 (dual core) from Newegg. do you think it is worth the wait and extra cost to get the one you reviewed? the only feature that i would need would be the bluetooth, but that is something i can purchase separately. will the price of the X3 model go down a lot when this version comes out? thanks for your input.
Mike
October 7, 2009 at 2:14 am
I would at least wait for a version with the dual core SU9400 processor. The X3 has a SU7300 if i’m not mistaken. However, who knows when will we see such a version… I would have hoped it would be available by now, but it seems i was wrong.
Also, i do believe these will get cheaper in 1-2 months, not necessarily because Asus will launch the extra models, but because of the winter sales period. I’m at least 50% sure Amazon for instance will shave 50-100 bucks from the price , based on last years experience. So, i for one am still waiting for the better version and hopefully a better price.
Nikki
October 12, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Hey Im looking to buy this laptop but cant seem to find it ANYWHERE in Canada. Has it been released yet? Whats the deal?
Nikki
October 12, 2009 at 2:42 pm
and ps. I am talking about the UL30A-X3 with the dual core processor
Mike
October 13, 2009 at 2:34 am
Hey Nikki. I can’t find the ASUS UL30A-X3 anywhere, not on Amaazon, Newegg or Buy.com . They say it’s not available anymore.
The only option available is the ul30A-A1, still with a dual core processor, but i just saw they increased price with around $150 for it. That’s very weird…
So at the moment, i advice you to wait a little bit and see how things will develop. I do hope Asus will come to their senses and lower prices on this notebook, cause the 900 bucks they’re asking for it right now is just too much
Nikki
October 13, 2009 at 9:41 am
Is it available for me to order to canada? Or is it in a store..and whats the difference between the A1 and the X3
Nikki
October 13, 2009 at 9:48 am
and I cant seem to find it on either of those sites.
kisolo.kiganda.robinson
October 30, 2009 at 12:34 pm
hey pliz help me i would like to buy asus ul30a with the su9600 core 2 duo processor,internal bluetooth,and 3g module,i mean the one you have reviewed,but where can i find it,pliz notify me soon,asus is good guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuudu.
Sedlo
November 26, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Hey Mike, do you think it is possible to play full HD 1080p movies with Su7300 and GMA4500HD ?
Thanks
Mike
November 27, 2009 at 9:46 am
Yea, you can surely play 1080p movies with that. I previously tested it on another laptop and it worked perfectly as long as you have all the needed codecs installed.
think_hard
October 13, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Hi Mike,
I realize this review is pretty old compared to your latest one on the asus 1215n.
Can you do a comparison of between the 1215n and this ul30a, as they seem pretty similar and for some reason equally priced?
Which would you recommend? They don’t seem to different from each other…
Andrei Girbea
October 13, 2010 at 4:54 pm
well, it’s complicated. the pros for ul30a: more solid, better built, more powerful in every tasks (better cpu). Pros for 1215n: better graphics (mainly on games), more compact. However, there’s also the Ul30VT and the UL30JC you could consider, with better graphics also, but more expensive.
Asitha Medawewa
December 6, 2010 at 10:59 am
I have used many laptops, but ASUS UL30A, is the best I have ever met.
Most of all, it light in weight and long batterlife makes is a good travelling companion. Great !
studboyd
January 3, 2011 at 11:22 am
Mike,
Awesome review. Thanks a lot.
I am deciding between the ASUS UL-3X and the Acer Timeline. After reading your review and other users’ comments, I think I will opt for the ASUS over the Acer. I was in the store to look at both and the build and feel of the ASUS is indeed superior.
Have you had a chance to review the ASUS UL-35JC? That is actually the one I am considering right now and I am very close to plunking down cash to seal the deal.
Thanks again!