Asus Zenbook UX32A review – the most affordable Asus ultrabook
34 Comments
Josef
November 9, 2012 at 9:39 pm
Hey man,
first of all, thanks for your reviews, it contributed significantly to my decision to choose the cheapest zenbook, and it is pretty cool piece, I like it so much…
However, I have got one question for you regarding the “bloatware” as you call it. I hate this kind of soft, so I would like to remove as much of it as possible.
The question is, what software would you recommend to get rid of? I don´t wanna screw something, and maybe there are some useful apps amongst them as well.
it’s a bit difficult to tell without having the computer in front. You should get rid of the preinstalled antivirus, the trials and most of the Asus programs. I for one uninstall, Asus storage, cloud, bla bla and only keep Power 4 gear and the apps that have something to do with the sound and network.
Anyway, even if you uninstall something that you shouldn’t, you can always find the programs on Asus’s website, so you should be OK
Kadir
November 27, 2012 at 11:51 am
I think this piece says it all, the whole tech industry is sadly lciakng ideas. I bet it took ASUS longer to think up the watch' design excuse in their marketing than to actually design this thing. I can't believe how similar this is to the AIr design, no innovation at all, not even an attempt at pushing the idea further.
Tomaz
April 6, 2014 at 3:42 pm
The design of all of them actually comes from Intel. Apple included.
Lyal
December 2, 2012 at 11:04 am
I am looking at this model for my daughter who requires a notebook as she enters high school. I have limited knowledge of computers so I am somewhat confused by references to ‘performances’. Would I be correct in assuming that the reviewer and most people who comment on this site have high demands and requirements in terms of what they utilise their computers for, well beyond what high school students would require for everyday schoolwork and presentations – although, having said that, what kids do at school these days on computers really is extraordinary. When you say the i3 sandy bridge procesor is slower than the i5 Ivy Bridge, are you referring to mere seconds slower, or time to go make a cup of tea while you wait for the computer to respond? Is the X32A adequate (with 320GB HDD + 24 GB SSD) as opposed to the UX31A (128GB + SSD)?
Yes, you can assume that I have very high demands (I’m the reviewer) :P
When I say slower, that’s usually fractions of a seconds to seconds slower, so for the average user, that should be fine. For me though it’s not…
On the storage, I’d go for the 320 GB HDD + small SSD, because that offers more room for programs, videos, music and other types of content. Yes, the full SSD option is faster, but like I said, for your daughter, that shouldn’t matter that much.
Still, there are some important reasons why i advise people to go for the i5 version rather than the i3. The i3 a tested here is the older generation platform and it will struggle with movies and even light games. For daily tasks, it should be OK, but for anything with intense graphics, not so much. The i5 option is newer, faster and with better graphics, and since you’re probably planning to keep the computer for a while (2-3 years, maybe more), I’d say it’s the smarter pick (thinking long term, the i3 is going to get quicker obsolete and won’t be able to face the future programs that easily as the i5). But it really depends in how much more expensive is the i5 over there.
In both cases I’m talking about the Asus UX32A, not the UX31A prime, the latter is a different kind of computer, with a different case and screen.
Anyway, hope this helps, get back if you have any other questions ;)
Mike
Mark Brown
December 8, 2012 at 10:30 am
Hi Mike
If I was to update to an ssd would I just replace the cache ssd?
Also how many ram slots does it have, easy to upgrade?
Will the number of ram slots be the same for all ux32a sub models?
Thanks
Mark
Tomaz
April 6, 2014 at 3:40 pm
You can replace HDD for an SSD. It’s standard 7 mm high SATA drive. So when choosing SSD make sure to pick 7 and not 9 mm high ones, or you’ll have to take it out of casing (voiding warranty) to get it installed.
This is only half of the story – the other half is that you will need to use Windows 8 or custom build installer for Windows 7, which only comes with USB 2 drivers, but this notebook has no USB 2 ports. All are USB 3, so you need to pre-load the USB 3 drivers into the USB stick (or DVD, if you prefer) to be able to recognise the installation disc. Messy.
Windows 8 installs smooth, though.
Cache SSD is iSSD (a 2.5 cm square chip, soldered on mainboard) and cannot be replaced. You can only replace the stock hard disk, which, as said, is a standard SATA drive.
As for the RAM – 2 GB is soldered on mainboard and cannot be replaced. But the other 2 GB is on a standard notebook RAM stick, and can be removed and replaced. Laptop takes 4 and 8 GB sticks (for total of 6 or 10 GB RAM). There is only 1 RAM socket that you can replace RAM in.
I believe (but of course can not claim) that all of the UX32 models share the same mainboard, and should as such share the number of RAM slots.
Obviously, the new models that come with Windows 8 and different CPU are likely using different mainboard. I am talking about the same generation of the Zenbooks, just with different CPU specs.
Hope this is of any use.
Cheers,
Tomaz
Wilhelm
April 16, 2013 at 8:43 am
Dear Mike,
I want to state at first that I really appreciate your reviews and that I think, as you, that laptops must be really portable and light.
Once said this, I’d like to ask you if this version of the Zenbook that I found in Italy (where I come from) has better performances: it has the Intel Core i3 3217U. I wuoldn’t use the laptop to execute programs like “Photoshop” or play “Bioshock: Infinite”, but I would anyway use it for the editing of videos (whith Pinnacle Studio, the lastest version), for graphics programs (like Autocad) or even play, sometimes (titles like Dirt 3 that you have shown in the videoreview). How wuold this newer version of the Zenbook deal with it?
Thanks for your reply,
Wilhelm van der Rohe
I think I already replied to you on Youtube. Anyway, the Core i3 is going to be too slow for your requirements. All those programs will run, but the system might get sluggish. So I’d choose a device with an Intel Core i5 processor, if possible. Also, both Autocad and Pinnacle require a lot of memory to run smoothly. So if you can find a configuration with 8 GB of RAM, it would help on the long run. Or at least get a machine that allows you to upgrade the RAM yourself afterwards.
Primo
July 8, 2013 at 6:48 pm
Really liked your open comments and I bought ux32A-DB31 this.
I didn’t get the Ethernet adapter, brown Sleeve pouch, small pouch of cables when I bought this, but I got another UX31A where all these three were there.
over here they include all those things. looks like things differ from country to country…
Trunk
September 18, 2013 at 11:40 pm
Hey, I have a question regarding the RAM: does this ux32a with the iCore 3 accepts the 8gb stick RAM upgrade, or just the 4gb one? I read around the web and it’s inconclusive. Some said that the iCore 3 configuration can have up to 10gb RAM total (8gb RAM stick upgrade), while some said that it’s just 6gb RAM (4gb stick) total. Also, the screen capture of your configuration clearly shows that the RAM is PC3-12800, while others said (without proof) that it’s PC3-10666. Do you have any insights to this RAM curiosity regarding to this specific iCore 3 configuration?
Trunk
September 18, 2013 at 11:48 pm
I think I switched the i and the Core around, so it’s Core i3. On Asus’s website, it stated that up to 4gb for the available slot and the speed is 12800. However, some reviews, both pro and consumer, stated otherwise. Since your review has screen capture, it’s can be surely confirmed that it’s in fact, runs at 12800.
Ale
October 2, 2013 at 8:56 am
Hi, first of all, congrats for making a great review! I’m about to buy the ASUS Zenbook UX32A-RHI5N31 on Office Depot, but they told me there is no way to upgrade this laptop RAM to 8Gb. Can you tell me if that’s true? I’ve seen some comments on upgrading RAM on the i5 version, but I don’t know if that particular model (UX32A-RHI5N31) has some kind of restriction for doing that.
Not sure about that particular model. From what I know, the UX32A has one memory slot that can take up to 4 GB modules, plus the 4 GB soldered on the MB. So i can’t see why you won’t be able to upgrade it… maybe they just don’t know what they’re saying? I don’t know
Ale
October 2, 2013 at 6:44 pm
Thanks for your reply. I’ve checked on Asus website and this is what they say about memory: “DDR3 1600 MHz SDRAM, OnBoard Memory GB , 1 x DIMM socket for expansion up to 4 GB SDRAM”.
For me it’s a little bit confussing, as I don’t understand if the 1 x DIMM socket is the one that can get a 4gb additional module or if the expansion up to 4gb is the total amount of RAM the laptop can have.
you get 4 GB soldered on the motherboard and one extra slot that can take an up to 4 GB DIMM. For a total of 8.
Christian
October 26, 2013 at 11:56 am
Hello,
What I had understood is that there is 2GB of RAM soldered on the motherboard, with a 2GB stick coming along with it. This is replaceable with a 8GB RAM stick (i.e. Crucial, Mushkin), giving up to 10GB. Is this not correct?
@Christian, having opened mine up, I can confirm that UX32-VR has 2 GB soldered onboard, as well as another RAM socket (standard notebook DDR-3 SO-DIMM socket) which accepted 8 GB Corsair stick without complaints.
Upgrade is pretty painless.
Remove all the screws at the bottom. Lift the lid from front of computer first, as there is a bit of double-sided tape holding the lid in place at the back. Carefully remove it, and you will see RAM stick wrapped in aluminium foil right in front of you.
You may remove foil from stock RAM and put it on your RAM, or don’t bother with it. Just unlock the socket, remove stick, place new one in and make sure it clips into the socket.
Place the lid back and make sure to align it properly, not pressing the back yet. Screw it back, but don’t tighten it yet, to allow you a bit of movement to align it perfectly. When all the screws are in, tighten it.
Flip and test :)
It should not take more than 10 minutes in all. But recommend you to place notebook on something soft, so you don’t scratch it.
christian
October 30, 2013 at 10:10 am
Thanks @Tomaz!
That’s what I thought, can’t wait to try to upgrade mine. I mean I have the ux32a, but after doing some research changing the ram stick seems to be the same simple operation on nearly all these models.
Now I was wondering whether this will have a great impact on my computer’s performance? At the beginning it felt a little sluggish, and at times actually froze completely. I thought that this was because of the slow processor, but it still seemed odd cause I wasn’t running the laptop too hard either. Checking cpu usage showed that this would usually peak at around 60% while lagging was being detected, and usually even stay at around 30%.
Also, I noticed that RAM usage was very high, peaking at over 90% even. So would upgrading the RAM fix this issue? I understand the processors clock speed will remain the same, meaning it won’t suddenly turn into a power house. But I’m not expecting wonders either.
Thanks for your help!
Erkan Pinar
January 24, 2014 at 11:57 am
I just purchased the Asus Zenbook UX32A-R3038H.
On the website were i purchased my Zenbook it clearly mentioned that the memory was not upgradeble and was max of 4 GB.
I Still purchased additional 8 GB Kingston ValueRAM SODIMM DDR3-1600.
And just removed the 2gb on the socket.
It works now fluently and very fast without any glitch whatsoever as I work with heavy programs such as adobe photoshop and illustrator.
The system shows that i have 10 GB on memory now.
Ivan
March 26, 2014 at 4:08 pm
The mini-VGA looks a lot like a mini-DisplayPort. Has anyone tried to connect it to the DisplayPort end of a monitor? Are there adapters for DVI?
it’s a Mini VGA port for sure, although it looms like DP
Tomaz
April 6, 2014 at 3:46 pm
DisplayPort is a completely different thing to Mini-VGA, and contains some circuits inside to process signal, which mini-VGA does not – it just connects pins one by one from one side of the cable to another, to plug the VGA monitor in.
Personal recommendation – nowadays more or less every screens supports HDMI or if not, rather get HDMI to DVI adapter. It will allow you to use full resolution, which VGA does not support anyway.
If you manage to get DisplayPort adapter somehow into the mini-VGA socket, you are risking damaging both the screen and the VGA card in your laptop.
Sandy
May 8, 2014 at 2:33 pm
Hi, fantastic review, I love my zenbook! Unfortunately one of the screws at the back has fallen out and disappeared somewhere, leaving a gap at the back and the fan is slowly getting louder (I assume because dust is going into the fan). Which screws should I be searching for if I need a replacement? Are torx screws all the same?
What zenbook do you have? The UX32A? If I’m not mistaken, this one uses T5 Torx screws, and no, not all Torx screws are the same. besides the size, there’s also the matter of length. Maybe you can go to a computer service with one of your screws and see if they can help you out
miguel gutierrez
January 3, 2015 at 12:18 am
Somehow the UX32A webcam vanishes from the operating system, and become disenabled…..adn could not find any way to make it work again….It is probably a driver problem, but Asus guys fail to provide a solution….
Tomaz
January 9, 2015 at 7:55 am
Go to Asus website and download a camera driver.
On laptop, get to Control Panel, System, Device Manager, and remove the UVC camera.
Let it install the driver again.
You may also at this point unzip that downloaded driver to a folder on hard drive, and choose to update the driver, then browse to the unzipped driver, in case you suspect the one installed could be corrupt.
Not like I use webcam like… ever… but whenever I turned it on, it always worked. I used drivers from Asus support, as my windows is standard, not one from the recovery partition on the hard disk.
MDC
February 23, 2015 at 8:03 am
I’ve had this Zenbook for a couple of years now, and am very pleased with it. The only significant issue I had was soon after I got it, when the instant-on feature stopped working. In fact, when trying to wake the laptop from sleep, it would either stay asleep, or I would get a Windows “spinner” for as long as 5 or 10 minutes before the system came back up. I did an RMA, and Asus replaced the motherboard, which was defective. Credit to them for fixing it quickly and with no hassle. Ever since it’s worked like a charm.
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Josef
November 9, 2012 at 9:39 pm
Hey man,
first of all, thanks for your reviews, it contributed significantly to my decision to choose the cheapest zenbook, and it is pretty cool piece, I like it so much…
However, I have got one question for you regarding the “bloatware” as you call it. I hate this kind of soft, so I would like to remove as much of it as possible.
The question is, what software would you recommend to get rid of? I don´t wanna screw something, and maybe there are some useful apps amongst them as well.
Thanks for your reply,
Regards
Josef
Mike
November 11, 2012 at 10:45 am
it’s a bit difficult to tell without having the computer in front. You should get rid of the preinstalled antivirus, the trials and most of the Asus programs. I for one uninstall, Asus storage, cloud, bla bla and only keep Power 4 gear and the apps that have something to do with the sound and network.
Anyway, even if you uninstall something that you shouldn’t, you can always find the programs on Asus’s website, so you should be OK
Kadir
November 27, 2012 at 11:51 am
I think this piece says it all, the whole tech industry is sadly lciakng ideas. I bet it took ASUS longer to think up the watch' design excuse in their marketing than to actually design this thing. I can't believe how similar this is to the AIr design, no innovation at all, not even an attempt at pushing the idea further.
Tomaz
April 6, 2014 at 3:42 pm
The design of all of them actually comes from Intel. Apple included.
Lyal
December 2, 2012 at 11:04 am
I am looking at this model for my daughter who requires a notebook as she enters high school. I have limited knowledge of computers so I am somewhat confused by references to ‘performances’. Would I be correct in assuming that the reviewer and most people who comment on this site have high demands and requirements in terms of what they utilise their computers for, well beyond what high school students would require for everyday schoolwork and presentations – although, having said that, what kids do at school these days on computers really is extraordinary. When you say the i3 sandy bridge procesor is slower than the i5 Ivy Bridge, are you referring to mere seconds slower, or time to go make a cup of tea while you wait for the computer to respond? Is the X32A adequate (with 320GB HDD + 24 GB SSD) as opposed to the UX31A (128GB + SSD)?
Mike
December 3, 2012 at 11:12 am
Yes, you can assume that I have very high demands (I’m the reviewer) :P
When I say slower, that’s usually fractions of a seconds to seconds slower, so for the average user, that should be fine. For me though it’s not…
On the storage, I’d go for the 320 GB HDD + small SSD, because that offers more room for programs, videos, music and other types of content. Yes, the full SSD option is faster, but like I said, for your daughter, that shouldn’t matter that much.
Still, there are some important reasons why i advise people to go for the i5 version rather than the i3. The i3 a tested here is the older generation platform and it will struggle with movies and even light games. For daily tasks, it should be OK, but for anything with intense graphics, not so much. The i5 option is newer, faster and with better graphics, and since you’re probably planning to keep the computer for a while (2-3 years, maybe more), I’d say it’s the smarter pick (thinking long term, the i3 is going to get quicker obsolete and won’t be able to face the future programs that easily as the i5). But it really depends in how much more expensive is the i5 over there.
In both cases I’m talking about the Asus UX32A, not the UX31A prime, the latter is a different kind of computer, with a different case and screen.
Anyway, hope this helps, get back if you have any other questions ;)
Mike
Mark Brown
December 8, 2012 at 10:30 am
Hi Mike
If I was to update to an ssd would I just replace the cache ssd?
Also how many ram slots does it have, easy to upgrade?
Will the number of ram slots be the same for all ux32a sub models?
Thanks
Mark
Tomaz
April 6, 2014 at 3:40 pm
You can replace HDD for an SSD. It’s standard 7 mm high SATA drive. So when choosing SSD make sure to pick 7 and not 9 mm high ones, or you’ll have to take it out of casing (voiding warranty) to get it installed.
This is only half of the story – the other half is that you will need to use Windows 8 or custom build installer for Windows 7, which only comes with USB 2 drivers, but this notebook has no USB 2 ports. All are USB 3, so you need to pre-load the USB 3 drivers into the USB stick (or DVD, if you prefer) to be able to recognise the installation disc. Messy.
Windows 8 installs smooth, though.
Cache SSD is iSSD (a 2.5 cm square chip, soldered on mainboard) and cannot be replaced. You can only replace the stock hard disk, which, as said, is a standard SATA drive.
As for the RAM – 2 GB is soldered on mainboard and cannot be replaced. But the other 2 GB is on a standard notebook RAM stick, and can be removed and replaced. Laptop takes 4 and 8 GB sticks (for total of 6 or 10 GB RAM). There is only 1 RAM socket that you can replace RAM in.
I believe (but of course can not claim) that all of the UX32 models share the same mainboard, and should as such share the number of RAM slots.
Obviously, the new models that come with Windows 8 and different CPU are likely using different mainboard. I am talking about the same generation of the Zenbooks, just with different CPU specs.
Hope this is of any use.
Cheers,
Tomaz
Wilhelm
April 16, 2013 at 8:43 am
Dear Mike,
I want to state at first that I really appreciate your reviews and that I think, as you, that laptops must be really portable and light.
Once said this, I’d like to ask you if this version of the Zenbook that I found in Italy (where I come from) has better performances: it has the Intel Core i3 3217U. I wuoldn’t use the laptop to execute programs like “Photoshop” or play “Bioshock: Infinite”, but I would anyway use it for the editing of videos (whith Pinnacle Studio, the lastest version), for graphics programs (like Autocad) or even play, sometimes (titles like Dirt 3 that you have shown in the videoreview). How wuold this newer version of the Zenbook deal with it?
Thanks for your reply,
Wilhelm van der Rohe
Andrei Girbea
April 17, 2013 at 2:23 pm
Hei Willhelm.
I think I already replied to you on Youtube. Anyway, the Core i3 is going to be too slow for your requirements. All those programs will run, but the system might get sluggish. So I’d choose a device with an Intel Core i5 processor, if possible. Also, both Autocad and Pinnacle require a lot of memory to run smoothly. So if you can find a configuration with 8 GB of RAM, it would help on the long run. Or at least get a machine that allows you to upgrade the RAM yourself afterwards.
Primo
July 8, 2013 at 6:48 pm
Really liked your open comments and I bought ux32A-DB31 this.
I didn’t get the Ethernet adapter, brown Sleeve pouch, small pouch of cables when I bought this, but I got another UX31A where all these three were there.
Andrei Girbea
July 10, 2013 at 8:07 am
over here they include all those things. looks like things differ from country to country…
Trunk
September 18, 2013 at 11:40 pm
Hey, I have a question regarding the RAM: does this ux32a with the iCore 3 accepts the 8gb stick RAM upgrade, or just the 4gb one? I read around the web and it’s inconclusive. Some said that the iCore 3 configuration can have up to 10gb RAM total (8gb RAM stick upgrade), while some said that it’s just 6gb RAM (4gb stick) total. Also, the screen capture of your configuration clearly shows that the RAM is PC3-12800, while others said (without proof) that it’s PC3-10666. Do you have any insights to this RAM curiosity regarding to this specific iCore 3 configuration?
Trunk
September 18, 2013 at 11:48 pm
I think I switched the i and the Core around, so it’s Core i3. On Asus’s website, it stated that up to 4gb for the available slot and the speed is 12800. However, some reviews, both pro and consumer, stated otherwise. Since your review has screen capture, it’s can be surely confirmed that it’s in fact, runs at 12800.
Ale
October 2, 2013 at 8:56 am
Hi, first of all, congrats for making a great review! I’m about to buy the ASUS Zenbook UX32A-RHI5N31 on Office Depot, but they told me there is no way to upgrade this laptop RAM to 8Gb. Can you tell me if that’s true? I’ve seen some comments on upgrading RAM on the i5 version, but I don’t know if that particular model (UX32A-RHI5N31) has some kind of restriction for doing that.
Thanks in advance!
Andrei Girbea
October 2, 2013 at 11:57 am
Not sure about that particular model. From what I know, the UX32A has one memory slot that can take up to 4 GB modules, plus the 4 GB soldered on the MB. So i can’t see why you won’t be able to upgrade it… maybe they just don’t know what they’re saying? I don’t know
Ale
October 2, 2013 at 6:44 pm
Thanks for your reply. I’ve checked on Asus website and this is what they say about memory: “DDR3 1600 MHz SDRAM, OnBoard Memory GB , 1 x DIMM socket for expansion up to 4 GB SDRAM”.
For me it’s a little bit confussing, as I don’t understand if the 1 x DIMM socket is the one that can get a 4gb additional module or if the expansion up to 4gb is the total amount of RAM the laptop can have.
Can you clarify me on that?
Thanks again!
Andrei Girbea
October 2, 2013 at 8:35 pm
you get 4 GB soldered on the motherboard and one extra slot that can take an up to 4 GB DIMM. For a total of 8.
Christian
October 26, 2013 at 11:56 am
Hello,
What I had understood is that there is 2GB of RAM soldered on the motherboard, with a 2GB stick coming along with it. This is replaceable with a 8GB RAM stick (i.e. Crucial, Mushkin), giving up to 10GB. Is this not correct?
Andrei Girbea
October 28, 2013 at 3:23 pm
it is correct
Tomaz
October 29, 2013 at 12:51 pm
@Christian, having opened mine up, I can confirm that UX32-VR has 2 GB soldered onboard, as well as another RAM socket (standard notebook DDR-3 SO-DIMM socket) which accepted 8 GB Corsair stick without complaints.
Upgrade is pretty painless.
Remove all the screws at the bottom. Lift the lid from front of computer first, as there is a bit of double-sided tape holding the lid in place at the back. Carefully remove it, and you will see RAM stick wrapped in aluminium foil right in front of you.
You may remove foil from stock RAM and put it on your RAM, or don’t bother with it. Just unlock the socket, remove stick, place new one in and make sure it clips into the socket.
Place the lid back and make sure to align it properly, not pressing the back yet. Screw it back, but don’t tighten it yet, to allow you a bit of movement to align it perfectly. When all the screws are in, tighten it.
Flip and test :)
It should not take more than 10 minutes in all. But recommend you to place notebook on something soft, so you don’t scratch it.
christian
October 30, 2013 at 10:10 am
Thanks @Tomaz!
That’s what I thought, can’t wait to try to upgrade mine. I mean I have the ux32a, but after doing some research changing the ram stick seems to be the same simple operation on nearly all these models.
Now I was wondering whether this will have a great impact on my computer’s performance? At the beginning it felt a little sluggish, and at times actually froze completely. I thought that this was because of the slow processor, but it still seemed odd cause I wasn’t running the laptop too hard either. Checking cpu usage showed that this would usually peak at around 60% while lagging was being detected, and usually even stay at around 30%.
Also, I noticed that RAM usage was very high, peaking at over 90% even. So would upgrading the RAM fix this issue? I understand the processors clock speed will remain the same, meaning it won’t suddenly turn into a power house. But I’m not expecting wonders either.
Thanks for your help!
Erkan Pinar
January 24, 2014 at 11:57 am
I just purchased the Asus Zenbook UX32A-R3038H.
On the website were i purchased my Zenbook it clearly mentioned that the memory was not upgradeble and was max of 4 GB.
I Still purchased additional 8 GB Kingston ValueRAM SODIMM DDR3-1600.
And just removed the 2gb on the socket.
It works now fluently and very fast without any glitch whatsoever as I work with heavy programs such as adobe photoshop and illustrator.
The system shows that i have 10 GB on memory now.
Ivan
March 26, 2014 at 4:08 pm
The mini-VGA looks a lot like a mini-DisplayPort. Has anyone tried to connect it to the DisplayPort end of a monitor? Are there adapters for DVI?
Andrei Girbea
March 31, 2014 at 8:47 am
it’s a Mini VGA port for sure, although it looms like DP
Tomaz
April 6, 2014 at 3:46 pm
DisplayPort is a completely different thing to Mini-VGA, and contains some circuits inside to process signal, which mini-VGA does not – it just connects pins one by one from one side of the cable to another, to plug the VGA monitor in.
Personal recommendation – nowadays more or less every screens supports HDMI or if not, rather get HDMI to DVI adapter. It will allow you to use full resolution, which VGA does not support anyway.
If you manage to get DisplayPort adapter somehow into the mini-VGA socket, you are risking damaging both the screen and the VGA card in your laptop.
Sandy
May 8, 2014 at 2:33 pm
Hi, fantastic review, I love my zenbook! Unfortunately one of the screws at the back has fallen out and disappeared somewhere, leaving a gap at the back and the fan is slowly getting louder (I assume because dust is going into the fan). Which screws should I be searching for if I need a replacement? Are torx screws all the same?
Thanks :_
Andrei Girbea
May 10, 2014 at 9:54 pm
What zenbook do you have? The UX32A? If I’m not mistaken, this one uses T5 Torx screws, and no, not all Torx screws are the same. besides the size, there’s also the matter of length. Maybe you can go to a computer service with one of your screws and see if they can help you out
miguel gutierrez
January 3, 2015 at 12:18 am
Somehow the UX32A webcam vanishes from the operating system, and become disenabled…..adn could not find any way to make it work again….It is probably a driver problem, but Asus guys fail to provide a solution….
Tomaz
January 9, 2015 at 7:55 am
Go to Asus website and download a camera driver.
On laptop, get to Control Panel, System, Device Manager, and remove the UVC camera.
Let it install the driver again.
You may also at this point unzip that downloaded driver to a folder on hard drive, and choose to update the driver, then browse to the unzipped driver, in case you suspect the one installed could be corrupt.
Not like I use webcam like… ever… but whenever I turned it on, it always worked. I used drivers from Asus support, as my windows is standard, not one from the recovery partition on the hard disk.
MDC
February 23, 2015 at 8:03 am
I’ve had this Zenbook for a couple of years now, and am very pleased with it. The only significant issue I had was soon after I got it, when the instant-on feature stopped working. In fact, when trying to wake the laptop from sleep, it would either stay asleep, or I would get a Windows “spinner” for as long as 5 or 10 minutes before the system came back up. I did an RMA, and Asus replaced the motherboard, which was defective. Credit to them for fixing it quickly and with no hassle. Ever since it’s worked like a charm.