I know a lot of you are waiting for final details, pricing, availability and a review of the ASUS Zenbook UX31A Ultrabook and while we haven’t secured a review sample yet, we can at least bring you pricing and specification details of four models that have just appeared in retail channels in the USA.
The four ASUS UX31A models we’ve seen so far are as follows:
ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A-DB51 / DB52 – Core i5 3317U, 4GB, 128GB SSD, Windows Home Premium – $1099 (DB52 – Windows 7 Pro + TPM for $1199) [Amazon Link
ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A-DB71 /DB72 – Core i7-3517UE, 4GB, 256GB SSD, Windows Home Premium – $1499 (DB72 – Windows 7 Pro +TPM for $1599) [Amazon link]
So it looks like the Zenbook UX31A range will start at $1099 which is an important $200 cheaper than the Samsung Series 9 that a lot of people have on their list next to the Zenbook.
As for the ASUS Zenbook UX21A, although we can’t find it yet in the US market, it appears in Europe at 100 Euro less than the 1099 Euro UX31A entry level pointing at a $999 starting price for the ASUS Zenbook UX21A with 128GB, 4GB and 128GB SSD in the USA
We’re currently testing the Samsung Series 9 and although it’s a cracking Ultrabook, there’s scope for improvement in the area of SSD and touchpad. The Zenbook Prime could really take some trade away from the premium Samsung Series 9.
As for availability, there’s nothing concrete yet although in Europe we’re expecting the first deliveries this week.
I’ve emailed a local Romanian store for info on the UX31A. They replied that they already made an order for it from the suppliers and it will arrive in approx. 2 months.
Don’t know if the shipping date is accurate, but we’ll see.
what is TPM btw? is it the intel anti-theft technology or something else?
i heard some people say its not good because its some kind of drm & its probably bad for future upgrades or to install a different os?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_Platform_Module
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749022%28v=ws.10%29.aspx
Specifically, Asus offers BitLocker for optional drive encryption that then makes use of the TPM.
http://commercial.asus.com/product/detail/159
Asus Prime Ux31a are already shipping in Germany. I have come across some forums where people got it and are quite satisfied.
Thus, I’m looking for reviews of the ux21a and especially to know if 1080p in 11,6 is readable in everyday use…
Unfortunately even though the asus ux21a seem also to ship in Germany I haven’t been able to find userreviews.
Chippy when will you get it?
I missed something and now have problems with the UX series. Which one will have full HD display, Nvidia graphic card, “better keyboard”. Thank you in advance :)
The TPM is simply a smart card chip that’s soldered onto the motherboard. It sits there and does nothing unless you install software that utilizes it. The software that utilizes it is normally whole disk encryption software with a secure boot functionality. (If your hard drive is encrypted how can you boot from it to decrypt it? -Answer: You store the encryption keys on the TPM chip.)
A bit peculiar to me that they are using the Core i7-3517UE (embedded chip) rather than the Core i7-3517U in the UX31A-DB71. Not a huge difference between the two in clock speeds, but then again it also would seem to narrow the gap with the i5-3317U. Any idea if this is a US-only thing, and/or why they are going this route?
There’s still a query out on that CPU. As I wrote the article I wondered myself why.
I haven’t been able to find confirmation yet.
Retail channel info is notoriously error-prone though so I can only say “well spotted” and keep searching for “Zenbook Prime UX31A-DB71”
Chippy.
That would be the UX32VD.
so UX32VD will have HD and Nvidia and the better keyboard?
Then what’s the UX31A – just ivy?
The UX32VD has a part-plastic casing and a hybrid HDD. There’s a lot of discussion on whether the UX31A or UX32VD is better. We’re aiming to get both in for a side-by -side live review soon.
HDD hybrid..their kidding :D. There shouldn’t be a discussion…just budget and premium model :)
I haven’t heard anything about a better keyboard?
But yeah, HDD/hybrid plus Nvidia graphics. And I heard it’s also cheaper and a little heavier.
The discrete 620M graphics isn’t inside all UX32VD. It’s only on the highest UX32VD model at $1299.
We still need tests. If HD 4000 is only 5-10% weaker there is no point to buy bigger ultrabook, that will eat your battery faster :)
Here in Sweden a lot of people already got theirs. They seem quite happy with it, although I heard the (usual?) complaints about the touchpad.
Here are some pictures that one of them took – it’s a lot easier to see how it really looks compared to the pictures from ASUS.
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/9175/49717737.jpg
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/5909/17849794.jpg
http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/3716/82343122.jpg
http://img862.imageshack.us/img862/2410/48340440.jpg
http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/4927/41179450.jpg
http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/9228/27548238.jpg
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/692/73061646.jpg
http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/969/58463238.jpg
http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/3201/56859824.jpg
Nice! yes we would be happy to see reviews & comparison for both models. Also many claim that the hybrid drive in ux32vd is replaceable with an ssd….if you could replace & give the performance difference between both models would be awesome too :D
Well, it’s up on the German Amazon site, for estimated deliveryon the 5th of July, at 1399 euros for the 256 Gb/13 inch version…
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B007UXIQ5Q/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&psc=1&s=computers
and cyberport.de is already delivering it appearently .. i hope it soon shows up in street shops like saturn for a hands on and more importantly that chippy gets his models soon.
I’d get one in a hearbeat if it wasn’t for the keyboard.
I read somewhere that they have redesigned it, due the consumers feedback from the first gen UXs :)
Sorry, I was terribly unclear. I meant that I wanted a scandinavian keyboard with å,ä and ö. There’s supposedly a really nice keyboard on it now.
As far as I can tell though, there is no version with the åäö-keyboard AND 256Gb SSD. I thought it would be available in Denmark, but it’s the same problem there with just 128Gb drives. I really have no idea why they decided to go this route but it’s mind boggling for me :(
They are available in the US:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/19/3098255/asus-zenbook-prime-ux31a-ultrabooks-available-price?login=1340164490#add-comment
Links at the bottom of the post
Any word on UK release?
There was a UK “launch” earlier in the week, no sign of a release date though… Need one of these last month!
I read a customer review at amazon.de comparing the zenbook prime and the samsung series 9 13 inch saying the HD is really not so practical in fact colour brilliance and over all quality of the samsung screen and even the sound and webcam beat the hd cam (which stutters) and the not so impressive sound of the zenbook, reminds to be seen what chippy can tell us once there is a chance to compare the two .. i hope soon!
Question is, if you are willing to pay a premium of 300€ for having just a better trackpad and a bit higher rating in overall quality, but a crappy SSD.
I am not ;)
Here in Sweden the difference is €50. Although, if I buy from one particular store I can get a €100 rebate buying the UX31A, which makes it €150 at the most. But that’s here…
Yeah, the SSD isn’t all that impressive but I think that it might do for now and I can get an mSATA 256Gb SSD later on with better speeds.
I haven’t decided yet though. I’m working abroad and on the way home I’ll stop at a place that displays both and see which one I like the best irl.