Joined on 09/03/02
Nice box - bad system with Win8
Pros: Well built, stable laptop, does what is expected.
Cons: Win8 interface for a non-touchscreen device - LOSER. That may change with 8.1 or whatever MS will call it, but until then, program/tile/shortcut/file access is a problem. Next problem - Asus does not support Win7 for this model. Their website only has Win8 drivers. And there is no detailed component level documentation you can use to find Win7 drivers piece by piece for the system Win7 installs, but no wireless or other support. The Realtek site wants you to know the hardware component to download a driver for it, when you don't they route you to a screen to pay for something called Driver Tuner that apparently can recognize your components (not disclosed by Asus) and find, download, and install the right drivers for it. Not at all friendly for Win7, and not easy to use with Win8. STAY AWAY until Win8.1 or whatever. Not sure Asus will update their drivers for it, but we'll see. Last, the touchpad is so big and placed close to the keys to the point where touch typing is very difficult without hitting it, moving the cursor on the screen while typing, and then junking up your document - over and over again unless you use a mouse. So practically, when typing, the touchpad is unusable. When browsing and just pointing, it works as desired. Last, their support website does not truly distinguish between models - the Q500A has a list of files, but there are several models of it. This one, BHI5N01, is non-touchscreen and differs in other hardware specs from other sub-models; you would never know it from their support website.
Overall Review: The lack of system documentation really separate Asus from the tier 1 manufacturers like Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Their components, and hardware execution in general, are as good or better, but without professional documentation, you take it as it or will become very frustrated.
ASUS does not honor warranty.
Pros: Great notebook - good mix of higher end componants competently packaged.
Cons: They agreed to an RMA on my laptop model (similar to this one), and their website indicates they will provide status on the RMA within 1 business day of receipt and will typically complete repairs within 5-7 business days. They have had my laptop for over 20 business days, their service center has not posted any status, and their customer service call center tells me with great politeness (and no effectiveness) every day that it has been escalated to a supervisor and that is all that can be done. In other words, they lied. They do not care that they have your property for weeks on end, and I still have no idea if they can even find my notebook computer. They effectively have stolen at least my time and possibly my property and make no discernable effort to return it or provide any kind of solution other than you get to wait. Indefinitely. I have been in IT for over 20 years. Asus has the most polite but worthless, unethical customer service I have ever experience.
Overall Review: Could be a great product if you could rely on the vendor for service. But thus far I cannot count on them and so will hold off buying their, admittedly well-designed, products in lieu of other vendor's products where they have a reputation for honoring their warranty and service commitments.
BEWARE!
Pros: All that SSD is, fast and rare mechanical failure.
Cons: NOT COMPAT WITH NVIDIA BIOS!!!! BEWARE! AFTER buying the device, after several crashes and Win7 reinstalls, contacted their service dept via email. Their service desked emailed back (after a day waiting) to update the Firmware to prevent crashes from sleeping and hibernating. I went to the link, downloaded, ran their code, and it COULD NOT FIND my TWO S599s in the array. Contacted the help desk again; they NOW pointed out incompatibility nVidia BIOS in their firmware update documentation. Their solution, use their warrenty return process (shipping at my cost to them, 2 weeks minimum turnaround time) so they could update the Firmware for me. I also tried breaking the array, reinstalling the OS, and updating, still drives not found. Okay, ran to local store, bought a SATA to USB device. Hooked it up to an old Dell laptop (no nVidia BIOS), can see and use the drive, but again, their lousy firmware update software cannot find their drives.
Overall Review: Their firmware update doc points out the incapitibility with nVidia BIOS systems (how many are there?), but the device packaging, adds, or website do not have this documented, again, NOT DOCUMENTED IN THEIR PACKAGING OR SALES MATERIAL (which I consider DISHONEST). Plus, it seems they cannot professionally write programs to maintain their hardware. Overall experience to date, FAILED attempt at what should be a great device, disfunctional software for a computer company, and a NON-CUSTOMER SERVICE-ORIENTED COMPANY to be shunned.