Asus

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®.

Eye-Catching Sophistication

Impress onlookers and complement any setting with the UL30Vt-A1’s brushed aluminum cover and a high-class appeal. From the first time you open the UL30Vt-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 UL30Vt-A1 carries the hallmark contours and slim elegance that separates it from the typical cookie-cutter notebook.

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.

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.

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

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

Recently rated #1 in consumer reliability among Windows-based PCs by SquareTrade, and PCMag.com, ASUS gives you the peace of mind you deserve every time you start your UL30Vt-A1 notebook.† ASUS worked extensively with Microsoft to develop time-saving features like FastBoot technology –reducing the time needed for startup and shutdown by up to 40% –and LocalMe –a GPS-like application. Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. And, thanks to Windows 7’s enhanced power management, you can enjoy unplugged gaming longer. Click HERE to learn more about the time-saving ASUS FastBoot feature.

Warranty

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

What's in the Box

Specifications

ASUS BX700 Bluetooth Laser Mouse The ASUS BX700 Bluetooth laser mouse offers freedom of movement, as well as doing away with wire clutter through Bluetooth connectivity.

ASUS Thin and Light UL80Vt-A1 with Switchable Graphics Want a little larger screen? Check out the 14.1-Inch UL80Vt-A1.

ASUS Slim External Optical Drive/DVD Writer Create and read CDs or DVDs with speed, style, and simplicity with the ASUS Slim Extrenal Optical Drive and your Eee PC.

ASUS Crosslink Cable With the ASUS Crosslink Cable you can transfer data from one computer to another, share internet connection, even read and transfer data on one computer from another computer’s optical drive.

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

105 of 109 people found the following review helpful.
Very innovative notebook
By Dave
I got to use this laptop for a few days and it's brought me dangerously close to buying one for myself. If you are looking for a thin-and-light notebook with great battery life and a little gaming life under the hood this is (in my opinion) the best choice on the market today. What sets this notebook apart is two things:

1. At the push of a button you can switch from a low power Intel 4500HD graphics processor to a higher power NVidia G210M with 512MB DDR3 RAM (this defaults on when plugged in and defaults off when unplugged).
2. At the push of a button you can enable the "Turbo 33" mode which uses a mix of hardware (such as overclocking the cpu) and software to boost performance by up to 33%. I ran some basic benchmarks and it seemed to work pretty well.

CPU - The 1.3GHz Intel SU7300 Core 2 Duo Processor 3MB Cache 800MHz FSB is a great fit. Some of the thin-and-lights in this class ship with either a Core Solo (i.e. single core) or Celeron CPU. I tend to avoid both because the single core CPUs tend to choke on all the Internet Security software you need these days and the Celerons come with cut-down cache and now power saving modes.

RAM - The included 4GB of DDR3 is just the right amount to really start taking advantage of a 64 bit O.S. I also like that Asus used DDR3 which uses less power than DDR2.

HDD - It comes with a 500GB hard disk drive which is more than most users need today. The 5400RPM speed is slower than the 7200RPM drive you will find on some models but I prefer the reliability and power savings that come with a 5400RPM drive.

DISPLAY - The 13.3 inch widescreen is glossy and reasonably bright. Outdoor use will suffer from some glare but the backlit screen helps. I found the vertical viewing angles are a little tight but it wasn't a big deal.

GRAPHICS - As mentioned above it switches between a low power Intel 4500HD graphics chip on the motherboard (fine for most non-gaming tasks) and a more power hungry NVidia G210M that will actually let you do a some 3D gaming (though newer games will still run best at reduced settings). This simple and clever innovation really sets Asus apart. Oh and either chipset can do 1080P HD video.

Battery - It's rare to get a battery this good in a notebook this thin: 8 cell 5600mAh. I couldn't get the claimed 12 hours of battery life but I got very close (doing a normal mix of MS Office tasks and web browsing I got just shy of 11 hours). Even doing very compute intensive tasks like gaming or playing back video I went over 6 hours. Most notebooks can't run Word that long.

Touchpad - At first I hated the touchpad but as I got used to it I really liked it. It two-finger scrolling and three-finger right click which may trip you up at first but after a few days you won't want to go back.

It comes with most of the usual stuff: HDMI port (for an external monitor or compatible TV), Ethernet port, wireless b/g/n, 3 USB ports, headphone jack, microphone jack, and a vga (for an external monitor). It does lack any kind of optical drive, so no playing CDs or DVDs without an external drive. For this you would need the ASUS UL80Vt-A1 14-Inch Thin and Light Black Laptop. It's a "thin-and-light" which as you would guess means it is thin (1") and light (3.75lbs). I also found it to be very quiet. It comes with a facial recognition feature that allows you to login without a password but this was disabled by our IT department so I wasn't able to try it out.

I see a lot of notebooks and I've generally been impressed with the build quality of Asus notebooks. The build on this model looks great and it's helped by the sleek and simple design: no fancy little bits that fall off in a year. In my opinion this is the thin-and-light to have if you need great battery life but don't want to give up all the fun. If you don't do any 3D gaming you don't need the Nvidia chipset and you probably should save a little money on a notebook without it such as the nearly identical ASUS UL30A-A2 Thin and Light 13-3-Inch Silver Laptop. Otherwise this is a great choice for a student or business traveler who likes to do a little gaming.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful.
This laptop is the BOMB!!! (In a good way)
By Thomas Schroth
I am told I over analyze purchases and must say I have been watching laptops for a couple of years. My goals were lightweight and portable but not so small I could not read the screen and LONG battery time. After all it is a portable! I tried a 15.6 but what a moose! A 14" seemed just right but the chassis was bigger and heavier. I was afraid of a 13.3 but then it dawned on me that is was the same resolution as the 14 and only .7" smaller, not a full inch. I went from store to store lining a 14's up next to a 13.3's and I really could not tell the difference! Listen my fellow middle agers,I have exceptionally poor eyesight so if it worked for me it will for you! (no offense to my eye Surgeon, Dr. Barry Lee, he did a great job with what I gave him to work with!).

I have a powerful desktop so I did not need a desktop replacement class Laptop. I also can't stand a slow poke so a netbook was out and so was a celeron. The T6600 CPUS are the sweet spot for price and value and they are plenty snappy but they are power hungry (compared to the SU's). The SU7300 was just the ticket. Yes, I got the TURBO 33 VT version but I don't think that matters at all. I wanted it for bragging rights only. Same goes for the separate GPU, I want to hedge my bets in case I do some vector art editing. I am NOT a gamer.

I wrestled with the lack of a DVD drive but hey you can download ANYTHING, DVD drives are really on the way out, don't sweat it!It's worth the size and weight savings. The keyboard is REALLY GREAT, I am not a touch typist and the keys have nice spacing and definition. (I would have paid BIG money for a back lit keyboard but that just narrows the field TOO MUCH. Touchpad is fine also but I live with my Logitech NANO V450 mouse anyway.

The battery life is the real deal and that sold me on this unit. I am coming up on 4 hrs with wifi, bright screen, remote desktop, iTunes, 2 browsers and only down 25% on the battery. Seriously! I charge it and leave without the power cord. I really wanted the silver cover after seeing a black one in person it really showed finger prints. Silver is GREAT!

Another thing I like about the VT version is a little bit faster DRAM and Bus, I don't believe anyone could tell a difference but it makes me feel like I have the latest and greatest and am hedging my bets regarding being outdated sooner then later. If you need to save a few dollars, don't worry about it!

There are no compromises here and if you don't know ASUS, they have been around FOREVER and have been an OEM supplier since, like FOREVER! Don't get hung up on the big name companies, it means nothing! The ONLY complaint is the lack of documentation. I got NOTHING to help me figure out the VT features like discrete graphics switching or the Turbo boost (That's the over clocking feature. It steps the CPU up 33% This is VERY unnecessary, I can not come close to pushing this thing in standard mode.) I suspect most will never adjust these features anyway but HEY ASUS, are you listening? Send me a manual, pdf is fine! If its on here somewhere then you made it too hard to find! :)

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful.
Light, Powerful, Cost Effective 13.3", a "Must Have"
By Purcell
I have been following the 13.3" laptop market for the past year waiting for someone to offer one with a powerful video card at a fairly low price. ASUS has done it with the UL30Vt! This is the second ASUS we have in our household and it definitely does not disappoint -- the build quality is as good or better than the other name brand laptops we have in our stable and I traded a 14.1" HP for this. I do not regret it.

Pros:

- Light -- I can carry it one handed anywhere I go and I'm not worried about dropping it.
It is like carrying a spiral notebook!
- Great video card -- The laptop automatically switches between an intel video chipset
(low power demand) and a powerful NVIDIA card when as you plug and unplug the laptop
into the powercord.
- Great screen -- the HD screen is awesome and looks better than others provided by other
well known brands.
- DDR3 Ram -- blazing fast and low power usage.
- Intel Power efficient processor -- while the intel chip is rated below 2.0 Mz, it runs
faster than my 2.6Mz chip on my work laptop that also has DDR3 memory. Don't know how,
but it gets better "Experience Ratings". Also, you can overclock the chip using ASUS
software, but I haven't needed to.
- Cool -- the machine runs cool. I have never had it become uncomfortably warm.
- Battery life -- battery lasts a long time. Have put in a 7200 RPM HDD to replace the one
provided by ASUS... and the battery lasts 10 hours or more.
- Looks -- holy smokes, looks cooler than my daughter's school MacBook Pro. I cannot
keep her off my machine.
- Keyboard -- I was a bit leery of the 'chicklet' keyboard as I learned to type on a a
"Selectric". However, the keyboard supports my heavy typing style and hasn't slowed me down.

Cons:
- A bit more 'bloatware' than I expected, but most was ASUS software to try to make the
machine more 'user friendly' Had fun figuring out what to turn off...

Overall?
- A great buy and I'm glad I waited. There are at least two other named brand laptops that offer a similar laptop
(switching video cards to save power) but they run at least twice this price or more. ASUS created a winner here...
... and I'm the ultimate skeptic of computer hardware.