Asus Zenbook Prime UX51Vz-DH71 user reviews

Pros Display is top notch, text is very crisp; very sharp
Sound is amazing
Fast bootup times
Great 3x USB 3.0 Ports
Keyboard is great to type

Cons Fan noise is very annoying
Has a mini-VGA instead of a mini-DisplayPort connector

Summary I started researching replacements for my 15" unibody MacBook Pro in October '12. I wanted a similar form factor that preserved some of the things I'd grown attached to from Apple: great screen, responsive touchpad, and chiclet keys with great tactile response.

I also wanted to massively upgrade. My MBP was top dog of its line when it was new, and the MBPr looks good, but only comes with a limited amount of video RAM. At minimum, I wanted: quad-core i7, 8GB RAM, SSD primary drive, nVidia dedicated graphics w/ 2GB video RAM. 1080p screen resolution was a must. Fit, finish, and materials had to be premium.

I've never been too concerned with battery life, so in that regard I just wanted to maintain what I'd become accustomed to with the MBP. I'm notoriously difficult to shop for, and I'm exceptionally picky. After a month of searching high and low I began worrying that what I wanted simply didn't exist, and began worrying that I'd need to start making concessions.

My wife has a Republic of Gamers ASUS laptop that looks like Batman's Tumbler vehicle. I can't stand the looks of it, but the performance was hard to ignore. Just before my purchase, I happened upon the u500 series from ASUS. On paper, I was sold. After a couple of weeks of research, some hands-on experience with the other ASUS Zenbooks, and lots of consideration, I made the purchase.

I. First Impressions
I'm a big fan of presentation, and ASUS didn't disappoint. The unboxing experience is satisfying, and as a gadget lover this is one of the best parts of getting a new "toy." Attractive packaging and creative boxing.

Bootup times are crisp and smart: 5-7 seconds when plugged in, with a couple of seconds extra on battery power. Installing software, browsing, and word processing happen nearly instantaneously; extremely fast. I play a few games: Counter-Strike GO, Minecraft, and World of Warcraft. All of them look excellent at maximum settings, and the nVidia card offers great performance in such a small package. One MINOR gripe: with maxed settings, there's just a LITTLE screen-tearing.

It's almost unnoticeable, and I suspect it's more an issue with the screen than the rest of the machine. I'm also a web and software developer, and the screen offers a very pleasurable reading and writing experience. Text is very crisp; very sharp. All in all, I have zero regrets about my purchase. It does exactly what I want, and does so in a super sleek and sexy package. It's a powerhouse, and turns heads as soon as you open it.

II. Windows 8
I dislike Windows 8. There's no Start button, so without installing an add-on (more on this in a minute), it's necessary to go back and forth with the tiled interface. If the ASUS had a touchscreen, this might be a different take. If you're buying a version of this model in the UK or Australia, I hear this laptop not only has a touchscreen, but also comes with an external USB drive. Neither of these is the case for US models, so Windows 8 is pretty pointless.

Feel free to point out all of the nifty new features under the hood that makes Windows 8 better than its predecessor, but if the first layer of user experience is more a hindrance than a help, it doesn't really matter what's going on behind the scenes. I installed the small add-on Start8 almost immediately after figuring out that I hated the default Windows 8 interface. It's a $4.99 purchase from the Stardock company, and it's phenomenal. Is Windows 8 usable without the Start button and a touchscreen? Sure, but it's painfully obvious that Microsoft did not intend it.

Before installing a spare copy of Windows 7, if you have one, do yourself a favor and give Start8 a try. There's a 30-day demo, but you'll only need an hour to love it.

III. Bloatware
There's not a lot, but it's present. The usual crappy Norton trial is included, as is Office Starter edition. Windows 8 comes with an option to reinstall a completely barebones installation; don't bother. The bloatware will still be there after startup. Apparently, "barebones" installation still includes whatever subsidized garbage the manufacturer wishes to include. Thankfully, it only takes about five minutes to uninstall the garbage.

IV. Purchase
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Enjoy with your laptop!