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Giving Asus Zenbook UX305 a try! am i crazy?

thadoggfather

thadoggfather

macrumors P6
Original poster
Oct 1, 2007
16,346
17,467
Can't resist, $699 - $100 with a current coupon going on on microsoftstore.com

coupled with a 30 day free return policy, I got zip to lose.

It's really impressive honestly. 8gb/256gb/1920x1080 IPS, 13.3" and a mm thinner than the rMB!

And ways cheaper, I'm thoroughly enjoying the rMB but its making me re-evaluate if it's worth the apple tax.

The design and keyboard are beautiful. but oh my !

anyways maybe off topic but thought i'd say it. Going to compare them, obviously keep the victor, but even if its rMB I might end up keeping zenbook for that cheap.

oh technology, I was researching a cheap entry level computer thats fanless and matched in specs, I came across that coincidentally.
 
I'm a computer consultant and just an all around tech-junky. I totally understand where you're coming from. For that price, I'd want to buy it and try it out as well. I will say that from past experiences, though, I always end up keeping my Apple stuff and using it on a daily basis, where as my little test jaunts with nifty new Windows machines usually only last a few days or weeks and then I'm bored. (This could also be that they are Windows machines.)I either return them or sell them to customers with a bit of a discount. This has been the case with more than a few tiny laptops and convertibles as well as a couple tablets (had to at least try the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire) but, again, I keep and use my Apple stuff... That is, of course, only until the next new Apple thing comes out. :D
 
Yeah I mean I have no reservations rMB will probably do a lot of things better, but its making me now reconsider whether it'd be a good stop gap for letting retina macbook price drop and getting skylake and such.

glad to have gotten an order in period its now out of stock but hopefully I can get $629.10 + $100 price match since I took a screen grab and you can use the $100 off in edu store.

seems like it'll work out either way. this coupled with a new credit card that gives me $100 off $500 spent in 3 months (this fits the bill just fine), it will effectively be tablet price for a windows beast relatively.

I want something non apple and electronic in the house for a change. and i like kindle tv I got recently for Kodi. runs beautifully and good app selection in general.
 
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They are ok, I just hated Windows 8 once I started using it on my friends laptop for a day, ugh. BTW, it's only 1mm thinner than the MacBook at the MacBooks thickest point. The MacBook is thinner overall :)
 
I wouldn't call it off topic. Comparing one thing to another is what forums are made for.

I see your point, i'm one of the few that really likes windows 8 thus far. It's pretty new to me as i just put Windows 8.1 Pro into my slave HP laptop. It has app notifications like OSX and many features OSX doesn't.

Windows is really trying. Time will tell with windows 10...

My issue is i see Windows as work horses like gaming, downloading to a HD and generally abusing.

I see my rMBP as a well... toy. I don't NEED it but i enjoy it. The only thing i do to use it properly is photo edit.

So i'd see a fanless 'toy' as a rMB and a workhorse as a decent power fan running windows machine.

FWIW i got my rMBP before... just before the rMB was released.
 
thadoggfather said:
Can't resist, $699 - $100 with a current coupon going on on microsoftstore.com

coupled with a 30 day free return policy, I got zip to lose.

It's really impressive honestly. 8gb/256gb/1920x1080 IPS, 13.3" and a mm thinner than the rMB!

And ways cheaper, I'm thoroughly enjoying the rMB but its making me re-evaluate if it's worth the apple tax.

The design and keyboard are beautiful. but oh my !

anyways maybe off topic but thought i'd say it. Going to compare them, obviously keep the victor, but even if its rMB I might end up keeping zenbook for that cheap.

oh technology, I was researching a cheap entry level computer thats fanless and matched in specs, I came across that coincidentally.
Click to expand...

While I have been an apple user for 20+ years, my most recent work PC was a Surface Pro 3. Windows 8 definitely has it's upside and after a little getting used to I was very very happy with the device. My rMBP had recently been damaged and so the Surface Pro 3 became my main PC. But like another poster said, I ended up coming back to the mac, mainly because I miss OS X. I'm probably an idiot simpleton, but Preview is probably my most used app, and with Office 2016 I just don't have a need to go to Windows for anything. In fact since I got the rMB, it's the first machine I haven't installed parallels on and haven't missed it at all the past 2 weeks.
 
The ASUS has a nice price and is well-made (it has good thermals and makes the most of the Core M inside it), but it is noticeably heavier than the MacBook.
 
thadoggfather said:
Can't resist, $699 - $100 with a current coupon going on on microsoftstore.com

coupled with a 30 day free return policy, I got zip to lose.

It's really impressive honestly. 8gb/256gb/1920x1080 IPS, 13.3" and a mm thinner than the rMB!

And ways cheaper, I'm thoroughly enjoying the rMB but its making me re-evaluate if it's worth the apple tax.

The design and keyboard are beautiful. but oh my !

anyways maybe off topic but thought i'd say it. Going to compare them, obviously keep the victor, but even if its rMB I might end up keeping zenbook for that cheap.

oh technology, I was researching a cheap entry level computer thats fanless and matched in specs, I came across that coincidentally.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was briefly interested about this Asus laptop too. Mainly because of the price. But here are some things to look at and consider.

-Asus ux305 is thinner than rMB if you compare them from the thickest point. rMB is actually thinner overall since it's wedge shaped and therefore it's only 3,5mm thick from the other end of the laptop. Asus ux305 is pretty much 12mm thick all around.

-Asus ux305 is heavier than rMB.

-Asus ux305 at that price point has inferior screen. And I mean it. Retina screens are all leaps and bounds ahead of regular 1080p laptop screen. Thats just pure fact.

-rMB's build quality is better. MacBooks use proper unibody structure which makes them more rigid compared to most competitors.

-rMB has A LOT better trackpad. You know it. And I'm pretty sure it also has better keyboard.

-And most likely... rMB will have better battery life in real world usage.

-rMB is also more beautiful. Thought this is subjective.

After I realized all this I thought that price point of rMB is actually pretty reasonable compared to competition. Just my two cents.
 
Ended up getting it for 529 and tax!

It should be a good hold over before skylake
 
This really is tempting. I'm just not sure about Windows.
I was considering a retina MacBook Pro but this machine is half the price and only 2.5 pounds. Thanks for the info.
 
ssl0408 said:
This really is tempting. I'm just not sure about Windows.
I was considering a retina MacBook Pro but this machine is half the price and only 2.5 pounds. Thanks for the info.
Click to expand...

I tried ordering online but it will only allow me to use one of the discounts! I called Microsoft and they said that I have to pick which one I want to use.
 
agreed those should be specs of MBAir at this point.

And weird edu and $100 don't stack, I always thought they did never tried though. Just got a price adjustment from support. ymmv very much.

$600 is still a good deal though in my opinion
 
mine just arrived. great build, oh man! I had zero expectations despite being giddy from what I've read, but it is a quality feeling machine in my opinion

excited to give it some test driving this weekend :D
 
thadoggfather said:
but its making me re-evaluate if it's worth the apple tax.
Click to expand...
I'm in that boat right now, I was leaning towards getting a retina iMac this fall, but at 2,500, the cost is excessive compared to other AIO computers, though the screen is gorgeous and no other maker has it.

Looks like the Asus Zenbook UX305 is a Core M based machine, looks really nice Tbh. The price is a little more palatable and you get 2 USB 3 ports.

Its a tough decision, give up OS X (which is not perfect but is a great OS), pay extra for the rMB or get something like this which has similar specs for a fraction that apple charges but runs windows.

I'm looking forward to seeing what your thoughts are after using it for a while.
 
maflynn said:
I'm in that boat right now, I was leaning towards getting a retina iMac this fall, but at 2,500, the cost is excessive compared to other AIO computers, though the screen is gorgeous and no other maker has it.

Looks like the Asus Zenbook UX305 is a Core M based machine, looks really nice Tbh. The price is a little more palatable and you get 2 USB 3 ports.

Its a tough decision, give up OS X (which is not perfect but is a great OS), pay extra for the rMB or get something like this which has similar specs for a fraction that apple charges but runs windows.

I'm looking forward to seeing what your thoughts are after using it for a while.
Click to expand...

it actually has **three** USB 3 ports :D

Sad that it trumps 15" rMBP on that one, even though you can expand out with thunderbolt of course or a usb 3 hub. means apple should step their port game up.

You still have a nice 15" rMBP though, right?

What I kinda wish I did was get a 13" rMBP back in 2013 when Haswell was first dropped in them. That'd have been a good run, assuming I didn't come across reflective coating wear off issues since Haswell has been used for a bit and Broadwell is just a refined Haswell.

Getting a 13" rMBP now seems somewhat weird after using a 13" Air for a while and like they could update the design with the writing on the wall after the retina macbook design, and while I love the 12" rMB and miss it already in some ways, just wondering if it would burn me in the end (metaphorically) being one port and a first gen, neutered apple product more than the usual.

This might end up being a good holdover before the decision becomes clearer over time.

Windows 8.1 is undoubtedly not as smooth as Yosemite, even Yosemite having some little bugs and quirks.

However, I just browse the web and do really basic things when I'm not staring at a computer all day at work so it might make sense for now.

the build of this machine is shocking for the price, same with the ease of use and good feel to move the hinge
 
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just before I loaded windows 10 test preview:

e9iHhpJ.jpg


not too shabby
 
Wait, you got rid of the rMB and got a windows machine?

You're right. You are crazy.
 
OS X has many merits over windows, so does rMB and such but again, I'm just wondering if I should wait it out for a while considering 13" rMBP has been spoiled by rMB for me, and I wonder if I'm better off with 2nd gen of rMB as much as I did enjoy my time with the first.

But if I find myself longing for it sooner, I'll trade up. MS has 30 day return policy, and I'm sure I could source a SG rMB again if need be.

in other words, I will live.

its an experiment of sorts. My needs are so incredibly light too it wouldn't be the most painful wait at all I'd imagine.
 
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