Decent processor, low screen resolution, potentially slow hard drive, enough RAM, has USB 3.0 (but only one port?) and doesn't look particularly flimsy. What is with that thing sticking out the back of it though? Really ugly design IMHO.

CPU Benchmark:
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i5-2430M+%40+2.40GHz

Just letting you guys know, refurbs are not covered in the Widows 8 $15 upgrade program... if you wanted go that route....

as much as I love ASUS (netbook and Transformer tablet), my next laptop WILL have
-backlit keyboard (for late night wooting)
-bluetooth (so I can use those woot bluetooth mouses/mices)
-more style than this one.

In general these seem to be priced a little higher than Woot! where they are still available, but it looks like an Amazon seller has one of these listed at $399.59 currently. It appears to be seller tested/certified not manufacturer refurbished, and since there's only one, someone will probably buy it and then that will be a moot point.

Other forums do report that Staples closed these out earlier this year at $589 new (with potential for also using a coupon to get to $560), and claim the Microsoft store sold them even cheaper at one point, as well as rumors of lower priced refurbs a couple months ago from another seller or two.

Overall seems like a fairly lukewarm deal unless looking for this particular model.

I can't make direct link to the model, but this will get you to the download tab of the support page (edit: where the manual and other stuff resides):
http://support.asus.com/Download.aspx?SLanguage=en&m=U56E&p=3&s=343

PCMag review:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2395705,00.asp

video reviews by owners--meh:




good night

MaimeDai[Goodnight, everybody!]u wrote:Just letting you guys know, refurbs are not covered in the Widows 8 $15 upgrade program... if you wanted go that route....

That's fine, since this isn't a tablet or a phone. I realize you can put 8 on traditional computers, but is it a good idea?

I'm more interested that there's no shipping to hawaii for this computer with the island style keyboard.

AutobahnSHO wrote:as much as I love ASUS (netbook and Transformer tablet), my next laptop WILL have
-backlit keyboard (for late night wooting)
-bluetooth (so I can use those woot bluetooth mouses/mices)
-more style than this one.

I'm almost positive it has bluetooth without mentioning it in the description.

whatsamattaU wrote:I can't make direct link to the model, but this will get you to the download tab of the support page:
http://support.asus.com/Download.aspx?SLanguage=en&m=U56E&p=3&s=343

PCMag review:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2395705,00.asp

video reviews by owners--meh:




good night

Thank you

Mine was new and not a refurb, but I bought this laptop for $530 a few months ago. I put Windows 8 on it (so that it wakes from sleep twice as fast) and it is the best laptop I've ever had. It is very fast, works exactly as expected, and never gives me any trouble. The battery life is amazing because of that bump on the bottom side (larger battery).

cliffgun1 wrote:I'm almost positive it has bluetooth without mentioning it in the description.

Various sites, such as CNET and Amazon state that this particular laptop has BlueTooth.

I have almost this exact computer (U56E BBL5), purchased at Best Buy (which I think accounts for the "BB" product number). Mine has only a 640 GB HD and 6 GB of RAM, but balance of specs are identical.

The good: it's fairly light, very quiet, runs cool. The battery life is amazing. Last week I brought this to a meeting and was on it all day (8:30-4:30) running Excel, with some internet in the background, and when I shut it down I still had over an hour of battery left on the indicator. My colleagues, using work-issued Lenovo laptops, were scrounging for power cords after hour 2. Boots fairly fast, having a number pad is nice, and I like the keyboard. Runs Photoshop CS5 and some educational development software that requires rendering video (Articulate Storyline) with ease. Wireless card locks into available networks easily and quickly. The cover is kind of a brushed steel blue/gray and is quite attractive, IMO - it's different. The rubbery hand rests turn out to be finger-print magnets, but they wipe clean very easily.

The bad: This computer is about a year old and it has developed an annoying feedback squeal in the speakers under certain conditions. If I have the volume turned up to a moderate level, and put my hands on the keyboard, it will shriek. (I wonder if it is scared of me?) Not always, but sometimes. It also makes that feedback noise when I close the lid. Again, not always, but frequently enough that I have gotten in the habit of leaving the speakers turned all the way down. EDIT: A tip from a fellow Wooter helped me track down a problem with the internal mic settings. Once tweaked - no more feedback. Yay!

I don't generally use the speakers, and I have never experienced this when headphones are connected. Through headphones, sound is fine and rich.

Except for the speaker issue, it's a great laptop and I love it. The bump-out for the battery isn't that noticeable in real life, and it makes a great handle for pulling it out of a case or backpack. It also, of course, raises the back end a bit and maybe that helps keep things cool.

Oh - confirming, there IS NO Bluetooth on this computer.

MaimeDai[Goodnight, everybody!]u wrote:Just letting you guys know, refurbs are not covered in the Widows 8 $15 upgrade program... if you wanted go that route....

Interesting.....I have had no problem registering my Dell Outlet machines for the upgrade....Seems they didn't even ask if it was refurbished or not, then but since I was registering multiple machines they did ask for the windows 7 product key off of one of them.

I got this computer new from Staples last winter for a little bit lower price. I find it to be a very good computer. It is fast and has an excellent battery life. I don't use it to game, but I run Photoshop and video editing on it and it keeps right up to my demands. I have docked it up to a AOC monitor (bought from Woot a few weeks back) a wireless keyboard and mouse, and it is a great little set-up.

MaimeDai[Goodnight, everybody!]u wrote:Just letting you guys know, refurbs are not covered in the Widows 8 $15 upgrade program... if you wanted go that route....

Not always true. The refurb HP Pavilion DV7-6B63US I bought during woot off back in August was accepted. Just double checked the offer and according to the windows upgrade site it is still approved. Results may vary, but worked for me.

AutobahnSHO wrote:as much as I love ASUS (netbook and Transformer tablet), my next laptop WILL have
-backlit keyboard (for late night wooting)
-bluetooth (so I can use those woot bluetooth mouses/mices)
-more style than this one.

so it'll be a mac?

I have purchased the previous ASUS refurb (Pentium G series) and woot admin edited my post on the upgrade to state that refurb PC is not covered. Out of curiosity, I went to the website and registered the laptop. Voila! Upgrade is approved.

I have no idea that it won't work on refurb laptop. Why wouldn't it? Unless the previous owner has registered it on the upgrade offer website, I see no reason why it should not work on a refurb set.

EDIT:
Back on the topic of today's tech.woot, I think the processor is very good on this laptop.

However, you should take note of the relatively low resolution on the screen (15.6" should come with higher res).

Change the drive to SSD or get a cradle to replace the optical drive. The speed will be very satisfying.

whatsamattaU wrote:I can't make direct link to the model, but this will get you to the download tab of the support page (edit: where the manual and other stuff resides):
http://support.asus.com/Download.aspx?SLanguage=en&m=U56E&p=3&s=343

PCMag review:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2395705,00.asp

video reviews by owners--meh:




good night

I was wondering something ? Why would anybody be doing a computer review NEXT to a kitchen sink ??? Hmmmm. Strange is all lol.

Pretty good laptop for school work or just goofing around. I have one of these but I didn't pay nearly as much for it,brand new.

ILGal wrote:
The bad: This computer is about a year old and it has developed an annoying feedback squeal in the speakers under certain conditions. If I have the volume turned up to a moderate level, and put my hands on the keyboard, it will shriek. (I wonder if it is scared of me?) Not always, but sometimes. It also makes that feedback noise when I close the lid. Again, not always, but frequently enough that I have gotten in the habit of leaving the speakers turned all the way down.

Sounds like the microphone is being played back by the speakers. Right-click your volume control on the taskbar, choose recording devices. If you have any active microphones listed there, double-click them, go to the 'listen' tab, and uncheck 'Listen to this device' and apply. I bet the feedback goes away...

Triosinal wrote:Sounds like the microphone is being played back by the speakers. Right-click your volume control on the taskbar, choose recording devices. If you have any active microphones listed there, double-click them, go to the 'listen' tab, and uncheck 'Listen to this device' and apply. I bet the feedback goes away...

Thanks for the idea. "listen..." was already unchecked, but I played around with the other settings in the dialog and found that if I dropped the Microphone Boost on the Levels tab down to +24.8 dB, the squeal disappeared. Thanks a bunch!