Great computer. Runs 'Real Flight' very well
927292
Easy setup, great look, very functional and quiet. Took only a few minutes to setup and get going.
I would highly recommend to anyone except avid gamers, although it does run Real Flight very well.
2196560
Seems like a good computer - just received it.  However, be forewarned that the specs say that the computer has a DVDRW and it does not.  I wish you could believe the specs as published, but you just can't.  I'll follow up with my review when I have had time to use the computer for awhile.

Wanted to follow up and say I love this computer. I originally ordered the 15.6 inch, but they sent me a rebuilt computer instead of a new one so I returned it. I decided to order the 14" when I reordered and I absolutely love it. However, there are some differences between the two sizes - there is no built-in DVD burner and the keypad on the 14" doesn't have a number pad like the larger unit.  But the 14" is much easier to move around. For $26 I bought a plug in DVD burner, so that's really no big deal. Windows 8 takes some getting used to, but it's really great for using the touch screen. Computer boots up in a flash and is very fast. Love the high res. screen. I think it's a great buy for the price.
4518006
Computer works great. I thoroughly researched before buying. I am a graphic designer who also works full time at a different job. My other job affords me a lot of free time so I use this while at work to do my graphic design. This has quickly replaced my primary desktop PC. It handles the Creative Suite programs with ease. The only think I wasn't aware of was the learning curve to use the mousepad. My last laptop was from 2007 and had actual buttons. However, after just a day or so I got used to it and now wouldn't have it any other way. Everything works great and it is very snappy. I am able to use a padded manilla envelop as my carrying case. Very pleased with this purchase.

EDIT 3 YEARS LATER: I am still using this laptop as my daily driver. Surprisingly  I have dropped it several times, I have accidentally flung it across the floor at the train station, I have spilt small amounts of liquid on it, kicked cables out of it, and had the hard drive full for just about the last two years. It still works great, but I definitely underestimated how often I would use large files. Plus after accidentally kicking the thunderbolt drive out for the hundredth time it stopped working and I have yet to buy another external drive.  I would give this laptop six stars for how well it has lasted. However, it is becoming dated now. Honestly I think there are many windows laptops now are ahead of apple in terms of what features are offered at what prices (at least for independent designers). I expect this laptop to last til Q4 at which point I will probably purchase a touch screen convertible laptop that will be better for presenting artwork to my clients. Definitely a great purchase though and if you are looking for something simple to give to teenagers for surfing the web and writing reports this will still be a great laptop for another 4 or 5 years.
2021255
This is a very good computer for the price. There have been several negative reviews from people who were unhappy with Windows 8, but it is worth noting that this includes the free upgrade to Windows 8.1 which restores some of the functionality of Win7 including the return of the start button and the ability to boot straight to desktop (allowing the user to pretty much ignore the "tiles" completely if they wish). Personally, I like Win 8. Either way, ASUS should not be reviewed negatively because some folks are unhappy with a Microsoft product.

As for the computer itself, it seems to be well built and quite sturdy. The keyboard is responsive and the included number pad is a definite plus. The number pad is a bit compressed, but that is to be expected in a 15.6" laptop and it is still easy enough to use. There was a bit of a learning curve for me with the trackpad, but once I became familiar with the gesture support, there were no problems adjusting to it. It is responsive and the gestures all do what they are supposed to do.

The computer comes with 6 gigs of ram total comprised of a 4gb card and a 2gb card. The ram is easily accessible and I immediately replaced the 2gb card with a 4gb card (1600MHz DDR3 SODIMM style, available on Amazon from a few different manufacturers for around $40), bringing the total to 8 gigs.

As far as software, I immediately uninstalled the free McAfee antivirus software (as Win8 includes a security suite anyway), the free trial of Office, and a couple of the ASUS programs including the Instant On and battery saving programs. This does not seem to have made a bit of difference in performance as the computer still wakes from sleep in less than a second and the power options can be configured through Windows.

One strange glitch that I had (not sure if this is common) was that the hard drive was partitioned oddly. Basically the 750Gb hard drive was split in half with about 350Gb each for a C: drive for the OS and a D: drive for general use. All of the programs seemed to be installing to the C: drive anyway, so I deleted the D: drive through the Windows Disk Management utility and added the extra space to the C: drive. It was not difficult to do, but it was a strange configuration for a new laptop.

The performance of this laptop is very admirable for the cost. I have had no lag on any programs, even when multiple windows are opened at once. For gaming, I have been able to play several games at medium or high settings with pretty good frames per second. I have so far tried Skyrim, Half-Life 2, COD Black Ops 2, Batman Arkham Origins, and all of them ran MUCH better than I would have expected on a computer in this price range.

One last note... The computer comes with a little booklet in the box that allows you to register (for free) for one year of accidental damage coverage. Meaning if you drop it or spill something on it or whatever, ASUS will fix or replace it at no cost. Registration was quick and easy (it must be done within 60 days of purchase). This is a service that most retailers would charge a decent amount of money for, so to me that is a significant added value when purchased from Amazon.

Bottom line, despite a few set up issues and a bit of extra software to delete, this is a very solid computer and will most likely be able to handle my computing needs for the next few years at least. Highly recommend.
2888770
PROS:
I got this computer around christmas of 2008 and it has run pretty darn steady ever since. This machine is very capable, I've been able to get it to run a variety of programs old and new, Try out different Linux Distros, and play a variety of games from AOE to Minecraft, All with very few problems.

-Great Compatibility
-Good Performance
-Very stable aside from 2 issues (Which can be fixed without having to spend a lot)

CONS:
 I, Like others have mentioned, also had run across the annoying blank screen problem as well, However this seemed to be remedied by an update to the Bios. I also experienced bad overheating problems, but I have cleaned the fan and this seemed to go away

-Structure is a bit flimsy, USB ports can become wiggly and not get as tight a connection at times. Volume can become weak and not work well
-Blank screening problem needs to be addressed with BIOS update
3025450
The first thing I did was to set this Asus U32U up with Unbuntu Linux. I also added another 4 GB of RAM. Everything worked perfectly in Ubuntu right out of the box except the suspend function, but I think there is a workaround for that. It is a solid machine, and you can see the attention to detail in the finish. The keyboard is well-laid out and has the right touch. The screen is very bright and vivid, though the viewing angle is somewhat limited. Streaming audio and video run smoothly. AMD obviously has done a good job designing and integrating the graphics processor so you are getting the most out of the E-450.
Power management is excellent. It runs very cool and quiet - just getting barely warm on the bottom. I had it on the battery for six hours yesterday and didn't have to recharge. So I'd say for the price this is an excellent choice. I plan to use it at school and for a small business I have.
1851985
This is a great computer. While others users have had issues with the wifi, this is easily corrected in the settings. Much like a tablet or iPad, this unit boots up immediately so the is no delay in getting this unti from sleep mode to up in running. Love the flash hard drive, that keeps all my work even if not saved. Large screen, ultra thin, and next to no weight. Great computer that is worth the money. Probaby going to buy my wife one as well. I would recommend this computer to all.
1831316
Overall great computer.  Screen is bright sharp and clear.  Speed great - i use for some graphics work and it is fine with Adobe PS CC, Lr CC, Br CC  - i have had all three open at same time and it performs well.

ONLY issues:
USB3 ports on side is a pain - i like on back out of the way and out of site when I am working on a desk
in fact all of the connections should/could be on back.  the HDMI and ethernet and USB ports are on the front sides which is very awkward.

ALSo - Key board is CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP .  I get keys sticking fairly regularly and i am always waiting for one to pop out.  I use seperat Dell keyboard now and it is MUCH better.  if you are docking most of the tim e and using a real keyboard this is not an issue.
1246315
This is solid machine, very good specs, including a dedicated video card (NVIDIA GeForce GT 620) and sufficient memory to handle everything I need it for (Office 2010, Photoshop and Illustrator 5). the Wifi seems to be very fast and responsive.
It does not have bluetooth, but that is not a dealbreaker.
The hard-drive is 2TB which can hold a lot of data and it spins a 7200 RPM which is a plus.

As other people have stated Windows 8 seems to be a piece of work; it seems that Microsoft focuses on looks rather than usability of their products, Windws 8 looks great, but it becomes useless whenever you have to actually use it for work; the Start button is gone, and once you click on the "Apps" button for lets say the weather, it fills the whole screen, great, now how you get out of it? the escape key does not work, I had to do an Alt+tab to actually switch to another App when i just wanted to close the current app/program.
There is the "Classic Shell App" that can solve many issues with Windows 8, including customize Start menu and also adds look and feel of Windows 7".
[...]
25318
I enjoy this computer as much as my MacBook Air! It boots fast and renders web pages quickly. I'm adding a memory card since the hard drive is small, so out of the box you couldn't store photos etc. But 99% of my computer time is browsing and Facebook and this computer is perfect. I haven't had to remove crapware as the computer is adequately fast as configured. The free year of Office 365 is a bonus. This is not designed to be your primary computer but is a great sofa companion while you watch TV.

Note that you have to log in with a Microsoft ID to use this version of Windows, but I use Hotmail so this isn't a problem.
4509724
I do a lot of graphics work in Adobe. I needed something that would render videos quickly and run quite a few applications at the same time. Great computer. It works better than I expected. Was easy to set up. Using with my Dell 27" 4K monitor and I am very impressed.  I also appreciated how quiet the unit is. The liquid cooling really works great and no noisy fans.
3999169
I'm very happy with my 1000h. I'd been looking for a new laptop, something a little smaller and more portable than my aging Compaq that weights in at about 9 lbs with the battery. After reading way too many reviews for netbooks, it came down to a choice between the Asus 1000h or the MSI Wind. I decided to go with the Asus 1000h with the 160GB hard drive, just because I've never had any problems with Asus motherboards.

First off, this is a slick looking machine. It doesn't really matter to me what my computer looks like, but this is an eye catching device - shiny and svelte. As others have mentioned, however, it is a fingerprint magnet. The 1024x600 screen is sharp and clear, and is very visible even from side angles.

Performance-wise, I'm reasonably impressed with this. With the 1.6 Ghz Atom, it is not super-powered beast, but it's run just about everything I've thrown at it so far. It comes with Windows XP, which runs very fast on it. It runs Office fine, decent Photoshop performance, great at web surfing and internet video. It's been great for every day computer tasks. This is the first computer I've ever bought where game-playing wasn't one of the top priorities. I have a decent desktop for that. That said, it is a more capable gaming machine than I would have thought, considering the integrated graphics. It plays older games quite well, including Diablo II, Jedi Knight II, Unreal Tournament 1, and it even runs Halo fairly well (with lower end settings).

Wireless performance is good, thought I haven't tried it out on a Wireless N router yet. Haven't used the webcam much yet but it seems pretty decent, though perhaps a little grainy. Plenty of USB ports, and it works great with a bluetooth mouse. The touchpad is a little sensitive, and the buttons are a bit stiff, but I've already gotten used to it. As others have said, the right shift position is a little awkward, but I mostly use the left so I haven't really noticed. Otherwise keyboard is great - very close to full size and easy to use, even with my gigantic hands.

The real selling point for me on this one was the portability, and 3.2 lbs with 5-7 hour battery life is about as good as it gets. It seems solidly built, but it's not ruggedized or anything. I replaced the neoprene sleeve that it came with with a bit thicker case, the Caselogic LNEO-10, which fits in my messenger bag no problem.

This is a great portable computer but I wouldn't use it as my only machine. Storage is good (160Gb), but not really enough if you have a lot of music or videos. And the lack of an optical drive is great for saving weight, but not really practical if it's your only computer.

In terms of price to performance ratio, this machine is flat out AMAZING! Perfect for students or anyone who needs a very lightwieght laptop and doesn't have tons of cash to spend.
1572100
Pros:

- fast Fast FAST!  For the price, its really hard to beat the specs of this machine.  The i7's and the factory 8 gigs of ram make this machine a screamer.
- Build quality is excellent.  I cant find any build defects whatsoever.
- Keyboard is quite nice to use and is good quality.  Keys aren't exaclty what i would consider high quality, but for a laptop I have no complaints
- Large multi-touch trackpad.  Having multi-touch in Windows 8 makes for a MUCH better experience than a standard trackpad.
- GTX670MX is an excellent GFX card.  It should run most modern games for you, although some will be need to be tuned down a bit. I played the demo of Mass Effect 3 and it looked brilliant.  Also, being Kepler based it stay much cooler and saves on energy than some of its counterparts.
- Excellent ventilation.  I play SWTOR for hours on end (not the most demanding game) and it barely warms up.  Laptop stays cool to the touch and very little heat coming from the exhaust.
- Dual Hard Drive SATAIII bays.  It comes standard with a 1TB 5400rpm Hard drive, but its nice to have the spare slot for additional storage/SSD boot drive.

Cons:

- Size.  This isn't really a con to me but I thought I would list it for potential buyers.  This is no small laptop.  I use this as more of a desktop replacement so it works well for me.  If you plan on traveling a lot I would probably something smaller and lighter.
- Standard 1TB 5400rpm Hard Drive.  To me this is an odd choice by ASUS.  A very high performing machine hindered by a slow drive.  Do yourself a favor and replace it with an SSD and move this drive to the 2nd bay for storage.
 - No blu-ray drive.  This isn't really a con for me but I thought I would list it.  You really wouldn't want to be toting this thing around watching movies anyway
- No OS discs included.  Why is this becoming so rare?  If you want to re-install Windows 8 to a different drive you'll have to order an OS disc from ASUS or find someone with a Windows 8 disc (Key is stored on the motherboard so it will auto detect for you)

Wrap Up:

All in all this is an excellent laptop.  It performs very well out of the box.  If you want to make this thing even better for a little extra cash, replace the standard 1TB 5400rpm with a SSD and move the 1tb to the other bay.  Re-install windows to the SSD and this machine boots in less than 8 seconds.  Also to future proof a bit (or for bragging rights), install 2 x 4gb ram sticks in the 2 open slots on the bottom of the computer to 16 gigs total.  As of today, you can get a 64Gb SSD for about 80 bucks and 2x4GB Ram for about 60.

Feel free to comment with questions!
3983534
This computer replaced my wife's 2008 unibody Macbook.  That computer never needed repair, and the only changes we made to it were a replacement of 5400-rpm HD with a 256 GB Samsung 830 SSD and the battery, both last year.  The SSD in the older 2 GHz CoreDuo made a substantial difference in overall speed, but we decided to sell it off this year and get her a brand new Air.

We're both very glad we did.

PRO's:
--Freakishly lightweight
--Typical (read: excellent) Apple build quality
--Apple-branded SSD means Power Nap works; nice to have Time Machine backups run even if she's closed the lid
--The 1.8 GHz i5 CPU is nice, without the heat of an i7
--Glad to see integrated Intel HD4000 graphics offer excellent performance for everyday computing (was a bit concerned about that prior to purchase)
--Screen is less affected by glare than the glassy, glossy 2008 unibody display
--Battery life is excellent
--Runs OS X :)

CON's:
--Well, yes, it's pricier than a crappy and unusable Windows 8 laptop...  but it's not horribly more expensive when more accurately compared to Windows 8 "Ultrabooks" of similar screen size and battery life
--Being an Air, lacks an integrated optical CD/DVD drive; not an issue for most (or us)
--Default shipping configuration includes only 4GB RAM--and can *not* be upgraded
--Screen bezel is not black, but of the same aluminum used in the construction of the rest of the chassis.  Doesn't sound like a big deal except it's a bit jarring at first--at least it's taken a while for my wife's eyes to adjust...

BOTTOM LINE:
--Very glad we upgraded my wife's 2008 unibody to this new 13" Air.  Plenty of storage space, and the i5 CPU runs all her applications with ease.  No issues whatsoever with Office 2011, Firefox w/many open tabs, and VMware Fusion 5 running a Win7 VM.
--Take note that this MBA utilizes the newer "Magsafe 2" power connector; thankfully, adapters to allow older Magsafe1 power adapters are inexpensive and easy to connect, so it's really a non-issue.
--System and battery performance is excellent.

A great laptop overall.  Sometimes you really do get what you pay for.
1513834
This is a wonderfully fast computer in the sub 500 dollar range.  Setup was fast and easy. I was very happy to find slots for an additional hard drive and a PCIE graphics card!  This computer does have HDMI capability with a built in Radeon graphics card, but I chose to buy a separate AMD Radeon R7 200 graphics card that would spare my RAM from having to be used to run graphics on the built in card.  Overall this is a very fast computer and it's capable AMD a8 processor should be more than enough for the computing needs of most users
4180195
This is a review of the ASUS UN42-M019Y desktop mini-computer. FYI, I bought this at Fry's.

Short version:
This is an excellent general use computer, if you don't need lots of storage space.

Long version:
I was a bit hesitant to buy this computer since it has a low-end processor, but it's fine for surfing, playing 1080 videos and streaming music. I was also surprised that 2 gb of RAM was enough, as long as you don't open to many tabs in your browser. I've had 2 browsers open with multiple tabs, and it ran fine. Besides peppy performance, the computer has a quality feel to it and is relatively stylish. It's the size of a chrome box, very small.

What's in the box:
Computer, AC adapter, keyboard, mouse & 3 pamphlets (User Manual, Quick Start Guide, Warranty Card). The AC adapter is about 1/3 the size of the computer and has a folding prong.

Although the computer is fully upgradeable (RAM, mSATA, Wifi/Bluetooth), page 29 of the User Manual states: "No Disassembly, the warranty does not apply to the products that have been disassembled by users". I assume that you void the warranty when you upgrade. Run the computer for 48-72 hours before you upgrade, just to make sure the components don't fail.

When you first turn the computer on, you only have 11.6 gb of storage to use. After installing 2 browsers, it dropped to 9.25 gb. After updating windows, the remaining available space is 6.05 gb. Besides upgrading the mSATA drive for more space, you can use a flash drive or SD memory card for additional storage space. Using an inline meter, the computer uses 4-13 watts of power.

I tested this computer (2gb / 32gb) vs. the HP Pavilion Mini 300-020 (8gb / 500gb - 7200 rpm) by loading CNN's homepage using the same browser. To my surprise, the computers loaded the web page roughly at the same time. I thought that the ASUS with its mSATA drive would beat a 500gb hard drive. The processor on the HP is better than the one on the ASUS, maybe that has something to do with it, not to mention the extra RAM on the HP. FYI, I'm very happy with the HP Pavilion Mini, it's also very peppy and expandable, and a steal at $250 if you can get one.

Pros:
Peppy performance
Small
All the ports you need, well placed.
Quiet fan
Runs cool
VESA mount capable
Good User Manual & documentation
Runs 2 monitors

Cons:
VESA mount not included
Sound is a bit flat from earphone jack
Kensington lock slot could have been placed better
Not much storage space on drive
A bit heavy
Might find a better value for $200
4359551
Nice computer. Beautiful, quiet, runs cool although I don't really push it. Runs fast for my tasks (Word, Outlook, Chrome). Not really a fan of Windows 8 but I use desktop mode almost exclusively. Fairly heavy for the size but not a con in my opinion. Glossy screen is annoying. Definitely recommend for the price point.