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Michael Alford

Maximum PC Member Since: July 4, 2008
Total Posted Comments: 1 Comments on 1 Articles

IT/Networking expert and Cable TV/Internet/Phone installer

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ReviewsThere is no reason... on
Asus F8Sn

Posted 08/20/2008 at 01:50:14pm

You guys were imo entirely too harsh on the f8sn. While I might can see it falling short when compared to the other laptops in light of the fact that it might not be as well-rounded, this is definitely a useful and versitile laptop. After reading your review at just the time I was shopping for a new laptop, I was definitely leaning towards gettting the travelmate. But then I thought, "if my 2-year-old HP laptop is adequate for all my needs EXCEPT GAMING, why wouldn't a state-of-the-art Asus be at least as good? So I began to search the web for other opinions on the f8sn and found that the chief complaint was the battery life, which was still better than that of my HP.

(The following compares my f8sn to my previous 2 laptops; I cannot compare it to the other models reviewed.)

The layout of all of the ports, etc on the f8sn is perfect and well thought out. The power cord, for instance, comes out of the back, meaning i can place it in the case without having to unplug it. Yet the cord has a right-angle plug, meaning it only barely pokes at and therfore doesn't get snagged on stuff behind the notebook. The dvd tray opens on the left, making it possible to eject and load a new cd if it is laying in the passenger seat. USB ports are on each side and the rear, keeping cord arrangements convenient no matter how you place it. My previous 2 laptops both retardedly had speaker and microphone ports on the front. The f8sn places them on the left side. The only awkard placements are the Ethernet input, which is sort-of recessed in the back making it very difficult to unplug, and the speakers, which don't go loud enough anyway, are on the front bottom lip, which further muffles them if you lay the notebook on anything soft (like a passenger seat.) Don't expect to be able to hear the speakers in a moving car. On the other hand, the screen is much brighter and crisper than my older laptops, and is relatively easy to see in daylight, but I do wish the screen wasn't glossy; I could do without the glare. I do have to ask what ever happened to the PC Card; This and my old HP both omit a PC Card slot, though they do have Express Card slots. This really had me at a loss when I got the HP; now I have gotten used to it so it doesn't bother me in the Asus.

I think it should be noted that upon comparing prices I found that the Acer Travelmate you reviewed was more expensive than the Asus f8sn, even though they were priced the other way around according to your article. In fact, I was able to get a better model of the f8sn, the f8sn-b1 (you reviewed the -d1) with the 2.1GHz processor for less than the travelmate 5720 with it's 2.2GHz proc. I figured this with help close the gap since you guys criticized the performance of the 1.83GHz proc in the version you reviewed.

I have to say the computer has performed far better than you implied. The battery will keep the laptop going for 2&1/2 hours of playing an older game, AvP2. (the only thing I have done that ran the battery out so far) If it will play a game for over two hours, I am SURE it can make it through a 90-120 minute movie. Just what does your battery-rundown test consist of that you thought it wouldn't make it through a movie?

Also, I think they took your criticism to heart about the location of the Fn key, because the Ctrl key is on the outside now with the Fn key between it and the Windows key, in a location that desktop users like us can get used to alot easier than with the Fn key on the outside. (That is the problem with that particular layout, mr thinkpad user; desktop users who are used to NO Fn key keep hitting it by accident when we first start using thinkpads. I am willing to guess you either rarely used to Ctrl key before getting your Lenovo or else that Lenovo or a similar laptop was your first computer and therefore you got used to the layout from the beginning.) I still think it is a dumb location for the Fn key, though; I would put the Fn key around the top middle, maybe above the F7 key, so that you can use it one-handed. When I have to use my laptop on the phone or driving I absolutely hate having to find a way to free up both hands to turn off NUMLOCK or adjust the volume (as that is assigned to Fn+F12 on the f8sn.)

To close my review, I would like to say that this notebook should've gotten at least a 7; it is probably unfortunate that Asus sent you the 1.83Mhz model to review. At the very least I think you should revise the final statement of your review or omit it completely. The f8sn is a perfect fit at least for this IT professional, for whom it is more than adequate for my job and then as a bonus it is great for gaming, yet at an affordable price!

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