Just bought ASUS A42JE-VX244 for RM1539 + 2GB DDR3 RM95 = RM1620 (slight discount from RM1634). Just install Windows 7 Pro x64 and installing some apps. The keyboard is much nicer to type and to look at than k40AB laptop

A42J series do have crap speakers just like k40AB, but I have a fix.

Open up Windows Control Panel > Sound > Speaker properties > Equalizer. Set the 2k value to its lowest, and higher frequency to higher and lower to slightly higher except for two lowest bar like so:



If any of you guys need a review of A42JE-VX244 just tell me. Since there is a review of A42J series before, I don't think I need to do it anyway.

Harddisk temperature in A42JE is ridiculous, reaching 51C after gaming, that hotter than CPU! How you guys A42 series harddisk temperature? Monitored using HWMonitor, I don't know whether it wrong or not

Shoot! I didn't know it. Peaking at 53C hen playing GTA IV. Surprised this laptop could actually play GTA IV very well, even at native 1366x768 High details! No shadows though, any dab of shadows would ruin the framerate. But I reduced the resolution to 1280x720 to make it more playable. Overclocked the GPU to 850MHz core and 950MHz memory (200MHz faster than stock!)

The latest 400 BIOS they say would increase battery life further by reducing power consumption of the speaker, and it did. I watched two episodes of Top Gear (1 hour each) on it and still have 34% left with estimated 49 minutes of runtime. That is astonishing, considering it done with onboard speaker and Windows Aero on. Browsing time is 3+ hours as well. Only problem is, the GPU won't downclock to 2D speed when idle, which I have reported to ASUS about this problem.

Yep, I felt the 6-cell is pretty light, I bet they could fit another cell or two in it

Easy as 1 2 3. Download latest BIOS, put it in thumbdrive. Go to BIOS, and start EasyFlash, follow instruction

This post has been edited by Najmods: Dec 25 2010, 12:37 AM

Anyone knows where to buy matte screen protector? The reflection is killing me outdoors

Maybe you could buy this. I'm not keen to buy online so maybe I would go to Lowyat Plaza when I got time.

Do you guys remove the plastic and screen protector that comes with your brand new laptop?

I just rearrange the yellow tape so it won't block my view. All the protector is still on, maybe I removed it after 1 week, when the 1 to 1 exchange period is over.

I used keyboard protector as well, although I hate it because I can't feel the keyboard which I loved the most, both the look and the feel of it. If there is a backlit version of it I'll buy it.

So far I love A42Je. Performance is great, the GPU is very overclockable especially the memory, and long battery life as well. Sad that its harddisk is running hot.

Yeah why not? But the problem is the price and the size. If you don't care about that I suggest you go for it.

In theory yes the SSD could reduce power consumption but I don't know whether it will be significant or not

Sorry but I can't help with switchable graphics thing because A42Je only have one GPU, HD 5470

I think that's possible. But you could always Google for it if you not so sure

Of course!

Programs like HWMonitor, Everest could detect your harddrive, but even device manager could tell you what is the model number

Breaking news: I disassemble my A42Je laptop looking for PLL chip for over/underclocking and alarmingly the chipset doesn't have any cooler attached to it!

There is metal frame close to it but with no thermal interface material between them its useless. So I put a small thermal pad on it so at least it could transfer heat to the metal frame (its behind the keyboard actually) and surprisingly my harddrive is a lot cooler. Weird. I could put it on my lap and feel little heat

I don't take pics when I opening it just now because I just looking for PLL chips and find this problem. Maybe next time when I cleaning the HSF or something

If anyone wanted to disassemble their A42J I could give some directions. At first I thought it would be difficult but its really not

Nope, HWMonitor say it between 2-4C cooler than before. It was 47C before, now its 45C. After GTA IV it loads at 51 from 53 before. Or maybe that could be because I did this at night

Updated: The downside is the left side palm area is slightly warm now, just slightly. HM55 TDP is mere 3.5W

This post has been edited by Najmods: Dec 28 2010, 02:39 AM

I don't use notebook cooler, and put it on top of motherboard box all the time. I don't think program would affect temperature unless its put big strains like games or benchmarking programs. Smaller programs won't tax harddrive so much

Idle CPU 43-46C GPU 52-55C. Load CPU 69C GPU 75C after playing GTA IV with GPU overclocked 840MHz core 930MHz memory

Its warez stuff so we cant talk about it, and yes its 13.9GB, which is 2 DVD. Patched it to 1.0.7.0 and performs well. I get around 25fps on average. Wish I could overclocked it.

Someone here buy the newer setfsb? I wanted the new PLL that don't include in freeware version

Its recommended to uninstall old driver first before updating to latest one. If there is problem, remove the problematic one and install old version back. It shouldn't have any problem

A42J disassembly guide

Before doing anything, get a small head Philips screwdriver, a small nailclipper, and short plastic ruler. Make sure you have ample space to do your work and make sure you know which screw goes where because not all are the same size. So better put the screw on its segment and position.

First turn off your laptop (duh), disconnect power cord if it runs on adapter, close the lid, turn your laptop upside down and remove batteries if you put the batteries on. Unscrew both the access panels, RAM and HDD pictured below. Two screw on each.



Next look on optical disk drive (ODD) side, there are three screw pictured below, unscrew it and you could slide the optical drive out.



Underneath the ODD there is three small screw, pictured below. Unscrew it as well.



Now we focus on harddrive section, there is 4 screw (colored red) holding the HDD bracket pictured below. Unscrew it and you could slide the drive out to the right and remove it. There is also two case screw (colored orange), unscrew that as well



You should have 24 screw; 2x RAM cover, 2x HDD cover, 4x HDD bracket, 3x ODD bracket, and 13x case screw.
Now turn laptop upright again, open the lid and now we going to remove the keyboard. Get ready your plastic ruler. You could use anything but I strongly suggest you follow mine because if you use metal the plastic lip holding the keyboadr could break because its VERY VERY delicate and broke off easily. There is 4 tabs holding the keyboard, on top of ESC key, F5 key, between F10 and F11 and Delete key.

Gently push the ruler in, and push the tab inside to the case(the OPPOSITE of what pictured below) and slowly lift the keyboard up exactly like pictured below. If it won't go DON'T FORCE IT! Do again to remove the tab holding the keyboard. It should come out easily. My recommendation: Do it from left to right and put something to hold it up when you lift the tab so it won't lock back into place when you move to the next tab



When all the tabs are out, gently lift the keyboard 45 degree but be careful because there is keyboard ribbon underneath. There should be a yellow sticker covering the keyboard ribbon tab. Remove it and push out the tab pictured below. Do one side and then do the other. Pull the ribbon out gently via the blue plastic tab on the ribbon and your keyboard is free



Before getting excited removing the screw, do the same on touchpad ribbon underneath.



Now you could remove the screw pictured below. Make sure you don't mix the screw together because this is different and there is two longer screw (colored orange) as well. The yellow circle is where the chipset is



Done that and now lets focus on laptop hinge. There is a small hole on both side of the hinge, this is where you start to remove the front case. Put the end of the nail clipper (NOT the sharp part, look at blunt side) pictured below. Push it and lift it up. When it start to lift use your nail from opposite side (circled orange) to remove the case. My tip: Remove one side first and move to the other, preferably right. Gently but firmly remove it. It should make scary sound but don't worry because that is just the clip holding the upper part to the lower part



Unfortunately I had something else to do so on the laptop so I don't do full disassembly. Maybe next time. To assemble, do everything in reverse

This post has been edited by Najmods: Dec 29 2010, 09:49 PM