Asthestics:
G55VW has a understated appearance (carbon / charcoal / rubber like), which is not as bling bling as Alienware, and less prone to fingerprint.
Matte screen is good (personal taste).
Keyboard backlit not programable like Alienware or MSI GT (less wow factor)
The air vent at the back and the slope give it an aggressive profile.
Nice finishing all around.

Performance:
GPU is only GT660M. There are gaming laptop with more raw power, or laptop with same GPU but cheaper price

It's a good gaming laptop Just pray that you never need to deal with Asus Malaysia warranty

Man, I feel you RM4k can buy you lots of power in a desktop rig, but gaming laptop is expensive And most of the gaming laptop is over your budget Ok, let's list down some models that's nearer to the park:

Your initial target:
G55VW-S1216H, i7-3610QM +Nvidia GTX660M (2GB) + (1920x1080)@3999[3.78kg], 4GB, 1TB(5400rpm), W8

Lenovo 15"
Ideapad Y500, i7-3630QM + Nvidia GT650M@RM3799, 4GB, 500GB, W8; GN36 exGPU, 170W AC adapter
This baby give you 2 GT650M, one inside the case, the other in an ultrabay (where you normally find DVD drive, and can be swapped out), running in Nvidia SLI configuration. Read this thread for more info: http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2491914
It's hot off the oven, and from all the data we can gather, cooling profile is good, and the raw power is close to a GT670M (which is better than G55VW) or slightly more. But you need to deal with SLI and its usual caveat.

Ideapad Y580, i7-3630QM + Nvidia GTX660M + 1920x1080 @RM2999[JBL], 4GB, 500GB(5400rpm), W7HB/W8, backlit keyboard, 2 yrs warranty
Cheapest gaming laptop in the market. Exactly same spec like G55VW (not as nicely built). Heat up under load. But you can: buy a 256G SSD, swap in the SSD and put the HDD in caddy and swap that with ODD, buy more RAM, upgrade warranty to 3 year on site, buy anti-glare screen protector, buy a cooler pad, and you get a better spec machine, solve the heat problem, with good warranty support, and still left with money in your pocket.

MSI 15"
GE60, i7-3610QM + Nvidia GTX660M + (1920x1080; anti-glare) + Bluray@RM4199, 8GB, 1TB(7200rpm), W7HP, 2 years warranty, gaming mouse & backpack, Free SteelSeries QCK Mass mousepad
Same GPU as G55VW. Bluray. More RAM. Faster HDD. Keyboard (in my opinion) is better than G55VW. But it is in a slimmer body and heat up worse than G55VW.

Sager 15" here: http://www.illegear.com/
NP9130, i5-3210M + Nvidia GTX670M + (1920x1080)@RM4399, 8GB, 500GB(7200rpm), FreeDOS [CPU Options: i5-3210M - i7-3840QM][GPU options: GTX670MX][/color]
Stock configuration give you weaker CPU but better GPU. More RAM. Smaller but faster HDD. No OS, so you need to get your own copy. If you have money, you could spec it up (it is configurable, unlike laptop listed above), but not going to be cheap. The GTX670MX option is really something.
17"
NP6370, i5-3210M + Nvidia GTX660M + (1920x1080)@RM3099, 8GB, 500GB(7200rpm), freeDOS [CPU Options: i5-3210M - i7-3840QM]
Stock option give you weaker CPU. Same GPU. More RAM. Smaller but faster HDD. No OS. FHD in 17" is nice. But more heavy obviously.

And that's about it. Anything more powerful, you are staring at RM5k and above.

Pretty much these:
14"
A45VS-VX026H, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT645M@RM2199[2.4kg], 2GB, 500GB, W8
K46CM-WX090H, i5-3317U + Nvidia GT635M@RM2199[2kg], 2GB, 500GB, W8, OD
15"
S56CM-XX090H i5-3317U + Nvidia GT635M + 24GB mSATA + 500GB@RM2199[2.3kg], 2GB, W8; color: black

K46CM battery hour depends on usage. If the GPU don't kick in, you could look at more than 3 hours (watch DVD etc). If you game on battery power, 1 hour if you are lucky

I understand that the A45 with 645M is the latest spec. The online shop that you check may be selling old stocks.

Which one is more important? Gaming - A45, Mobility - K46 (only by 400g though )

Check with devour (PM him).
Disclaimer: I am not related to the seller and this is not an endorsement of the seller services.

Please refer to latest Asus pricelist here:
http://event.asus.com/my/2012/productguide...er_December.pdf

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Added on December 1, 2012, 8:24 amUtter nonsense. Do you realise the i5 ULV is more expensive than the i5 M processor (one of the reason why ultrabook is more expensive than normal laptop). More expensive not because it run faster, but because it could be run at much lower voltage, and not all the chips coming off oven can pull it off.
3210M is running at 35W at 2.5GHz normal. When Turbo kick in (CPU under load), it go up to 3.1GHz.
3317U on the other hand, is running at 17W at 1.7GHz normal. When Turbo kick in, it go up to 2.6GHz.
So if you looking at top speed, 3210M win. But 3317U is running off 50% the power requirement (not so directly translated to real world performance since CPU only represent part of laptop total power consumption)
More over, 3317U can go down to 14W when idle.

I will take the best 2nd gen i3, i3-2370M as comparison. It run at 35W at 2.4GHz, and no Turbo available.

And the IGPU HD4000 in i5-3317U is so much better than the HD 3000 in i3-2370M.

Yes, BF3 at HD resolution is playable in K46CM. But being skinny, it don't dissipate heat that well, you better get good external cooling solution to prolong the life of laptop

This post has been edited by nexus2238: Dec 1 2012, 08:28 AM

I wonder you or the machine will break down first

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Added on December 1, 2012, 4:14 pmMake sure you look at S56CM in real life and ok with the build quality before making the commitment

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Added on December 1, 2012, 4:26 pmAsus 11.6"
VivoBook X200E-CT009H, i3-3217U + Intel UMA + (1366x768; touch)@RM1599[1.4kg], 4GB, 500GB, W8

Everything you want. Thin, light, W8, touch screen, sweet price

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Added on December 1, 2012, 4:40 pmXPS13, i5-3317U + Intel HD4000 + 128GB SSD@RM3299[1.36kg], 4GB, W8, backlit
Envy4-1043TX/1053TX, i5-3317U + AMD HD7670M + [32GB mSATA + 500GB(5400rpm)]@RM2599[Beats][1.75kg], 4GB, W7HP
UX31A-R4005H, i5-3317U + Intel HD4000 + 128GB SSD + (1920 x 1080)@RM3499[1.3kg], 4GB, W8

I supposed you are talking about the above 3 models? (there is no UX31E in Msia).

Weight - XPS and Zen win.
GPU - Envy 4 has discrete GPU. However, when it kick in, battery will drain faster.
All 3 models can handle Youtube FHD and videos.
Zen has the best screen (IPS panel) and resolution (FHD).
XPS & Zen will boot faster and run apps snappier due to the SSD.
Dell has best warranty support. For business use, you may want to consider to extend the warranty to 3 years. Dell offer NBD onsite service. (You call, next business day, technician at your door, fix problem on the spot. Don't need to send to service centre). Peace of mind for business people.

If you really like HP, you should consider this instead:
Envy SpectreXT 13-2018TU, i7-3517U + Intel HD4000 + 128GB SSD@RM3399[1.39kg], 4GB, W8, 4 cell 45WHR, no ODD, backlit keyboard

This post has been edited by nexus2238: Dec 1 2012, 04:44 PM

Lenovo warranty support is generally good in Malaysia, but sorry I can't comment for Kuching (I am from KL).
Y580 is a popular gaming machine, so you have strength in number
Anyway, Lenovo offer on site warranty (not the standard warranty that come with Y580). Ask the seller if they could do it for you or Lenovo offer it in Kuching. 3yr onsite extension from the standard 2 year warranty will cost you RM250+, I think.

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Added on December 2, 2012, 7:38 amWell thanks to Intel, everyone is confused what is "ultrabook" now
Intel's original definition for ultrabook state it should NOT have discrete GPU that drain battery life, but recently after much protesting from brands, Intel relent.

Seriously though, the HD4000 in 3rd gen icore (ivy bridge) processor is a significant improvement over the HD3000 in 2nd gen (sandy bridge). HD4000 can let you play some games (eg. star craft 2, etc) in low setting reasonably well
So it can definitely handle "light" photoshop or corel draw, just don't expect miracle when you start doing 3D design or modeling

Ultrabook aim for portabilty and battery life. Those ultrabook that has discrete GPU, once the GPU kick in, battery drain fast.

Asus Malaysia warranty support is "iffy" to put it nicely. No doubt Asus design and quality for consumer line is pretty good, but there bound to be lemon Warranty support service, from what we see and heard, is inconsistent.

The Sony Vaio "sheet battery" is a very thin battery, the diameter is almost the full size of the laptop, (like a sheet of paper (but thicker) hence the name) that could be attach to the bottom of the laptop.

All ultrabook that use Intel ULV processor has decent battery life (anyway they are your best bet already, no other option give better battery performance ). If the model use SSD (no HDD), don't have discrete GPU, then battery could last 5-6 hours under "normal" usage.

If you still looking for ultrabook, and worry about Asus warranty:

Dell
XPS13, i5-3317U + Intel HD4000 + 128GB SSD@RM3299[1.36kg], 4GB, W8, backlit
HP
Envy SpectreXT 13-2018TU, i7-3517U + Intel HD4000 + 128GB SSD@RM3399[1.39kg], 4GB, W8, 4 cell 45WHR, no ODD, backlit keyboard
Samsung
9 series NP900X3C, i5-3317U + Intel HD4000 + 128GB SSD + (1600x900)@RM4799[1.16kg], W7HP

These are great ultrabook, and the brand offer good warranty support. Dell of course standout, since you can extend the warranty (if you willing to pay) to longer period, and they offer NBD on site service (you call, they come to your place to fix it on next business day).

TJ suggested Asus Zen because it has the best screen (IPS panel) and best resolution (FHD) among ultrabook.

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Added on December 2, 2012, 7:46 amAsus
A45VS-VX026H, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT645M@RM2199[2.4kg], 2GB, 500GB, W8

extra 4G RAM cost you ~RM80 extra. Asus line up all in W8 now (unless you manage to find some old stock). Talk to reseller if they could give you Win7 if you insist. Btw have you actually use Win8 before or you just won't "touch" it since "people" say it is bad?

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Added on December 2, 2012, 7:49 amAll laptop have "heat" issue when gaming (even high end gaming laptop with good internal fan, heatsink, layout design, etc., is not immune).
Get a good cooling pad or some ingenious external cooling solution.

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Added on December 2, 2012, 8:05 amLatest Asus N series are these:
N56VZ-S4284H, i7-3630QM + Nvidia GT650M + (1920x1080) + Bluray@RM3699[2.7kg][B&O], 4GB, 1TB, W8; color: black
N56VZ-S3151H, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT650M@RM2799[2.7kg][B&O], 4GB, 750GB, W8; color: black

If you are willing to consider other brand 15"
Dell (no numpad)
Inspiron 15R (Special Edition), i5-3210M + AMD HD7730M@RM2199, 4GB, 1TB(5400rpm); backlit keyboard optional, W7HP/W8
Inspiron 15R (Special Edition), i7-3612QM + AMD HD7730M@RM2799, 8GB, 1TB(5400rpm); backlit keyboard optional, W7HP/W8
Inspiron 15R (Special Edition), i7-3612QM + AMD HD7730M + (1920x1080; anti-glare) + 32GB SSD + 1TB HDD(5400rpm)@RM3199, 8GB,backlit keyboard optional, W7HP/W8
Lenovo
Ideapad Z580, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT640M@RM2299, 4GB, 750GB(5400rpm), W7HB, white
Ideapad Y580, i7-3630QM + Nvidia GTX660M + 1920x1080 @RM2999[JBL], 4GB, 500GB(5400rpm), W7HB/W8, backlit keyboard, 2 yrs warranty
HP
Pavillion M6-1021tx, i7-3632QM + AMD HD7670M@RM2999[Beats], 4GB, 1TB(5400rpm), W7HP
Acer
M3-581TG-53316G52, i5-3317U + Nvidia GT640M + 20GB mSATA + 500GB HDD@RM2699[2.25kg], 6GB
V3-571G-73614G1T, i7-3630QM + Nvidia GT640M@RM2899[2.6kg], 4GB, 1TB, W7HP

This post has been edited by nexus2238: Dec 2 2012, 08:05 AM

Woke up preparing milk

Good morning to you too
Ya, kids need milk around 6.30am
Ok, will do my best

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Added on December 2, 2012, 8:23 amLenovo
14"
G480, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT635M@RM1899, 4GB, 1TB (5400rpm), W8, 2 yrs warranty
Z480, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT640M@RM2299, 4GB, 1TB(5400rpm) W7HB, colors: grey/red/blue
15"
Ideapad G580, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT630M@RM1699, 2GB, 500GB, freeDOS, 1 yr warranty
Ideapad Z580, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT640M@RM2299, 4GB, 750GB(5400rpm), W7HB, white

Dell
14"
Inspiron 14R (Special Edition), i5-3210M + Nvidia GT640M(28nm Kepler)@RM2049[2.38kg], 4GB, 500GB(7200rpm), W7HP/W8
15"
Inspiron 15R (Special Edition), i5-3210M + AMD HD7730M@RM2199, 4GB, 1TB(5400rpm); backlit keyboard optional, W7HP/W8

Asus
14"
A45VS-VX026H, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT645M@RM2199[2.4kg], 2GB, 500GB, W8

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Added on December 2, 2012, 9:20 amhttp://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?act=ST&f=98&t=1890950
I saw this at this thread:
DELL ALIENWARE M17XR4 LAPTOP

Intel Core i7-3820QM Processor(2.7GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.7GHz,8MB Cache)
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit(SELF INSTALLATION REQUIRED)
1TB 5400RPM Hard Drive 1TB 5400RPM 2nd Hard Drive 32GBmSATA MiniCard(Caching)
16GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM(4x4GB)
8X DVD+/-RW Drive with DVD+R double layer write capability
Integrated Digital 7.1 Surround Audio Support
2GB GDDR5 Nvidia GeForce GTX 675M
Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet NIC
Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2230 With Bluetooth 4.0
Stealth Black with Soft Touch Finish
17.3"(43.94 cm) WideFHD(1920x1080) WLED LCD
FullHD Camera with dual digital microphones
Alienhead 3D / AlienFX AQUA
9-cell Primary Battery
1 Year Dell Onsite Warranty

My Price: 5800Rm

Now that is a beast for you

Disclaimer: I am not related to the seller, and I am not endorsing his / her services

This post has been edited by nexus2238: Dec 2 2012, 09:20 AM

S56CM-XX090H i5-3317U + Nvidia GT635M + 24GB mSATA + 500GB@RM2199[2.3kg], 2GB, W8; color: black
This is a Asus budget line ultrabook (I told you the definition on ultrabook is getting confusing )
Seems the only difference is the HDD capacity (but 200GB HDD is kind of uncommon)

If the shop you go to quote you RM1.6k, and you are sure it's a brand new unit (not display / refurbished), then that is a pretty good deal, consider the RSP in Asus catalog.
A additional 4G RAM the shop give you is worth around RM80.

This model has a pretty good discrete GPU from Nvidia, much better than the HD4000 built in the i5 processor (it will automatically switch to either depends application requirement). So the graphic performance is a boost compare to ultrabook without discrete GPU. But battery performance will not last that long if the Nvidia GPU kick in.
This model use normal HDD (and a slow RPM one at that), you will find boot time and apps launch time slower than those ultrabook that use SSD (you should try it out for both type, e.g. switching the laptop on / off, try to launch an apps like MS Words). The good thing is you have bigger storage capacity.

So 2.3kg is not heavy to you? Good, then those 1.3kg ultrabook (e.g. Asus Zen) may be an overkill for you

Z480, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT640M@RM2299, 4GB, 1TB(5400rpm) W7HB, colors: grey/red/blue
K46CM-WX090H, i5-3317U + Nvidia GT635M@RM2199[2kg], 2GB, 500GB, W8, OD

In terms of raw CPU and GPU power (important for gaming and programing), HDD size, RAM, Z480 has a slight edge.
Aesthetics depends more on personal taste K46CM is more slender and lighter. Z480 give you some funky colour

Sorry, me bad You wrote RAM 1600, I read RM1600. Sorry
You mean a i5-3317U vs i5-3210M? The U stand for ULV (ultra low volt). ULV ran at lower voltage compared to normal M processor. Power usage for ULV can go even lower when idle. That's one of the main part of power saving for "ultrabook". (The other main source of power saving for ultrabook is using SSD vs normal HDD).
Raw CPU power-wise, the 3210M win.

i7-3517U (this is a dual core, compare to the normal i7 QM which is quad core) is more powerful than i5-3317U. 3517U heat profile is still good.

There is no "perfect" laptop Each of the 3 has its pro and cons. You have to make a call based on what is important to you (screen, resolution, warranty, aesthetics appeal .... )

And yes, as TJ mentioned, since ultrabook is slender, some models has keyboard that don't "drop" as much when you type (i.e as you type how far down the key get depressed). Some people find it jarring, some don't care.

Yes, you are right. Lenovo Malaysia don't sell through its own online portal (I think in Malaysia only Dell and HP (but without customisation options and only limited models) has this).

There are reputable resellers in LYN garage sales forums

This post has been edited by nexus2238: Dec 3 2012, 10:13 AM

GT635M is way much more powerful than HD4000
Yes, HD4000 can handle 1080p movie (it's the resolution that matter, not the size of the screen). To link up to any TV, you need to make sure you have HDMI port in laptop (most do), HDMI port in TV (most do), and a HDMI cable.

Kick a*s*s machine
Missing out? Err ... If your budget is unlimited, upgrade the GPU to GTX680M, get a Bluray, extend warranty, change the wireless to Bigfoot.
And it's kind of wasteful to use SSD to do RAID-0 (I doubt you will notice any significant difference during usage, may be can see it in benchmark) and capacity is only 128GBx2, if you want to upgrade capacity next time, need to deal with RAID-0 backup

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Added on December 4, 2012, 9:28 amLenovo
S300, Pentium 997 + Intel HD3000 @RM1199[1.8kg], 2GB,500GB(5400rpm), freeDOS; W7HB/W8@RM1399, no ODD, 1 yr warranty
U310, i3-3217M + Intel HD4000@RM1699, 4GB, 320GB(5400rpm), W7HB (32-bit); colors: Blue/Pink

No 13.3" "light" from Asus or HP within this price range.

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Added on December 4, 2012, 9:33 amAsus
A45VS-VX026H, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT645M@RM2199[2.4kg], 2GB, 500GB, W8
Dell
Inspiron 14R (Special Edition), i5-3210M + Nvidia GT640M(28nm Kepler)@RM2049[2.38kg], 4GB, 500GB(7200rpm), W7HP/W8
Lenovo
Z480, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT640M@RM2299, 4GB, 1TB(5400rpm) W7HB, colors: grey/red/blue
G480, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT635M@RM1699, 4GB, 500GB(5400rpm), FreeDOS
G480, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT635M@RM1899, 4GB, 1TB (5400rpm), W8, 2 yrs warranty

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Added on December 4, 2012, 9:34 amScreen size?

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Added on December 4, 2012, 9:42 amNo decent laptop within your budget that can play diablo 3 reasonably come with SSD right out of factory.
Since you did not specify screen size, suggest this:

Lenovo
14"
Y480 i7-3630QM + Nvidia GT650M (GDDR5) @RM2599 [JBL], 4GB, 500GB(5400rpm), backlit keyboard, freeDOS
Y480 i7-3610QM + Nvidia GT650(GDDR5)@RM2699[JBL], 4GB, 500GB(5400rpm), backlit keyboard, W7HB, 2 years international warranty
Most power you can buy in this price range. Negotiate. Grab a 256G SSD yourself and swap it with the HDD.


This post has been edited by nexus2238: Dec 4 2012, 09:42 AM

MS office in NETbook?
Please negotiate "kuat, kuat". You can easily knock off RM100-200 from RSP for some of the models.

Toshiba 10.1"
NB520-1065/Q/N/G/B, Atom N2800 + Intel GMA3650@RM1049[harman/kardon][1.32kg], colors: brown/Turquoise/copper/lime green/blue

Sony 11.6"
Vaio SVE11115EGB, AMD E2-1800 + AMD HD7340M@RM1499[1.5kg], 2GB, 320GB(5400rpm), W7HB

Samsung 11.6"
NP305U1A, E-450 + AMD HD6320M@RM1399, 2GB, 500GB, W7S

HP 11.6"
Dm1-4210AU, AMD E1-1200 + AMD HD7310M@RM1399, 2GB, 500GB(5400rpm), W7HP

Asus 10.1"
Eee PC 1025C, Atom N2800 + Intel GMA3650@RM999,2GB, 320GB(5400rpm), colors: blue/red/black/white
Eee PC 1025CE, Atom N2800 + Intel GMA3650@RM1059,2GB, 320GB(5400rpm), colors: blue/pink/purple
11.6"
VivoBook X200E-CT006H, B987 + Intel UMA + (1366x768; touch)@RM1499[1.4kg], 4GB, 500GB, W8
VivoBook X200E-CT009H, B847 + Intel UMA + (1366x768; touch)@RMTBA[1.4kg], 4GB, 500GB, W8

Acer 11.6"
Aspire AO725, AMD C-70 + AMD HD???? @RM1049, 2GB, 500GB, W8
Aspire AO756s, Celeron 877 + Intel HD@RM1149, 2GB, 500GB, W8
10.1"
Aspire AOD270, Atom N2800 + Intel GMA 3650@RM1099, 2GB, 320GB, W7S, free Acer pouch, colors: red/black
Aspire AOD270, Atom N2800 + Intel GMA 3650@RM1099, W7HB, free Acer pouch, colors: aquamarine/carnival

The Acer Aspire AO756s, Asus VivoBook, HP Dm1, Sony, has the best chance to give you decent experience in MS Office. But most, if not all, only come with MS Office Trial version. You need to supply the key to unlock MS Office to full version.

Look at this:
Lenovo 13.3"
S300, Pentium 997 + Intel HD3000 @RM1199[1.8kg], 2GB,500GB(5400rpm), freeDOS; W7HB/W8@RM1399, no ODD, 1 yr warranty
Has more raw power than anything above and still within your budget.

More touchscreen laptop are being released, some has been annouced but has not reach Msia shore.

Do note that touchscreen laptop, if the display could not be detached from the keyboard base, need a very strong hinge (the metal / plastic that hold the screen and keyboard base together), or the display will become wobbly as you "poke, poke" on the screen (and get worse over time). This usually get worse as the screen size increase (the display become heavier).

With that in mind, you will realise why there is NO 15" touchscreen laptop.
As for 14", in Malaysia now you can find:
Asus
VivoBook S400CA=CA006H, i5-3317U + Intel HD4000 + 24GB mSATA + 500GB + (1366x768; touch)@RM2499[2kg], 4GB, W8
Acer
V5-471P, i3-3217U + Intel HD4000 + (1366x768; touch)@RM1899, 4GB, 500GB, W8
V5-471PG, i5-3317U + Nvidia GT620M + (1366x768; touch)@RM2299, 4GB, 500GB, W8

Touchscreen is more prevalent in 13.3" and below.

Most Netbook, come pre-installed with MS Office 2010 by the brands. The installation files for MS Office, usually, sit in a separate partition of the laptop harddisk (so that you don't accidentally wipe it). Unfortunately, when you login, you will find it is not the standard / full edition.

If your laptop come with W7HB, the laptop will likely has Office 2010 Starter edition. It only has Word & Excel with reduce functionalities (and advertisement). Details here:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/starter/

If your laptop come with W7HP or W8, the laptop will likely has Office 2010 (30 days) Trial edition (there is trick that you can use to extend the trial period to 180 days). During the Trial period, full functionalities. After trial period, reduce functionalities.

If you have a valid activation key for Office 2010, all you have to do is input the key, and the standard / full edition become (almost) instantly available to you (don't need to do further install, the installation files are already in the laptop). Whether you get Home Student, Home Biz, etc depend on your key.

Antenna in laptop normally is layout around the screen. Netbook, due to the small screen size, inherently has limitation on the antenna layout.
That being said, I have personally use the HP dm1 and Toshiba NB520 for extend period of time, and the reception is not too bad. The rest of netbook should be around the same. (of course, it also depend on the brand of wifi module ... )

The rig, as it is, is sufficient for your usage
It already has a programable back lit keyboard (funky colour on different zone of the keyboard )
And the gold-plated headset/mic jac is nice

USB 3 is fast, but still lag behind SATA.

If you have a large music library, maybe consider this:
1 256G SSD (512G SSD is out of your budget), 1 1TB/750GB (7200 rpm) HDD. Don't need to do RAID 0.
Install OS and your most frequently used apps (e.g. the dj program) in the SSD. Put you music library in the SATA HDD. Transfer some of the music files that you plan to play to the SSD as and when required.

I think you are going to enjoy your beast very much

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Added on December 4, 2012, 12:04 pmYes, more will be released in coming months. And consider 13.3" or smaller as well. A lot of great design there (Like Lenovo Yoga (can turn the screen 360 degree, use it like a tablet or a normal laptop), Samsung ATIC (detachable screen with stylus pen, no fingerprint on screen), Asus taichi (2 screens, front and back, open - use like normal laptop, close - use like tablet), Dell XPS12 (the screen can be swiveled ....)

This post has been edited by nexus2238: Dec 4 2012, 12:10 PM

f. Errr ... this is not a sales thread A lot of resellers have installment plan for credit card, but there is a surchage (generally around 4% of agreed price). Anyway, all the prices below are RSP, you should negotiate further when you buy

a. Is 2.0 - 2.4kg ok for you (since you only move it around at home)? or you prefer those that is around 1.3 - 1.8kg? I am going to assume you are ok with 2kg. Those 1.3kg light "ultrabook" is expensive.

d. Most brand switch to Win8 now for new stocks. Some resellers may still have stocks (for model listed below) in Win7. Freedos mean it does not come with OS, you need to get a copy of Win7 yourself (if you buy one, it may cost you around RM150 or higher depend on edition). Worst case, you buy a Win8 machine, keep the activation key. Ask the reseller (discreetly) to help you install a Jack Sparrow Win7. Next time, when you translation software support Win8, just wipe clean the Win7 and install Win8.

e. Among the three brands you prefer, Lenovo has better warranty support. Asus has the worst warranty support. All has at least 1 year warranty. Asus standard warranty is 2 year international unless specified otherwise. After warranty expired, if laptop has hardware failure, you need to pay parts and labours if you send back to official service centre (just the same as you send to normal repair shop).

Lenovo
13"
S300, Pentium 997 + Intel HD3000 @RM1199[1.8kg], 2GB,500GB(5400rpm), freeDOS; W7HB/W8@RM1399, no ODD, 1 yr warranty
14"
G480, B830 + Intel HD3000@RM999, 2GB, 500GB (5400rpm), FreeDOS
G480, B980 + Intel HD@RM1299, 2GB, 500GB, W8
G480, i3-2328M + Intel HD3000@RM1299, 2GB, 500GB (5400rpm), FreeDOS
15"
Ideapad G580, B950 + Nvidia GT610M@RM1199, 2GB, 320GB, freeDOS, 1 yr warranty

Acer
14"
V5-431-987B2G50u, B987 + Intel HD@RM1499[2.1kg], 2GB, 500GB, W8
V5-431-887B2G50, B887 + Intel HD@RM1299[2.1kg], 2GB, 500GB, W8
Aspire E1-421-11202G50, E1-1200 + AMD HD7310M@RM1249, 2GB, 500GB, W7HB; W8@RM1299
Aspire E1-431-B822G50, B820 + Intel HD@RM1099, 2GB, 500GB, FreeDOS

Asus
14"
X44H-VX280, i3-2350M + Intel HD3000@RM1399[2.44kg], 2GB, 500GB, FreeDOS; 1 year warranty
X44H-VX231, B820 + Intel HD3000@RM1099[2.44kg], 2GB, 500GB, FreeDOS; 1 year warranty
X401A-091/092/093R, B820 + Intel HD3000@RM1299[1.85kg], 2GB, 500GB, W8; colors: black/white/green; 1 year warranty
X45U, E2-1800 + AMD HD6320M@RM1199[2.2kg], 2GB, 500GB, FreeDOS

Of the above, the best value is the G480 / G580.
In term of power, those with i3 is the best, then B9xx (the higher the better), then B8xx (the higher the better).

If you are really concern about warranty support, you should consider Dell. Dell standard warranty is 1 year Next Business Day on site. This mean if you have any hardware problem, you call Dell, its technician will come to your house to fix it for you on next business day. And you could extend the warranty to 3 years for RM300+ more. (Remember, you can / should still negotiate with Dell even if you buy online directly from them)

14"
Inspiron 14, B820 + Intel HD@RM999[2.1kg], 2GB, 500GB(5400rpm), Ubuntu Linux 11.10; W7HB/W8@RM1159
15"
Inspiron 15, B820 + Intel HD@RM959[2.4kg], 2GB, 320GB(5400rpm), Ubuntux Linux 11.10; W7HB@RM1119; W7HP/W8@RM1249

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Added on December 4, 2012, 3:09 pmI suggest you get good warranty support.

Dell 14"
Inspiron 14R (Special Edition), i5-3210M + Nvidia GT640M(28nm Kepler)@RM2049[2.38kg], 4GB, 500GB(7200rpm), W7HP/W8

Extend warranty to 3 years. Negotiate. Should be within your budget. Dell offer Next Business Day on site warranty support service. The best in Malaysia.

This post has been edited by nexus2238: Dec 4 2012, 03:09 PM

14"
Lenovo
G480, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT635M@RM1699, 4GB, 500GB(5400rpm), FreeDOS
G480, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT635M@RM1899, 4GB, 1TB (5400rpm), W8, 2 yrs warranty

Dell
Inspiron 14R, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT630M@RM1899[2.38kg], 4GB, 500GB(5400rpm), W7HP/W8
Inspiron 14R (Special Edition), i5-3210M + Nvidia GT640M(28nm Kepler)@RM2049[2.38kg], 4GB, 500GB(7200rpm), W7HP/W8

Lenovo has (slightly) better value. Dell has better warranty support.
Negotiate, extend warranty to 3 years. Dell standard is NBD on site. Lenovo, make sure you ask specifically for NBD onsite since it don't come standard.